The Strange Adventures of H: the enchanting rags-to-riches story set during the Great Plague of London

by Sarah Burton

Shortlisted for the HWA Debut Crown Award
Orphaned young, H is sent to live with her doting aunt in London. H's life is a happy one until her lecherous cousin robs her of her innocence, and the plague takes away the city and the people she loves. H is cast out – friendless, pregnant and destitute – into the rapidly emptying streets of London under quarantine.
Forced to fend for herself, she is determined to gain back the life she lost. H will face a villain out for revenge, find love in the most unexpected places, and overcome a betrayal that she never could have foreseen. Weathering it all, can H charm, or scheme, her way to the life of freedom and independence that she longs for?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Audiobook, Romance, Ebooks, British Literature

404 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2020

Reviews

[Beata · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this debut novel by Ms Burton quite interesting and very much in the sentiment of the 17th and 18th centuries literary classics. The title, 'strange adventures of H', hiding the actual name of the female protagonist, feels like we are reading an actual memoir written by a woman who honestly describes her adventures and misfortunes, and eventually fortunes. H, the narrator, tell us about her childhood and her adolescence years, and what kind of life she led until she was rewarded in later years. Brought up far away from London, orphaned although with several elder sisters, H finds herself under the care of an aunt and considers herself both happy and lucky until she is seduced by a cousin and finds herself pregnant. She flees home and faces the 17th London reality.
I enjoy reading novels by Defoe, Richardson, Smollett or Fielding, so this novel was truly up my street. Two tragic events, the Great Fire of London and the Great Plague that struck in 1666 are depicted very well and with terrific care and thorough research on the side of Ms Burton. The characters are believable and so are their actions, and although the end of the novel was somehow predictble, it did not spoil the pelasure of reading.
*Many thanks to Sarah Burton, Legend Press and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*

[Wera · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 stars
**Many thanks to NetGalley, Sarah Burton, and Legend Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Release date: 01 May 2020.**

Why is NO ONE talking about The Strange Adventures of H? Not only is the cover absolutely STUNNING, but the story itself is just *lovingly stares into the distance* perfect. We follow H as she grows up into a strong woman who manages to navigate 17th century England. Not only is it timely as it covers the Plague of London 1666, but it also features revenge plots, family reunions, death, and more angst. All this has propelled Sarah Burton's novel to become my favorite historical fiction story ever.

Before continuing on, I must put a trigger warning for rape and suicide. They are quite prevalent in some areas of the novel.

The story is so wholesome. It made me laugh and cry. A great strength of the novel is the character-work. I genuinely loved Evelyn, Aunt Madge, Godfrey, Janey, Charlie and more. I also hated Sylvia, Roger, Diana and all the people that wronged H. A big theme that is explored is greed and how money affects people/relationships. I think Sarah Burton handles this theme extremely well. She thoroughly examines characters that value money over life in a way that is engaging as all these characters are like real people. I really admire how close you get to the characters. You know how they talk, how they make their decisions, and you can just picture them living alongside you. I love that.

The plot is separated into three segments. H struggles with her mental health and decides to take on plenty identities: first she goes as "H", then as "Doll", then as "Halcyon". All three areas of the plot were heavily investing as they examined different ways of life a woman could lead in 1666 London. Each section gives us a new villain, a new group of allies, and more tension. It keeps your attention all the way through!

There were only two scenes that keep me from giving The Strange Adventures of H a 5 star rating. In my opinion, the prologue is unnecessary. It doesn't really add to anything, and spoils one of the most epic moments in the book. The other scene is quite spoilery, so... The scene where Evelyn dies is blown over. I think that if the author would really show H's grief, the story would greatly benefit as we'd feel the stress of the plague and the death of Evelyn affecting H.

Overall, I NEED more people to be talking about this novel. It is truly amazing. If you are looking for a fast-paced, original historical fiction story, this book is for you.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC received in exchange for an honest review 💀


The Strange Adventures of H is a historical coming of age story following our protagonist ‘H’ as she traverses a difficult 17th century London. Born to a time that features the plague, the Great Fire of London and the Shrove Tuesday riots, ‘H’ must also contend with being orphaned young and separated from all but one of her sisters. When her circumstances lead to a life on the streets, H must grow up quickly and use all her wits to lead the independent life she’s always dreamed of.

For the most part I found this a very quick and enjoyable read. It’s certainly atmospheric, with some wonderful descriptions of everyday life in London during a particularly tumultuous time. The streets feel gritty and grimy, rife with desperation and death, and I think the author did a really good job of projecting this image into my imagination. I could really picture the streets that H walks down, and the various people she might meet. The paragraphs relating to the plague felt eerily similar to current times, and I think this helped make the overall atmosphere of the story feel very real during this section. I also liked that this didn’t seem to take itself too seriously – at times the plot borders on the farcical, and feels very reminiscent of Moll Flanders in its sometimes absurd turn of events. It was almost as though there was a cheeky wink given to the reader at certain points in the text to reassure that they know the plot is ridiculous, but to just go along with it.

I also liked H as a main character, as she comes across as resourceful (if incredibly naïve at the start) with a warm heart. Yes, she’s rather stereotypical of the genre (the ‘tart with a heart’ trope is incredibly prevalent here) but this didn’t put me off wanting to know more about her life. I also liked that her name is ‘H’, a rather ambiguous title that allows her to define her life by the subsequent alias she invents for herself. We have the innocent H, the flirty Doll and the wild and free Halcyon. It was an inventive way to give the character (and the reader) the freedom to invent a different personality to suit the namesake.

However, I did encounter a lot of issues with the story itself. The main one being that I thought that the plot felt very rushed. There is a lot of telling and no showing of certain critical scenes, and as such we miss a lot of the action as we instead hear about scenes via ‘H’ recounting her story. As a result, large chunks of H’s history is never shown, and we miss seeing a lot of her character growth play out on the page. The overall timescale and age of H is a little muddled too. I believe her age is only really mentioned once throughout the book, right at the start when she goes to live with her Aunt at 12 or 13, and we are never given a definite timescale of events after this. This meant by the end of the novel I was unsure what age H was – she could have been anything from 16 to 36.

The writing style is also incredibly off putting at times, told in a way that makes it difficult to remain engaged with the story. The sentence structures feel overly long and convoluted, and at times I struggled to get past this and enjoy the story for what it was. I understand that the idea was to perhaps make the reader believe that H really is a character of her time, retelling her story to a friend or lover, but I just didn’t like it at all and feel that the same sentiment could have been achieved just by developing the character of H more. I’ve read plenty of historical novels where more ‘modern’ speech is applied and I’ve still felt fully immersed in the world. This, in comparison, just kept throwing me out of the story.

That said, this was a rip roaring historical read that never gets too dark or too deep. Go in expecting something absurd and nonsensical and you’ll have a good time with H and her friends.

[Margaret M - (having a challenging time and on GR as much as I can) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I recalled how cruel the plague had made people to each other and was obliged to concede that there is no disaster which can befall humanity, that we will not fail to make worse by our own hands, for it is fear that makes us cruel.”

The captivating story of H, told in the first person, is a tale of hardship and endurance where one girl must compromise her moral standing, virtue, and reputation to survive after a series of disastrous events that seal her fate.

Following the death of her father, H goes to live with an adoring aunt and her cousins along with her sister Evelyn. However, just as the plague rides triumphant through the streets of London and people are left to fight their own battles against unimaginable loss, suffering and isolation, three things happen to H that plunge her into similar poverty and destitution. H is raped by her cousin Roger, then left abandoned on the streets and pregnant.

Alone and hungry, H becomes a lady of the night, and dons the title “doll” to separate her life from who she is, to what she must become to survive. In doing so her painted face and vibrant clothes become her own badge of courage and survival. The plot widens and twists drawing in a host of characters that are all integral to the story whilst all the time combining the real with the fiction. But living through betrayal, love, loss, and adversity, H wears her favourite phrase as a cloak of protection “ … happiness is simply the state of things not going wrong”

The setting of London during the plague, the Great Fire of London and the playhouses gives the book a very authentic historical touch where a palpable aura of terror hung to London as death continued to stalk the streets. The plague had also widened, rather than contracted, the divisions between rich and poor, as the rich left London and turned-out servants leaving them jobless, homeless, and penniless. All of this we do know as historical fact which made the book all the more fascinating, because while “… real life, unlike fiction, is untidy, and you do not know what is the beginning, or the middle, or the end, until it is all far too late”

Although the author created an array of well-developed characters, and a great plot it was this historical setting that made this book for me. The reason it is not a "5" is because it seemed to spend too long on some themes at the expense of others that I would have considered important to the story and the book also lost its way from time to time. However, overall a very good book that I would recommend to historical fiction lovers.

H was never given a name because her parents could not agree. So we have renamed her “Hope” because that was all that was left to her.

[PattyMacDotComma · Rating 3 out of 5]

3★
“ ‘I believe a clever woman will discover it a very difficult thing to find a husband who is not a fool,’ announced Sylvia, in a manner that ensured she received everyone’s – in especial, Roger’s – full attention. ‘For myself, I think it safer to conceal my intelligence.’

‘And, my dear girl, that you do most admirably!’ interjected Roger and everyone laughed but Sylvia gave me a look as would kill, seeing I laughed hardest of all. From that moment on, I believe she had me in her sights.”

Newly-orphaned H and her older sister Evelyn are living in London with their Aunt Madge, who has just announced to her dinner party that both girls are very clever. Sylvia is seeking to marry one of Aunt Madge’s handsome twin sons, the usually drunken Robert.

The story begins with H’s birth in 1650 and moves through The Plague, the Great Fire of London, the playhouses where Nell Gwyn (same age as H) rose to fame and became the young mistress of Charles II. The book is divided into three parts.

Part One is H’s childhood, Aunt Madge’s household, enjoying her late uncle’s library, teaching a pair of little step-cousins and servants to read, and then come the desperately sad Plague years. I use a capital letter, because it had such a devastating effect. Those Londoners who were able to moved to the country.

“ I also later discovered as true the rumour she related that some refugees from London were herded into barns in the counties surrounding the capital, outside which stood men with guns ready to shoot them if they stirred, so afraid were the country people of Londoners carrying death in their train.
. . .
That night I had realised the plague did far worse things than kill people. Those it did not kill it made merciless, cruel as dogs to one another. We were all its victims.”

Houses are boarded with sick and dying people still inside. H escapes but is alone, pregnant, starving and lives on the streets. Eventually, of course, she becomes Doll and lives a different life in a bawdy house and mixing with actors and actresses, who are held in even worse repute than prostitutes. Then the Great Fire of London sweeps through, razing much of the city even as it cleanses.

“Whether by the efforts of the militia and citizens, aided by the King and the Duke of York themselves, or by the east wind mercifully dropping, the great fire eventually ceased its relentless despoil of the city, leaving, so it has been calculated, only one in six buildings standing within London’s walls. I easily recall this figure, as it chimed in a kind of contrary tune with the plague toll, which had killed one sixth of Londoners.”

H gets a chance to work in a playhouse, which is where she befriends Nell Gwyn, who is also only sixteen. Young girls had to be resourceful.

“And it also made the playhouse perhaps the only place in the country where a King and any poor fellow who could raise the price of a bench in the pit, could sit in the same place, and look on each other, and enjoy the same entertainment.”

Nell is the most popular on stage, a cheeky, flirtatious performer who later becomes the mistress of King Charles II. H can pretty much pick and choose her clients.

There are many other characters of course, and some from her past pop up again, making her nervous. Her family assumes she died from the Plague, and she would rather they think that than know the truth.

In Part Three, she is more independent and the author shows us how hard it is for unattached women to survive in these times. The safest station for a woman is as a widow of a well-to-do gentleman (like Aunt Madge), but H is a long way from that.

There is nothing strange or adventurous about H’s story. I think she is fairly representative of many neglected children in those days. She herself is made of pretty tough stuff, and she is lucky to ingratiate herself with the right people. There are many coincidences, few surprises, and the last third is reasonably predictable with a tidy ending.

It kept feeling very long to me, which is never a good sign. (Like my reviews, I know, but they help me remember the stories!)

The language and dialogue sounds appropriate and is easy to understand. Some historical fiction uses so much dialect that it’s hard to follow, and some uses unrealistic modern language.

I think this would be an entertaining introduction to new readers of historical fiction who enjoy romance and would like to know something about 17th century England. I feel sure, they wouldn't have the been-there-done-that feeling that I had.

Thanks to NetGalley and Legend Press for the copy for review from which I’ve quoted.

[Annette · Rating 3 out of 5]

H is orphaned at the age of thirteen. Their Aunt Madge offers patronage. H and her sister Evelyn move to London. At her house, aunt Madge has transformed one room into a vast space lined with books. The girls are introduced to their “university” and are encouraged to “read widely and without prejudice.” This was the moment when I thought that H would be diving into those books, spending every free moment in this room. But no, she shows more of a frivolous side.

I connected with the protagonist at the very beginning, but once she started missing on chances that life was giving her, I disconnected. I thought that with losing parents at such young age, it would make her mature faster. I also thought that she’d be representing character of a strong woman. But it didn’t feel that way.

When I was hoping that the story would bring some dimensions to the protagonist, it was filled with her encountering other people, admiring other women, filled with men talking about women’s place, which didn’t sound attractive.

I was interested in the historical background, but I didn’t connect with the protagonist or the storyline, and the pace was on a slower side.

Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story has been told many times before. A young girl from a well to do family finds herself, through no fault of her own, on the streets, fending for herself, at the mercy of London's most wicked rapscallions, her life reduced to petty crime and prostitution.

What makes this book stand out is H, she is a wonderful narrator and you can't help falling in love with her and the strange group of friends she makes on her journey. There does seem to be a bit of a missed opportunity to expand on some of her experiences, particularly surviving life on the streets during the great plague of London which lasted a year but is reduced to a handful of pages. There is, however, much to enjoy and yes, the ending is ridiculously overblown, almost like the last scene of a Carry On film, But I loved it.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that gave me many surprises, I really enjoyed reading this. At first, I struggled to connect with the narrative. However, once I had adapted to Burton’s writing style, I found myself immersed in seventeenth century London, desperate to see what would happen next to H.

One thing that really stood out for me was how this novel feels like an old classic. It is very wordy and heavy on description. Coupled with the time period, I felt like I was dusting off an old book. This was what made it difficult to engage with at the start of the novel and I was really worried how often my attention would wonder. However, as the plot developed, I started to get an interest in the protagonist and her life.

I think the change for me was when the plague really started to impact the life of London and those around H. This added drama and tension; I was keen to see how H and her household would survive and was curious about the behaviour of Roger and Frederick. I do enjoy historical novels and relished the setting of the plague and then the Great Fire of London. The immense description and writing style made this seem all the more vivid, reflecting that a denser narrative is not always a criticism.

The life of H reflects the role of women in society during this period. H is clever and uses social expectations to her advantage. I especially liked the third part when she escapes the house she is living in, setting herself up as a kept woman. Burton’s exploration of women in this time shows how little choices they had and I liked how H’s sisters have different paths – each illustrates the different options that a woman had at that time.

H… what an unusual name! Burton eventually solves the mystery of the protagonist’s name, but you have to wait until the very end. However, it did not deter me that she does not have a typical name and it symbolises the desperation that H does not wish to be labelled. The ambiguity of her name shows how she wishes to keep her freedom and liberties as much as possible.

The cover of this novel is beautiful, I was really drawn into it. At first, I did not notice the skulls amongst the roses and I think this makes the book even more enticing! H indeed has strange adventures and the roses and skulls symbolise the different extremes that she experiences.

Despite struggling to initially connect with the narrative, I did enjoy reading it. I thought the last few chapters were a bit prolonged and that this section of the story could have been condensed a bit more. However, the vivid portrayal of London during the seventeenth century was captivating and I felt pulled into history whilst reading it.

I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. With thanks to everyone at Legend Press and Sarah Burton for allowing me to participate in this blog tour.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this read. The author put time into making the reader feel immersed in the time and place of 16th century London. The pacing can be a bit slow but the details added are worth the atmospheric quality. Overall, I would recommend to those a fan of historical fiction.

Thank you Netgalley and Legend Press for the opportunity to review this arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Flybyreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an unexpected surprise this book was!
I have to say I did not see it coming when I requested to review this title. I fell for the cover and a story in London more than anything however the story catapulted itself to stratosphere after the first few chapters. The extraordinary plot twists, the story, the narration, the characters: I absolutely loved them!
I would not image living in London in 1660s. Our protagonist, born and raised in a poverty-stricken environment that lacks fortune, encounters first the plague, then the Great Fire and as if that's not enough, experienced first hand The Bawdy House Riots (Shrove Tuesday) within a 3-year period. The soul-crashing life she leads, how her adventures turn out create a most amazing story! My brain short-circuited after the first half; the surprises, twists and turns never end in her story. The misadventures continue within the style of “L’homme propose, le Dieu dispose,” (as Frenchie would say), God laughing at the plans she makes by creating obstacles every step of the way. A beautiful, creative piece of literature for fiction lovers and one of the greatest examples of historical fiction of the year.

(I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)

[Inkslinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC provided by Legend Press and Sarah Burton via NetGalley. All opinions are mine and freely given.

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"When I look back on that eventful night now, all this seems trivial. For even as we lived our little lives and fought our petty battles, death stalked the city, and soon would ride triumphant through the streets."

08-11: I'm not sure what exactly encouraged me to want to read 'The Strange Adventures of H' by Sarah Burton, as it's certainly a historical fiction novel.. which is something I typically avoid. What's more.. there's no supernatural or fantastical element that might normally turn my head, yet in hindsight.. I'm glad I gave it a chance.

The story follows an orphaned girl simply known as H, who along with her sister Evelyn, is sent to live with their aunt in London. The sisters are incredibly close and Aunt Madge is an endearingly free-spirited widow who seems to adore them.

Happy in their lot, possibly happier than they were before they became orphans, things take a dark turn when their cousin assaults H and an epidemic of the plague ravages the city. Those she loves, either too far removed or taken from her, H is cast into the streets during a great exodus of those hoping to get beyond the disease's reach.

Alone, pregnant, and with no money with which to survive, she's forced to do whatever she can to earn a living.


"..I thought this must be what Hell is like. Not hot and full of pain and confusion, but cool and grey and empty, where you are shut out of everywhere, yet cannot leave."


Honestly, this doesn't read at all like a story. There's no discernable plot exactly, just a series of horrific events, though that isn't a bad thing. It's more of a fictional memoir chronicling the life of a young woman as she experiences some of the lowest days imaginable, some of the greatest betrayals and losses a heart can bear, and some moments of great joy that seem to exist at times.. only to give her hope until the next crushing disappointment.

Despite the fact it's a period piece, most of the language avoids that flowery styling I normally dislike, as it deals with people considered common and the dialects of their status. There's plenty enough modern wording thrown in there that I didn't mind it all that much and in truth, I was too engrossed in what was going to happen to H.. to put the book down anyway.

There were some characters I dearly loved. Godfrey was spectacular, Aunt Madge was a warm, rebellious creature, Fredrick and Charlie filled their pages with a kindness and gentleness that was sorely needed to offset all the horrible events happening around H, and certainly Jasper.. while silly as can be.. managed to charm me nonetheless.

Both the time period and historical events that took place throughout the tale, were intricately detailed. Burton painted an appropriately somber image of the tragedy and despair devastating those left behind to struggle through the plague, while the wealthy often just picked up and left.. heading off to safer locales. The result of course being even more unkindness as their society devolves into a primarily 'every person for themselves' situation. Therein lies a parallel not lost on me as we have in some cases watched similar things take place in recent months.

I give the author credit for not simply sinking into the more unpleasant human nature that can rise to the surface in these situations. There's still representation here for those who would help their fellow, whether or not it be in their own best interest.. and poor H is one of those. But overall things are rather grim and sometimes the things people tell themselves to justify their behavior is shocking.

It's a great read though, I recommend it if you're not likely to be overwhelmed by the desperation many of the characters find themselves in. There are some triggers here to be considered, especially in regards to violence towards women and children, even up to loss of life in some cases.. but if you can handle that, it's a richly pain-filled story painted in fine strokes, so as nothing is glossed over.

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[Fazila · Rating 4 out of 5]

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DISCLAIMER : Thank you, Netgalley and Legends Press for providing me with an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Strange Adventures Of H is a fascinating memoir-style coming-of-age story of a young girl by the name H. This story is set during the Great Plague of London. It also covers The Great Fire of London and The Shrove Tuesday Riots that happened in London. H tells the readers her life story by taking us through a series of unfortunate events that drive her to make difficult decisions and having to fend for herself in the 17th century London that wasn't kind to young women who didn't have a man's protection. This is such an honest and raw account of her life experiences that make her the person she is today. This is a story of a young girl pregnant and alone whose life is filled with hardships and a continuous string of unfortunate events triumphing against all odds. The pacing is set at a slower pace and the story is meant to be enjoyed and savored. I loved the descriptive writing and the author paints a vivid picture of the gritty and dark London set during the plague. The condition of humanity and the greed, survival, fight against the system all make this story a worthwhile read. The growth of the young and naïve protagonist to a savvy and resourceful businesswoman is intriguing and equally fascinating. H's character arc was amazing and I loved how determined and focused she was. Her strengths, flaws, and goodness were all portrayed honestly. This is an honest and wholesome story of the survival of a young girl in the most difficult circumstances. If you love historical fiction and would love to read about a character-focused success story of an unlikely protagonist you will enjoy this story. I gave this book 4-4.5 stars and I highly recommend getting this book.

[Iza Brekilien · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed for Books and livres

First of all, many thanks to Netgalley for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Secondly, if you're looking for a historical novel who leads you through the ups and downs of XVIIth century London, you're in for a treat. In 1665-66 : the plague. In 1666 : the great fire. In 1668 : the Shrove tuesday riots. And these are just the historical parts : before all this, H loses her father, she's estranged from her sisters (except Evelyn), she goes to London and discovers a new way of living. Most of all, she discovers the playhouses, such disreputable places, but so fascinating ! She's just a young girl, still a child at the beginning, but she grows into a young woman along the story, in a rough way, but showing strength and resilience.

There are many characters in this story with their particular flaws but also their particular kindnesses. I feared this would be about despair, loneliness and misery - and they figure in it - but it was also a story of solidarity, of learning to value yourself. It is not to be taken too seriously (two coincidences were a lot, but why not, the author explains it, yet three coincidences...), but it's mentioned in the title, "adventures" ! It was a very entertaining read and I will not forget Mother Cresswell soon.

I also enjoyed the fact that there are lgbt characters - Frances's story should probably be a very interesting one and the end of the novel hints that she may tell her own, one day. I hope she will, I'll read it happily.

[Anya Leonard · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing book and what a prescient time to have read it. This story takes place during the plague of 1666 in London followed shortly thereafter by the great fire. During the time I find myself now, reading a book of quarantine in a time when little was known about diseases and how they spread, was very interesting.
The tale centers around H, a young orphan, and her sister Evelyn who have been given into the care of their Aunt. During the book, we are taken through different ups and downs in H's life and I found that though it was somewhat depressing subject matter times, it was very uplifting and had a wonderful character arc. The characters were all very well thought out, and I found myself wanting to know more of Godfrey and Jasper than I was given in the book itself. Though I was unfamiliar with the author previously, I feel as though she has a wonderful story laid out in this book and hope to read more from her in the future.
It was a wonderful quarantine book for me, and hopefully, it will be something you will choose to pick up in the future!
This ebook was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5
The story is separated into three sections as H's fortunes change through the book. If I had only read the first two parts, this would have been an unexpected pleasure; I felt the book was let down by the last part, which was a bit trite.

H lives a fairly modest existence in the country with her Father and Sisters. A visit to a fair, where H insists on staying to watch a play sets in motion a series of events that change her life completely, culminating in her Father's death and her having to move to London with Evelyn, one of her sisiters under the protection of her aunt. Unfortunately, the plague hits London, and everyones life is turned up-side-down, shortly followed of course, by the great fire of London.

The story was a compelling one and I felt the author did a good job of evoking London during the Plague and The Great Fire, but that last section was a bit predictable and not as believable as the rest of the story had been. I would happily read her next book however

*Many thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.*

[Erin Rumney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so upset this book had to end. If I could give it more than five stars, I would. What a journey and what a story! This is by far one of the best books I’ve read this year. I physically couldn’t put it down and desperately wanted to find out what happened to H. I have never routed or loved a character so much. Everything about this book was wonderful, the story telling, the characters, the setting... My word, what an absolute corker of a book!

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Why is nobody talking about this book? It’s a tremendous romp through England in the 1660’s (or there about) and includes a girl named H, the plague, some dastardly villains, the great fire of London, a few brothels, a cross dressing sailor, the odd murder and delightful array of colourful characters. Thoroughly enjoyable and escapist.

[Ke* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh what an amazing journey this was !
I initially had to get used to the writing style but when the plague started I was really melting into feeling like being there, in the 17.century London... I loved H's story with all the twists and turns... a real surprise read for me ! 👍

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Legend Press for this arc.

Thank you to Sarah Burton for this book.

This follows H who lost her father but she is also estranged from her own sisters except her one sisters called Evelyn. So she decides in which that she goes to London and finds a new way of actual living. Then she discovers play houses and disreputable places are fascinating to her. H ends up surviving the Great Plague of London as well as The Great Fire of London , destitution and many other adventures with a surprising end.

This is a very gripping and thrilling historical fiction book featuring from the 16th century. I loved the whole historical part including the plague and the great fire of London.

5 Stars⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
recommend.

[Suzanne Kentish · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this story, set in and around London in the mid 1660's it tells of a young orphaned girl named 'H'. The story is written as 'H''s journal, it tells of her troubles including being split up from her family, surviving the plague and the great fire of London. It's a book where a great deal happens, both tragic and uplifting. I loved the era, the characters and the ending. A beautifully written historical novel, everything I wanted it to be.

[Gemma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a brilliantly plotted story with some really interesting and believable characters. Set during a fascinating time in London history the story covers the plague and the great fire among other things. It would be perfect for fans of The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock although the writing is not as rich as that book. Occasionally the writing slips into telling rather than showing, particularly when it comes to the emotions of the main character of H. This was why it fell short of a 5 star read but, that aside, I really enjoyed this book and was sad to leave the characters at the end.

[Mairy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much NetGalley, Legends Press and Sarah Burton for this e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.

This book was fantastic!! Let's start with the story structure: it is divided in three parts, as H's three major chapters of her life. Part one starts with the introduction of H as a child, her many sisters, and the loss of both parents, which leads to her and sister Evelyn being sent to her aunt who embraces both girls and allows them to learn and grow in a confortable and loving home. Unfortunately, one of aunt Madge's sons, Roger, is the complete opposite of his dear mother: a vile, misogynic, manipulative womanizer who takes advantage of H and leaves her sick and pregnant.
Part two starts after the Plague hits the streets of London in 1666 and kills an astronomical number of people, to include H's sister Evelyn. H has to fall back on her feet and so leaves aunt Madge's Cheapside house and decide to prostitue herself in order to survive. This lifestyle leads her to mature quickly and makes her love for money grow. Despite her love for money (even though H cannot be considered a greedy person), her kindness and empathy always prevails. Good people could see beyond the painted face, through her eye, that H, or Doll as she was called when a prostitute, has a good heart. This good heart put several amazing people on her path as well as villains. H was able to navigate through all her relationships with great elegance and wit, and I admire her for it.

I can say that H has joined my list of most favorite fictional characters, for her resilience, strength, intelligence, sensitivity made me get very attached to her and understand all the choices she has made.

I finish this novel last night and I can't stop thinking about it. Sarah Burton's writing is smart, daring, blunt, sexy, and honest. If you love historical fiction, debut novels, strong female protagonists, London settings, daring stories, or journeys, I cannot recommend this book to you strong enough.

If you read this book, do not hesitate to contact me privately to discuss it.

[Rebecca Batley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this book, the premise of this story is great. A young girl ‘H’ is orphaned and sent to live with her aunt. There she faces plague, fire and the loss of her innocence. She finds herself cast out onto the streets of London, whilst London is laying under a quarantine order. (Very apt at this dreadful time!)
What follows is the story of her fight for survival. The opening scene is both wonderful and horrible, it’s the sort of scene that stages with you, and so I had high hopes for the rest of the book.
I loved the first half of the book, unfortunately for me, the book then seemed to loose direction. I found the writing hard to follow but the storyline predictable and I’m sorry to say that I skim read the last few chapters.
The character of H was also difficult to like and root for, and for me the love story added nothing but predictability.
I wanted to love this but didn’t, and I’m sorry for that as there are some good points. If the author could continue the skill she showed at the beginning of the book all the way through then it would have been brilliant.

[Bec Begg]

Such a great book - brilliant story and writing. I enjoyed this insight into this time and place. I loved the fact the ending was neat but not too much so, and definitely unexpected. Would definitely recommend

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a curious little jaunt through 17th century London this book proved to be! I admit that it was pure cover love that first drew me to the story, and I am so glad that I embarked on this journey. Covering historical events such as the plague, the Great Fire of London and the Shrove Tuesday Riots, this was not only an unusual but refreshingly honest (and sometimes funny) tale told through the eyes of an enigmatic, plucky young protagonist.

After having been orphaned as a young child, the girl “H” and her older sister are sent to live with an aunt in London, where they act as part surrogate daughters, part hired help in their relative’s large and comfortable house. Life is good until a series of disasters (being raped by an older cousin, falling pregnant and losing most of her remaining family to the plague), H finds herself on the streets, having to fend for herself to survive. But she is nothing but resourceful, and the following story tells of her adventures ...

If you think that having a character only referred to as “H” is strange, don’t let this put you off from reading this delightful book – you will find out the reason soon enough! H was a wonderful protagonist, representing the life of a young woman in the era, even if her journey was anything but ordinary. This is not the type of dry, tedious historical fiction often encountered when reading about the late middle ages, but a story full of family drama, intrigue and adventure. The setting in old London town is atmospheric and evokes the era perfectly, especially in the grip of the plague and with a fire destroying great parts of the city. I also fell in love with many of the other colourful characters starring in H’s life, which added interesting side elements to the story.

At times, I was divided between taking the book as an entertaining romp (it appears at times not to take itself too seriously, with H’s often quite humorous observations) and wanting a bit more emotional depth, for example the terrible stresses encountered during the plague, which sometimes felt rushed and a bit glossed over. Covering a large timespan, the story often jumped over details I really wanted to explore a bit deeper.

All in all, THE STRANGE ADVENTURES OF H was an atmospheric, entertaining romp through 17th century London, led by an enigmatic female lead. Exploring the darker elements of the time through a tongue-in-cheek lens, the book never became dark or confronting despite not shirking away from the hardships faced by women of the era. The book made a pleasant change from others in the genre, not overly romanticizing history but also managing to remain upbeat and often laugh-out-loud funny when seeing the world through H’s eyes. I really enjoyed it and look forward to reading more from this author in future.

3.5 stars


Thank you to Netgalley and Legend Press for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.

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[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me in the first few pages with a hanging and The Strange Adventures of H only got better. This rollicking tale takes place place in 1660's England during the reign of Charles II. H, who is called H by her parents because they can't agree on a name, is one of six sisters to her father's chagrin and anger. A minister with no fatherly love for his brood, marries off his two older daughters to two mean and righteous men, runs off the next two into a hard world and dies of a heart attack. The youngest two, H and Evelyn, are packed off to an aunt in London. A mere young adolescent H then has a respite at her aunt's in London where she is treated lovingly and well. This, however, would be a short and boring book indeed if it ended here and this is not a boring book. As I can't give everything away, H survives the Great Plague of London, The Great Fire of London (all very exciting), destitution, the stage and many other adventures with a surprising end. There was also murder and orphans thrown in for extra entertainment. As Godfrey was putty in Aunt Madge's hands I was a slave to this book to the end. Thankfully, the weather was stormy and the power was out so the interruptions were minimal. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a review. Also to the author for an afternoon and evenings entertainment.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical novel following H, a young girl/woman making her way in 17th century London.

Orphaned H goes to live with her aunt in London. The plague arrives and she suddenly has to fend for herself.

[Molly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

First of all, according to Goodreads the paperback edition of this book is a mere 272 pages. Either this is an egregious lie, or the font in that edition is too small for any human to read. This book was so long. And usually I’m the kind of person who wants books to be longer—I love it when a book fulfills all of its potential instead of cutting parts short! The Strange Adventures of H was a drag from start to finish (and still managed to rush the ending???).

I think this book just wasn’t my cup of tea. For one thing, it wasn’t what I was expecting. From the title, I thought that this would have, well, more strange adventures—a little bit of everyday magic, a little more strangeness, but H’s adventures were anything but. They were relatively straightforward adventures. After H, an orphaned child being raised by her aunt, is thrown out of her cousins house at the height of the bubonic plague, she takes to the streets of London, penniless and pregnant (due to unwanted advances by her cousin). She turns to prostitution to make her living. This is roughly what the hook of the book is, but these events don’t even happen until a third of the way through the book! You have to slog through her entire backstory before even reaching the defining moment, and that was the most interesting part. It goes downhill from there.

The biggest problem that I faced in this book is that I just didn’t care about H. Her character fell flat, which makes the entire book a struggle since it is written as her faux-memoir. In the first third of the book, she is painfully naive, and the reader can muster up some sympathy for her as she faces up against her pervy cousin and his catty wife. When she is thrown out, though, all of that innocence falls away, and we find ourselves with a very dry, matter-of-fact narrator. She goes through the motions, and the author relies heavily on telling rather than showing. I just never got a good sense of character from H.

As a result, her actions don’t really carry any weight. Why should the reader care about whether she’s ruining her, or anyone else’s, reputation? Why should we want her to overcome her struggles, when it hardly feels like she is struggling at all? Equally, we can’t follow the other character’s motivations either. The romance came completely out of nowhere, and then got pushed to the side again and again until the very end of the book. The ending wraps up with a neat little bow on top, and it really feels like through her entire life, H never faces consequences for anything bad she’s done, including murder.

Ah, the murder. This is not a spoiler, because the book is framed by a prologue in which H chillingly describes the hanging of a man who has been deemed guilty of murder. The reader is then informed that H is watching this execution despite the fact she knows the man to be innocent of this crime, “for [she] had tied [the victim] up and Kat had beat her with the poker.” It’s a very promising introduction to the story, and leads us to believe that the story will be about H’s fall from grace and how she became a criminal, and yet when we finally get to the murder it’s horrifically anticlimactic. H goes from 0 to murder in less than a page, and then she basically has no fallout after the fact. It was barely a blip on the radar, and it only acted as the turning point for H to get a bunch of money and move into her own house.

I don’t want to say that this book is unequivocally bad and that no one should pick it up. If you’re a fan of historical fiction and are looking to read a book where the women have a bit more agency, then you might enjoy this book. For me, however, reading this book was a chore and a bore.

[Jamie-Lee Kelly · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this to be a very mundane 'journal of a narcissist'. The plot was predictable and overdone and H herself I found to be a simpering, self-centred damsel masquerading as an empowered philanthropist. I found the journal style of the book dull and the sentence structure throughout was jarring and often baffling, for example; "Charlie had mentioned the name of the church and I knew the wedding was due to happen at ten o'clock, so I installed myself in an ordinary over the road, took a table in the window where I had a clear view, and ordered a fine breakfast, for which I had a good appetite after my walk, which was spoiled only by some disagreeable coffee which tasted of soot and cinders."

Alas, the ending. Though I understand that this is historical fiction, 'girl is bullied into marrying someone she doesn't want to' was a less than satisfying way to tie up her story, particularly as H had been bleating about finding her own way in life and becoming an independent unkept woman for the previous 350 pages.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a thoroughly enjoyable historical Fiction audiobook. The superb narration brings the characters alive. A Wonderful taste of the The Restoration era in London and significant events of the time such as the plague and the Great Fire of London. Women ways of surviving were limited during those times and the life of an upper class harlot has room for a lot of fun in this rendition.
Really surprised myself with how much I enjoyed it and how compelling the audiobook was.
Another great one for historical fiction fans.