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A review by katykelly
The Conviction of Cora Burns by Carolyn Kirby
4.0
Striking historical/sociological novel with an empathetic lead and an engrossing story.
4.5 stars
I love historical settings, and Birmingham makes a great choice for this story set right in the heart of Victorian poverty-stricken Britain. Cora exemplifies the problems of the period - born in a gaol and then raised in a workhouse, what chance does she have?
As a child, Cora makes one friend in the workhouse. Later, she looks back at her young life and certain incidents with unease, with questions, and also thinks of her absent mother and the way her life has turned out. Released into the world, she accepts an offered position as between-maid in the house of a nearby scientist. The unusual household offers Cora yet more questions, as Violet, apparent ward to the owner, becomes a patron and friend but her own role in the residence is uncertain.
Cora bares all for us, her faults and foibles, her past, and I found her a credible character and one I could relate to, despite our evident differences. She exemplified for me the faults of a society that did not take care of its poorer members. I enjoyed the inserted doctor and scientist writings as well, that added the sociological elements of the plot and took their time to connect the dots of Cora's story and those of the people around her.
The themes of photography and perception are well portrayed with different characters and situations, and it's an intriguing plot that I was keen to get to the heart of.
I think at the heart of the novel, for me, was this, taken from the author's Readers' Questions:
"In mid-Victorian Birmingham, the prison, lunatic asylum and workhouse were built side-by-side... What does this show us about attitudes to the poor, the mentally ill and the criminals in Victorian Britain?"
The novel conveys a fantastically involving psychological story while giving us the chance to observe the sociological problems of the period.
With thanks to Netgalley for the sample reading copy.
4.5 stars
I love historical settings, and Birmingham makes a great choice for this story set right in the heart of Victorian poverty-stricken Britain. Cora exemplifies the problems of the period - born in a gaol and then raised in a workhouse, what chance does she have?
As a child, Cora makes one friend in the workhouse. Later, she looks back at her young life and certain incidents with unease, with questions, and also thinks of her absent mother and the way her life has turned out. Released into the world, she accepts an offered position as between-maid in the house of a nearby scientist. The unusual household offers Cora yet more questions, as Violet, apparent ward to the owner, becomes a patron and friend but her own role in the residence is uncertain.
Cora bares all for us, her faults and foibles, her past, and I found her a credible character and one I could relate to, despite our evident differences. She exemplified for me the faults of a society that did not take care of its poorer members. I enjoyed the inserted doctor and scientist writings as well, that added the sociological elements of the plot and took their time to connect the dots of Cora's story and those of the people around her.
The themes of photography and perception are well portrayed with different characters and situations, and it's an intriguing plot that I was keen to get to the heart of.
I think at the heart of the novel, for me, was this, taken from the author's Readers' Questions:
"In mid-Victorian Birmingham, the prison, lunatic asylum and workhouse were built side-by-side... What does this show us about attitudes to the poor, the mentally ill and the criminals in Victorian Britain?"
The novel conveys a fantastically involving psychological story while giving us the chance to observe the sociological problems of the period.
With thanks to Netgalley for the sample reading copy.