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Emily Carter is the much-loved daughter of a farmer and secondhand goods salesman living near the English market town of Ely. Though times are hard, she tries to remain upbeat but must contend with her resentful mother and lecherous uncle, a classic villain. Although the blurb promises a Downton Abbey-style experience, the plot goes beyond this description. A full third takes place before Emily goes into service at nearby Priorsfield Manor to pay for her sick father’s medical expenses. This provides a more complete picture of Emily as a person.
At a social event, Emily shares a dance with Nicolas Barton, the younger grandson of Lady Prior of Priorsfield, and makes a strong impression on him (and vice versa) despite her tawdry homemade dress and unfashionable boots. He continues to admire her even after she applies to work at his home. The novel realistically shows Emily’s adjustment to her place of employment – the ornate and old-fashioned décor, the women’s beautiful gowns, her amazement at the family’s rich meals – and her accompanying loss of independence. She makes friends there and moves up in status over time.
Included periodically are the viewpoints of the two Barton daughters: beautiful, snobbish Amy, who has more depth than first appears; and kindly Lizzie, who loves Austen’s novels as well as her sister’s beau. The action unfolds against a backdrop of changing social attitudes and the encroaching specter of war. Despite the author’s tendency to repeat facts and an overabundance of soap opera drama in the last 50 pages, this is an appealing story.
The Downstairs Maid was published by Ebury in 2014 (£5.99, paperback, 445pp). This review first appeared in November's Historical Novels Review and is based on a personal purchase.
This sounds like a nice easy read which is what I need right now as my mind refuses to concentrate. I'm trying to read Will Starling by Ian Weir right now but with a wandering mind and the old style language and slang without a glossary to help is making it hard. Think I'll lay it aside and try this book. Thanks for the review.
ReplyDeleteI've had days like that, and it is a relaxing historical read, nothing too taxing. It can be frustrating when there are many unfamiliar period words and there isn't a glossary included at the end. (That's when a Kindle dictionary can come in handy if I'm reading an e-version.)
DeleteThis sounds promising. I could handle a relaxing read about now!
ReplyDeleteThis is the kind of book I'll be chilling out with during the break (at least part of the time! I have some others I need to catch up with also).
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