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3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
I have a weakness for historical fiction, OK? But only if it's done right, in my opinion. I snatched this off the library shelf, and could NOT put it down. Amazing.
An enjoyable work of historical fiction that shares with readers the living conditions of 1730s London as well as the complexities of power that makes stealing a hankerchief a hanging offense and that allows kind, pious Jews to own a slave without any qualms. Schwabach offers a fascinating glimpse of colonial New York.
Molly Abraham is a thief. She's also a Jew though she hardly knows what it means. When she is transported from London to New York for stealing a watch, a Jewish family, alerted to her coming, buys her as an indentured servant and treats her kindly though they also own a slave, Arabella. Can Molly resist the lure of her old life? Will she be able to resist stealing the beautiful silver adornments of the Torah in her new community to sell for her passage home to everything she has always known? An interesting take on colonial life.
Schwabach's book is a great read for all ages. I would have liked it as an elementary- or middle-school student, and now in my 30s I liked it very much! Schwabach is one of those truly impressive historical fiction writers who has done her research thoroughly, but slides the information into the story so naturally that it never feels like you're reading *history*, just a good tale that happens to be set in another time. I could smell, feel, hear, and see the filthy streets of 18th century London and the quaintly pastoral roads of 18th century Manhattan. Young Molly's story of redemption, growing from orphaned pickpocket to respectable family member, is certainly as much fun as, and easier for young readers to tackle than, Oliver Twist's--and girls may especially appreciate the way female characters (both naughty and nice) take center stage.
Being a linguistics fan, I think my favorite feature might have been Schwabach's clever use of Flash-cant, the dialect and vocabulary spoken by the London thieves of the era. It added real color and delight, and for me the glossary at the back was almost as much fun to read as the story itself.
Being a linguistics fan, I think my favorite feature might have been Schwabach's clever use of Flash-cant, the dialect and vocabulary spoken by the London thieves of the era. It added real color and delight, and for me the glossary at the back was almost as much fun to read as the story itself.
Enjoyable kids book. I'll definitely think about picking it up for my kids when they're older. Nice glimpse into the history of London, New York, and early American Judaism.
This was a solidly-researched book about a young girl who made a living stealing on the streets of London till she got caught and transported to the Colonies. Loaded with interesting period detail and a whole thieves' language (Flash-cant) of which I'd never heard. Nicely done.