The Yard: Book 1
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A gripping debut from Alex Grecian, The Yard evokes London in the wake of Jack the Ripper. Victorian...
Laura Doe (1350 KP) rated The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper in Books
Oct 23, 2022
The Five introduces us to each of the women that were murdered by Jack the Ripper in the Victorian era: Polly, Annie, Elizabeth, Catherine and Mary Jane. Hallie Rubenhold starts from the very beginning for each woman, with all but Mary Jane having the story start with their parents and then when the woman was born. She takes us through their childhoods, marriages and troubles and tries to make us understand how the women got to the place they were at that moment in time. She then tells us a little bit about how they were found afterwards and their burials if she can. She makes it clear that the majority of these women weren’t prostitutes, as we have all been led to believe. And even tells us where this belief originated and why it wasn’t corrected.
I have found it extremely interesting to learn about the darker side of Victorian life and to learn how hard it was for the working class and how difficult it was to better oneself, especially as a woman. Hallie Rubenhold’s writing draws you in and makes you want to learn more about the world in which these women lived and how different it is to now. I have enjoyed learning about these women, and the book is extremely well researched and has a lot of evidence to back up the claims made by the author. I have wanted to read the Covent Garden Ladies for a while, and I think this book will have moved it much further up the list.
Suswatibasu (1702 KP) rated The Wicked Cometh in Books
Jan 1, 2018
Following closely in Sarah Waters' footsteps, this is a Victorian pastiche that returns to those perennials of murder, identity, prostitution and female survival. Carlin writes with fluency and conjures up a grim, dank, seedy London where the only sanctuary for our heroine is in female friendship
While this is an enjoyable read, it does feel more generic than original, and there are some clumsy tricks such as the extended death-bed confession/life-story at the end. Great for fans of Victoriana.
Kaileb Bryant (3 KP) rated Jane Eyre in Books
Jun 11, 2019
When reading, it is interesting to pay attention and watch out for references of fire and ice - this can add layers to your understanding and add a depth of interest.
Also, watch out for gothic tropes such a doubles, and see how these add to the plot.
Overall a fantastic read, though the ending may seem anti-climatic to some, I personally find it charming.
Enjoy this Victorian novel!
David McK (3496 KP) rated Crocodile on the Sandbank (Amelia Peabody #1) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
I beleive there is now something like 18 books in the eries; this is the very first that introduces us to the central character of Amelia Peabody: a Victorian heiress at the turn of the century. I'm also not really sure how to classify this novel, as it combines elements of mystery, action/adventure, romance and comedy, with the central character of Amelia herself being a bit of a know-it-all (she's always right, even after the fact).
Will I read more in the series? Probably, but I don't know if they are books I would go out of my way to look for.
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