You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
It is a delight to read a book by a new author for me and find it encapsulating. The story was intriguing, with a bit of a mystery, not one I ever fully saw coming, and an ending so well told that it made me hope for a sequel. Both Ruby May and Mrs. England were characters I cared for and wanted them to find peace and joy in their lives. I have order [b:The Familiars|39835415|The Familiars|Stacey Halls|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1532495531l/39835415._SY75_.jpg|58359109][b:The Familiars|39835415|The Familiars|Stacey Halls|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1532495531l/39835415._SY75_.jpg|58359109], the author's first book from the library. I look forward to reading her first two books.
“Mrs England” by Stacey Halls is a simmering narrative of an Edwardian marriage set against the atmospheric and bleak landscape of West Yorkshire. The novel weaves an enthralling tale of power dynamics, courage, truth, and deception, capturing the essence of men and women in a time of societal constraints.
It follows the tradition of gothic novels, with its windswept landscapes and a central female character who is as enigmatic as she is compelling. The protagonist, Ruby May, is an innocent newcomer with a secret past who oscillates between being a villain and a victim yet remains curiously absent from much of the book’s action.
This slow-burning menace makes “Mrs England” an absorbing read, leaving readers to unravel the truth beneath the layers of dark deception.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 1/2
It follows the tradition of gothic novels, with its windswept landscapes and a central female character who is as enigmatic as she is compelling. The protagonist, Ruby May, is an innocent newcomer with a secret past who oscillates between being a villain and a victim yet remains curiously absent from much of the book’s action.
This slow-burning menace makes “Mrs England” an absorbing read, leaving readers to unravel the truth beneath the layers of dark deception.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 1/2
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
This book is okay. The twist is not quite the surprise ai was looking for.
My book of 2022.
Totally a genre (if there is such a thing) that would not be a natural fit for me. Set in Edwardian times.
Beautifully written, keeping the reader alert and wondering, without it being a suspenseful thriller. I devoured it. I loved it. And bizarrely, if I had to explain why, I couldn’t properly explain. Except to say that some books are just exceptional. And this one is.
Totally a genre (if there is such a thing) that would not be a natural fit for me. Set in Edwardian times.
Beautifully written, keeping the reader alert and wondering, without it being a suspenseful thriller. I devoured it. I loved it. And bizarrely, if I had to explain why, I couldn’t properly explain. Except to say that some books are just exceptional. And this one is.
Really enjoyed this book. Set in the early 1900s, and yet at times it feels like we're being taken back to an earlier time, maybe 100 years earlier or something, to the heyday of the northern mills, of a time when kids didn't go to school, women were dominated by men and there were gothic mysteries at every corner. The story takes place in an undisclosed town in Yorkshire, and Mrs England is the granddaughter of a guy who sounds like Titus Salt - made his money in the fabric industry from using alpaca wool, built a town for his workers to live in.
But it's not actually Mrs England who is the main character. The narrator is Ruby May, a trained children's nurse who is hired by the Englands to come and look after their four children. None of whom go to school (not entirely sure how they got away with that but anyway...) Ruby is originally from Birmingham, but trained at a prestige children's nurse college in London. Some of the staff are immediately antagonistic towards her, suspecting an uppitdy snob, so besides from the children, Ruby finds herself isolated in her new home at the edge of a mill town, and of course, naturally at the edge of the moors. Mrs England seems to be self-absorbed and utterly disinterested in the children. Mr England weighed down by keeping it all together. And yet there is something not quite right with all that is going on at the family home.
But it's not actually Mrs England who is the main character. The narrator is Ruby May, a trained children's nurse who is hired by the Englands to come and look after their four children. None of whom go to school (not entirely sure how they got away with that but anyway...) Ruby is originally from Birmingham, but trained at a prestige children's nurse college in London. Some of the staff are immediately antagonistic towards her, suspecting an uppitdy snob, so besides from the children, Ruby finds herself isolated in her new home at the edge of a mill town, and of course, naturally at the edge of the moors. Mrs England seems to be self-absorbed and utterly disinterested in the children. Mr England weighed down by keeping it all together. And yet there is something not quite right with all that is going on at the family home.
With so many glowing reviews on the back and the inside flap, I am surprised and disheartened by how “meh” I feel about this book. It had all the elements of an atmospheric read à la Rebecca or Jane Eyre but it fell short for me. The red herrings felt half-baked and the ending was unsatisfactory. I’m still giving it three stars for keeping me hooked till the end and for the children in the story– they were precious and if you’ve ever been a nanny (as I was), you’ll find a lot to relate to.
I enjoyed this almost-Gothic thriller, a variant on the madwoman in the attic transferred to Yorkshire. It's an easy read, good for bedtime.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I enjoyed this book, and I liked it better than the author’s other book “the familiars.” The story telling is great, and this boarders on a mystery novel. Strong feminist themes.