This has all the elements of good historical fiction. It’s realistic to the time, has lots of detail to paint a rich scene including an impressive description of the process involved in early photography. It deals with politics and society of the time period, giving insight and understanding to why things couldn’t just be “fixed”. There is no rich benefactor swooping in to make everything right, rather real family and friends doing what they could to help in hard situations. This is real. Well done.