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readacorn's review against another edition
4.0
London 1748: Mary lernt früh, dass man mit Ehrbarkeit und harter Arbeit nicht weit kommt. Für ein leuchtend rotes Satinband wird sie zur Hure und lernt so eine Freiheit kennen, die den sittsamen Frauen ihrer Zeit vorenthalten ist.
Von der Autorin kannte ich bereits ihr hervorragendes Buch "Raum". Das Vorliegende hat zwar ein völlig anderes Thema, ist aber ebenso spannend geschrieben. Die Lebensbedingungen im ausgehenden 18. Jahrhundert Englands auf der Straße, in den Städten, den Dörfern bei Reich und Arm werden im Rahmen der Erzählung eindrücklich vermittelt. Auch die Mode ist ein zentrales Thema.
Die Geschichte der starken Mary Saunders geht unter die Haut. Ihr Lebensweg wird immer absurder ohne konstruiert zu wirken. Einziger Kritikpunkt: die Kapitel waren mir mit 60-90 Seiten etwas zu lang. Ich mache gerne meine Leseunterbrechung zum Kapitelende, das war hier kaum möglich.
Ein vernachlässigbares Manko in Anbetracht der tollen Geschichte. Im Anhang erfährt man, dass es eine historische Mary Saunders gab und welche weiteren Charaktere aus dem Roman historische Vorlagen hatten.
Von der Autorin kannte ich bereits ihr hervorragendes Buch "Raum". Das Vorliegende hat zwar ein völlig anderes Thema, ist aber ebenso spannend geschrieben. Die Lebensbedingungen im ausgehenden 18. Jahrhundert Englands auf der Straße, in den Städten, den Dörfern bei Reich und Arm werden im Rahmen der Erzählung eindrücklich vermittelt. Auch die Mode ist ein zentrales Thema.
Die Geschichte der starken Mary Saunders geht unter die Haut. Ihr Lebensweg wird immer absurder ohne konstruiert zu wirken. Einziger Kritikpunkt: die Kapitel waren mir mit 60-90 Seiten etwas zu lang. Ich mache gerne meine Leseunterbrechung zum Kapitelende, das war hier kaum möglich.
Ein vernachlässigbares Manko in Anbetracht der tollen Geschichte. Im Anhang erfährt man, dass es eine historische Mary Saunders gab und welche weiteren Charaktere aus dem Roman historische Vorlagen hatten.
jennerator828's review against another edition
4.0
This book actually got better as it went along, and I was particularly pleased with the ending. It's also MUCH better than Frog Music, though it still doesn't hold a candle to Room to me--although I do wonder if it's fair to compare Donoghue's historical fic with her contemporary work. In any case, this was a good book and I would recommend it to any Neo-Victorian fan.
mcfade28's review against another edition
4.0
Emma Donoghue is fast becoming one of my favourite authors. Everything I've read of hers has been a real treat, aside from her lacklustre debut Stirfry. She is a historian, and I think this book is an example of what she does best... take a very vague historical account and flesh it out into a novel.
Slammerkin follows Mary Saunders, a teenager who is abandoned by her mother after a rape, and stumbles into a life of prostitution in 18th century London. Donoghue paints a very clear picture of my beloved London in this time frame( and I very much enjoyed several mentions of the Cheshire Cheese pub which is still open today and I've visited on many occasions), and our young protagonist inspires pathos. It's hard not to get swept away in this story, and I forgot on several occasions that poor Mary was only really a child.
I won't spoil the ending but I was enthralled throughout. This book isn't for the faint hearted and it doesn't shy away from seedy scenes, but I would thoroughly recommend it to any historical fiction fan who doesn't balk at the prospect of a detailed look at prostitution in 18th century London.
Slammerkin follows Mary Saunders, a teenager who is abandoned by her mother after a rape, and stumbles into a life of prostitution in 18th century London. Donoghue paints a very clear picture of my beloved London in this time frame( and I very much enjoyed several mentions of the Cheshire Cheese pub which is still open today and I've visited on many occasions), and our young protagonist inspires pathos. It's hard not to get swept away in this story, and I forgot on several occasions that poor Mary was only really a child.
I won't spoil the ending but I was enthralled throughout. This book isn't for the faint hearted and it doesn't shy away from seedy scenes, but I would thoroughly recommend it to any historical fiction fan who doesn't balk at the prospect of a detailed look at prostitution in 18th century London.
arielle17's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed Slammerkin, and thought it was really beautifully written. Donoghue has an excellent way of getting involved in the minds of very young people and writing from the perspective of very damaged children. This is definitely a very complex book, especially because it deals much less blatantly with the abuse involved than 'Room' (which I read first) did, so for me it was sometimes a struggle to remember precisely how young the main character was and to see her actions in light of that. It seemed remarkably well-researched, and the details of the setting are rich and wonderful - it's a good book to sink into.
pjvana's review against another edition
4.0
Set in 1762 London, this novel begins with young girl trying to find a better life. What she finds is a different life. You will love the character Donohue creates and hate the situations she puts her in. This book is racy... Not for the prudes at heart. I loved this book so much I hated it... Or hated it so much I loved it... I'm not sure which.
lgordon006's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
theoglibrarianmom's review against another edition
5.0
This *might* be considered a spoiler, but this book has my favorite ending of a book of all time. I loved this book. A great addition to anyone who likes historical fiction.
shepherdy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Sexual content, Abortion, and Sexual violence
emklein's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
mizpurplest's review against another edition
3.0
Well, I was not expecting that.
I put this book down for a long time because I disliked the protagonist, and didn't like where I thought the story was going. Now that it's over, I think I imagined worse but also better than how it actually ended. The story and characters help buffer the reader from what happens, but it was still harsher than what I typically choose.
I put this book down for a long time because I disliked the protagonist, and didn't like where I thought the story was going. Now that it's over, I think I imagined worse but also better than how it actually ended. The story and characters help buffer the reader from what happens, but it was still harsher than what I typically choose.