Pauper's Gold

by Margaret Dickinson

Paupers Gold Dickinson, Margaret

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction

Paperback

First published March 29, 2006

About the author

Born in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, Margaret Dickinson moved to the coast at the age of seven and so began her love for the sea and the Lincolnshire landscape. Her ambition to be a writer began early and she had her first novel published at the age of twenty-five. This was followed by many further titles including Plough the Furrow, Sow the Seed and Reap the Harvest, which make up her Lincolnshire Fleethaven Trilogy. She is also the author of Fairfield Hall, Jenny's War and The Clippie Girls. Margaret is a Sunday Times Top Ten bestseller.

Reviews

[erian reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so into Hannah’s story and I felt every emotion these characters in this book portrayed. If this was a movie I bet it would be as good as what I just read! I love the character development of the protagonists tho I wish Adam had it too, lol.

This statement is so deep the current generation can relate which “If this place is run so badly that you all can’t believe anyone would voluntarily return if they once got away, then it’s high time things were changed. And if this sort of thing can happen to a child, if we can kill a little mite by tearing her to shreds all in the cause of making money… Then what is the world coming to?”

It is deep. It conveys advocation context that we can impart to everyone in real world. This novel Margarette Dickinson has been so beautiful, well written, organized to the point it felt like it was real. For me it were all real. I am so grateful I stumbled upon this book last February 2023 at the local book fair. After a year and a half, I got to step into Pauper’s lives; a story of love and survival set in the cotton mills of Derbyshire! 🤎

[poppie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this an enjoyable read and thought I knew in which direction it was heading, but I was wrong! That's why I gave it 5 stars.

[Tanaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of a girl named Hannah Francis who has to leave her hometown and her mother for a job in a cotton mill. She's not at all willing to go, but she decides to come back and visit her mother often. Little does she know what is in store for her future..
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This book was recommended to me by @lindarebello24 as she loves Margaret Dickinson. I had never heard the name of this author, and I'm so so glad I picked this book up. The protagonist Hannah is a strong character, and we get to see her grow from a stubborn teenager to a fierce woman. It broke my heart to see her losing her innocence in front of my eyes due to the situations she has to go through. Even so, she doesn't bend her principles. I loved how her character has been written, she's smart and a can-do person.
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This book may look and sound like a normal everyday story but it is not for the weak hearted. I made this mistake– I thought it was a story about some happy-go-lucky girl. I wish. But her life is unfair and filled with turmoil and it made me cry so many times. But I never lost hope in Hannah and I loved how the story turnt out. It felt realistic and has a befitting end. The writing is fluid, never strays, and has many twists.
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The mill workers are affected by the Civil War in America and I loved how Hannah takes charge of the situation instead of cribbing about her life, and mind you, she has MANY reasons to crib about.
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I would recommend this book if you want to read about strong women characters and revenge. I'll definitely be reading more of her books 😍

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is set in the cotton mills in the 1850's and is about a young girl who is forced to leave her mother behind in the workhouse to go to work in the mills in Derbyshire.
A typical tale of poor girl comes up against bad mill owner and seeks revenge. Some of the characters are very stereotypical and I found the heroine a bit too good to be true but it is a nice easy read without streching the brain too much - a good book for bedtime!

[Lyndsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was very interesting due to the fact it talked about the town I live in Macclesfield and surrounding areas.

[Reader · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have to be honest. I created an account on this platform specifically to write this review. I got "Pauper's Gold" for free at a school event, so I went in with no real expectations and was genuinely surprised by how much it pulled me in.

For the first two-thirds, this was an excellent read. I was completely invested in Hannah's story. The emotional turmoil she goes through felt real and raw, and I was 100% on board when she finally started down the path of revenge. It was powerful and felt earned.

And then, the ending. I am just so ultimately disappointed.

The entire revenge arc that the book built up so carefully just... fizzles out. What was the point of all that development? Hannah doesn't go through with her plan. Even worse, she ends up taking care of the very man who groomed and preyed on her friends (I don't even want to say his name). It felt like a complete betrayal of her character and her journey.

But my biggest issue is Adam. I cannot understand how Hannah forgave him when he did literally nothing to deserve it. He was a completely passive character in the worst way.
- He was willfully ignorant of his own mill business and the suffering of the paupers, even after witnessing several deaths.
- He knew about his father's reputation and how he "touched young girls," but he still had the nerve to get angry at Hannah for wanting justice?
- He abandoned her and their child in the middle of a civil war to go do some illegal business.
- Then he just waltzes back in once everything is settled and is forgiven?

Honestly, it would have made more sense and been far more meaningful to the story if he had simply died while he was away. That would have been a more realistic consequence. Instead, we got this unsatisfying conclusion that undermines the strength Hannah showed and cheapens the entire story.

This is purely my opinion and how betrayed I felt when I read the ending. I know this is romance and fiction but it totally undermined Hannah’s character.

[jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

"If this sort of thing can happen to a child if we can kill a little mite by tearing her shreds all in the cause of making money...then what is the world coming to?"

Rating: 4/5

I really enjoyed this book. I love the way it was written, the characters, and the whole plot. I got attached to the characters and was able to relate to most of them in different ways. Children are sent to workhouses and sold to be apprentices in mills. This was the harsh reality of how children especially orphans or children from poor families were treated back then. They weren't even treated as human beings, it's as if they were items that can just be sold off. I'm still amazed by Hannah, the main character who's lost so much and seen so many atrocities before she even turned 16. And yet she continues to be kind and optimistic. Her kindness doesn't mean she's not capable of revenge, and so this book got so much better.

I think this is not spoiler-free so be warned.

I did not like:
❌the ending, it felt rushed. There were conflicts that weren't properly solved.
❌Adam, I feel like his character wasn't built/established well enough for me to know him and form a connection with him just like the other characters. I mean the asshole had the audacity to be madder at the liar who wanted revenge against a groomer, a child abuser, a tyrant, and a crook. I mean what is wrong with him?! I mean he came around eventually but it literally took him years to realize it. He's very much a privileged man who's not done any labor in his life.

I did like:
💞Hannah <3, our best girl. I swear she deserves the whole universe.
💞the found-family trope in the book, it was so very heartwarming.
💞the character development of some of the characters.
💞the women in this book. They were superior. The best.

[Samantha Neal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was amazing story to read.
Pauper's gold really surprised me. Right at the beginning I didn't know what was going to happen.
How one character had a journey at the mill and did everything that would be impossible.
This was a brilliant book. But I did wish I knew about the other characters and knew what had happened.
This was completely different from any Margaret Dickinson book I have read.

[Kátia Rodrigues · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written and extremely exciting moments all of the way through. But I feel that Adam's character didn't seem to mark much of a presence in the story even though he's some how part of what the outcome of what happens to Hannah in the end!

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I wasn't sure about this book but I kept reading.
The book is worth reading and a great story. Likeable characters.
This is the 3rd book from this author. Margaret Dickinson is a good writer.

[June Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Life in the workhouse, and the terrible people that work and run it, enjoyable read.

[Moira Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent storyline

Enjoyed the story line it was different from other sagas i have read really unusual and enjoyable could hardly out down

[Yolanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant read

[Lyle Roles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this

[Tracey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was a pleasant enough read, but not as good as other books I have read by Margaret Dickinson.
The story is about Hannah Francis, who is sent from the workhouse in Macclesfield, to be apprenticed at a cotton mill in Derbyshire along with three other children. As always, the book as been well researched and is interesting from a history point of view.

[Noor · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story of how the dark power of revenge turns to love...

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is in truth young adult fiction. I would have loved it when I was 18!