Ancestry

by Simon Mawer

432 pages, Paperback

Published June 1, 2023

About the author

Simon Mawer was a British author who lived in Italy.

Reviews

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very original novel that pieces together the jigsaw of what the author’s great-great parents’ lives might well have looked like, bringing them to life based on the historical records of the time which are inserted into the text. Both sets of ancestors lived during the middle of the 19th century. Abraham, an illiterate seaman and Naomi, his seamstress wife on his maternal side and George, a soldier and Annie, his illiterate Irish wife on his paternal side. The hardships of life at that time for working class people are laid bare with particular emphasis on the struggle of the women when their menfolk went to sea or war. The unrelenting poverty, sickness and uncertainty faced by these brave, strong, women is very well portrayed, as are the horrific events endured during the Crimean War.

[Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

A captivating idea of a novel. Mawer has concocted an engaging family story from the barest of information. Birth marriage death certificates newspaper cuttings census reports all sparked from a family story passed down through generations. Beautifully written it's more than a chronicle of the Victorian ancestors but has so much to say about Victorian life and attitudes. Historical fiction weaved with non-fiction with great skill.

[Georgina Vestergaard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simon Mawer has brought his ancestors to life with details of their environment and the times. He has used imagination to create a personality and possible scenes to explain documented records of their life.

[Rudiger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book, I didn't want it to end

[Marina · Rating 3 out of 5]

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