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shelfofunread's review against another edition
4.0
The Conviction of Cora Burns is a deliciously dark debut.
The plot revolves around twenty-year-old Cora, a workhouse orphan recently released from prison for an unrevealed crime. With few choices available to her, Cora reluctantly takes a position as between-maid at The Larches, home of photographer and scientist Thomas Jerwood and his ward Violet.
Raised in the workhouse, Cora isn’t afraid of hard work and soon settles into her new role, despite the suspicions of her fellow staff, Jerwood’s strange habits and his wife’s intense and unexplained hatred of her. But Cora is just biding her time, waiting until she can find her childhood friend Alice Salt and begin planning a new life, free from burdens of her past in the workhouse and the gaol.
But when her employer begins to ask for her assistance in ‘testing’ his ward, Cora begins to wonder if all is as it seems at The Larches? Why does Mrs Jerwood seem to recognise Cora? What does Thomas Jerwood know about Cora’s mother? And why does Cora’s medal, a beloved keepsake from Alice, seem to match those in Jerwood’s display cabinet? As Cora delves deeper into The Larches many mysteries, she must confront the ghosts of her past in order to realise her future.
There is, as you can probably tell, quite a lot going on in this novel and it is a testament to Carolyn Kirby’s skill that she manages to weave all of the apparently disparate strands, time frames, interspersed newspaper articles and letters, together into a coherent narrative. And, remarkably, the novel never feels dense despite its complexity. Instead, it is a smoothly told and rich tale, like the literary equivalent of eating a chocolate torte.
Victorian Birmingham is brilliantly realised, from the intense poverty of the slums with its coating of soot and grime to the leafy outskirts where the upper classes live far away from the toil of the industries that support them, Kirby has created a vivid backdrop to the lives of her characters.
And those characters are an intriguing bunch. Cora herself is as hard as iron. Steely, determined and stubborn, she occasionally becomes filled with sudden and violent bursts of rage that both terrify and confuse her. Where does this violence come from? Is it the product of her difficult childhood, or an indelible taint within her nature? It is this uncertainty, and her determination to not let her past define her, that make Cora a sympathetic character in spite of her spikiness. And as the novel unfolds and the reality of what has happened to Cora becomes clearer, I only felt for her situation more.
Because there are one or two moments in this book that are not for the faint-hearted. Cora’s life has not been an easy one and there are a couple of very difficult scenes amidst Cora’s tragic past. They are, however, deftly handled – Kirby uses Cora’s trauma to deepen the development of her character and weave together the many mysteries of Cora’s past, all of which seem to have answers within the walls of The Larches.
Overall, The Conviction of Cora Burns is a rich, multi-layered tapestry of a novel, with many strands woven ingeniously together to create a compellingly intricate tale with a powerful heroine at its heart. It’s an accomplished and immersive debut that is sure to delight historical fiction fans, as well as anyone seeking an insightful and intricate read.
This is an edited version of a review that first appeared on my blog, The Shelf of Unread Books, at https://theshelfofunreadbooks.wordpress.com/2019/04/05/blog-tour-the-conviction-of-cora-burns-by-carolyn-kirby/ as part of the blog tour for the book. My thanks go to the publisher for providing a copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
The plot revolves around twenty-year-old Cora, a workhouse orphan recently released from prison for an unrevealed crime. With few choices available to her, Cora reluctantly takes a position as between-maid at The Larches, home of photographer and scientist Thomas Jerwood and his ward Violet.
Raised in the workhouse, Cora isn’t afraid of hard work and soon settles into her new role, despite the suspicions of her fellow staff, Jerwood’s strange habits and his wife’s intense and unexplained hatred of her. But Cora is just biding her time, waiting until she can find her childhood friend Alice Salt and begin planning a new life, free from burdens of her past in the workhouse and the gaol.
But when her employer begins to ask for her assistance in ‘testing’ his ward, Cora begins to wonder if all is as it seems at The Larches? Why does Mrs Jerwood seem to recognise Cora? What does Thomas Jerwood know about Cora’s mother? And why does Cora’s medal, a beloved keepsake from Alice, seem to match those in Jerwood’s display cabinet? As Cora delves deeper into The Larches many mysteries, she must confront the ghosts of her past in order to realise her future.
There is, as you can probably tell, quite a lot going on in this novel and it is a testament to Carolyn Kirby’s skill that she manages to weave all of the apparently disparate strands, time frames, interspersed newspaper articles and letters, together into a coherent narrative. And, remarkably, the novel never feels dense despite its complexity. Instead, it is a smoothly told and rich tale, like the literary equivalent of eating a chocolate torte.
Victorian Birmingham is brilliantly realised, from the intense poverty of the slums with its coating of soot and grime to the leafy outskirts where the upper classes live far away from the toil of the industries that support them, Kirby has created a vivid backdrop to the lives of her characters.
And those characters are an intriguing bunch. Cora herself is as hard as iron. Steely, determined and stubborn, she occasionally becomes filled with sudden and violent bursts of rage that both terrify and confuse her. Where does this violence come from? Is it the product of her difficult childhood, or an indelible taint within her nature? It is this uncertainty, and her determination to not let her past define her, that make Cora a sympathetic character in spite of her spikiness. And as the novel unfolds and the reality of what has happened to Cora becomes clearer, I only felt for her situation more.
Because there are one or two moments in this book that are not for the faint-hearted. Cora’s life has not been an easy one and there are a couple of very difficult scenes amidst Cora’s tragic past. They are, however, deftly handled – Kirby uses Cora’s trauma to deepen the development of her character and weave together the many mysteries of Cora’s past, all of which seem to have answers within the walls of The Larches.
Overall, The Conviction of Cora Burns is a rich, multi-layered tapestry of a novel, with many strands woven ingeniously together to create a compellingly intricate tale with a powerful heroine at its heart. It’s an accomplished and immersive debut that is sure to delight historical fiction fans, as well as anyone seeking an insightful and intricate read.
This is an edited version of a review that first appeared on my blog, The Shelf of Unread Books, at https://theshelfofunreadbooks.wordpress.com/2019/04/05/blog-tour-the-conviction-of-cora-burns-by-carolyn-kirby/ as part of the blog tour for the book. My thanks go to the publisher for providing a copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
fct1969's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
ghostofabook's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
booktwitcher23's review against another edition
4.0
This is one of my Essex Book festival reads. I found this to be engrossing, although there was one annoying typo in my copy. I loved the title as it was book about doubles, and this was a very apt double meaning title.
amalia1985's review against another edition
5.0
‘’Cora Burns. Born to crime.’’
A young woman, named Cora Burns, hears the gates of Birmingham Gaol closing behind her. She is free from her incarceration but not from her past. A horrible dead has been haunting her for three years and doubts over her mother will not let her rest. Her chance comes when she starts working as a maid in the house of a scientist who hides his own secrets, feeding his own obsessions. In the search of her past, she needs to discover herself and this is the most terrifying prospect.
‘’And what of yourself, Cora Burns? Where would the crosses lie upon your own chart of temper? To the left or to the right? More agreeable than these here, or less so?’’
The story of Cora Burns is memorable not because of the plot but because of the questions it poses and the opportunities for discussion. The plot is intricate and complex but it is not unique. We’ve seen this premise before and we will see it again. This is not a negative feature when the writer has the means to create a successful result and Kirby definitely knows what to do. Through confident and atmospheric writing and with an accurate, faithful depiction of the era, she focuses on themes that are always relevant and highlights the endless fascination to unlock the depths of human nature.
What is the difference between social assumptions and reality? What is it that makes each one of us unique? Billions of people call this planet ‘’home’’, each one of us with a unique background, a personal story and yet closely connected to each other. What constitutes our temper? How easily can our mood change? How can our temperament lead us to happiness and success or to misery and punishment? Can our genes make us criminals? Is evil inherited and developed? Can we escape a dark heritage? And, ultimately, what turns a human being into a ruthless murderer?
A Historical Fiction novel that poses such questions can only be successful in conception and execution alike. Through scientific essays, medical accounts circa 1880s that may be fictional but no less interesting, following a route that passes through the horrible reality of the gaol and the asylum, through the slams where mothers need to sell one of their children in order for the rest of them to survive and the wealthy estates whose owners play a wicked game with the fate of those who are less fortunate, we are guided by a young woman who is one of the most gifted characters I’ve seen in recent Literature. I’ve always had an affinity for the name ‘’Cora’’, ever since I first read The Last of the Mohicans and Cora Burns didn’t disappoint me in the slightest.
Although it is hard to end such a complex story in a fully satisfying and plausible way, Kirby succeeded. I couldn’t have been more pleased with the closure which I found to be realistic and a bit unpredictable based on my personal perception of the story. A truly exciting debut.
Also, repeat after me: A well-written novel doesn’t need silly romances to become ‘’interesting.’’
‘’Even though it was morning, lights still burned in some of the terraced houses across the street. The creamy glow of parlours fringed by velvet and lace would not long ago have seemed as remote from Cora Burns as a gentleman’s country estate. But no longer.’’
Many thanks to Carolyn Kirby, Catherine Sinow and Dzanc Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com
A young woman, named Cora Burns, hears the gates of Birmingham Gaol closing behind her. She is free from her incarceration but not from her past. A horrible dead has been haunting her for three years and doubts over her mother will not let her rest. Her chance comes when she starts working as a maid in the house of a scientist who hides his own secrets, feeding his own obsessions. In the search of her past, she needs to discover herself and this is the most terrifying prospect.
‘’And what of yourself, Cora Burns? Where would the crosses lie upon your own chart of temper? To the left or to the right? More agreeable than these here, or less so?’’
The story of Cora Burns is memorable not because of the plot but because of the questions it poses and the opportunities for discussion. The plot is intricate and complex but it is not unique. We’ve seen this premise before and we will see it again. This is not a negative feature when the writer has the means to create a successful result and Kirby definitely knows what to do. Through confident and atmospheric writing and with an accurate, faithful depiction of the era, she focuses on themes that are always relevant and highlights the endless fascination to unlock the depths of human nature.
What is the difference between social assumptions and reality? What is it that makes each one of us unique? Billions of people call this planet ‘’home’’, each one of us with a unique background, a personal story and yet closely connected to each other. What constitutes our temper? How easily can our mood change? How can our temperament lead us to happiness and success or to misery and punishment? Can our genes make us criminals? Is evil inherited and developed? Can we escape a dark heritage? And, ultimately, what turns a human being into a ruthless murderer?
A Historical Fiction novel that poses such questions can only be successful in conception and execution alike. Through scientific essays, medical accounts circa 1880s that may be fictional but no less interesting, following a route that passes through the horrible reality of the gaol and the asylum, through the slams where mothers need to sell one of their children in order for the rest of them to survive and the wealthy estates whose owners play a wicked game with the fate of those who are less fortunate, we are guided by a young woman who is one of the most gifted characters I’ve seen in recent Literature. I’ve always had an affinity for the name ‘’Cora’’, ever since I first read The Last of the Mohicans and Cora Burns didn’t disappoint me in the slightest.
Although it is hard to end such a complex story in a fully satisfying and plausible way, Kirby succeeded. I couldn’t have been more pleased with the closure which I found to be realistic and a bit unpredictable based on my personal perception of the story. A truly exciting debut.
Also, repeat after me: A well-written novel doesn’t need silly romances to become ‘’interesting.’’
‘’Even though it was morning, lights still burned in some of the terraced houses across the street. The creamy glow of parlours fringed by velvet and lace would not long ago have seemed as remote from Cora Burns as a gentleman’s country estate. But no longer.’’
Many thanks to Carolyn Kirby, Catherine Sinow and Dzanc Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com
karlou's review against another edition
5.0
The Conviction of Cora Burns opens with the birth of the titular character. Born in a gaol, it's not an auspicious start to life and it's no wonder that she is a troubled young woman. The main part of the narrative follows Cora in 1885, when newly released from prison herself, she is offered a position as a between-maid in the house of a scientist, Thomas Jerwood. It's clear almost from the outset that there lurks within Cora, the imagination - and almost certainly the ability - to commit shockingly violent acts. It's only as the novel progresses and the story switches between her current situation and her past, that we realise just how dark her history really is.
Cora is an intriguing character and in book which features numerous mentions of photographic likenesses and explores human nature, the light and shade of her personality in particular makes for fascinating - and unsettling at times - reading. She can be unkind, even cruel but Carolyn Kirby ensures she remains a mostly sympathetic character. Despite her wrongdoings, there is something about her which kept me invested in her actions and hoping that she would eventually find some sense of peace within herself. She believes the half-medal bearing the words IMAGINEM SALT is the key to her being reunited with Alice, a girl she encountered at school who may or may not be her sister. Over the course of the book, she is haunted by the memories of Alice - but who is to blame for the increasingly disturbing acts she recalls?
Interspersed throughout the novel are excerpts from the medical journals and essays of two scientists with opposing viewpoints on nature versus nurture. Jerwood is convinced that nature is the primary cause for a person's behaviour and believes that composite photography can be used to demonstrate criminal physiognomy down the generations. His experiments prove to be really quite chilling as he prioritises his dogmatic belief in his theories over what most people would consider to be moral. In contrast, David Farley, the Assistant Medical Officer Birmingham Asylum, believes a person's situation, especially those in poverty to be a major factor in mental health issues and the reason why some people may end up turning to crime. He hopes his efforts to hypnotise a patient will lead to them recovering enough to support his strong belief in the socialist cause. I don't want to give anything away here but I enjoyed seeing how his experiments lead to him becoming connected to Cora. There is always a risk that interrupting the main thrust of the story will spoil the flow of the narrative but I didn't find that was the case here. I really enjoyed seeing how two different minds considered questions about humanity which are still discussed to this day.
The sights, smells and sounds of Victorian Birmingham are vividly described giving a real sense of time and place. It doesn't always make for easy reading as there are some upsetting scenes here but I was engrossed by this honest and gritty portrayal of how difficult life was for those at the bottom of society's ladder - and how easy it was to slip down there. The Conviction of Cora Burns is a remarkable debut; it's a bold, intelligent and beautifully crafted novel. It kept me captivated throughout and I highly recommend it.
Cora is an intriguing character and in book which features numerous mentions of photographic likenesses and explores human nature, the light and shade of her personality in particular makes for fascinating - and unsettling at times - reading. She can be unkind, even cruel but Carolyn Kirby ensures she remains a mostly sympathetic character. Despite her wrongdoings, there is something about her which kept me invested in her actions and hoping that she would eventually find some sense of peace within herself. She believes the half-medal bearing the words IMAGINEM SALT is the key to her being reunited with Alice, a girl she encountered at school who may or may not be her sister. Over the course of the book, she is haunted by the memories of Alice - but who is to blame for the increasingly disturbing acts she recalls?
Interspersed throughout the novel are excerpts from the medical journals and essays of two scientists with opposing viewpoints on nature versus nurture. Jerwood is convinced that nature is the primary cause for a person's behaviour and believes that composite photography can be used to demonstrate criminal physiognomy down the generations. His experiments prove to be really quite chilling as he prioritises his dogmatic belief in his theories over what most people would consider to be moral. In contrast, David Farley, the Assistant Medical Officer Birmingham Asylum, believes a person's situation, especially those in poverty to be a major factor in mental health issues and the reason why some people may end up turning to crime. He hopes his efforts to hypnotise a patient will lead to them recovering enough to support his strong belief in the socialist cause. I don't want to give anything away here but I enjoyed seeing how his experiments lead to him becoming connected to Cora. There is always a risk that interrupting the main thrust of the story will spoil the flow of the narrative but I didn't find that was the case here. I really enjoyed seeing how two different minds considered questions about humanity which are still discussed to this day.
The sights, smells and sounds of Victorian Birmingham are vividly described giving a real sense of time and place. It doesn't always make for easy reading as there are some upsetting scenes here but I was engrossed by this honest and gritty portrayal of how difficult life was for those at the bottom of society's ladder - and how easy it was to slip down there. The Conviction of Cora Burns is a remarkable debut; it's a bold, intelligent and beautifully crafted novel. It kept me captivated throughout and I highly recommend it.
annarella's review
5.0
A dark, engaging and entertaining historical thriller.
I liked the plot, the solid mystery and how the characters was developed.
The well researched historical background was rich of details and fascinating.
I will surely read other books by this author.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book, all opinions are mine.
I liked the plot, the solid mystery and how the characters was developed.
The well researched historical background was rich of details and fascinating.
I will surely read other books by this author.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book, all opinions are mine.
bleadenreads's review
4.0
I read the entire book in a day!
It was dark and shocking - but gripping! I shall keep an eye out for more Carolyn Kirby!
It was dark and shocking - but gripping! I shall keep an eye out for more Carolyn Kirby!
rumpledpumpkin's review
5.0
The Conviction of Cora Burns is a fascinating and original story based on the age old concept of 'nature' vs 'nurture'. Set in Victorian Birmingham, Cora's story begins with her leaving prison and making her way to her new position as an 'inbetween maid' in the household of Thomas Jerwood, a scientist with a penchant for photography. Whilst there she makes many discoveries, about herself and about the others around her, which cause her to choose certain paths. It's a fantastic story that kept me hooked from start to finish, with several clever twists and great characterisation.
The narrative flits between Cora's experiences as a maid in the present and her past memories, from the workhouse where spent her childhood, to the asylum in which she worked and finally the gaol she ended up in. This is interspersed with entries from the diary of Dr. Farley, a psychiatrist working at the asylum treating a patient know as 'Mary B', and extracts from a scientific journal written by Jerwood detailing his experiments. I really enjoyed this structure and found it added much more to the story than if it had just been told by Cora. It was a welcome change from the multiple narrators so frequently employed in others novels too and enhanced the sense of historical context.
Cora's character is an interesting one and a great study for the whole nature vs nurture debate; I actually quite liked her and felt that most of her actions were justified. It's difficult to say what you'd do until you're actually in that situation yourself so it's hard to judge her. I was worried when I read some of the other reviews that mentioned the murder of the toddler in the workhouse that there might be too much gratuitous violence but I needn't have worried as this was dealt with sensitively and the few details that were included were enough. I thought her life was fascinating and really personified the awful experiences of the poor in Victorian Britain. The description of the city vs the countryside highlighted this too and I found the historical detail to be excellent; the setting really came alive for me and I could picture the grime of the slums in great detail.
Overall, despite my intial concerns that I might not want to carry on with this one because of some of the content, I'm really glad I read this book. It was tastefully done and a very well crafted story, with lots of interesting characters. I particularly liked the ending and found it be satisfying on most counts, although I'd love to know more about Cora and her son's life afterwards and whether she visited her mother again. I'd loved to think they reconciled and Annie regained her voice, but that might be a bit too fairytale rather than a true representation of life in the Victorian era. The title is great too; the double meaning is perfect in the context of the story. What a fabulous novel, I look forward to Kirby's next offering!
Thank you to NetGalley and Oldcastle Books for sending me a copy to review.
The narrative flits between Cora's experiences as a maid in the present and her past memories, from the workhouse where spent her childhood, to the asylum in which she worked and finally the gaol she ended up in. This is interspersed with entries from the diary of Dr. Farley, a psychiatrist working at the asylum treating a patient know as 'Mary B', and extracts from a scientific journal written by Jerwood detailing his experiments. I really enjoyed this structure and found it added much more to the story than if it had just been told by Cora. It was a welcome change from the multiple narrators so frequently employed in others novels too and enhanced the sense of historical context.
Cora's character is an interesting one and a great study for the whole nature vs nurture debate; I actually quite liked her and felt that most of her actions were justified. It's difficult to say what you'd do until you're actually in that situation yourself so it's hard to judge her. I was worried when I read some of the other reviews that mentioned
Overall, despite my intial concerns that I might not want to carry on with this one because of some of the content, I'm really glad I read this book. It was tastefully done and a very well crafted story, with lots of interesting characters. I particularly liked the ending and found it be satisfying on most counts, although I'd love to know more about
Thank you to NetGalley and Oldcastle Books for sending me a copy to review.