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The Prentice-Boy
"I was genuinely sorry to finish this book. It had me completely engaged... and I loved the clever surprise in the middle of it." Louis de Berniere s, author of Captain Corelli's Mandolin
In 1820 London, landscape artist William Daniell hires Jesse Cloud, a homeless teenager, to be his apprentice. But all is not as it seems. Both William and his prentice must make their own inner journeys to expose others' betrayals and explore their own possibilities. Faced with bankruptcy, starvation looms. Friendships fragment. The artist must learn how to see and his prentice must learn how to survive - while the truth shatters all.
The powerlessness of the poor and women's suffrage are a constant presence tainting the air. This troubled period of change and division provides a vivid sense of time and place.
William's casual assumptions about the poor in society and about women in particular challenges his very identity. An accident-prone venture to remote East Anglian shores becomes a journey of revelation and self-discovery as long-hidden truths about their backgrounds begin to unravel, and the secretive nature of the prentice-boy gains sudden significance.
William's camera obscura captures an insecure society of inequality and flux. Two centuries later it is uncannily familiar and resonates deeply.
In 1820 London, landscape artist William Daniell hires Jesse Cloud, a homeless teenager, to be his apprentice. But all is not as it seems. Both William and his prentice must make their own inner journeys to expose others' betrayals and explore their own possibilities. Faced with bankruptcy, starvation looms. Friendships fragment. The artist must learn how to see and his prentice must learn how to survive - while the truth shatters all.
The powerlessness of the poor and women's suffrage are a constant presence tainting the air. This troubled period of change and division provides a vivid sense of time and place.
William's casual assumptions about the poor in society and about women in particular challenges his very identity. An accident-prone venture to remote East Anglian shores becomes a journey of revelation and self-discovery as long-hidden truths about their backgrounds begin to unravel, and the secretive nature of the prentice-boy gains sudden significance.
William's camera obscura captures an insecure society of inequality and flux. Two centuries later it is uncannily familiar and resonates deeply.
308 pages, Paperback
Published October 6, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 10, 2023
Engaging and cleverly written
This historical fiction story is really one-of-a-kind, the dialogue is rich with late-18th century language. The story is based on the real landscape artist, William Daniell. I did some research on this artist, and I can tell Rumsby put in a lot of thought into understanding this artist's thought process and life. The book is set in 1820, and tells the story of William Daniell, who hires a "prentice", Jesse Cloud. However appearances can be deceiving and as the two journey together, they face a battle with their inner struggles, expose betrayals and discover themselves.
The story skilfully combines many modern and historical issues such as sexism, gender-bending, class and slavery. I loved the book and although it's really dialogue-heavy, it was well-written so you can infer any meanings you don't understand, I picked up the language very quickly. I just couldn't put the book down, it was a great read. Definitely recommend.
This historical fiction story is really one-of-a-kind, the dialogue is rich with late-18th century language. The story is based on the real landscape artist, William Daniell. I did some research on this artist, and I can tell Rumsby put in a lot of thought into understanding this artist's thought process and life. The book is set in 1820, and tells the story of William Daniell, who hires a "prentice", Jesse Cloud. However appearances can be deceiving and as the two journey together, they face a battle with their inner struggles, expose betrayals and discover themselves.
The story skilfully combines many modern and historical issues such as sexism, gender-bending, class and slavery. I loved the book and although it's really dialogue-heavy, it was well-written so you can infer any meanings you don't understand, I picked up the language very quickly. I just couldn't put the book down, it was a great read. Definitely recommend.
May 13, 2026
Two lives change dramatically when an artist takes on a runaway from the workhouse as an apprentice. Mixing fact and fiction against the backdrop of a precarious of Regency London.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews