This book may not be for everyone but, I loved it. Laura Purcell is an historian and the book is based on the life of Ann Nailor, a 13-year old milliner's apprentice, whose death was caused by the mother and daughter, she worked for.
Its a well spun mystery, that will grab your attention in the first chapter. Is Ruth a villain or victim? Is she mad or a murderer?
It is categorized as Victorian Gothic Fiction, which is defined as the utilization of supernatural elements, and could be described as a ghost story, with elements of horror. I would not describe this book as a horror story. Although, it does have a horrific subplot, highlighting the treatment of the poor and African Americans, during the Victorian era.
The main characters, Dorothea Truelove and Ruth Butterham live in different worlds. Dorothea is young, beautiful and wealthy. She volunteers at Oakgate Prison and is investigating the value of Phrenology, which is the study of the shape and size of the cranium, as an indicator of character. She believes this may signify a predisposition to committing a crime.
She meets Ruth Butterham, who is young, destitute and on trial for murder. Ruth is a talented seamstress, who has earned her keep with her handiwork. At a young age, she has observed the horrific deaths of her father, young sister and best friend Mim. She lives in anguish, with the belief that she is evil, and is poisoning people supernaturally, by breathing her 'poisonous' thoughts, which seep into her needle and thread.
The author does an excellent job depicting the poverty and the treatment of the poor during that era. Her descriptions stay with you. This a dark and haunting tale in which the author brings to life a very bleak era, to the point where you feel the grittiness, soot and squalor; where poor destitute people live in 'camps' with a bucket for a bathroom.
I am new to this genre and generally this would not be a book I would gravitate to, but I LOVED it! I would classify this as one of the best books of 2019. I look forward to reading her other book, The Silent Companions.
Other Book by Laura Purcell
The Silent Companions 2018
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