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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
I was very pleased to be approved for this ARC on NetGalley as I loved The Foundling by Stacey Halls. I thought this book was even better and it is now one of my favourite books of 2021. I found the story completely compelling from the first few pages!
The story starts when Ruby has to find new employment as a nurse and finds herself moving suddenly to Hardcastle house in an isolated part of Yorkshire caring for 4 young children. There is a sense of foreboding right from the start when Mr England, the master of the house tells Ruby to direct any queries to him about the children instead of to the mistress, Mrs England. Slowly the tension builds as you are left to wonder why Mrs England hardly ever leaves her room or shows any interest in her children. At the same time I wondered what had happened in Ruby's past and why she wouldn't read any of the letters from her father.
Ruby slowly begins to uncover the secrets within the house and very gradually you also learn snippets about her previous life with her own family.
I found it very hard to predict what was going to happen in this story and I was desperate to find out why the main characters were acting so strangely and what was going on! I loved the mysterious nature of the book and the slow reveal. It all came together so brilliantly at the end. Stacey Halls creates such great characters that you feel you have met them and the brilliantly atmospheric, slightly eerie setting in the Yorkshire moors was fantastically created!
Definitely a 5 star read for me and one I will be recommending to anyone who loves a compelling mystery set in the past.
Thank you to NetGalley and Manilla Press for this ARC.
The story starts when Ruby has to find new employment as a nurse and finds herself moving suddenly to Hardcastle house in an isolated part of Yorkshire caring for 4 young children. There is a sense of foreboding right from the start when Mr England, the master of the house tells Ruby to direct any queries to him about the children instead of to the mistress, Mrs England. Slowly the tension builds as you are left to wonder why Mrs England hardly ever leaves her room or shows any interest in her children. At the same time I wondered what had happened in Ruby's past and why she wouldn't read any of the letters from her father.
Ruby slowly begins to uncover the secrets within the house and very gradually you also learn snippets about her previous life with her own family.
I found it very hard to predict what was going to happen in this story and I was desperate to find out why the main characters were acting so strangely and what was going on! I loved the mysterious nature of the book and the slow reveal. It all came together so brilliantly at the end. Stacey Halls creates such great characters that you feel you have met them and the brilliantly atmospheric, slightly eerie setting in the Yorkshire moors was fantastically created!
Definitely a 5 star read for me and one I will be recommending to anyone who loves a compelling mystery set in the past.
Thank you to NetGalley and Manilla Press for this ARC.
Mrs England takes us into the world of the children's nanny in 1904, but not just any nanny, because Ruby May is a highly esteemed Norland nanny - the kind employed by the finest families in the land.
When Ruby is employed by a wealthy mill-owning family in the north of England to look after their four children, she is expecting a fine house and the kind of traditional family she has become familiar with, but what she finds at Hardcastle House has her bemused. While Mr England is charming and welcoming, fitting the bill as the perfect father, Mrs England seems distant and withdrawn, with little interest in her own children. There is something not quite right about what goes on behind closed doors in this house, and Ruby is inclined to think that the odd behaviour of Mrs England is the cause of the uncomfortable atmosphere, but stuck as she is in a position somewhere between that of a servant and family member, she does not really have anyone to talk to about her worries. However, it turns out that she is the perfect person to see what is actually happening here, and the traumatic childhood that she has done her best to hide may be the very thing that gives her the power to make a difference.
As she does so well, Stacey Halls beautifully recreates another historical setting in which complex female characters are at the mercy of a world ruled by men, this time in Edwardian Yorkshire, and there is a lot of fascinating social history about the changing times that she weaves subtly into the story. It is a delicious slow-burner of a tale that explores power, control, mental health and family secrets, with a pervasive feeling of insidious menace that nips at the corners of your mind, and I thoroughly enjoyed the way the truth about all the characters unfurls ever so slowly as events play out. The way Halls uses letters as an important story device is really interesting here, and the relationships that develop between Ruby and many of the characters as she finds her feet and makes peace with her past is delightful.
While I can't really go into the plot in any depth without giving the game away, suffice to say this is one that will keep you guessing all the way through as Halls leads you down the garden path until knocking you for six with a glorious climax full of feminine rage on the windswept moors. It's definitely my favourite Stacey Halls' book yet!
When Ruby is employed by a wealthy mill-owning family in the north of England to look after their four children, she is expecting a fine house and the kind of traditional family she has become familiar with, but what she finds at Hardcastle House has her bemused. While Mr England is charming and welcoming, fitting the bill as the perfect father, Mrs England seems distant and withdrawn, with little interest in her own children. There is something not quite right about what goes on behind closed doors in this house, and Ruby is inclined to think that the odd behaviour of Mrs England is the cause of the uncomfortable atmosphere, but stuck as she is in a position somewhere between that of a servant and family member, she does not really have anyone to talk to about her worries. However, it turns out that she is the perfect person to see what is actually happening here, and the traumatic childhood that she has done her best to hide may be the very thing that gives her the power to make a difference.
As she does so well, Stacey Halls beautifully recreates another historical setting in which complex female characters are at the mercy of a world ruled by men, this time in Edwardian Yorkshire, and there is a lot of fascinating social history about the changing times that she weaves subtly into the story. It is a delicious slow-burner of a tale that explores power, control, mental health and family secrets, with a pervasive feeling of insidious menace that nips at the corners of your mind, and I thoroughly enjoyed the way the truth about all the characters unfurls ever so slowly as events play out. The way Halls uses letters as an important story device is really interesting here, and the relationships that develop between Ruby and many of the characters as she finds her feet and makes peace with her past is delightful.
While I can't really go into the plot in any depth without giving the game away, suffice to say this is one that will keep you guessing all the way through as Halls leads you down the garden path until knocking you for six with a glorious climax full of feminine rage on the windswept moors. It's definitely my favourite Stacey Halls' book yet!
I Loved Mrs, England. I also enjoyed reading about the Edwardian society with all of its class divides and its gender inequality. It made me uncomfortable in some places though. Especially when the doors were locked down at night..
At its heart this is a story about women's place in society during this time period and their struggle for independence and against the confines of their lives.
A definite recommend. I need to read Stacey Halls other books now
At its heart this is a story about women's place in society during this time period and their struggle for independence and against the confines of their lives.
A definite recommend. I need to read Stacey Halls other books now
mysterious
fast-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 has quickly become an auto-buy author for me. I love her immersive and slightly haunting stories.
4 ⭐️
4 ⭐️
The more I read Stacey Hall books, the more I love them! I started with The Familiars (a great book) and then The Foundling (another absolutely fab 5 star read) and then went straight into this one because I couldn’t get enough.
The topic of this one intrigued me from the get go and I had no idea what to expect or what I was letting myself in for; I was hooked from the first page! It’s one of those books where you aren’t quite sure of direction or where it’s heading and you can’t read it fast enough to find out all of the answers! It really draws you in and I found this book so hard to put down!
I loved Nurse Mays character and she was one that was very easy to warm to. Following her life as a children’s nurse and looking after the children and her admittance into the family homes made for great reading. The England family was such an intrigue and the set up of the plot had you brimming with intrigue and questions.
Safe to say it’s a book I wish I could read again with fresh eyes! I can’t wait to read more books by this author. I need more!
The topic of this one intrigued me from the get go and I had no idea what to expect or what I was letting myself in for; I was hooked from the first page! It’s one of those books where you aren’t quite sure of direction or where it’s heading and you can’t read it fast enough to find out all of the answers! It really draws you in and I found this book so hard to put down!
I loved Nurse Mays character and she was one that was very easy to warm to. Following her life as a children’s nurse and looking after the children and her admittance into the family homes made for great reading. The England family was such an intrigue and the set up of the plot had you brimming with intrigue and questions.
Safe to say it’s a book I wish I could read again with fresh eyes! I can’t wait to read more books by this author. I need more!
dark
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Set in the early 1900s this is a gorgeous, dark and chilling gothic novel which reminded me a little of Jane Eyre, one of my favourite books. It is beautifully written and very evocative of the period. There is a real undercurrent of suspense running through as secrets are revealed and it kept me guessing.
The setting of this book, Hardcastle House in Yorkshire, is so well drawn I could imagine walking through the corridors. I fell in love with the main character, Ruby May, and the way she looks after the adorable children. It was really interesting to learn the background of the Norland Nannies. As the book progresses we learn more about Ruby's tragic backstory. The England family dynamics were fascinating, especially the relationship between Mr & Mrs England.
Imogen Wilde did an excellent job with the narration.
The setting of this book, Hardcastle House in Yorkshire, is so well drawn I could imagine walking through the corridors. I fell in love with the main character, Ruby May, and the way she looks after the adorable children. It was really interesting to learn the background of the Norland Nannies. As the book progresses we learn more about Ruby's tragic backstory. The England family dynamics were fascinating, especially the relationship between Mr & Mrs England.
Imogen Wilde did an excellent job with the narration.
Mrs England ”myytiin” mulle gotiikkana, mutta omaan makuuni goottilaiset vivahteet oli tässä romaanissa teholtaan melko vaatimattomia.
Ongelmana oli myös, että lähes kaikki kiinnostavimmat hommelit on ladattu teoksen loppuun, joten aika pitkään piti lukea ennen kuin alkoi enemmälti tapahtua.
Lastenhoitaja ottaa pestin syrjäisestä talosta ja alusta asti on selvää, että jotakin outoa liittyy talon isäntään ja emäntään. Mrs England on oudon vetäytyvä, eikä vaikuta olevan kovinkaan kiinnostunut lapsistaan. Mr England taas alkaa vähitellen vetää lastenhoitajaa puoleensa vähän liikaakin.
Salaisuuksia on ilmassa ja niitä on myös lastenhoitajalla itsellään, mutta Halls ei onnistu hyödyntämään salaisuuksien jännitteellistä voimaa kovinkaan onnistuneesti. Sujuvasti kirjoitettu ja sujuvasti luettu. That’s it ja seuraava kirja.
Ongelmana oli myös, että lähes kaikki kiinnostavimmat hommelit on ladattu teoksen loppuun, joten aika pitkään piti lukea ennen kuin alkoi enemmälti tapahtua.
Lastenhoitaja ottaa pestin syrjäisestä talosta ja alusta asti on selvää, että jotakin outoa liittyy talon isäntään ja emäntään. Mrs England on oudon vetäytyvä, eikä vaikuta olevan kovinkaan kiinnostunut lapsistaan. Mr England taas alkaa vähitellen vetää lastenhoitajaa puoleensa vähän liikaakin.
Salaisuuksia on ilmassa ja niitä on myös lastenhoitajalla itsellään, mutta Halls ei onnistu hyödyntämään salaisuuksien jännitteellistä voimaa kovinkaan onnistuneesti. Sujuvasti kirjoitettu ja sujuvasti luettu. That’s it ja seuraava kirja.