I normally like Chevalier's writing, but this was a disappointment. Set at the turn of the 20th century, the book looks at the lives of two contrasting families, using the various voices of those family members - and a gravedigger's son, too. I didn't believe in the voices of any of them, and I found the story stretched credibilty. I really couldn't believe in any of the sexual adventures that were hinted at more than described. Chevalier writes well, and carries the reader along with ease, so I finished the book, but was glad to do so quickly, to get on to something more rewarding. ( )

Nice treatment of early 1900's life and the beginnings of the sufferage movement. I was captivated by her characters, all of whom seemed consummately real. ( )

Wonderful. Told in many voices. ( )

4.20.19 This book has even more poignancy than when I first read it many years ago. Tracy Chevalier deftly tackles sentimentalism in death culture, transitions from Victorian to Edwardian culture, class hierarchy, and women's activism. The chapters are short and move quickly. Each narrator helps weave a perspective into a rich tapestry that makes up the narrative. One of my favorite historical fiction novels. ( )

I loved this book for a lot of reasons. It was immediately engaging, tragic, humorous in spots and always interesting. It’s told through several first-person accounts and they were all great. I especially liked and felt empathy for Kitty. I would have felt all her frustration, hopelessness and helplessness if born in her place and time. Especially when it came to kids. Ugh. Her daughter Maude doesn’t seem to crave her attention though, so she’ll probably turn out just fine if she does get to University.

I guess if there has to be a person to dislike it’s Livy. She’s just a spoiled brat and already vapid at age 5. Maude’s complaints about her are spot on, but Livy just thinks she’s the perfect little lady. I could barely force myself to read what she did with the Suffrage banners.

The movement, while positive in so many respects, was nothing but tragedy for the Colemans and the Waterhouses. I didn’t expect Ivy May’s fate and it shocked and saddened me. Her one and only chapter was so wrenching. From reading history and novels written in Victorian times, child abduction, murder and abuse was pretty rampant and because children weren’t a protected class in the sense they are now, crimes against them just piled up with no end.

I wish a little more focus was put on the Suffrage movement than was the bereavement practices of Victorians. They were positively suffused with death - gloried in it, reveled in it, milked it for all the emotional drama it could afford. I guess since women above the working poor had nothing to do, it filled their days. I think that’s why the women who weren’t afraid of their own intellects and wills went into the Suffrage movement so thoroughly even though they knew nothing was likely to change in their lifetimes.

It appalls me to read the sentiments of “mother” Coleman. Women who thoroughly believe that women are second class citizens and ought to remain basically slaves to men. It’s incredible. They’re so afraid it would be funny if it weren't so pathetic and dangerous. Women still think like that today. Some reviews of this book characterize Kitty as selfish. Why, because she doesn’t bow down and serve every last convention? Because she isn’t a doormat? Because she has thoughts and ideas of her own? Because she wants to have some agency? OMFG it’s stupid how some women think. Blinkered, frightened fools. I really liked the way Tracy silenced her in the end. Pity she didn’t give us another mother Colman viewpoint after she lost her tongue. That would have been fun. She should have been Mrs. Waterhouse’s mother in law. They would have gotten on like a house on fire if Trudy could have had an ounce of self-esteem.

Simon, Mrs. Baker and our Jenny fill in the voices for the servant class. Jenny’s fate is easy to see coming, but I was surprised that she made her way back. Simon seemed a little to free to do what he wanted through the whole novel. I think most boys his age were basically worked to death. He was fun and needed to have freedom to be able to move the plot forward in several ways.

Overall a lot of fun, insight and one of her best books. ( )