Although this is a reprint, it still qualifies as historical fiction because of the timing of the narrative. I picked it up because it sounded a little like a serious version of Anne of Green Gables, and I am fond of reprints of late.
There were parts of this book that worked but overall, I was left dissatisfied by the reveal. There was a lot of build-up to an eventuality that did not pan out the way I expected it. I cannot say more without revealing any spoilers.
We begin in the dismal location of a poor house; the people who run it are human in a very ordinary way, mean when required, empathetic without doing anything about it. There is an arrival of a woman who subsequently gives birth there. After this event, we move forward quite a few years, and the baby is now grown and come into some money, making her the talk of the town (even though her antecedents are unknown).
It is a depiction of town life, on the fringe of both rural and city life. It was slow but was steadily building up. If I could make my peace with the ending, I would have given it three stars out of five, making this a very personal rating.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.
Superfluous Reading 