ClareR (5996 KP) rated The Woman in the Wallpaper in Books
Oct 14, 2025
Sofie and Lara Thibault, along with their mother, move from Marseille to work in a wallpaper factory near Paris after he violent death of their father. The Oberst factory provides them all with a job and Josef Oberst becomes friends with the sisters.
A marriage and the Revolution see an end to the friendship.
I loved all the historical details around the Revolution, what it was like to work in a wallpaper factory, and the differences between the workers and the aristocracy. I could feel the tension radiating off the page, building to its incendiary, and very sad conclusion. I thought the character- and world-building were excellent, and I even felt some sympathy for the awful, aristo wife of Josef.
It’s a fabulous addition to stories set during the French Revolution.
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ClareR (5996 KP) rated The Other Half of Augusta Hope in Books
Sep 29, 2020
Alongside the story of Augusta, chapters are alternated with Parfait and his story. He lives in Burundi - a country torn apart by Civil War. Parfaits family is destroyed by the horrors of this war, so he and his younger brother leave for what they feel will be a better life in Spain. Life has more sadness to throw at Parfait, though - and Augusta is dealt a cruel hand as well. She finds solace in Spain, which is where Parfait and Augusta are destined to meet.
I liked the alternating chapters of Augusta and Parfait - this device really highlighted the huge differences in their lives early on. As the story progresses though, it also shows that no matter how different we may all appear, there are actually more similarities than differences. We are all human; we all experience love and loss.
This was such a good way to highlight the refugee crisis in Europe. At a couple of points in the story, Parfait announces to the Spanish town how many people had died in the Mediterranean that year in their quest to live a better life. This book is heartbreaking in more than this one way. Both characters suffer unimaginable loss, and both learn to value life, a feeling of home and belonging.
It’s a wonderful book, and one that I’d heartily recommend. Many thanks to NetGalley and The Borough Press for my ebook copy.
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ABRSM Aural Trainer Grades 1-5
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The OFFICIAL ABRSM Aural Trainer contains interactive challenges to help develop your music aural...