Although they say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, it is hard not to when the illustration of Stacey Halls's 'The Foundling' is so breath-taking. The setting of 18th century London appeals greatly to me, a city I visit regularly and which has so much history we will never truly uncover. Bess is an extremely well-rounded, believable and interesting character, and the story of her leaving her illegitimate daughter at the city's Foundling Hospital is a truly heart-wrenching and a sad but true reflection of the time period. The unusual and unexpected plot twist when she finds out her daughter was claimed by herself takes the story in an extremely interesting directing. It sounds whimsical, emotive and a wonderful read. Halls's grip of prose is admirable and makes it sounds like a truly wonderful read that would also look stunning on any coffee table or bookcase.