I absolutely loved this book. As another reviewer said, it made me glad I was born into the twentieth century rather than the Victorian times. Reading how people were throwing urine and feces from their chamber pots into the street made me queazy! I loved tracing Sugar's life as she moved from a street creature to the high life, albeit at great risk to herself, both physically and emotionally. I have tried to get our book club to read this book and no one wants to read such a large book. I think it was worth every minute.