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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
This book was a thrilling story following Moth Fenwick, a young girl in New York who is sold to be a lady's maid by her mother to an abusive and terrible woman, Mrs. Wentworth. Moth goes through many different trials and tribulations to survive the harsh treatment of young girls in 19th century New York and proves her resiliency and cunning through each step! CW: sexual assault, physical abuse, child sexual assault, child abuse
emotional
hopeful
informative
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:
No
2.5 STARS
Moth is born into the slums of New York - father has left them for another woman and her mother is now bitter and cold towards her. Being a gypsy her mother tells fortunes to make a little money and keeps a roof over their head by sleeping with the landlord. Moth makes a plan to runaway at age 13 but instead her mother sells her as a servant to Mrs. Wentworth at age 12. After escaping the abuse and craziness of Mrs. Wentworth she finds a place in a brothel where her maidenhead will be put up to the highest bidder. The Virgin Cure refers to men with the "french pox" sleeping with Virgins to cure their disease.
I did manage to read this book within two days but I was not overly wowed by it. The story seemed a bit cliche and I often had the feeling of deja vu. The characters were a bit stereotypical so you never were surprised with anything they did and how they story flowed. I gave it a 2.5 as it was well-written, easy to read and there were some fascinating tidbits. I did have great expectations for McKay's next novel so I might have been disappointed as it did not meet them.
Moth is born into the slums of New York - father has left them for another woman and her mother is now bitter and cold towards her. Being a gypsy her mother tells fortunes to make a little money and keeps a roof over their head by sleeping with the landlord. Moth makes a plan to runaway at age 13 but instead her mother sells her as a servant to Mrs. Wentworth at age 12. After escaping the abuse and craziness of Mrs. Wentworth she finds a place in a brothel where her maidenhead will be put up to the highest bidder. The Virgin Cure refers to men with the "french pox" sleeping with Virgins to cure their disease.
I did manage to read this book within two days but I was not overly wowed by it. The story seemed a bit cliche and I often had the feeling of deja vu. The characters were a bit stereotypical so you never were surprised with anything they did and how they story flowed. I gave it a 2.5 as it was well-written, easy to read and there were some fascinating tidbits. I did have great expectations for McKay's next novel so I might have been disappointed as it did not meet them.
Read my review here!
http://areadersrapture.blogspot.ca/2013/03/the-virgin-cure-and-bit-of-harry-potter.html
http://areadersrapture.blogspot.ca/2013/03/the-virgin-cure-and-bit-of-harry-potter.html
It was an ok book. Kind of slow for me. I seriously considered just putting it down and moving on. Good story, just slow.
I loved this novel! I do find the cover misleading - it's more of a poverty-stricken 1871 Manhattan tenements mixed with fortune-telling and orphaned young girls trying to survive the streets kind of book. This isn't a glamorous or sweet or romantic book, which the cover alludes to me. I mean, the main character's name is Moth and her mom is a fortune teller...but anyways...
I absolutely loved this one. I will keep it forever. It reminds me of the type of story I loved as a kid, and as such, I completed it in a very short amount of time.
I absolutely loved this one. I will keep it forever. It reminds me of the type of story I loved as a kid, and as such, I completed it in a very short amount of time.
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Man, does this woman know how to write a book. This is the second book by her that I've read that I've devoured. She produces women who are strong, compelling, and so real it's stunning.
Moth, a young girl born in the slums of New York, dreams of having the life of the finer ladies of the city: a grand home with gardens and birds and two pugs. After her father leaves and her mother sells her away (to an abusive woman to serve as her lady's maid) Moth realizes she must take her life in her own hands. After spending some time on the street, she befriends a young girl who tells her of Miss Everette and her house for special girls-- a boarding house for a special kind of whore. In this house, young girls are trained in the ways of enchanting and enticing men, eventually having their virginity sold to the highest bidder. Thinking this is the only way to obtain the life she dreams of, Moth agrees. However, there are people along the way-- a female doctor who looks after the girls, and the many people of a local sideshow-- who know this young girl is destined for more than the life of a whore.
Set in the late 1800s, this book contains all the charm and intrigue of a time not so long ago, but so different from the times we live now.
With so many well written female characters (both good natured and mean spirited), Miss McKay does such an amazing job for creating a world you get lost in, for better or worse. It is a world where true horrors happen-- but also one where true kindness, loyalty, and love can be found as well.
Moth, a young girl born in the slums of New York, dreams of having the life of the finer ladies of the city: a grand home with gardens and birds and two pugs. After her father leaves and her mother sells her away (to an abusive woman to serve as her lady's maid) Moth realizes she must take her life in her own hands. After spending some time on the street, she befriends a young girl who tells her of Miss Everette and her house for special girls-- a boarding house for a special kind of whore. In this house, young girls are trained in the ways of enchanting and enticing men, eventually having their virginity sold to the highest bidder. Thinking this is the only way to obtain the life she dreams of, Moth agrees. However, there are people along the way-- a female doctor who looks after the girls, and the many people of a local sideshow-- who know this young girl is destined for more than the life of a whore.
Set in the late 1800s, this book contains all the charm and intrigue of a time not so long ago, but so different from the times we live now.
With so many well written female characters (both good natured and mean spirited), Miss McKay does such an amazing job for creating a world you get lost in, for better or worse. It is a world where true horrors happen-- but also one where true kindness, loyalty, and love can be found as well.
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was an intriguing yet challenging read. Not for the faint-hearted, the book describes a precocious young girl who is destined to survive and thrive. The story takes place in the late 1800’s where the exotic (people, animals, and plants) were displayed for a price to an adoring public. I responded angrily to the issues raised (colonialism, equality, sex trade, poverty, power imbalance between rich and poor, etc.) yet I was inspired by the spirit of the protagonist. The story addresses many difficult issues but is never too graphic. Recommended with warnings of sex trafficking, sexual abuse/assault, and prostitution.