Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Unavailable
    The Tea Rose: A Novel
    Unavailable
    The Tea Rose: A Novel
    Unavailable
    The Tea Rose: A Novel
    Ebook925 pages14 hours

    The Tea Rose: A Novel

    By Jennifer Donnelly

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    The Tea Rose is a towering old-fashioned story, imbued with a modern sensibility, of a family's destruction, of murder and revenge, of love lost and won again, and of one determined woman's quest to survive and triumph.

    East London, 1888-a city apart. A place of shadow and light where thieves, whores, and dreamers mingle, where children play in the cobbled streets by day and a killer stalks at night, where bright hopes meet the darkest truths.

    Here, by the whispering waters of the Thames, a bright and defiant young woman dares to dream of a life beyond tumbledown wharves, gaslit alleys, and the grim and crumbling dwellings of the poor.

    Fiona Finnegan, a worker in a tea factory, hopes to own a shop one day, together with her lifelong love, Joe Bristow, a costermonger's son. With nothing but their faith in each other to spur them on, Fiona and Joe struggle, save, and sacrifice to achieve their dreams.

    But Fiona's dreams are shattered when the actions of a dark and brutal man take from her nearly everything-and everyone-she holds dear. Fearing her own death at the dark man's hands, she is forced to flee London for New York. There, her indomitable spirit-and the ghosts of her past-propel her rise from a modest west side shopfront to the top of Manhattan's tea trade.

    Authentic and moving, Jennifer Donnelly's The Tea Rose is an unforgettable novel.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Publishers
    Release dateApr 1, 2007
    ISBN9781429973090
    Unavailable
    The Tea Rose: A Novel
    Author

    Jennifer Donnelly

    Jennifer Donnelly is the author of eleven novels including the Waterfire Saga, The Tea Rose series, Beauty and the Beast: Lost in a Book, and A Northern Light.  She grew up in New York State, in Lewis and Westchester counties, and attended the University of Rochester where she majored in English Literature and European History. www.jenniferdonnelly.com Twitter: @JenWritesBooks

    Related to The Tea Rose

    Related ebooks

    Historical Romance For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Top 10 Books

      Feb 5, 2021

      Top 10 Books
      1 min read

    • Article

      Why I’ve Stopped Waiting for ‘The Winds of Winter’

      May 11, 2018

      1. It was my ex who first suggested I read George R.R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones. “I think you’ll like it,” he said, pulling his copy from the wooden bookcase in the corner of his bedroom. The shelves sagged under the weight of the epic fantasies th

      5 min read

    • Article

      The Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea

      Feb 23, 2022

      RELEASED OUT NOW! 336 pages | Hardback/ebook/audiobook Author Axie Oh Publisher Hodder & Stoughton The Korean tradition of telling folk stories goes back thousands of years. One well-known story, “The Tale Of Shim Cheong”, centres on the sacrificial

      1 min read

    • Article

      March Fiction

      Feb 15, 2022

      Run Rose Run by Dolly Parton and James Patterson (Century, £20) In 2018 the ever-prolific James Patterson got together with Bill Clinton to write the best-selling The President Is Missing: a novel that combined Clinton’s insider knowledge with Patter

      2 min read

    • Article

      The Invisible Life Of Addie Larue

      Oct 7, 2020

      RELEASED OUT NOW! 560 pages | Hardback/ebook Author VE Schwab Publisher Titan Books This story weaves together a number of tropes – a deal with the Devil (or in this case the darkness), the damned soul condemned to wander for all eternity – and yet c

      1 min read

    • Article

      'Farewell For Now:' Leigh Bardugo On 'Rule Of Wolves'

      Apr 7, 2021

      Leigh Bardugo is winding up her Russian-inflected Grishaverse series (at least for now) with Rule of Wolves, which continues the story of the dashing King Nikolai of Ravka and his demonic interloper.

      3 min read

    • Article

      'The Heart's Invisible Furies' Is the Funny, Touching Story of an Irish Everyman

      Sep 1, 2017

      Boyne's new novel follows its protagonist throughout the decades, from birth in 1945 to age 70, and the story encompasses a great deal of history.

      3 min read

    • Article

      January Fiction

      Dec 14, 2021

      The Maid by Nita Prose HarperCollins, £14.99 Molly Gray, the narrator of Nita Prose’s startlingly good debut novel, is a young woman who knows her place—and who rather likes it. For “approximately four years, 13 weeks, and five days” she’s been worki

      2 min read

    • Article

      Gabriel & Holly

      Feb 8, 2021

      The first day was the most daunting. It helped that she’d arrived last night to settle herself in the cottage annexe before first contact this morning. Still, nerves attacked her as she stood before the door of the imposing but charming ivy-covered 1

      6 min read

    • Article

      The Education of Mrs. R.

      Sep 6, 2022

      An adolescent shriek woke her. Cockerels, she thought, cockerels, with a wry twist to the word. She lay in the dark listening. There was no use in covering her head; the screaming still came through. The soloist was suddenly submerged in the chorus.

      13 min read

    • Article

      Penny

      Jul 2, 2020

      Penny
      6 min read

    • Article

      All My Tomorrows

      May 10, 2022

      It was Misha’s first day minding the shop, and already she’d broken the fifth rule. Always lock the door immediately. When you had the most valuable merchandise in the universe, you had to take the utmost precautions. She hadn’t meant to disobey. It

      13 min read

    • Article

      Cricket League

      Jan 1, 2022

      It was an unusual birthday. Colorful banners blanketed the backyard. Kids chased each other through the grass. Adults talked. It all went downhill from there. My little sister was turning five. On her birthday cake, painted in frosting, was a fat, pi

      7 min read

    • Article

      The Traveler Part 1

      Sep 1, 2020

      Jamie wandered aimlessly, kicking a broken chunk of sidewalk, following the chip of cement as it skittered and bounced through leaves and off curbs. In a trance, she walked down unknown blocks and around unfamiliar corners, her mind so far away that

      9 min read

    • Article

      O Fortuna, Velut Luna

      Sep 15, 2018

      What is Miss Treece’s trouble, according to a popular notion? The man A has failed to show up. Arousing herself at the restaurant, she fixes her lipstick when her solo supper concludes and takes herself down the stairs situated behind the bar. There,

      3 min read

    • Article

      Righteous

      Jan 22, 2019

      Righteous
      8 min read

    • Article

      Human Contact

      Aug 10, 2022

      Beer tasted like wet money—or maybe just bad beer did. Viola had never tried any other kind. She preferred white wine, but there was no white wine at this party. “Drink it like medicine,” the guy manning the keg said. “It’ll loosen you up.” He wore a

      18 min read

    • Article

      Mrs Macarthur’s Secret Diary

      Jun 17, 2020

      Mrs Macarthur’s Secret Diary
      7 min read

    • Article

      Running Away

      Feb 22, 2021

      Leaving London behind her, Millie drove faster, picturing thousands of crazed fans in pursuit, desperate for what – a lock of her hair? Or Julian; except after the last gig, somehow she knew he wouldn’t follow. She knew from bitter experience that di

      5 min read

    • Article

      Soul On Sale

      Aug 10, 2022

      I was waiting for the call at the telephone booth. I’d been waiting for fourteen or seventeen minutes and finally, I decided to leave. It was pointless. I only had a 20-dollar bill on me and no coins for the slot. Hard rain was coming, some type of s

      9 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for The Tea Rose

    4/5

    588 ratings60 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      This book had it all: love, tragedy, murder, suspense, tea and triumph. It was a pure delight to read. I'm glad my Bestie got me this book for christmas. Can't wait to read the next book in the series! :)
    • 5/5
      I actually read the sequel to The Tea Rose, The Winter Rose, when it first came out, and fell in love with everything about it. And so I bought this book way back then, but planned to stick it on a shelf and try to forget about it until I'd forgotten what I'd learned about the characters in the sequel, and could read this one fresh. I'm glad I did, and yet, I'm also a little glad it wasn't my introduction to Donnelly's work...The truth is, the first part of this book is heartbreaking in that way where you're not even sure why you're reading after a certain point, or whether you want to keep going. I think I was about 120 pages in when I asked my husband to hand me the book as he passed by, and his response was: "This? The book that keeps making you cry? Nope." True, I'd been sobbing over it when he came home from work the night before. But, of course, I got up to retrieve the book myself.Of course, some books make you cry for no reason, and just keep doing so. This isn't one of those. I adored this book. The character, the heartbreak, the humor, the spirit... I don't read historical fiction that often, but I adored this. I can't wait to read its sequel again, with fresh eyes and having read this.If you read historical fiction, yes, read this. The beginning has sadness along with every other emotion, but the level of it doesn't continue.Absolutely, recommended.
    • 4/5
      Just started this series by Jennifer Donnelly - listening to it on audible audio - definitely an interesting read - late 1800's in England - Jack the Ripper, the consequences of dock workers starting a union, the hardworking Irish family life style, the tea business and the dreams of a young couple all come to life in this book. Definitely a character driven book that keeps you routing for them until the last page. Book 1 of a 3 Book series.
    • 4/5
      I did enjoy this book though a few things were more a 'fairy tale'. Fiona was just way too lucky in my opinion and the ending was almost like a Disney film. I love to read historical novels and this one really didn't disappoint. The Jack the Ripper plot was interesting enough though. To have the novel set in that timeframe and area was rather nice.
    • 4/5
      I don't read books like this a lot, because I'm not really a fan of historical romance/thrillers. This one was a very fun read, perfect for a rainy day when you don't want to read anything too heavy or serious.
    • 5/5
      The dramatic story of Fiona Finnegan and her love Joe and the Tragedies that beset Fiona. Her life is filled with one tragedy after another, all inhibitting her from fullfilling her dreams. She gives up a lot, for the happiness of others. Be ready to be spellbound. I could not put this book down. This is Jennifer Donnelly's first novel; I will look forward to many more.
    • 5/5
      First in The Tea Rose trilogy. It’s 1888 and 17-year-old Fiona Finnegan works in an East London tea factory. Times are tough, but there is a lot of love in her working-class Irish family, and with her best friend and beau Joe Bristow, a costermonger's son. Fiona has a knack with tea and together they are saving their spare pennies to pursue their ambition to own their own shop. But when her family is struck by not one, but four tragedies in quick succession, Fiona is devastated. Joe, who should be comforting her, has got another girl pregnant and must marry her which further shatters Fiona’s dreams. While trying for compensation from his employer for her father’s workplace death, Fiona overhears a conversation she shouldn’t and has to flee for her life with little brother Seamus from a brutal and dangerous man who wants her dead. A sweeping family saga set in the times when serial killer Jack the Ripper is on his murderous rampage through the impoverished areas of Whitechapel, malnutrition and disease are so widespread that its inhabitants have about a 50/50 chance of living past the age of five years old, and climbing out of poverty is virtually impossible.
    • 4/5
      This is the first book in a trilogy which includes The Winter Rose and The Wild Rose.This hefty novel tells the beautiful story of Fiona Finnegan, and the struggles of her family in 19th Centry East London. There are so many tragic things that happen to Fiona in such a short time, that one would think she just couldn't endure any more, but she does. She is a fighter and is determined not to stay "in a woman's place' as she overcomes her impoverished life to become an owner of several successful tea shops. This book reminds me so much of the successful Emma Harte series written by Barbara Taylor Bradford, beginning with [A Woman of Substance], one of my favorite books ever. I thought that this book was a very well written piece of historical fiction and I am looking forward to reading the other two books in the series.
    • 4/5
      This book took me 120 pages to get into,almost gave up a few times.It was worth the effort.Historical fiction set in Jack the Ripper London,with the murders intertwining with our story.Fiona is one very strong,independent woman,a survivor.This story is love,mystery,suspense,it has it all well written.
      SPOILER-
      The love story of Joe and Fiona was lovely,BUT there were so many missed chances that it became a bit tiresome. By the time they got together,I was just glad it was over and done. BUT this was a worthwhile read.Enjoyable and a page turner at times.
    • 5/5
      I'm interested in many things, but I have a few obsessions, such as a well-written period novel, tea, and thrillers with 'Jack the Ripper' in them. I kind of feel like Sherlock Holmes reading such books. I haven't started yet in "The Tea Rose" but I have bought the whole trilogy for the love of tea and those gorgeous covers! Fingers-crossed.
    • 2/5
      Fiona Finnigan works in a tea warehouse on the shores of the Thames in 1880s London. Jack the Ripper is terrorizing Whitechapel, but Fiona and her family have troubles of their own. This started out strong but ended with a whimper. The book just didn't live up to the opening chapter. I felt the ending was really contrived.
    • 4/5
      A compelling story propelled me through all 544 pages but the writing was ordinary and prescriptive.
    • 5/5
      A well written book that follows a character through many trials and tribulations. The book is a page turner that keeps the reader engaged to the very end.
    • 2/5
      After other reviews I thought I would love this, but I did not. It was lukewarm simply okay. The characters were stale, uncomplicated. A nice story, but not a great one. I am not a fan of sappy predictable stories, like Nicholas Sparks writes. If you like that kind of fluff, you'll love this.
    • 5/5
      It is 1889 in the poor East End of London, and readers are introduced to 17 year old Fiona Finnegan and Joe Bristow. In love since they were children, they are determined to get married and get rich. All their dreams come crashing down forever when Joe is forced to marry Molly, Fiona's rival. With Joe gone, her father murdered for wanting a union, her mother murdered by Jack the Ripper, her brother drowned, and her young sister dead, Fiona has no one left but her younger brother Seamus. She makes a new life for herself in New York, but never gives up her dream of becoming rich and avenging her father's death, yet she can never forget Joe, who can never forget her. After 10 long years, their paths cross but never meet until a murderer comes close to taking away both of their dreams forever. An excellent, breathtaking read. Readers will keep turning pages hungrily until reaching the satisfying conclusion.
    • 2/5
      Predictable and way, way too long.
    • 5/5
      This book had it all: love, tragedy, murder, suspense, tea and triumph. It was a pure delight to read. I'm glad my Bestie got me this book for christmas. Can't wait to read the next book in the series! :)
    • 4/5
      I've been craving a good historical for a bit, and this one definitely did it for me! There were some things that didn't seem quite historically accurate - and some unlikely events and coincidences - but if you want a damn good story, read this. I couldn't put it down!
    • 4/5
      The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly is a good historical romance even though the plot is an all too familiar one. The young, exceedingly beautiful heroine faces many obstacles in life yet manages to spectacularly overcome them. This book is full of melodrama, love lost and found, murder and revenge, all told in a fun, exciting way. The author manages to fill the pages with authentic historical details along with plenty of action and her skill at doing all this gathers the reader into the story and keeps them glued to the pages.The Tea Rose has an enormous canvas, Donnelly’s story unfolds in the back alleys of London and the high society drawing rooms of New York. Although there are too many coincidences and eye-rolling moments for it to be a believable story, this is a book where the reader knows what to expect, a fun escapist read that pulls you out of everyday life and into a fantasy of fairy tale proportions.
    • 4/5
      The Tea Rose is a big fat soap opera of a book. It's historical fiction, but it's also a romance. It's 1889 and Fiona Finnegan and Joe Bristow are on the cusp of adulthood. Both in their late teens, they are from poor families in the East End of London, but they're both dreaming big. The pair are in love and can't wait to open their own grocery store and start the rest of their lives together.Of course things are never that simple. There's a rich man's wife, Millie, who has her eye on Joe. There's a push for Fiona's father's work to unionize and a dangerous group that opposes that change. On top of all of that Jack the Ripper is on the loose and everyone is running scared.It's a big novel that crosses from England to America and back again and over years of time. It's easy to sink into and it was just what I needed when I picked it up. Yes, there are absolutely too many coincidences and unbelievable elements, but that's half the fun with a book like this. You just embrace the melodrama and go with it. Fiona was a great character, strong and resilient, determined to succeed against all odds. She, along with her best friend Nick, really made the story for me. There's one moment in the story that didn't sit right with me. Fiona does a complete 180 and it doesn't make any sense in the context of her character, but the ship quickly righted itself and I forgave the hiccup.I love the historical elements woven into the story. It's incredibly readable but at the same time you are getting snapshots of real historical events, like the Jack the Ripper murders, immigration to New York City, and even a bit a glimpse of the painting scene in Paris in the late 1800s.BOTTOM LINE: A bit of a guilty pleasure book, very enjoyable. I'll definitely be reading the next book in the series, The Winter Rose, but I'll save it for when I need to lose myself in a thick novel. 
    • 4/5
      4.5 rating. I love the Victorian Era and this book lived up to my expectations and more. A coming of age story where a young girl is forced to act beyond her age in order to survive. I truly loved this book, granted at points it moved slow and I felt some parts would be better left out, I really did love it.
    • 4/5
      Oh, the melodrama! It's soaptastic! I'm usually a much more cynical chica but I have to admit that I loved this story. I rooted for Fiona & was worried and sad when things went from awry to totally off the rails for her. I cheered when things turned around & held my breath for the next catastrophe. Joe garnered my annoyance early on but I never got to full on hating him & have to admit that when he was missing from the story for long stretches, I was wondering & concerned about him. His major crime was having been hapless, naive & easily manipulated. He paid in deep dividends so I couldn't wish more ill on him. All in all, I was pulling for a "Happily Ever After" & I'm not usually one who pines for those. This was the first I've read of Jennifer Donnelly but she was able to pull me in & play me from beginning to end.

      For the most part, the rest of the cast of characters were very well drawn. I especially adored Nicholas (his father was a particularly nasty piece of work), Seamie, the Munroes & Uncle Michael. I didn't feel much investment in Will. He just felt like a temporary character (along with his family) meant to propel the plot. Like Fiona, I was dialing it in & just passing the time while Will was around. Millie wasn't well fleshed out & I didn't like her but I kept wondering why she was the way she was. Still, when she was gone, I was glad. All the characters tied to Burton & the union were okay but if I'm honest, I wasn't really into them much. They provided a particular counterpoint in the story but that aside, I didn't find them especially compelling. I thought the Ripper angle would factor in more but I don't mind that it didn't.

      This was not my usual historical fiction read but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was long, played some common tropes & strung out the starcrossed lovers theme to the point I thought it would break. And somehow, it all worked for me. I never stopped caring, kept turning the pages & hoping for the best. It's not deep or revelatory but it definitely engaged me. The setup for the next installment was handled deftly, so I'm looking forward to it & I enjoyed the preview of "The Winter Rose" in the paperback version I read. I recognized the mains quickly. I must say that I'm sorry it took me so long to read this one but I'm thrilled that I finally have.
    • 4/5
      This was a great book about a strong woman overcoming tough odds. I also LOVED the historical significance of a world I'm not that familiar with.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed this novel; it reminded me of a David Copperfield type of story with a female protagonist. I like the mid to late 1800's as a time period for stories. I was disappointed to realize that the next book does not carry on with Fiona and Joe but moves on to other characters.
    • 3/5
      On February 1 2006 I wrote....

      Finished it and yes I liked but I have to say, it was a bit unreal.
      Everybody gets rich, to many coincidences. Thing that would never happen in real life. I prefer my books to be a bit more realistic. But I did enjoy the read. Read it rather fast. I liked the first half the best I think.
      Give it a 7.5
    • 5/5
      The Tea Rose spans a decade and two continents. It is first and foremost a love story, but don't let that fool you. As they say, "the course of true love never did run smooth." Joe and Fiona have been best friends all their lives, having grown up on the same street. They've been in love from the time they had such thoughts, and they both have huge ambitions to run a shop and have all the money they could ever need.

      This is a story of poverty, of unions, of economics, of business. Fiona's family with three strong men to earn money in their various jobs can barely get by. They aren't able to save any money. Fiona works too, but women make a pittance compared to men, even though they spend just as much time at work. The employers refuse to pay more than a few pennies to their workers. Everyone has an air of desperation about them, except for the few folks who have all the money because they've squeezed the poor folks dry.

      This is a horror story. In case East London doesn't sound terrifying enough, you will not be disappointed. Jack the Ripper's there too. And the cops can't find anything to figure out who he is or how to stop him. At least, he's only killing prostitutes, but who knows when that will change. Besides, how comforting is that when everyone you know is just a missed day of work or two away from that level of desperation?

      This is a story of tragedy. Donnelly will get you excited and hopeful, and then stomp on your heart, light it on fire and then drown it. Even in the depths of despair when it seems the characters (and thus you, bound up in their fate) will never make it, she manages to kindle inspiration and hope. Completely beautiful.

      The spark that makes all the parts of this novel come together lies in the characters, particularly Fiona. These are people who will stop at nothing to get what they want. Nothing can prevent Fiona from becoming a success; she will overcome any hardship thrown at her. She is undoubtedly one of the strongest heroines in literature. I may not always agree with her choices, as she is much more forgiving than I could ever be, but I always admire her spunk and intelligence and drive.

      Donnelly made me cry. She made me angry, frustrated, terrified. She made me smile and left me feeling somewhat hopeful. You have to love a book that can run you through the gamut of human of emotions. This book is amazingly well-written and complex. This is historical fiction at its finest.
    • 4/5
      This one earned 4 ½ stars from me. The Tea Rose is a classical rags to riches story following the harrowing struggles of Fiona Finnegan as she tries to make it in the world. If you thought you had a bad life, you should try stepping into Fiona’s shoes for awhile. Donnelly pulled out all the stops in the drama department producing a very well written and engaging story. Admittedly, sometimes the beginning of the book became too heavy for me to read with so much loss and devestation, but once I got passed that it was smooth sailing.

      What I think Donnelly does well is write coming of age stories with strong, intelligent and independent young women. There is something about these women getting their justice that is very appealing and you just can’t help but root for them. Donnelly also writes very good characters. In this one her characters are bit too perfect for my taste. Fiona did not seem to have any flaws, but to me this was okay because with everything that she went through I couldn’t help but love her. Joe, however, as man tripping over his own ambition was very flawed and I hated him for those flaws. So much so that I wanted to strangle him sometimes. In the end he grew on me, but I sure didn’t forget what he did.

      The secondary characters also deserve to be mentioned. I, in particular, loved Nicholas Soames. He was a breathe of fresh air is this drama ridden story. He has his own demons to contend with and his story is just as hard as Fiona’s, but like Fiona Nicholas grabs the bull by the horns and rides it in style. His part added the right touch of humor needed. I also loved Fiona’s New York family. Her uncle and neighbors also added some humor and support.

      The only reason I knocked down the rating by ½ a star was because the story was a little too drama filled for me. The beginning was serious drama, the middle was uplifting and then again drama towards the end. It was too much and as a reader I had to suspend belief that this could actually happen all to one person. I’m okay with suspending that belief because the story was really good and I even learned much about the tea business in the process. I look forward to reading The Winter Rose.
    • 3/5
      Actual rating: 2.5 stars.

      The Tea Rose was kind of like a historically inaccurate soap opera set in 19th century London and New York. I love the historical fiction genre, something I discovered quite by surprise after reading Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. But the big difference here was that Jennifer Donnelly didn't seem to care much for the historical aspect of her writing. When writing about the past, it is true that certain liberties can be taken, but they shouldn't be taken at every turn.

      Case and point. Fiona (our main protagonist) becomes a self-made millionaire over a span of ten years in New York. The first self-made female millionaire in America didn't happen until around 1920. The Tea Rose is set in the late 1800s.

      There is a fair bit of romance that happens in the book. It was nice at first, but it quickly became very soap opera-esque. There were secret trysts, gay husbands and so many near hits/misses with Fiona and Joe that I wanted to tear my hair out. Multiple times. And I don't look good bald.

      The characters were very one dimensional, and Fiona is a Mary Sue in the truest sense. She is a character set up just to be torn down, and there is only so much of that a reader can take. Bad things happen to good characters, it is part of writing. But piling up the bad and then pulling something good out of thin air to atone for it is weak. Your story should be able to rest on more than just bad things happening to the characters, and this one didn't.

      Writing and language wise, I found The Tea Rose very enjoyable. I liked that the accents were spelled out, I liked the backdrop for the story. The prose was very descriptive, and the details were succulent. I just didn't care overly much for the story itself. Some things didn't make sense to me, like how Fiona only met other foreigners in New York, and never any Americans. As a millionaire, you would think she would have business dealings with all sorts of people.

      The Bottom Line: A story with a lot of promise that failed to deliver. The main characters get themselves into stupid situations, and then the author writes fantastical compensation for them. I might read the second book, depending on the description, but it is not high on my list priority-wise.
    • 4/5
      This book held my interest because the caracters were quite engaging. The story was interesting especially the sidebar about Jack the Ripper and all the poor families in London at the end of the 18th century.
    • 5/5
      Beautiful book, that once it has drawn you in makes it hard to put down. One of my favourites.