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Victoria's Victorian Victory
Fourteen year old Victoria Bloom is great at having ideas, but they don't always go to plan. Now her mistakes will have bigger consequences than ever before as it has fallen to her to run the family farm. With harvest season fast approaching, it's urgent she makes it profitable again, or they will lose it altogether.
An entertaining yet educational historical read designed primarily for girls between the ages of 10-14.
An entertaining yet educational historical read designed primarily for girls between the ages of 10-14.
264 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2017
11 people want to read
About the author
Abigail Shepherd
2 books23 followersAbigail Shepherd is the author of teen historical fiction novel Victoria’s Victorian Victory, which she’s hopes will encourage teenage girls to think about their futures, set goals for themselves, and insist on being treated with the respect they deserve. She is also the author of numerous published short stories, some of which can be found in her short story collection, My Year of Stories. Her hobbies include fishing, napping, and drinking exceptionally good wine.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 16, 2017
Victoria’s Victorian Victory is a well-written story that will carry you back to rural Victorian times. It is very well researched and the story comes to life with the mention of food eaten, everyday life including using a copper boiler to wash the clothes and much more.
The strongest aspect of the book is its main character, Victoria Bloom, who has just lost her father, and then her elder brother goes to London for work. Victoria is only fourteen but the drastic changes in her life make her realise she loves her home, her family, and she is going to do everything she can to, not only save it, but to improve it. It’s her sheer determination to succeed that makes her a great character but Victoria also knows she has to work hard to achieve her plans.
Abigail Shepherd portrays the Bloom farm as idyllic but also gives a very realistic and true representation of the hard life of domestic Victorian times.
We, in our present time, often say that things were better and less complicated in the good old days. I think this book shows that contentment and a sense of achievement come from dedication and hard work, no matter the era.
I highly recommend Victoria’s Victorian Victory as a story for all ages. Victoria is an inspiration.
The strongest aspect of the book is its main character, Victoria Bloom, who has just lost her father, and then her elder brother goes to London for work. Victoria is only fourteen but the drastic changes in her life make her realise she loves her home, her family, and she is going to do everything she can to, not only save it, but to improve it. It’s her sheer determination to succeed that makes her a great character but Victoria also knows she has to work hard to achieve her plans.
Abigail Shepherd portrays the Bloom farm as idyllic but also gives a very realistic and true representation of the hard life of domestic Victorian times.
We, in our present time, often say that things were better and less complicated in the good old days. I think this book shows that contentment and a sense of achievement come from dedication and hard work, no matter the era.
I highly recommend Victoria’s Victorian Victory as a story for all ages. Victoria is an inspiration.
April 23, 2017
I really enjoyed this book! It was about a subject that I'm really interested in. I love old-style farming. In fact, Mum and I love to snuggle up in front of an episode of "Victorian Farm". The fact that the story was engaging and very well written, on top of this, meant that I could very easily go back and read the whole book again!
Vicky was very well developed throughout the book. I can't say I particularly liked her all the way through, but this made her human. I identified quite a bit with Mary-Anne and could see myself in some of her characteristics.
Weirdly enough, I imagined the farm somewhere in Devon. I can't remember if it says where it is set – I think it was the strawberries! And the weather!
My wish was that the ending could have been longer. By the end of the book, I felt like I knew the characters well and I would have liked maybe one more chapter of them settling into the new way of things. Maybe I’m just being greedy, but I was quite disappointed when my kindle told me I’d come to the end of the book.
Overall, this was a great book that I really enjoyed! I would certainly recommend it to others, especially those fans of “Victorian Farm”. I may even persuade my Mum to read it!
Vicky was very well developed throughout the book. I can't say I particularly liked her all the way through, but this made her human. I identified quite a bit with Mary-Anne and could see myself in some of her characteristics.
Weirdly enough, I imagined the farm somewhere in Devon. I can't remember if it says where it is set – I think it was the strawberries! And the weather!
My wish was that the ending could have been longer. By the end of the book, I felt like I knew the characters well and I would have liked maybe one more chapter of them settling into the new way of things. Maybe I’m just being greedy, but I was quite disappointed when my kindle told me I’d come to the end of the book.
Overall, this was a great book that I really enjoyed! I would certainly recommend it to others, especially those fans of “Victorian Farm”. I may even persuade my Mum to read it!
May 27, 2017
Abigail's writing is clever, and I love her portrayal of her various characters, though the pacing was a little slow in the beginning, and some of her dialogue was a little unrealistic to my mind, but that only bothered me a little bit since it is a book for younger people first and foremost. In the end, though, I highly encourage you to read this book. It's really fun and well crafted and short and I'm pleased I did. Full review on my website ( http://www.wordsbydana.com/news/2017/... ) and on my GoodReads blog page.
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May 11, 2017I love this book, I didn't want it to end. Loved the story of a young girl who was strong in mind and body. She faced her responsibilities like an adult though just a girl of fourteen. I love the closeness of her family. I like the way she interacted with all the other characters in the book. As I read the book I was able to visually imagine how everything looked, I felt as though I was there. I wanted to be a part of Vicky's family. I would love for there to be a sequel. This book left me with a good feeling!
March 9, 2017
Victoria's Victorian Victory is a charming, old fashioned novel set in Victorian times and reminded me very much of the writings of L.M. Montgomery, the Lark Rise to Candleford series and the Flambards trilogy by K.M. Peyton.
Extremely well written, the novel is nicely paced with well developed, believable characters and a strong plot line. The author has obviously researched the period thoroughly, because the details were absolutely spot on, adding so much depth and authenticity you could almost smell the fresh cut hay and hear the mooing of the cows.
Victoria's Victorian Victory is about 14 year old Victoria Bloom, whose life is turned upside down after the death of her father. Expecting her older brother to take up the challenge of running the family farm, things take a turn for the worse when her brother Charlie is seduced away by the bright lights of London, leaving Victoria and her family to cope alone, with the rent due, a harvest to get in and the very real prospect of the workhouse looming before them.
However, Victoria is not a girl to take adversity lying down and I think her character is one of the book's main strengths. Almost modern in her thinking and outlook, Victoria is determined her family will keep their home. Not only that, she is convinced she can make the farm thrive and become more prosperous than ever.
In this age of "kick ass" futuristic heroines, all in love with vampires or werewolves, it was a refreshing change to read a book where the heroine was just strong minded and independent because that's her character. Not because she has super powers, or a destiny to fulfill, but just because her sheer grit, determination and stubbornness will never let her admit defeat. In Victoria's eyes, an obstacle is there to be got around, and get around them she does. Often with a cheek and inventiveness that had me chuckling.
If there is one tiny flaw with the book, it's that it ended too abruptly, leaving me wanting more of Victoria and her family. I am hopeful that the author has a sequel in mind as there is definitely, in my opinion, far more of Victoria's tale to be told.
All in all, a thoroughly lovely book, highly recommended.
Extremely well written, the novel is nicely paced with well developed, believable characters and a strong plot line. The author has obviously researched the period thoroughly, because the details were absolutely spot on, adding so much depth and authenticity you could almost smell the fresh cut hay and hear the mooing of the cows.
Victoria's Victorian Victory is about 14 year old Victoria Bloom, whose life is turned upside down after the death of her father. Expecting her older brother to take up the challenge of running the family farm, things take a turn for the worse when her brother Charlie is seduced away by the bright lights of London, leaving Victoria and her family to cope alone, with the rent due, a harvest to get in and the very real prospect of the workhouse looming before them.
However, Victoria is not a girl to take adversity lying down and I think her character is one of the book's main strengths. Almost modern in her thinking and outlook, Victoria is determined her family will keep their home. Not only that, she is convinced she can make the farm thrive and become more prosperous than ever.
In this age of "kick ass" futuristic heroines, all in love with vampires or werewolves, it was a refreshing change to read a book where the heroine was just strong minded and independent because that's her character. Not because she has super powers, or a destiny to fulfill, but just because her sheer grit, determination and stubbornness will never let her admit defeat. In Victoria's eyes, an obstacle is there to be got around, and get around them she does. Often with a cheek and inventiveness that had me chuckling.
If there is one tiny flaw with the book, it's that it ended too abruptly, leaving me wanting more of Victoria and her family. I am hopeful that the author has a sequel in mind as there is definitely, in my opinion, far more of Victoria's tale to be told.
All in all, a thoroughly lovely book, highly recommended.
February 7, 2017
I very much enjoyed this charming tale of a farming family on the outskirts of a small English market town in the reign of Queen Victoria. Abigail Shepherd interweaves her very detailed research with a light touch, opening a window on a vivid world that blew in through my senses and made me feel as much at home in Ma’s kitchen as I am in Laurie Lee’s.
Victoria and the other main characters are varied and individual, and the dynamic relationship between farm and town is fascinating, particularly the world of the shop-girls. I was only sorry that the story stopped short of developing the potential for conflict implicit in some of the relationships – and there are some minor characters with sketchy but intriguing backgrounds who I’d love to read more about. A sequel, perhaps…?
Abigail is subtle in pointing up the contrast between ordinary daily life then and now, never hammering the reader over the head with history, but leaving the images to stand for themselves. Though they never deflect focus from the narrative, major social themes are the bones of the story: attitudes to women, poverty, exploitation of children, class differences, death and disease – not to mention the fine line between producing food and the reality of living hand-to-mouth in a world without a single Tesco van to deliver your online order.
I feel this book is a perfect fit for the top end of MG or lower YA age ranges, and would be a fantastic topic read for classes studying the Victorians, or looking at sustainability issues like food sourcing, local v. global, throwaway clothing culture, etc. That said, it's not at all a 'preachy' book, but rather a great piece of time travel.
Victoria and the other main characters are varied and individual, and the dynamic relationship between farm and town is fascinating, particularly the world of the shop-girls. I was only sorry that the story stopped short of developing the potential for conflict implicit in some of the relationships – and there are some minor characters with sketchy but intriguing backgrounds who I’d love to read more about. A sequel, perhaps…?
Abigail is subtle in pointing up the contrast between ordinary daily life then and now, never hammering the reader over the head with history, but leaving the images to stand for themselves. Though they never deflect focus from the narrative, major social themes are the bones of the story: attitudes to women, poverty, exploitation of children, class differences, death and disease – not to mention the fine line between producing food and the reality of living hand-to-mouth in a world without a single Tesco van to deliver your online order.
I feel this book is a perfect fit for the top end of MG or lower YA age ranges, and would be a fantastic topic read for classes studying the Victorians, or looking at sustainability issues like food sourcing, local v. global, throwaway clothing culture, etc. That said, it's not at all a 'preachy' book, but rather a great piece of time travel.
July 7, 2017
Every time I opened this novel, I felt I was stepping back in time to an era many of us view as simpler, somewhat mellow, and irresistibly romantic. The author (who clearly knows her subject inside out!) does a splendid job making pastoral Victorian living realistic, showing contemporary readers that life back then wasn't so simple and laid-back after all, but was in fact filled with as much hustle and bustle as today's world is. At the same time I was discovering what life was like on a working farm through the eyes of precocious Victoria, I was breathing in the refreshing air of a time that was indeed simpler than today in many ways, namely in its strong sense of community, the love and loyalty of family, as well as the pure joys of little things, such as homemade pound cake with pink icing and fresh-picked flowers.
I loved the spunk and courage of the heroine and found her a tremendous example for women of all ages. She proves that determination, vision, and a healthy dose of stubbornness can defy the odds and make dreams come true.
I loved the spunk and courage of the heroine and found her a tremendous example for women of all ages. She proves that determination, vision, and a healthy dose of stubbornness can defy the odds and make dreams come true.
January 10, 2018
An indomitable girl
This book, including study questions, is a simple, historical tale of a teenage girl whose sharp mind holds an untrained knack for business. What happens when she takes over running the family farm is a study of class and farm life in Victorian times, and a bid for gender inclusiveness for all times. Few major twists and turns fall along the way, but the huge number of intersecting daily decisions in running a farm provide the conflict. Homeschooling parents of middle grade students might find this an excellent novel to augment their curriculum, especially with the study questions included.
This book, including study questions, is a simple, historical tale of a teenage girl whose sharp mind holds an untrained knack for business. What happens when she takes over running the family farm is a study of class and farm life in Victorian times, and a bid for gender inclusiveness for all times. Few major twists and turns fall along the way, but the huge number of intersecting daily decisions in running a farm provide the conflict. Homeschooling parents of middle grade students might find this an excellent novel to augment their curriculum, especially with the study questions included.
November 27, 2017
I don't often read YA, but on recommendation I read Abigail's book. I like farming, I like historical fiction. I very much enjoyed the realistic up's and down's of this story, and the tantalizing end that comes just shy of resolving several relationships. If you have any love for historical fiction or YA, this is a great read.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews