Daisy Belle: Swimming Champion Of The World

by Caitlin Davies

Summer 1867: four-year-old Daisy Belle is about to make her debut at the Lambeth Baths in London. Her father, swimming professor Jeffery Belle, is introducing his Family of Frogs - and Daisy is the star attraction. By the end of that day, she has only one ambition in life: she will be the greatest female swimmer in the world.
 
She will race down the Thames, float in a whale tank, and challenge a man to a 70-foot high dive. And then she will set sail for America to swim across New York Harbour.
 
But Victorian women weren’t supposed to swim, and Daisy Belle will have to fight every stroke of the way if she wants her dreams to come true.
 
Inspired by the careers of Victorian champions Agnes Beckwith and Annie Luker, Daisy Belle is a story of courage and survival and a tribute to the swimmers of yesteryear.

Genres: Historical Fiction

241 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 1, 2018

About the author

I'm a writer, teacher and journalist, the author of six novels and seven non-fiction books. Many of my early books were inspired by the 12 years I spent in Botswana, where I worked as a teacher, award winning human rights journalist and newspaper editor. My more recent books draw on the stories and history of London. These include The Ghost of Lily Painter, based on the true story of two Edwardian baby farmers, and Family Likeness, inspired in part by the life of Dido Elizabeth Belle ‘Britain’s first black aristocrat’.
Some of my books have a swimming theme, such as Taking the Waters, about the bathing ponds and lido on Hampstead Heath, Downstream: a history and celebration of swimming the River Thames, and Daisy Belle: Swimming Champion of the World, based on the lives of several Victorian aquatic stars.
Other books have a criminal theme, including Bad Girls: A History of Rebels & Renegades, nominated for the Orwell Prize for Political Writing, and Queens of the Underworld: A Journey into the Lives of Female Crooks.
I mentor writers at https://www.storyboardwriter.com/

Reviews

[Nicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book through The Pigeonhole, a free online book club and read it with other readers on the web. It was split into 10 parts, called staves, emailed to me each day. I was able to leave comments throughout and interact with the others. There were photographs and comments and interactions with the author, Caitlin Davies, during this time, which really added to my whole reading experience.

Wow what a fabulous book this was, such an uplifting read. I almost missed this book on the Pigeonhole, as I thought it was a Victorian non-fiction book and really didn’t fancy a dry stuffy book. Well how wrong could I be, when I started discovered it was a wonderful novel based on the lives and exploits of two amazing Victorian lady swimming champions.

I don’t how the author did it, but every stave I read seemed to whizz by so incredibly quickly. Of course by then I was desperate for the next day to come round so I could find out what Daisy Belle was going to accomplish next.

Daisy Belle was a wonderful character full of determination to be the best swimmer and performer she could be. I loved her feisty character and was desperate to read how she was going to turn around the difficult situations she found herself in. He brother Billy was also a wonderful character supporting her all the way through the book. Daisy’s Father Professor Belle, well he quite something, brought to life so brilliantly by the author!!

Caitlin Davis writing brought Daisy and the era to life so completely, that I could envision the whole story in my mind as I was reading it. It was fascinating to read about the etiquette and manners of these Victorian lady champions and how they were perceived by the man and women of the era. Their feats were so daring that it’s hard to believe that they were even allowed to perform during those stuffy Victorian days.

A wonderful book for anyone who wants to read an uplifting story based on the lives of two incredible Victorian women. I’ll definitely be recommending this to family and friends and given the chance complete strangers!

[Marjorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully evocative story that encapsulates the determination of one woman from early childhood to become the best swimmer that she can possibly be. Make no mistake, Daisy Mae Belle is no ordinary Victorian Miss. This is a continuous disappointment to her mother and a source of pride to her father but no matter what they think Daisy knows what she wants and she will stop at nothing to get it.

The real beauty of this story is the way the author transports you to the time and the place. You can hear the echo of the baths, smell the tang of bleach in the air and feel the silky, still water heavy around you. Although it feels like a bad pun this is a truly immersive story that sweeps you along as you follow Daisy from trial to trial and grand gala event to treacherous open water swim on to daring high dives. Interspersed with the minutiae of daily life and the restrictions placed upon her by virtue of her being born female you soon find yourself firmly backing Daisy and feeling her desperation and elation in equal measures.

Based on the real lives of lady Victorian swimmers every daring feat and unbelievable trick (eating and drinking underwater seems particularly bizarre) they are all taken from contemporary reports of the time. Daisy's feats really happened which makes them all the more extraordinary.

The writing itself is a wonderfully contradictory mix of paucity and richly detailed passages that completely absorbs the reader and brings the whole to life in your heart as well as your head. It is so skillfully paced that you find yourself racing through eager to find out just what will happen next to our intrepid tadpole and wishing you could reach out and simply touch this exceptional young woman.

I'm not going to tell you of all that Daisy accomplishes, of her failures, of her loves and losses. What I am going to do is urge you pick up this book. Clear your schedule, let the dust settle and the laundry remain in the basket, open the pages and allow yourself to be transported to a wonderfully rich Victorian World full of character and bristling with energy. Then when you surface, brushing the water from your face and slicking your hair back I would encourage you to take the plunge once again, from the beginning and this time savour it - that is what I intend to do.

THIS IS AN HONEST AND UNBIASED REVIEW OF A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK PROVIDED BY THE PIGEONHOLE

[Jaffareadstoo · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a real sense of Victorian charm about Daisy Belle. She's feisty and funny and determined to make her presence felt in the competitive world of swimming. That she is a girl, in an almost exclusively male dominated sport, doesn't seem to bother Daisy Belle as she knows from a very early age that she was born to swim. Nicknamed the tadpole by her determined father, Daisy is happy to spend all her time in the water, although how she ever remained buoyant in the cumbersome swimming costumes she had to wear remains to be seen.

The author has captured Daisy's forthright personality to such a high degree that I raced through the book almost as fast as Daisy propels herself through the water. I was totally mesmerized by the story, and more than a little in awe of Daisy Belle's talent. She swims so beautifully and dives headlong from huge heights with absolutely no fear and yet, there is also a tremendous sadness to Daisy's life, as. it would appear, that behind every Victorian young woman lurked a man who wanted to control her.

Beautifully written, the world of Victorian sportsmanship comes alive and because the author has taken her inspiration for Daisy Belle's character from the lives of real Victorian female swimmers there is a great feeling of authenticity, so much so, that it's almost as if you were actually doggy-paddling alongside as Daisy Belle goes swimming in Lambeth Baths in London, or competitive swimming in the River Thames.

If you like well written Victorian drama with a remarkable heroine who will tug away at your heartstrings then Daisy Belle: Swimming Champion of the World is highly recommended.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Pigeonhole and author Caitlin Davies, for this truly wonderfully, exciting and fascinating read. So knowledgeable is the author, we easily interweave fact with fiction in the story based on a female swimmer of the late 19th century, where attitudes toward female swimmers, whether competitive or for pleasure, in public, was frowned upon, except perhaps as a crowd pleasing spectacle. Such is the descriptive storyline, it’s easy to feel and see the problems facing Daisy Belle, swimming in the seas, and swimming baths, especially when we meet famous male swimmers of the day, their life is tolerably different. We soak in the long since closed swimming baths in London, we see and smell their interior decor, feel the excitement of the crowds and the excitement and fear of Daisy Belle. Today, Daisy Belle and other such female swimmers would certainly be Olympians. Thanks to the professionalism in Caitlin Davies’ research, we benefit greatly from her descriptive powers and are easily transported with our sensory powers. The pace in each chapter matches the story, there is no stopping for air at times as the storyline takes on the highs and lows. A thrilling account and at times an emotional story that captures the little known account of women who wanted to swim in public, and to be seen as seriously competitive in the Victorian era. I urge you to buy and read this book it’s truly a phenomenally satisfying and memorable story. I loved the book. My favourite part: all of it.

[Pheadra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five (5) Stars for this wonderful interpretation of the life of a champion swimmer, Daisy Belle, in the second half of the 1800s. The inspiration for this story is drawn from real life swimmers Agnes Beckworth, Annie Luker, and Emily Parker amongst others who paved the way for female swimming.
This well written and utterly charming tale is about Daisy Belle a feisty, funny and fearless young tadpole in the water. Under the guidance of her father, Professor Belle, she makes her presence felt in the competitive world of swimming. Her determination and courage were inspiring and a lesson that everything seems impossible until it’s done.
The story was kept real by a balance of wonderfully good and equally bad characters and more than once I commented out loud, either cheering her on or shouting my disapproval of many of the men at the time, determined to keep a woman subservient and in her place.
This is a moving story that captures the willpower of one woman from early childhood to become the best swimmer that she can possibly be which disappoints her mother, a typically staunch Victorian prim and proper prude whilst bolstering her father’s coffers. One swims along with Daisy through her trials and tribulations in this beautifully told tale of history, romance, love, loss, laughter, inspiration and triumph. It matters not whether you can swim/dive or even like the sport because you’re guaranteed to be cheering Daisy and more than a little tempted to jump into the pool.

[Gail Wylde · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an absolute delight to read. The star of the book was Daisy Bell who we meet as an enthusiastic four year old at the beginning of her swimming career and we follow Daisy this book is really a tribute to the real life Victorian lady swimmers such as Agnes Beckworth, Annie Luker and Emily Parker. This book had it all villains and heroes and captured the atmosphere of Victorian times perfectly. I am so sorry it ended as I could have carried on reading and enjoying day after day!
A very big thank you to both Pigeonhole (you've done it again!) and Caitlin Davies for this beautiful book. Highly recommended.

[Sue Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this with Pigeonhole, a stave at a time over 10 days. It was beautifully written and gave a good insight into the life of lady swimmers at this time. It also told the story of Daisy, who achieved so much and yet suffered so much pain, due to the actions of her husband, the hideous Dob. I really enjoyed reading along with other pigeons and the author. It was interesting to read what others thought along the way and the additional photos and information from Caitlin added to the story. I do hope that there will be a sequel! 😆

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent, engaging historical fiction inspired by remarkable female Victorian swimmers, especially Agnes Beckwith. Daisy is an extremely likeable, strong character who I definitely was hoping would get a happy ending!

[John Samuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Daisy Belle is based on the lives of several Victorian swimmers and divers whose daring deeds were once well-known, but who have now been largely forgotten.’

Caitlin Davies does a marvellous job retelling the stories of these wonderful prodigious women.

My name appears in the back of the book as a patron.

[Emma Rowson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I studied both English Literature and History at university, and as such I have a rather large and squidgy soft spot for historical fiction. So, when I heard about the blog tour for Daisy Belle, I jumped at the opportunity to take part.
And I wasn't disappointed.
The story revolves around Daisy Belle. Born in 1862, she becomes fascinated with the water at a very young age and is soon found to be a talented, natural swimmer. Trained by her father, a swimming professor, she becomes the star attraction in his 'Family of Frogs' show. Determined and ambitious, the story tells of her stunning career at a time when women were barely permitted to swim, let alone make a global career for themselves.
Daisy Belle is actually an amalgamation of two real female swimmers, Agnes Beckwith and Annie Luker, and it is their careers that inspire Daisy's story. It is truly a beautiful blend of non fiction and fiction, with real events and historical figures introduced throughout. Whilst much of the professional side of Daisy's life is taken from real life events, her relationships with her family and later her romantic relationships, are very much fiction and the author has taken license with this area of the novel.
I adored Daisy Belle. Told in the first person and presented as a story told to another character, I felt instantly connected to Daisy. Her career was extraordinary, almost to the point at times of being unbelievable - and so to find those elements of the novel were actually based on real life was incredible.
I must also give extra credit for the cover, beautifully vintage and fitting, it also features a female swimmer (who I later discovered is actually Agnes Beckwith). This woman is strong and real, not airbrushed to perfection, not slimmed down with Photoshop. She is a woman who commands and deserves attention.
I don't think I expected to be quite so enthralled by Daisy Belle, the writing and characterisation is truly enchanting. I whizzed through at great pace and throughout I was entranced by Daisy's ambition and determination. Despite all the negativity within her life, her faith lay unshaken in her talent and I thought that was such a strong and relevant statement, for even today women in sport are (more often than not) less well known and less supported than their male counterparts. I loved that Daisy, although young, was a formidable talent and gender didn't come into it as far as she was concerned. She knew her own worth.
When I finished the novel I sat and reflected on just how many women throughout history must have been feminist trailblazers just like Agnes and Annie - and how many have been forgotten? How much modern women today owe to these women who paved the way for us to live the life we choose to. Daisy Belle has given them a voice and a place in which they can be remembered and revered. History is full of women, sometimes remembered for the wrong reasons and I, for one would love to read more novels like this; a true celebration of female strength, courage and determination. A truly wonderful read!

[Nicola Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical fiction isn't always my bag but certain books in the genre do tend to catch my eye and I think the fact that Daisy Belle is inspired by many real life events really captured my imagination. I ended up being completely captivated by Daisy's story and absolutely loved the book.

Daisy is four when she is first introduced to the pleasures of swimming by her father. Straightaway she feels an affinity with the water, be it at the swimming baths or in the wide open space of the sea. Telling her life story to an unknown person who she is watching in the prologue, Daisy puts across in a matter of fact way the many life-changing events she goes through.

Her father is pushy and exploits Daisy, whereas her mother is horrified that Daisy loves swimming. The descriptions of the knitted swimming costumes made me smile but they must have been so uncomfortable to swim in.

I adored Daisy. For a woman in the mid 1800s she was incredibly forward-thinking and held back by convention and by men! I found some of those men difficult to like, such as her father at times, and a man who later on in the story comes to be a major part of Daisy's life. But for all that there were men trying to hold her back (and let's not forget her mother who was totally bound by the conventions of the day and the belief that men should practically think for their womenfolk) there were also men encouraging her along the way, her brother being one of them and another man later on who, again, becomes really important to Daisy.

I couldn't help reading with a sense of awe as Daisy scored achievement after achievement, sticking a metaphorical two fingers up to anyone who tried to stop her.

This is a book that completely put me back into the 1800s. There's a very strong sense of place and I was easily able to imagine, from the beautiful descriptions, the way that Daisy felt whilst in the water, what it was like to be constrained and also to be free.

It's an incredibly evocative read. It's uplifting and moving and in fact I felt like my emotions were thrown up and down as surely as if I myself was out on the ocean wave. It was fascinating to read at the end about the author's research and inspiration, the real-life swimmers on whom Daisy was based, and so good to hear that there were some trail-blazing lady swimmers in the past.

I think Daisy is a character that you cannot help but like. I thought she was wonderful and the story brilliantly written. Caitlin Davies has produced a fantastic novel with Daisy Belle.

[Karen Mace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got to read this via Pigeonhole, which is a free app that allows you to read along in daily segments and interact with other readers and the author - a fun and refreshing new way to enjoy a book!

And what a story this was to enjoy! In Daisy Belle there is a character who is full of spirit and shows no fear when it comes to swimming and diving from a very early age. Which was extremely rare of the time as young girls and women weren't encouraged to swim. It was strictly for men. But her father sees the pound signs in showing off the attraction of a young female swimmer, so Daisy is trained alongside her brother and pushed into a number of shows in a variety of locations. Daisy idolises her father so sees nothing wrong in his plan, but her mother is aghast that her daughter is even swimming and doesn't even go to watch her swim. Something that is very difficult to understand in our modern world.

The more attention that Daisy gets, the more her father pushes her to the limit and she finally sees him in a different light. As she grows up too, she is also becoming more aware of the world around her and seeing how those worlds try and compete was fascinating to read and you wondered what lay next in store for her.

I really enjoyed the settings of this story, and the attention to detail transported you back so you could really embrace all that Daisy encountered - from the sea to the pool and to the attitudes of men and women to this astonishing young swimmer and her exploits. Daisy was such an inspiring character and even when her perfect world appeared shattered, she always found a way to pick herself up and start again. A fabulously spirited story!

[Vanessa Wild · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely, delightful and inspiring story paying homage to champion women swimmers of the Victorian era. Daisy Belle has an ambition to be the best female swimmer in the world and under the tutelage of her father, Professor Belle, she becomes the star attraction, a rare thing during this era.

Daisy, nick-named the tadpole amongst her ‘family of frogs’, is a brilliant character. She is so determined, fearless and single minded. I loved following Daisy’s story from her very beginnings in Margate, to when she started learning her skills at Lambeth Baths, to swimming in the Thames and to her journey to New York with all her trials and tribulations. There is a real sense of time and place, you almost feel like you are there with Daisy. It’s so atmospheric. There are some great photos of swimmers gone by - the costumes were something else! How on earth they swam in them beats me! I think Daisy deserved a medal just for wearing one.

It’s a beautifully written, absorbing and well paced story combining fact with fiction. It was a pleasure to read from beginning to end. I can highly recommend it for all you mermaids and mermen out there, as well as us land mammals. Go on, dive in and submerge yourself in this wonderful tale! You won’t be out of your depth as I’m sure this book is going to make a big splash.

[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely story of a female swimmer in Victorian times: Daisy Belle. A child, and later a woman, who very much knows what she wants: to be in the water, swimming and competing. I honestly got the impression that she would stay in the water if she could. We see some of the constraints of that time: that women were very much ruled by their fathers and husbands, but we also see that women were starting to assert their independence wherever they could. And for Daisy, that was in the water.
I believe a lot of the research for this story was set around a couple of very well known Victorian women swimmers. These women were performers, performing feats of daring and endurance, something that men thought them incapable of. Daisy proves this theory wrong (she blasts it out of the water, in fact. And no, I’m not sorry about that pun!!).
There was a point in the story where I thought all was lost for Daisy, but it all comes good in the end, much to my relief. I really liked her. Some of the men, apart from her brother, left a little to be desired.
In all, a really good read, I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Thanks to The Pigeonhole and the author who read along with us!

[Sarah Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reminiscent in some ways of Sarah Hall’s The Electric Michaelangelo, this novel takes a piece of predominantly female history not often held up to the light and turns it into a thoroughly entertaining novel. Based on the lives of a mix of Victorian female swimmers, Caitlin Davies’ own love of swimming comes through clear as a (Daisy) Belle. Uplifting, cracks along at a great pace, and has sent me off to Google Victorian swimming costumes...

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great and easy read!

I enjoyed this book and found it interesting how women’s swimming was so restricted in the 19th century. The book is inspired by several different female swimmers and it isn’t usually something I would have chosen but it was a book club read, so I’m glad I had the opportunity to read it!
I would recommend this book to those who enjoy a historic novel but who like an easy read!!

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy-to-read novel based on the experiences of real women.

[Anna F. · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful read! A page-turner and such an immersive read. It feels like you are back in the mid-nineteenth century and you are there with Daisy Belle. The author has based her story on the lives of four different women, all champion swimmers. Very inspirational story and totally recommended. Read on Bookchoice.com.

[Hayley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on my blog: https://rathertoofondofbooks.com/

I was delighted to be invited to read and review Daisy Belle for the blog tour as it sounded like such a wonderful novel. I’m so happy to say that I adored every single minute that I spent reading this book and it more than lived up to my expectations!

Daisy Belle is the story of Daisy who from a very young age is fascinated by her father and older brother’s swimming ability and she wants to be a part of it all. She learns to swim at age four and is soon taking part in her father’s increasingly elaborate shows. Daisy wants to be the greatest female swimmer in the world but she gets drawn to performing and diving too – all the time widening her skills and abilities.

This novel is set in the mid to late 1800s and Daisy is constrained by the societal norms of the day but she constantly pushes at her boundaries. From being a young girl through to adulthood she doesn’t accept why she has to be treated differently to men. She does get treated really badly at times in the novel by some of the men in her life and that was hard to read. She also struggles against her mother who believes that Daisy should be home with her and doing more lady-like things such as sewing. I was really rooting for Daisy to pull through the difficult times and to be happy.

I loved Daisy, she is such a great character – so ambitious and feisty but also so human and likeable. I could identify with some of her drive where swimming was concerned as I was obsessed with swimming as a child so it made me feel nostalgic for the water.

Daisy gets to do so many amazing things in this book and I could really imagine it all; the novel actually played like a film in my head and I felt like I was right there with her. The writing is so evocative; I felt myself holding my breath during the mermaid show and I was cheering her on when she finally got to attempt to make an attempt at a record for a long swim.

I found this to be a really inspiring novel in so many ways. I don’t want to spoil the novel so I’ll be vague but something happens to Daisy later in the novel and I could really identify with her and how she felt. I’ve been through something similar and seeing her keep trying in spite of what happened was so brilliant to read. It’s a good reminder of how we should never just give in and accept what life throws at us but instead keep pushing at the boundaries, whatever they may be.

I absolutely recommend this book; it’s a book I adored so much and I know I will come back to it and read it again in the future. It’s so charming and inspiring, it feels like a book that everyone will love. Daisy Belle is a real contender for my book of the year!