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The Typewriter Girl
A passionate historical debut novel about a young woman in turn-of-the-century England who finds love and independence at a seashore resort.
In Victorian London, there’s only so far an unmarried woman can go, and Betsey Dobson has relied on her wits and cunning to take herself as far as she can—to a position as a typewriter girl. But still, Betsey yearns for something more…so when she’s offered a position as the excursions manager at a seaside resort, she knows this is her chance for security, for independence, for an identity forged by her own work and not a man’s opinion. Underqualified for the job and on the wrong side of the aristocratic resort owner, Betsey struggles to prove herself and looks to the one person who can support her new venture: Mr. Jones, the ambitious Welshman building the resort’s pleasure fair. As she and Mr. Jones grow ever closer, Betsey begins to dream that she might finally have found her place in the world—but when her past returns to haunt her, she must fight for what she’s worked so hard…or risk losing everything.
This eloquent debut novel displays firm propriety barely restraining seething passion—a sizzling combination reminiscent of Downton Abbey.
In Victorian London, there’s only so far an unmarried woman can go, and Betsey Dobson has relied on her wits and cunning to take herself as far as she can—to a position as a typewriter girl. But still, Betsey yearns for something more…so when she’s offered a position as the excursions manager at a seaside resort, she knows this is her chance for security, for independence, for an identity forged by her own work and not a man’s opinion. Underqualified for the job and on the wrong side of the aristocratic resort owner, Betsey struggles to prove herself and looks to the one person who can support her new venture: Mr. Jones, the ambitious Welshman building the resort’s pleasure fair. As she and Mr. Jones grow ever closer, Betsey begins to dream that she might finally have found her place in the world—but when her past returns to haunt her, she must fight for what she’s worked so hard…or risk losing everything.
This eloquent debut novel displays firm propriety barely restraining seething passion—a sizzling combination reminiscent of Downton Abbey.
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 29, 2013
28 people are currently reading
4055 people want to read
About the author
Alison Atlee
3 books57 followers Alison Atlee spent her childhood re-enacting Little Women and trying to fashion 19th century wardrobes for her Barbie dolls. Happily, these activities turned out to be good preparation for writing historical novels. She now lives in Kentucky.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 244 reviews
October 26, 2021
Wavering between the more “direct” Historical Fiction and the sheer Historical Romance genres and borrowing some perks from both, I felt like ultimately this book failed to ascribe successfully to any of them.
Taking place during an indefinite time between the end of the Victorian era and the beginning of the Edwardian one (my guess is the late 1890s), a setting portrayed in an alternatively convincing way, with the protagonists moving in that vast, grey and realistic place between destitution and respectability, I read it mostly as an attempt to insert a classic romance in a more disillusioned scenario. Choosing to maintain all the trappings of the sub-genre though, from the boy meets girl to the happily ever after, and pairing them with a jarring cynical slant without giving the main characters any aspirational or idealistic quality eventually made for a quite disheartening read: there is love but the book is not romantic, there is sex but no sensuality, there is unconventionality but no charisma.
The supposed progressiveness of the heroine, who is able to be assertive and judgemental only towards other women, never with men and never questioning the status-quo for all her presumed defiance, appeared reduced to a sort of more brazen than the average Victorian lower middle-class Miss’s coping strategy with the added “bonus” of a few “f” words scattered around here and there, while the hero never truly raises above his little mediocrities.
The writing showed some pleasantness especially in the few lyrical and evocative descriptions, but the flatness of the often stilted dialogues evened out the picture.
abandoned
March 16, 2013Quote from page 2:
"A fuck made him a sound sleeper..."
I really didn't need the f-bomb dropped on page two in such a crude manner. Moving on.
"A fuck made him a sound sleeper..."
I really didn't need the f-bomb dropped on page two in such a crude manner. Moving on.
August 31, 2014
Betsey has been mistreated and used by men since she was 14. She has long since given up her childhood dreams of a happily ever after. As a working woman who has been caught living with a man outside of marriage just tomorrow is almost out of reach.
Dismissed from her job as a typewriter girl after she slammed a door on the hand of her supervisor who was making unwanted advances, she takes a job working for a hotel in a small seaside town coordinating excursions for day-trippers. But the owner of the hotel wants nothing to do with what he sees as riffraff sullying his hotel's good name and is doing his absolute best to sabotage her.
She finds support from John who hired her. He too comes from humble beginnings but is ambitious and determined to find a wife that will further those ambitions. It certainly isn't Betsey who is crass and abrupt and skirting on the edge of scandal.
I loved this book! It's historical romance, but very different to most historical romances. For one thing Betsey is angry and it strikes me that even today society doesn't really allow women to be angry. She is crass, she uses bad language and when it's necessary her feminine wiles to get ahead. Maybe some would rail against that but as I see it, her character has been beaten down and she is using the only resources she has to push back.
I'm actually quite surprised at the GR rating for this book. Honestly it's difficult for me to see this as a 3.18 Star book. I guess reviewers rate books on a range of factors and it's not really my place to comment on that, but if I was being conservative this book would be a solid 4 Stars. I don't feel like being conservative today so 5 Stars but with the caveat that you won't be getting a plucky yet innocent virginal heroine. If that's a problem read something else.
Dismissed from her job as a typewriter girl after she slammed a door on the hand of her supervisor who was making unwanted advances, she takes a job working for a hotel in a small seaside town coordinating excursions for day-trippers. But the owner of the hotel wants nothing to do with what he sees as riffraff sullying his hotel's good name and is doing his absolute best to sabotage her.
She finds support from John who hired her. He too comes from humble beginnings but is ambitious and determined to find a wife that will further those ambitions. It certainly isn't Betsey who is crass and abrupt and skirting on the edge of scandal.
I loved this book! It's historical romance, but very different to most historical romances. For one thing Betsey is angry and it strikes me that even today society doesn't really allow women to be angry. She is crass, she uses bad language and when it's necessary her feminine wiles to get ahead. Maybe some would rail against that but as I see it, her character has been beaten down and she is using the only resources she has to push back.
I'm actually quite surprised at the GR rating for this book. Honestly it's difficult for me to see this as a 3.18 Star book. I guess reviewers rate books on a range of factors and it's not really my place to comment on that, but if I was being conservative this book would be a solid 4 Stars. I don't feel like being conservative today so 5 Stars but with the caveat that you won't be getting a plucky yet innocent virginal heroine. If that's a problem read something else.
January 21, 2013
I had high hopes for The Typewriter Girl by Alison Atlee. I mean, I read that this book would be for lovers of Kate Morton and trust me... I'm right up there in fangirl status when it comes to Morton. So I thought okay - great recommendation, great cover, interesting premise, and feminist leanings! Perfect!
But it wasn't so perfect. What I expected was to read about a woman who, in spite of the limitations placed on her by the time she was living in, managed to rise above it all and make a life for herself. What I got was a book about a woman who, in a nutshell, needed to be rescued by a male in spite of being broken.
There's a big difference there between expectation and reality. Were my expectations unfounded? Let's look, as this is in the books description:
"Underqualified for the job and on the wrong side of the aristocratic resort owner, Betsey struggles to prove herself and looks to the one person who can support her new venture: Mr. Jones, the ambitious Welshman building the resort’s pleasure fair. As she and Mr. Jones grow ever closer, Betsey begins to dream that she might finally have found her place in the world—but when her past returns to haunt her, she must fight for what she’s worked so hard…or risk losing everything."
So we have an underqualified woman, Betsey, who is struggling to prove herself. We have a Mr. Jones, an ambition man. They grow close, that's to be expected. Betsey begins to dream she may have found her place but something returns to haunt her so she has to fight for it all or risk everything?
Now that can be taken two ways. The way I read it was that Betsey and this ambitious Welshman had managed to create something together, in spite of Betsey's underqualification and past history. And that something they managed to create appears as if it might be something connected to the resort - right?
Big disappointment here. What I got instead were sex scenes, some steamy, some not. Crude language (does not equate a forward thinking woman, rather it tore at the character of Betsey). Blame placed on herself, a devaluation of women who are unable to conceive, the need for knights on white horses to come swooping in and fix it all - and then some. I was sincerely disappointed by the character of Betsey and felt as if I'd been duped. As I read I kept thinking.. surely here is where Betsey comes into her own - but what was revealed was that Betsey's own was simply a desire to be like every other woman of the time.
Unfortunately, this is not a story I can recommend. Instead seek out authors such as Isabelle Allende, Barbara Kingsolver, and Margaret Atwood for strong, forward thinking women.
But it wasn't so perfect. What I expected was to read about a woman who, in spite of the limitations placed on her by the time she was living in, managed to rise above it all and make a life for herself. What I got was a book about a woman who, in a nutshell, needed to be rescued by a male in spite of being broken.
There's a big difference there between expectation and reality. Were my expectations unfounded? Let's look, as this is in the books description:
"Underqualified for the job and on the wrong side of the aristocratic resort owner, Betsey struggles to prove herself and looks to the one person who can support her new venture: Mr. Jones, the ambitious Welshman building the resort’s pleasure fair. As she and Mr. Jones grow ever closer, Betsey begins to dream that she might finally have found her place in the world—but when her past returns to haunt her, she must fight for what she’s worked so hard…or risk losing everything."
So we have an underqualified woman, Betsey, who is struggling to prove herself. We have a Mr. Jones, an ambition man. They grow close, that's to be expected. Betsey begins to dream she may have found her place but something returns to haunt her so she has to fight for it all or risk everything?
Now that can be taken two ways. The way I read it was that Betsey and this ambitious Welshman had managed to create something together, in spite of Betsey's underqualification and past history. And that something they managed to create appears as if it might be something connected to the resort - right?
Big disappointment here. What I got instead were sex scenes, some steamy, some not. Crude language (does not equate a forward thinking woman, rather it tore at the character of Betsey). Blame placed on herself, a devaluation of women who are unable to conceive, the need for knights on white horses to come swooping in and fix it all - and then some. I was sincerely disappointed by the character of Betsey and felt as if I'd been duped. As I read I kept thinking.. surely here is where Betsey comes into her own - but what was revealed was that Betsey's own was simply a desire to be like every other woman of the time.
Unfortunately, this is not a story I can recommend. Instead seek out authors such as Isabelle Allende, Barbara Kingsolver, and Margaret Atwood for strong, forward thinking women.
March 12, 2021
Eh was pretty disappointed in this. Was intrigued with the turn of the century feminist twist about a woman trying to get somewhere in life but I wasn't at all invested in the story. Didn't like anyone of the characters not even the main one. I dragged my self through the book.
August 25, 2014
Find this and other reviews at: http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot....
When I first stumbled over Alison Altee's The Typewriter Girl, I got really excited. The jacket art is beautiful and I'm just shallow enough to get charged up over that sort of thing. The comparison to Downton Abbey didn't hurt either and by the time I got the book I was dying to get started which is funny, because I only made it through chapter three.
Marketing didn't do this piece any favors and I for one think it a travesty to liken Atlee's work to the Masterpiece hit. Now, before you get your panties in a twist, hear me out. I went into this book with a distinct expectation and was both confused and disappointed to discover that anticipation misplaced. Upset, I stepped away from the book and came back to it after clearing my head. I started over at chapter one, ignored the sales tag and took in the story with an completely open mind and discovered a truly intriguing take on turn-of-the-century life.
There is more grit in these pages than in the halls of Downton, a palpable desperation Lord Grantham couldn't begin to comprehend and an emotional quagmire that puts Lady Mary to shame. There is a vulgarity I found unnecessary, but I truly enjoyed watching Betsey come into her own over the course of the story. She is an atypical heroine in world of strict social order and I found that fascinating as a reader.
A suggestive and striking novel, The Typewriter Girl isn't your average Victorian era fiction, but Atlee makes it work, ultimately creating something both unconventional and entertaining.
When I first stumbled over Alison Altee's The Typewriter Girl, I got really excited. The jacket art is beautiful and I'm just shallow enough to get charged up over that sort of thing. The comparison to Downton Abbey didn't hurt either and by the time I got the book I was dying to get started which is funny, because I only made it through chapter three.
Marketing didn't do this piece any favors and I for one think it a travesty to liken Atlee's work to the Masterpiece hit. Now, before you get your panties in a twist, hear me out. I went into this book with a distinct expectation and was both confused and disappointed to discover that anticipation misplaced. Upset, I stepped away from the book and came back to it after clearing my head. I started over at chapter one, ignored the sales tag and took in the story with an completely open mind and discovered a truly intriguing take on turn-of-the-century life.
There is more grit in these pages than in the halls of Downton, a palpable desperation Lord Grantham couldn't begin to comprehend and an emotional quagmire that puts Lady Mary to shame. There is a vulgarity I found unnecessary, but I truly enjoyed watching Betsey come into her own over the course of the story. She is an atypical heroine in world of strict social order and I found that fascinating as a reader.
A suggestive and striking novel, The Typewriter Girl isn't your average Victorian era fiction, but Atlee makes it work, ultimately creating something both unconventional and entertaining.
February 13, 2013
I edited this book, so it's no surprise that I love it. I acquired THE TYPEWRITER GIRL because Betsey was so unlike most heroines of the period--I loved her flouting of sexual mores, her ambition, and her independent streak that was both flaw and virtue. I think that Betsey can be her own worst enemy at times, but repeatedly finds inner resources that help her make the most of herself. I was charmed by Mr. Jones, whose cagey confidence covers up a well of pain and insecurity...and I couldn't resist the gravity railway and the pleasure pier! I hope other readers will love it as much as I do.
February 21, 2013
I so wanted to like this book. The cover is gorgeous and the premise sounded intriguing and if something is compared to Downton Abbey, I am there. Unfortunately, this one falls very flat from almost the very beginning.
Betsey isn't a character I remotely cared about. While I think the author wanted to show her as a feminist and someone who disregards social mores, truly she had no redeeming qualities. There is also prolific profanity and a vulgarity that was unnecessary and disconcerting. As many of the other reviews I've seen of this book are positive, I'm assuming that my review will most likely be in the minority, but I really can't recommend it.
Thanks to my library for having a copy I could borrow so that I didn't have to regret buying it.
Betsey isn't a character I remotely cared about. While I think the author wanted to show her as a feminist and someone who disregards social mores, truly she had no redeeming qualities. There is also prolific profanity and a vulgarity that was unnecessary and disconcerting. As many of the other reviews I've seen of this book are positive, I'm assuming that my review will most likely be in the minority, but I really can't recommend it.
Thanks to my library for having a copy I could borrow so that I didn't have to regret buying it.
January 17, 2015
The Typewriter Girl by Alison Atlee is a wonderful feminist manifesto. I don't know if Atlee intended for it to be such when writing, but in my humble opinion, it demonstrates the strength and courage of a woman willing to work hard to take care of herself. However, within this power of determination, Atlee does not lose the sensual traits and dainty trends of being a woman.
Elizabeth Dobson is a typewriter girl in Victorian London. This is often the high achievement of employment for an unwed woman during this time, but this is simply not enough for Betsy Dobson. She wants more, and by use of her quick wit and cunning mind, she is willing to do what it takes to achieve more. Risking everything, she uproots herself from all she knows in London to take a possible job in Idensea at the suggestion of Mr. Jones. She travels on only faith - really, only faith - in hopes that this new job will create a new life. Her struggles are many, her successes few, and her past infiltrates what could be her future, and yet Betsy perseveres. Like a true woman on a mission, the few moments she sees her place in the world give her the strength to keep moving on.
I enjoyed Atlee's portrayal of Betsy Dobson - it was honest, upfront, and sincere. I liked her as a character and enjoyed her sarcastic charm and sly disposition using her essence as a woman to get what she wanted. This isn't to say she used sex as a means to an end, but she did allow it to sway a man's head (or two). I did not find her promiscuous, though. I found her forthright. In fact, it was Mr. Jones's character that annoyed me from time to time - his inability to make decisions, to be painstakingly honest, to take risks. I suppose this juxtaposition of personalities created the perfect foil. Well played, Atlee.
Typewriter Girl appeals to the reader that enjoys history and romance, strength and passion, love and hate. It fuels the feminine spirit; ignites the feminine flame.
If you'd like to peruse the fashion that inspired Atlee's novel, visit her Pinterest page: http://pinterest.com/alisonatlee/the-...
Elizabeth Dobson is a typewriter girl in Victorian London. This is often the high achievement of employment for an unwed woman during this time, but this is simply not enough for Betsy Dobson. She wants more, and by use of her quick wit and cunning mind, she is willing to do what it takes to achieve more. Risking everything, she uproots herself from all she knows in London to take a possible job in Idensea at the suggestion of Mr. Jones. She travels on only faith - really, only faith - in hopes that this new job will create a new life. Her struggles are many, her successes few, and her past infiltrates what could be her future, and yet Betsy perseveres. Like a true woman on a mission, the few moments she sees her place in the world give her the strength to keep moving on.
I enjoyed Atlee's portrayal of Betsy Dobson - it was honest, upfront, and sincere. I liked her as a character and enjoyed her sarcastic charm and sly disposition using her essence as a woman to get what she wanted. This isn't to say she used sex as a means to an end, but she did allow it to sway a man's head (or two). I did not find her promiscuous, though. I found her forthright. In fact, it was Mr. Jones's character that annoyed me from time to time - his inability to make decisions, to be painstakingly honest, to take risks. I suppose this juxtaposition of personalities created the perfect foil. Well played, Atlee.
Typewriter Girl appeals to the reader that enjoys history and romance, strength and passion, love and hate. It fuels the feminine spirit; ignites the feminine flame.
If you'd like to peruse the fashion that inspired Atlee's novel, visit her Pinterest page: http://pinterest.com/alisonatlee/the-...
February 27, 2013
I guess when it comes right down to it, I was uncomfortable with this main character; with her morals, the way she used sex to get what she wanted (regardless of the fact men do the same thing with impunity, so why shouldn't she). I don't blame her for her choices, but I like to read about characters who rise above their circumstances. Eventually Betsey triumphs and makes the hard, personal choices, but it was her ideas about sex and the vulgarity with which it was described, that rubbed me the wrong way.
Also, the sporadic coarse language really felt like an attack. I wasn't able to skim and ignore it as I am wont to do. And the dialect or style of writing was difficult to follow at times. After a while, I do think I got used to it, but sometimes the characters would have a discussion and afterwards, I'd have no idea what they'd been talking about.
I loved the setting and time period. A couple fabulous characters to hate--or three maybe. I certainly rooted for Betsey to triumph, but honestly, her eventual triumph just did not feel as sweet because of her moral choices.
Also, the sporadic coarse language really felt like an attack. I wasn't able to skim and ignore it as I am wont to do. And the dialect or style of writing was difficult to follow at times. After a while, I do think I got used to it, but sometimes the characters would have a discussion and afterwards, I'd have no idea what they'd been talking about.
I loved the setting and time period. A couple fabulous characters to hate--or three maybe. I certainly rooted for Betsey to triumph, but honestly, her eventual triumph just did not feel as sweet because of her moral choices.
March 17, 2013
The cover and description of this book are completely misleading. The main character, Betsey is made out to sound like someone from a Jane Austen novel when in reality, she is more of a Sally Bowles from Caberet-huge difference!! The description claims that "all Betsy Dobson has ever asked is the chance to be viewed on her own merits..." Seriously???!!! She is completely dependent on men and continues to be..in every possible way. Honestly, I couldn't even follow the dialog n this book...kept having to re-read paragraphs as I couldn't figure out what on earth had happened. DO NOT be fooled by the cover on this one...the innocent looking girl standing on the pier is not what you think! Ugh..7 days wasted on this book. No wonder the publisher went straight to paperback on this one...
November 22, 2013
I liked this one very much. It reminded me a bit of Edith Wharton's "Summer." The setting is different: a seaside resort town in England, and that was refreshing and interesting. The characters are different as well--a woman dismissed from her position as a typist who lands a job running tours at a newly built hotel, and the man who hired her. Neither is quite what they seem, and it's this play-about with the obvious and the unseen that makes the story unexpected and hard to put down. It's a beautifully written, complex and nuanced love story. Highly recommended.
March 14, 2013
My two main complaints of The Typewriter Girl are that it never really identified the time period it takes place in and the syntax of the sentences was confusing and takes a large portion of the book to finally get the hang of it.
For more than half of the book, I was quite confused as to the setting. The attire and decorum of the character could not be in the thirties or beyond because it was too conservative, nor was there any mention of the Great War or World War II. However, I was unaware of how early the typewriter had indeed been invented. In fact, I kept thinking back to season 1 of Downton Abbey when the maid gets a typewriter, and most of the servants don't know what it is right before World War I. Due to this, I couldn't place the setting at anytime previously to 1912. However, upon a quick look at Wikipedia, I learned that the typewriter was actually invented in the last thirty or so years of the 1800s. Finally, I was able to place the setting as during the last decade or so of the nineteenth century. When I was finally able to clear that up, I was much better able to concentrate on the plot.
John, the male protagonist and romantic lead, natively speaks Welsh. Perhaps, this is why he often speaks by switching the positioning of his subjects and verbs as well as leaving off phrases and clauses. Mostly, his syntax reminded me of Yoda, who is not romantic lead material, which is what John is supposed to be!
All in all, The Typewriter Girl has a rather atypical plot line until the very end: **SPOILERS** boy and girl love each other, but one thinks it best for the other to deny them being together for always, but, in the end, they overcome that and live happily ever after.
For more than half of the book, I was quite confused as to the setting. The attire and decorum of the character could not be in the thirties or beyond because it was too conservative, nor was there any mention of the Great War or World War II. However, I was unaware of how early the typewriter had indeed been invented. In fact, I kept thinking back to season 1 of Downton Abbey when the maid gets a typewriter, and most of the servants don't know what it is right before World War I. Due to this, I couldn't place the setting at anytime previously to 1912. However, upon a quick look at Wikipedia, I learned that the typewriter was actually invented in the last thirty or so years of the 1800s. Finally, I was able to place the setting as during the last decade or so of the nineteenth century. When I was finally able to clear that up, I was much better able to concentrate on the plot.
John, the male protagonist and romantic lead, natively speaks Welsh. Perhaps, this is why he often speaks by switching the positioning of his subjects and verbs as well as leaving off phrases and clauses. Mostly, his syntax reminded me of Yoda, who is not romantic lead material, which is what John is supposed to be!
All in all, The Typewriter Girl has a rather atypical plot line until the very end: **SPOILERS** boy and girl love each other, but one thinks it best for the other to deny them being together for always, but, in the end, they overcome that and live happily ever after.
August 13, 2014
In "The Typewriter Girl," Betsey is working a job that she hates. She is a typewriter girl which demands "concentration, not contemplation," meaning there is not a lot of room for daydreaming and Betsey hates that. She gets in trouble and loses her job and decides to start a new life in a lovely English seaside town. This is a great historical fiction about following your heart to see all of the wonderful places that it will take you.
Betsey is definitely a woman ahead of her time. Sometimes this storyline doesn't work out well (it seems too out of place or too unrealistic) but here it works really well. I really enjoyed her character. She is driven but she is also a dreamer. Even in a world that is still very much male dominated, Betsey stands for herself. She is definitely a strong character. I did wonder about her and Mr. Jones because even though she is strong, she seems to sway when it comes to him. I wanted to know a little bit about that but overall, I thought her character worked really well!
I had been wanting to read this book for awhile and it is definitely one that I now know that I should have never waited this long again. But as Betsey shows us, there is always room to fix your mistakes! I really enjoyed the way that this book was written. There is plenty of historical detail to keep all of my fellow historical fiction lovers interested. There is also a really fantastic setting. I loved reading about Atlee's depiction of a Victorian seaside resort (oh how I would like to visit there myself)! This book definitely provided a great opportunity for some quality armchair traveling!
Betsey is definitely a woman ahead of her time. Sometimes this storyline doesn't work out well (it seems too out of place or too unrealistic) but here it works really well. I really enjoyed her character. She is driven but she is also a dreamer. Even in a world that is still very much male dominated, Betsey stands for herself. She is definitely a strong character. I did wonder about her and Mr. Jones because even though she is strong, she seems to sway when it comes to him. I wanted to know a little bit about that but overall, I thought her character worked really well!
I had been wanting to read this book for awhile and it is definitely one that I now know that I should have never waited this long again. But as Betsey shows us, there is always room to fix your mistakes! I really enjoyed the way that this book was written. There is plenty of historical detail to keep all of my fellow historical fiction lovers interested. There is also a really fantastic setting. I loved reading about Atlee's depiction of a Victorian seaside resort (oh how I would like to visit there myself)! This book definitely provided a great opportunity for some quality armchair traveling!
couldn-t-finish
February 19, 2013I didn't finish this book so take my review with a grain of salt...
I heard of this book via Twitter and I was really excited to read it. When I started reading it I had some reservations in the first few pages. One of the opening scenes involves the main character having sex with her typing instructor, which I didn’t mind, but it definitely caught me off guard in a novel about an unmarried woman in Victorian England. As the story opened up I came to like the main character less and less. For someone so spunky she seemed rather helpless and her actions left me with no sympathy for her even though her situation seemed to be created to invoke sympathy. Part of the story involves her needing money for train fare and I found myself hoping that no one gave her the money since she got herself into this ridiculous situation and should pay the price. Once she got to the seaside resort where she would be working the novel suddenly switched to the perspective of Mr. Jones and then back to Betsey and then to Mr. Jones and back to Betsy and then suddenly to a woman who is a high society girlfriend of Mr. Jones. I didn’t think the changing perspectives worked at all, each of the three characters annoyed me in multiple ways and in the end I just couldn’t bring myself to read any more.
This review first appeared on my blog: http://justacouplemorepages.wordpress...
I heard of this book via Twitter and I was really excited to read it. When I started reading it I had some reservations in the first few pages. One of the opening scenes involves the main character having sex with her typing instructor, which I didn’t mind, but it definitely caught me off guard in a novel about an unmarried woman in Victorian England. As the story opened up I came to like the main character less and less. For someone so spunky she seemed rather helpless and her actions left me with no sympathy for her even though her situation seemed to be created to invoke sympathy. Part of the story involves her needing money for train fare and I found myself hoping that no one gave her the money since she got herself into this ridiculous situation and should pay the price. Once she got to the seaside resort where she would be working the novel suddenly switched to the perspective of Mr. Jones and then back to Betsey and then to Mr. Jones and back to Betsy and then suddenly to a woman who is a high society girlfriend of Mr. Jones. I didn’t think the changing perspectives worked at all, each of the three characters annoyed me in multiple ways and in the end I just couldn’t bring myself to read any more.
This review first appeared on my blog: http://justacouplemorepages.wordpress...
February 17, 2013
Betsey has a bit of a problem; she's a little too smart and little too willing to do whatever it takes to find her place in the narrow-minded world of the early 20th Century.
As a typewriter girl her job is to type but not think, and above all, not get ideas above her station. She is caught typing her own character recommendation for a new kind of job where being a woman just may not be a liability. True she was planning to leave her job, but hadn't planned on being caught, humiliated and thrown out without her wages. Betsey's a risk taker and sometimes those risks don't work out.
As Betsey's dreams unravel she sells her hair and brazens her way to Indesea, a burgeoning sea-side resort hoping against hope that she will find a path forward.
Plagued by her own doubts, and the deception and down-right sabotage of others, it is sheer force of will that pushes Betsey to work hard and create a place for herself.
Alison Atlee's descriptions of the clothes, the houses, the pier and the new-fangled pleasure railroad climbing up the Dover cliffs are spectacular.
As a typewriter girl her job is to type but not think, and above all, not get ideas above her station. She is caught typing her own character recommendation for a new kind of job where being a woman just may not be a liability. True she was planning to leave her job, but hadn't planned on being caught, humiliated and thrown out without her wages. Betsey's a risk taker and sometimes those risks don't work out.
As Betsey's dreams unravel she sells her hair and brazens her way to Indesea, a burgeoning sea-side resort hoping against hope that she will find a path forward.
Plagued by her own doubts, and the deception and down-right sabotage of others, it is sheer force of will that pushes Betsey to work hard and create a place for herself.
Alison Atlee's descriptions of the clothes, the houses, the pier and the new-fangled pleasure railroad climbing up the Dover cliffs are spectacular.
February 1, 2013
I thought this book was a lot of fun and felt instantly taken back into the past. I loved Betsey from the get go and was so excited to finally get to read such a strong and forceful female literary character (it has been a while) and I love that she truly fights for what she wants. The chemistry between Betsey and Mr. Jones definitely took hold of me during my reading and I was so eager to get to the end, only to be disappointed that the book was over and I wouldn’t be able to read anymore. Overall, this book is really well written and very well researched. A true gem and quite historical. I would definitely recommend it.
August 17, 2014
3.5 stars
I think she (Alison Atlee) took a big risk exposing some of the more riske' parts of Betsey's past before we get to know her. Its not a spoiler because on page 2 she is talking about how Alton sleeps better after a ****. You don't really find out where she is coming from, truly, until 100 pages or more into the book and I think a lot of readers may be put off before then. She is a strong character who has done what she felt she had to, to survive and make things better for herself. Even so, she is quite coarse. John is sweet and strong in his own way too.
I was happy enough with how it ended. We all make sacrifices for those we love, but in the end it doesn't feel like one because of the love you share. I did have a few questions in the end but I suppose it really didn't matter, I just would have liked to know. An epilogue might have been good.
I'm not totally sure how I feel about this book. It is well written and I do hope she (AA) writes more. I don't think I would read it again because of the subject, but the characters are engaging. You don't end up with any mixed feelings about them in the end (except possibly Lillian).
February 13, 2013
The Typewriter Girl by Alison Atlee 9781451673258
Betsey Dobson finds Victorian London hard going for an independent woman. Through sheer determination and hard work she has earned herself a position as a typewriter girl, a job overseen by an unpleasant floor-boss. The wages are a pittance and advancement will be slow coming. She jumps at the opportunity to take a job as an excursions manager at a seaside resort. Her new job stipulated good references but Betsey’s leave taking of her typewriter job was anything but pleasant when the overbearing floor-boss tried to put the moves on her. Nonetheless she heads to the seaside, eager to convince her new boss to give her a chance and an opportunity to prove her mettle. Bad luck and trouble follow Betsey like bees to honey and some of her fiascos make very entertaining reading. Mr. Jones, her new employer, doesn’t know what to make of this gutsy, ambitious woman. The Typewriter Girl gives a good representation of what the era was like for a single woman while telling an entertaining story.
Betsey Dobson finds Victorian London hard going for an independent woman. Through sheer determination and hard work she has earned herself a position as a typewriter girl, a job overseen by an unpleasant floor-boss. The wages are a pittance and advancement will be slow coming. She jumps at the opportunity to take a job as an excursions manager at a seaside resort. Her new job stipulated good references but Betsey’s leave taking of her typewriter job was anything but pleasant when the overbearing floor-boss tried to put the moves on her. Nonetheless she heads to the seaside, eager to convince her new boss to give her a chance and an opportunity to prove her mettle. Bad luck and trouble follow Betsey like bees to honey and some of her fiascos make very entertaining reading. Mr. Jones, her new employer, doesn’t know what to make of this gutsy, ambitious woman. The Typewriter Girl gives a good representation of what the era was like for a single woman while telling an entertaining story.
November 5, 2013
Oh this book is going on the "to be re-read on the gloomiest of glum days" shelf in my library. I loved this book so very very much that for several weeks after finishing it I was ruined for any other book. I almost always have a book that I'm beginning to read, or in the middle of, or almost finishing, but after The Typewriter Girl I just couldn't find another book that grabbed me. I didn't want to find another book - I wanted more Typewriter Girl.
What I loved about this book is pretty much everything. The characters (Oh Betsy - you are my type of heroine!), the plot, the setting, and the romance. OMG the romance. So so so so good.
Please, please, please someone make this into a movie so that I can enjoy it on the screen and between the pages.
What I loved about this book is pretty much everything. The characters (Oh Betsy - you are my type of heroine!), the plot, the setting, and the romance. OMG the romance. So so so so good.
Please, please, please someone make this into a movie so that I can enjoy it on the screen and between the pages.
March 17, 2013
The Typewriter girl is one of those books you fall in love with from the start. Splendidly written and fresh and endearingly sweet. Betsey Dobson is the kind of heroine you hope for, you invest yourself into her life and you fall when she does. But then she gets back up. With pluck. Very well done. Read it for the richly flawed characters. Read it for the attention to every detail of the world in turn of the Century Britain. But, mostly, read it for the pure pleasure of it.
January 30, 2013
MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT
Betsey works at an insurance company as a TypeWriter Girl, typing endlessly and monotonously day after day. She dreams of a better life and more independence, something women have little hope of during the nineteenth century. Moving against convention, Betsey take a chance when she is offered a job in Idensea on the ocean, booking tours for day trippers. She has no experience but enough gumption to try anything to get out of her rut and no chance for advancement. The problem Betsey really faces is that in order to get the job, she must have letters of reference and those cannot be obtained since she has been caught forging them at work.
As she quits her job and takes a chance, traveling to Idensea and convincing John Jones that she is the perfect person to do the job. Once installed, Betsey does succeed but not without a few roadblocks and falling for Mr. Jones. There is a wide cast of characters and minor details wound around Betsey's drive to an independent life, most of which conspire against her as a young woman with liberated mind. I felt so angry at how she was treated by the patriarchal males but heartened by the fact that she never gave up even when she really had no hope. Not that Betsey was very innocent either, she would lie, cheat and steal to get ahead although she was more a victim than victor.
There was no happy every after for Betsey, but she still stuck to her convictions, even though I think I would have been crushed by everything that happened to her. It seems no matter how much she tried to connive and outsmart the males, they just dominated over her with shear will and legal right. John Jones seemed to be truly in love with her but in the end, he himself, succumbed to convention and dumped her to marry for money. One point though, the girl he is marrying, ends up pregnant by another man, so in fact she is marrying down. BUT, true love does finally win at the end when John realizes his mistake before it is all to late and they do get their HEA. This should appeal to fans of Upstairs, Downstairs and Downton Abbey.
LOVED IT
Betsey works at an insurance company as a TypeWriter Girl, typing endlessly and monotonously day after day. She dreams of a better life and more independence, something women have little hope of during the nineteenth century. Moving against convention, Betsey take a chance when she is offered a job in Idensea on the ocean, booking tours for day trippers. She has no experience but enough gumption to try anything to get out of her rut and no chance for advancement. The problem Betsey really faces is that in order to get the job, she must have letters of reference and those cannot be obtained since she has been caught forging them at work.
As she quits her job and takes a chance, traveling to Idensea and convincing John Jones that she is the perfect person to do the job. Once installed, Betsey does succeed but not without a few roadblocks and falling for Mr. Jones. There is a wide cast of characters and minor details wound around Betsey's drive to an independent life, most of which conspire against her as a young woman with liberated mind. I felt so angry at how she was treated by the patriarchal males but heartened by the fact that she never gave up even when she really had no hope. Not that Betsey was very innocent either, she would lie, cheat and steal to get ahead although she was more a victim than victor.
There was no happy every after for Betsey, but she still stuck to her convictions, even though I think I would have been crushed by everything that happened to her. It seems no matter how much she tried to connive and outsmart the males, they just dominated over her with shear will and legal right. John Jones seemed to be truly in love with her but in the end, he himself, succumbed to convention and dumped her to marry for money. One point though, the girl he is marrying, ends up pregnant by another man, so in fact she is marrying down. BUT, true love does finally win at the end when John realizes his mistake before it is all to late and they do get their HEA. This should appeal to fans of Upstairs, Downstairs and Downton Abbey.
August 30, 2013
There are sort-of spoilers here but I don't think I give anything away.
I have to say, I loved this book and I could not put it down. It was not a fast read but it is one of those books where I just wanted to keep reading and reading. I was disappointed when it ended and would love to read more about John and Elisabeth as they continue their journeys in life. I want to know more about where they ended up and how they built their lives.
Some of the language seemed harsh for the time period but my guess was this was a more realistic depiction of life during that time. Betsey was a survivor and not unlike a lot of girls/women today.
I think sometimes we read and accept the two different worlds of the 1800s: the cholera low-down and dirty world of London in the mid 1800s (The Dress Lodger) or the idealized, sanitized fantasty world of Jane Austen.
This in between...probably more real about what was happening in the world and to women. This makes it a harder pill to swallow. Here we see the beginning of the middle class and why America was so appealing to many. Betsey is harsh but she is a real.
We see a contrast of Lillian and Betsey but in the end they weren't so different...only their place in society. Actually, it is possible that in reality Lillian had fewer options.
I will admit, however, some of the dialogue and text was hard to follow. That meant I had to pay closer attention to what I was reading...no skimming and a bit of an effort on my part.
Some of the sentence structure, however, did not make sense and I had to go back and double check exactly who was doing the talking. There was one sentence towards the end that I literally had no idea what he/she was talking about.
Also, the author used italicized text and I wasn't always sure if this was what the person was thinking? feeling? or, at times, actually saying? It would show up mid-sentence, mid paragraph and even mid talking.
That might be enough for some to take away a few stars but I really liked the story and want to know more about the characters. Ms Atlee, a sequel please!!!!
I have to say, I loved this book and I could not put it down. It was not a fast read but it is one of those books where I just wanted to keep reading and reading. I was disappointed when it ended and would love to read more about John and Elisabeth as they continue their journeys in life. I want to know more about where they ended up and how they built their lives.
Some of the language seemed harsh for the time period but my guess was this was a more realistic depiction of life during that time. Betsey was a survivor and not unlike a lot of girls/women today.
I think sometimes we read and accept the two different worlds of the 1800s: the cholera low-down and dirty world of London in the mid 1800s (The Dress Lodger) or the idealized, sanitized fantasty world of Jane Austen.
This in between...probably more real about what was happening in the world and to women. This makes it a harder pill to swallow. Here we see the beginning of the middle class and why America was so appealing to many. Betsey is harsh but she is a real.
We see a contrast of Lillian and Betsey but in the end they weren't so different...only their place in society. Actually, it is possible that in reality Lillian had fewer options.
I will admit, however, some of the dialogue and text was hard to follow. That meant I had to pay closer attention to what I was reading...no skimming and a bit of an effort on my part.
Some of the sentence structure, however, did not make sense and I had to go back and double check exactly who was doing the talking. There was one sentence towards the end that I literally had no idea what he/she was talking about.
Also, the author used italicized text and I wasn't always sure if this was what the person was thinking? feeling? or, at times, actually saying? It would show up mid-sentence, mid paragraph and even mid talking.
That might be enough for some to take away a few stars but I really liked the story and want to know more about the characters. Ms Atlee, a sequel please!!!!
February 9, 2013
This book is a sort of hybrid of historical fiction and historical romance, which is probably my favorite kind of story, and I'm pretty easy to please in that genre. This one's written by an exceptionally talented author. The writing, the characters, the story, the historical details--all the elements of a great novel were so well done. It was a pleasure to read, for the most part. I felt that the author sometimes got a little lost in her own prose, where attempts at subtlety became awkward or too convoluted. Also thought the story a tad too long; the middle was starting to drag. Finally, I was a little dissatisfied with the ending, because it seemed like the big, big goals that motivated the characters throughout the story got shoved aside a little too easily. I was expecting to give this a perfect five stars, but those quibbles were big enough to knock my rating down a notch. Looking forward to reading more from this author!
July 8, 2016
Altogether original, imminently readable, completely satisfying, this novel is not your average historical/period romance. Although it is set in Victorian England, it avoids all of the stereotypes of the genre, with characters you come to know and believe in very quickly. This world is not all glamorous parties and husband-shopping. It is a world where mistakes have lifelong consequences, where men hold nearly complete power over a woman's life, and where our main characters have to work for their survival. The author brings this world to life and makes the reader want the our leading lady and man to not only survive, but to find and allow love into their flawed-but-worthy lives. Highly recommended.
Note: I received a free copy of this book for judging/review purposes. That said, I'd have paid the full cover price for this book, if I'd had to. It's worth every penny.
Note: I received a free copy of this book for judging/review purposes. That said, I'd have paid the full cover price for this book, if I'd had to. It's worth every penny.
February 23, 2013
Note - Received this as a Goodreads first read winner. Review to follow.
I really enjoyed reading this book. A lot of my favorite books are historical fiction and this one was a good one. I loved seeing how different the attitudes towards women of the time were and how so many things have changed over the years.
Betsey living with a man not her husband and working as a typewriter girl finds herself in trouble often but in the end finds a man who loves her for who she is and ignores her past.
Along the way I often worried for Betsey and John. I wondered if I would have to read a story all the way through only to have it end in sadness. The ending was wonderful and I wished the story had gone on longer.
I highly recommend to anyone who loves historical fiction.
I really enjoyed reading this book. A lot of my favorite books are historical fiction and this one was a good one. I loved seeing how different the attitudes towards women of the time were and how so many things have changed over the years.
Betsey living with a man not her husband and working as a typewriter girl finds herself in trouble often but in the end finds a man who loves her for who she is and ignores her past.
Along the way I often worried for Betsey and John. I wondered if I would have to read a story all the way through only to have it end in sadness. The ending was wonderful and I wished the story had gone on longer.
I highly recommend to anyone who loves historical fiction.
April 6, 2013
So disappointing! The old saying is true, you can not judge a book by it's cover. The cover is beautiful but that is about the only good thing I can say about this book. Only 5 out of 12 women in my book club actually finished the book and only 1 woman liked it. The rest of us felt it was a waste of time. It's hard to invest in the characters and story line as set in the 1890's. There was so much potential but it just fell short for me on so many levels.
December 23, 2013
The author's writing style was somewhat annoying at times. Overall an okay read. I liked the premise and the location, but the writing gave me a headache once or twice.
March 4, 2019
Poor young woman works her way up in the business world by becoming a typist and then a "manageress." Good characters, milieu and basic plot, but uneven writing veers from pulpy romance venturing into crude pseudo-erotica then back to purported feminism. Too much meandering action, not enough motivation and character development.
June 14, 2014
Okay, so I looked at some of the reviews of this book while I was reading it. I wanted to get an impression of what other people thought because I didn't think it the feminist manifesto it was touted to be. I do relate to Betsey Dobbins. She is relatable. I was so surprised that so many people didn't rate the novel well. There are times when it is off-putting because it is a historical novel with modern day sensibilities. A lot of people prefer historical novels because it eliminates modern day sensibilities so its rhythm could be off.
Betsey has been ruined. This is the term used to describe a woman who has had relations out of wedlock. She was disillusioned when she was younger and the man she thought would rescue her didn't. You see, women have not always been able to be so independent. We have come a long way. It was through this experience that she learned that things aren't what they should be. All of this has to be inferred in the novel. She also learned that being ruined affords her some freedom and to use it as a power to leverage her survival. But what is clear is that she doesn't want to have to use it. She wants to fall in love.
When the novel opens up, we see that Betsey is a typewriter girl who is attempting to forge a letter of character for another job. She is caught and right away we see what men think of a ruined woman. She refuses the advances of a supervisor and risks leaving London for her new job without the letter and without fare. She is desperate. When she gets to her new job she is met with John Jones. He is a contractor who dreams of social climbing his way out of his poorer Welsh heritage. He sees in Betsey something he recognizes in himself, hunger.
How can she dare dream being ruined to have something more? How can she hope for something that has always eluded her? There is the reality of something and the dream. She will take what she will be want more. If you are old enough to understand this then you may appreciate this novel.
Betsey has been ruined. This is the term used to describe a woman who has had relations out of wedlock. She was disillusioned when she was younger and the man she thought would rescue her didn't. You see, women have not always been able to be so independent. We have come a long way. It was through this experience that she learned that things aren't what they should be. All of this has to be inferred in the novel. She also learned that being ruined affords her some freedom and to use it as a power to leverage her survival. But what is clear is that she doesn't want to have to use it. She wants to fall in love.
When the novel opens up, we see that Betsey is a typewriter girl who is attempting to forge a letter of character for another job. She is caught and right away we see what men think of a ruined woman. She refuses the advances of a supervisor and risks leaving London for her new job without the letter and without fare. She is desperate. When she gets to her new job she is met with John Jones. He is a contractor who dreams of social climbing his way out of his poorer Welsh heritage. He sees in Betsey something he recognizes in himself, hunger.
How can she dare dream being ruined to have something more? How can she hope for something that has always eluded her? There is the reality of something and the dream. She will take what she will be want more. If you are old enough to understand this then you may appreciate this novel.
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