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A review by laurabeane
Velvet by Mary Hooper
4.0
I've always thought I disliked historical fiction, but Velvet really changed my mind. Having won a set of Mary Hooper's historical novels from Wondrous Reads I figured I should at least give them a go and I'm glad I did.
The interweaving of historical fact with a fascinating fictional tale was superb. The author doesn't dilute the story with boring unnecessary history, rather keeping everything relevant whilst still being descriptive enough to evoke a great tale of Victorian/Edwardian Britain (there's some informative notes at the back for readers wanting to know more about the history). Velvet's level of scepticism about the ways of mediumship was also a real pleasure to read in a genre which seems to be obsessed with the paranormal at the moment. The characters are relatable, from the main characters to the peripheral ones visiting the Madame for spiritual guidance. All in all a thoroughly enjoyable book.
I was pleasantly surprised by this novel and looking forward to reading more of Mary Hooper's novels.
The interweaving of historical fact with a fascinating fictional tale was superb. The author doesn't dilute the story with boring unnecessary history, rather keeping everything relevant whilst still being descriptive enough to evoke a great tale of Victorian/Edwardian Britain (there's some informative notes at the back for readers wanting to know more about the history). Velvet's level of scepticism about the ways of mediumship was also a real pleasure to read in a genre which seems to be obsessed with the paranormal at the moment. The characters are relatable, from the main characters to the peripheral ones visiting the Madame for spiritual guidance. All in all a thoroughly enjoyable book.
I was pleasantly surprised by this novel and looking forward to reading more of Mary Hooper's novels.