Title: Fallen Grace Edition: Hardcover, 320 pages
Author(s): Mary Hooper
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication Date: February 1, 2011
Source: ARC won from New Books for New Bloggers
Buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
The Summary
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Life has been nothing but unfair to Grace Parkes and her sister. Penniless, the two orphans manage to stay alive—but only barely, like so many on the streets of Victorian London. And Grace must bear a greater heartbreak, having become pregnant from terrible circumstances and then given birth to a stillborn baby. But the infant's death sets Grace on a new path, bringing her into contact with people who hold both riches and power. A great fraud has been perpetrated on young Grace and her sister, and they are the secret recipients of a most unusual legacy—if only they can find the means to claim it. Mary Hooper's latest offers Dickensian social commentary, as well as malicious fraud, mysterious secrets, and a riveting read.
My Opinion
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I need to preface this review with the fact that I don't normally enjoy historical fiction. I loe the classics as much as the next English major, but they are in no way my go to reading material. Saying that, I can confidently declare Fallen Grace to be one of the most riveting and engrossing historical fictions I have read. Very well researched and the voice of the protagonist, Grace, was pitch-perfect.
Mary Hooper is the next Charles Dickens. Seriously. I can picture Oliver Twist running through the pages of this book. It is the epitome of Victorian London, in all it's dirty, corrupt glory. The trials that the orphaned Grace and her sister Lily go through are so sad. I can't imagine living the life they had to, and surviving as honorably as they have. These struggles are made worse by the fact that Lily is mentally challenged. Grace therefore has to take on the role of caregiver even though she is the younger of the two.
Grace stole the show, which is good considering she is the protagonist. The confidence and intelligence she exudes is a testament to the strength the women in this time period needed to have to survive. The way Hooper crafts Grace's love for Lily is lovely. I also throughly enjoyed the revenge Grace gets to reek on the most repugnant character in the book. It was satisfying.
I love the description of the crazy traditions regarding burial during this time period. Having funeral mutes is just not something I can wrap my head around. Another great aspect to the story was the hint of romance. It felt that subtly fit perfectly withint the time period and didn't detract, but added another layer to the story's dimension! Also, the antagonists of the story were actual bad guys. Like twirl the mustache and lay out a master plan kind of bad guys. No redemption with help by the right person here. I appreciate that so much. In this day and age, I think many people turn to fiction for a happy ending to offset the bad things happening in real life. I, for one, love when fiction is reflects what actually happens within human society, especially if it is contemporary or historical fiction.
Grace stole the show, which is good considering she is the protagonist. The confidence and intelligence she exudes is a testament to the strength the women in this time period needed to have to survive. The way Hooper crafts Grace's love for Lily is lovely. I also throughly enjoyed the revenge Grace gets to reek on the most repugnant character in the book. It was satisfying.
I love the description of the crazy traditions regarding burial during this time period. Having funeral mutes is just not something I can wrap my head around. Another great aspect to the story was the hint of romance. It felt that subtly fit perfectly withint the time period and didn't detract, but added another layer to the story's dimension! Also, the antagonists of the story were actual bad guys. Like twirl the mustache and lay out a master plan kind of bad guys. No redemption with help by the right person here. I appreciate that so much. In this day and age, I think many people turn to fiction for a happy ending to offset the bad things happening in real life. I, for one, love when fiction is reflects what actually happens within human society, especially if it is contemporary or historical fiction.
Go out and grab a copy of Fallen Grace. It was sweet while having twisty turns and a sinister edge. If that doesn't tempt you to read it I don't know what will!
Final Rating
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Book Cover: 3/5
Book Title: 4/5
Plot: 8/10
Characters: 9/10
Writing: 9/10
Ending: 9/10
Overall: 42/50 - B
Extras
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Great review. Thanks, chica! :)
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