L'infortune de Kitty Grey

by Mary Hooper, Fanny Ladd (Translator), Patricia Duez (Translator)

1813. Kitty Grey mène une vie sans histoire dans la campagne anglaise en tant que fille de ferme. Elle y est bien traitée par la famille qui l’emploie et aime son travail à la laiterie. Et puis, il y a Will, le jeune passeur de la rivière, dont elle espère qu’il lui fera bientôt sa demande. Jusqu’au jour où Will disparaît... Persuadée qu’il est parti chercher fortune à Londres, la naïve jeune fille saisit la première occasion de gagner la capitale, où elle ne tardera pas à se faire détrousser par d’habiles pickpockets. La voilà dans l’incapacité de retourner chez elle, et dans l’obligation de trouver urgemment un moyen de survivre dans cette ville hostile. Mais les choses tournent mal, et Kitty est bientôt jetée dans la puante prison de Newgate, puis condamnée à être déportée dans la lointaine colonie australienne...

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Historical, Romance, Realistic Fiction, 19th Century, Fiction

288 pages, Paperback

First published May 9, 2013

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

British children's and young adult author Mary Hooper was born in 1944, in Barnes, then in Surrey, nowadays in South West London. She left school at fifteen, and went to work as a window dresser, and then as a secretary. She eventually returned to school, as an adult student, earning a degree in English from Reading University. Hooper began her writing career with short stories, publishing in women's and teen magazines. Her first book, Jodie, was published in 1978. She is married, has two children, and one grandchild, and lives in Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire.

Reviews

[Anne Osterlund · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kitty is a milkmaid in a model dairy on a lovely country estate. She isn't fancy. She neither craves a city life nor envies the advantages of the rich, mostly. And while she oft finds others' actions a bit of a conundrum--why, for example, would the young ladies of the estate require a live dairy cow for their drawing room antics?--Kitty is prepared to do her best by people. The ferryman she loves, the young child he dumps into Kitty's care, even the soldier who has fallen head over heals for one of the young ladies of the estate.

And, therefore, when Kitty is sent to London and robbed almost instantly of every penny in her possession, we know she is in trouble. Because Kitty Grey has never come up against anything like the folly of London.

I quite enjoyed The Disgrace of Kitty Grey. I'm not sure why I was unclear on whether I would, as I have enjoyed all of the historical fiction I have read by Mary Hooper; but I was a bit unsure whether this novel was a full-length read in the same vein as her other books. Perhaps because of the bright cover. This concern proved unfounded.

Kitty's story is full of the same hardcore, hardscrabble London we find in a great many of Hooper's books. Kitty, herself, is a tad twitterpainted and naive (OK, a LOT of the latter:). But she is loyal, determined, unspoiled, and prepared to work hard in the name of the young child for whom she has unwittingly become a guardian. Even when London thieves rob them blind and life spirals into the darkness of Newgate Prison, Kitty refuses to succumb to the darkness around her or to shun those she meets.

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kitty Grey is happy with her life. She looks after five gorgeous milk cows, has plenty of free time and is in the start of a lovely romance with Will the Ferryman. But Will dreams of more than just living in Devonshire. He’s keen to go to London and earn his fortune so that he will be a man Kitty can be proud of.

When Kitty discovers Will is missing and all his belongings are gone too, she’s furious. When she gets given a chance to run an errand in London, Kitty is eager to go to the city and track Will down. But what greets her is nothing at all like she expected.

I had high hopes for The Disgrace of Kitty Grey. I’ve read some of Mary Hooper’s contemporary novels before but this is the first historical novel of hers that I read. It’s got a lot of charm. From the first few pages when Kitty gets asked to assist the young Misses in their quest to create a tableau vivant complete with live cows I knew it was going to be an entertaining novel. And it had some great points. I enjoyed the differences between modern life and the world Kitty lives in. There are some lovely contrasts of Kitty’s idyllic life in Devonshire and the world she experiences in the city of London.

Where this novel fell short for me was in the intensity of Kitty’s emotions. She has to face some tragic circumstances and throughout it all she never sheds a tear. I needed to feel more from Kitty in order to enjoy the story more. Another shortcoming of this novel was the incredible coincidences that occur – it made this story feel less realistic with just how impossible some of the situations were.

Beautifully researched, The Disgrace of Kitty Grey was a lovely book to read with a strong heroine but lacked a lot of emotion.

[Nara · Rating 2 out of 5]

For full review please click here

I think that before I start on the review, I have to say that The Disgrace of Kitty Grey was very much a book for younger readers. There was just something about the language that didn't quite appeal to me- it seemed a bit forced and clumsy at times. The descriptions were quite dramatic (just as the blurb is definitely a lot more dramatic than it need be) and exaggerated, the dialogue overly "historicalised" and, in general, it was just a weird book.

I went into it thinking that it would be either a light, fun romance or a historical mystery, but if that's the type of story you're looking for, turn away! Because this book is nothing like that. Honestly, I'm not quite sure what to make of it. I expected there to be a tad more mystery and a heck of a lot more romance. It just really wasn't my type of book.

I found that the events throughout the book were a bit too unrealistic- bringing me back to the point that younger readers might not find it so, and would hence enjoy the story much more. The main character, Kitty, goes to London, gets all her luggage stolen, somehow manages to find a job, gets accused of stealing chickens and is then promptly sent to jail. Really?? Frankly, I thought that things went a bit too breezily at times for Kitty. She gets her luggage stolen, but is able to sell a rug for money. She runs out of money, but manages to find a job as- guess what?- a milkmaid! And the owner of the dairy farm is super nice and even lets her haggle her wages! First of all, I didn't know there were dairy farms in the city of London itself, and secondly, seriously?! Don't you think that it would be pretty unlikely that a random milkmaid from the country would be able to get a job just like that? And bargain for her wages as well!

I suppose the author clearly did her research regarding the dates of historical events (seeing as though there was a bibliography/appendix type thing in the back of the book), but I don't know, there was something lacking. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't a milkmaid back then not have been that well educated? The way that Kitty spoke sounded a bit too cultured. The author did seem to make a big deal about Kitty not knowing this particular word, and that other word, but then kept making her use quite complex vocabulary and grammar- this just wasn't consistent. I was also a bit confused as to why Will calls Kitty Susie. Isn't her name Katherine/Kitty? Maybe it was some sort of joke that I missed. I did go back to read it to see if I had missed something, but unless I missed the same thing twice, the mix up in the name calling just doesn't make sense. (Although I'm not sure whether it's just a mistake from the ARC)

The ending was pretty unsatisfying- many questions were left hanging with no answers (particularly the issue of what exactly happened/is going to happen with Kitty and Will). The book was quite short, and although it wasn't the book for me, I can see the potential in it and I'm sure, for younger readers, it would be quite an enjoyable and interesting read.

Have a look at more reviews at my blog: Looking for the Panacea

[Annabelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read most of her books in german but since this one never got published in Germany I decided to give it a try in english. I must admit I was suprised at how easy it was for me to follow the story and I literally got carried away just the same as in german. I adore the way she creates her characters and I absolutly love this story. I grew attached to Kitty and could feel her emotions and even got frustrated when she still tried to stay calm. I will most definitely reread this book a few times in the next years.

[Beth Kemp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thrilling YA Historical: my heart was breaking for Kitty several times!

Chronicling the fall from grace of a Regency dairymaid, this is a brilliant read. I always love a well-researched historical novel and you can absolutely rely on Mary Hooper to give you that. Here, her narrator is the eponymous Kitty Grey, dairymaid in a large Devonshire country house.

The narration is first person and past tense, showing us Kitty's lively and charming voice and giving us access to her thoughts, hopes and fears. She is young and naive, hardworking and reliable. She's a good and conscientious dairymaid who cares deeply for her cows and takes pride in her work. She worries so much about getting things right and not being thought badly of, and it's soon clear why, when we see how easily a working-class girl can come to harm. Her naivety leads her to trust where perhaps she shouldn't and there are several points where we can see she's about to come a cropper, but it doesn't occur to her.

Although the title and blurb give us cues that bad things are in store for Kitty, it's not always clear exactly what those are going to be, and there were certainly several twists that I couldn't have predicted, although often there was a generally ominous feeling, thanks to Mary Hooper's skilful ratcheting-up of the tension.

This is definitely a book to savour, and there were points where it was possible just to luxuriate in the period detail, while at other times, I was reading furiously to see what poor Kitty was going to face next or how she would ever get out of the mess she was in. It would definitely serve as a real eye opener for many readers on the period. I found it interesting that the main themes were around contrasts: rich and poor, country and city, good and evil.

Overall, this is a highly enjoyable read with emotional depth and plenty of historical interest. There is a fabulous section giving historical context and information at the end, which will be much more meaningful to teen readers after they've enjoyed the story and seen this history brought to life.

[Feyza · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t expect much when I started reading this book. It certainly has a rather low rating on Goodreads and I hadn’t heard of it before either. I went in completely unaware of what was awaiting me. However, I must tell that I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel.

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres to read even though I don’t get around to read those kinds of books as much as I would like. I’ve been studying about the era this story took place and know quite a lot about it, but I still learned new things. That shows how much research went into writing this book and that’s certainly something I appreciate. The best part of this book was the plot. It was so entertaining that I had trouble putting this book down. One of the themes dealt with within this novel was the famous “rich vs poor” theme. It was depicted in a great way in my opinion and was pivotal when discussing this era.

However, even though the plot was perfect, the book did lack certain things in my opinion. One of the things I missed was the emotional aspect of the story. Many issues took place, and being an easy crying, those things were certainly cry material, but I didn’t even get emotional when reading these parts, let alone tearing up. That’s why I believe that the story is not as moving as it could be. That doesn’t change the fact that it’s a page-turner though.

Another issue I found when reading the book is the language. Now, I believe this is rather a preference of mine, but when I read dialogues, I like it when it’s written in a way that that person is speaking. Kitty was a milkmaid but at times was speaking as if she were a lady of high class. I did sense that the writer was trying to depict the fact that she was a milkmaid, but it wasn’t quite there yet in my opinion.

I’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading historical fiction and romance.

http://www.chaptersthroughmylens.com/...

[Claire · Rating 2 out of 5]

What I thought: I was so very excited to read The Disgrace of Kitty Grey, for I absolutely love historical fiction - so I went in with very high expectations. Unfortunately, all this caused was serious disappointment. It's not often that I give books such low ratings, but I kept hoping as I read that maybe the book would redeem itself somehow. Kitty Grey is a milk maid, and she's happy with the life she's been given. She is in love with Will, the river ferry-man and believes they will be married. But after Will disappears, leaving his little sister in Kitty's care, she takes the opportunity to travel to London to look for him. From there, Kitty and Betsey enter a (almost ridiculous) chain of events, eventuating in gaol time and boarding a ship to Australia as a disgraced woman.

This novel certainly had it's good moments, but unfortunately I found that they were too few and far between.


The Good: Kitty is a strong character, and that gives the story most of it's leverage.


The Bad: I was bored after the first 50 pages and it was a serious struggle to read the rest of the story.


Rating: 2 bookstacks

[Jenna · Rating 1 out of 5]

A wholly naive narrative with immature writing and no character development. I will not be picking up anything else by Mary Hooper.

[Mira George-Greely · Rating 2 out of 5]

I, like many, have a soft spot for historical fiction. Luckily for me, I’ve always found myself drawn to the 1800’s-1930’s (unpopular opinion: I do draw the line at 1920’s flapper fashion. Hate it with a passion), and these days it seems like the world is on a bit of a kick for this century+30. Set in the 1880’s, “The Disgrace of Kitty Grey” pushes back our Edwardian Regency-era fascinations to the Victorian Gilded Age. Vocal about its Austen inspiration, I had very high hopes for this novel upon picking it up. And for the first half of the novel…I was so bored. SO bored. I almost put it back down, in fact. From the first pages, it’s obvious this is written and directed at a bit of a younger audience—no problem and no gripe here whatsoever, and goodness knows now and then I (like probably everyone) is happy for a bit of a “brain candy” read that can simply remain enjoyable and doesn’t require a lot of unpacking and reading between the lines. Kitty Grey excels here, and for readers looking for an introduction to historical fiction from this time period who don’t want to tackle a more classic author’s work just yet (or ever, you do you) this is a great place to start. It’s an easy and enjoyable enough read on that front.

The plot starts on what feels like a high note, giving me some Downton Abbey-esque (but make it Victorian) shenanigans vibes but quickly drops off. The excitement of the plot comes much later, after the peaceful idylls of Kitty’s country life are well established and can be juxtaposed with London city life and characters. Unfortunately, though, this is also where the plot begins to feel a little contrived and unrealistic—in London, everything about Kitty’s life immediately turns sour and goes bad. We have a strong heroine on our hands here, one that manages to tackle almost everything London life throws at her in some manner or another, but frustrations with Kitty’s characterization arise when she makes bizarre decisions that seem far more detrimental to her and Betsy than they are helpful or beneficial, or that she simply could just choose some better options than she does for them if she gave them a little more thought. At times, Kitty feels like a frustratingly dumb character and fails to communicate or exhibit appropriate emotions towards some of her situations, which makes her feel a little underdeveloped and unnecessarily cold. There are moments in this novel that could be very hard-hitting and stressful for the reader had they been communicated better and Kitty’s own thoughts and feelings more nuanced and deep.

I do take a little issue with the trajectory of the plot as well. While it can be argued this novel exemplifies the difficulties of life, particularly city life, for those of lower classes in this time period, with Kitty and Betsy thrown into a timeline of nothing but bad that somehow, some way, over possibly the most stupid crime ever they ultimately face transportation to Australia—it began to feel positively ridiculous. Yes, many were locked up and/or deported from regions of the UK to the US and Australia for innocuous and made-up crimes in those days—an unfortunate reflection of classism—but for the book to feel like nothing but a string of bad events started to feel unrealistic. I did appreciate the emphasis on the role Kitty took on for Betsy throughout the novel and how this affected her and her ability to move forward and transition them out of their situation—this highlights a significant aspect of the lives of women and children in the Victorian era, and demonstrates the prejudice faced by those groups at that time.

Rated 2.5/5 stars. Overall, this is an enjoyable and easy read if you can get through the first boring bits and make it to London with Kitty and Betsy. A great intro to the historical fiction genre, Hooper has done her research and it shows. Younger readers and readers new to the genre will probably quite enjoy this book.

[Katie Greenwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book but it felt very young although marriage was spoken of frequently. I've had this book on my TBR for years and had I read this a few years ago I think I would've enjoyed this more. I've read two others of Mary Hooper's books; Fallen Grace and Velvet both of which I recall really loving when I read them.

At the same time, I can recognise how much The Disgrace of Kitty Grey could be loved by a younger reader. The writing is engaging and gives you a clear sense of both the world and time the characters are in. I'm slowly becoming more interested in the historical fiction genre and therefore was very intrigued in the situations Kitty found herself in. Having read Moll Flanders for my degree I felt like Kitty was a similar character. Whilst she was by no means a criminal through a series of unfortunate circumstances she found herself at the mercy of the law. Time and time again she tried to do the best for herself and the child in her charge but it went pear-shaped.

I will admit I did get thoroughly invested in each of the characters' stories. Whilst the novel focuses on Kitty and her love interest all these side characters have romances of their own or problems that need solving. Mary Hooper writes each character in a way that you want them to do well, you want them to achieve their dreams.

The ending of this book was possibly my favourite part. It fit perfectly and just felt right. It wasn't farfetched but instead produced some wonderful twists in what had been quite a harrowing tale.

Nearly twenty-four year old me enjoyed this, I think sixteen year old me would've loved this.

[Willen P · Rating 3 out of 5]

The one thing that's very true of Mary Hooper novels is that they are quite educational, even without the historical notes at the end.

This one was set during late Georgian (the Third) times, evident by mentioning of the insane king and Jane Austen novels. The heroine, a lowly girl (as usual), this time who has a sweetheart already but needs the means to move in with him. But at least she's skilled as a dairy maid, and a good one at that too.

Too bad things definitely weren't going her way in this novel, worsened by having a 5 year old girl at her side and her responsibility. So I was quite surprised about how bad things were getting for her. It was probably the most unlucky protagonist in a Hooper novel. It seemed like a rollercoaster of events, as the settings kept on changing (from Devon, to London, to Newgate Prison, to the Juanita...). So this wasn't as slow paced as I thought it to be.

Having read this, I decided to read up on Newgate Prison after (actually, the part of the story that took place here was reminiscent of Eliza Rose in the other book). And it's always a gem to find a real life character brought to life in her books - this case being Elizabeth Fry, although we didn't see much of her.

At the end, I wish it wasn't so abrupt and written like a summary to show what happened after. I would have rather read it described at a slower pace.

I don't think this one was better than Fallen Grace, which has to be my favourite so far. But it did make me want to know more about women and girls in that period in London.

[Annabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Mary Hooper’s work. This is about the fourth of her books that I’ve read, and I’ve loved every one. They are so romantic, interesting, but above all easy that they make utterly perfect reading for a warm summer’s afternoon.

Hooper’s primary talent is taking a small facet of historical times and bringing it beautifully to life – simple story lines a vehicle to portray some of the fascinating practises of times bygone. In The Disgrace of Kitty Grey it’s the prisons of London and how men and women who stole to feed their families faced the terrifying prospect of transportation to Australia. As Kitty is helplessly thrown from one bad situation to another, the sad reality of life for many of London’s poor is illustrated.

The storyline doesn’t offer much in the way of challenge, and there’s always an overriding sense that everything will work out alright for everyone in the end. I did think there was something of an imbalance in the structure – with a lot of time spent in Kitty’s home before anything perilous happens, then by the 80% on my Kindle edition I was wondering if there was enough room left to resolve all the plot points. There was. Just. But the ending did leave me wanting a little more.

Overall, though, this was thoroughly enjoyable. As I said, Hooper’s books are just easy going, light reads, and sometimes that’s just what you need.

[Rhiannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has to be one of my favourite historical fiction stories. The plot has twists and turns which really make it an exciting read and even while re-reading kept me engaged. The depth to the story is great as with all of the Mary Hooper books I have read and so much research has been put into making it feel like you are actually there in 1813. I really like the fact that while there is a focus on Kitty and her relationship with Will, a river man, it isn't overwhelming and the romance in very subtle which is what I enjoy. Following through with a character who isn't sure what she is doing and is struggling with each challenge thrown her way really helps you grow rather fond of Kitty and invested in her life.

[Charlotte Latham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable historical novel for children. Life as a servant on a large country estate was well described and the story was gripping. The ending relied on a slightly unlikely coincidence but the story was readable and interesting.

[Isobel Millward · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was good but I didn’t understand some of it as it was set in the Victorian times, during the book I felt like I didn’t want to read on because the characters where having a really bad time. This book was good but a bit confusing.

[A Bookish Scarf · Rating 4 out of 5]

I spent a very good time reading this book ! I also learnt a lot of things about XIXth century in England. The main characters are sweet and I especially liked Kitty, who is courageous despite the fact she is not very lucky...

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This woman taught me more about history than school did.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

7.8

[Jo Bullen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very readable and enjoyable novel - I was very concerned over what would happen to Kitty, and I've always enjoyed Hooper's books.

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice quick read

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

didn't find it very believable so ???

[Nat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmm Okay. I mostly just like looking at the girl's hair on the front cover... But it is a good book I swear I've read it.

[Lune Cochin Dupille · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5/5

[princesspeach · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. It was so fun to just get immersed in the book, the descriptions and detail made it like I was watching a movie in my mind which I love when books can do.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted on: http://rebecca-books.blogspot.co.uk/2...

I will hold my hands up and say that Mary Hooper is one of the best historical fiction novelists for children/teenagers. Actually, Mary Hooper is the author that got me into the genre - and Young Adult books in general - after I read her book The Remarkable Life and Times of Eliza Rose set during the 1700's. I guess, it opened my eyes to the best books of that genre. Furthermore, I actually met Mary Hooper a couple of years ago (that was a surreal moment with her sitting next to Patrick Ness), where I handed her my dog-earred copy of Eliza Rose, smiling broadly and then having a long conversation with her about how much I loved her books. I think she also asked some advice on something in one of her books if I remember correctly.
Anyway, I was so happy to hear that Mary Hooper would be releasing another book this year and even more happy when I discovered it available on Netgalley.

Synopsis: 15 year-old Kitty Grey lives happily in the countryside working as a dairy maid in the dairy of a rich, grand family. She is treated well and loves her job. There's also her sweetheart, Will, the river man, who she sees regularly. The only worry on her mind is whether, and when, he will ask her to marry him.
Suddenly, one day, Will disappears leaving his young orphaned sister, Betsy, with Kitty. Kitty is distraught, was he leading her on? Has he gone to London to find his fortune?
When Kitty is given the chance to go to London to get a copy of the new Pride and Prejudice, she goes with the chance of finding Will. But London is very different from the countryside and soon, Kitty is left penniless, alone with a three year-old who everyone thinks is her own, in a town she doesn't understand or belong within. And so charts her fall from grace.

Review: I entered this novel with high expectations to say the least. Mary Hooper is a favourite author of mine and I was worried that the things I loved in her books when I was younger would be different now I'm older. But I didn't have to worry as I was faced with a beautiful, rich and detailed historical novel from Hooper which stayed with me once again after the last page.

This is an interesting subject and something that isn't particularly shown in many historical novels. While we're always shown the glittering, glamourous worlds of the rich in the 1800's, Hooper changes that and displays the simple things that disgrace an innocent person because of the unfair judicial system, something reflected perhaps in present day. The blurb for the book gave the impression to me that I would find out about that glittering world that we associate with Jane Austen of balls, muslin dresses, Mr Darcy (or just Colin Firth) and manners. But that is completely turned on its heard in this book and the contrast between the two classes becomes all that much clearer as the novel progresses.

Kitty is an interesting character. It is very clear from the beginning that she is quite naive as she's always lived in the idealic countryside in the same comfortable house in the same job which she loves. Her headstrong side of her character only comes evident at the start of her disgrace and she continues to be a good narrator. The disgrace made me incredibly sympathetic for her especially as things get worse and worse. I found Betsy on the other hand one of the most annoying characters I've read and it seemed to me that her role in the narrative at the beginning was unnecessary. She was just a little bit too whiny for my liking!

The writing was excellent as always and Hooper successfully illustrates each stage of the disgrace. It's wonderfully detailed historically and you get a real idea of the ideal setting of the countryside compared to the hustle and chaotic feeling of London. This was such an easy read for me, the perfect book to spend an afternoon or evening reading. However, the book is pretty depressing following how Kitty becomes less and less civilised and further away from her innocence, it's not a book to make you feel better about yourself! The beginning and end were good, and rather engaging, it was just the middle section which dragged a little because of how sad and depressing it was really. The ending is perfect for the book, although it does end a little abruptly for my liking.

Overall, this was another great novel from Mary Hooper, a master at historical fiction. This wasn't my favourite ever book of hers but it certainly reminded me why I love her books so much. THE DISGRACE OF KITTY GREY is great, an alternate read to other books set in this time. Can't wait for what Hooper will throw at us next! If you haven't read anything by her, you've been missing out! I highly recommend any of her books.

I give it a 4 out of 5

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to review this book.

[Leselurch · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Worum geht's?*
Kitty Grey ist glücklich. Als Milchmagd ist sie nicht sonderlich reich an Gütern oder Geld, doch ihr sorgloses und bescheidenes Leben genügt ihr völlig. Sie liebt ihre Anstellung, ihre Tiere, ihr Zuhause. Nur eines fehlt, um alles perfekt zu machen: Ein Antrag von Will, ihrem heimlichen Geliebten. Als Will eines Tages plötzlich verschwindet und sogar seine kleine Schwester ohne eine Nachricht zurücklässt, bricht für Kitty nicht nur eine Welt zusammen, sondern auch ihr Herz. Doch Kitty lässt den Kopf nicht hängen! Als sie von ihrer Hausherrin den Auftrag erhält, nach London zu reisen und dort eine Ausgabe des beliebten „Pride and Prejudice“ von Jane Austen zu beschaffen, wittert sie ihre Chance. Will hat stets von London geschwärmt...

*Meine Meinung:*
An historischen Romanen mangelt es dem Buchmarkt nicht. An historischen Jugendromanen dagegen schon! Diese kleine Genrenische, die ich schon vor Jahren für mich entdeckt habe, findet auf den Bestseller-Listen eher keine Beachtung und hat daher auch nur wenig Autoren, die sich für sie interessieren. Eine, die jedoch regelmäßig für Nachschub sorgt und sich über ihre Romane hinweg zu eine meiner absoluten Lieblingsautorinnen gemausert hat, ist Mary Hooper, die Autorin von „The Disgrace of Kitty Grey“.

„The Disgrace of Kitty Grey“ erzählt die Geschichte der jungen Milchmagd Kitty Grey, die in dem ländlichen Devonshire ein bescheidenes, aber sorgloses Leben führt. Sie liebt ihren Beruf, ihre Kühe – und Will, den jungen Bootsmann, mit dem sie sich seit einiger Zeit heimlich trifft. Nun muss Will nur noch offiziell um Kittys Hand anhalten und alles in ihrem Leben wäre perfekt. Doch natürlich kommt es nicht so, wie es sich Kitty erträumt hätte. Will verschwindet spurlos. Und das ist nur der Anfang des Dramas, das das Leben für Kitty parat hält.

Auf eines ist in Mary Hoopers Büchern stets Verlass: Ihre Geschichten sind authentisch und realistisch. Sie leistet großartige Recherchearbeit und passt die Handlungen ihrer Romane so genau an die wahren Geschehnisse und Lebensumstände der Vergangenheit an, dass sich jedes ihrer Bücher wie eine kleine Reise durch die Weltgeschichte anfühlt. Auch Kittys Geschichte, die natürlich rein fiktiv ist, wirkt so echt, dass sie tatsächlich so hätte geschehen können.

Trotz der authentischen Atmosphäre und Mary Hoopers gewohnt mitreißenden Schreibstils konnte mich „The Disgrace of Kitty Grey“ leider nicht so sehr packen, wie ich es mir gewünscht hätte. Nach einem vielversprechenden Start mit hohem Unterhaltungspotenzial (Kitty soll eine ihrer Kühe für einen Auftritt trainieren – herrlich!), driftet die Handlung schnell in ein verworrenes Chaos ab. Dass es in London längst nicht so beschaulich zugeht wie in Devonshire ist natürlich klar. Allerdings folgt eine Katastrophe so abrupt auf die nächste, dass ein paar Seiten mehr der Geschichte gut zu Gesicht gestanden hätten, um dem Drama auch die nötige Tiefe zu verleihen.

Kitty als Protagonistin hätte Mary Hooper dagegen kaum besser treffen können. Sie ist eine starke junge Frau, die sich für ihre Ziele einsetzt und stets pflichtbewusst und verantwortungsvoll handelt. Stark, entschlossen und mutig stellt sie sich jedem Hindernis entgegen, das ihr in ihrem Leben begegnet. Eine ordentliche Vorbildfunktion liefert Kitty zweifelsohne ab – und das auf eine rundum sympathische Art und Weise, die es unmöglich macht, nicht mit Kitty mitzufiebern.

*Fazit:*
„The Disgrace of Kitty Grey“ ist ein solides Jugendbuch für alle, die sich gerne von einem authentischen historischen Setting verzaubern lassen. Die Geschichte der jungen Milchmagd Kitty, die auf einer spannenden Reise nach London alles zu verlieren droht, das ihr je lieb und teuer gewesen ist, glänzt vor allem durch ihre starke Protagonistin und Hoopers großartige Recherchearbeit. Leider kann die Handlung jedoch nicht mit Hoopers anderen Romanen mithalten. Für Fans von historischen Jugendromanen definitiv einen Blick wert – für alle, die es erst werden wollen, empfehle ich aber eher Mary Hoopers andere Romane. Für „The Disgrace of Kitty Grey“ vergebe ich 3 Lurche.

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5

Originally posted at Gypsy Reviews

I received an eARC from Bloomsbury via NetGalley. Thank you.

I adore historical fiction, I have always loved history and especially the history on Britain. I admit I hastily requested The Disgrace of Kitty Grey earlier on as I saw it was one of the few YA books I could request on NetGalley so I didn’t have much of an idea what it was (the bad habits of a new blogger D; I have learnt from my mistakes!). I enjoyed the first part of the book but however as we ventured further and further, it just got so unbelievable that I just couldn’t take it seriously anymore.

Kitty is a milkmaid working for a wealthy family and loves her job despite the fact that she hardly sees her family. Her sweetheart, Will, laments constantly about wanting to go to London to make his fortune and to earn enough money to marry Kitty and start a family but secretly, Kitty wants him to stay. Kitty is sweet by nature, demure and polite, she causes little trouble to her employers and is capable at her job. There wasn’t anything that particularly stood out about Kitty, she was mostly seemingly good-natured. Nonetheless she was a likable character who showed much strength beyond what she seemed to be capable of.

The plot was a little crazy, everything seemed very plausible from the beginning from when Will disappeared then Kitty seizes an opportunity to go London to find him, her stuff is stolen and subsequently has little money to survive and so on. But then Kitty gets accused of arson and theft and gets sent to prison, I’m sorry but WHAT. Then she gets sentenced and sent away to Australia and of course before the ship sets sail, SHE FINDS WILL ON THE SAME SHIP. What a coincidence! I do not get how Kitty, a simple milkmaid, can become a criminal so fast. I don’t know how possible is that and how much I can actually believe it because this is historical fiction, you can’t spin it like a fantasy novel or an adventure novel. You have to make the roots realistic and the events possible as well. If you told me that Kitty fell from grace and resorted to stealing and thievery to feed herself or others and ended up that way, I would believe it. But this is a little absurd and after a while, this just amused me.

While I was reading The Disgrace of Kitty Grey, I never got the actual feeling I was reading a historical fiction novel. I’m not sure if it’s because I expected something much more olden in the language to something resembling a little of a classic? Or in the events, it felt like a poorly executed historical fiction book despite the research the author did because some of the scenarios she presented were definitely based on real places. She might have wanted to present these issues in a more serious tone and highlight how serious some of the situations were but the way it was executed, I just couldn’t take it seriously because it seemed pretty ridiculous to me. The character and scenarios simply didn’t fit at all.

I won’t deny that I enjoyed reading The Disgrace of Kitty Grey despite the amusing plot turn, I found it rather humourous because of that area but if you’re looking for a good historical fiction novel for a YA audience, clearly The Disgrace of Kitty Grey is not where you should be heading. Sorry to say, I just can’t recommend this book. If it had been rewritten with a different character and scenario, I might have been able to take it more seriously and enjoyed it more.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kitty may not be rich but she is happy with her life, she works for a wealthy family as a dairymaid and although her hours are long she is well treated and has plenty of food to eat. She even has a sweetheart, local ferryman Will, who she adores and hopes to one day marry. Then Will disappears leaving Kitty to look after his four year old sister Betsy alone. Will didn't even say goodbye but Kitty knows he has family in London and wanted to go there to make his fortune so when the opportunity comes up she decides to go in search of him to reunite Betsy with her brother. What Kitty didn't realise was how big London is or just quite how harsh life can be there for a woman alone with a young child. Within minutes of their arrival all of their belongings are stolen and Kitty is forced to take desperate measures just to survive, ones that end with her arrested for stealing.

I'm a huge fan of Mary Hooper's writing, she has a way of bringing history to life and I think that's partly down to all the little details she adds to her stories - those little snippets from true stories that show how well researched her books are. I love the way she always introduces some less talked about aspects of history too, in Fallen Grace it was Victorian funeral traditions, in Velvet it was the horror of baby farms and in The Disgrace of Kitty Grey it was the treatment of female prisoners and the prison ships that were sent to colonise Australia along with some very interesting snippets about the life of a milkmaid.

Kitty is such a great character, she is quite innocent, especially when it comes to the ways of city life, but at the same time she has a great inner strength that is what pulls her through the difficult times. Nothing about London is what she was expecting it to be and it was a real struggle for her just to survive, she tries so hard to get a job and earn the money she needs to look after Betsy but circumstances keep going against her. It makes you really appreciate the justice and welfare systems we have in place now because it was practically impossible for single women to make an honest living in the past, especially one with a child because of the stigma of being an unmarried mother. The conditions in the prisons were just horrific for the poor, sentences for relatively small crimes were high and unless you had the money to bribe the guards for extra food or even a blanket then life was miserable. In contrast if you were rich then prison could have all the comforts of home right down to a four poster bed if you paid enough for the privilege!

There were a couple of coincidences in The Disgrace of Kitty Grey that were a little hard to believe but that didn't stop me thoroughly enjoying the story. Kitty was lucky enough to find some supportive friends who made life at Newgate prison a little more bearable for her and Betsy. I think anyone with even a slight interest in history is going to love any of Mary Hooper's books and this one is no exception. I can't wait to see what interesting topic she introduces next.

[Serendipity Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published on www.serendipityreviews.co.uk
Mary Hooper is one of those authors who can pick you up and transport you anywhere in history. Every book she writes is so thoroughly researched, you feel like the author has magical powers allowing her to visit the periods in history she writes so realistically about.

During this novel, we are transported back to the time of Napoleon and find ourselves in a beautiful, idyllic country setting. Life isn’t easy, but Kitty loves her job and works hard to do it well; she takes great pride in the dairy. With the love of Will, the ferryman, she is content and looks forward to spending the future with him. It’s only when he disappears that Kitty’s life starts to unravel. In her desperation to find him, she enters London blindly only to discover her future doesn’t look too bright any more.

This book is full of fascinating contrasts. In the beginning, you compare Kitty’s life to the wealthy family she works for. The differences are obvious, and yet surprisingly, Kitty’s life seems more appealing. At least she can choose who she would like to marry unlike the young ladies of the house who are bound by their parent’s decisions. As the book progresses you begin to contrast life in the country with life in London. London comes across as grey and depressing, as Kitty struggles to survive. As each day passes, her situation just gets worse until she ends up in Newgate Prison, the lowest she can go.

I loved the descriptions in this book.From country life to London life, you get an excellent impression of both. Newgate Prison has always intrigued me. The conditions they lived under were appalling; the lack of places to sleep, no opportunities for cleanliness and very little food, yet if you had money you could pay to make your conditions better. This shows clearly the unfairness of society during this period in history. People were jailed for the least little thing. If someone burnt a chair these days, I doubt an eyebrow would be lifted, yet in those days you were thrown in jail, facing the possibility of being whipped or put in the stocks.

If I’m honest, I would’ve liked a different ending. I wanted to see what would happen if Kitty continued on the route she was originally destined to take. How her life would have turned out if the events of the final pages had not occurred. On reviewing the book now, I wonder if the author might take that idea and use it for a future book and we might see what happens when someone actually takes the journey that Kitty nearly embarked on.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy Mary Hooper’s books. I find she’s one of those authors who are perfect to read when you just want something nice and light to while away a few hours. And I love how her books are full of fact as well as fiction!

The Disgrace of Kitty Grey is the story of a young diary maid. Working for a rich lord, she lives a nice but sheltered country life, and often dreams of the day when her sweet heart Will can finally save enough money to propose to her. However things turn upside down for Kitty when Will disappears without as much as a goodbye.

Certain that he has gone to London to find his fortune, Kitty is furious that he has left her alone to care for his four year old sister. Therefore, when her mistress asks her to go to London, Kitty jumps at the chance – taking Wills sister along with her.

Yet things go downhill for Kitty the moment she arrives in City. Robbed, penniless and with a child to care for, despair hits her when she realises her chances of finding Will are miniscule. Soon branded a thief and thrown in prison, Kitty is only a reassured in her thoughts that things cannot get worse, only the do. Now she is forced to admit that not only will she not be reunited with Will, but she is likely to never see her home again…

You can’t help but enjoy this book. While I thought it got off to a slow beginning, the story really picks up the pace the moment Kitty arrives in London. As misfortune upon misfortune begins to fall upon her, you can’t help but sympathise with her situation.

Kitty is a timid character but she is smart and kind hearted. I was furious by the harsh fate thrust upon and was both annoyed and frustrated by Will’s sister who without doubt, made Kitty’s life infinitely harder. Yet I couldn’t help but turn the pages to find out what happened next.

Set in Regency England, I was also shocked to learn how unfair and corrupt the justice system was back then. I found it particularly interesting how harsh people were to Kitty - simply because they thought she had had a child out of wedlock, but it was also fascinating to read about the state and affairs of English prisons.

So overall a most engaging book and one I truly enjoyed! Historically accurate but not at all boring, it will take you on a journey through the past and give you real insight into the period.
The Disgrace of Kitty Grey is charming, insightful and ripe with history. A very nice read - 4 stars!