What do you think?
Rate this book
The Petticoat Men
A captivating historical novel which uncovers sensational new information about a scandalous court case that rocked Victorian England
The Victorian gossipmongers called them The Petticoat Men. But to young Mattie Stacey, they are Freddie and Ernest, her gentlemen lodgers. It is Mattie who admires their sparkling gowns, makes their extravagant hats and laughs at their stories of attending society balls dressed up as the glamorous "Fanny" and "Stella." But one fateful night Fanny and Stella are arrested, and Mattie is dragged into a shocking court trial, described in newspapers all over England as "The Scandal of the Century." This richly atmospheric novel of Victorian London exposes a political secret lost to history until now, and is perfect for fans of Sarah Waters and Rose Tremain.
The Victorian gossipmongers called them The Petticoat Men. But to young Mattie Stacey, they are Freddie and Ernest, her gentlemen lodgers. It is Mattie who admires their sparkling gowns, makes their extravagant hats and laughs at their stories of attending society balls dressed up as the glamorous "Fanny" and "Stella." But one fateful night Fanny and Stella are arrested, and Mattie is dragged into a shocking court trial, described in newspapers all over England as "The Scandal of the Century." This richly atmospheric novel of Victorian London exposes a political secret lost to history until now, and is perfect for fans of Sarah Waters and Rose Tremain.
474 pages, Paperback
First published November 6, 2014
25 people are currently reading
362 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Ewing
26 books57 followersBarbara Ewing is a UK-based actress, playwright and novelist. Born in New Zealand, she graduated from Victoria University of Wellington with a BA in English and Maori before moving to Britain in 1965 to train as an actress at RADA (the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art) in London.
She made her film debut in the horror film 'Torture Garden' (1967) for Amicus Productions, followed by 'Dracula Has Risen from the Grave' (1968) with Christopher Lee for Hammer Films. Both movies were directed by Freddie Francis. Her other films included 'The Reckoning' (1969), 'Eye of the Needle' (1981), 'Haunters of the Deep' (1984) and 'When the Whales Came' (1989).
The television role for which she is best known is that of Bradley Hardacre's mistress Agnes Fairchild in the Granada Television comedy series 'Brass', alongside Timothy West (1982–84). In 1986, she played Treen Dudgeon in the short-lived BBC series 'Comrade Dad', alongside George Cole and Doris Hare. In 1978 she had appeared in an episode of Euston Films' The Sweeney (S4-E7 'Bait').
Her 1989 one-woman show, 'Alexandra Kollontai', about the only woman in Lenin's cabinet in 1917 was a great hit in London, and at the Edinburgh and Sydney Festivals.
More recent TV appearances have included episodes of 'Casualty', 'Doctors' and 'Holby City' on the BBC, and 'The Bill and Peak Practice' on ITV, as well as appearances in various adaptations of Ruth Rendell mysteries.
She made her film debut in the horror film 'Torture Garden' (1967) for Amicus Productions, followed by 'Dracula Has Risen from the Grave' (1968) with Christopher Lee for Hammer Films. Both movies were directed by Freddie Francis. Her other films included 'The Reckoning' (1969), 'Eye of the Needle' (1981), 'Haunters of the Deep' (1984) and 'When the Whales Came' (1989).
The television role for which she is best known is that of Bradley Hardacre's mistress Agnes Fairchild in the Granada Television comedy series 'Brass', alongside Timothy West (1982–84). In 1986, she played Treen Dudgeon in the short-lived BBC series 'Comrade Dad', alongside George Cole and Doris Hare. In 1978 she had appeared in an episode of Euston Films' The Sweeney (S4-E7 'Bait').
Her 1989 one-woman show, 'Alexandra Kollontai', about the only woman in Lenin's cabinet in 1917 was a great hit in London, and at the Edinburgh and Sydney Festivals.
More recent TV appearances have included episodes of 'Casualty', 'Doctors' and 'Holby City' on the BBC, and 'The Bill and Peak Practice' on ITV, as well as appearances in various adaptations of Ruth Rendell mysteries.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
November 7, 2018
4.5 stars
I’ve read all those novels and ..... I think most of them are about love and maybe I’ve been writing about love too, all different kinds of love, and it was like I said all those years ago, you cant always tell your heart what to do.
I loved this story written from several different points of view. It was so evocative and to me, essentially Victorian. The music halls, the boarding houses, chiirupping whores, Gladstone, Victoria and the philandering Prince of Wales. It was a much bigger novel than the trial of the Petticoat men. It was about Victorian family and adversity and how the worst of circumstances can lead to the best of events. I wonder how much this trial affected the outcome of Oscar Wilde's trial a decade later. The story was about hypocrisy, sense of entitlement and dishonesty of the Establishment and the Church. In some ways, this hasn't changed even so many years later.
Very interesting read with a superlative narrator on audio.
I’ve read all those novels and ..... I think most of them are about love and maybe I’ve been writing about love too, all different kinds of love, and it was like I said all those years ago, you cant always tell your heart what to do.
I loved this story written from several different points of view. It was so evocative and to me, essentially Victorian. The music halls, the boarding houses, chiirupping whores, Gladstone, Victoria and the philandering Prince of Wales. It was a much bigger novel than the trial of the Petticoat men. It was about Victorian family and adversity and how the worst of circumstances can lead to the best of events. I wonder how much this trial affected the outcome of Oscar Wilde's trial a decade later. The story was about hypocrisy, sense of entitlement and dishonesty of the Establishment and the Church. In some ways, this hasn't changed even so many years later.
Very interesting read with a superlative narrator on audio.
December 23, 2014
Mattie Stacey helps her mother run a lodging house in Kings Cross, London, in the latter half of the 19th century. It is a respectable house, but when two of their lodgers, two young men who often dress as women, for performance or just fur fun, are arrested, scandal taints it, much to Mattie's fury, and she tries what she can to set things right...
This historical novel is based on the real-life trial of Ernest Boulton and Frederick Park for cross-dressing and homosexuality. Mattie and her family are characters invented by the author, but most of the rest of the cast are real historical figures, from Ernest and Freddie to William Gladstone and the Prince of Wales.
The story is well written, utilising several voices - Mattie, her mother, and her brother all narrate sections, and some parts, covering things they could not know, are presented in omniscient 3rd person. This device works well; with the different characters concentrating on different aspects of the story it all builds up into a rich, layered whole. The story itself, of Ernest and Freddie, of the trial, of the effects the trial had on so many people of different kinds, is fascinating. And without departing from the historical record, the author succeeds in forming a tale with a beginning, a middle, and a (for Mattie and family, happy) end - a feat that this type of historical novel does not always manage.
I enjoyed the book very much, and found it well worth the reading.
This historical novel is based on the real-life trial of Ernest Boulton and Frederick Park for cross-dressing and homosexuality. Mattie and her family are characters invented by the author, but most of the rest of the cast are real historical figures, from Ernest and Freddie to William Gladstone and the Prince of Wales.
The story is well written, utilising several voices - Mattie, her mother, and her brother all narrate sections, and some parts, covering things they could not know, are presented in omniscient 3rd person. This device works well; with the different characters concentrating on different aspects of the story it all builds up into a rich, layered whole. The story itself, of Ernest and Freddie, of the trial, of the effects the trial had on so many people of different kinds, is fascinating. And without departing from the historical record, the author succeeds in forming a tale with a beginning, a middle, and a (for Mattie and family, happy) end - a feat that this type of historical novel does not always manage.
I enjoyed the book very much, and found it well worth the reading.
March 19, 2018
A Stunning Historical Journey Into Hidden World
I am full of admiration as how well the author told this tale of a humble London family caught up in a notorious trial. It provides a great deal of historical context to the period, the class system and how society so often was weighted against those who were different.
The narrative structure moved between different perspectives and I was very fond of so many of the characters. Highly recommended.
I am full of admiration as how well the author told this tale of a humble London family caught up in a notorious trial. It provides a great deal of historical context to the period, the class system and how society so often was weighted against those who were different.
The narrative structure moved between different perspectives and I was very fond of so many of the characters. Highly recommended.
March 27, 2015
Based on the true story of the trial of two men in 1871, THE PETTICOAT MEN places real-life characters into a fictional scenario to create an extremely entertaining, and very readable story.
It is true that the young Ernest Boulton and Frederick Park were put on trial for "conspiring and inciting persons to commit an unnatural offence", they were both well-known cross-dressers and suspected homosexuals, although acquitted due to the prosecutions failure to prove either the sexual activity or that wearing women's clothing was actually a crime. The trial was a sensation due to the nature of the allegations, but also because of their connections to members of the aristocracy.
In THE PETTICOAT MAN there are more characters from society and establishment drawn into the story, which based on the circles they mixed in, comes across as reasonable conclusions to draw. This is probably helped by the feel of the entire book, which has a truthfulness to it that's incredibly compelling.
The central, and most vocal narrator, is Mattie Stacey. Daughter of the owner of the boarding house in which Freddie and Ernest rent a room to store their women's clothing, and to dress, Mattie is absolutely outraged when her family's good name and address are dragged into the gossip and innuendo surrounding the trial. She's not outraged at either of the men, one of whom she is particularly attached to after he had been particularly kind to her, but because she, her mother, and her brother are decent people, who run a clean house and are loyal to their friends, and they most definitely do not run a questionable establishment. Mattie's the star of this book, her voice is so beautifully crafted she's real, and she's fabulous. Brave and true, she might not have had a lot of formal education but she, and her brother, are self-educated, self-motivated and good people. As is her mother, and had been her father - both theatre people themselves which probably means that the men's antics came as less of a matter of comment than it might.
The situation that Mattie and her family are dragged into because of the cruel and mindless gossip is difficult, but it seems there is nothing like a difficulty to straighten Mattie's back, to firm her mother's resolve, and to ensure her brother makes the best. He's particularly exercised by the situation as he loses his much loved job as a clerk in Parliament, and in Mr Gladstone's office, and must make do with lesser employment, despite the unfairness. Mattie herself, has had her own trials, widowed at a very young age, betrayed by a lover, her malformed foot is a disability that means that she stands out when she least wants to, and seems to imply that life as a childless widowed hat maker might be her lot. Mind you, there's nothing maudlin about Mattie, nor any of them for that matter.
The only downside to THE PETTICOAT MEN is that much of the circumstances leading up to the trial are sketchy, and the fate of Freddie and Ernest a little brush-stroked towards the end. Whilst it's perfectly understandable that the focus would remain with the Stacey family, as this was presented to this reader as a "crime" novel, the balance was a little off. Call it a ripper of a yarn though, and there'd be no quibble at all.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/revie...
It is true that the young Ernest Boulton and Frederick Park were put on trial for "conspiring and inciting persons to commit an unnatural offence", they were both well-known cross-dressers and suspected homosexuals, although acquitted due to the prosecutions failure to prove either the sexual activity or that wearing women's clothing was actually a crime. The trial was a sensation due to the nature of the allegations, but also because of their connections to members of the aristocracy.
In THE PETTICOAT MAN there are more characters from society and establishment drawn into the story, which based on the circles they mixed in, comes across as reasonable conclusions to draw. This is probably helped by the feel of the entire book, which has a truthfulness to it that's incredibly compelling.
The central, and most vocal narrator, is Mattie Stacey. Daughter of the owner of the boarding house in which Freddie and Ernest rent a room to store their women's clothing, and to dress, Mattie is absolutely outraged when her family's good name and address are dragged into the gossip and innuendo surrounding the trial. She's not outraged at either of the men, one of whom she is particularly attached to after he had been particularly kind to her, but because she, her mother, and her brother are decent people, who run a clean house and are loyal to their friends, and they most definitely do not run a questionable establishment. Mattie's the star of this book, her voice is so beautifully crafted she's real, and she's fabulous. Brave and true, she might not have had a lot of formal education but she, and her brother, are self-educated, self-motivated and good people. As is her mother, and had been her father - both theatre people themselves which probably means that the men's antics came as less of a matter of comment than it might.
The situation that Mattie and her family are dragged into because of the cruel and mindless gossip is difficult, but it seems there is nothing like a difficulty to straighten Mattie's back, to firm her mother's resolve, and to ensure her brother makes the best. He's particularly exercised by the situation as he loses his much loved job as a clerk in Parliament, and in Mr Gladstone's office, and must make do with lesser employment, despite the unfairness. Mattie herself, has had her own trials, widowed at a very young age, betrayed by a lover, her malformed foot is a disability that means that she stands out when she least wants to, and seems to imply that life as a childless widowed hat maker might be her lot. Mind you, there's nothing maudlin about Mattie, nor any of them for that matter.
The only downside to THE PETTICOAT MEN is that much of the circumstances leading up to the trial are sketchy, and the fate of Freddie and Ernest a little brush-stroked towards the end. Whilst it's perfectly understandable that the focus would remain with the Stacey family, as this was presented to this reader as a "crime" novel, the balance was a little off. Call it a ripper of a yarn though, and there'd be no quibble at all.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/revie...
January 8, 2018
What a brilliant read! I wasn't aware of this court case at all, so the details were all new to me. The trial of Ernest Boulton and Frederick Park, dubbed the 'Men in Petticoats', in 1870, is presented from the perspective of the family who own the boarding house at 13, Wakefield Street where said men rent a room to store said petticoats, along with gowns, wigs, makeup and other paraphernalia. Isabella Stacey, former Wardrobe Mistress at Drury Lane Theatre, and her grown-up children Mattie and Billy, are perfectly happy to see their occasional 'gentlemen lodgers' arrive in men's attire and emerge as beautiful women, stopping to exchange pleasantries and gossip before leaving for their theatrical - and perhaps other - engagements. The trial affects everyone connected with Boulton and Parks, from the Wakefield Street family right up to the Prime Minister (Gladstone) and the Prince of Wales (future Edward VII) - but the immediate consequences for their working-class friends are much more devastating.
This is a novel about social injustice, hypocrisy, prejudice and brutality - and also about love, loyalty, tolerance and kindness. The period details are painstakingly researched and accurate, and the little domestic details and family conversations as vivid and moving. I'd go so far as to say that Barbara Ewing gives Sarah Waters a run for her money - my highest praise!
This is a novel about social injustice, hypocrisy, prejudice and brutality - and also about love, loyalty, tolerance and kindness. The period details are painstakingly researched and accurate, and the little domestic details and family conversations as vivid and moving. I'd go so far as to say that Barbara Ewing gives Sarah Waters a run for her money - my highest praise!
August 25, 2018
The Petticoat Men is a flawed book. Its structure is unbalanced and unconvincingly weak, the quality of the writing is inconsistent at best, and, perhaps most importantly, the story is not really about Bolton and Park, the cross-dressing duo, known as Fanny and Stella, at the heart of an infamous Victorian scandal.
Instead, the books centres around one of the boarding houses where the two men occasionally rented a room to become those louche creatures that so shocked Victorian in London in the late 1860s.
Thirteen Wakefield Street, which should really have given the book its title, is home to the Stacey family and the story is told mostly from their point of view; an exploration of the scandal's repercussions on the family's lives and those of other people, with the unfolding trials as a counterpoint. While Bolton and Park are undoubtedly the catalysts for the events that bring such upheaval to the lives of so many people in the narrative, they are somehow very peripheral characters themselves.
Despite all those flaws, however, Ewing manages to create an endearing story and a set of characters we slowly grow to like. The book is a slow burner though, possibly weighed down by the set pieces of the trial scenes, and it's only about 2/3 in that it truly seems to come to life.
Instead, the books centres around one of the boarding houses where the two men occasionally rented a room to become those louche creatures that so shocked Victorian in London in the late 1860s.
Thirteen Wakefield Street, which should really have given the book its title, is home to the Stacey family and the story is told mostly from their point of view; an exploration of the scandal's repercussions on the family's lives and those of other people, with the unfolding trials as a counterpoint. While Bolton and Park are undoubtedly the catalysts for the events that bring such upheaval to the lives of so many people in the narrative, they are somehow very peripheral characters themselves.
Despite all those flaws, however, Ewing manages to create an endearing story and a set of characters we slowly grow to like. The book is a slow burner though, possibly weighed down by the set pieces of the trial scenes, and it's only about 2/3 in that it truly seems to come to life.
August 23, 2015
It was slow to get moving, but after a couple of chapters setting the scene, I found the plot quick-paced and captivating. Told from several points of view throughout the book, I sometimes was shaken out of my entrancement by the quick switches and having to figure out who was the new narrator, but I was impressed with how many times I thought, "Surely she's just concluded the story; why are there so many pages left?" There were plenty of shocks and twists, and it was fascinating to think that this was based in fact. I stayed up until the wee hours to finish reading because I was so curious about what would happen.
May 8, 2017
An interesting look at the Victorian "Petticoat Men" cross-dressing scandal through the viewpoint of the family who rented rooms to the defendants. Intersection of class, money, sexuality, gender and the law in 1870's London.
December 3, 2025
I bought this book purely because of the cover—little did I know it was based on two real people, Boulton and Park, who were placed under surveillance for an entire year before their arrest in 1870 for dressing in women’s clothing. There is so much more to their story, too much to include in my review.
It took me a few chapters to get into the book, but Mattie’s character kept me going, she's young, kind and willing to put her own reputation on the line for her friends. It’s a fascinating read the author has done extensive research into the case. The story is told from several points of view, with the font changing for some narrators. I was unsure about this at first but it actually worked really well.
Real historical figures appear throughout the book, alongside Mattie, her mother, and her brother, who are fictional additions. I did want to rate this 3.5 stars as it was a bit long-winded, and I thought parts of it were a bit slow and then it would pick up again and I found myself a bit bored at times. But because of Mattie and the author’s impressive research, I’ve bumped it up to 4.
It took me a few chapters to get into the book, but Mattie’s character kept me going, she's young, kind and willing to put her own reputation on the line for her friends. It’s a fascinating read the author has done extensive research into the case. The story is told from several points of view, with the font changing for some narrators. I was unsure about this at first but it actually worked really well.
Real historical figures appear throughout the book, alongside Mattie, her mother, and her brother, who are fictional additions. I did want to rate this 3.5 stars as it was a bit long-winded, and I thought parts of it were a bit slow and then it would pick up again and I found myself a bit bored at times. But because of Mattie and the author’s impressive research, I’ve bumped it up to 4.
March 10, 2018
nice read and interesting unknown subject - the real trial of Ernest Boulton and Frederick Park in victorian England 1870 accused of being homosexuals and drag queens though not with these terms. but I ended the book with the feeling it just scratched the surface.
July 3, 2019
I read this because it was about Fanny and Stella. The story wasn't bad but I didn't like the writing style especially at the start. I nearly gave up. I'll give it 3 stars because of the subject alone.
March 12, 2016
In the 1870s, the London press trumpeted the trial of the century involving the "petticoat men", men who ostentatiously dressed as women and performed at private parties for a certain clientele; an audience that could - and did - include lords and peers of the realm, members of the high church, politicians. Two of the petticoat men, Freddie and Ernest rent a room at 13 Wakefield St., a boarding house run by Ma Stacey and her two adult children, Billy and Mattie. To Mattie these men aren't deviant: they are an amusing divertissement, and Freddie (her favourite) is particularly kind to her. After their shock arrest and detained detention, the celebrated trial begins, dragging down not only Freddie and Ernest, but also, by association the Stacey family, and one peer in particular: Lord Arthur Clinton, who Billy learns has a connection with the current prime minister William Gladstone. The trial is fascinating, as are the peripheral characters that come within the orbit of 13 Wakefield St. This overwhelmingly compassionate novel is historical fiction of the highest order.
March 18, 2015
This book is based on an actual trial that took place and it is quite fascinating to see the machinations and absolute hypocrisy of the nobility and clergy who can see disgrace looming. Actual historical figures are mixed in with the characters of a mother, her son and daughter. Different chapters are seen through the eyes of different characters which adds to the appeal of this book. We empathise with these characters, along with others who get caught up in the repercussions of the trial, through no fault of their own. This is a fascinating historical novel with a great mix of characters.
March 27, 2016
What a great read. I've read all Ms Ewing's books and liked them, but this is the best. centered on the real life Victorian scandal of 2 men who dressed as women. I read the non-fiction account of this last year and enjoyed it.this was better. in alternating chapters it tells of Mattie the daughter of the landlady of the two men and also the society and political figures who tried to keep the scabdal quiet. This book dealt with people who barely got a mention in the non-fiction account and brought them to life.
June 30, 2016
I can't pinpoint exactly what I don't like about this. Perhaps that it's boring despite the very interesting topic - "drag queens" during the Victorian era. Despite numerous attempts I just couldn't bring myself to finish it.
June 18, 2015
I totally loved this book.It was entertaining,interesting.amusing blending history with fiction. A first class novel.
July 22, 2020
The subject matter of this book was what drew me to it.
The Petticoat Men is based on the real life (Victorian era) trials of two men Ernest Boulton and Freddie Park. The two caused a scandal in London by dressing in women's clothing and were tried for homosexual activities. Interestingly, their friends and associates were often members of the nobility at the time - and the book reveals how differently the upper crust are treated when members of their own are implicated.
The story centres around the (fictitious) boarding house where the two men store their female attire and the people who live there. The house in Wakefied Street near Kings Cross is owned by Mrs Stacey who lives there with her daughter Mattie and son Billy. The story is told from different perspectives which is enjoyable and it covers how the scandal affected each of them in different ways.
So far so good.
I liked the premise of this book. Real life events in history combined with fictitious characters woven into a riveting novel is a good way to learn about historical events in an enjoyable format. This book however, lacked authenticity from the start for me by the style of the writing and the almost too good to be true characters.
As a Londoner myself, I could tell straight away that this was written by a non-Londoner (albeit one who has lived there for a long time). I remember clearly my grandparents who were born towards the end of the Victorian era, who were of the same class and similar background of the landlady and I felt the way the family in this book spoke was not realistic. It reminded me of a kind of My Fair Lady Eliza Doolittle goody goody version of how Londoners were in those times...the kind of proud but rough diamond, salt of the earth types who said "blooming" this and "blooming" that. It irritated me no end. A too romanticised view of life in those times.
This book will appeal to readers of romantic historical novels - because that is what it is.
Not my blooming cup of tea I'm afraid.
The Petticoat Men is based on the real life (Victorian era) trials of two men Ernest Boulton and Freddie Park. The two caused a scandal in London by dressing in women's clothing and were tried for homosexual activities. Interestingly, their friends and associates were often members of the nobility at the time - and the book reveals how differently the upper crust are treated when members of their own are implicated.
The story centres around the (fictitious) boarding house where the two men store their female attire and the people who live there. The house in Wakefied Street near Kings Cross is owned by Mrs Stacey who lives there with her daughter Mattie and son Billy. The story is told from different perspectives which is enjoyable and it covers how the scandal affected each of them in different ways.
So far so good.
I liked the premise of this book. Real life events in history combined with fictitious characters woven into a riveting novel is a good way to learn about historical events in an enjoyable format. This book however, lacked authenticity from the start for me by the style of the writing and the almost too good to be true characters.
As a Londoner myself, I could tell straight away that this was written by a non-Londoner (albeit one who has lived there for a long time). I remember clearly my grandparents who were born towards the end of the Victorian era, who were of the same class and similar background of the landlady and I felt the way the family in this book spoke was not realistic. It reminded me of a kind of My Fair Lady Eliza Doolittle goody goody version of how Londoners were in those times...the kind of proud but rough diamond, salt of the earth types who said "blooming" this and "blooming" that. It irritated me no end. A too romanticised view of life in those times.
This book will appeal to readers of romantic historical novels - because that is what it is.
Not my blooming cup of tea I'm afraid.
April 10, 2020
I bought this in Gay's The Word a couple of years ago, drawn in by the title.
The book describes the proceedings of the case of the “men in female attire” or The Petticoat Men as they become known in the newspapers. The case was against many people but most prominently Ernest Boulton and Frederick Park. The story is told partly in third person and partly from the point of view of Mattie Stacey who was the owner of 13 Wakefield Street, a boarding house where the pair has lodged for a time. The multiple perspectives ensures that the reader gets an unbiased look at he proceedings but also a glimpse into how the case affected those at the edges of involvement.
The book contains primary sources in form of letters and newspaper clippings. However since it’s partly told from Mattie’s point of view we also see her life evolve and get to know characters unrelated to the case. Although it does focus on the Petticoat Men it is ultimately a story of a snippet of Mattie’s life.
I enjoyed how it was written, the style was old fashioned yet not too much so, and the characters were easily likeable. The book felt like it could easily have ended in a few places but I’m very glad it didn’t because the ending was very satisfying. It felt like the story had run its course and there were no loose ends to tie up or anything.
The only negative thing I can think to say is that the nobility were hard to keep track of at times, nothing that really impacted my reading experience but I felt I ought to mention it nevertheless.
There were many places even amid the seriousness, the author managed to phrase things in such a way that I couldn’t help but to laugh.
The book describes the proceedings of the case of the “men in female attire” or The Petticoat Men as they become known in the newspapers. The case was against many people but most prominently Ernest Boulton and Frederick Park. The story is told partly in third person and partly from the point of view of Mattie Stacey who was the owner of 13 Wakefield Street, a boarding house where the pair has lodged for a time. The multiple perspectives ensures that the reader gets an unbiased look at he proceedings but also a glimpse into how the case affected those at the edges of involvement.
The book contains primary sources in form of letters and newspaper clippings. However since it’s partly told from Mattie’s point of view we also see her life evolve and get to know characters unrelated to the case. Although it does focus on the Petticoat Men it is ultimately a story of a snippet of Mattie’s life.
I enjoyed how it was written, the style was old fashioned yet not too much so, and the characters were easily likeable. The book felt like it could easily have ended in a few places but I’m very glad it didn’t because the ending was very satisfying. It felt like the story had run its course and there were no loose ends to tie up or anything.
The only negative thing I can think to say is that the nobility were hard to keep track of at times, nothing that really impacted my reading experience but I felt I ought to mention it nevertheless.
There were many places even amid the seriousness, the author managed to phrase things in such a way that I couldn’t help but to laugh.
January 14, 2023
Nesse livro acompanhamos a historia da Maddy, seu irmão e mão enquanto eles se veem no meio um processo legal escandaloso que estampa os jornais de Londres sobre seus dois inquilinos.
Eu encontrei esse livro no meio de uma das minhas varias jornadas na procura do áudio book de um livro da mesma autora quando me interessei por ele.
Foi um leitura interessante levando em consideração que eu só li um pouco do resumo e já aluguei ele no kindle.
Eu gostei da escrita da autora nesse livro, no ultimo dela eu tinha achado meio maçante mas depois desse ate decidi dar uma chance para o que eu tenho de novo e terminar ele.
Foi uma leitura fácil, houve momento em que tive que parar pois pois ficou cansativo mas foi coisa de um dia para outro seguido de leitura viciada seguida.
Quase todos os capítulos são narrados pela Maddie, uma jovem que se vê desejando ajudar seus amigos Ernest e Freddie, este ultimo por quem ela tem sentimentos, após o começo do caso criminal por conta de suas apresentações Drags e homossexualidade enquanto ela vai desvendando alguns segredos da sociedade.
Seu irmão é outro personagens que em alguns poucos momentos toma de conta da narração enquanto luta para não perder seu trabalho por conta do escândalo envolvendo sua casa.
Sua Mãe também é uma personagem que narra e possui uma posição de importância para o decorrer da historia enquanto usa seus conhecimentos e nós descreve um pouco de seu passado.
Temos uma boa descrição de Londres do século 19 tanto em relação as pessoas e sues pensamentos retrógrados como também demonstrado através das discrições do ambiente.
Um dos temas principais que temos e o preconceito com a homosexualidade e enquanto temos figura de poder nesse mundo que fariam qualquer coisa para esconder quem são e oque fazem mesmo que custe a vida dos outros.
E um tema que sempre vimos e sempre vamos ver refletido na vida real e é interessante ver ele mesmo que as consequências para os grandes sempre seja insignificante.
Eu encontrei esse livro no meio de uma das minhas varias jornadas na procura do áudio book de um livro da mesma autora quando me interessei por ele.
Foi um leitura interessante levando em consideração que eu só li um pouco do resumo e já aluguei ele no kindle.
Eu gostei da escrita da autora nesse livro, no ultimo dela eu tinha achado meio maçante mas depois desse ate decidi dar uma chance para o que eu tenho de novo e terminar ele.
Foi uma leitura fácil, houve momento em que tive que parar pois pois ficou cansativo mas foi coisa de um dia para outro seguido de leitura viciada seguida.
Quase todos os capítulos são narrados pela Maddie, uma jovem que se vê desejando ajudar seus amigos Ernest e Freddie, este ultimo por quem ela tem sentimentos, após o começo do caso criminal por conta de suas apresentações Drags e homossexualidade enquanto ela vai desvendando alguns segredos da sociedade.
Seu irmão é outro personagens que em alguns poucos momentos toma de conta da narração enquanto luta para não perder seu trabalho por conta do escândalo envolvendo sua casa.
Sua Mãe também é uma personagem que narra e possui uma posição de importância para o decorrer da historia enquanto usa seus conhecimentos e nós descreve um pouco de seu passado.
Temos uma boa descrição de Londres do século 19 tanto em relação as pessoas e sues pensamentos retrógrados como também demonstrado através das discrições do ambiente.
Um dos temas principais que temos e o preconceito com a homosexualidade e enquanto temos figura de poder nesse mundo que fariam qualquer coisa para esconder quem são e oque fazem mesmo que custe a vida dos outros.
E um tema que sempre vimos e sempre vamos ver refletido na vida real e é interessante ver ele mesmo que as consequências para os grandes sempre seja insignificante.
January 13, 2018
3.5
Let me preface this by admitting that I had not heard of the Men in Petticoats Scandal prior to buying this book.
This, while a bit slow to start, was a fascinating yet heartbreaking story. I think that part that upset me the most was the young clerk who fancied that young man with the watering can and offed himself because of the way the trial was going. That will stick with me for ages (which is remarkable considering it’s not even part of the story, really).
I admit that Mattie grated on my nerves a bit. The way she was written, I pictured her to be about 12. Even after it was revealed she’d be married and had a miscarriage, she still read like a child. Her obsessions with Frederick were kind of embarrassing and she was pretty daft which made her frustrating to read at times.
Ernest got on my nerves too. He was exceedingly arrogant and needed a clip round the ears for his cheek and entitlement.
The other characters were all well done. It was refreshing to have a lower-class Victorian mother that wasn’t indifferent toward her children or an absentee parent.
You might have suspend disbelief a bit when reading this but I do recommend it. Be patient with the slow start, I think I read the latter 60% in an afternoon!
Let me preface this by admitting that I had not heard of the Men in Petticoats Scandal prior to buying this book.
This, while a bit slow to start, was a fascinating yet heartbreaking story. I think that part that upset me the most was the young clerk who fancied that young man with the watering can and offed himself because of the way the trial was going. That will stick with me for ages (which is remarkable considering it’s not even part of the story, really).
I admit that Mattie grated on my nerves a bit. The way she was written, I pictured her to be about 12. Even after it was revealed she’d be married and had a miscarriage, she still read like a child. Her obsessions with Frederick were kind of embarrassing and she was pretty daft which made her frustrating to read at times.
Ernest got on my nerves too. He was exceedingly arrogant and needed a clip round the ears for his cheek and entitlement.
The other characters were all well done. It was refreshing to have a lower-class Victorian mother that wasn’t indifferent toward her children or an absentee parent.
You might have suspend disbelief a bit when reading this but I do recommend it. Be patient with the slow start, I think I read the latter 60% in an afternoon!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2021
Though I’m not surprised that something like this could happen during that era, I was surprised that the gist of the story was true. There really was a trial against Ernest Boulton and Frederick Park. And the aristocracy really did show its hypocrisy in making sure that their part of the scandal would be covered up.
To emphasis that hypocrisy, there’s a side story of the Prince of Wales and his mistress. It’s almost an amazing story as the trial. They’re an interesting group of characters, but it’s the original characters who make the book.
Mattie, her brother, Billy, and their mother, are the true holders of truth, and honesty, and courage. Pulled into the scandal because Ernest and Frederick rent a room in their boarding house, they must fight to keep what little they have: their home, their livelihood, their integrity. It’s not at all hard to imagine this happening to some poor person who accidentally gets in the way.
Though it’s a novel, it gives the reader a clear picture of the times, and of the use of power to protect the powerful. A well written tale that’s well worth reading.
To emphasis that hypocrisy, there’s a side story of the Prince of Wales and his mistress. It’s almost an amazing story as the trial. They’re an interesting group of characters, but it’s the original characters who make the book.
Mattie, her brother, Billy, and their mother, are the true holders of truth, and honesty, and courage. Pulled into the scandal because Ernest and Frederick rent a room in their boarding house, they must fight to keep what little they have: their home, their livelihood, their integrity. It’s not at all hard to imagine this happening to some poor person who accidentally gets in the way.
Though it’s a novel, it gives the reader a clear picture of the times, and of the use of power to protect the powerful. A well written tale that’s well worth reading.
January 18, 2019
The Victorian gossipmongers called them The Petticoat Men. But to young widow Mattie Stacey, they are Freddie and Ernest, her gentlemen lodgers. It is Mattie who admires their sparkling gowns, makes their extravagant hats and laughs at their stories of attending society balls dressed up as the glamorous 'Fanny' and 'Stella'.
But one fateful night Fanny and Stella are arrested, and Mattie and her family are dragged into a shocking court trial, described in newspapers all over England as 'The Scandal of the Century'.
Outraged, Mattie is determined to save her family from ruin, and her friends from shame and penury. She embarks on a brave journey to expose the establishment's hypocrisy - including the involvement of Mr Gladstone the Prime Minister, and the Prince of Wales. For Fanny and Stella are dangerous ladies, and these are dangerous times...
But one fateful night Fanny and Stella are arrested, and Mattie and her family are dragged into a shocking court trial, described in newspapers all over England as 'The Scandal of the Century'.
Outraged, Mattie is determined to save her family from ruin, and her friends from shame and penury. She embarks on a brave journey to expose the establishment's hypocrisy - including the involvement of Mr Gladstone the Prime Minister, and the Prince of Wales. For Fanny and Stella are dangerous ladies, and these are dangerous times...
February 27, 2025
This is a 3.5 star book, rounded up. I read it as part of a library reading challenge. I read it as an audiobook read by the author, which was really good because she is also an actress with voice skills and was able to read it as she wrote it. The author is a New Zealander, as am I, so I read it for that part of my annual reading challenge.
It did feel a little like it could have finished at chapter 40, and again at 55, but it ended with a neat bow of tied up ends.
I had read one review that commented that the actual case of the Men in Petticoats was somewhat of a side issue to the story. I disagree, but I suspect it depends on your point of view as the reader. If you are looking for an LGBTetc romance, this is not it. This is a story of how the British class system could affect different classes of Londoners in the early 1900s.
I enjoyed listening, and I hope others do too.
It did feel a little like it could have finished at chapter 40, and again at 55, but it ended with a neat bow of tied up ends.
I had read one review that commented that the actual case of the Men in Petticoats was somewhat of a side issue to the story. I disagree, but I suspect it depends on your point of view as the reader. If you are looking for an LGBTetc romance, this is not it. This is a story of how the British class system could affect different classes of Londoners in the early 1900s.
I enjoyed listening, and I hope others do too.
September 14, 2017
This is based on a real trial in 1870 involving Ernest Boulton and Frederick Park. But it also involves the huge newspaper coverage of the scandal and letters that Barbara Ewing's research uncovered. The letters quoted in the book are genuine. It is a very good read with endearing characters – almost Dickensian – Elijah and Dodo, Billy the parliamentary clerk, Lord Arthur Clinton's mysterious death and subsequent cover-up, and the “smuggler”/fisherman Mackie. Wonderful characters. A great read and thoroughly recommended.
April 21, 2020
Took a wee while to get into this one but worthwhile when I had. Full of all things typically Victorian, bawdy whores, hats, pies and scandal. The things that caused such scandal in Victorian society would be seen as pretty normal by today's standards. It's a story of double standards and shows how money and power could in those times wash things clean away. It's also a story of an ordinary family, a family who would reach out to help anyone in trouble, whether they deserved it or not, and how they fared by being touched by the scandal.
August 20, 2020
A few years ago I read the factual account of this. I recommend that, Fanny and Stella: The Young Men Who Shocked Victorian England by Neil McKenna.
This takes that important queer history, and retells it from a poor, straight, household's perspective. The narrator is actually so naive it's annoying at first. It's rather patronising to use lgbtq history simply as a background device to tell your fictional story of a boarding house.
Read the facts, skip this fiction.
This takes that important queer history, and retells it from a poor, straight, household's perspective. The narrator is actually so naive it's annoying at first. It's rather patronising to use lgbtq history simply as a background device to tell your fictional story of a boarding house.
Read the facts, skip this fiction.
September 30, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. I'd never heard about this Victorian scandal before and Barbara Ewing made it really interesting. In fact I've decided she's my favourite writer at the moment, this is the third book of hers I've read this year and have just ordered another two. I love the way she writes dialogue, she has a way of making the characters from 150 years ago sound really contemporary, which makes it easy to relate to them.
January 14, 2019
This historical novel was really interesting. It is very well researched and weaves an intriguing story of a real trial and all the things that went on in the back rooms. However, the writing style just wasn't for me. Some sentences were a bit wobbly and there was a lot of unnecessary repetition. It's a fun read, though! 3.5 stars.
September 8, 2022
A wonderfully well written and moving book based on a true story from a different when things that we now take for granted were taboo. I loved this book and all its characters, especially the main characters Mattie, Billy and their Ma. But all the side characters, including the The Petticoat Men are beautifully brought to life by the author.
October 24, 2023
3.5 stars
This is highly informative and based on real people. We also have parts about the prime minister during Victorian era and other people of the time. For me there were lots of storylines so I got lost at times
This is highly informative and based on real people. We also have parts about the prime minister during Victorian era and other people of the time. For me there were lots of storylines so I got lost at times
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews