Belinda Layton is a 20 year old girl who lost her fiancé during WWI.
At the start of the book we see Belinda working in a factory under the creepy surveillance of Mr Butterfield. At home, Belinda is residing with her late fiances family, who expect her to continue living in a period of mourning, and at home her family expect her to pass all her earnings on to them.
As Belinda is faced with having to fend for herself and realising she is a ‘surplus girl’, she hopes to begin a career as an office worker. Upon realising she is too old to start this career as a junior she goes business school, which leads to her placement in a bookshop.
This book touches on so many issues. The expectations and place of women in society, as well as class.
This book isn’t the normal genre I go for but I read the first look impression on readers first and was drawn in. I am glad I was as this truly was a beautifully written book. A warning tale which offers hope.
At the start of the book we see Belinda working in a factory under the creepy surveillance of Mr Butterfield. At home, Belinda is residing with her late fiances family, who expect her to continue living in a period of mourning, and at home her family expect her to pass all her earnings on to them.
As Belinda is faced with having to fend for herself and realising she is a ‘surplus girl’, she hopes to begin a career as an office worker. Upon realising she is too old to start this career as a junior she goes business school, which leads to her placement in a bookshop.
This book touches on so many issues. The expectations and place of women in society, as well as class.
This book isn’t the normal genre I go for but I read the first look impression on readers first and was drawn in. I am glad I was as this truly was a beautifully written book. A warning tale which offers hope.