Coram Boy

by Jamila Gavin

Eighteenth-century England is the setting for Jamila Gavin's sweeping saga of growing-up, struggle, tradition and corruption. From an acorn of an idea about a real-life good Samaritan of yesteryear, the author has crafted a satisfying, if occasionally painful, novel that spans the lives of several fortunate and unfortunate young people of the day.

The author has researched her backdrop very well, and the atmospheric sights and sounds of the time are both vivid and captivating. Readers will smell the dirty streets and close-living of urban London, revel in the summer splendour of the finest country houses and then flinch when the harshness of life for the poorest souls is revealed in uncomfortable detail.

For in the late 1700s your circumstance of birth meant everything. Toby and Aaron may both find themselves living at Captain Thomas Coram's Hospital for parentless children, but their histories are as far apart as they could possibly be. Toby has been rescued from a life of slave labour in a faraway country; Aaron is the illegitimate son of the heir to a large country estate. They are watched over by Mish--a simple soul who has been with them since their arrival. His devotion to them is absolute, but his motives are not altogether straightforward. Could this curious man really be Meshak, the son of a wicked child-killer who was hanged at the gallows for his crimes?

Coram Boy is a glorious web of changing fortunes and subtle intrigues. There is tragedy and corruption, hope and evil. Sometimes brutal and sometimes unceasingly bleak, the genre of historical fiction has rarely been this good. It's undoubtedly the kind of book that wins awards. (Age 12 and over) --John McLay

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Fiction, Historical, Novels, Childrens, Teen

373 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Jamila Gavin was born in Mussoorie, India, in the foothills of the Himalayas, to an Indian father and an English mother. Jamila has written many books with multicultural themes for children and young adults. She won the Whitbread Children’s Book Award in 2000 and was runner-up for the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize. Her work has been adapted for stage and television. Jamila Gavin lives in England.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is a set book that I read in advance (2009) for my planned children's literature course with the Open University (EA300).

I found Coram Boy to be an intense, highly emotional read and I couldn’t stop turning the pages. If I hadn’t been reading it as a set book to my OU EA300* course I would never have realised it was a YA book.

I was amazed to realise how dark this genre could be. Jamila Gavin didn’t hold anything back and the reader was plummeted into the cruel depths of the 18th Century.

Coram Boy is a powerful, thrilling story that will leave the reader wanting to know more about Captain Thomas Coram and his hospital. As Jamila Gavin explains in her foreward The Coram Foundation still exists today. Amazing!

*Updated 20/08/11:
Unfortunately I still haven't studied the course due to health reasons/real life etc. However, this story blew me away in its own right!

[Beccy Swanson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I barely remembered reading this book as a child but, revisiting it, I recognised the creepy fascination it held over me. Covering child abuse, infanticide, sex, and insanity, this is not a book to be recommended lightly. It requires great emotional maturity to understand how the characters can do the things they do, and although it points towards a happy ending the overall tone of the novel is bleak. That said, its characters are vivid and the rich historical setting is an education in itself. A child reading this might have to be helped to enjoy its lighter moments and learn about Georgian England and its music, as well as being given space and resources to understand the shocking and upsetting events of the plot.

[Juan Carlos malik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aquí les dejo mi opinión más amplia de esta novela que me encantó y destrozo :

https://youtu.be/uETrwYpnM3c

[Andy Verschoyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well constructed children's novel - carefully researched and with many convincing characters and a strong central narrative; and the Coram Trust is an inspirational choice as a source for the guiding principle of caring for the weak. The pace is excellent - until a slighty rushed ending - with bucketloads of cruel reality, historic accuracy, colour and authenticity. The characters - good and bad - are drawn with conviction and convincing detail, and their actions and characters developed consistently. A criticism which may be warranted is that modern readers of a hard-hitting morality tale might want a more socially inclusive resolution than the lord of the manor welcoming back his noble, long-lost, musician-genius son.

The book is a rich source of subject matter for cross-curricular learning, whether history or human behaviour, with substantial issues to debate and research - social responsibility, slavery, trade, charity, philanthropy, music, education itself, young, unplanned pregnancy, racism, creative writing - and much more.

Preparation for reading, either for the teacher independently or together with pupils, should include research into the Coram Trust today and its establishment in the 18th century. There is a dark and complex social and economic context which once understood will help teachers manage the emotions readers will experience when confronted by the Coram Man's shocking behaviour, and which explain the way in which children might be treated in the 18th century. It also helps understand why it was set up and by whom, how it operated, and its effect on public perception of society's responsibilities toward children.

[Dominic · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author of this book lived in the same house as me while I was in London and this was my 24th birthday present. She is a lovely lady and deserves all the success that has come as a result of this book. It was made into a hugely successful West End play with another season in the making.

It is a great children's book that adults can enjoy also.

[Anushree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once upon a time, there was a man called "Thomas Coram" who was a sea captain by profession but decided that his philanthropic interests meant more to him. So he decided to follow his calling and set up a children's home, a foundling home. This was in the 18th century London, where reputations, family name, honor were of more significance than human lives. (Now that is a true story and the Coram hospital still exists.)

Jamila Gavin has woven a brilliant story around this plot. Otis Gardiner, promises his patrons that he will take their children (poor, illegitimate, sick children) to the Coram hospital at London where they'd be cared for, looked after. He takes money from them and along with that they give him their trust and confidence. What he does to the children is ghastly, harrowing, pathetic, despicable! And of course, Gardiner comes back to the families to haunt and blackmail them for more money. But one day his simpleton son Meshak runs away with a boy, an infant. The story revolves around what happened before and after that.

It starts by acquainting us with the terrible truth of Otis' work and by introducing us to his differently-abled son , who does what his father says, obediently in order to not invite his wrath. A mother-less child he is jeered and sneered at and loathed by his father but he continues to hold on, swallowing his father's terrifying truths.

Initially when I started reading I was very apprehensive about the age group for which it is said to be apt. 12+? The gore, the violence - will a 12+ be okay with it? The Captain said "Yes, it is surely apt." And as I read on, I realized why it was so apt. The story introduces a child to severe truths - slavery, human cargo, teenage pregnancy, childhood anxiety, peer pressure, parental pressures, abandonment, jealousy, child deaths. Everything that we try to shield our children from but is the grim reality of the world we live in.

Jamila Gavin hasn't held anything back. She has brought pictures to life with her words. The book is very well researched and the 18th century London is so well crafted for the reader that one gets lost in the woods and the by-lanes. It took some time for me to get into the book, but the last 30% had my heart in my mouth. By the middle of the story I almost guessed how it is going to be - lots of coincidences - but one should not forget that it is classified in the YA genre. And despite me guessing how it would go, I could not put the book down. This is one of those books which will put you in a situation where you look at the last few pages of the book and silently cry out, "Oh My! There is still so much to happen. How can the book end now?"

And that is the only gripe that I have. It ended abruptly. But I am not going to take away any stars for that.

It is a children's book but I do not see why adults would not enjoy it. It is so different from the other YA books with so many lessons embedded in it.

[Gabriela Ruedlinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Esta historia aborda temas como la vulnerabilidad de la infancia, con un antagonista que no veía hace mucho tiempo en un libro: el abusador de niños. Otis Gardiner me recordó a Fagin (de Dickens) y Meshak me trajo reminiscencias de Quasimodo (de Hugo). Esta es la historia de cómo un inescrupuloso traficante se aprovecha de la buena voluntad de una beneficencia infantil para vender niños no deseados a la esclavitud o a la prostitución. La música revincula a una familia y sirve hilo conductor entre el ímpetu de seguir los sueños y un canto de esperanza.

[Ellie L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deeply dark and harrowing, I was completely in awe of this intricately woven story which had the power to engross, repulse and enchant me, all at the same time.
Set in the eighteenth century, the fragility of family reputation collides with cruelty and greed, as one man goes to any length to take advantage of the hysteria surrounding illegitimately born children. Gavin really highlights the merciless dictatorship that is born from societal expectations, and the losses that come as a result are insurmountable. Control is torn away, futures are sealed by luck of birth and a singular choice has the lower to destroy livelihoods. Such constructs would be very interesting to explore with children, and are ones that I have not seen portrayed to such a powerful and catastrophic degree as in this text.
This was a dense, and, at times, disturbing read, and one that needs to be slowly and careful unpicked so as not to become disorientated by the plot. Sharing this with a primary school class should be taken with caution. Understandably, the challenging themes may sway some teachers away from using this story. However, Gavin’s writing is genuinely so rich and emotive, and offers a lot of prospects that I think it could really enrich the learning of a small group of able and mature year six children.

[Jesus Flores · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sinfonia de Coram

Libro Infantil/Juvenil, creo más juvenil ya que tiene partes bastante oscuras, matan huérfanos.
Empieza acá todo tetrico. Dividido en 2 partes, la primera, la historia de Alexander, Melisa, su familia, la verdad me daba igual, y lo de Otis, creo que demasiado gratuita la violencia y lo creepy de Meshka, la verdad no sabía bien que pensar.

Pero en la segunda mitad, se torna interesante, no tanto por la historia de Aaron, sino por la dualidad del personaje de Meshka, es un cambio tan radical, pero tan lógico, que hace le da profundidad a un personaje que se antojaba tan unidimensional.

Y si tiene su momento sentimental, y su parte emocionante, y también la de “en serio no lo reconocen”.

Por ahí un cameo de un personaje histórico.

3.5

[Kayli · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the plot of this book was fascinating. But I'm glad it was written for YA rather than adult, or it could have been much too graphic and given me nightmares.
It's about a guy who goes around collecting unwanted babies under the pretext that he's taking them to a hospital, but he doesn't. All the characters' stories interweave and it's very cool how it all works out.
Really interesting. I definitely recommend it.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fabulous window into the eighteenth century with solid characters and a genuine plot. Unflinching in its portrayal of the harsh realities of life at this time, it covers major themes including murder, poverty, injustice, physical brutality, exploitation of children, infanticide and illegitimacy. The novel would be a great springboard for all sorts of learning and exploration but I would not use it at primary school level.

[Becky Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first three chapters of this book paint such a dark picture of life within the context of this book, it is almost enough to put you off the story straight away. For this reason, I feel it does take a good few chapters to get into the book and you have to persist with it. However, once you are in, you’re hooked.
This book is historical fiction set in the mid 1700s and covers a time period of at least 10 years. Due to the time period this book is set in Gavin uses some really fantastic vocabulary throughout the book, which, if you were reading the story with children, would provide such great talking points as well as supporting the vivid imagery Gavin manages to create in this novel.
Gavin develops a wonderfully complex narrative throughout the story, weaving the lives of the characters in and out of each other so that there is no one main character, but each is vital to the outcome of the story. The first half of the story is predominantly character building and setting description, and Gavin manages to create very rich and complex characters. Again, this provides so much content for a class who might study the book as the descriptive language used for each character and setting is outstanding. In addition, it draws together a visual which is so vivid it undoubtedly captures you in the book as a reader.
The second half of the book is much more focussed on the plot. Despite a 9-year time gap in the book and subsequently new characters are introduced, the bulk of the ‘action’ in the story happens in the second half. Without the deep character construction from the first half of the book it would have certainly lost some of it’s impact.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, despite disliking it immensely at the same time! This is definitely due to the fact that Gavin does not shy away from cruel characters, villains and heart-breaking story plots. However, as previously mentioned the depth of character created and the complex plot twists means you cannot put this book down.
Careful study of different sections of this book would provide rich vocabulary, imagery and content for use within the classroom, however, this is not a story I would chose to read with anyone in primary school, or lower secondary, depending on the child. Some of the topics/issues in the story require a mature mind to approach it and take enjoyment from it. Otherwise, I would be concerned the book could be too distressing for children. An unusual yet brilliant read nonetheless.

[Emma Whear]

There's something about YA/MG that was published before... 2008 (or so?)... that is so refreshing.
Hunger Games came out in 2008 (and with it, a whole swath of imitations, both bad and good and horrible, and when you read a lot of YA/MG like I do, you start to pick up on larger trends.

YA/MG (post-2008 roughly) tends to be pretty plot-heavy and extremely, EXTREMELY voice-heavy. There isn't a lot of room for plot digressions or delayed gratification (unless if it's for the sake of world-building, because the recent YA that I've picked up will forgive almost any writing sin if it's for the sake of world-building).

This was published in 2000.

Every time I read MG/YA that was published earlier (say in the 1950s-early 2000s), I'm startled by just how different the flavor is.

Jamila Gavin is a British writer (with roots in India) and so her writing has an even stronger "1950s" flavor than some others writing at the same time, but even so...

This reads so differently than current YA/MG.

Much slower pacing.

Much less "voice-y."

Much heavier themes and yet almost no melodrama (except when it comes to the more Romantic elements of the plot).

Overall, this felt more like I was picking up a sister book to "Great Expectations" than anything else.

Enjoyed watching all the plot pieces come together.

I hated (to clarify, I was mad at the perpetrators, not the author) all the off-hand allusions and references to child abuse that took place in England in the 17th/18th century. In the introduction, Gavin mentions how the British lanes are littered with the bones of children.

Don't read if you're newly postpartum or pregnant.

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Otis Gardiner and his simple-minded son, Meshak, are peddlers around the countryside of England. But, to add to their income, they dispose of unwanted babies and children for young women who have nowhere else to turn, selling some into slavery, and killing others.

One of these babies is the unwanted baby of Alexander Ashbrook, but Meshak can't bear to drown this baby as he has done to others. Instead, he takes this baby to a safe place where he can watch the child grow.

I was immediately intrigued by the idea behind this story; I'd never heard that there were people who did such things. But the story didn't work as well for me as I'd hoped. The people came across as stereotypically good and bad, and I felt like I never got to see much of the humanity of those who were depicted as bad. The action through much of the story felt slow to me, with long conversations and descriptions that did nothing to advance the plot. Overall, I liked the idea of the story better than I liked the actual story.

A 1001 Children's Book You Must Read.

[Felicity · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember when this came out and seeing it in all the shops when it won the Whitbread prize. I somehow never read it until now. Again, thanks to Carol Atherton's Reading Lessons.

This book starts with Meshik Gardner who is a bit simple and is forced by his dad Otis to commit crimes. We then meet Alexander who is the heir of Ashbrook but wants to be a musician and his friend Tom who is at Gloucester with him but is from a poor family. The second part is set 8 years later where we meet Toby and Aaron who are both foundlings at Coram's London Foundling Hospital.

This book is incredible. I had actually seen the play a few years ago but had thankfully forgotton most of the plot. Gavin does a wonderful job taking you back to sinister 17th century London and Gloucester. She has clearly done her research. I knew about Coram's hospital but didn't know about the link with Handel and The Messiah. I loved all of the characters and there were some fantastic plot twists. Especially in the second half. The ending was nail biting! There was also some beautifully written prose and poetry.

A wonderful book about dysfunctional families, slave trade, adoption and the importance of music. I am so glad I finally read this!

[Michelle McLean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intense, creepy, fascinating. This was a page-turner that I would not have known about, had it not been a set text for my literature studies. Lost one star for the abrupt ending - lots of loose ends suddenly tied up in just a couple of short chapters.

[allie english · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this is class over a period of months and it's safe to say both my students and I were thoroughly engaged in the plot.

It was nice to see reactions to the twists throughout however, I feel some of the more sensitive subject matter could have been explored deeper.

[Rosemary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite what I was expecting from the blurb and cover - there is not the focus on slavery as such - but a well-written book highlighting the dangers of being an unwanted child in 18th-century England.

[RhiannaH · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intricate story that continuously builds in momentum with each turn of the page. A story that is harrowing and emotional; the choice of audience needs to be selected carefully.

[Lucy Aronis · Rating 1 out of 5]

Multiple points where I could have put this down and never finished it.

Too many characters that have little relevance or are introduced and then never referred to for multiple chapters.

The plot is inconsistent and at times very hard to follow. The same follows for the writing.

I really don’t like to give 1 stars but I honestly will never read or think of this book again.

[Laura Hands · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very enjoyable historical fiction. Loved the topic but don't agree with the recommended age as 8-12 as some of the issues addressed are very upsetting.

[HELENA Rowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bets I've eva red

[Claire Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coram Boy is a fantastic read! It details the lives of the Coram children who were looked after in the Coram Fields orphanage, focusing on two boys in particular: Aaron and Toby. The book paints a realistic picture of life in the eighteenth century and is full of sinister characters and unusual happenings. The second set of main characters in the book are Alexander Ashbrook and his family. Alexander’s life is not easy, he is a talented musician but his father expects him to fulfil his role as head of the household and return home from Gloucester Cathedral choir school to do so. Meanwhile Melissa Milcote (the daughter of their Governess) and Alexander fall in love, Alexander realises he has to leave the family home to prove to his father that he can be a musician, not realising he is leaving a pregnant Melissa behind.

The lives of the Coram boys and the Ashcroft’s join together as it’s revealed that Otis Gardener (nicknamed the Coram Man) is not in fact dead as previously thought and has transformed himself into Mr Gaddarn a Coram benefactor. Melissa’s mother gave her baby away to Otis Gardener with the assurance that he would be taken to Coram. His son Mishak has been living at Coram since arriving with his ‘Angel’ Aaron some years before . Toby is taken by Gaddarn to live with him and discovers that Gaddarn and his associates have set up a child smuggling ring, using Coram children. Aaron has the same musical abilities as his father and coincidentally Alexander and Aaron rehearse together for a performance of Handel’s Messiah – this chance meeting leads to the final drama of the story. Class is central to this story – both in terms of babies given away by mother’s of high social standing who could not afford the scandal of an illegitimate child and the scrabbling of Mr Gaddarn to climb the social ladder and hide behind respectability to commit horrendous crimes.

I really enjoyed the style of Coram Boy, I felt swept along by the story and the level of detail that Jamila Gavin provides in her writing. The big events are dealt with sensitively and I don’t feel they would be traumatic for the age group this is aimed at to read. It was fascinating to learn about the Foundling Hospital at Coram Fields, having visited Coram but not knowing why it existed. The story itself does have a lot of coincidences which were a bit much occasionally, but I think the depth and pace of the writing made up for that. The book is aimed at children between 9 and 12 years old, although I would say dependent on their emotional intelligence. Coram Boy could be used in History/ Topic lessons as a background to society at the time – children could be asked for some descriptive writing on how the Coram children would have felt, the differences between Toby and Aaron’s experiences. Music is central to the story, in particular Handel’s Messiah – this could give opportunity for cross-curricular learning. There could also be a class trip to Coram Field’s Foundling Museum to further explore the topic for example finding an object in the museum to write about.

[Monty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coram Boy is a historical novel set in the mid-eighteenth century, and its title comes from Captain Thomas Coram, who founded the Coram Hospital to foster orphans. We are introduced to the 'Coram Man', Otis, who travels around the countryside persuading women with unwanted babies to give them to him for a price. Of course, these babies never make it to the Coram Hospital. Otis is evil and cruel, and forces his simpleton son Meshak to collude in his crimes. At the same time, we meet Alexander Ashbrook, the heir to a wealthy estate. Alexander's passion is his music, however his father wants him to give it up and assume responsibility as his heir. Alexander meets Melissa, the daughter of his family's governess, and a chain of events is set off that will shatter their lives.

The novel then jumps several years into the future and focuses on Aaron, a boy with a talent for music being fostered at the Coram Hospital, and his best friend Toby, a slave boy. Questions abound - who is Aaron, and where is he from? Who is Mish, the kind but simple gardener who befriends the boys? Eventually, all the disparate threads of the novel are knitted together in one thrilling conclusion.

Coram Boy is a gripping tale of evil and redemption, love and sacrifice. The themes are quite mature, therefore I would suggest it is most suitable for 9-12 year-olds. It would be a good novel for group discussion and guided reading in class, and to explore key themes such as slavery, class distinctions and poverty. For more confident readers it would also be an excellent text for them to read independently. There is an obvious cross-curricular link to history - it could be used as part of a slavery topic. I highly recommend this novel!

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book starts off pretty gruesome. How easily people killed or left babies and small children at that time is astonishing. This book starts by telling some of the story of Meshak and his father. They were intended to be selling pots and pans but their real business was getting rid of unwanted children. Now I'm the kind of person that gets into books a lot and at this point my emotions were really effected when they described the burying of live babies. Then the book goes to Alexander and his wealthy family. He is very obsessed with music and it is his life. But sadly his father expects him to take over the family business. Alexander falls in love with a very un-wealthy girl named Melissa. He knew his family wouldn't approve of their affair so it was kept secret. After a time Alexander decides he can't take not having music in his life and taking the family business. He runs away to be a musician. But before he leaves, something with Melissa. She sees her body change and when her maid tells her she is with a child she has mixed emotions. Should she be happy, sad, should she find Alexander and tell him? The baby is born and her mother tells her it is dead when she actually gives it to Otis and Meshak to take. Otis tries to kill the baby but Meshak's obsession with melissa leads to the saving of little Aaron. So many unanswered questions. Where is Alexander? Will Melissa ever find out about her baby? Was Aaron really taken to safety? This book ended up being an emotional roller coaster for me but I thought it was very well written and I recommend it to anyone who likes a happy ending

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book for the second time. I first read this when I was 13 years old. This book is suitable for children from about 12 years old, although I would read this with a Year Six class as part of guided reading or story time. I probably would not recommend this to a Year Six, to go and read alone, as some of the themes are more appropriate for teenagers. The story revolves around the Ashbrook family and a close friend Thomas. The villains are Otis Gardiner and his simple son Meshak. This book gives an insight into 18th century life for children, class, the slave trade and many other social injustices.

The only thing I do not like about this story is it can be quite hard to follow because of the number of important characters. As I have said in previous reviews, if there are too many character names with intertwining stories I can find it a bit confusing. The pace at the beginning is also quite slow as Jamila Gavin is setting the scene as it is based in 18th century England.

This book is a great way to introduce historical fiction as an alternative genre. (It book lead me to writers like Phillipa Gregory in secondary school). Many children enjoy books like horrible histories and fiction is a good way to extend their interest of history and things that have passed.

There is a Coram museum in Brunswick square, London. The museum links well to the story as Thomas Coram did a lot for children in the 17th century and his legacy lives on in the Coram Hospital and foundation. The museum is quite small but there are activities and children can see what it was like to live at the first institution to care for unwanted illegitimate children.

[Sarah Hammerton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coram Boy is a dramatic and moving novel set in eighteenth-century England. Set in two parts, it begins with Alexander Ashbrook, heir to the Ashbrook estate, who would rather follow his heart and fulfill his potential in music then follow in his father's footsteps. When he runs away to do this, he leaves his true love, Melissa, who discovers she is pregnant.

Ten years on, we meet Toby, the son of an African slave, and Aaron, an illegitimate child, best friends who have been brought up at the Coram Foundling Hospital in London. Common to both stories is Mish, the simple boy and his evil father, Otis. As with all good stories, the loose ends are all brought together in a big reveal at the end, which has both happy and tragic consequences.

I found this book a little slow to start with but the second half has much more pace and intrigue. Jamila Gavin has obviously done a huge amount of research and this really brings the book to life, particularly with the detailed descriptions of London life.

I would suggest this book for Year 6 children, as there are some quite adult themes. It would also be good to look at in class as there are a number of curriculum links - eighteenth century life for History, a consideration of the music mentioned for Music and work on slavery and the treatment of children in the past for PSHE, to name a few. Well worth a read.

[Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent young adult novel, set in the 18th century, in which a complex storyline delivers everything you could expect from a novel, whether it’s written for kids or adults. And what originality!

There’s romance here and love, as well as thrilling action; there are scenes of realistic horror that disturbed even this reader; there’s pathos and chaos, plenty of moral messages (although the story is never preachy) and, most of all, the positive and touching value of true friendship.

Gavin hasn’t just done her homework in regards to the period – Coram Boy lives and breathes the mid-18th century, revealing the simple nature of country life, the rich and poor divide, and the corrupt lives of the richest of the rich. It paints a vivid backdrop of city and country life, but the real heart of the story lies in the characters.

All of them are larger than life, but never caricatures; they tug at the heart strings and inspire the reader at the same time. Gavin clearly knows what makes people tick and her story is utterly enthralling as a result of that. A well-written masterpiece, this reaches levels that Harry Potter can only dream about.

[Jordan Wheeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The characters all feel believeable and their motivations and goals very understandable. I particularly loved Mish, and Gavin wrote them in a very kind way. The story was gripping although slow to unfold, and the ending, whilst traumatic, was very satisfying as all the threads wove together. However, I am not sure how I would read this with children. True, it does combat some very important issues such as children's rights, racism and learning difficulties, but these are done brutally and bluntly. I personally wouldn't feel comfortable reading some of the scenes with a primary school classroom, especially those including sex or infanticide. It feels like it would be appropriate for year 8s upwards, although with a small group and carefully-led discussion, particularly around the treatment of children in this book compared to the modern day, it could be valuable in year 6.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. A lot better than I expected!
Such an emotional, gripping and heart wrenching story. A real page turner with some very complex and fascinating characters. There were some twists and turns that were so great near the end, it made the book even better. It's something I've not read before and I'm pleasantly surprised! Can't say I've read anything set in the 1700's, but considering it was written in like 2000, it made it easier to understand. None of that weird Ye Olde writing that I can't work out.
Such a great and quick read! Although it states that I started reading this ages a go, I read most of it in one sitting. I shall look forward to studying this book for university next month.

Also, I'm not sure if this is truly suitable for children. Maybe like 11 onwards, it was rather dark. It has a lot of mentions of dead babies, children and child abuse which would cause a lot of distress, but it's not entirely detailed. Its just not very nice :(