Having previously read and loved the previous novels from Stacey Halls, I was excited to pick up this new book from her.
The Household is set in 1847 London and follows the lives of the women who inhabit Urania Cottage, a refuge for women who are ex-convicts, prostitutes or simply lost. The plot is inspired by the real Urania Cottage, a "Home for Homeless Women" established by author Charles Dickens and heiress Angela Burdett-Coutts.
The story follows a number of characters, including Angela, and the women living and working at the cottage. The setting makes for an interesting exploration of the characters and how their backgrounds, desires and flaws influence the way they respond to life at the cottage.
There were some stand-out characters, such as Martha and Josephine who I particularly enjoyed following. However I did find that, because the book includes so many characters, I did not get as much depth and detail about them as I would have liked.
The plot is well structured and there were some mysteries running through the book that kept me reading. The ending felt a little rushed but it was a satisfying conclusion to the story.
I always enjoy Stacey Hall's writing and I love how her books are inspired by real events and people that I would not have known about, if not for reading her books inspired by them.
Thank you to Readers First for the copy of this book.
The Household is set in 1847 London and follows the lives of the women who inhabit Urania Cottage, a refuge for women who are ex-convicts, prostitutes or simply lost. The plot is inspired by the real Urania Cottage, a "Home for Homeless Women" established by author Charles Dickens and heiress Angela Burdett-Coutts.
The story follows a number of characters, including Angela, and the women living and working at the cottage. The setting makes for an interesting exploration of the characters and how their backgrounds, desires and flaws influence the way they respond to life at the cottage.
There were some stand-out characters, such as Martha and Josephine who I particularly enjoyed following. However I did find that, because the book includes so many characters, I did not get as much depth and detail about them as I would have liked.
The plot is well structured and there were some mysteries running through the book that kept me reading. The ending felt a little rushed but it was a satisfying conclusion to the story.
I always enjoy Stacey Hall's writing and I love how her books are inspired by real events and people that I would not have known about, if not for reading her books inspired by them.
Thank you to Readers First for the copy of this book.