The Girl in the Ragged Shawl

The Children of the Workhouse #1

by Cathy Sharp

Heartbreaking and uplifting, the story of the workhouse orphan, Eliza, will touch your heart…

Eliza was left as a small baby at the workhouse in Whitechapel, wrapped in her mother’s shawl, which is all she has of the mother she never knew. At eleven years-old, she has survived sickness, near starvation and harsh beatings.

Master Simpkins and his cruel daughter rule the workhouse with a rod of iron, but when Romany boy, Joe, arrives at the workhouse, his spirit and courage give Eliza hope that another life is waiting for her outside.

When she is sold into service, Eliza is relieved to be out of the workhouse and hopes her fortunes are changing for the better, but cruelty and unkindness are everywhere and her salvation could become her ruin…

Genres: Historical Fiction

243 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 18, 2018

About the author

Cathy Sharp is happily married and lives with her husband in a small Cambridgeshire village. They like visiting Spain together and enjoy the benefits of sunshine and pleasant walks, while at home they love their garden and visiting the Norfolk seaside.

Cathy loves writing because it gives pleasure to others, she finds writing an extension of herself and it gives her great satisfaction. Cathy says, 'There is nothing like seeing your book in print, because so much loving care has been given to bringing that book into being.'

Reviews

[Vichta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Za panowania królowej Victorii ktoś zauważył, że na ulicach jest cała masa bezdomnych, żebraków, złodziei, prostytutek, sierot i innego „elementu”. Postanowiono coś z tym zrobić. A, że dobroczynność była w modzie, zdecydowano, że zostaną utworzone tzw. workhousy. Tam trafiały właśnie wszelkie zagubione i potrzebujące opieki i wsparcia osoby. Jak te domy działały w praktyce, to już inna bajka, niekoniecznie tak różowa, jak miała być w zamyśle. Bezwzględne wykorzystywanie taniej siły roboczej, oszczędzanie na jedzeniu i ubraniach, handel dziećmi, stręczycielstwo, pedofilia i inne ohydne działania. Jednym słowem obozy pracy.
Bohaterką książki jest mała Eliza, którą niemowlęciem przyniosła do domu jakaś dystyngowana dama. Dziewczynka ma jedyną pamiątkę: stary, zniszczony, ale kiedyś wiele wart szal. Zarządzająca domem Miss Simpkins oddaje małą pod opiekę Ruth, która obdarza ją miłością, jak matka. Jako kilkulatka Eliza poznaje chłopca, Cygana, który staje się również jest prawdziwym przyjacielem. Wspólnie planują ucieczkę i życie w taborze cygańskim. Muszą tylko zaczekać, aż ojciec Joe wyjdzie z więzienia. Jednak Miss Simpkins ma wobec dziewczynki inne plany. Sprzedaje ją na służbę pewnego agresywnemu rzeźnikowi. Jak potoczą się dalsze losy małej Elizy? Kim jest bogaty, ale nieszczęśliwy Arthur Stoneham i jak wpłynie na życie Elizy? W powieści pojawi się jeszcze kilka innych osób, np. Major Cartwright, Miss Edith, Tucker…
Klimatem powieść przypomina książki Karola Dickensa. Życie ulicy, bieda, przygoda, złodzieje, ciemne zaułki... Ale akcja zmierza do szczęśliwego zakończenia. Okazuje się, że to nie jedyny odnośnik do Dickensa. Chodzi też o użyty język. Zastanawiałam się, co to za slang, gwara, czy cokolwiek innego. Okazało, się, że chodzi o tzw. eye dialect, czyli jakby fonetyczny zapis tego, co słyszymy. Taki sam zabieg stosował również Dickens. Chwilami czytało się trudno, ale potraktowałam to, jako nowe wyzwanie i doświadczenie.
Polecam, choć nie jest to jakieś must read. Na pewno warta uwagi osób, które ćwiczą się w czytaniu po angielsku.

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreaking and emotional at times but a heartwarming ending to all the experiences of hardship Eliza faced.
Eliza's character development throughout the course of this book was captured beautifully and leaves you curious to see where her story leads.
Looking forward to reading the other two books in this series.

[Helen Watkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

A babe is given into the workhouse,13 years on she is sold to a butcher to tend to his pregnant wife, wife and babe dies butcher wants her as his bed mate she runs away, gets involved with thieves they get caught girl runs away ends up back in workhouse. Sound familiar? A female Oliver Twist ...Predictable

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Girl in the Ragged Shawl is part of The Children of the Workhouse series by Cathy Sharp - there are three books in the series and I love the incredible front cover. Brings you right into the book.

Oh my goodness, this book will take you through every emotion possible. Superbly well written but very hard to read of the appalling and atrocious conditions and how people were so cruelly treated in workhouses in the 1800s and the hardship they suffered. Cathy Sharp has an incredible way of describing characters and the setting which enables you to envisage them so clearly and distinctly.

Cathy Sharp is such a skillful writer and I found The Girl in the Ragged Shawl a poignant touching read and I look forward to reading the second book in the series - The Barefoot Child.

[Kathy E · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed the story, I just couldn't put the book down. From beginning to end the story was so heart warming, a fantastic by an excellent author Cathy Sharp. Can't wait to read her next book The Barefoot Child (The Children of the Workhouse, Book 2)

[mois reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eliza

A book that showed how harsh life was for children in the 1800s Eliza had A life that started in the workhouse but then things got really bad for her till she was rescued by Edith but sadly because of someones lies her life to a dark turn .5STARS .

[Nikkie Beard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic, couldn’t put it down. It was one of the books I found really easy to get into and it kept me hooked all the way throughout. One book I will definitely read again. It leaves you with questions. Does Joe come back and take up Arthur Stoneham’s offer of work?
Does Eliza go on to take over Edith’s shop?
Do Eliza and Joe become and an item and engage in a relationship?

[Meg Perin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The cruelty and utter brutality written in this novel is shocking, but unfortunately accurate for what occurred in some of England's workhouses. Very gripping and very easy to have empathy for all of the characters and the situations they find themselves in this narrative.

[MRS J P WELSH · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real page turner

What a lovely story. The hateful characters made you keep reading hoping they get their comeuppance. Lots of human failings not always spiteful and lots of trust well placed and misplaced

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good read, but very disturbing. A large portion is set in a London workhouse, where the inmates are treated appallingly. The book lost a star because it was very repetitive in places and almost felt some things were being over explained.

[Barbara Mayers · Rating 4 out of 5]

A light entertaining holiday read.

[Lesley denholm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

One of the best novels I've ever read!
Can't wait for the follow-up this book gripped me from start to finish

[KeRRy BECK · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read

What a book ! So hard to put down a story of Eliza etc and a awful workhouse so many lovely and horrible characters a brilliant story ..Would defiantly recommend

[Sally Escrader · Rating 5 out of 5]

An emotionally charged read... couldn’t put it down!

[cathy balazs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping

A very good read hard to put down a must read will get more of Cathy shadows books love it

[Linda Hobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book

[Rosie Harrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was slow to begin with but then picked up.
Language a bit difficult to understand at times but an easy read.

[Danica Pressland · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It captured the feelings of loneliness so well and tte story seemed really believable unlike some Victorian set books that I have read

[Cyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book, life will out.

[Chery · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was soooooooo good.....is there another book with Eliza and Joe story when they are older?

[Vicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read. Good characters and storyline kept me keen to read on to see what would happen next. Would read cathy sharp again.

[Redmakesmyheartsing · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absorbing story about the fate of Eliza a child who has been abandoned at the Workhouse in the early 1800's. I look forward to reading the rest of the series