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Spirited
A moving and gripping story about three women who keep unspeakable truths, from the Richard & Judy recommended bestselling author Julie Cohen.
Viola has an impossible talent. Searching for meaning in her grief, she uses her photography to feel closer to her late father, taking solace from the skills he taught her - and to keep her distance from her husband. But her pictures seem to capture things invisible to the eye . . .
Henriette is a celebrated spirit medium, carrying nothing but her secrets with her as she travels the country. When she meets Viola, a powerful connection is sparked between them - but Victorian society is no place for reckless women.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, invisible threads join Viola and Henriette to another woman who lives in secrecy, hiding her dangerous act of rebellion in plain sight.
Faith. Courage. Love. What will they risk for freedom?
Viola has an impossible talent. Searching for meaning in her grief, she uses her photography to feel closer to her late father, taking solace from the skills he taught her - and to keep her distance from her husband. But her pictures seem to capture things invisible to the eye . . .
Henriette is a celebrated spirit medium, carrying nothing but her secrets with her as she travels the country. When she meets Viola, a powerful connection is sparked between them - but Victorian society is no place for reckless women.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, invisible threads join Viola and Henriette to another woman who lives in secrecy, hiding her dangerous act of rebellion in plain sight.
Faith. Courage. Love. What will they risk for freedom?
352 pages, Hardcover
First published July 9, 2020
113 people are currently reading
1763 people want to read
About the author
Julie Cohen
61 books569 followersJulie Cohen (also writing as Julie Mae Cohen) is an award-winning, bestselling author and a popular teacher of creative writing. She was born in Maine in the USA, and currently lives in the UK with her family and a terrier of dubious origin.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 214 reviews
August 23, 2020
Spirited, by Julie Cohen was a marvelous read and ticked a lot of boxes for me. It’s set in Victorian England (1858), it involves a spirit medium and spirit photography and there is a big story arc that’s set in India. How cool is all that?
Julie Cohen was a new author for me, probably because she never endeavored into lesfic before. But she is a seasoned writer and it shows. The tone and pacing was right, the setting was diverse and delish, the sapphic part of the story was done delicate but very effective.
We have three main players - Viola, the vicar’s daughter who loves photography and mourns the loss of her father, Jonah Worth her best friend and now husband who is not the same ever since he returned from India, and Henriette Blackthorne, the celebrated spirit medium. All of them get equal billing. Through flashbacks we get their back story and I thought it worked very well because the author chose to do it in chapters instead of cluttering the present day story line. It certainly made all three equally sympathetic, even when two of them had some major skeletons in their closet.
We get a lot of diversity with these three. With Violet we get a coming of age, dealing with loss of family and familiar surroundings, trying to find a new purpose in life as a wife. With Jonah we get the whole India arc including this big secret he’s keeping from his wife. And with Henrietta we get clawing yourself up from the gutter and do whatever it takes to survive and prosper even if it means you have to keep looking over your shoulder.
I loved how Cohen enhanced the experience further by adding the odd letter, newspaper article or extract in between chapters. It made for a very authentic feel. I highly recommend!
Locations: Kimmerton (Wiltshire, UK), Geneva (Switzerland), Fortuneswell - Isle of Portland (Dorset, UK), Weymouth (Dorset, UK), Upcross Hall, near Wareham (Dorset, UK), Delhi (India), London (UK) Northern Wales, Philadelphia (USA).
f/f nothing graphic but in keeping with the period.
Themes: unfulfilled marriage, photography, keeping secrets, it’s a double toaster oven affair, the long con, age-gap, slow burn, the hero of Delhi, spirits.
4.8 Stars
Julie Cohen was a new author for me, probably because she never endeavored into lesfic before. But she is a seasoned writer and it shows. The tone and pacing was right, the setting was diverse and delish, the sapphic part of the story was done delicate but very effective.
We have three main players - Viola, the vicar’s daughter who loves photography and mourns the loss of her father, Jonah Worth her best friend and now husband who is not the same ever since he returned from India, and Henriette Blackthorne, the celebrated spirit medium. All of them get equal billing. Through flashbacks we get their back story and I thought it worked very well because the author chose to do it in chapters instead of cluttering the present day story line. It certainly made all three equally sympathetic, even when two of them had some major skeletons in their closet.
We get a lot of diversity with these three. With Violet we get a coming of age, dealing with loss of family and familiar surroundings, trying to find a new purpose in life as a wife. With Jonah we get the whole India arc including this big secret he’s keeping from his wife. And with Henrietta we get clawing yourself up from the gutter and do whatever it takes to survive and prosper even if it means you have to keep looking over your shoulder.
I loved how Cohen enhanced the experience further by adding the odd letter, newspaper article or extract in between chapters. It made for a very authentic feel. I highly recommend!
Locations: Kimmerton (Wiltshire, UK), Geneva (Switzerland), Fortuneswell - Isle of Portland (Dorset, UK), Weymouth (Dorset, UK), Upcross Hall, near Wareham (Dorset, UK), Delhi (India), London (UK) Northern Wales, Philadelphia (USA).
f/f nothing graphic but in keeping with the period.
Themes: unfulfilled marriage, photography, keeping secrets, it’s a double toaster oven affair, the long con, age-gap, slow burn, the hero of Delhi, spirits.
4.8 Stars
May 29, 2020
This story is a real slow burn but so worth the investment. It slowly unwraps events starting in Wiltshire in the 1800’s. The book is heavily loaded with religious and societal expectations whilst delightfully intertwined with glimpses of background stories leading to this bleak and sad start. The pace picks up, gradually filling in teasing colourful background events from India whilst leaving you trying to piece together the missing links.
Viola & Jonah seem to be trapped in different and enveloping griefs and unable to share their truths. Henriette and
Pavan add interesting and painful background stories to the mix, explaining gender and class differences and issues faced. The story develops clear pictures of a variety of settings - London, Delhi, & Dorset amongst other and my senses easily transported me there amongst the sights and sounds along with the characters and exciting / tragic events.
Julie’s writing has a real human warmth to it. She brings history to life and along with it the technicalities of early photography and also Spiritualism. The book is embracingly honest about a variety of love and how acceptance, understanding and gratitude is needed wherever it is found.
Viola & Jonah seem to be trapped in different and enveloping griefs and unable to share their truths. Henriette and
Pavan add interesting and painful background stories to the mix, explaining gender and class differences and issues faced. The story develops clear pictures of a variety of settings - London, Delhi, & Dorset amongst other and my senses easily transported me there amongst the sights and sounds along with the characters and exciting / tragic events.
Julie’s writing has a real human warmth to it. She brings history to life and along with it the technicalities of early photography and also Spiritualism. The book is embracingly honest about a variety of love and how acceptance, understanding and gratitude is needed wherever it is found.
July 13, 2020
I’ve always been a fan of Julie Cohen’s contemporary novels but this is her foray into historical fiction and I do hope there will be more.
Set during Victorian times, the story moves between England and India, with much of it set on the Isle of Portland in Dorset where Viola Goodwin and Jonah Worth make their home upon their marriage.
Viola and Jonah were childhood friends and the story begins with their marriage following the death of Viola’s father, a clergyman. Jonah had only just returned from India, he had been close to Viola’s father, having lost his own parents and it was expected that he and Viola would marry. Their marriage was a sombre affair, with Viola grieving for her father. Jonah is a troubled soul, haunted by his past and they both seem trapped by their own grief.
Viola’s father was a keen photographer and he passed his love of the camera to his daughter. Viola finds her photographic skills in demand after she inadvertently captures spirit images on camera. This brings her into contact with Henriette and will change her life in more ways than she could ever imagine.
Henriette Blackthorne is a celebrated spirit medium; she seems to rely on charitable friends rather a lot and always has an eye on the main chance. She is older than Viola and has seen far more of the world and is no stranger to life’s harshness. In comparison, Viola is an innocent; gentle and kind.
Spirited is a story of love, sexuality, and also prejudice – both with class and gender. It has clearly been extensively researched and is rich with detail. The notion of spirit photography and the practical elements of producing photographs with chemicals and plates I found fascinating but it was also the scenes set in Delhi – the vivid and evocative descriptions, the English Colonial setting, the shocking scenes of the uprising – the Siege of Delhi and the differences in class and religion. I found this part of the story just as engrossing as that part with Viola and I felt immense sadness for what had been lost and for what couldn’t be.
In addition to the narratives of Viola, Henriette and Jonah are the occasional newspaper reports and other documents. These give a factual feel but are also used as a means of moving the story forward.
This is not a fast paced read but I just savoured the storytelling. I was completely drawn in by the characters – the boldness of Henriette, the gentleness of Viola and the loyalty of Jonah. I loved it and have no hesitation in recommending.
Set during Victorian times, the story moves between England and India, with much of it set on the Isle of Portland in Dorset where Viola Goodwin and Jonah Worth make their home upon their marriage.
Viola and Jonah were childhood friends and the story begins with their marriage following the death of Viola’s father, a clergyman. Jonah had only just returned from India, he had been close to Viola’s father, having lost his own parents and it was expected that he and Viola would marry. Their marriage was a sombre affair, with Viola grieving for her father. Jonah is a troubled soul, haunted by his past and they both seem trapped by their own grief.
Viola’s father was a keen photographer and he passed his love of the camera to his daughter. Viola finds her photographic skills in demand after she inadvertently captures spirit images on camera. This brings her into contact with Henriette and will change her life in more ways than she could ever imagine.
Henriette Blackthorne is a celebrated spirit medium; she seems to rely on charitable friends rather a lot and always has an eye on the main chance. She is older than Viola and has seen far more of the world and is no stranger to life’s harshness. In comparison, Viola is an innocent; gentle and kind.
Spirited is a story of love, sexuality, and also prejudice – both with class and gender. It has clearly been extensively researched and is rich with detail. The notion of spirit photography and the practical elements of producing photographs with chemicals and plates I found fascinating but it was also the scenes set in Delhi – the vivid and evocative descriptions, the English Colonial setting, the shocking scenes of the uprising – the Siege of Delhi and the differences in class and religion. I found this part of the story just as engrossing as that part with Viola and I felt immense sadness for what had been lost and for what couldn’t be.
In addition to the narratives of Viola, Henriette and Jonah are the occasional newspaper reports and other documents. These give a factual feel but are also used as a means of moving the story forward.
This is not a fast paced read but I just savoured the storytelling. I was completely drawn in by the characters – the boldness of Henriette, the gentleness of Viola and the loyalty of Jonah. I loved it and have no hesitation in recommending.
April 15, 2022
Post-mortem photography has always fascinated me. Popular in the Victorian era, grieving family members sometimes had photos taken of their loved ones after death to preserve their memory. You might have seen photos like this of the dearly departed resting in their coffins. However, families also posed the deceased in seated and sometimes even standing positions (with the aid of broomsticks and ropes) in order to have individual and family portraits taken. These photographs became treasured keepsakes and formed part of the fascinating mourning process during the Victorian period 1837-1901.
After the recent disappointment of a TV program set in 1880s Dublin called Dead Still which centres on a mortuary photographer - it was the comedy angle that killed any hopes of this becoming a new favourite - I was all the more primed to read Spirited by Julie Cohen which promised to deliver on this intriguing subject matter.
Spirited is an historical fiction novel featuring two women set in 1850s Victorian England during the time of spiritualism. Viola is an amateur photographer in a complicated marriage and grieving the loss of her father, and Henriette is a spirit medium with a mysterious past.
I was engrossed by Henriette's story and could easily have dwelled in a book solely focussed on her character. However the reader is also privileged to learn about Viola's husband Jonah and the reasons he remains haunted by his experiences in the Siege of Delhi in 1857.
Each of these characters is struggling with some form of grief when we meet them, and their separate search for meaning seems to unite them. Photography was a great way to illuminate the relationship between Viola and Henriette while unintentionally highlighting the line between science and religion.
Spirited by Julie Cohen is an atmospheric novel with some beautifully tender moments. It touches on the spiritualism movement of the time, contains multiple love stories and explores the different ways in which people process trauma and grief, perceive cultural differences and struggle for female agency.
Highly recommended.
* Copy courtesy of Hachette Australia *
After the recent disappointment of a TV program set in 1880s Dublin called Dead Still which centres on a mortuary photographer - it was the comedy angle that killed any hopes of this becoming a new favourite - I was all the more primed to read Spirited by Julie Cohen which promised to deliver on this intriguing subject matter.
Spirited is an historical fiction novel featuring two women set in 1850s Victorian England during the time of spiritualism. Viola is an amateur photographer in a complicated marriage and grieving the loss of her father, and Henriette is a spirit medium with a mysterious past.
I was engrossed by Henriette's story and could easily have dwelled in a book solely focussed on her character. However the reader is also privileged to learn about Viola's husband Jonah and the reasons he remains haunted by his experiences in the Siege of Delhi in 1857.
Each of these characters is struggling with some form of grief when we meet them, and their separate search for meaning seems to unite them. Photography was a great way to illuminate the relationship between Viola and Henriette while unintentionally highlighting the line between science and religion.
Spirited by Julie Cohen is an atmospheric novel with some beautifully tender moments. It touches on the spiritualism movement of the time, contains multiple love stories and explores the different ways in which people process trauma and grief, perceive cultural differences and struggle for female agency.
Highly recommended.
* Copy courtesy of Hachette Australia *
September 13, 2021
One of the best things about this book was the beautifully developed wlw relationship. The two women were complex, believable, and engaging. I was fully invested in each of their individual stories, which became even better as they met and their slow burn relationship evolved. There were some truly lovely scenes between them, written with subtlety and warmth.
On the downside, I wasn't so enamored of Jonah's character or his backstory and felt he received too much page time. I also found the 'drama' of the arrest and court case to be unnecessary, forced, and unconvincing. I would have preferred the book without that section, and so my final rating is 3 stars rather than 4.
Overall this is high quality historical fiction, with good research, excellent writing, and the bonus of a wlw relationship. Simply be aware about a third of the book focuses on Viola's husband Johah, and the 'crisis/resolution' section is probably the weakest part of the plot. Also, there is some challenging material in Henriette's backstory dealing with sexual assault which could be triggering.
On the downside, I wasn't so enamored of Jonah's character or his backstory and felt he received too much page time. I also found the 'drama' of the arrest and court case to be unnecessary, forced, and unconvincing. I would have preferred the book without that section, and so my final rating is 3 stars rather than 4.
Overall this is high quality historical fiction, with good research, excellent writing, and the bonus of a wlw relationship. Simply be aware about a third of the book focuses on Viola's husband Johah, and the 'crisis/resolution' section is probably the weakest part of the plot. Also, there is some challenging material in Henriette's backstory dealing with sexual assault which could be triggering.
August 23, 2025
4.5 rounded up.
What an absolute joy.
Love, loss, mediums, spirit photography and bathing machines. One tiny criticism is that I would rather have not known what happened to Jonah, I would have preferred to have been left wondering if he was still alone sketching flowers in Wales and trying to fit in with the locals. It seem out of character for him to be brave enough to return to India in search of Pavan's brother.
What an absolute joy.
Love, loss, mediums, spirit photography and bathing machines. One tiny criticism is that I would rather have not known what happened to Jonah, I would have preferred to have been left wondering if he was still alone sketching flowers in Wales and trying to fit in with the locals. It seem out of character for him to be brave enough to return to India in search of Pavan's brother.
July 3, 2020
Visit the locations in the novels
Spirited is like a bow of a book, So many strands making up the overall flourish. One which as you read, the strands unravel and what you are left with is quite a surprise.
A wonderful slow-burn of a read which introduces a very sad woman called Viola whose father has just died. She’s recently married to Jonah but this is hardly a happy time as there is something strange about him; he’s distant, cruel at times and something unreachable. He’s back from war in India where he is somewhat of a hero but he is deeply troubled by what he saw and learnt there. With this whisper of foreboding from the start, you know this is going to come back to haunt him and Viola.
Talking of haunting, the magic of this book is contained in the idea that viola takes photos that often reveal the spirits of recently departed souls. Shocked and confused, she reaches out to Henriette, a spirit medium, who introduces her to a world she may not be ready to explore. Then there’s the secrets Henriette herself has to hide…
This really was a lovely and heartbreaking surprise of a story. One which spoke of emotional relationships, hopes and fears, the role of women and the belief system that prevailed at the time. The whole idea of spirits being captured on film is both comforting and freaky but it’s an interesting idea. It made me feel sad to see what people will believe when they are so desperate for answers.
Jonah, Viola and Henriette all have very different stories but when the threads combine, the effects are very thought-provoking and poignant.
September 17, 2021
"The sky wasn't black but the deepest, lushest, midnight blue, and at night the scent of jasmine was released into the gardens and lay over the city like the perfume of a fascinating woman. Bats flitted on silent wings and the city became more alive, something mysterious and throbbing, full of shadows and incense."
Very interesting historical fiction set in both England and India in the 19th century. An intelligent and thought-provoking story about faith and trust, with many twists and turns and an ending that doesn't disappoint.
Very interesting historical fiction set in both England and India in the 19th century. An intelligent and thought-provoking story about faith and trust, with many twists and turns and an ending that doesn't disappoint.
June 27, 2022
This was a unique concept of a book with a spiritualist and a spirit photographer as the two main characters. The plot was interesting enough and it seemed right up my street being historical fiction but, there was just something missing for me. It was a very slow burn which I don’t think helped either.
August 4, 2021
History is brought to life in this wonderful story. Glimpses of life in England and Dehli in the 1800's evoke emotional storylines and characters.
This story is about love and acceptance, and I found the development of the main characters wonderful. I especially loved Viola and felt her simplicity and honesty really refreshing. The description of her photography work and linking to her father were an interesting add to the overall plot.
Love, grief, secrets and life after death are all covered in this wonderful, emotional read.
This story is about love and acceptance, and I found the development of the main characters wonderful. I especially loved Viola and felt her simplicity and honesty really refreshing. The description of her photography work and linking to her father were an interesting add to the overall plot.
Love, grief, secrets and life after death are all covered in this wonderful, emotional read.
September 3, 2020
I love reading stories about spiritualism in Victorian times! Really enjoyed this story.
July 13, 2020
Viola has an impossible talent. Searching for meaning in her grief, she uses her photography to feel closer to her late father, taking solace from the skills he taught her – and to keep her distance from her husband. But her pictures seem to capture things invisible to the eye. Henriette is a celebrated spirit medium, carrying nothing but her secrets with her as she travels the country. When she meets Viola, a powerful connection is sparked between them – but Victorian society is no place for reckless women. Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, invisible threads join Viola and Henriette to another woman who lives in secrecy, hiding her dangerous act of rebellion in plain sight.
I was not sure what to expect from this read but I very quickly found myself completely drawn into this sweeping tale. I will start with the characters of Viola and Jonah; what a great pair of characters they are! Friends since childhood and newly married they realise they might not know each other as well as they thought. They find themselves changed but why? Cohen does a beautiful job of creating two very likeable, special characters and ensures the reader is invested in their story before the secrets start unravelling.
The plot is extremely emotional and I felt like I went on a real rollercoaster of emotions whilst reading this. There is love, loss, pain and hope, amongst many other emotions, put together it is just effortlessly beautiful and I could not help but fall in love with the story and the characters Cohen portrays.
The story of Viola and Jonah is simply stunning and I adored getting to know them and learning about the tribulations life has thrown at them. Events may not always be entirely believable but they are beautiful and perfect for this read.
‘Spirited’ is a very special read and one that will remain with me for a long time. I adored the characters, the plot is gripping and when everything comes together you are left with this exquisite read that is full of hope.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orion for an advance copy.
I was not sure what to expect from this read but I very quickly found myself completely drawn into this sweeping tale. I will start with the characters of Viola and Jonah; what a great pair of characters they are! Friends since childhood and newly married they realise they might not know each other as well as they thought. They find themselves changed but why? Cohen does a beautiful job of creating two very likeable, special characters and ensures the reader is invested in their story before the secrets start unravelling.
The plot is extremely emotional and I felt like I went on a real rollercoaster of emotions whilst reading this. There is love, loss, pain and hope, amongst many other emotions, put together it is just effortlessly beautiful and I could not help but fall in love with the story and the characters Cohen portrays.
The story of Viola and Jonah is simply stunning and I adored getting to know them and learning about the tribulations life has thrown at them. Events may not always be entirely believable but they are beautiful and perfect for this read.
‘Spirited’ is a very special read and one that will remain with me for a long time. I adored the characters, the plot is gripping and when everything comes together you are left with this exquisite read that is full of hope.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orion for an advance copy.
June 21, 2020
This is a book that I found out about via Hachette Australia, so I want to thank them for sending me a copy. The blurb sounded so intriguing I was really looking forward to checking it out.
When Viola gets married, she's still mourning the loss of her beloved father and feels lost and alone. With her childhood best friend now her husband, they move away to the coast to start their life together. But their marriage isn't going the way she imagined. There's too much distance between them, and she soon finds solace in photography.
Henriette is a well-known spirit medium making her own way in a man's world, and has a keen eye for the obvious. But no matter how far she gets, she's always trying to outrun her secret past.
After Viola and Henriette cross paths, they both find something very unexpected...
I really liked how this book started in such a sad place, which soon leads into a series of interesting, unexpected and wondrous events.
There are a lot of moving parts in this story with multiple characters full of personal thoughts and complicated pasts. While all of these separate components work apart from each other through much of the introduction, everything leads into a very intricate and exciting connection.
Told in several POVs, spanning through different timelines, this amazing tale of love, grief and finding your place in a very unstable world, took me on an interesting historical adventure set during a time we don't read much about in Victorian fiction.
Of course, as expected, there were a lot of things that angered me about the treatment of women and the accepted sexist attitudes of men. But it was wonderful to watch how these women used their own intelligence to overcome these obstacles. Sometimes it takes escaping into a loveless marriage. Other times it entails a bit of cunning manipulation. And even pretending you're someone you're not. But all of the options are a result of how their world, devoid of respect for women, shapes them.
The spiritual medium and spirit photography angle was utterly captivating. These happen to be two topics I've always found fascinating and enjoy reading about. To have them combined in a way that introduced the human condition provided an entertaining, rich and mysterious experience.
Spirited is a thought-provoking historical tale full of rich and deep characters with sympathetic and intriguing qualities. There are plenty of surprises, unexpected turns, unconventional friendships, remarkable love stories, and a sense of wonder that remains after the last page.
I enjoyed every minute I spent with this hauntingly beautiful book.
When Viola gets married, she's still mourning the loss of her beloved father and feels lost and alone. With her childhood best friend now her husband, they move away to the coast to start their life together. But their marriage isn't going the way she imagined. There's too much distance between them, and she soon finds solace in photography.
Henriette is a well-known spirit medium making her own way in a man's world, and has a keen eye for the obvious. But no matter how far she gets, she's always trying to outrun her secret past.
After Viola and Henriette cross paths, they both find something very unexpected...
I really liked how this book started in such a sad place, which soon leads into a series of interesting, unexpected and wondrous events.
There are a lot of moving parts in this story with multiple characters full of personal thoughts and complicated pasts. While all of these separate components work apart from each other through much of the introduction, everything leads into a very intricate and exciting connection.
Told in several POVs, spanning through different timelines, this amazing tale of love, grief and finding your place in a very unstable world, took me on an interesting historical adventure set during a time we don't read much about in Victorian fiction.
Of course, as expected, there were a lot of things that angered me about the treatment of women and the accepted sexist attitudes of men. But it was wonderful to watch how these women used their own intelligence to overcome these obstacles. Sometimes it takes escaping into a loveless marriage. Other times it entails a bit of cunning manipulation. And even pretending you're someone you're not. But all of the options are a result of how their world, devoid of respect for women, shapes them.
The spiritual medium and spirit photography angle was utterly captivating. These happen to be two topics I've always found fascinating and enjoy reading about. To have them combined in a way that introduced the human condition provided an entertaining, rich and mysterious experience.
Spirited is a thought-provoking historical tale full of rich and deep characters with sympathetic and intriguing qualities. There are plenty of surprises, unexpected turns, unconventional friendships, remarkable love stories, and a sense of wonder that remains after the last page.
I enjoyed every minute I spent with this hauntingly beautiful book.
May 18, 2023
On the front of this book is a quote from Marian Keyes -- "I stayed up late, gripped. I loved it."
This encapsulates my experience with this book perfectly. I stayed up late (until 4:50am) to finish this book. I was truly gripped. The writing style, the setting, the plot, the characters were all enjoyable. It really ticked a lot of boxes for me!
Honestly, I think this might be a new favourite book.
Our main character Viola, along with her husband Jonah and friend Henrietta, navigate life in the 1850s, the timeline varying between current day and Jonah's experiences in Delhi, India. While the plot wasn't entirely breathtaking and could be predictable at times, I still craved to know what would happen next and to know how everything would develop.
Viola's hobby of photography (which quickly diverges into post-mortem and then spirit photography) and Henrietta's con of being a spirit medium were at the heart of this story and it was something different offered from the setting. It made a nice change to what would normally be offered from historical fiction set in the Victorian era.
I'm so glad I picked up this book and I'll be on the look out for more from this author!
This encapsulates my experience with this book perfectly. I stayed up late (until 4:50am) to finish this book. I was truly gripped. The writing style, the setting, the plot, the characters were all enjoyable. It really ticked a lot of boxes for me!
Honestly, I think this might be a new favourite book.
Our main character Viola, along with her husband Jonah and friend Henrietta, navigate life in the 1850s, the timeline varying between current day and Jonah's experiences in Delhi, India. While the plot wasn't entirely breathtaking and could be predictable at times, I still craved to know what would happen next and to know how everything would develop.
Viola's hobby of photography (which quickly diverges into post-mortem and then spirit photography) and Henrietta's con of being a spirit medium were at the heart of this story and it was something different offered from the setting. It made a nice change to what would normally be offered from historical fiction set in the Victorian era.
I'm so glad I picked up this book and I'll be on the look out for more from this author!
January 6, 2022
Al bij al vond ik het een fijn boek om te lezen, het enige grote minpunt is dat een trigger warning voor de nogal heftige stukken over seksueel geweld tegen vrouwen mocht zijn. Maar bon.
Ik moet zeggen dat (zeker) de eerste helft van het verhaal echt wel een slow burn is om te lezen. Ik ga dan ook akkoord met de gemiddelde andere reviews die bij dit boek staan.
Props naar de auteur voor haar uitgebreide historische onderzoek ter ondersteuning van het verhaal. Dat was fantastisch goed uitgewerkt. Ik zou dit boek vooral aanraden als je into queer love stories, period pieces en eerder traag verlopende verhaallijnen bent.
Ik moet zeggen dat (zeker) de eerste helft van het verhaal echt wel een slow burn is om te lezen. Ik ga dan ook akkoord met de gemiddelde andere reviews die bij dit boek staan.
Props naar de auteur voor haar uitgebreide historische onderzoek ter ondersteuning van het verhaal. Dat was fantastisch goed uitgewerkt. Ik zou dit boek vooral aanraden als je into queer love stories, period pieces en eerder traag verlopende verhaallijnen bent.
March 23, 2023
I really enjoyed this story!!
I love anything to do with spirits and the time period was a big plus for me.
100% recommend!
I love anything to do with spirits and the time period was a big plus for me.
100% recommend!
February 14, 2022
Set in Victorian times with several interesting twists, a compelling read, highly recommended.
July 11, 2020
First of all I have to say Spirited has one of the loveliest cover designs of the year! Luckily the book is every bit as good. Spirited follows Viola, a young woman in mourning for her father who appears to be able to capture spirits in her photography, Henriette, a spirit medium with a complicated past and Jonah, Viola’s childhood companion turned husband, recently returned from India where he was caught up in the violent Siege of Delhi. All three of these characters are haunted by their past and their circumstance. What follows is an emotional and subtly beautiful story of love, loss and faith.
I really enjoyed reading this book, I think it is gorgeously written with a kind of sensitivity that makes you feel so much empathy for these characters. There’s an elegance to the prose which suits the touching story beautifully. Viola is a fantastic character who is genuinely kind and honest in a way that makes the reader immediately root for her to find happiness. I loved reading about some of the delicate intricacies of Victorian photography, it is fascinating and once you add in the possible presence of spirits it becomes even more so. The Victorians are generally seen as being rigid, strict and religious which is certainly true but there was also a deep fascination with the supernatural in the Victorian era. This is something Spirited explores – the connection between faith (both religious and spiritual) and science plays an intriguing part of the story.
Whilst being a compelling look at the world of spirit photography and seances, Spirited is also a touching love story. In fact, it is more than one love story and they are all equally engaging. I don’t want to give much away but the relationships in Spirited are full of tenderness and the intense power of finding someone you feel an instant connection with. Spirited is a truly lovely tale of devotion, hope, grief and finding your place in the world whilst at the same time being beautifully evocative of the era. It’s an elegant and touching book which I highly recommend.
I really enjoyed reading this book, I think it is gorgeously written with a kind of sensitivity that makes you feel so much empathy for these characters. There’s an elegance to the prose which suits the touching story beautifully. Viola is a fantastic character who is genuinely kind and honest in a way that makes the reader immediately root for her to find happiness. I loved reading about some of the delicate intricacies of Victorian photography, it is fascinating and once you add in the possible presence of spirits it becomes even more so. The Victorians are generally seen as being rigid, strict and religious which is certainly true but there was also a deep fascination with the supernatural in the Victorian era. This is something Spirited explores – the connection between faith (both religious and spiritual) and science plays an intriguing part of the story.
Whilst being a compelling look at the world of spirit photography and seances, Spirited is also a touching love story. In fact, it is more than one love story and they are all equally engaging. I don’t want to give much away but the relationships in Spirited are full of tenderness and the intense power of finding someone you feel an instant connection with. Spirited is a truly lovely tale of devotion, hope, grief and finding your place in the world whilst at the same time being beautifully evocative of the era. It’s an elegant and touching book which I highly recommend.
August 20, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
3 1/2 stars for me .. was bordering on 4 stars
This book caught my eye being about spiritualism , historical is a new genre I’m trying also ..
A good overall story but I felt it was so slow to get going , in fact the last 50 pages were the most fast paced and better of the story .. I find the victorian era books to me seem to be slower paced .
This book covers some real taboo subjects ( in the late 1800’s not future times ) I loved how these panned out into the story .
3 1/2 stars for me .. was bordering on 4 stars
This book caught my eye being about spiritualism , historical is a new genre I’m trying also ..
A good overall story but I felt it was so slow to get going , in fact the last 50 pages were the most fast paced and better of the story .. I find the victorian era books to me seem to be slower paced .
This book covers some real taboo subjects ( in the late 1800’s not future times ) I loved how these panned out into the story .
January 26, 2023
I just did a re-read of this book about a year after reading it for the first time, and I loved it even more. The subtlety with which Cohen explores the theme of faith is so beautiful and the otherworldly elements seem true to life. I'm so glad I chose to read again!
June 21, 2020
Haunting, tender and true – this love story cast a spell on me.
July 15, 2020
Julie Cohen's two most recent books,
Together
and
(The Two Lives of) Louis and Louise
have both made my very short 'favourite books of the year' listing when released.
I knew her latest, Spirited was a little different and, as it combines a couple of elements I usually avoid—historical fiction and the supernatural—I was a tad nervous. And though it's set in the 1850s its themes resonate today. Cohen's books are often hard to describe but I saw this from a fellow author on Twitter and it seemed apt.
Here we have the juxtaposition of religion vs science vs the mystical. One of our leads, Viola—who I found uninspiring for major proportions of the book—is the daughter of a Minister so has strong beliefs but was raised with an inquisitive mind.
Our other lead, her childhood sweetheart and (now) husband Jonah has seen things to make him doubt mankind's humanity.
Again Cohen touches on things continuing to plague communities today, here through the results of colonialism and Jonah's awareness of his family's profits off the people and continent of India.
The other strong theme is that of love. Of one's ability to love more than once; and the concept of perfect and imperfect love; and whether there (even) is there such a thing.
Cohen mixes a bit of fact and fiction here and explains this in her author's note at the end so she's able to draw on detailed processes used in photography and the concept of spirit photography as well as Britain's role and presence in India and weave them into a fairly tumultuous love story (or two).
And though we touch on spiritualism (in various senses of the word), societal norms and history—for me—this book is ultimately about acceptance and our ability to see the people beneath the labels we give them.
Spirited by Julie Cohen was published in Australia by Hachette and is now available.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes.
** I'm trialling some changes to the way I review books as I'd like to make them more succinct **
Read my review here: https://www.debbish.com/books-literat...
I knew her latest, Spirited was a little different and, as it combines a couple of elements I usually avoid—historical fiction and the supernatural—I was a tad nervous. And though it's set in the 1850s its themes resonate today. Cohen's books are often hard to describe but I saw this from a fellow author on Twitter and it seemed apt.
Here we have the juxtaposition of religion vs science vs the mystical. One of our leads, Viola—who I found uninspiring for major proportions of the book—is the daughter of a Minister so has strong beliefs but was raised with an inquisitive mind.
My father always said that science was the best test of religion, and religion was the best proof of science He said everything we understood as faith, would be explained one day with fact. p 37
Our other lead, her childhood sweetheart and (now) husband Jonah has seen things to make him doubt mankind's humanity.
Again Cohen touches on things continuing to plague communities today, here through the results of colonialism and Jonah's awareness of his family's profits off the people and continent of India.
The other strong theme is that of love. Of one's ability to love more than once; and the concept of perfect and imperfect love; and whether there (even) is there such a thing.
Cohen mixes a bit of fact and fiction here and explains this in her author's note at the end so she's able to draw on detailed processes used in photography and the concept of spirit photography as well as Britain's role and presence in India and weave them into a fairly tumultuous love story (or two).
And though we touch on spiritualism (in various senses of the word), societal norms and history—for me—this book is ultimately about acceptance and our ability to see the people beneath the labels we give them.
Spirited by Julie Cohen was published in Australia by Hachette and is now available.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes.
** I'm trialling some changes to the way I review books as I'd like to make them more succinct **
Read my review here: https://www.debbish.com/books-literat...
September 9, 2020
Beautiful, spirited, assured writing.
The opening chapter is bleak. Our heroine and hero (Viola and Jonah) marry in mourning. “The interior of the church was the same colour as rain and even colder outside.” The tone is set and we are drawn into the story of a complicated relationship which had started off as a childhood friendship. “The old Jonah, recently returned from India, hovered there like a ghost standing just behind this new, sombre Jonah.” But these young people’s lives have both been touched by tragedy and there are plenty of secrets between them. “She knew him, but she didn’t know him.”
Viola, rediscovers her passion for photography, which her father had introduced her to. “All photographs were spirits… a moment, a human being, an emotion, a city. All of them were paper ghosts.” Preparing the chemicals to develop her photos, Viola “…sniffed each bottle gingerly, and each one was a thousand memories.” The whole process helps her feel close to her adored father whom she misses so much. I have a book of Sutcliffe’s photos and, although Spirited is set in a different seaside location, it felt as if I had stepped into that world. I loved the images of Nan, the cheeky young “kindling” girl with her bundle of driftwood, who Viola uses as a subject and befriends: “…her hair was whipped into elf-locks by the wind… her face was smudged with dirt and there was a rime of salt on her forehead.”
The character of Henriette is wonderful. She too is not really whom she appears to be, with her involvement in the spirit world and her interesting past and it is this stuffy Victorian atmosphere of double standards that Ms Cohen captures so brilliantly. And spiritualism and photography are set to collide.
The huge interest in fossils and the past, raising theological issues of religion over the brave new world is another central theme: “… a puzzle in a mash of mud and rock.” And then there is the issue of colonialism and Jonah’s life far away on another continent. Spirited tackles huge themes – masterfully. I also love the snippets from newspapers and journals that Cohen intersperses. Are they the genuine articles?
It is difficult to write love scenes, but there is a chapter in Spirited which is probably the most tender and passionate passage that I have ever read.
Huge congratulations to Julie Cohen. In utter disbelief (and horror) I read in the acknowledgments that she had almost given up on writing before embarking on Spirited. My message to this lady is: ‘Please, please do not stop writing. You have a special gift. You are a truly spirited weaver of words.’
The opening chapter is bleak. Our heroine and hero (Viola and Jonah) marry in mourning. “The interior of the church was the same colour as rain and even colder outside.” The tone is set and we are drawn into the story of a complicated relationship which had started off as a childhood friendship. “The old Jonah, recently returned from India, hovered there like a ghost standing just behind this new, sombre Jonah.” But these young people’s lives have both been touched by tragedy and there are plenty of secrets between them. “She knew him, but she didn’t know him.”
Viola, rediscovers her passion for photography, which her father had introduced her to. “All photographs were spirits… a moment, a human being, an emotion, a city. All of them were paper ghosts.” Preparing the chemicals to develop her photos, Viola “…sniffed each bottle gingerly, and each one was a thousand memories.” The whole process helps her feel close to her adored father whom she misses so much. I have a book of Sutcliffe’s photos and, although Spirited is set in a different seaside location, it felt as if I had stepped into that world. I loved the images of Nan, the cheeky young “kindling” girl with her bundle of driftwood, who Viola uses as a subject and befriends: “…her hair was whipped into elf-locks by the wind… her face was smudged with dirt and there was a rime of salt on her forehead.”
The character of Henriette is wonderful. She too is not really whom she appears to be, with her involvement in the spirit world and her interesting past and it is this stuffy Victorian atmosphere of double standards that Ms Cohen captures so brilliantly. And spiritualism and photography are set to collide.
The huge interest in fossils and the past, raising theological issues of religion over the brave new world is another central theme: “… a puzzle in a mash of mud and rock.” And then there is the issue of colonialism and Jonah’s life far away on another continent. Spirited tackles huge themes – masterfully. I also love the snippets from newspapers and journals that Cohen intersperses. Are they the genuine articles?
It is difficult to write love scenes, but there is a chapter in Spirited which is probably the most tender and passionate passage that I have ever read.
Huge congratulations to Julie Cohen. In utter disbelief (and horror) I read in the acknowledgments that she had almost given up on writing before embarking on Spirited. My message to this lady is: ‘Please, please do not stop writing. You have a special gift. You are a truly spirited weaver of words.’
July 12, 2020
‘Viola recalled a lifetime of kneeling by her father, witnessing this miracle when a moment
became fixed in time forever. It was chemistry, pure science; but watching this, it was quite easy to believe that it was magic instead. Childhood captured, innocence inscribed on glass, a fairy made out of a living, breathing child.’
I have read and enjoyed Julie Cohen's writing before as I find it quite insightful and, although different in some aspects, this book is similarly engaging. I don’t think the synopsis really captures the essence of this book, as it does not even mention one of the main characters, so be prepared to venture off into unknown territory.
This story is told from multiple POV and in varying timelines with different locations. At its heart it is a tale about grief, loss and finding love in unthought of places and people. Set in Victorian England, it therefore breaches what would be the expected social codes of the time. Julie took the opportunity to use the spiritualism versus science platform as a window into a society that was on the cusp of some significant changes. This makes for very interesting historical reading.
As stated previously, the synopsis fails to include some vital details, another of which is the time spent in India. Yes, this book focuses on Viola and Henriette as outlined, however, Viola's husband - Jonah - is for me, perhaps, the most interesting character. His life and what he experienced in India are both important and pivotal to the story. The mystery as to why he cannot open up to his wife is slowly revealed, and despite the questionable ending, is most engaging.
This story is slow to unfurl as all the characters and their history are told. However, once the story does get going the puzzle pieces move around the storyboard for a worthy and well told tale - love in its many forms, Victorian social mores, guilt and grief, cultural differences, religion versus science - all come to play as the three main characters undertake their story arc.
Spirited is a different style of story from Julie but at its heart it's a tale of love and acceptance. There is much to ponder from the various themes woven throughout and seen from the eyes of well thought characters. There are sure to be surprises along the way for the reader with unconventional twists making this a book worth reading.
‘What would it be like to stay here and to help make this place new ... see the past as a gift to
the present, a lesson that love can teach us?’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
became fixed in time forever. It was chemistry, pure science; but watching this, it was quite easy to believe that it was magic instead. Childhood captured, innocence inscribed on glass, a fairy made out of a living, breathing child.’
I have read and enjoyed Julie Cohen's writing before as I find it quite insightful and, although different in some aspects, this book is similarly engaging. I don’t think the synopsis really captures the essence of this book, as it does not even mention one of the main characters, so be prepared to venture off into unknown territory.
This story is told from multiple POV and in varying timelines with different locations. At its heart it is a tale about grief, loss and finding love in unthought of places and people. Set in Victorian England, it therefore breaches what would be the expected social codes of the time. Julie took the opportunity to use the spiritualism versus science platform as a window into a society that was on the cusp of some significant changes. This makes for very interesting historical reading.
As stated previously, the synopsis fails to include some vital details, another of which is the time spent in India. Yes, this book focuses on Viola and Henriette as outlined, however, Viola's husband - Jonah - is for me, perhaps, the most interesting character. His life and what he experienced in India are both important and pivotal to the story. The mystery as to why he cannot open up to his wife is slowly revealed, and despite the questionable ending, is most engaging.
This story is slow to unfurl as all the characters and their history are told. However, once the story does get going the puzzle pieces move around the storyboard for a worthy and well told tale - love in its many forms, Victorian social mores, guilt and grief, cultural differences, religion versus science - all come to play as the three main characters undertake their story arc.
Spirited is a different style of story from Julie but at its heart it's a tale of love and acceptance. There is much to ponder from the various themes woven throughout and seen from the eyes of well thought characters. There are sure to be surprises along the way for the reader with unconventional twists making this a book worth reading.
‘What would it be like to stay here and to help make this place new ... see the past as a gift to
the present, a lesson that love can teach us?’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
July 18, 2020
It is 1858 in Wiltshire, England and Viola has just married her childhood friend Jonah after the death of her father. She is struggling to recover from the grief she feels. Having to vacate the vicarage where she grew up, they move to Portland in Dorset, determined the sea air will help her recover. Viola and Jonah’s marriage is a sterile affair – Jonah isn’t able to make love to her, won’t talk to her about what troubles him, and their relationship is more like brother and sister.
Mrs Henriette Blackthorne is a spirit medium, well known in certain circles for communicating with the dead, holding seances for groups of people. She arrives in Weymouth and Jonah and Viola attend one of her events. Jonah is singled out by Flora Bell, Henriette’s spirit guide who appears to know of someone Jonah has lost.
We then learn a little more about Jonah’s history. Born in India, he was sent to the UK for schooling which is how he comes to know Viola. While back in India in 1857, sorting out the affairs of his father, he meets a young Indian scholar Pavan and they feel a strong connection. We hear how Jonah was caught up in the Indian Rebellion in which many people died and we hear how he became known as the Hero of Delhi for his role in rescuing a young British girl.
Viola is a talented amateur photographer, taught by her father and returns to her love of photography in an attempt to distract her from her worries about her marriage. She discovers a talent for capturing ghostly images on camera after taking a picture of a dead child as a keepsake for her father and seeing a ghostly image next to the bed where the child lays. Henriette is drawn to Viola because of these spiritual images. As Jonah becomes more distant, the bond between the two women soon grows stronger.
Spirited is a wonderful book – historical fiction, spiritualism and strong female relationships all in one place! Cohen is a talented writer who can cross genres effortlessly and I love that her books are so completely different. The characters were fantastic – it was great to read about women who perhaps weren’t the norm back in Victorian England. Photography wasn’t considered a suitable hobby or profession for a woman and likewise, not many women supported themselves without a husband like Henriette.
I found the whole subject of spiritualism really interesting although I’m not sure how I’d feel to see a ghostly image on a photograph! As Viola becomes known for her ability to capture spirits in her photographs, she realises what a comfort it is for people who have lost loved ones, to see their spirit live on.
Weymouth is somewhere I have visited, and I could easily picture it in the 1850s. I especially loved the scene when Viola and Henriette go swimming using the bathing machines that were popular at the time.
The amount of research that must of gone into this book is astounding: to research historical details of both England and India, the very complicated process of taking and developing photographs as well as the spiritual aspects, and bring it all together requires a talented writer.
Evocative and imaginative, with strong character development, exploring themes of gender, sexuality and prejudice, Cohen is a writer who is going from strength to strength. Highly recommended from me!
Mrs Henriette Blackthorne is a spirit medium, well known in certain circles for communicating with the dead, holding seances for groups of people. She arrives in Weymouth and Jonah and Viola attend one of her events. Jonah is singled out by Flora Bell, Henriette’s spirit guide who appears to know of someone Jonah has lost.
We then learn a little more about Jonah’s history. Born in India, he was sent to the UK for schooling which is how he comes to know Viola. While back in India in 1857, sorting out the affairs of his father, he meets a young Indian scholar Pavan and they feel a strong connection. We hear how Jonah was caught up in the Indian Rebellion in which many people died and we hear how he became known as the Hero of Delhi for his role in rescuing a young British girl.
Viola is a talented amateur photographer, taught by her father and returns to her love of photography in an attempt to distract her from her worries about her marriage. She discovers a talent for capturing ghostly images on camera after taking a picture of a dead child as a keepsake for her father and seeing a ghostly image next to the bed where the child lays. Henriette is drawn to Viola because of these spiritual images. As Jonah becomes more distant, the bond between the two women soon grows stronger.
Spirited is a wonderful book – historical fiction, spiritualism and strong female relationships all in one place! Cohen is a talented writer who can cross genres effortlessly and I love that her books are so completely different. The characters were fantastic – it was great to read about women who perhaps weren’t the norm back in Victorian England. Photography wasn’t considered a suitable hobby or profession for a woman and likewise, not many women supported themselves without a husband like Henriette.
I found the whole subject of spiritualism really interesting although I’m not sure how I’d feel to see a ghostly image on a photograph! As Viola becomes known for her ability to capture spirits in her photographs, she realises what a comfort it is for people who have lost loved ones, to see their spirit live on.
Weymouth is somewhere I have visited, and I could easily picture it in the 1850s. I especially loved the scene when Viola and Henriette go swimming using the bathing machines that were popular at the time.
The amount of research that must of gone into this book is astounding: to research historical details of both England and India, the very complicated process of taking and developing photographs as well as the spiritual aspects, and bring it all together requires a talented writer.
Evocative and imaginative, with strong character development, exploring themes of gender, sexuality and prejudice, Cohen is a writer who is going from strength to strength. Highly recommended from me!
August 5, 2020
Until about three years ago, I never really considered historical fiction a genre I enjoyed. However, even though I still don't read a lot of it, I do find it to be a kind of comfort read. When I was presented with the opportunity to read Spirited, I had no idea how much I would need a comfort read during the month of July. Some might call it fate right?
When the book opens, Viola is in the process of marrying Jonah, a man she loved who recently returned for spending a few years in India. Upon learning Viola's father has died, Jonah returns and speeds up the marriage, feeling it is his duty to take care of Viola. Viola goes ahead and marries Jonah, despite being lost in grief and questioning her true feelings. So begins a marriage that perhaps should have never taken place, but which was dictated by the time period.
While Spirited is in fact a slow burn of a read, the pacing gradually pulled me in and enveloped me in a tale of grief, love, class and societal expectations. Viola turns to her father's photography and uses it as a way to escape her unhappiness. She also meets a medium, Henriette who is quite a bold contrast to the mild and often meek Viola. I enjoyed reading about both of these woman and loved watching them maneuver a historical world dominated by men and their sexist views.
Told in multiple POVs and set in England and India, Spirited leads the reader on a haunting journey. I've not read any other books by this author but plan on researching to determine what else I might want to read. The novel also features some newspaper clippings and other documents which bith add interest and serve to move the story along. And finally, I must say a small word about the cover, because in all honesty, it grabbed my attention even before reading the synopsis. If you enjoy historical fiction and find yourself fascinated with the concept of spirit photography, then look no further, Spirited is the book for you!
When the book opens, Viola is in the process of marrying Jonah, a man she loved who recently returned for spending a few years in India. Upon learning Viola's father has died, Jonah returns and speeds up the marriage, feeling it is his duty to take care of Viola. Viola goes ahead and marries Jonah, despite being lost in grief and questioning her true feelings. So begins a marriage that perhaps should have never taken place, but which was dictated by the time period.
While Spirited is in fact a slow burn of a read, the pacing gradually pulled me in and enveloped me in a tale of grief, love, class and societal expectations. Viola turns to her father's photography and uses it as a way to escape her unhappiness. She also meets a medium, Henriette who is quite a bold contrast to the mild and often meek Viola. I enjoyed reading about both of these woman and loved watching them maneuver a historical world dominated by men and their sexist views.
Told in multiple POVs and set in England and India, Spirited leads the reader on a haunting journey. I've not read any other books by this author but plan on researching to determine what else I might want to read. The novel also features some newspaper clippings and other documents which bith add interest and serve to move the story along. And finally, I must say a small word about the cover, because in all honesty, it grabbed my attention even before reading the synopsis. If you enjoy historical fiction and find yourself fascinated with the concept of spirit photography, then look no further, Spirited is the book for you!
November 1, 2022
Women in Victorian times
This is a well researched book focusing on the place of women in society in the Victorian age. Another important focus is the bloom of Spiritualism in that time which was associated with mostly female mediums. It captures the setting and mores very well and alas, all the restrictions and hardships it brought esp. for women. It is starts in England but encompasses in an important thread India as well. I very much enjoyed the detailed descriptions of middle- and lower class life and the spiritistic seances which were so popular in this age. I liked how life outside societal norms in England and outside was intertwined. BTW the story touches on English colonialism in India, at the same time Delhi has been ruled by the Moguls - another foreign occupation.
The book is not only well-written but has quite a few unexpected twists and turns. I cheered along for its main characters and the end was rewarding.
This well-written book has and had the constant mantra on my lips: Thank the Goddess for having been born in our times in the Western world. Lest we forget many of the restrictions for women described in Spirited are still happening around the globe and even in our enlightened Western world. Food for thought.
This is a well researched book focusing on the place of women in society in the Victorian age. Another important focus is the bloom of Spiritualism in that time which was associated with mostly female mediums. It captures the setting and mores very well and alas, all the restrictions and hardships it brought esp. for women. It is starts in England but encompasses in an important thread India as well. I very much enjoyed the detailed descriptions of middle- and lower class life and the spiritistic seances which were so popular in this age. I liked how life outside societal norms in England and outside was intertwined. BTW the story touches on English colonialism in India, at the same time Delhi has been ruled by the Moguls - another foreign occupation.
The book is not only well-written but has quite a few unexpected twists and turns. I cheered along for its main characters and the end was rewarding.
This well-written book has and had the constant mantra on my lips: Thank the Goddess for having been born in our times in the Western world. Lest we forget many of the restrictions for women described in Spirited are still happening around the globe and even in our enlightened Western world. Food for thought.
Read
July 10, 2023I'm going to refrain from rating this because I don't think me rating it would be quite fair. I can tell that this is a beautifully written historical novel, the sort I would normally have loved and devoured. However, I'm currently not interested in historical fiction for reasons that aren't known to me, either, which made me struggle to finish reading this book. That's very much on me and not the novel (which, as mentioned, I can tell is very good even if I don't feel it). Perhaps I should have saved it for when I want to read historical fiction again (it's been one of my great loves ever since I was a child and I've no doubt I'll fall back in love with it again some time in the future, but atm, I'm on a huge speculative fiction bender).
June 15, 2020
I've been reading Julie Cohen's books for many years now, and it's a real pleasure to see her develop as a writer. 'Spirited' is quite unlike any of Julie's other books in style. I hadn't been sure what to expect of a historical novel, since her other stories always have a very contemporary feel, but I was instantly transported back to Victorian society, utterly caught up in the stories of Viola and Henriette.
I really loved Viola, she's so nice and it felt refreshing to read a character who was just lovely through and through, and at the start it was her parts of the story that I felt most caught up in. I loved that she took photographs, like her father, and the whole process of glass plate photography is fascinating, and really well described through the story. I was transported into Viola's life, puzzling over her awkward marriage, wondering what could have happened between her and her childhood sweetheart to have made things this way. Henriette is more prickly and difficult as a character, though still very engaging to read. It took me longer to trust her, and perhaps that's intentional as she is, after all, a spirit medium. Yet I grew to love her too.
The story weaves it's way wonderfully slowly from England to India and back and forth again, and through it we learn and unravel the pasts of Viola and her husband, of Henriette, and others too along the way...it's hard to talk more about the book without giving away spoilers, which I wouldn't want to do! So I will only say that although it's a different style of writing, the main theme of love, in many different forms, is a familiar one to fans of Julie's books. And this one really does look at love in a beautiful way. It also about grief, and life after death, and secrets, whilst managing to be the sort of book that you keep on reading for just a little longer, way past your bedtime. I really, really enjoyed it.
I really loved Viola, she's so nice and it felt refreshing to read a character who was just lovely through and through, and at the start it was her parts of the story that I felt most caught up in. I loved that she took photographs, like her father, and the whole process of glass plate photography is fascinating, and really well described through the story. I was transported into Viola's life, puzzling over her awkward marriage, wondering what could have happened between her and her childhood sweetheart to have made things this way. Henriette is more prickly and difficult as a character, though still very engaging to read. It took me longer to trust her, and perhaps that's intentional as she is, after all, a spirit medium. Yet I grew to love her too.
The story weaves it's way wonderfully slowly from England to India and back and forth again, and through it we learn and unravel the pasts of Viola and her husband, of Henriette, and others too along the way...it's hard to talk more about the book without giving away spoilers, which I wouldn't want to do! So I will only say that although it's a different style of writing, the main theme of love, in many different forms, is a familiar one to fans of Julie's books. And this one really does look at love in a beautiful way. It also about grief, and life after death, and secrets, whilst managing to be the sort of book that you keep on reading for just a little longer, way past your bedtime. I really, really enjoyed it.
October 15, 2023
1860s, spirit photography, LGBTQ+ storyline - it should be a recipe for a 5star read for me. Unfortunately I just couldn't care for any of the characters - they keep mulling over the same problems until the very end and even in a dire situation I didn't feel any tension in the story. I hoped there would be more spiritualism background in it as well but in the end I still didn't get whether Viola's photographs were real or not.
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