What do you think?
Rate this book
Ravenglass
A sweeping, immersive historical novel by an acclaimed writer, Ravenglass plunges the reader into a tragic family mystery and a turbulent 18th century adventure over land and sea.
In 18th Century Whitehaven, Kit Ravenglass grows up in a house of secrets. A shameful mystery surrounds his mother’s death, and his formidable, newly rich father is gambling everything on shipping ventures. Kit takes solace in his beloved sister Fliss, and her sumptuous silks, although he knows better than to reveal his delight in feminine fashion. As the family’s debts mount, Kit’s father turns to the transatlantic slave trade – a ruthless and bloody traffic to which more than a fortune might be lost.
At a private Naval Academy, Kit is jolted into unruly boyhood and scandal before his first taste of life at sea. Adventures will see him turn fugitive and begin living as ‘Stella,’ before being swept into the heady violence of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s rebellion. Driven by love, revenge and a desire to live truly and freely, Kit must find a way to survive these turbulent times - and to unravel the tragic secrets of the Ravenglass family.
In 18th Century Whitehaven, Kit Ravenglass grows up in a house of secrets. A shameful mystery surrounds his mother’s death, and his formidable, newly rich father is gambling everything on shipping ventures. Kit takes solace in his beloved sister Fliss, and her sumptuous silks, although he knows better than to reveal his delight in feminine fashion. As the family’s debts mount, Kit’s father turns to the transatlantic slave trade – a ruthless and bloody traffic to which more than a fortune might be lost.
At a private Naval Academy, Kit is jolted into unruly boyhood and scandal before his first taste of life at sea. Adventures will see him turn fugitive and begin living as ‘Stella,’ before being swept into the heady violence of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s rebellion. Driven by love, revenge and a desire to live truly and freely, Kit must find a way to survive these turbulent times - and to unravel the tragic secrets of the Ravenglass family.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
458 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 25, 2025
About the author
Carolyn Kirby
5 books30 followersCarolyn Kirby's debut novel The Conviction of Cora Burns was chosen for awards by the Historical Writers Association and by the Specsavers/Crimefest debut crime fiction prize. Carolyn's second novel When We Fall was one of The Times' top 20 historical novels of 2020.
Originally from the northeast of England, Carolyn studied history at St Hilda’s College, Oxford and she is now on the organising committee for the annual St Hilda's Crime Fiction Weekend. To find out more, go to www.carolynkirby.com
Originally from the northeast of England, Carolyn studied history at St Hilda’s College, Oxford and she is now on the organising committee for the annual St Hilda's Crime Fiction Weekend. To find out more, go to www.carolynkirby.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 28, 2026
"For, more than anything, my father wanted me to be manly. And so, it was my fate to always let him down."
The stunning cover hooked me in. The story's written in the style of a memoir, a bildungsroman, following Kit from infancy to youth in 1700s Cumberland. The plot explores how mired that region was in the transatlantic slave trade; Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobite rebellion; and Georgian-era toxic masculinity (which Kit longs to escape). The lively, likeable voice reminded me a bit of Robert Louis Stevenson's 'Kidnapped' and Frances Quinn's 'The Smallest Man'.
The stunning cover hooked me in. The story's written in the style of a memoir, a bildungsroman, following Kit from infancy to youth in 1700s Cumberland. The plot explores how mired that region was in the transatlantic slave trade; Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobite rebellion; and Georgian-era toxic masculinity (which Kit longs to escape). The lively, likeable voice reminded me a bit of Robert Louis Stevenson's 'Kidnapped' and Frances Quinn's 'The Smallest Man'.
March 20, 2026
From his earliest years, Kit has felt uncomfortable in male attire and found pleasure in wearing his sister’s clothing. He even invents a female persona for himself, whom he christens Stella. It is something he knows will inevitably bring him into conflict with his father. ‘For more than anything, my father wanted me to be manly. And so it was my fate to always let him down.’
The opening section of the book is set in Whitehaven, a port on the north-west coast of England. It’s a ‘wind blasted’ town where the presence of the sea constantly assails the senses. There’s the ‘the crack of sailcloth, the creaking of hulls and the disquieting growls of the shipmen’, the taste of salt on the tongue and the odour of the harbour, a ‘rumbling, pulsing shit-slopping belly’. The town’s fortunes rest on trade, with ships coming and going carrying coal and other cargo. Sadly it’s also reliant on the increasingly lucrative slave trade with Kit’s father being a leading share-holder of the Resolve, a slave ship.
The author immerses the reader in daily life in 18th century Whitehaven, introducing us to archaic industries such as the milling of snuff. I particularly loved the description of the Lammas Day fair where activities include boxing bouts, races and a cockerel eating competition (yes, really). ‘Prentices and servant-girls, all in their best holland coats and camlet petticoats, crowd around peddlers of trinket-toys and ribbands.‘ Unfortunately events take a darker turn with Kit an unwilling witness to an example of everything he abhors about being a man.
Determined to purge his son of his ‘unmanly’ tendencies, Kit is sent to sea by his father where he experiences the rigours of life on board a ship where, on the lower decks, ‘nothing is odourless’, including the old seaman he is expected to share a hammock with. Completely against his nature, Kit finds himself having to demonstrate ‘manliness’, whether that’s uttering oaths, entertaining the crew with bawdy, bloodthirsty songs or climbing the mast in a storm. It typifies Kit’s struggle between what is expected of him as a man and what he instinctively feels to be his true identity.
Following a series of tragic events, Kit takes to the road dressed as a woman, resurrecting Stella. What follows is a series of adventures that have a picaresque quality, involving encounters with a multitude of colourful characters. For example, millinery shop owner Mrs McMemeny, complete with green velvet eye patch. Kit’s travels take him to Carlisle, Edinburgh and beyond, often buffeted by external events such as the Jacobite Revolution. And sometimes Kit discovers he’s got people completely wrong.
As well as being a thrilling adventure story, Ravenglass explores themes of sexuality and identity. Events often turn on items of clothing: a sulphur-yellow quilted petticoat, an embroidered silk waistcoat. And a person’s true sex is often revealed through bodily functions: menstruation or lack of menstruation, the way you pass urine, the inconvenient growth of hair.
A small niggle is that I would have liked more detail about Kit’s later years but aside from that I loved everything about Ravenglass. It’s a historical romp with a wonderfully engaging central character and authentic detail. A great example of accomplished storytelling.
The opening section of the book is set in Whitehaven, a port on the north-west coast of England. It’s a ‘wind blasted’ town where the presence of the sea constantly assails the senses. There’s the ‘the crack of sailcloth, the creaking of hulls and the disquieting growls of the shipmen’, the taste of salt on the tongue and the odour of the harbour, a ‘rumbling, pulsing shit-slopping belly’. The town’s fortunes rest on trade, with ships coming and going carrying coal and other cargo. Sadly it’s also reliant on the increasingly lucrative slave trade with Kit’s father being a leading share-holder of the Resolve, a slave ship.
The author immerses the reader in daily life in 18th century Whitehaven, introducing us to archaic industries such as the milling of snuff. I particularly loved the description of the Lammas Day fair where activities include boxing bouts, races and a cockerel eating competition (yes, really). ‘Prentices and servant-girls, all in their best holland coats and camlet petticoats, crowd around peddlers of trinket-toys and ribbands.‘ Unfortunately events take a darker turn with Kit an unwilling witness to an example of everything he abhors about being a man.
Determined to purge his son of his ‘unmanly’ tendencies, Kit is sent to sea by his father where he experiences the rigours of life on board a ship where, on the lower decks, ‘nothing is odourless’, including the old seaman he is expected to share a hammock with. Completely against his nature, Kit finds himself having to demonstrate ‘manliness’, whether that’s uttering oaths, entertaining the crew with bawdy, bloodthirsty songs or climbing the mast in a storm. It typifies Kit’s struggle between what is expected of him as a man and what he instinctively feels to be his true identity.
Following a series of tragic events, Kit takes to the road dressed as a woman, resurrecting Stella. What follows is a series of adventures that have a picaresque quality, involving encounters with a multitude of colourful characters. For example, millinery shop owner Mrs McMemeny, complete with green velvet eye patch. Kit’s travels take him to Carlisle, Edinburgh and beyond, often buffeted by external events such as the Jacobite Revolution. And sometimes Kit discovers he’s got people completely wrong.
As well as being a thrilling adventure story, Ravenglass explores themes of sexuality and identity. Events often turn on items of clothing: a sulphur-yellow quilted petticoat, an embroidered silk waistcoat. And a person’s true sex is often revealed through bodily functions: menstruation or lack of menstruation, the way you pass urine, the inconvenient growth of hair.
A small niggle is that I would have liked more detail about Kit’s later years but aside from that I loved everything about Ravenglass. It’s a historical romp with a wonderfully engaging central character and authentic detail. A great example of accomplished storytelling.
December 13, 2025
Do you ever have those books that take you on a real journey through the immersive nature of the writing and fully realised characters, so much so that you don't want them to end?
Well, this was one of those books for me! Kit Ravenglass is a confused soul that feels comfortable in dresses, much to the outrage of his father in 1700s northern England.
In a bid to kick this trait from his son, Kit is sent off to learn how to be ship hand, much to his chagrin.
As his family lurches from one crisis to another, Kit goes on the run to escape it all and finds himself living as a woman.
An incredibly sympathetic book, Ravenglass ties so many fascinating historical events together by means of the struggles and triumphs of a confused young soul trying to find his place in the world, and it has just the most gorgeous writing style of yesteryear to help with the immersion in the world.
An easy 5* and hugely recommended!
Well, this was one of those books for me! Kit Ravenglass is a confused soul that feels comfortable in dresses, much to the outrage of his father in 1700s northern England.
In a bid to kick this trait from his son, Kit is sent off to learn how to be ship hand, much to his chagrin.
As his family lurches from one crisis to another, Kit goes on the run to escape it all and finds himself living as a woman.
An incredibly sympathetic book, Ravenglass ties so many fascinating historical events together by means of the struggles and triumphs of a confused young soul trying to find his place in the world, and it has just the most gorgeous writing style of yesteryear to help with the immersion in the world.
An easy 5* and hugely recommended!
June 13, 2025
I've enjoyed Carolyn Kirby's previous books but this is my favourite so far.
With this author, I expect beautiful writing, relatable characters, compelling stories. I am resigned to having my heart strings tugged, and to suffering some gritty surprises. I want stories that linger long after the final page.
Ravenglass delivers all of these, but it also feels brave, honest and free, touching multiple themes from the bottom to the top of society, across race, religion, politics, gender and sexuality, building up - layer by layer - richly embroidered garlands and arabesques, immersing the reader in an extraordinarily vivid portrait of early Georgian life, love, work and war in unusual settings.
The story opens with a punch - a small boy fighting against the removal of his baby skirts, appalled by the brown breeches he is expected to wear instead. The domestic drama showcases the luminous writing and sets the tone and theme of the whole book.
Little Kit and his older sister Fliss (with her mysterious scar) live in Whitehaven with their widowed father - a prosperous merchant and ship owner.
'...close by Whitehaven's civilised heart, the harbour was its rumbling, pulsing, shit-slopping belly.'
The author has a fantastic grasp of how technology affected early industry and how it in turn constrained the choices of ordinary people, but she wears her research lightly. Everything we experience as readers is through the actions and senses of a wide cast of characters. I came to care deeply for Jossy and Hannah, Poll and Patience, Fliss and Kit.
This is a serious book by a brilliant author and must be a strong contender for all the serious literary prizes.
With this author, I expect beautiful writing, relatable characters, compelling stories. I am resigned to having my heart strings tugged, and to suffering some gritty surprises. I want stories that linger long after the final page.
Ravenglass delivers all of these, but it also feels brave, honest and free, touching multiple themes from the bottom to the top of society, across race, religion, politics, gender and sexuality, building up - layer by layer - richly embroidered garlands and arabesques, immersing the reader in an extraordinarily vivid portrait of early Georgian life, love, work and war in unusual settings.
The story opens with a punch - a small boy fighting against the removal of his baby skirts, appalled by the brown breeches he is expected to wear instead. The domestic drama showcases the luminous writing and sets the tone and theme of the whole book.
Little Kit and his older sister Fliss (with her mysterious scar) live in Whitehaven with their widowed father - a prosperous merchant and ship owner.
'...close by Whitehaven's civilised heart, the harbour was its rumbling, pulsing, shit-slopping belly.'
The author has a fantastic grasp of how technology affected early industry and how it in turn constrained the choices of ordinary people, but she wears her research lightly. Everything we experience as readers is through the actions and senses of a wide cast of characters. I came to care deeply for Jossy and Hannah, Poll and Patience, Fliss and Kit.
This is a serious book by a brilliant author and must be a strong contender for all the serious literary prizes.
January 12, 2026
This novel is a historical adventure, but it’s also a beautifully written exploration of being trans femme in a toxically masculine society, of what women can be driven to in the face of patriarchy and capitalism, of being trapped in a time and swept along by its politics and history, all of which are very currently relevant.
Georgian northern Britain is drawn compellingly and immersively in every paragraph. It is harsh, class-ridden, misogynist, racist, built on a foundation of slavery. But it is also elegant, fashionable, exciting and full of ethical people as well as swindlers, and friendship and love between unexpected people.
Every character is fully formed, memorable, believable, and almost all sympathetic, even when behaving badly. But my heart truly belongs to the narrator: Kit/Stella/other names which are spoilers. Their delight in fashion and fabrics shines from the page and, rather than making them seem shallow as one might expect, it deepens all their interactions.
They do not always behave well, but all their actions make sense. I felt trapped when they did, exultant when they did, angry and depressed too. Their journey through the first couple of decades of life takes unexpected turns, most out of their control, as life happens to them while they try to uncover family secrets. And all was brought to very satisfying conclusions by the end.
I would recommend Ravenglass to anyone with an interest in historical, queer and/or beautifully written literature.
Georgian northern Britain is drawn compellingly and immersively in every paragraph. It is harsh, class-ridden, misogynist, racist, built on a foundation of slavery. But it is also elegant, fashionable, exciting and full of ethical people as well as swindlers, and friendship and love between unexpected people.
Every character is fully formed, memorable, believable, and almost all sympathetic, even when behaving badly. But my heart truly belongs to the narrator: Kit/Stella/other names which are spoilers. Their delight in fashion and fabrics shines from the page and, rather than making them seem shallow as one might expect, it deepens all their interactions.
They do not always behave well, but all their actions make sense. I felt trapped when they did, exultant when they did, angry and depressed too. Their journey through the first couple of decades of life takes unexpected turns, most out of their control, as life happens to them while they try to uncover family secrets. And all was brought to very satisfying conclusions by the end.
I would recommend Ravenglass to anyone with an interest in historical, queer and/or beautifully written literature.
May 9, 2026
Kit is an 18th century merchant's son who would rather dress in his sister's skirts than learn about being 'manly'. His father wants him to go to sea but, after a tragic event, Kit runs away in his guise as Stella and attempts to live as a woman. I loved this. Such wonderful writing and an engaging and heartfelt story.
April 29, 2026
In 18th century Whitehaven on the Cumbrian coast, we meet Kit Ravenglass. As a child, he grows up knowing that his mother died under mysterious circumstances but is never privy to the truth.
He adores his sister Fliss and is obsessed with her clothes and as a young boy, he loves to dress up and role play with her as his alter ego Stella but knows this passion for feminine attire must be kept a closely guarded secret.
As a young man, Kit embarks on the most extraordinary journey over land and sea, after being forced to leave his family and go on the run. To evade detection and capture, Kit begins living as Stella full time as he seeks love and revenge and yearns to live his life as his truest self.
Will he discover the truth behind the Ravenglass family secret and find the courage and will to survive?
This sweeping, expansive historical
fiction was as entertaining and atmospheric as it was unique and I loved and admired our protagonist Kit’s vulnerability, bravery and determination.
Told as a first person narrative, real historical events were expertly woven into the story including the horrors of the slave trade and the ships that were used to transport them, life at sea as a young sailor and the rebellion involving Bonnie Prince Charlie. Experiencing these events through Kit’s eyes and hearing his POV really brought them to life on the page.
Eloquently written and vividly described, I found this book as interesting as it was entertaining and I’d highly recommend it.
Thank you so much to @northorthodoxpress for sending me this fantastic finished copy.
I loved it.
He adores his sister Fliss and is obsessed with her clothes and as a young boy, he loves to dress up and role play with her as his alter ego Stella but knows this passion for feminine attire must be kept a closely guarded secret.
As a young man, Kit embarks on the most extraordinary journey over land and sea, after being forced to leave his family and go on the run. To evade detection and capture, Kit begins living as Stella full time as he seeks love and revenge and yearns to live his life as his truest self.
Will he discover the truth behind the Ravenglass family secret and find the courage and will to survive?
This sweeping, expansive historical
fiction was as entertaining and atmospheric as it was unique and I loved and admired our protagonist Kit’s vulnerability, bravery and determination.
Told as a first person narrative, real historical events were expertly woven into the story including the horrors of the slave trade and the ships that were used to transport them, life at sea as a young sailor and the rebellion involving Bonnie Prince Charlie. Experiencing these events through Kit’s eyes and hearing his POV really brought them to life on the page.
Eloquently written and vividly described, I found this book as interesting as it was entertaining and I’d highly recommend it.
Thank you so much to @northorthodoxpress for sending me this fantastic finished copy.
I loved it.
April 17, 2026
1894 Whitechapel, Kit Ravenglass, a young boy lives with his formidable father and sister. His mother's death is a shameful secret that no one wishes to share. Kit spends his time with his sister Fliss and her silks, which in Kit's eyes are a thing of beauty, for he longs to dress in female attire and not the breeches society expects him to don. Kit becomes a fugitive as he absconds from the life his father choose for him and begins to live as Stella.
At just over 400 pages this beautifully written historical fiction pulled me in. Adventurous, heartbreaking and powerful Kits life is a true journey of self discovery. I loved the ending and could have just kept on reading of his life as he grew older. My first book by Carolyn Kirby and will not be my last.
4.5⭐️
At just over 400 pages this beautifully written historical fiction pulled me in. Adventurous, heartbreaking and powerful Kits life is a true journey of self discovery. I loved the ending and could have just kept on reading of his life as he grew older. My first book by Carolyn Kirby and will not be my last.
4.5⭐️
April 12, 2026
If you like historical fiction, story-telling memoirs and coming of age novels, this is perfect.
This is Kit Ravenglass coming of age memoir, set in the 18th century Georgian England. Starting in Whitehaven, you meet him and the remaining Ravenglass family who are constantly hit with rumor, crisis and speculation.
There is so much expertly packed into this book including historic events, seafaring expeditions, Jacobite rebellion, slave trading and more.
This author covers depravity, violence and oppression but what is also captured is a beautiful story of love, awakening, kindness and kindship. Each character was memorable and great for readers who like to feel connected to their books characters.
I don't often read longer books but at no point did I wish a section was sped up or removed entirely. It was perfectly balanced, highly immersive and a delight to read.
📚 Thank you to Northodox Press and Carolyn Kirby for this bookmail in exchange for my honest review. 📚
This is Kit Ravenglass coming of age memoir, set in the 18th century Georgian England. Starting in Whitehaven, you meet him and the remaining Ravenglass family who are constantly hit with rumor, crisis and speculation.
There is so much expertly packed into this book including historic events, seafaring expeditions, Jacobite rebellion, slave trading and more.
This author covers depravity, violence and oppression but what is also captured is a beautiful story of love, awakening, kindness and kindship. Each character was memorable and great for readers who like to feel connected to their books characters.
I don't often read longer books but at no point did I wish a section was sped up or removed entirely. It was perfectly balanced, highly immersive and a delight to read.
📚 Thank you to Northodox Press and Carolyn Kirby for this bookmail in exchange for my honest review. 📚
March 14, 2026
Was a bit bemused at first but turned into a romping yarn with pace and a good story with loose ends neat,y toed up. Actually rather enjoyed it!
September 30, 2025
Kit Ravenglass is brought up in 18th century Whitehaven, in a shipping family with dark secrets no one seems willing to share with him. Unsettled by how little he knows about the circumstances surrounding his mother's disappearance from his life at a young age, Kit has grown close to his older sister, Fliss. Kit's solace does not only come from Fliss' company, for he also loves to be dressed up in her silks and satins, taking on the persona of Stella as part of their games.
As Kit grows, he is torn away from the comfort of his hours with Fliss and forced to face the harsh realities of a family with mounting debts. His father turns to the transatlantic slave trade in an effort to regain his wealth, and as tragedy continues to take its toll on the family, Kit becomes a pawn in his father's ambitions. But Kit has other plans. Taking on the guise of Stella, Kit leaves to pursue his own destiny, which unknowingly drags him into Bonnie Prince Charlie's rebellion.
This sweeping adventure immerses you Kit's life, as he makes an emotional coming of age journey that takes him from Whitehaven to Edinburgh and back again, against a backdrop rife with significant moments in 18th century history.
Kit's personal quest to live the life he wants drives the heart-rending narrative, particularly when it comes to exploring sex and gender in Georgian Britain. With beautiful prose, emotionally-rich characters, and settings that ooze an atmosphere of time and place so tangible you can almost taste it, Kirby conjures tragedies, trials, and tribulations for Kit as he negotiates the legacy of family secrets, the tug of war between his own desires and expectation, and the fallout of war.
I am so impressed with how much history and social history Kirby packs into this story, and her level of research really tells. She touches on merchant adventurers, sea-faring voyages, the slave trade, the dressmaking and millinery sectors, justice, class, and so many aspects of Georgian society - not to mention getting to grips with the Jacobite Rebellion in such an engaging way. She does not shy away from confronting poverty, violence, callous depravity, and discontent through her characters - but this story has many moments of love, tenderness, and the kindness of strangers too.
Utterly spellbinding, this is one of those books that will linger with you for a long time. I loved it.
As Kit grows, he is torn away from the comfort of his hours with Fliss and forced to face the harsh realities of a family with mounting debts. His father turns to the transatlantic slave trade in an effort to regain his wealth, and as tragedy continues to take its toll on the family, Kit becomes a pawn in his father's ambitions. But Kit has other plans. Taking on the guise of Stella, Kit leaves to pursue his own destiny, which unknowingly drags him into Bonnie Prince Charlie's rebellion.
This sweeping adventure immerses you Kit's life, as he makes an emotional coming of age journey that takes him from Whitehaven to Edinburgh and back again, against a backdrop rife with significant moments in 18th century history.
Kit's personal quest to live the life he wants drives the heart-rending narrative, particularly when it comes to exploring sex and gender in Georgian Britain. With beautiful prose, emotionally-rich characters, and settings that ooze an atmosphere of time and place so tangible you can almost taste it, Kirby conjures tragedies, trials, and tribulations for Kit as he negotiates the legacy of family secrets, the tug of war between his own desires and expectation, and the fallout of war.
I am so impressed with how much history and social history Kirby packs into this story, and her level of research really tells. She touches on merchant adventurers, sea-faring voyages, the slave trade, the dressmaking and millinery sectors, justice, class, and so many aspects of Georgian society - not to mention getting to grips with the Jacobite Rebellion in such an engaging way. She does not shy away from confronting poverty, violence, callous depravity, and discontent through her characters - but this story has many moments of love, tenderness, and the kindness of strangers too.
Utterly spellbinding, this is one of those books that will linger with you for a long time. I loved it.
October 26, 2025
An early 18th century period novel like no other I’ve read- set in the North, a family’s complicated and painful history and secrets play out against a backdrop of a minor sea port and the revival of the Stuart claim to the throne in 1745.
The characters and the landscape are portrayed with complete authenticity- Whitehaven, Carlisle, Newcastle and Edinburgh all are brought vividly to life in a world where transatlantic slavery and the press gang reveal the oppression of the times.
The description of a slave captain and his pursuit of money is very well drawn. On the one hand he treats his human cargo simply as a commodity but equally striking is his disposal of some of his crew to the press gang in Barbados to save on paying their wages for the return journey. Profit rules, but not without a challenge from Quakers in the community and an enslaved African whose master hires him out and bags his wages.
The first person narrative is wholly compelling - the reader lives Kit’s transition from trying his sister’s clothes to the development of a female persona - Stella - on whom he relies to escape serving in King George III’s navy, all the while trying to discover the truth about the deaths in his family. The way the author develops Kit/Stella’s interior life is both convincing and fascinating.
So much of this book is visceral - it hits you - like the ‘pelt of water on the window ‘- the magpie in the room. There’s something immediate about the writing - it puts the reader in the room and you remain immersed until it concludes with the quest resolved.
The characters and the landscape are portrayed with complete authenticity- Whitehaven, Carlisle, Newcastle and Edinburgh all are brought vividly to life in a world where transatlantic slavery and the press gang reveal the oppression of the times.
The description of a slave captain and his pursuit of money is very well drawn. On the one hand he treats his human cargo simply as a commodity but equally striking is his disposal of some of his crew to the press gang in Barbados to save on paying their wages for the return journey. Profit rules, but not without a challenge from Quakers in the community and an enslaved African whose master hires him out and bags his wages.
The first person narrative is wholly compelling - the reader lives Kit’s transition from trying his sister’s clothes to the development of a female persona - Stella - on whom he relies to escape serving in King George III’s navy, all the while trying to discover the truth about the deaths in his family. The way the author develops Kit/Stella’s interior life is both convincing and fascinating.
So much of this book is visceral - it hits you - like the ‘pelt of water on the window ‘- the magpie in the room. There’s something immediate about the writing - it puts the reader in the room and you remain immersed until it concludes with the quest resolved.
July 26, 2025
Ravenglass by Carolyn Kirby is historical fiction of the most satisfying and immersive kind. With flawless prose, Kirby vividly conjures early Georgian life in the thriving sea port of Whitehaven and later in Edinburgh on the eve of the 1745 Jacobite rebellion. Throughout, glorious descriptions of the period’s gorgeous fashions contrast with the ugliness of its deep inequalities, not least the depravity of the slave trade.
All this is seen through the eyes of an unforgettable protagonist, Christopher ‘Kit’ Ravenglass, a naive yet courageous character, struggling with gender identity, and drawn so compassionately, I adored spending time in his company and rooted for him every step of the way.
With its powerful themes of gender, class, race and social justice, this brilliant book holds up a mirror to our own times and rewards a slow read to savour all its riches. Certainly it deserves to triumph as an example of the very best in contemporary historical fiction.
January 28, 2026
A boy who feels more himself in female dress finds his path through eighteenth-century northern Britain, encountering the violence of the transatlantic slave trade and the Jacobite rebellion. Thick with period detail, the voice grabbed me from the first page and kept me enthralled to the end. It was especially enjoyable for me having grown up in the area and being taught nothing about its bloody history, but I'd recommend it to anyone.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews