The People's Story of the Great Fire of London: The Destruction of England's Capital City

by Phil Carradice

176 pages, Hardcover

Published November 30, 2025

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the free Kindle book. My review is voluntarily given, and my opinions are my own.

If you are ever on a trivia show and need to know the exact year of this fire, it is so easy. Religious zealots thought connected the fire to the end of the world because the year was 1666. If you have no idea because you weren't raised religious and have watched no movies or read not a single book referencing it, 666 is suppose to be the Mark of the Beast. There is tons more about this in the book, which I found so funny, only because I was reading it the same day as the fifth or maybe sixth Rapture of the year. (Spoiler alert lol: No one got Raptured)

This book depressed me so much. Not because the book itself was depressing, but because it kept referencing The Diaries of Samuel Pepys and the works of Samuel Johnson. Reminding me of all the books my parents gave away when they sold their house. Didn't take the time to ask if anyone wanted the books. Just gave them to GoodWill. All those antique books, just gone. Been years and still sad when I think about it.

Anyway . . . I really enjoyed reading it so much. Reminded me that I will have to look for those journals at some point. The reasons the fire spread so fast are so crazy. The buildings were so close together that the people in the upper floors could reach over and shake hands. So the fire just jumped from building to building. One top of that, there was a witch who predicted that London would burn to the ground. So tons of people didn't even try to help put out the fire. They just fled with what they could.

Definitely would recommend this book. Haven't read much about this topic before and what little I had in the past was years ago. This book was so interesting!

[Yvonne Strong · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really fascinating. It gives a detailed account of the origin and development of the fire, as well as the conditions that led to such a massive conflagration and the practical and emotional issues that people had to deal with in the aftermath. In many ways, the fire was a demarcation between medieval and modern London, and the decision to modernize the post-fire city while retaining at least some of the medieval infrastructure has led to a city whose history is still apparent. Architects wanting to remake the city in their own image could have destroyed much of London’s heritage, and we should be grateful that wiser heads prevailed, even if their motivation was largely economic.

The aftermath of the fire takes up the final third of the book and, while very interesting, is also somewhat depressing. The need to point the finger of blame at traditional enemies (foreigners and Catholics in this case) rather than looking for the real culprit, the outbreak of conspiracy theories, the descent into superstition and hysteria, and of course the crime and profiteering are depressingly familiar to anyone watching the news these days. However enlightened people fancy themselves to be nowadays, human nature doesn’t change.

This book is a must-read for anyone visiting London and wanting to understand the history behind the geography.

[Susan Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always felt that history is the story of real people. Others may disagree that. It is the recitation of minutiae, of facts and figures, but not the author. Right up front he states that his purpose is to tell the story of what happened in the words of those who lived it. Naturally, the vast bulk of what has survived through time are the words of the great and powerful. Their words from Charles II to the prolific Samuel Pepys to the sadly inept Lord Mayor are repeated here. But so are the thoughts and words of many of the common folks and it is often through their eyes and words that we can capture the full scope of what happened in early September 1666 but also what happened thereafter as people strove in many cases just to survive.

The old and the infirm, of course, were the largest group of victims. I have always thought the number of dead counted has been an unbelievably low amount. To have such devastation and only have a handful of corpses was beyond common sense. The explanation for why this number has been so low and what the more realistic count might be is covered in the book. That was not the only thing that was a revelation. I like when I can read a book on a subject of which I consider myself knowledgeable and still be amazed. Well done. Well done indeed. Five purrs and two paws up.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

So often we hear about how the Great Fire of London affected the Middle Class and touched up on the lives of the nobles/royal who were in the city at the time. And while many of the poorer people of London would have their own stories, these have unfortunately been lost to the depths of time. However, Phil Carradice does a good job using available sources to build his narrative and help the reader understand just how devastating the fire was to all members of London society and how a medieval city was destroyed but a new, improved city rose from it's ashes.

Unfortunately, the author doesn't go too deep in certain subjects and I found some interesting anecdotes to be unsourced, but this is an easy to read book and provides lot relevant information to the background and aftermath to one of the worst fires known to mankind.


Thank you to Netgalley and Pen & Sword for providing me with an advanced review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.

[Andrea Wenger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This meticulously researched account reveals the Great Fire of London through a fresh lens, focusing on the personal stories of those who witnessed the devastation. It explores the reactions of key figures—from King Charles II to ordinary citizens—revealing their courage, failings, and the complex emotions of a city in crisis. Written in an elegant and accessible style, this book offers a compelling and authoritative portrayal of a defining moment in London’s history.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.