Reviews

Dangerous Women by Hope Adams, Adèle Geras

kleonard's review against another edition

4.0

This is a well-written and compelling historicization of an actual trip made by women convicted of crimes in England and transported to Australia, with a good solid murder mystery thrown in. The author does a good job of describing the difficulties of life for women at the time and how gendered laws and social conventions frequently forced them into crimes both small and large in order to survive. The account of women sewing on board made me look up the real quilt that was made--it is stunning. All in all, a good historical mystery.

etakloknok's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

vandermeer's review against another edition

1.0

Gute Idee, doch in der Ausführung leider langweilig.

brigid94's review against another edition

sad tense 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? No

3.0

perjacxis's review against another edition

DNF

lovelyoutliers's review against another edition

adventurous informative slow-paced

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

A novel set on a boat transporting women convicted of theft or other petty crimes from the UK to Tasmania. The madam in charge of ensuring the sage transform of the women had a compassionate view of the convicts, understanding that circumstances often leave no choices, underlying crimes. 

A groups of 18 were selected to work on a patchwork quilt, so it rotates through this cast and tries to unpick a mysterious stabbing of a passenger 

booklove33's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

chrissireads's review

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

nora_rue's review

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

smalltownbookmom's review against another edition

3.0

3.5 - This story takes place almost exclusively on board the transport ship Rajah in 1841, bringing almost 200 female convicts to Van Diem’s land in the Australian colony. I liked the historical ties to an actual voyage and that the embroidery the women work on during the voyage actually exists in an Australian museum. However, the story overall seemed a little too positive for what was no doubt a very horrible experience for the women. The author touches on some of the women’s hardships and there’s a murder mystery that slowly gets solved as the novel progresses. It was really difficult not to compare the book to The exiles by Christina Baker Kline - another book about female convicts sent to Australia and it just didn’t quite live up to the depth and historical accuracy of that book. Still an okay and entertaining read, just not as much attention to historical accuracy and realism as I was hoping for. I was also disappointed we didn’t get to see anything of the women’s lives once they arrived in the colony.