The Beggar Maid

by Dilly Court

From the age of eight, Charity Crosse has been living with her grandfather and begging on the streets. When Charity's grandfather passes away, she is helped by a doctor who introduces her to Jethro Dawkins. Jethro takes Charity in to help in his bookshop and keep house. Charity is not well treated, but Jethro instils in her the love of books. And she dares to hope for a better future for herself. But Jethro dies unexpectedly, and Charity is faced with eviction. Must she give up her dream of running the bookshop herself, and worse, be forced to return to the streets?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Romance

448 pages, Hardcover

First published June 19, 2014

About the author

Dilly Court grew up in North-east London and began her career in television, writing scripts for commercials. She is married with two grown-up children and four grandchildren, and now lives in Dorset on the beautiful Jurassic Coast with her husband. She is the author of eighteen novels and also writes under the name of Lily Baxter.

Reviews

[Annemarie Farthing · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charity is a very strong woman.
Best quote
'Will you women please stop prattling on about an infant? They all look the same - like wizened monkeys. I don't know what the fuss is about.'

[LAURA JONES · Rating 4 out of 5]

from the age of eight Charity has been living with her alcoholic father and begging on the streets for money so they can live the damp cold cellar where they live is awful for her and one day she finds her grandfather has died. the dr takes her home for a night then he suggests she may find employment in a bookshop owned by Jethro who is a deformed man who treats charity with disrespect but charity gradually enjoys her work with the books but when Jethro dies the landlord raises the rent to more than Charity can afford does it mean back to begging and the streets or can Charity overcome yet another obstacle in her life?
a compelling book that i thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend

[Linda Leedham · Rating 3 out of 5]

DIDNT Feel this was one of her best books. For me there was too many repeats of the same thing happening to Charity and it got too repetitive. It did show how women were treated badly in those times my the Male hierarchy. But it did have a happy ending though .

[Nancy White · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed each of the characters, but the endless rough times was hard to take. And three time to meet someone who was willing to help her, and then they die and she is back on the streets again. A little unbelievable.
And for the main character to never loose her strength and resolve through every bad time was hardly realistic.
Overall I enjoyed the novel, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

[Rachel Rice · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was really well written with a wonderful array of colourful characters as usual.

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the best I've read of DC novels. Truly heartwarming with oddly modern twists for victorian era, a little simple on intrigue but the best part ... is good romance and the courage of the heroine.

[Angela Free · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely Sunday read.

[Pat McNay · Rating 2 out of 5]

The beggar maid

Not the best story ive ever read,though not the worst story I've read either. A little bit far fetched for my liking.

[Simone McKenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm kind of thinking perhaps 3.7 or 3.8.

I found this a really enjoyable and intriguing read, as I enjoyed following Charity's journey as she endures endless adversity, with things very much being one thing after another for her, but seeing how she rises above it all was uplifting.

I did find the constant reappearance of Violet's brutish dad, Bert, throughout the story to be rather annoying and unnecessary, as he keeps appearing and starts harassing and attacking Charity each time which got far too repetitive and didn't even fit in with the main plot/story, with it just having seemed to simply have been shoehorned in for the sake of adding some extra drama. We already had a horrible man as the main antagonist, who was actually relevant to the plot, but this Bert did not have any relevance to the main plot itself, so it really didn't fit in, and I found if it had been omitted from the story there honestly wouldn't have been any difference to the story itself. It also annoyed me how bloody stupid they were when they were desperately getting the girls out of the cottage to get away from him when hearing he was coming looking for them yet left Charity alone in the cottage, despite knowing that she had previously been kidnapped and attacked by him, and that he could easily find her at the cottage knowing how cunning he was. Then of course, most predictably, that is exactly what ends up happening-yet again! It just got too repetitive with these same scenes of Bert harassing and attacking Charity that is just got tiring and seemed recycled and rehashed to me. It was probably what made the book as long as it was.

I also found it infuriating how apologetic it got with Jethro, as it really infuriated me the way he viciously abuses Charity (both verbally and physically) yet it is implicitly condoned simply because "he had a hard life" and "people made fun of him for his disability". While this may be sad, this should not condone such horrible, abusive behaviour. If he'd been simply gruff and miserable like he was initially fair enough, but he actually got to the point of being downright abusive and vicious towards Charity, and every time she tried standing up to him he would just shoot her down, determined that she would not get the last word. He didn't even redeem himself as well and apologise for his behaviour, so yeah, this really ticked me off.

I also would have liked to have seen more comeuppance for the certain character that starts off being good and then reveals their true colours and are actually bad, as that was just sort of dismissed too abruptly. The doctor's death was also really sad, as he was easily the kindest person in the book.

I also didn't see the point of including characters like the doctor's housekeeper (Mrs Rose), and Gideon's Aunt Jane, as well as the doctor's son (who unlike him is an absolutely horrible, heartless person), as they didn't serve any purpose in the story at all, having seemed to have just been introduced to be like "Oh no look there's another horrible antagonist", like we just needed to see how many unpleasant people there were, but they honestly didn't add anything to the story at all. I found if Gideon's Aunt Jane had been excluded from the story then it really wouldn't have made any difference to the story at all.

Overall it was an intriguing read, as I always enjoying following a rags to riches journey, and I liked seeing how all the girls stuck together the way they did like a family, and was heartwarming seeing Charity take in poor Dorrie.

[Roz Radmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charity Crosse until the age of eight had lived a pampered middle class life , until the death of her parents . We meet her at the age of sixteen , living with her alcoholic grandfather in a basement hovel . Charity begs for a living and gets just enough money for them to survive . When he dies she fears she will end up in the Workhouse.
A friendly doctor concerned for her welfare takes her to one of his patients , a crippled man , Jethro Dawkins . Here she discovers a love of books and she thinks her future is secure . Unfortunately life takes an unexpected turn and Charity must use all her wits to survive . Will she have to return to her old way of life , begging on the streets ?
I loved this book Charity is a loveable character and I really cared about what happened to her.

[Bev Walkling · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a novel set in Victorian times and it really showcases how difficult those times were for people in what were considered the lower classes. Housing was poor. Rats ran freely in the streets. Young children were put to work in a manner that comes close to what I would call slavery, and in a moment, life could change and individuals could become homeless. Charity is one such individual who ends up on her own but keeps managing to find herself surviving and learning. It was a male, paternalistic society which often made things extra hard for women, but in spite of that, her resourceful actions benefit herself and those who become her "family of choice". I found it eye opening.

[Lucimar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Embora bem produzido, com a personagem feminina de espírito forte e o prota um pouco aquém do esperado, achei frustrante a falta de romance, beijos apaixonados.
Nunca vi uma heroína, tão jovem e tão sábia... e cujas amigas para sofreram tanto... A história se concentra em três destinos: Vi, Dorie (uma criança de 8 anos já com um destino fadado ao sofrimento) e ela. A autora só pecou pela ausência de romance em si. Demorou para reconhecer quem era seu par nesta jornada da vida.

[Momo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh God I am so grateful that I came across this wonderful author!!! I have never read such a nice historical book! Thank you for making me smile every time I was reading this book. I was always on the edge and expecting what will happen next. This author has a talent and I admire her for that. Can't wait to read her other books😍😍😍🌺🌺🌹

[Skarleth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muy bueno, mucho mejor que el primero que leí de esta autora.

Bonita historia caracterizada por la trama de Cenicienta, una muchacha en apuros y una cantidad de buenas personas en su vida. Los personajes son agradables, el romance es lento y poco pero bonito.

Y por supuesto la ambientación en Londres victoriano es muy buena.

[J.J. JOHNSTONE · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read

Another great book by Dilly Court, read this in just a couple of days as I just could not put it down.

[D L SANDEMAN · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable

Another good book by dilly. Looking forward to the next book.i will have to go and browse but it’s always hard to decide because I’ve enjoyed all her books so far.

[The Endless Unread · Rating 5 out of 5]

Completely immserive. Finished this in one sitting. I adore every release by this author.

[Sarah Matthews · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn’t enjoy this book. The plot line was too fast paced, moving from one crisis to another within a matter of pages and it felt silly. Wouldn’t recommend it.

[Neil · Rating 2 out of 5]

A love story and a bearable and believable one. The title really tells you all you need to know

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant story,it has good,bad and very happy bits in it.Once you start you can't put it down.

[Clare Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great page turner as always

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a brilliant book, I couldn't put it down it took me 3 days to read. What will become of Charity ?

[janette pelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional

Could not put this book down ..great read ...fell I love with the characters ..can't wait to read another fillqy court book

[Ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first book. I love it so much, especially Charity.

[Chery · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love all things DC

[De Beresford · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Beggar maid

Good reading....quite predictable but nonetheless entertaining.
I could visualize the places etc. that took you into another era.
Cannot wait to read her next novel.

[Debi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read.
Wanted to read in all one sitting lol to see what was going to happen with the characters in this book.
Would read other books by this author.

[Pam McCrorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book with lots of twists and turns

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

read as part of our book group challenge. enjoyed the book reminded me, of Catherine cookson style. charity had guts to carry on after everything that had happened to her. thought it was sad, that when we arrived at the bookshop, that she was sleeping under the counter. it was sad when Jethro died, and would have thought she might have fought harder, to keep the shop. it was brave and caring of her to take Dorrie in, and her neighbour vi.
the doctors I think, was a unique and caring man. the professor was a creep. his nephew Dan and his brother Harry, I thought the other brother, would have been a better choice. the ending was predicable. and it would have been nice to find out what happens to vi .

[Aiza Chaudry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Cinderella story nevertheless a good read.
The writer makes you visualize the dark and the dirty side of the streets of London and the life dwelling in the gutters. She literally takes you there; you live the life of the elites, the life of the beggars and those belonging to the mediocrity. Some of those details would make you want to puke but that's exactly what I loved about this book. The writer did a splendid job.
You'll like the ending. The story basically revolves around Charity an intelligent beggar who rises from the dirt to become a beggar-maid only to become the wife of Harry the heir to the bligh Park fotune. (SPOILER) :'3