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A review by mad_about_books
Maids of Misfortune by M. Louisa Locke
4.0
MAIDS OF MISFORTUNE is a charming little murder mystery, set in Victorian San Francisco, with nary a strange steam engine in sight.
When you read Victorian, does London, shrouded in fog, come to mind first? Do you think of Whitechapel and Saucy Jack? In MAIDS OF MISFORTUNE, you will find yourself far from the British Isles in another city where the fog rolls in quite regularly, old San Francisco.
Annie Fuller is a strong female protagonist in a male dominated era in history. Her story is revealed over the course of the book as she embroils herself in the mysterious death of Matthew Voss. I found her story to be believable, and, in many ways, reflective of women's issues today.
I am finding that nearly every piece of fiction I have read over the past year or so contains the patina of current political issues. This is true even for books that were published well before the current situation. I think it is because every issue of equal rights and human rights is in the forefront of my mind. For example, the immigration issue, again front and center in American life, hasn't changed much since the 19th century. The nationality of distain in Victorian era San Francisco was Chinese; however, you only need substitute the social group under attack on any given day to see that we have not progressed very far.
When I review a book, I just don't do spoilers. I think it's bad enough that the description of many books does just that. I try not to read more than a word here and there in the descriptions myself. I delight in being surprised by what I read. I will, however, clarify what I mean by a charming little murder mystery. Many of today's mysteries are either cozies or hard-boiled and gritty. I would not classify MAIDS OF MISFORTUNE as either. The language invites reading by any and all age groups, and the story is told in such a way to highlight Victorian mores. I find this kind of writing to be quite refreshing.
M. Louisa Locke has created a well-rounded cast of characters, and I look forward to learning more about each of them. I found MAIDS OF MISFORTUNE to be an excellent introduction to a series that I have put off reading for far too long. If you enjoy a good mystery, you will probably find that this is just your cup of tea.
When you read Victorian, does London, shrouded in fog, come to mind first? Do you think of Whitechapel and Saucy Jack? In MAIDS OF MISFORTUNE, you will find yourself far from the British Isles in another city where the fog rolls in quite regularly, old San Francisco.
Annie Fuller is a strong female protagonist in a male dominated era in history. Her story is revealed over the course of the book as she embroils herself in the mysterious death of Matthew Voss. I found her story to be believable, and, in many ways, reflective of women's issues today.
I am finding that nearly every piece of fiction I have read over the past year or so contains the patina of current political issues. This is true even for books that were published well before the current situation. I think it is because every issue of equal rights and human rights is in the forefront of my mind. For example, the immigration issue, again front and center in American life, hasn't changed much since the 19th century. The nationality of distain in Victorian era San Francisco was Chinese; however, you only need substitute the social group under attack on any given day to see that we have not progressed very far.
When I review a book, I just don't do spoilers. I think it's bad enough that the description of many books does just that. I try not to read more than a word here and there in the descriptions myself. I delight in being surprised by what I read. I will, however, clarify what I mean by a charming little murder mystery. Many of today's mysteries are either cozies or hard-boiled and gritty. I would not classify MAIDS OF MISFORTUNE as either. The language invites reading by any and all age groups, and the story is told in such a way to highlight Victorian mores. I find this kind of writing to be quite refreshing.
M. Louisa Locke has created a well-rounded cast of characters, and I look forward to learning more about each of them. I found MAIDS OF MISFORTUNE to be an excellent introduction to a series that I have put off reading for far too long. If you enjoy a good mystery, you will probably find that this is just your cup of tea.