The Upstart

by Catherine Cookson

An absorbing, beautifully told story of wealth, family ties, and class conflict during the 19th century.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical, Chick Lit, Novels, British Literature

448 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 1, 1996

About the author

Catherine Cookson was born in Tyne Dock, the illegitimate daughter of a poverty-stricken woman, Kate, who Catherine believed was her older sister. Catherine began work in service but eventually moved south to Hastings, where she met and married Tom Cookson, a local grammar-school master.

Although she was originally acclaimed as a regional writer - her novel The Round Tower won the Winifred Holtby Award for the best regional novel of 1968 - her readership quickly spread throughout the world, and her many best-selling novels established her as one of the most popular contemporary woman novelist. She received an OBE in 1985, was created a Dame of the British Empire in 1993, and was appointed an Honorary Fellow of St Hilda's College, Oxford, in 1997.

For many years she lived near Newcastle upon Tyne.

Reviews

[Shirley Revill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing better than a seat by the fire, cup of hot chocolate and a Catherine Cookson. Bliss.

[Suz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mum got me on to Catherine Cookson. I’d love to have reviewed this at the time. I do remember Samuel being a cocky thing! I have more Cookson here to read. Thanks mum!

[Barbara A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I fell in love with C Cookson when I was a teenager and still love her books. This is a good one!

[Lili · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read all of Catherine Cookson's books some years ago and enjoyed them immensley. I recently re-read all of them and find that on a second look I found them all so very predictable, and was rather disappointed. However I'm sure that it is my tastes that have changed not the calibre of her story telling.

[Lyndsey Gollogly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feels so strange reviewing a Catherine Cookson I’ve love her books from an early age and there is no better comfort read that her. This was a short read and reminded me just how much I love her writing.

[Cheryll · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great read from my favourite author :)

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

In some ways the characters were so unlikeable or poorly developed that you didn't care what happened to them. I really only got into caring about the storyline after a twist near the end.

[Shirley Dawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Catherine Cookson has really done well with this work. It is a really powerful story with some very good characterisation. The parents were unbelievably strict and cruel and the children suffered for their dreadful parenting. The main character, Janet, suffered extreme humiliation and cruel treatment but I really admired her strength and resilience whilst at the same time feeling such sympathy for her predicament.

This was a real page turner from the very first page to the last but I did find it a bit strange when Maitland, the butler, always happened to be in the room and privy to the family's personal matters!

[Renjay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Family Issues. That is the description of this book. I read The Upstart as part of a Book Challenge. 1800s aren't my preferred genre but this book was better than what I expected. It was not boring. Fans of historical fiction will enjoy it, if you want to get out of your reading comfort zone you may also enjoy it.

[Pattie · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I've ever read. Each character has their own depth, secrets, dreams, faults and pain....just as we all do, no matter their status in life and society. I highly recommend this book and other books by this author.

[Phylisha Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic tale about excessive ambition and climbing to the top of the heap leading to the disintergration of the family and family values. Classic read!

[Gautham Selvarajan · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started this book I did not expect it be this good. It was a very good reading experience. The growth of each character along story was great. Superb characterization. Overall a great read.

[Sandi · Rating 1 out of 5]

SO many words.

[Ami Nurlianti · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first Catherine Cookson book I read during isolation. The plots and the characters were interesting though wasn’t her best one.

[Helen Geng]

Read October 2020

[Faith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Det här är en ganska vidrig kärlekshistoria tyvärr

[A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good storyline.

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another smashing read from Catherine.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful story. Thoroughly enjoyed it from the first to last page.

[Angela Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read enjoyed the story have read & enjoyed many of her books quite nice to read her style after some larger novels.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic Catherine Cookson class struggles in late 1800's and early 1900's.

[Charley Lawrence · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story was quite obvious and I felt it was really dragged out, the story that was told over 400 pages could have been shortened by quite a lot- overall an ok read

[Ingrid Booij · Rating 3 out of 5]

Een aardig boek. Ik bleef wel lezen omdat het verhaal mij wel boeide.

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never tire of reading Catherine Cooksons books, this is my second time around with The Upstart, it's just as enjoyable as the first time in 2021 three years ago.

[Jane Payne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Catherine Cookson is one of my all time favourite authors and this beautifully written book is a great reason why . The characters are so real and the story is well told

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/10

[Shannon Magee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sadly it took me ages to get in to it. I didn’t really enjoy it. Which I was sad about these stories are normally my favourite to read.

[Lynn Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Upstart is a great favourite of mine telling the story of Maitland (from his point of view) and the Fairbrother Family as well as exploring so deftly the social and economic history of the times as well as demonstrating Catherine Cookson's supreme ability to capture the class conflicts even amongst the same class system and accurate description of the social and economic history of the period.

SYNOPSIS:
Suddenly risen to power and influence, Samuel Fairbrother, manufacturer and retailer of boots, shoes and clogs, decided that his new station in life deserved a more imposing residence. Accordingly he bought himself a thirty-four-roomed mansion situated on the outskirts of Fellburn. With the house came the butler, Maitland, who at once made plain his belief that Samuel, far from the gentleman his predecessor had been, was no more than an upstart.

So began a clash of wills between master and man, at which Samuel Fairbrother discovered he was at a distinct disadvantage, for Maitland was well skilled in the art of maintaining his indispensability. Fairbrother, for his part, was only too aware that he dare not dispense with Maitland's services. And so an uneasy truce was declared between them.

As the years went by and the century turned, Samuel Fairbrother saw his children, one by one, leave the big house to make lives of their own - all except his eldest daughter Janet who, by means of a legacy, was enabled to shape the destiny of her father's scattered family and effect the reconciliation that he thought was impossible.

The Upstart is yet another brilliant example of Catherine Cookson's supreme ability to capture the conflict of class in the late nineteenth century and early 20th century society.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was published in 1996 by renowned British writer who is now deceased. It takes place in London in the early 1900's and explores the relationship between rich masters and the serving class. This is my second Cookson book, and I have enjoyed both. My hairdresser recommended her and has loaned me her books. I have two more on my shelf and look forward to reading them soon.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

My first Catherine Cookson read. Shes pretty good, I didnt end the book with a feeling I could carry away the character insight, but still a nice read for a historical novel. Character lines are hard to follow sometimes as to who is in the conversation and who isnt. All in All 2.5-3 stars