Audio Book Review: The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee

 The Downstairs Girl is an enjoyable story and it enlightened me about some historical issues I had not encountered previously. 

It is 1890 in Atlanta, and Jo Kuan feels fortunate to have a job as a milliner's assistant. She is very talented and has taken the new girl under her wing. She is stunned when the milliner fires her and decides to keep the new girl. Given Jo's heritage, she is used to being treated unfairly.

She and her adoptive father, Old Gin, live secretly in the basement underneath the building where an Atlanta newspaper is printed. She feels like she knows the publishing family very well since she can listen in on their conversations, but they have no idea people are living in their basement.

Jo is forced to become a ladies' maid for the daughter of one of the most wealthy Atlanta families, where she has worked previously. She hates the job but tries to get along with the spoiled brat.

Jo is so frustrated that she becomes "Miss Sweetie," an anonymous lady who writes controversial columns for the newspaper about the inequalities of society. She can't believe how popular her opinions become and is fearful as her identity comes very close to being revealed.

There are secrets and surprises all throughout The Downstairs Girl, and I'm glad I didn't read the Amazon blurb because it gives away a big one! The plight of the seemingly invisible Asian population is unique. They weren't treated quite as badly as the black population, but yet they were not entitled to any of the privileges of the white. 

The narrator, Emily Woo Zeller, does a great job narrating. I really thought her male voices were exceptional, given she is female. I would definitely recommend the audio version.

I found The Downstairs Girl compelling, even if the ending is a bit too good to be true. The book is written for young adults, and totally appropriate and informative for that audience. I would recommend The Downstairs Girl to teens and adults alike.

Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons BFYR, 2019
Audiobook purchased from Libro.fm
384 pages

Rating: 4/5

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Book Review: The American Heiress, by Daisy Goodwin

I'm not sure where I got The American Heiress, but I know the reason I wanted it is because it has been compared to Downton Abbey. It wasn't the same as Downton, but I understand the comparison.

It is the late 1800s, the Gilded Age, and Cora Cash is a very, very rich American heiress. Her mother takes her to England because she wants Cora to marry a man with a title.

And she does. After falling off her horse, Cora is rescued by Ivo, the Duke of Wareham. One of the issues I had with The American Heiress is the insta-love between these two. But they do fall in love and get married.  It is no secret that Ivo needs money. His estate is falling apart, and Cora is definitely going to help him financially.

Most of the book is about Cora's struggles to fit into English society. Her mistakes and indiscretions are numerous. The marriage is rocky, and at times Cora is convinced that Ivo really did just marry her for her money.

Not much else happens. Some of the characters are not what they seem. There are some secrets to be revealed. And they get a visit from the Prince of Wales.

The American Heiress definitely kept my interest, but it wasn't unputdownable. Cora is a sympathetic character and that helps. If you are interested in the time period, The American Heiress should be added to your list. The book is also appropriate for teens interested in royal romances.

Published by St. Martin's, 2011
Personal copy
468 pages

Rating: 3.5/5

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Book Review: The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells

I've completed another classic novel using my Serial Reader, and this time it was The War of the Worlds. This novel holds up surprisingly well for something that was written in the 1800s.

Most of you know the premise, I'm sure.  Martians land on earth and begin the wanton destruction of England. The first person narrator is unnamed, but he's a writer and a philosopher.  So he gives a "factual" narration of what happened to him and his brother, who was in a different part of England.

You can feel the mounting tension and at times panic of the narrator and those he encounters.  The story is brutal and doesn't pull any punches. The descriptions of the Martians and their fighting machines are vivid and many artists have attempted to depict scenes from The War of the Worlds.

As with most classic novels, the descriptions are at times a bit wordy, although I probably would have gotten more out of them if I were more familiar with that area of England. The War of the Worlds is one of the earliest science fictions works, and if you are a fan of the genre, you should not miss it.

Published by William Heinemann, 1898 (published in serial form in 1897)
eBook obtained from Serial Reader
287 pages

Rating: 4/5

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Book Review: These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly @JenWritesBooks

Donnelly's Revolution is probably my favorite historical fiction book ever. So when I saw she had a new one coming out, These Shallow Graves, I couldn't wait to read it. I wasn't disappointed.

Jo Montfort is called home from her boarding school because her father has died. He accidentally shot himself while cleaning his gun. Nothing feels right to Jo, so she begins to investigate. She starts out by finding her father's appointment book hidden in the floorboards, and it has some confusing notations in it. Her father's company owned a newspaper, and while she was visiting the editor, she overhears a conversation indicating her father's death was a suicide. She confronts the reporter, Eddie, and they team up to find out what really happened.

Eddie tries to keep Jo from the seedy side of the investigation, but Jo refuses, taking risks that no lady should be taking. After all, she's set to marry one of the most eligible bachelors in the city.

As Jo begins to sleuth with Eddie, they become entangled romantically too, and this causes all kinds of turmoil for Jo. She meets many low class characters who come to her aid and who end up meaning a lot to Jo. There's a strong message about freedom here. Jo eventually realizes she's just as much a slave as the pickpockets and prostitutes, just in a different way.

The sorting out of all the details of what actually happened to Jo's father is not straightforward and Jo finds herself in imminent danger a few times. Some of her narrow escapes are a bit contrived, but the overall buildup of tension is good. And early on I had a strong suspicion about who the eventual culprit was, but that didn't take away from the story.

The eventual resolution for Jo was positive and satisfying. These Shallow Graves is a great mix of mystery, romance, and history that hit the right spot. I'll happily add this to the list of historical fiction recommendations for my teen readers.

Published by Delacorte, October 27, 2015
eARC obtained from NetGalley
496 pages

Rating: 4/5

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Book Review: Belle Epoque, by Elizabeth Ross

Belle Epoque is the story of a girl, Maude, in the late 1800s who escapes her father and moves to Paris. She gets one of the most unusual jobs you will ever hear of. Belle Epoque is historical fiction at its finest.

First of all, the title. Here's the explanation of Belle Epoque from Wikipedia:

The Belle Époque or La Belle Époque (French for "Beautiful Era") was a period in French and Belgian history that is conventionally dated as starting in 1871 and ending when World War I began in 1914. Occurring during the era of the Third French Republic (beginning 1870), it was a period characterized by optimism, peace at home and in Europe, new technology and scientific discoveries. The peace and prosperity in Paris allowed the arts to flourish, and many masterpieces of literature, music, theater, and visual art gained recognition. The Belle Époque was named, in retrospect, when it began to be considered a "golden age" in contrast to the horrors of World War I.

I found that pretty interesting.  Anyway, Maude's father was going to make her marry the 40-something-year-old butcher from their village, so she ran away to Pairs. She answers the add for a job, but doesn't understand what she's getting into. It turns out, she's applying (or auditioning) for a job as a repoussoir. They are looking for ugly women who will be hired by Paris' finest and richest people to accompany them to events to make them look more beautiful. The idea being that if you put someone who is only average looking next to someone who is plain or ugly, the average looking person looks beautiful next to the ugly person.

While the idea of this job is abhorrent, the pay is good and meals, clothing, lodging, and training are provided, so Maude really has no choice. She makes some friends and maybe even a romantic interest. She is hired by one of the agency's most important clients, Countess Dubern, to be a friend to her daughter, Isabel. Isabel is going through her first "season" and her mother is determined Isabel will bag a very rich man, preferably with a title.

Isabel has no idea that Maude has been hired by her mother. She also has no interest in getting married. Maude has her work cut out for her, and eventually things blow up.

Belle Epoque has a subtle message about the meaning of beauty. Whether beauty really is only skin deep. Whether money is worth more than happiness. Lots of things to think about...and issues that are still very relevant today.

Belle Epoque is written very well, the characters are engaging, and the pacing is tight. It's a relatively quick read that captured my attention easily. Anyone who is a fan of historical fiction will find a lot here. The Eiffel Tower is being built, and photography is becoming available to the common man. Because of the relative prosperity of the time period, art, culture, and technology were all center stage. Ross uses all these events to enhance Belle Epoque.

Something for everyone here.

Published by Delacorte BFYR, 2013
eBook obtained from the library
250 pages (Amazon and Barnes & Noble say 336 pages, but I'm using the page numbers from my eBook)

Rating: 5/5

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Book Review: The Quick, by Lauren Owen

For die-hard fans of vampire books, The Quick is not to be missed.

Wow. This one is hard to describe. Allow me to use the description from Amazon:

1892: James Norbury, a shy would-be poet newly down from Oxford, finds lodging with a charming young aristocrat. Through this new friendship, he is introduced to the drawing-rooms of high society and finds love in an unexpected quarter. Then, suddenly, he vanishes without a trace. Alarmed, his sister, Charlotte, sets out from their crumbling country estate determined to find him. In the sinister, labyrinthine London that greets her, she uncovers a hidden, supernatural city populated by unforgettable characters: a female rope walker turned vigilante, a street urchin with a deadly secret, and the chilling “Doctor Knife.” But the answer to her brother’s disappearance ultimately lies within the doors of the exclusive, secretive Aegolius Club, whose predatory members include the most ambitious, and most bloodthirsty, men in England.

And just let me say, that description is adequate, but not complete. The strength of The Quick is definitely the setting. Owen immerses you into this London world of blood suckers that is so believable it sends chills up your spine.

Every character is completely illustrated. Owen starts at the very beginning and we learn all the background of each character before we learn how they are related to the story. I enjoyed this technique, although some of these characters turned out to play fairly minor parts in the story, and these descriptions served to make this a very long book.

The Quick is not action packed. It's immersive. It's a character study. I actually stopped twice during my reading to read other books. I was interested in The Quick, but the plot was so plodding that I got tired of it. I'm really glad I finished it, but it is an investment in time.

And after all that imagery and following our characters through their entire lives, I really thought the end fizzled. When the end is revealed, my first thought was, "So?" Yes, I know it's supposed to make you wonder, but it's not the resolution that I'd hoped for.

The Quick has been compared to The Historian, and I can see why, although personally I preferred The Historian. It's also been compared to Anne Rice books, which I've never read, so I can't comment on that.

The Quick is definitely a literary book, and for the right reader, I highly recommend it.

Published by Random House, June 17, 2014
eARC obtained from Edelweiss
544 pages

Rating: 3.5/5

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