White Hell of Pity

‘White Hell of Pity’ is about Emmie, a girl born in 1918 to a neglectful father and an abusive mother, raised in dirty house overflowing with unloved children.

It has Norah Lofts's traits of painting believable characters and scenes so vivid that afterwards they remain in your mind like personal memories – or at least in they do my mind.

Similar to other Lofts’s stories, the book switches settings several times, which helps moves the story forwards. It’s essentially third-person specific, though the narrative does briefly see other characters’ viewpoints here and there, which adds value to the story.

Emmie is a sympathetic character – a pitiful one at times, as the title suggests. She’s outwardly meek but when pushed she show more shows strength. Her love for animals makes her all the more endearing.

About one-quarter into the book, Emmie’s situation improves immensely. She has the chance to better herself; to have a good, enjoyable life. Yet, this is only possible through a friend’s money – money she’s happy to spend for Emmie’s sake. Emmie overhears a conversation, learning how much money has already been spent on her. This changes everything.

Determined to pay back the large sum to her friend, Emmie gives up the bright life she could lead, along with the companionship of the first person who ever cared about her, and sets out to earn the money she feels she owes her friend. It’s needless, but Emmie feels it’s the right thing to do.

Earning that money brings with it hard work and misery. Conflict and heartache. You might say it’s depressing, and in some ways it is, but this gifted author presents scenes and events in such an absorbing way that I couldn’t help being involved in the story, hoping Emmie would find some sort way out and achieve lasting happiness.

The only reason I haven’t rated this five stars is because the author has patches were she ‘tells’ instead of ‘shows’. This is particularly so in the opening pages, which is all explanation and devoid of drama and action. I would’ve stopped reading after a couple of pages because of this in most books, but having read other works by this talented author, I knew it’d get better. Therefore, don’t give up if the beginning doesn’t engage you – it’s well worth persisting with.

Published in 1937 as a contemporary novel, it unsurprisingly reads like historical fiction nowadays. Although set in the 1920s and ’30s, at times it felt like it could’ve been half a century earlier. It has that feel of the poor trying to survive in Victorian England.

In short, after a rambling opening, the story develops into an engaging narrative with ‘real’ characters led by a heroine you can’t help routing for. show less