The Song of Peterloo

by Carolyn O'Brien

Manchester 1819: Prices are high and wages are low, but as the poor become poorer, the rich are alarmed by their calls for reform.

Mill-worker Nancy Kay struggles to support her ailing mother and sensitive son. Desperate to provide for them, she is inspired to join the growing agitation. But, as she risks everything to attend a great assembly on St Peter’s Field, Nancy is unaware the day will go down in history, not as a triumph but as tragedy; the Peterloo massacre.

This is one woman’s story of belief in change, pieced together by her family and friends and the two men who share her momentous summer. A story of hope, and sacrifice, and above all, courage.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Book Club, Historical

288 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 1, 2019

About the author

Carolyn O’Brien was born in Manchester. She studied English at Cambridge University before qualifying as a solicitor. She now works part-time as a consultant lawyer as well as writing historical fiction. Her writing has a strong sense of the north-west of England and its radical past, as illustrated by her first novel THE SONG OF PETERLOO which was published to coincide with the bicentenary of the Peterloo Massacre. Her second novel ROSE & RENZO, published May 2026, is a 1930s love story set in the ‘Little Italy’ district of Manchester against the backdrop of rising fascism.

Carolyn lives near Manchester with her family.

Reviews

[Sarah]

This historical tale haunted me after I had finished reading it. I did not have a complete appreciation of the characters and plot until the final page had been read and this is reflected in my star rating.

Based on a true story, the writer provides readers with a detailed insight into the events leading up to the tragic massacre. Told from different viewpoints, we gradually learn more about the female protagonist, Nancy, in her struggles for holding her family together, coupled with her desperation to build a better future for her son. I found it difficult to engage with the different characters and, whilst the narratives were cleverly different to build on the developing characterisation, I could not warm too quickly to the likes of Samson or Nancy.

It was only as the morning of the massacre dawned, did I really have a feel for plot and characters. This was the part of the story that interested me the most and I simply could not put it down. Struggling to get in to the story at the beginning, my interest in the event itself was finally satisfied in the final third of the novel. I only wish that this had featured more in the story, although I do understand why O’Brien took the time to establish a backstory for several characters. Consequently, I found the first two-thirds of the novel difficult to engage with and, at times, I did find my mind wandering. There was something about the narrative that I struggled to get into. I don’t know if it was the different Manchurian dialects or the varied perspectives. However, by the day of the massacre, I did feel ready to emotionally connect with Nancy and Samson.

This was a well-written novel and it clear that O’Brien has undertaken a lot of research about this event. I found that I learn a lot about this period of history that I only had a vague understanding of. It was interesting to read about the changes being fought to happen and Samson’s desire to educate his mill workers. If you have an interest in history and true events, then I certainly feel this book would appeal.

There is no denying the strong theme of family that runs throughout this story. Love and endurance are key in such times of struggle and Nancy represents a strong woman who is not afraid to stand up for what she believes in. Nancy is a credible character and I was rooting for her and her son, Walter, at the very end. Indeed, the closing of the novel was the most poignant for me, offering love and hope for the future.

Whilst I did initially struggle with this book, I am definitely pleased to have picked this up. An interesting read, I feel more informed about this period of history. It is something a bit different and the familial love and poignant scenes are ones that will stay with you.

I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. With thanks to everyone at Legend Press and Carolyn O’Brien for allowing me to participate in this blog tour.

[Moira]

Carolyn O’Brien’s ‘The Song of Peterloo’ is a wonderful and particularly fitting novel to mark the 200th anniversary of the Peterloo massacre on 16 August 1819. The author’s feel for place and period, and their evocation, shines through on every page. It is clear that she has immersed herself in the period, ‘lived’ it, and written an exceptional historical novel. It’s interesting to note that Carolyn’s antecedents were mill workers. She is a proud daughter of Manchester and loves her home city. I found this book intensely moving and finished it with a genuine pang of regret. It is the perfect companion piece to Elizabeth Gaskell’s ‘North and South’. Definitely a 5-star read!

[Nikki Marmery]

The Song of Peterloo is a beautiful and heartbreaking book about the Peterloo Massacre. The brutality and hardships of the millworkers' lives are often painful to read - but there is beauty here too, and plenty of love, all told in gorgeous, unsentimental prose. Nancy is so vividly brought to life, the reader is utterly swept along with her desperation for change, her passion for life, and her love for her son, Walter. Samson, the reluctant mill owner, is also beautifully drawn. An immensely powerful read and a reminder that change has never been lightly won.

[Linda Wallis]

Very evocative of time & place.
Interested in this as I have cotton & blanket weaver ancestors.
With the view of our modern world, the behaviour of those in charge seems shocking but it is how it was & the reason things had to change.
Highly recommended!

[Jasmine]

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for The Song of Peterloo! Thank you to Legend Press and Carolyn O'Brien for such a wonderful opportunity.

I'll start my review by saying just how much I enjoyed this book. Though it started off quite slowly, I really liked the overall pace as I got stuck in. Carolyn O'Brien works miracles with her narrative, somehow managing to balance the prose of 19th century England with a more contemporary 21st-century style. Her prose is wholly atmospheric with great attention to detail. With this combination of multi-dimensional characters and evocative prose, O'Brien presents a literary masterpiece.

One thing I must note about The Song Of Peterloo is that it's very much character-driven. From the beginning, you're introduced to a hefty handful of characters, 90% of whom hold some importance to the overall plot of the book. If you're like me, a lover of character development and of well-founded relationships, you'll definitely find some resonance in The Song Of Peterloo.

The perspectives are split into past and present perspectives and, for those of you with keen eyes, I'll say the future perspectives make it very clear early on what's going to happen by the end if history hasn't informed you otherwise. The different perspectives also really help you to separate the bad from the good, i.e. the awful Joseph from the lovely Samson.

In my opinion, The Song Of Peterloo definitely 'picked up' a lot more towards the end. Note that the book is heavily inspired by the true events of 1819. Released at the perfect time to coincide with the 200-year anniversary of the Peterloo Massacre, The Song Of Peterloo really does pull on the heartstrings. I had few, if any, problems with her fiction writing but it was ultimately O'Brien's ability to intricately weave historical facts into this fictional narrative that sold me on the overall elegance of her craft.

Historical fiction is typically a hit-and-miss genre for me, but The Song of Peterloo was definitely a hit.

[George McLay]

I knew a wee bit about the massacre at St Peter`s Field in the early 1800s but this book brought it all to life for me. With the characters ,nice and not too nice ones. It was an excellent read and throughout this read I thought of the Burns quotation ...`Man`s inhumanity to man`

[Kirsty Hutchison]

A POWERFUL PAGE TURNER
I’ve just been crying my eyes out as I’ve finished reading The Song of Peterloo, an immersive novel of a loving, single mother desperate for equality and social reform. Set against a backdrop of love, friendship and humanity, this gripping and poignant story depicts one of the most socially unjust and bloody events ever to take place in the history of Manchester – the Peterloo Massacre.

It is very apt that I finished reading this moving novel today as it is the anniversary of the massacre which took place on 16th August 1819. On this day, a cavalry of yeomanry brutally charged on a peaceful crowd of thousands of working-class people including young children. This resulted in the barbaric deaths of 18 innocent people. The crowd had gathered at St Peter’s Field in the centre of the city as they wanted political reform – but in a peaceful manner.

The Song of Peterloo is the emotive story of Nancy Kaye, a passionate young mill worker desperate to learn to read and write. She is also desperate to keep her six-year-old son Walter away from the dangerous life of working in the mills; she wants to give him opportunities she has never had. With the stirrings of social reform, Nancy begins to feel hopeful of change and is inspired to get involved.

We’ll make history! Just think on it, people’ll look back in t’ years to come, and say it were us, here in Manchester, that won t’ vote for ordinary folk.

Nancy’s passionate spirit catches the eye of two very different men; Samson Wright, the new and very reluctant mill owner and; Joe Price, the good looking brickie. Conveying smatterings of romance and danger, these two characters are pivotal to Nancy’s narrative, brilliantly enhancing the tension, drama and humanity within the story.

The manner in which Carolyn O’Brien skillfully structures the novel also enhances the tension. The crux of the story is divided into the four seasons of the year; but the 16th August dramatically gets a section all of its own. The chapters are short, succinct and powerful. I got swept away reading it as I kept thinking ‘just one more chapter‘ and before I knew it, I’d finished!

Carolyn O’Brien was compelled to write The Song of Peterloo as a ‘memorial to the brave reformers of 1819.’ It was released in August 2019 to coincide with the Peterloo bicentenary commemorations hosted by Manchester Histories. So it’s available now for you all to buy and read! It is a fascinating and truly gripping book that I urge you to read. Yes, it is shocking and brutal but it is also hopeful and beautiful.

Thank you Carolyn O’Brien for kindly sending me a copy of your beautiful novel. I loved it and it has made me even prouder to be an adopted Mancunian. Thank You!

As I’ve lived in Manchester now for twenty years and proudly class myself as an adopted Mancunian, I’ve known about this horrific atrocity for a long number of years. However it is only from reading The Song of Peterloo, passionately written by Manchester born author Carolyn O’Brien that I now truly realise the brutal, personal impact of the historic event.

[Ali]

You may not have heard of the Peterloo massacre but it's a piece of political and social history that deserves to be remembered. 2019 marks 200 years since unarmed mill workers in Manchester, protesting against poor and dangerous working conditions and demanding representation in parliament, were killed and injured by an unstable and ill-led militia, fresh from the Napoleonic wars. Following the Battle of Waterloo where Napoleon was defeated it became known as the Peterloo massacre, and, although the government of the day was more than satisfied that order had been re-established, it was the start of a movement against political corruption and led to the founding of the Manchester Guardian.
Carolyn O'Brien's dramatic and engaging historical novel takes the events that led up to the 16th August, 1819 but keeps her focus on one young mill worker, Nancy Kay. Deserted by her drunk husband, she works in the mill and looks after an ailing mother as well as bringing up her 'delicate' son, Walter. When a child is maimed in a factory accident, the reader is drawn into a world of cruelty, inequality and the sheer will to survive. The story is told from a variety of points of view: Nancy's friend, Mary who always looks out for Nancy and her family; the reforming mill owner, Samson, recently released from the army who sets up a school for child-workers and Joseph, who falls for Nancy but is morally unscrupulous. Nancy herself is a feisty, strong heroine gradually becoming more radicalised as working conditions deteriorate and food is scarce. She wants to protect her family and the only way she can do this is by joining others who want reform.
It's clear from the beginning that in spite of the workers' determination to be peaceful events will end in tragedy, but strong, imaginative writing with voices and dialects across the social classes keeps the reader intrigued and engaged. We want to know what will happen to Nancy and her hopes for change.
I particularly admire Carolyn O'Brien's choice to give us an unconventional character in Nancy's son, Walter. In spite of his unusual behaviour he is always loved and protected by his family, and Nancy demonstrates ways of keeping him calm and happy in impossibly difficult situations where they are threatened with increasing poverty and starvation. Nowadays he would be described as being on the autistic spectrum.
The tragedy of Peterloo still reverberates today when our political freedoms are once again under threat. I haven't seen Mike Leigh's 2018 film, Peterloo, but this compelling novel has made me want to know more about an almost forgotten chapter in history that should be part of the school curriculum. The courage of ordinary workers like Nancy should be remembered. The Song of Peterloo resonates long after you finish reading it.

[Richard Jones]

See more reviews at rich-reviews.co.uk and @richreview

A peaceful protest at Manchester’s St Peter’s Field is brought to a bloody end by a deadly cavalry charge of sabre swinging yeomanry. The violent culmination to months of fulminating antipathy between the working and ruling classes ultimately becomes a watershed moment in the fight of the disenfranchised to have a voice and meaning to their superficially inconsequential lives.

The music of life is seemingly silenced but out of the darkness that cloaks their funereal living and working conditions shines a beacon of hope embodied in the vitality and positivity of Nancy Kay. She emanates an ethereal glow that pulsates with a passion that gives belief to those around her that life will get better.

Carolyn O’Brien captures the incongruity of apparently hopeless lives coexisting with the privileged and affluent yet when you pick away at the distressing harshness of the former what is revealed are loving families able to rise above the detritus of their physical hardships.

But at it’s heart this is a story of love overpowering misfortune: a mother’s love for her son and an unrequited love that is both touching and tragic. The characterisation and context for these human relationships give them added poignance when compared to the social and sexual mobility of modern day.

Samson the former soldier, tasked with the responsibility of running his uncle’s mill, is an empathetic character with a social conscience ahead of his time. His experiences of death and an altruistic rather than materialistic approach to life lead him to focus on the inequities of his workforce rather than their continued exploitation for financial gain.

The author manages to intertwine a potent mix of socio-political discontent and frustrated sexual tension to give the story an edginess reflecting the gradual shift in the historic conformity of the time. This is a transitional period in the fight for the everyman to have a voice and through this polluted physical and political landscape O’Brien has created a story of personal strength outshining the corrupt ideals of a failing elite.

[Hugh]

A moving and heartfelt story of the Peterloo massacre.

For such a traumatic event one might suppose this book to be shocking, sad and scary. I didn't find it to be any of those things though (at least until the very end).

This is achieved by the brilliant scene setting of the author through descriptions of the mill (the central piece of the book) and the homes of the characters in the city. O'Brien expertly captures the plight of a poor single mother working in the mill scraping to save enough to put food on the table for her only child and keep him out of the workhouse.

This terrible outlook is contrasted with the description of the wealthy factory owning family. This focuses on the new younger man who inherited the site and attempts to create some positive change in society while balancing this with the interests of the business. However, he is stymied by his selfish Aunt who trips him up by claiming a generational change that he has no right to make to stop him from making the changes he thinks are right. The tension between the old and the new is brought into sharp focus.

These two forces come together in the school initiative for the mill that he entrusts to the young mother (and seems to fall in love with).

It is unmistakable to feel the tension building as you get closer to the end of the book (which inevitably ends with the Peterloo massacre). Having been to and around Manchester many times I recognised the places and buildings (such as the Portico library) with a familiar warm feeling. I recalled my time in the people's museum wondering at what the large banners were for. It is testament to the strength of the people of Manchester that they can say that they were amongst the first of those who strove for change in an unjust world (attested to by the statue of Emmeline Pankhurst in St Peter's Square) and who often paid the price through blood and persecution.

An inspiring book and great read that I would highly recommend.

[Julie Hutchinson]

An absorbing story!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Song of Peterloo, a beautifully written and immersive tale, compellingly told from the perspectives of well-rounded characters whose natural and distinctive voices drew me fully into their world.

The novel is structured to powerful effect, the action well-paced, and the setting, early nineteenth century Manchester, is captured with vivid descriptions and authentic details which would surely have required painstaking research.

The author, Carolyn O’Brien, has a definite talent for characterisation, and in Nancy Kay, she has developed a heroine who is spirited and sympathetic with a strong sense of purpose. The bond between Nancy and her sensitive son, Walter, shows itself touchingly on the page.

I’m almost ashamed to admit that I didn’t know a great deal about the tragic events which occurred in August 1819, in St Peter’s Field in Manchester, prior to opening this book, and the novel has definitely piqued my interest. I’m keen to learn more about the real-life happenings around which the story has been woven, and the hardships, struggles and conditions that led to calls for reform.

It’s a book I’ll read again and won’t hesitate to recommend to others.

[Donna]

In this vivid and compelling historical novel, Carolyn O’Brien weaves a spell that draws the reader in time and time again. I found ‘The Song of Peterloo’ hard to put down as the story of the days and weeks leading up to the 16th August 1819 unfolded. For me this had echoes of Elizabeth Gaskell’s novels, and as a Mancunian I found it fascinating to read the descriptions of how Manchester was 200 years ago.

Nancy is the heroine – a strong female lead with a hard lot in life. Her courage is admirable, but I also loved seeing the story unfold from the perspectives of the other characters, and for me this was a strength of the novel. The reader gets to see not only Nancy’s point of view, but to see her through the eyes of those around her, including Mary, Nancy’s loyal and devoted friend, and the fearsome Adelaide, defender of the status quo.

‘The Song of Peterloo’ gives the reader a good understanding of the political pressures of the time as well as the shortcomings of the local law enforcement, but it does more than this, it opens the window to 1819 and lets the reader look inside. Those were interesting times too.

[Wendy Burke]

‪The Song of Peterloo by Carolyn O' Brien is quite simply superb, and comes close to my idea of a perfect novel. The period setting - the build up to the August 1819 massacre of mill workers on St Peter's Field in Manchester - is brought to life with the author's sublime handling of pace, prose and characterisation to create an evocative, intensely moving story with brilliantly rendered protagonists - Nancy, Ann, Mary and Walter will break your heart. I cried hard reading this, and found the story so compelling I had to keep reading - exactly what you want in a book. O' Brien's novel reminded me of Gaskell's North & South and Mary Barton, and also Mary Webb's Precious Bane, but with a voice entirely its own, and a wonderful humanity and dry humour to the characters despite their at times desperate circumstances. I'm looking forward very much to reading more from this exquisite writer.

[Sarah Smith]

With The Song of Peterloo, Carolyn O’Brien has done a great job of making a turbulent historic event both entertaining and accessible.

I’m fascinated by this period in history and the radical movements that were happening as a result of industrialisation. O’Brien’s ability to convey the facts of the past through the lives of her characters drives the story along and lets the reader connect with the conditions the reformers were living in and the reasons they were so desperate for change.

At times, it felt like O’Brien had reached back 200 years and had personally interviewed Nancy, Mary, Samson et al. The accounts of the characters felt like long-buried reminiscences, a glimpse into a world that is seldom documented.

And I was left with the feeling that events like Peterloo are still happening today. The spectre of Hillsborough was never far from my mind.

[Patricia Smith]

This is a compelling story concerned with the struggles of ordinary people in their fight to change their lives for the better.
It follows the life of mill worker Nancy Kay, who is inspired to take part in the struggle when she had the chance to learn to read. Her life is changed and she becomes aware of the injustice around her. She wants to make life better, particularly for her vulnerable son. Her story culminates in the events which lead to the dreadful Peterloo Massacre.
Fascinating insightful read. Could not put it down.
Highly recommended.

[Heathcliffsbridelovesbooks]

Wow- what a gripping piece of history brought to life! Every character was so real and it was so beautifully written. If you have never heard of the Peterloo Massacre that happened in Manchester in 1819 it is so important in our social and political history you must find out about it. This book has taught me so so much! I can’t believe this is a debut novel! I’m in awe!
Long before women were able to fight for the right to vote, the common man had to fight for the right to vote. There was no one in parliament to actually stand up and represent the common man and woman let alone the freedom to vote! Can you imagine that? The repurcussions of a world like that? Well this is a book about the people with the guts and courage to make that all change- and the devastation that follows such bravery and dissent.
That’s what I love about historical fiction, it transports you to a completely different world and you always, always learn something new.

[Neema Shah]

To my shame, I knew relatively little about Peterloo before I read this novel. I'm so glad I did though. Carolyn O'Brien has created a vivid and moving story to bring the history to life in a way that is always feels authentic and never expositional. The writing is gorgeous, the characters well drawn and I loved the use of dialect.

Highly recommended!

[Nina Tweddle]

Enjoyable story about Manchester mill workers on early 1800's. I liked the characters and their situations were believable. Sadly though, as the story went on I think the story became weaker.
However it's very readable- great for a long journey. I would read more by this author.

[Neil]

How the bulk of the people were treated at the beginning of the 19th century, has it improved I ask myself or are we still not tools for the wealthy. We still have multiple occupancy, we still have hunger, we still have homeless, we are still one of the most divided societies.

[Sofia]

just not holding my attention at all. DNF 40 pages in

[Lee]

A difficult read for the first half, but brilliant and sad in the second half of the book, was worth sticking it out for.

[Katie Carpenter]

I found the first half of this book quite slow and lacking a strong plot. However the last third is great and did a beautiful job of capturing the horrors of the Peterloo Massacre

[Sarah Partridge]

Awful. Skimmed it. Was hoping it might get less trite for the actual massacre but it is absolutely not worth persisting with if you're not getting on with the characters and writing.

[Jenny]

An amazing true historical tragedy zs seen through fictional eyes. Loved it.

[Linda]

I loved this book. A passionate story and I was totally drawn into the characters.

[Julie]

The commemoration of the anniversary of Peterloo is well served by this beautifully written novel by Carolyn O’Brien; an intimate picture of “this marvellous feeling” of joining with others to mark a call for a reform of workers’ situation,and a terrific picture of the event and the fear felt on that day in Manchester. Brilliantly paced and from different fascinating perspectives, this is a book of the people who were involved in a significant event on a human level. Featuring a woman of strength, curiosity and courage, this moving tale brings history alive as the characters tell their story of a life changing day of enormous excitement. Manchester in early 1819 was a well populated place which was attracting new businesses and buildings rapidly, but even those who worked hard for long hours lived in poverty, with children who went hungry. Nancy and others want more than drudgery, and as she seizes any opportunity to learn, she becomes involved in the fight for equal rights. As other people gather around her, with their own agendas and reasons, the build up to the day becomes more tense. This powerful story presents a personal view of a famous event , and I was tremendously pleased to be asked to read and review this significant book.

As this book begins, Walter, Nancy’s son, is making the most of a simple toy, a stick, which is a scarce object in the hard streets of newly industrialised Manchester. Mary, a friend of Nancy’s, wonders about the events that led up to the day of the Meeting which has gone down in history as Peterloo, and recalls the first sign that Nancy was a determined and courageous woman. The novel goes on to introduce Samson, a military man who has had to take charge of the Mill, despite his own tragic past. Other characters and situations mean that Nancy is being watched by various people, as her education and experience mean that she becomes determined to show support for those trying to achieve equal representation for the inhabitants of Manchester. The picture of the real poverty that Nancy, her mother and her sensitive son try to survive contrasts sharply with the relative luxury enjoyed by the sulky Adelaide. The carefully drawn characters of Nancy and those she encounters, her singular appreciation of any opportunity for improvement, her quick wit and resourcefulness mean that the reader feels caught up in her fate. As season follows season, the inevitable challenge grows nearer, and the reader is drawn along.

This is a mature novel which does so much to humanise the events that would otherwise seem a matter of numbers, of logistics. Just as the later fight for the vote by women came with a great cost, there is no doubt that there was more to the story of Peterloo than the bland figure of deaths which occurred on the actual day. Part saga, part history and part the story of one woman, this is a novel which speaks of panic, of grief, but essentially of hope and love.

[Nicola Smith]

I was really eager to read The Song of Peterloo. I'm not sure exactly what it was that drew me to it, whether it was simply that I enjoy historical fiction, or whether it was reading about a part of history that I knew nothing about, especially aound the 200th anniversary of the massacre at Peterloo. Either way, it was book that really appealed to me and I wasn't disappointed by what I read.

There are various viewpoints in the story but the main characters are Nancy Kay, a mill worker, and the new man in charge of the mill, Samson Wright. Unlike many employers of the time (1819) he is a kinder, more caring man, concerned with the welfare of his workers. On his very first day in reluctant charge, he meets Nancy, a fiery lass, and he is unable to forget the way she tried to stand up to her superiors after an accident at the mill. I liked both characters immensely and thought they were portrayed in a sympathetic and appealing way.

We also hear from Mary, Nancy's good friend from the mill, and Joseph Price, a young man who plays a part in Nancy's story too. After encountering Samson and all that he hopes to achieve, Nancy becomes interested in reform and social justice and this leads her to be at St Peter's Field on the fateful day, 16th August 1819, when unarmed and peaceful protestors were charged at by the Yeomanry.

There's quite a bit of build up before the massacre takes place and it really gave me both a sense of time and place, and also the chance to get to know the characters. As much as I loved Nancy and Samson, I really took a dislike to Adelaide, Samson's snooty aunt. I also really took a dislike to the way working classes were treated - not a surprise to me or anything that I didn't already know, but it struck me all over again reading The Song of Peterloo. It's a emotive tale of historical importance and definitely one for fans of historical fiction.

I do think this a book that should be taken slowly and savoured so as to immerse yourself in this specific time in history, the dialect, the living conditions and the complete contrast in class at the time. But it is one that is definitely worth reading for it is a very well-written tribute to the lives of those who were there that day.

[Jthbooks]

This book is throughly enjoyable. It's a heartfelt, brutal look at a turning point in British history.
We see the story of Nancy unfold through the eyes of people around. It's such a interesting way of telling the story, and you get to know Nancy is such a detailed way. There's such a sense of foreboding for what's to come for Nancy and the story. Carolyn has created such a fantastic character in Nancy, I loved reading Nancy bettering herself. It's what gives heart to this tremendous historical fiction novel.
This novel starts off quite slowly, with it really setting the scene for time and place. Due to Carolyn's atmospheric prose and wonderful description the slow start really lets the reader immerse themselves in the story.
The ending of the book is absolutely thrilling, yet heartbreaking. Carolyn O'Brien makes such a clever choice when the massacre starts to keep chapters short and to change which character we see the story from. It makes it so invigorating. It creates such a fantastic atmosphere. The pacing at the end of 'The Song of Peterloo' is brilliant and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. It's a highlight of the book for me. Like I said, it also was heartbreaking. It just made the ending better. I'm so glad Carolyn chose to end the novel this way, to further show the brutality of the event.
This novel has been meticulously researched. It's full intricate details that make it a fantastic historical fiction novel. You know I absolutely love a book that is not only excellent, but teaches you something and 'The Song of Peterloo' sure did. This isn't a time in British history I knew much about, but through this novel it felt like I was a part of it.
I can't recommend this book enough. If you love Historical Fiction, or British history then this is the book for you.
Thank you to Legend Press for gifting me with a copy in return for a honest, unbiased review.

[CenReads]

Blog Bus Stops Here today 🚌 🌸

The Song Of Peterloo by Carolyn O’Brien- published by @legendpress 🌸

This book has been published in line with the 200th anniversary of Peterloo. This is a book with a mixture of facts and fiction.
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As you read this you find that the droid excellent and brings both the battle and its problems to life.
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Prior to this book I had not heard of Peterloo.
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It is a story of beliefs, hope and courage. It brings alive the devastation and the various views of all.
It is purely awful the way people are treated and what they live through. Yet it shows how Manicians have such amazing inner strength and how they want to better themselves through this torrid time.
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It stems around Nancy who is struggling and is fed of this continued struggle and decides she wants to do something about it- little does she know what impact her strength has on everyone.
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Nancy is desperate to have a voice and others want a voice within parliament and better working conditions.
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I found this book really interesting and enthralling. If you love your historical genre and a mixture of fact and fiction. This is recommended for you.
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Thank you @legendpress for inviting to participate in this blog tour.

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[Julia Denial]

This is a masterpiece. Historical fact and fiction are cleverly interwoven into a story that stays with you long after reading. Character driven; this novel takes you back 200 years to the real tragedy of the Peterloo Massacre - told from the viewpoints of the different classes involved. Nancy Kay, a fiercely intelligent working class and devoted single Mum is at the heart of the story but her son is the real star. Everything she does is for him - this resonated with me profoundly. Samson the mill manager; a forward thinking, educated man with a fervour for social reform left a deep impression on me. Joseph, another working class character, i felt conflicted by - that - I’m sure is what Carolyn O’Brien was trying to achieve. A man who wanted to be better than he was. It’s very brave to craft a character like that and smacks of Jane Austen’s “Emma” - “I am going to take a heroine whom no one but myself will much like”. The attention to historical detail and dialect is extraordinary but it’s the personal, human approach to this story that really draws you in - and the legacy that is left behind.
A truly remarkable story - made even more remarkable by the way Carolyn O’Brien makes you consider the relevance of the events 200 years ago today - without you even realising she has done it. A truly splendid read.