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The Best of Sisters
The Thames carried him away from her, but would it bring him home...?Twelve-year-old Eliza Bragg has known little in life but the cold, comfortless banks of the Thames. Living above her uncle's chandlery she has grown accustomed to a life of penury and servitude, her only comfort the love and protection of her older brother, Bart. But one day Bart accidentally kills a man and is forced to flee to New Zealand. Alone, barefoot, beaten down and at the mercy of her cruel uncle, Eliza realises that her very survival is at stake...
546 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2007
101 people are currently reading
339 people want to read
About the author
Dilly Court
83 books416 followersDilly Court grew up in North-east London and began her career in television, writing scripts for commercials. She is married with two grown-up children and four grandchildren, and now lives in Dorset on the beautiful Jurassic Coast with her husband. She is the author of eighteen novels and also writes under the name of Lily Baxter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
February 10, 2020
I don't understand the title as their are no sisters in the book.
I really enjoyed the first half of the book, in particular the storyline about New Zealand. Unfortunately this didn't go anywhere, and came to an abrupt end. The writing was good and the story interesting, initially, but then it just got boring, and predictable. I also felt it was too long and drawn out.
In saying that, I know my teenage reading self would have enjoyed it much more. 🤗
I really enjoyed the first half of the book, in particular the storyline about New Zealand. Unfortunately this didn't go anywhere, and came to an abrupt end. The writing was good and the story interesting, initially, but then it just got boring, and predictable. I also felt it was too long and drawn out.
In saying that, I know my teenage reading self would have enjoyed it much more. 🤗
August 9, 2015
Really liked this story,dilly court a great writer and love reading her books.
June 24, 2017
Fabulous read
What a fabulous read really enjoyed reading this book from start to finish and have loved reading it great book
What a fabulous read really enjoyed reading this book from start to finish and have loved reading it great book
July 1, 2024
I love Dilly Court books. The strong characters, especially the ladies. The name of the book is a mystery through.
March 18, 2011
I really enjoyed this book, though it was a little hard to get used to because of the cockney accent.
It is the story of Eliza Bragg, who in the beginning is cruelly looked after by her Uncle Enoch. The story starts when Eliza is 12 years old and finishes when she is nearly 21. Her brother Bart, accidentally kills a man and jumps onto a ship to New Zealand to survive a hanging. Eliza has a hard life but does have some special people in it, David Little, Ted and Dolly, Dr Freddie Prince and Millie Turner. Eliza has a heart of gold which makes her "The Best of Sisters".
Enjoy!
It is the story of Eliza Bragg, who in the beginning is cruelly looked after by her Uncle Enoch. The story starts when Eliza is 12 years old and finishes when she is nearly 21. Her brother Bart, accidentally kills a man and jumps onto a ship to New Zealand to survive a hanging. Eliza has a hard life but does have some special people in it, David Little, Ted and Dolly, Dr Freddie Prince and Millie Turner. Eliza has a heart of gold which makes her "The Best of Sisters".
Enjoy!
September 20, 2017
Good beginning, middling middle, rushed ending. Shades of Catherine Cookson, but with characters that were too changeable.
May 11, 2025
I loved this book, though I am not sure why the title is The best of sisters. Yeah there are sisters in this book - Eliza gets adopted by Dolly and Ted and so does Millie but this book is not really about their relationship and the chapters are split between Eliza and her brother Bart... until he dies in the middle of the book and we only follow Eliza from then on. Millie is in book but she isn't really a focal point and she doesn't really interact with Eliza.
This book is set during the Victorian era I believe. It's believed that women should be nice and quiet and that they should raise kids and helps the house clean. Then we meet Eliza. Her uncle is raising her after her parents die and he is not nice to her to put it mildly. He believes that she doesn't need to be educated and he uses her as free labor in his chandlery. She gets saved by Ted and her uncle dies suddenly later in the book so she inherits the chandlery because Bart dies and she is the sole heir of the business. It's tough because none of the men take her seriously or believe that she can run the business but she somehow manages to do it. She also falls in love and eventually finally has a good life at the end of the book. She is engaged, she is surrounded by family and she has her own business that isn't one a man owns - it's a pretty good book but it's also a pretty dark one because Eliza never really gets a break - as soon as she meets someone and they are nice they somehow die so don't get too attached to any of the characters- but I do love how realistic this book was because that era wasn't nice to women and this book really doesn't shy away from showing that.
This book is set during the Victorian era I believe. It's believed that women should be nice and quiet and that they should raise kids and helps the house clean. Then we meet Eliza. Her uncle is raising her after her parents die and he is not nice to her to put it mildly. He believes that she doesn't need to be educated and he uses her as free labor in his chandlery. She gets saved by Ted and her uncle dies suddenly later in the book so she inherits the chandlery because Bart dies and she is the sole heir of the business. It's tough because none of the men take her seriously or believe that she can run the business but she somehow manages to do it. She also falls in love and eventually finally has a good life at the end of the book. She is engaged, she is surrounded by family and she has her own business that isn't one a man owns - it's a pretty good book but it's also a pretty dark one because Eliza never really gets a break - as soon as she meets someone and they are nice they somehow die so don't get too attached to any of the characters- but I do love how realistic this book was because that era wasn't nice to women and this book really doesn't shy away from showing that.
February 12, 2020
The Best of Sisters is a relationship bonding between sisters and brothers. How they loved each other through thick and thin. We can not say whose love is more or whose love is less. Bart and Liza are the main characters. Due to fate, they separated in the childhood itself. But, they waited a long time to meet. Did they meet again or not is in the hands of fate only which we can read in the book.
I like so many characters in this book. Humanity, cruelty is explained at best. Its always to pleasure read fiction books on the old times. We can understand how life will be at that time. How they survived their lives, How relationships would be in those times, social and economic status. I love how Elize took charge of the family business, how she ran it and how she handled Brandon Miller, who is trying to take advantage of her in each situation. How business class people treated Eliza who is giving good competition to them is realistic. It's a bit east now for women to handle businesses single-handedly, but its a different story that time and all the problems we can understand.
Elize has few loving people also in her life who support her, Ted and Dolly, David, Freddie, Milly, Ada, Mary and so on. My only disappointment is I don't know why but I didn't like Freddie's character from the very beginning, but Eliza falls in love with him only. I like Davy and Eliza's relationship more, but Eliza was strong in her feelings. And in between a few pages are very dragging and boring.
I like so many characters in this book. Humanity, cruelty is explained at best. Its always to pleasure read fiction books on the old times. We can understand how life will be at that time. How they survived their lives, How relationships would be in those times, social and economic status. I love how Elize took charge of the family business, how she ran it and how she handled Brandon Miller, who is trying to take advantage of her in each situation. How business class people treated Eliza who is giving good competition to them is realistic. It's a bit east now for women to handle businesses single-handedly, but its a different story that time and all the problems we can understand.
Elize has few loving people also in her life who support her, Ted and Dolly, David, Freddie, Milly, Ada, Mary and so on. My only disappointment is I don't know why but I didn't like Freddie's character from the very beginning, but Eliza falls in love with him only. I like Davy and Eliza's relationship more, but Eliza was strong in her feelings. And in between a few pages are very dragging and boring.
November 16, 2021
This was nicely written and a heartwarming story of a young girl who faces one disaster after another and manages to overcome most of them. The reason I haven't given it more stars is just because of this. I just felt almost too much had happened to this girl - I got to the stage of thinking "oh no, not more heartache and distress - really?" ! What it did give was a very clear insight into just what the very poor had to contend with in the days of the Victorian era. There is a good mix of pleasant and not so pleasant characters and at least Eliza, the heroine of the story, is someone we are rooting for from the outset. I will definitely try another of Dilly Court's books...
April 19, 2024
I have given 5 stars for this story as it was very well written and a thoroughly enjoyable read. Dilly's descriptions were thorough especially of the dire living conditions. When reading this I tried to forget other stories of hers which also centres on the Thames, Australian penal colonies, gold mining and the love for an older man. Some of these are getting a bit repetitious!
A couple more niggles - there were a few typo errors which should have been picked up. Also when Ted killed Eunoch there was nothing mentioned about a police enquiry or a conviction which I thought strange.
Needless to say none of these spoilt the story for me and I would highly recommend.
A couple more niggles - there were a few typo errors which should have been picked up. Also when Ted killed Eunoch there was nothing mentioned about a police enquiry or a conviction which I thought strange.
Needless to say none of these spoilt the story for me and I would highly recommend.
February 17, 2020
a brilliant book from Dilly Court. Eliza briggs is brought up by her uncle who makes her and her brother Bart to live about his chandlery its only Bart that brings any comfort to Eliza's life but one day after accidentally killing a man Bart has to flee abroad via one of the ships sailing from the port. life gets desperate for Eliza as her uncle bullies her more and more this is a brilliant read of what happens to Bart and Eliza who both have to fight to live fighting to survive. a brilliant read very compelling
July 7, 2024
So much more than women's fiction. Such a great book that delivers so much more than the cover suggests. In fact, the cover suggests a middle-of-the-road love story with a slice-of-life when in fact this book is as gritty and brutal as any James Patterson novel. The research done into the era was spot on, if anything, it appears almost everyone in London back in the 1860s was on the take and the amount of cruelty and exploitation is astounding. The world is immersive, the characters richly drawn, the story line gripping.
October 28, 2018
As always Dilly never fails to write a good book, I really enjoyed this
February 9, 2019
Very good read
Once again another good book by Dilly Court. So glad I found this author and look forward to reading many more
Once again another good book by Dilly Court. So glad I found this author and look forward to reading many more
July 20, 2019
Good story
February 15, 2020
So glad I wasn't living in London in the 1800's! The poverty!! Eliza is a great character but must've been hard being a woman in those days! Bloody men!
February 26, 2020
Very good
I so enjoyed this book. Different to what I normally read but found the story interesting and didn't want it to end
I so enjoyed this book. Different to what I normally read but found the story interesting and didn't want it to end
April 26, 2020
Enjoyed this book
June 22, 2020
Really loved this book about the struggles of an orphan girl in East End of London. Definitely worth a read and I love Dilly Court as an author as i have a read a few books of hers
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 10, 2020
Absolutely loved this book and couldn't put it down.
February 20, 2021
A pleasant read
Once into this book I found it quite a compelling read with all the twists and turns, sorry to reach the end.
Once into this book I found it quite a compelling read with all the twists and turns, sorry to reach the end.
July 28, 2021
Brilliant read
Excellent book from Start to finish could not put it down wish there was a sequal.....loved all the characters. Did not put it down
Excellent book from Start to finish could not put it down wish there was a sequal.....loved all the characters. Did not put it down
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October 4, 2022Can anyone tell me what age this book is appropriate for it was given to my daughter for her birthday
August 19, 2024
Couldn’t finish this book.
May 9, 2025
really enjoyed this really easy reading & a change from my usual kind of books ...even had an happy ending 🤗
July 3, 2025
I absolutely love all things DC
March 17, 2017
Quick read. Enjoyable. Nice story. Beach read.
July 24, 2013
Sagas, the comfy slippers of reading matter. Nothing demanding in style or content, but a good book for bedtime or after a bout of 'flu. 'The Best of Sisters' is such a saga.
Eliza Bragg is a true Victorian heroine. She suffers greatly, struggles to succeed, appears to, and then is cast down again. Finally she rises up again triumphant, in best saga fashion. Poor Eliza is only eleven when her brother, Bart, gets in a fight and kills a man. He has to flee to New Zealand, leaving Eliza in the care of their wicked Uncle Enoch. From then on it's Eliza against the world.
There's a wide variety of interesting characters, lots happening, including the traditional seduction scene, and a colourful taste of Victorian London. Eliza is such a loving and determined girl that we cheer her along her journey to business success and into the arms of the right man.
Dilly Court is one of the better saga writers, and if you enjoy sagas you'll certainly enjoy this one.
June 6, 2014
It took me about a week or so to finish it and I really was anxious to read and get to the end of story and know what happened. Only at times did I feel bit bored by the long love lost story between Liza and Freddie. But all in all it was a good read. Difficult life with more downs than ups, yet Liza was always determined to land on her feet. A good boost to one self when everything seems to be going wrong in ones life!
February 5, 2011
cockney saga brill loved it couldnt put down
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews