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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
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
Stacey Halls books are like a warm cup of tea of a cold winter’s day. They are atmospheric, full of lovable characters and warming. They feel safe, you know you are going to get a solid read, a well thought through story and you know you can get lost in the worlds she so beautifully brings to life.
Mrs England is my third Stacey Halls read and certainly didn’t let me down. It was exactly what I was expecting, not in terms of the story but in the comfort of the writing I have come to expect.
I could anticipate some criticism for the pacing of the book, I would say that a good two-thirds of the book feels like scene-setting and character development and building and weaving the story before it comes together in the final third. For me this didn’t feel like an issue, I needed to build relationships with the characters and draw my own conclusions, with my thoughts changing on each multiple times. I never once felt like I was willing things to move faster.
I think my only criticism and it is small and links to huge spoilers, so I won’t dwell. But the ‘big’ moment felt maybe too obvious, I think I would have liked there to be a little more complexity there, but I also felt it was recovered slightly at the end.
Ah the ending!! What I enjoyed was that this wasn’t the ‘happy ending’ I predicted, I was still left content and fuzzy with how Halls wrapped up the story, but it wasn’t what my heart was willing, and it was nice to be taken on a different route. Reminding me that happy endings are not always the obvious ones. And then just as you feel you can close the book with that warm fuzzy feeling the final carrot is dangled and let me tell you … I LOVE an open ending.
It’s the perfect autumn book, it has enough historical elements to set the scene but not too much that you have to whip out your old history books to check timelines (guilty as charged), it's atmospheric and a great read for a book club. I will continue to jump on any of Stacey Halls work, knowing that for me she offers the safety in a book that I occasionally need.
Mrs England is my third Stacey Halls read and certainly didn’t let me down. It was exactly what I was expecting, not in terms of the story but in the comfort of the writing I have come to expect.
I could anticipate some criticism for the pacing of the book, I would say that a good two-thirds of the book feels like scene-setting and character development and building and weaving the story before it comes together in the final third. For me this didn’t feel like an issue, I needed to build relationships with the characters and draw my own conclusions, with my thoughts changing on each multiple times. I never once felt like I was willing things to move faster.
I think my only criticism and it is small and links to huge spoilers, so I won’t dwell. But the ‘big’ moment felt maybe too obvious, I think I would have liked there to be a little more complexity there, but I also felt it was recovered slightly at the end.
Ah the ending!! What I enjoyed was that this wasn’t the ‘happy ending’ I predicted, I was still left content and fuzzy with how Halls wrapped up the story, but it wasn’t what my heart was willing, and it was nice to be taken on a different route. Reminding me that happy endings are not always the obvious ones. And then just as you feel you can close the book with that warm fuzzy feeling the final carrot is dangled and let me tell you … I LOVE an open ending.
It’s the perfect autumn book, it has enough historical elements to set the scene but not too much that you have to whip out your old history books to check timelines (guilty as charged), it's atmospheric and a great read for a book club. I will continue to jump on any of Stacey Halls work, knowing that for me she offers the safety in a book that I occasionally need.
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The first half of the book is definitely more scene setting and character built but picks up towards the end. I didn't want to put the book down as I loved the writing and the story overall.
She's one of my favorite/auto buy authors and Halls has done it once again!
The characters are well written and complex. The plot twists were mind blowing and completely unexpected. The novel was slow to start and a bit difficult to get into especially as I had just finished "In Five Years" which left me in a bit of a slump; but once I was about 75 pages in, I was hooked and past my slump!
Halls has a way with words that pulls you in and doesn't let go. I absolutely adored Mrs
England just as l've loved her previous two books, and I can't wait to see what she writes next!!
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Unfortunately not a enjoyable as The Familiars, but maybe this was because it was the audio book.
Interesting reminder of women's place in society.
Interesting reminder of women's place in society.
This was a lukewarm read. The writing was fine, but the story felt flat. It was good enough to read, but I got sort of bored. The book description of thrilling and gothic are both false. 🤷🏼♀️
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I think that Stacey Halls is a fantastic writer, and similar in style to one of my favourite writers Sarah Waters.
This is another sharply observed historical novel, with an intriguing storyline and a cast of mysterious and often downright unpleasant characters. Everyone seems to have a secret, including the narrator and main protagonist Ruby.
Ruby is a Norland nurse and she is posted to a large house in Yorkshire to take care of four children. From the very start, things seem a little out of kilter - all her dealings tend to be with the charming Mr England, the master of the house, while the shadowy Mrs England rarely strays beyond her bedroom.
Ruby is determined to get to the bottom of some of the strange happenings, but she is also desperate to keep her own past a secret from her new employers.
A really good page-turner - thoroughly recommended.
This is another sharply observed historical novel, with an intriguing storyline and a cast of mysterious and often downright unpleasant characters. Everyone seems to have a secret, including the narrator and main protagonist Ruby.
Ruby is a Norland nurse and she is posted to a large house in Yorkshire to take care of four children. From the very start, things seem a little out of kilter - all her dealings tend to be with the charming Mr England, the master of the house, while the shadowy Mrs England rarely strays beyond her bedroom.
Ruby is determined to get to the bottom of some of the strange happenings, but she is also desperate to keep her own past a secret from her new employers.
A really good page-turner - thoroughly recommended.