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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
Abandoned as a newborn baby, Lily is taken to a hospital for foundling children. She is fostered for the first six years of her life, but is forced to return to the hospital at the age of six to be trained for a life of work. Lily's life from then is one of hardship and cruelty until she is able to leave the hospital for the world of work. Rose Tremain is a master of storytelling and in Lily she has again drawn a character that the reader cares about from the beginning to the end of the story. A really good read.
3 things stood out when I first noticed this book, foremost my daughters middle name is Lily so that actually caught my eye, not just the name but the fact it’s a short, sharp title for a book which intrigued me, I also loved the vivid colours on the book cover, it’s very pleasing on the eye. I picked up the book to check the blurb and after that there was zero chance I could walk away without buying a copy. I imagined a very emotional journey but I had no idea just how emotional it would be and I underestimated greatly how I would feel.
As a young girl Lily is abandoned, only to be saved from certain death.. but as you read on it can I feels like death might have been a blessing from the terrors she will see in her life.
Lily is taken to the Foundling Hospital.. but care is not there primary aim.. it’s obedience and failing to do as commanded has severe consequences.
It’s a horrible cruel journey but one Lily isn't really aware of yet, she’s too young and at first each foundling has a chance to be fostered for a short time with a real family, but for some this means they form strong connections with the family but these families are bound by rules to return the children.
Lily, among others, loves her foster family.. it’s only when they are to be returned to the hospital that many find out they are a foundling.. they were too young when fostered so the family is all they know and in a split second they are torn from that family comfort and thrust into a life of terror.. beating.. head shaving..I can’t even find the words to describe how horrible the hospital is.. but the worst is yet to come.
At one point Lily makes a very close friend and they plot to escape and go back to their foster families..they manage to escape but being young girls they don’t manage to get far and in that short time they are free they see how cruel the outside world can be.. just a glimpse but a taster of things to come.
When they arrive back at the hospital they are separated and not allowed to comfort each other. I won’t spoil what happens next but to say Lily’s small world is crushed is an understatement, added to mental pain she endures physical pain too as there’s a nurse obsessed with sin, who isnt above a bit of abuse.. you have no idea how bad she is,
When Lily is old enough, she leaves the hospital, finds a job and in time reconnects with the man who saved her.. and he still wants to save her.
The mental heartache continues when a strange connection grows between them..there’s also some striking events that happen when Lily revisits her past that could lead to the end of the connection the pair have.
In the end Lily revisits her past.. as far back as she can go and more heartache awaits her.. but maybe also her chance of a new life, of redemption.. who knows?
You can probably tell as I’ve ranted on so long that I loved the plot, engrossing and so damn emotionally draining..you feel every low with Lily, her heartache.. the moments when she just admits defeat.. the moment she snaps.. a lot of her pain in held inside but as you read the story you kind of take the role of Lily on so when events play out it’s like it’s your own emotions playing out on paper!
I don’t think many books have managed to emotionally connect with me as a reader as much as Lily did. I can’t praise this one enough. There’s a lot of tough moments but I would really recommend this to anyone who wants to feel that connection with a character as I’ve no doubt at all that you’ll love Lily just as much as I did!
As a young girl Lily is abandoned, only to be saved from certain death.. but as you read on it can I feels like death might have been a blessing from the terrors she will see in her life.
Lily is taken to the Foundling Hospital.. but care is not there primary aim.. it’s obedience and failing to do as commanded has severe consequences.
It’s a horrible cruel journey but one Lily isn't really aware of yet, she’s too young and at first each foundling has a chance to be fostered for a short time with a real family, but for some this means they form strong connections with the family but these families are bound by rules to return the children.
Lily, among others, loves her foster family.. it’s only when they are to be returned to the hospital that many find out they are a foundling.. they were too young when fostered so the family is all they know and in a split second they are torn from that family comfort and thrust into a life of terror.. beating.. head shaving..I can’t even find the words to describe how horrible the hospital is.. but the worst is yet to come.
At one point Lily makes a very close friend and they plot to escape and go back to their foster families..they manage to escape but being young girls they don’t manage to get far and in that short time they are free they see how cruel the outside world can be.. just a glimpse but a taster of things to come.
When they arrive back at the hospital they are separated and not allowed to comfort each other. I won’t spoil what happens next but to say Lily’s small world is crushed is an understatement, added to mental pain she endures physical pain too as there’s a nurse obsessed with sin, who isnt above a bit of abuse.. you have no idea how bad she is,
When Lily is old enough, she leaves the hospital, finds a job and in time reconnects with the man who saved her.. and he still wants to save her.
The mental heartache continues when a strange connection grows between them..there’s also some striking events that happen when Lily revisits her past that could lead to the end of the connection the pair have.
In the end Lily revisits her past.. as far back as she can go and more heartache awaits her.. but maybe also her chance of a new life, of redemption.. who knows?
You can probably tell as I’ve ranted on so long that I loved the plot, engrossing and so damn emotionally draining..you feel every low with Lily, her heartache.. the moments when she just admits defeat.. the moment she snaps.. a lot of her pain in held inside but as you read the story you kind of take the role of Lily on so when events play out it’s like it’s your own emotions playing out on paper!
I don’t think many books have managed to emotionally connect with me as a reader as much as Lily did. I can’t praise this one enough. There’s a lot of tough moments but I would really recommend this to anyone who wants to feel that connection with a character as I’ve no doubt at all that you’ll love Lily just as much as I did!
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.8
It's a revenge, a justified murder. I can't imagine living in such condition and the abuses; as a 6-8 year old girl, it was truly heartbreaking. It is even more sad when she had a better and loved life before returning to the hospital.
It is so sad for Lily having that kind of life but we all understand that life is not always nice. At least Lily has somewhere and someone she always remember which I believe to be her anchor.
The story has some kind of open ending so here's the ending I prefer.
*spoiler alert*
I hope she meet Belle again, keep in touch with her, take care of Nellie, marry Jesse and live her dreamed farm life. Sam close the case and never search for her ever again. Let's pretend he didn't hear the farm's name to remember it
It's a revenge, a justified murder. I can't imagine living in such condition and the abuses; as a 6-8 year old girl, it was truly heartbreaking. It is even more sad when she had a better and loved life before returning to the hospital.
It is so sad for Lily having that kind of life but we all understand that life is not always nice. At least Lily has somewhere and someone she always remember which I believe to be her anchor.
The story has some kind of open ending so here's the ending I prefer.
*spoiler alert*
I hope she meet Belle again, keep in touch with her, take care of Nellie, marry Jesse and live her dreamed farm life. Sam close the case and never search for her ever again. Let's pretend he didn't hear the farm's name to remember it
A sad book. Rose Tremain has captured the darkness of Victorian London and the life of a foundling with little love or hope. It is well written to capture the despair of Lily’s life and offers a few small glimmers of comfort along the way.
This was really slow with no real plot. The time jumps only prolonged the story and took away any tension there may have been. It was like a combination of sub plots with no main plot to hold it together. Lily was a decently written character, it's just that I wasn't really interested in her story, but the depictions of the farm she spent her first 6 years on were nicely done.
medium-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes