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Little Bones
It's 1899. London. A young girl is abandoned by her feckless family and finds lodging and work assisting a doctor. But Jane Stretch is no ordinary girl, and Mr. Swift is no ordinary doctor.
Jane does her best to keep up with the doctor, her twisted bones throbbing, as they hurry past the markets, stage doors and side shows to appointments in certain boarding houses across town. The young actresses who live there have problems, and Mr. Swift does what is required, calmly and discreetly. Grateful to her benefactor and his wife, Jane assists him and asks no questions -- the desperate young women not minding that it is a cripple girl who wipes their brows.
When this unlikely pair become involved with a rakish music hall star, Johnny Treble, who calls on Swift's help for his rich mistress's predicament, it seems that Jane's spell of good fortune is not going to last. The police come knocking -- how will the doctor explain the absence of his medical certificates? How will they explain their connection to Johnny Treble's sudden death? And how will Jane argue her innocence? It seems that no amount of wand waving will make their problems disappear.
Little Bones conjures a tawdry, tantalising, troubling world of unclear morality and conflicting sympathies -- richly evocative and full of curiosities.Two people act against their consciences simply to get by, and the choices we make are called into question. Is it possible to commit abhorrent acts without being corrupted by them?
Jane does her best to keep up with the doctor, her twisted bones throbbing, as they hurry past the markets, stage doors and side shows to appointments in certain boarding houses across town. The young actresses who live there have problems, and Mr. Swift does what is required, calmly and discreetly. Grateful to her benefactor and his wife, Jane assists him and asks no questions -- the desperate young women not minding that it is a cripple girl who wipes their brows.
When this unlikely pair become involved with a rakish music hall star, Johnny Treble, who calls on Swift's help for his rich mistress's predicament, it seems that Jane's spell of good fortune is not going to last. The police come knocking -- how will the doctor explain the absence of his medical certificates? How will they explain their connection to Johnny Treble's sudden death? And how will Jane argue her innocence? It seems that no amount of wand waving will make their problems disappear.
Little Bones conjures a tawdry, tantalising, troubling world of unclear morality and conflicting sympathies -- richly evocative and full of curiosities.Two people act against their consciences simply to get by, and the choices we make are called into question. Is it possible to commit abhorrent acts without being corrupted by them?
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 5, 2012
7 people are currently reading
1098 people want to read
About the author
Janette Jenkins
6 books13 followersJanette Jenkins studied acting before completing a degree in Literature and Philosophy and then doing an MA in Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia, where she was in Malcolm Bradbury's final class.
She is the author of the novels, Columbus Day, Another Elvis Love Child, Angel of Brooklyn, Little Bones and Firefly.
Her short stories have appeared in newspapers and anthologies, including Stand magazine, and have been broadcast on Radio 4. In 2003 she was awarded an Alumni Fellowship by the University of Bolton.
She lives in the city of Durham.
She is the author of the novels, Columbus Day, Another Elvis Love Child, Angel of Brooklyn, Little Bones and Firefly.
Her short stories have appeared in newspapers and anthologies, including Stand magazine, and have been broadcast on Radio 4. In 2003 she was awarded an Alumni Fellowship by the University of Bolton.
She lives in the city of Durham.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
November 7, 2022
It is 1899 Victorian England. But this is not a story of great mansions, gentry & fancy dress balls. In fact it is the underside of such affluence at a time when without such affluence one is left with very few opportunities & most especially in the circumstance of Jane Stretch.
Jane Stretch is a fifteen year old cripple abandoned by her parents & older sister. However, Jane is as bright as she is deformed "a cripple with brains" so to speak. She counts herself very lucky when the landlady of the home where she has been left offers her free room & board if she will assist her husband Dr Swift in his `medical' practice.
Dr Swift is dubious at best. His entire `medical' practice consists of assisting young ladies of the theatre who find themselves with inconvenient `problems'.
Johnny Treble - a famous music hall star has availed himself of the services of Dr Swift when his rich mistress finds herself in a predicament that Johnny cannot abide.
It is all a very fine arrangement until Johnny Trebel is found dead. Police investigations lead to the truth of Dr Swift being revealed & Jane is trapped by virtue of association & circumstances.
As she awaits trial Jane writes from goal:
"To Ned. Boy with Preacher's Sandwich Board. The Cock Hotel. Covent Garden.
Dear Ned,
Perhaps you have heard what has happened to me?.........There has been a lot of trouble. Whatever they write in the papers, please don't believe it. I am still your friend Jane.........."
"To the Apothecary, Floral Street, Covent Garden.
Dear Sir, You will remember me as the cripple girl who worked for Dr Swift. You gave my friend some medicine. I am sure that it helped. Thank you.
By now you will have read about me in the newspapers. I have been told their pages are full of awful details and sketches. I feel very ashamed........."
It is not the writing of this novel that has enthralled me, but Jane herself. She represents the best of us in her innocence & courage. As a young girl accustomed only to jeers & sneers, with her sadly misshapen body, Jane rises above her station with humility & honesty that cannot but be applauded. A true heroine.
Jane Stretch is a fifteen year old cripple abandoned by her parents & older sister. However, Jane is as bright as she is deformed "a cripple with brains" so to speak. She counts herself very lucky when the landlady of the home where she has been left offers her free room & board if she will assist her husband Dr Swift in his `medical' practice.
Dr Swift is dubious at best. His entire `medical' practice consists of assisting young ladies of the theatre who find themselves with inconvenient `problems'.
Johnny Treble - a famous music hall star has availed himself of the services of Dr Swift when his rich mistress finds herself in a predicament that Johnny cannot abide.
It is all a very fine arrangement until Johnny Trebel is found dead. Police investigations lead to the truth of Dr Swift being revealed & Jane is trapped by virtue of association & circumstances.
As she awaits trial Jane writes from goal:
"To Ned. Boy with Preacher's Sandwich Board. The Cock Hotel. Covent Garden.
Dear Ned,
Perhaps you have heard what has happened to me?.........There has been a lot of trouble. Whatever they write in the papers, please don't believe it. I am still your friend Jane.........."
"To the Apothecary, Floral Street, Covent Garden.
Dear Sir, You will remember me as the cripple girl who worked for Dr Swift. You gave my friend some medicine. I am sure that it helped. Thank you.
By now you will have read about me in the newspapers. I have been told their pages are full of awful details and sketches. I feel very ashamed........."
It is not the writing of this novel that has enthralled me, but Jane herself. She represents the best of us in her innocence & courage. As a young girl accustomed only to jeers & sneers, with her sadly misshapen body, Jane rises above her station with humility & honesty that cannot but be applauded. A true heroine.
April 7, 2012
In the year 1900 Jane Stretch found herself alone in London.
Over the years their parents had dragged Jane and her sister, Agnes, from pillar to post, dodging trouble and creditors, before abandoning them altogether.
Jane thought that she and Agnes would manage together, but then Agnes abandoned her too:
Dear Jane,
Please forgive me. I have to leave, to make my own way in the world. It won’t be easy, but for now we are better off alone. It will make us stronger. I won’t forget you. Until we meet again.
Your loving sister,
Agnes
Poor Jane was in despair. She was a cripple, she had no job, she had no prospects, and she had no money to pay for her lodgings.
But then she has a stroke of luck – her landlady offers her an attic room and a position assisting her doctor husband.
Jane was surprised that a doctor would want an untrained assistant, but she was in no position to refuse, and the doctor was not at all what she expected.
He travelled on foot to appointments, visiting discreet city establishments to help young actresses who have certain specific problems …
Jane was the assistant to an abortionist. She accepted her lot: after all, she and the doctor were offering a service that was much in demand.
But abortion was against the law. One day something was bound to go wrong.
One day something , and of course there were consequences…
This is a simple, moral tale, but it is wonderfully effective.
Janette Jenkins writes with such simplicity, such clarity, and a lovely turn of phrase. She brings London at the end of a century to life wonderfully well, and it’s a fine stage for a colourful cast of characters.
Foremost among them is Jane, a most engaging and surprisingly likeable heroine. She had compassion, reflecting the kindness of one or two good people she met in the past; she had a certain naivety, as her experience of the world was rather limited, and she had natural charm that was entirely her own. I believed in her and I understood her.
But I appreciated that Janette Jenkins didn’t offer her an easy way out, and that she asked some difficult and interesting questions without ever weighing down her simple story.
It’s a very readable story and, though the sudden shifts into the past sometimes jar, everything else works very well.
I read it in an evening, and I was captivated until the very end.
Over the years their parents had dragged Jane and her sister, Agnes, from pillar to post, dodging trouble and creditors, before abandoning them altogether.
Jane thought that she and Agnes would manage together, but then Agnes abandoned her too:
Dear Jane,
Please forgive me. I have to leave, to make my own way in the world. It won’t be easy, but for now we are better off alone. It will make us stronger. I won’t forget you. Until we meet again.
Your loving sister,
Agnes
Poor Jane was in despair. She was a cripple, she had no job, she had no prospects, and she had no money to pay for her lodgings.
But then she has a stroke of luck – her landlady offers her an attic room and a position assisting her doctor husband.
Jane was surprised that a doctor would want an untrained assistant, but she was in no position to refuse, and the doctor was not at all what she expected.
He travelled on foot to appointments, visiting discreet city establishments to help young actresses who have certain specific problems …
Jane was the assistant to an abortionist. She accepted her lot: after all, she and the doctor were offering a service that was much in demand.
But abortion was against the law. One day something was bound to go wrong.
One day something , and of course there were consequences…
This is a simple, moral tale, but it is wonderfully effective.
Janette Jenkins writes with such simplicity, such clarity, and a lovely turn of phrase. She brings London at the end of a century to life wonderfully well, and it’s a fine stage for a colourful cast of characters.
Foremost among them is Jane, a most engaging and surprisingly likeable heroine. She had compassion, reflecting the kindness of one or two good people she met in the past; she had a certain naivety, as her experience of the world was rather limited, and she had natural charm that was entirely her own. I believed in her and I understood her.
But I appreciated that Janette Jenkins didn’t offer her an easy way out, and that she asked some difficult and interesting questions without ever weighing down her simple story.
It’s a very readable story and, though the sudden shifts into the past sometimes jar, everything else works very well.
I read it in an evening, and I was captivated until the very end.
April 2, 2025
Took a long time to pick up which resulted in losing my interest quite early on. Last 40% of the book reigned it in for me and deserves the 3 stars.
March 5, 2014
First and foremost, there are two things I need to say. The first is that I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. The second is that I do not usually read historicals, and when I do, they're mostly classics; as such, this book was a bit of an adventure.
Little Bones by Janette Jenkins tells the story of Jane Stretch in the end of the Victorian era. A cripple deemed wiser than her years, she is abandoned by her irresponsible parents, and later by her sister, in the apartment her family had rented in London. One belonging to a doctor in need of a helping hand. With nowhere to go and the offer of work and a home, Jane becomes the doctor's assistant. She follows him to houses upon houses of girls whose hands she holds as they go through the worst of their sickness.
Throughout the book, we are told not only Jane's and her family's story but also that of the girls, the doctor's and of multiple other characters. We stumble upon beggars and priests, artists who made it and artists who did not, common folk and bourgeois. In this way and aided by a lyrical and adjective rich language, Jenkins recreates a vivid image of the London of old to the point where it is easy to see the streets Jane walked when running errands for the doctor and his wife, or the view out of her window. This, I believe, is the biggest strength in the book.
However, it is also this strength that failed the book. There were moments when I felt like the scene did very little for the story itself. It was only just something more to characterize an era or a character described well enough already. Indeed, there were too many moments of Jane's past that served no purpose, such as the hundreds of different times Jane revels over every person who spoke of India in her presence. This dilutes the book quite a bit, and often dragged me out of the world instead of pulling me into it. I lost count of the times the question "and the point is...?" ran through my head.
Seeing as Jenkins's cast is diverse in many ways, it seems to me that she tended to focus on the unnecessary and lost many good opportunities to write a richer and more enveloping world.
This, and a couple of other things I cannot discuss here for fear of spoiling the book for those who didn't read it, detracted me from sympathising with Jane when the consequences of her actions unfurled. It also did not help that, even though spoken as particularly intelligent by nearly all who met her, Jane did not feel to be so. Her intelligence seemed average, which makes me wonder if the author could not portray it or if it had been her intent to make it sound that people thought that a female of average intellect was rare. If the last is the case, her tone did not convey that critique properly (and I will assume it as so).
Other criticisms, however, I cannot admonish. Indeed, I do like how she presented the treatment of cripples and the poor, as well as other social problems, most of which still plague humanity. She was clear and did not do such common things as demonise the rich for having money or the women who want to escape (from what, I cannot say. You'll have to read the book). In this, Jenkins was a breath of fresh air.
In short, Little Bones has its flaws and its strengths, just like any other book. But it is also one with an author who has a lot of space and a clear capacity to grow in her writing. I definitely look forward to reading more of Jenkins's work in the future.
Little Bones by Janette Jenkins tells the story of Jane Stretch in the end of the Victorian era. A cripple deemed wiser than her years, she is abandoned by her irresponsible parents, and later by her sister, in the apartment her family had rented in London. One belonging to a doctor in need of a helping hand. With nowhere to go and the offer of work and a home, Jane becomes the doctor's assistant. She follows him to houses upon houses of girls whose hands she holds as they go through the worst of their sickness.
Throughout the book, we are told not only Jane's and her family's story but also that of the girls, the doctor's and of multiple other characters. We stumble upon beggars and priests, artists who made it and artists who did not, common folk and bourgeois. In this way and aided by a lyrical and adjective rich language, Jenkins recreates a vivid image of the London of old to the point where it is easy to see the streets Jane walked when running errands for the doctor and his wife, or the view out of her window. This, I believe, is the biggest strength in the book.
However, it is also this strength that failed the book. There were moments when I felt like the scene did very little for the story itself. It was only just something more to characterize an era or a character described well enough already. Indeed, there were too many moments of Jane's past that served no purpose, such as the hundreds of different times Jane revels over every person who spoke of India in her presence. This dilutes the book quite a bit, and often dragged me out of the world instead of pulling me into it. I lost count of the times the question "and the point is...?" ran through my head.
Seeing as Jenkins's cast is diverse in many ways, it seems to me that she tended to focus on the unnecessary and lost many good opportunities to write a richer and more enveloping world.
This, and a couple of other things I cannot discuss here for fear of spoiling the book for those who didn't read it, detracted me from sympathising with Jane when the consequences of her actions unfurled. It also did not help that, even though spoken as particularly intelligent by nearly all who met her, Jane did not feel to be so. Her intelligence seemed average, which makes me wonder if the author could not portray it or if it had been her intent to make it sound that people thought that a female of average intellect was rare. If the last is the case, her tone did not convey that critique properly (and I will assume it as so).
Other criticisms, however, I cannot admonish. Indeed, I do like how she presented the treatment of cripples and the poor, as well as other social problems, most of which still plague humanity. She was clear and did not do such common things as demonise the rich for having money or the women who want to escape (from what, I cannot say. You'll have to read the book). In this, Jenkins was a breath of fresh air.
In short, Little Bones has its flaws and its strengths, just like any other book. But it is also one with an author who has a lot of space and a clear capacity to grow in her writing. I definitely look forward to reading more of Jenkins's work in the future.
June 9, 2014
Starts out with a classic literary trope: the child abandoned, or left on her own. So the writer has to find a way to 'get rid' of Mom and Dad, and siblings, if any. Mom and Dad go off to work on a farm, where there's only room for the two of them. Sister Agnes takes off to who knows where. Which leaves little Jane to fend for herself.
(I'm not complaining about this, but it's a common way to start a story about a child or young person. Some of my fav. books use the same device.)
But the writing is crisp, clear, engaging, and the premise intriguing and different. The characters are life-like and written so well you just know the ending is going to be far from fairy-tale perfect. Not everyone 'comes back,' and not every sortofbad character has some goodness in his heart. A very 'real' story with a genuinely real finish.
(I'm not complaining about this, but it's a common way to start a story about a child or young person. Some of my fav. books use the same device.)
But the writing is crisp, clear, engaging, and the premise intriguing and different. The characters are life-like and written so well you just know the ending is going to be far from fairy-tale perfect. Not everyone 'comes back,' and not every sortofbad character has some goodness in his heart. A very 'real' story with a genuinely real finish.
April 14, 2017
A very good story, full of the kind of characters you expect in 1900.
Jane is wonderful and very sweet and the author doesn't shy away from how people who were crippled would have been spoken to or about at the time.
The story is well written, engaging and full of little surprises.
Grace
Jane is wonderful and very sweet and the author doesn't shy away from how people who were crippled would have been spoken to or about at the time.
The story is well written, engaging and full of little surprises.
Grace
July 19, 2024
1899 London .a world of poverty , hunger , desperation and the difficult choices young women take to survive .
Despite that it somehow manages to be oddly positive .
The suffering of the young pregnant girls who need the 'doctor ' is skimmed over
The death of her friend Ned no more than a glancing comment
I think the plot and characters were good but it needed more depth . needed to be s bit more Michel Faber and a bit less Jacqueline Wilson
Despite that it somehow manages to be oddly positive .
The suffering of the young pregnant girls who need the 'doctor ' is skimmed over
The death of her friend Ned no more than a glancing comment
I think the plot and characters were good but it needed more depth . needed to be s bit more Michel Faber and a bit less Jacqueline Wilson
September 21, 2013
Story Description:
Random House UK|July 15, 2013|Trade Paperback|ISBN: 978-0-099-51656-9
It is 1899, London. A young girl is abandoned by her feckless family and finds lodging and work assisting a doctor. But Jane Stretch is no ordinary girl, and Mr. Swift is no ordinary doctor.
Jane does her best to keep up with the doctor, her twisted bones throbbing as they hurry past the markets, stage doors and side shows to appointments in certain boarding houses across town. The young actresses who live there have problems, and Mr. Swift does what is required, calmly and discreetly. Grateful to her benefactor and his wife, Jane assists him and asks no questions – the desperate young women not minding that it is a cripple girl who wipes their brows.
When this unlikely pair become involved with a rakish music hall star, Johnny Treble, who calls on Swift’s help for his rich mistress’s predicament, it seems that Jane’s spell of good fortune is not going to last. The police come knocking – how will the doctor explain the absence of his medical certificates? How will they explain their connection to Johnny Treble’ sudden death? And how will Jane argue her innocence? It seems that no amount of wand waving will make their problems disappear.
Little Bones conjures a tawdry, tantalising, troubling world of unclear morality and conflicting sympathies – richly evocative and full of curiosities. Two people act against their consciences simply to get by, and the choices we make are called into question. Is it possible to commit abhorrent acts without being corrupted by them?
My Review:
Jane Stretch is only thirteen-years-old but smart as a whip. The bones in her body are bent and twisted like a rope coiled in knots. People make fun of her, throw stones at her and make inappropriate comments but Jane takes it all in stride.
Her mother and father are drunks and her older sister, Agnes isn’t the smartest bulb in the pack but they all desert, Jane and each seek out their own futures leaving young Jane to save herself. She ends up in a rooming house with a doctor and his wife but Mr. Swift is no ordinary doctor.
He hires Jane on as his assistant tending to the girls in the theatres and dance shows who find themselves in the family way and offers his “tincture” as a cure. During one of their runs at the theatre they meet Johnny Treble, and their lives change forever. Both Jane and the good doctor are arrested and are sitting in jail awaiting their trails after Johnny is found dead.
Little Bones was a short book that I read in one sitting, at only 282 pages it was a quick read but not just for the fact of its shortness, but also due to its content. The story was fantastic and I loved the characters. Who couldn’t help but love Jane, she was intelligent and her politeness would put us all to shame. I thoroughly enjoyed this story from beginning to end.
Random House UK|July 15, 2013|Trade Paperback|ISBN: 978-0-099-51656-9
It is 1899, London. A young girl is abandoned by her feckless family and finds lodging and work assisting a doctor. But Jane Stretch is no ordinary girl, and Mr. Swift is no ordinary doctor.
Jane does her best to keep up with the doctor, her twisted bones throbbing as they hurry past the markets, stage doors and side shows to appointments in certain boarding houses across town. The young actresses who live there have problems, and Mr. Swift does what is required, calmly and discreetly. Grateful to her benefactor and his wife, Jane assists him and asks no questions – the desperate young women not minding that it is a cripple girl who wipes their brows.
When this unlikely pair become involved with a rakish music hall star, Johnny Treble, who calls on Swift’s help for his rich mistress’s predicament, it seems that Jane’s spell of good fortune is not going to last. The police come knocking – how will the doctor explain the absence of his medical certificates? How will they explain their connection to Johnny Treble’ sudden death? And how will Jane argue her innocence? It seems that no amount of wand waving will make their problems disappear.
Little Bones conjures a tawdry, tantalising, troubling world of unclear morality and conflicting sympathies – richly evocative and full of curiosities. Two people act against their consciences simply to get by, and the choices we make are called into question. Is it possible to commit abhorrent acts without being corrupted by them?
My Review:
Jane Stretch is only thirteen-years-old but smart as a whip. The bones in her body are bent and twisted like a rope coiled in knots. People make fun of her, throw stones at her and make inappropriate comments but Jane takes it all in stride.
Her mother and father are drunks and her older sister, Agnes isn’t the smartest bulb in the pack but they all desert, Jane and each seek out their own futures leaving young Jane to save herself. She ends up in a rooming house with a doctor and his wife but Mr. Swift is no ordinary doctor.
He hires Jane on as his assistant tending to the girls in the theatres and dance shows who find themselves in the family way and offers his “tincture” as a cure. During one of their runs at the theatre they meet Johnny Treble, and their lives change forever. Both Jane and the good doctor are arrested and are sitting in jail awaiting their trails after Johnny is found dead.
Little Bones was a short book that I read in one sitting, at only 282 pages it was a quick read but not just for the fact of its shortness, but also due to its content. The story was fantastic and I loved the characters. Who couldn’t help but love Jane, she was intelligent and her politeness would put us all to shame. I thoroughly enjoyed this story from beginning to end.
December 5, 2013
Compelling Victorian historical fiction.
Jane Stretch was born with a disability - her bones twisted and out of shape. Sharing a nomadic upbringing with her wastrel father, drunken mother and elder sister, the family finally abandon her at the home of a doctor.
The doctor and his wife keep Jane and in return for her bed and board, she is to assist the doctor with his work, fetch and carry and accompany him as he tends his patients - poor desperate girls who have got themselves into a condition they need assistance in being released from. Yes, this is Victorian England and he is performing abortions.
All is well for Jane and her employers until one of the doctor's customers is found dead and the police are on their tail.
Poor Jane Stretch is a true character, a real gem in this novel. A great historical read, if you like your Dickens, give this one a try!
Jane Stretch was born with a disability - her bones twisted and out of shape. Sharing a nomadic upbringing with her wastrel father, drunken mother and elder sister, the family finally abandon her at the home of a doctor.
The doctor and his wife keep Jane and in return for her bed and board, she is to assist the doctor with his work, fetch and carry and accompany him as he tends his patients - poor desperate girls who have got themselves into a condition they need assistance in being released from. Yes, this is Victorian England and he is performing abortions.
All is well for Jane and her employers until one of the doctor's customers is found dead and the police are on their tail.
Poor Jane Stretch is a true character, a real gem in this novel. A great historical read, if you like your Dickens, give this one a try!
March 17, 2012
Jane is a 15 year old cripple with a intelligent and quick mind that is at odds with her appearance. Jane and Agnes (her beautiful older sister) move into a house owned by Dr Swift and his wife. When Agnes disappears Jane is forced to consider a life begging on the street, however Mrs Swift suggests that she work as an assistant for her husband in exchange for room and board. She readily accepts not knowing that Dr swift is not who he says he is. Soon she is swept up into the dark world of abortions and deception. I really enjoyed this book, it had me reading well into the night. Beautiful prose with an interesting and engaging storyline and narrator.
July 23, 2016
I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway. I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I instantly fell in love with the character, Jane. She is a girl with rickets who is abandoned by her family, ridiculed and shunned by just about everyone she encounters, yet she remains strong, and seems to find her way. It seemed a blessing when Dr. and Mrs. Swift took her under their wing, gave her employment and a home. Then the story takes an interesting turn. You'll have to read it yourself to find out what happens. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down.
June 26, 2015
The story telling was quite good, though there was no need for certain "fill in" chapters or they could've been used differently. And the story was captivating at first but it lost it for the last few chapters which was a bit sad.
July 19, 2017
It is set in 1899 . London . A young girl is abandoned by her family and finds lodging and work assisting a "doctor " Dr Swift .
Jane does her best to keep up with the "Dr " but her twisted bones are always hurting . They are trying to get to get to stage doors , side shows to certain boarding house across town . The young actresses who live thirty have "problems " and they require "Dr Swift" help as he is well known and will help with the up most discretion.
Jane assists him with no questions asked and the young actresses don't mind a cripple girl helping them wipe their brow and holding their hand .
However , not all is what it seems something happens one night regarding Johnny Treble a well known music hall star who is found dead in his bedroom. The police come knocking on Dr Swift door and ask to see medical certificates ? And how will Jane ague her innocence ?
Jannette Jenkins is a wonderful storyteller . I was hooked from the start .
The only reason I did not give the book 5 stars was I didn't find the chapters where we went back in to Janes previous life needed. As we the reader knew that Jane was a kind hearted girl who trusted everyone and always saw the good in everyone .
I definitely want to read more of this author .
Jane does her best to keep up with the "Dr " but her twisted bones are always hurting . They are trying to get to get to stage doors , side shows to certain boarding house across town . The young actresses who live thirty have "problems " and they require "Dr Swift" help as he is well known and will help with the up most discretion.
Jane assists him with no questions asked and the young actresses don't mind a cripple girl helping them wipe their brow and holding their hand .
However , not all is what it seems something happens one night regarding Johnny Treble a well known music hall star who is found dead in his bedroom. The police come knocking on Dr Swift door and ask to see medical certificates ? And how will Jane ague her innocence ?
Jannette Jenkins is a wonderful storyteller . I was hooked from the start .
The only reason I did not give the book 5 stars was I didn't find the chapters where we went back in to Janes previous life needed. As we the reader knew that Jane was a kind hearted girl who trusted everyone and always saw the good in everyone .
I definitely want to read more of this author .
April 19, 2018
A bit too simplistic for my liking. This book did not hold my attention. The characters were far too basic without any real layering or depth and as I wrote I am thinking, they are also too predictable. The abandoned cripple, the kind but surreptitious abortionist, and the utterly facetless wife, the cheerful if not gullible Mrs. Swift.
It all felt like Enid Blyton for adults. The sad attempts at humour were cheesy, and there is a remarkable frustration at seeing opportunities for character development and growth just pass the characters by.
Looking at the other reader ratings, I feel most have been a tad generous. This book simply does not meet its mark.
It all felt like Enid Blyton for adults. The sad attempts at humour were cheesy, and there is a remarkable frustration at seeing opportunities for character development and growth just pass the characters by.
Looking at the other reader ratings, I feel most have been a tad generous. This book simply does not meet its mark.
October 9, 2024
I was not a fan of this writing style. The author jumps around a lot, with very few descriptions in between. Some chapters feel like fluff, where other chapters lack details! There were also a few times where I was confused as where the author was going with a side story, only to abandon it and move forward with the main story again.
I really felt the author could have gone into greater detail about the day and the life of an abortion doctor and his assistant, Jane. I understand the author was trying to paint a picture of life in 1900, but she definitely could have done that without straying from the main story. The story definitely has good bones, but could have been executed better.
I really felt the author could have gone into greater detail about the day and the life of an abortion doctor and his assistant, Jane. I understand the author was trying to paint a picture of life in 1900, but she definitely could have done that without straying from the main story. The story definitely has good bones, but could have been executed better.
August 21, 2022
A great historical novel set at the turn of the century. An unfortunate young girl is left to fend for herself and begins to assist Dr Swift who performs illegal abortions on theatre girls. Reading this in the month after Roe v Wade being overturned it hit me particularly hard about what a world with illegal abortion really looks like. The case they are finally caught for is dark and the novel spirals into further darkness, a compelling read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2018
A very good read. Ended rather abruptly which was a shame as up until that point I really felt it was going somewhere - I felt like I was only half way through and suddenly an ending had to be found and injected rather than actually following her story.
March 9, 2022
I found this one started off slow and picked up a bit closer to the end. It was still a decent enough book i did have to read a few parts twice since i was reading in bed. Not amazing but not terrible.
November 4, 2017
A most unusual book set in the early 20th century. Loved it.
May 13, 2018
Heartbreaking but exceptionally well done.
September 16, 2018
Felt like l was reading a book written for a teenager. Maybe l was!
March 20, 2017
The book was very easy to read and I found myself engrossed by the people at that time. The prejudice has come along way since then thank goodness. There are minority's in society who are still prejudiced (mental health )for example.Jane I felt was a very wise and caring for the most part,she didn't get any money no care to where the Dr and his wife and tried to let her take all the blame. People around her were critical even her sister but nor she or her parents came to her aid and the world saw her as an imbecile. How degrading! Was hoping that there would be a better outcome for Jane
March 16, 2017
Interesting read, would rate 3.5 stars.
December 19, 2017
Jane Stretch, a young girl with a syndrome that meant she was born with twisted bones, has moved around London following her useless parents as they flit from lodging to lodging, scraping money together for enough gin to keep themselves merry until one day they announce that they are leaving Jane and her sister to move to the country. Soon after, Jane receives a devastating blow from her sister who likewise decides to cut her losses and make her way in the world without her crippled sister holding her back.
Jane cannot believe her fortune then, when the doctor she lodges with offers to allow her to keep her room with them, in return for her assisting him in his work. Grateful for the opportunity they have given her, Jane becomes a loyal aide to Mr Swift and forms an emotional attachment to his wife, Mrs Swift.
Mr Swift’s business is solely to service young actresses who have gotten themselves into trouble in certain boarding houses across London. They all beg for the doctor’s assistance and Jane mops their brows and helps to provide the tincture they need to take to solve their problem without asking any questions until one day when the most popular music hall star of the moment, Johnny Treble, visits Mr Swift and makes a deal with him that causes the police to take notice and begin asking the questions that Jane daren’t…
Considering the subject matter of the book it’s odd that my initial description of the book to anybody asking me would be “sweet” and “lovely”. However, Janette Jenkins has created such a warm, kind character in Jane Stretch I couldn’t help but fall in love with her. Jane has a fierce intelligence which surprises everyone she meets and her loyalty to the people she feels have helped her throughout her life is admirable, if entirely naive and unwarranted in most cases.
The plot of this story is fairly basic, and it was easy to determine what was going to happen- however, the writing is very enjoyable and easy to read which helped to prevent me becoming bored of the story. Additionally, Jenkins has perfectly encapsulated the dark, seedy streets of Victorian London, so anybody who enjoys reading fiction set in this period will not be disappointed.
This review was first published on Nudge-books.com on 19th June 2013.
Jane cannot believe her fortune then, when the doctor she lodges with offers to allow her to keep her room with them, in return for her assisting him in his work. Grateful for the opportunity they have given her, Jane becomes a loyal aide to Mr Swift and forms an emotional attachment to his wife, Mrs Swift.
Mr Swift’s business is solely to service young actresses who have gotten themselves into trouble in certain boarding houses across London. They all beg for the doctor’s assistance and Jane mops their brows and helps to provide the tincture they need to take to solve their problem without asking any questions until one day when the most popular music hall star of the moment, Johnny Treble, visits Mr Swift and makes a deal with him that causes the police to take notice and begin asking the questions that Jane daren’t…
Considering the subject matter of the book it’s odd that my initial description of the book to anybody asking me would be “sweet” and “lovely”. However, Janette Jenkins has created such a warm, kind character in Jane Stretch I couldn’t help but fall in love with her. Jane has a fierce intelligence which surprises everyone she meets and her loyalty to the people she feels have helped her throughout her life is admirable, if entirely naive and unwarranted in most cases.
The plot of this story is fairly basic, and it was easy to determine what was going to happen- however, the writing is very enjoyable and easy to read which helped to prevent me becoming bored of the story. Additionally, Jenkins has perfectly encapsulated the dark, seedy streets of Victorian London, so anybody who enjoys reading fiction set in this period will not be disappointed.
This review was first published on Nudge-books.com on 19th June 2013.
April 22, 2016
I really enjoy historical fiction books so I was intrigued to read this one when I saw it in the library. This book is set during the Victorian period, and the main character; Jane Stretch is a cripple who has been abandoned by her parents.
She is left at a doctor's house whos is not a normal sort of doctor, he tends to woman when they need the most help. Jane becomes his assistant and she sits with the girls whilst they struggle through the pain.
This book constantly switches between the past and present and we get to see glances of Jane's past and what her family were like.
I enjoyed this book but there were times when, some parts were focused on more than the actual plot. Minor details that didn't add too much to the story. Such as Jane's obsession with Lisa's stories about India. She portrayed the treatment of the poor and crippled very well. I also found her descriptions of Victorian London were very realistic. I wasn't expecting what happened to Jane and I was surprised by the actions of the doctor.
Overall I enjoyed this book although it isn't the best historical fiction I have ever read.
She is left at a doctor's house whos is not a normal sort of doctor, he tends to woman when they need the most help. Jane becomes his assistant and she sits with the girls whilst they struggle through the pain.
This book constantly switches between the past and present and we get to see glances of Jane's past and what her family were like.
I enjoyed this book but there were times when, some parts were focused on more than the actual plot. Minor details that didn't add too much to the story. Such as Jane's obsession with Lisa's stories about India. She portrayed the treatment of the poor and crippled very well. I also found her descriptions of Victorian London were very realistic. I wasn't expecting what happened to Jane and I was surprised by the actions of the doctor.
Overall I enjoyed this book although it isn't the best historical fiction I have ever read.
August 21, 2014
Jane, is a child abandoned in the late 1800's in London and left with few devices in which to gain employment and survive. She is allowed to remain in her rooms where her family stayed and assist her landlady's husband, a "Doctor". As with most books written about this time period, and the people's of London that are on this side of poverty, most lead wretched lives, barely able to eke out an existence. The unhygienic people's lifestyles and living conditions made my skin crawl! Jane however is an endearing character, bright, witty, and very bright. Highly delightful writing in a unique story.
September 25, 2014
Crippled Jane is abandoned by her family in their latest lodging house in C19th London, and ends up being asked by the landlady to assist her doctor husband in his practice as a way of earning her board. He treats actresses, music hall stars and prostitutes who've found themselves in trouble, and wants Jane to help care for the women. Until he's asked to treat the well-born lover of a much loved singer, and suddenly the police come knocking. This was really thought-provoking and well written, and I found it compelling reading.
May 30, 2015
I have a fondness for stories of impoverished kids in Victorian England. I know it's weird, but I can't help it. Little Bones is hard to review because it didn't fit the usual "it will all work out wonderfully if I'm just plucky enough" mode these type of books usually have. So I guess I'll just say it was a book about the difficult choices that we make to survive, the lies we tell ourselves to live with those choices, and how those you trust will sometimes turn on you, with no remorse, to save their own skin. A thought provoking read.
March 16, 2013
Jane Stretch who suffers from rickets, is abandoned by her family whilst renting a room from a doctor's wife. Jane starts to work for "Dr" Swift treating young actresses.
The descriptions of the impoverished areas of Victorian London are excellent. Jane herself as a "cripple" is dismissed without a thought by most but is actually intelligent and articulate.
A really thought provoking and enjoyable book.
The descriptions of the impoverished areas of Victorian London are excellent. Jane herself as a "cripple" is dismissed without a thought by most but is actually intelligent and articulate.
A really thought provoking and enjoyable book.
September 11, 2013
what started off as quite an interesting book got very morbid halfway through. Although at first, the main theme of the book is only hinted at , it becomes more controversial about halfway through.
Although I enjoyed the book and felt sympathy with Jane, the main character; there were too many underlying threads which either weren't explored properly or were a bit pointless.
Its worth a read but don't expect too much.
Although I enjoyed the book and felt sympathy with Jane, the main character; there were too many underlying threads which either weren't explored properly or were a bit pointless.
Its worth a read but don't expect too much.
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