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The Gypsy Girl
When Polly Anna's mother died when she was just three years old, it seemed the workhouse was the only place for her to go. But with the help of Jonty - a young misfit who soon became her best friend - she managed to escape, running away with the fairground folk. Her friends became the circus people, and her home the caravans and travellers' tents.
Meanwhile, in a great house in Yorkshire, old Mrs Winthrop has never given up hope of finding her daughter Madeleine, who eloped with a handsome gypsy and was never seen again. When her young neighbour sets out to find Madeleine, he discovers the colourful world of the fairs. And there, in the midst of it all, Polly Anna - once the waif from the workhouse, now a fully-fledged gypsy girl.
If you enjoy books by Katie Flynn and Dilly Court, you'll love Val's heartwarming stories of triumph over adversity.
Previously published as The Romany Girl.
Meanwhile, in a great house in Yorkshire, old Mrs Winthrop has never given up hope of finding her daughter Madeleine, who eloped with a handsome gypsy and was never seen again. When her young neighbour sets out to find Madeleine, he discovers the colourful world of the fairs. And there, in the midst of it all, Polly Anna - once the waif from the workhouse, now a fully-fledged gypsy girl.
If you enjoy books by Katie Flynn and Dilly Court, you'll love Val's heartwarming stories of triumph over adversity.
Previously published as The Romany Girl.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
541 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1998
42 people are currently reading
164 people want to read
About the author
Val Wood
45 books94 followers Valerie Wood
Since winning the Catherine Cookson Prize for Fiction for her first novel, The Hungry Tide, Val Wood has become one of the most popular authors in the UK. Born in the mining town of Castleford, Val came to East Yorkshire as a child and has lived in Hull and rural Holderness where many of her novels are set. She now lives in the market town of Beverley. When she is not writing, Val is busy promoting libraries and supporting many charities. Find out more about Val Wood's novels by visiting her website: www.valeriewood.co.uk
Since winning the Catherine Cookson Prize for Fiction for her first novel, The Hungry Tide, Val Wood has become one of the most popular authors in the UK. Born in the mining town of Castleford, Val came to East Yorkshire as a child and has lived in Hull and rural Holderness where many of her novels are set. She now lives in the market town of Beverley. When she is not writing, Val is busy promoting libraries and supporting many charities. Find out more about Val Wood's novels by visiting her website: www.valeriewood.co.uk
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
October 5, 2017
Another brilliant book written by Val Wood about hardships in times past. Really enjoyed. Recommended.
December 27, 2009
What young girl doesn't at some time in her life declare that she is going to run away from home and join the circus? I, personally, used to run around my house in tights (in my childhood!!) and jump around like an acrobat. For those that shared similar childhood fantasies, this is the book for you!
Polly Anna is the daughter of a Romany and an English lady. Circumstances land her in the workhouse at the age of three where she spends ten years under the most appalling of circumstances. This was quite educational for me, being my first novel about the workhouses in Victorian England. I had no idea it was so bad. In the workhouse, a crippled, mute boy named Jonty takes care of her. I fell in love with Jonty.
Tragedy strikes, however, and Polly Anna and Jonty run away and join the fair. Polly Anna makes friends and finally feels she has a family of sorts. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to her, her real family is searching for her mother. They find Polly Anna instead. How is her uppity English family going to take to her being a circus performer tho? Not to mention her being half gypsy. I imagine not everyone in her English family is going to welcome her with open arms... Trouble may lie with her Aunt Rowena.
I forgot to mention that Jonty becomes a circus clown while Polly Anna is an equestrian. This entire story was a lot of fun. I had no idea what the circus was like back in them days. I give this four stars tho because Jonty pretty much disappeared after page 300 and he was my favorite character. Around page 300, I also figured out where it was going and I was hoping it would end a bit differently as well as less predictably.
Polly Anna is the daughter of a Romany and an English lady. Circumstances land her in the workhouse at the age of three where she spends ten years under the most appalling of circumstances. This was quite educational for me, being my first novel about the workhouses in Victorian England. I had no idea it was so bad. In the workhouse, a crippled, mute boy named Jonty takes care of her. I fell in love with Jonty.
Tragedy strikes, however, and Polly Anna and Jonty run away and join the fair. Polly Anna makes friends and finally feels she has a family of sorts. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to her, her real family is searching for her mother. They find Polly Anna instead. How is her uppity English family going to take to her being a circus performer tho? Not to mention her being half gypsy. I imagine not everyone in her English family is going to welcome her with open arms... Trouble may lie with her Aunt Rowena.
I forgot to mention that Jonty becomes a circus clown while Polly Anna is an equestrian. This entire story was a lot of fun. I had no idea what the circus was like back in them days. I give this four stars tho because Jonty pretty much disappeared after page 300 and he was my favorite character. Around page 300, I also figured out where it was going and I was hoping it would end a bit differently as well as less predictably.
July 21, 2012
DO NOT BUY THIS IF YOU'VE READ THE ROMANY GIRL - IT'S THE SAME BOOK!
June 11, 2025
One of the best! Was hooked the whole time. The story had such a nice ending.
February 6, 2016
Jonty is an inmate at the workhouse, he has a cleft palate and due to this is considered an imbecile but he knows there is something very special about the little girl who is brought to the gates with her dying mother.
Polly Anna is his special charge and he absolutely worships her and looks out for her and this is their story of how they survive a dreadful childhood at the hands of those in authority who should have cared for them and then on to life outside the workhouse, how they fair in life a boy with a disablement and a girl who is half Romany and on the outskirts of society.
But behind this, things are not what they seem, Polly Anna has mixed heritage yes, but she is also from a noble family and a certain twist of fate led her mother to the workhouse that night.
While Polly Anna struggle to live in a harsh world there are others who out of guilt and shame at family secrets are trying to locate Polly Anna to make reparation...
A wonderful and realistic story of the brutality of the Victorian era and a brilliant written period novel and is up there among the stars of historical fiction, Cookson, Cox and many others, an author I have read before and enjoyed and this did not disappoint, a brilliant read.
Polly Anna is his special charge and he absolutely worships her and looks out for her and this is their story of how they survive a dreadful childhood at the hands of those in authority who should have cared for them and then on to life outside the workhouse, how they fair in life a boy with a disablement and a girl who is half Romany and on the outskirts of society.
But behind this, things are not what they seem, Polly Anna has mixed heritage yes, but she is also from a noble family and a certain twist of fate led her mother to the workhouse that night.
While Polly Anna struggle to live in a harsh world there are others who out of guilt and shame at family secrets are trying to locate Polly Anna to make reparation...
A wonderful and realistic story of the brutality of the Victorian era and a brilliant written period novel and is up there among the stars of historical fiction, Cookson, Cox and many others, an author I have read before and enjoyed and this did not disappoint, a brilliant read.
June 22, 2013
I loved this book. Was about a young girl who was brought up in a workhouse with only a young boy to book after her not knowing who her parents where. Going into the fair business and finds out who her parents were and finding her family. Lover it
November 25, 2019
I enjoyed this book although I think it could have had a bit more excitement injected into it. The beginning chapters in the workhouse were pretty grim and I loved the character of Jonty. I just felt the book was missing something even though it was 536 pages long! I'll still be looking out for other Val Wood novels to read.
May 27, 2020
The Gypsy Girl
Found this book a bit boring and long winded. I normally like Val wood but not this one. Won't stop me reading her again.
Found this book a bit boring and long winded. I normally like Val wood but not this one. Won't stop me reading her again.
July 8, 2020
Too slow and not realistic enough. Very sanitised. Could have been a good story.
March 20, 2021
Enthralling as books are
Yet another great read. It transports you into the life of years gone by. GREAT. Very hard to put down !!
Yet another great read. It transports you into the life of years gone by. GREAT. Very hard to put down !!
August 8, 2021
Brilliant
Val Wood does it’s again, this was a brilliant read from start to finish, my only disappointment is trying to find my next book as I think I’ve finished her library
Val Wood does it’s again, this was a brilliant read from start to finish, my only disappointment is trying to find my next book as I think I’ve finished her library
February 1, 2025
Just finished a fabulous book! Who doesn’t love a good love story🤩
February 22, 2025
Very good read
August 29, 2023
Easy, romantic novel
March 6, 2016
I found this a little slow to begin with, starting as it does with a recently orphaned child, Polly Anna, being taken in by the Hull poorhouse where is taken care of by Jonty, a young crippled boy with speech difficulties. The story doesn’t really pick up until the two children, now teenagers, escape the workhouse and join the fairground people at Hull fair. There she befriends some Romanies, with whom she discovers she has connections. She becomes a skilled circus performer while Jonty finds his true vocation as a clown. In the meantime, a solitary horseman is seeking the missing daughter and granddaughter of a landed gentry family. Although the plot was quite predictable, I did enjoy reading about Romany and fairground culture and thought this was excellently portrayed.
November 24, 2013
l loved this book.lt was sad at times and kept me wanting to read more.l felt such compassion for Polly anne and Jonty and l held my breath when they were up against the system that society had placed them.But they managed to escape and start a whole new beginning that would change their lives forever.
February 8, 2016
Really wonderful story that gripped me so much that I couldn't put it down. Probably because I really love to read about other cultures (gypsey), but also this is set in Hull in the era of the workhouse and you get a really vivid picture of what thay may be like. There is also a wonderful story of friendship and a romance too!
March 15, 2014
It is a good book just wasn't for me I just couldn't connect with the story or characters
January 16, 2017
I found it interesting. It wasn't something I usually read but I enjoyed it and couldn't put it down once I got going. I could've read it quicker if everything else wasn't inhibiting me.
I liked that there was a bit of a story before the story started. There was so much going on, which made it seem so much more complexes. Where a girl is sent to live in the work house and ends up running away with him, after finding out who she really is. Living with them for a while before she finds a grandma and aunt living in a large estate. Before going back to her own people and falling in love with the man that found her, living happily.
I liked that there was a bit of a story before the story started. There was so much going on, which made it seem so much more complexes. Where a girl is sent to live in the work house and ends up running away with him, after finding out who she really is. Living with them for a while before she finds a grandma and aunt living in a large estate. Before going back to her own people and falling in love with the man that found her, living happily.
April 28, 2017
enjoyed this much more than the previous one by Val wood, a really good story, flowed well, lots of detail, it didn't annoy me, it wasn't too sketchy when the story was moving along unlike the harbour girl. so as a book in the tradition of Catherine cookson it's a good alternative.
May 7, 2019
Fantastic one of my faves
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews