The Rebel Daughter

The Puritan Princess #1

by Miranda Malins

A country torn apart by war. A woman fighting for her future...

Ely, 1643. England is convulsed by Civil War, setting King against Parliament and neighbour against neighbour. As the turmoil reaches her family home in Ely, 19-year-old Bridget Cromwell finds herself at the heart of the conflict.

With her father's star on the rise as a cavalry commander for the rebellious Parliament, Bridget has her own ambitions for a life beyond marriage and motherhood. And as fractures appear in her own family with the wilful, beautiful younger sister Betty, Bridget faces a choice: to follow her heart, or to marry for power and influence, and fight for a revolution that will change history...

A gripping evocation of the Civil War, and the hidden stories of women at the heart of power... Perfect for fans of Philippa Gregory and Anne O'Brien

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, 17th Century, Religion, British Literature

Kindle Edition

First published February 17, 2022

About the author

Miranda is a writer and historian specialising in the history of Oliver Cromwell, his family and the politics of the Interregnum period following the Civil Wars. She studied at Cambridge University, leaving with a PhD, and continues to speak at conferences and publish journal articles and book reviews. She is also a Trustee of the Cromwell Association. Alongside this, Miranda works as a commercial solicitor in the City and began writing historical novels on maternity leave. She lives in Hampshire with her husband, young son and cat Keats. Her debut novel, The Puritan Princess, is published in 2020.

Reviews

[Annelies - In Another Era · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bridget and her family move to a country estate in Ely after her father, Oliver Cromwell, receives an inheritance from a deceased uncle. Not much later, Cromwell starts to fight against the Papist king and everything he stands for. Both her father and her older brothers leave for a civil war against fellow countryman. However, Bridget also wants to contribute to the ’cause’ and realizes that a domestic life is not for her. That’s why she accepts the marriage proposal of Henry Ireton, one of her father’s right hand men.

I actually know bizarrely little about the Civil War. But a name like Oliver Cromwell obviously rings a bell. So I enjoyed reading about his family, from the perspective of his eldest daughter Bridget, or Biddie as they call her. Bridget comes from a numerous family and Mallins uses pet names for all the children, which was a little annoying at times.

Bridget is a pleasant main character. She’s a rational person who puts herself in function of her family and later her husband and the war. This sets her apart form her slightly younger sister Betty, who also comes to the forefront in this novel. Betty is fiery, vain and somewhat materialistic. The total opposite of Bridget but at the same time there’s a strong bond between the sisters that I enjoyed reading about.

In the second half of the book there’s a hard focus on all the intrigues within the wars. Not always easy to be totally on board with, especially because of the many characters who also constantly switch sides or opinions.

Bridget’s relationship with Henry is not one of great love, but one of mutual respect, so you certainly sympathise with them. Mallins also wrote a book about the youngest Cromwell sister (‘The Puritan princess’) which I now definitely want to read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

-------
Dutch review:

Bridget en haar familie kunnen na een erfenis die haar vader Oliver Cromwell van een nonkel ontvangt weer wat beter gaan wonen in Ely. Niet veel later begint haar vader te strijden tegen de paapse koning en alles waar hij voor staat. Zo ziet ze hem en haar oudere broers naar de burgeroorlog vertrekken. Bridget wil echter ook iets betekenen voor the cause en beseft dat een leven aan huis en haard niets voor haar is. Daarom accepteert ze het huwelijksaanzoek van Henry Ireton, een van haar vaders metgezellen, in de hoop zo iets te kunnen bijdragen.

Ik weet eigenlijk bizar weinig over de Civil War. Maar een naam als die van Oliver Cromwell doet natuurlijk wel een belletje rinkelen. Ik vond het dus wel fijn om over zijn familie te lezen, vanuit zijn oudste dochter Bridget, of Biddie zoals ze haar thuis noemen. Bridget komt uit een talrijk gezin en Mailins gebruikt koosnaampjes voor alle kinderen, wat ik wel snap maar soms een beetje vervelend was.

Bridget is een aangenaam hoofdpersonage. Ze is een rationeel persoon die zichzelf in functie zet van haar familie en later haar man en de oorlog. In die zin is het mooi dat haar iets jongere zus Betty ook naar voren komt in het verhaal. Zij is vurig, ijdel en wat materialistisch. De totale tegenpool van Bridget maar tegelijk is er een sterke band tussen de zussen.

In de tweede helft van het boek ligt er een harde focus op alle intriges binnen de oorlogen. Niet altijd gemakkelijk om helemaal mee te zijn, zeker door de vele personages die ook constant van kant of mening kijken te switchen.

Bridgets relatie met Henry is er geen van grote liefde, maar wel een van wederzijds respect en je leeft dus zeker met hen mee. Mailins schreef ook een boek over de jongste Cromwell zus dat ik nu zeker wel wil lezen.

Bedankt aan Netgalley en de uitgever voor een exemplaar van dit boek in ruil voor mijn eerlijke mening.

[Michelle Ryles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't wait to read Miranda Malins' new novel, The Rebel Daughter, as I loved her stunning debut, The Puritan Princess, and I was not disappointed. The Rebel Daughter is every bit as stunning as its predecessor as Miranda Malins sweeps the reader away to the 17th century and the English Civil War.

The story follows Bridget Cromwell, Oliver Cromwell's eldest daughter. Bridget is intelligent and forthright, character traits that are not terribly attractive to suitors, and she is overshadowed by her younger sister's beauty. Henry Ireton is a great admirer of Oliver Cromwell and he sees Bridget as very much like her father, but his marriage proposal comes as a shock to Bridget. Seeing Bridget growing to love Henry really warmed my heart and I loved that Henry valued Bridget's opinions.

Miranda Malins' writing is stunning, creating such vivid imagery of this historical period that I felt as if I was walking in Bridget's footsteps. It's so refreshing to read about such strong women in history as they are so easily forgotten about in favour of the achievements of their menfolk. It's lovely to see women playing such important roles in historical fiction from a feminist perspective.

The Rebel Daughter is completely compelling historical fiction. Informative and engaging, it's a fascinating glimpse into the past with characters brought to life by the talented pen of Miranda Malins. I loved it and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

I received a digital ARC to read and review for the blog tour; all opinions are my own.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kindle edition.
I selected this after I heard the author speak about her book The Puritan Princess. I read this one first as it is chronologically earlier. The central character is Cromwell’s eldest daughter, Bridget, who marries his deputy Henry Ireton. The Iretons are more Puritan and radical than Cromwell but this only becomes a problem once the fighting stops. Ireton is not selected for the ruling council and is sent to try and govern Ireland after Cromwell’s aggressive purges there. Sadly he dies young. Bridget remarries and returns to Ireland with her new husband leaving her father to become Lord Protector, a role of which she disapproves. Both she and Ireton felt they fought to get rid of a king and share power with the people, not to create a new ruling elite.
I enjoyed the characters but felt the army versus Parliament debates were not made clear and rather dragged the middle of the book down. I will go on to read the next one, which takes the story to the Restoration and features Bridget’s sister, Frances, as the central character.

[dani · Rating 3 out of 5]

i was kind of surprised to enjoy this as much as i did! going into it, i felt like the fact that it's a story about the cromwells and iretons would completely overshadow anything potentially enjoyable about the book just because i've got generational beef with those families for obvious reasons- but i was pleasantly surprised! it was really well researched and it shows throughout.

i might have to pick up the puritan princess soon!

there's always a certain aura to historical fictions that i think i'll always love, no matter what. it's very nostalgic and yet still true to today. it's just very interesting to look back on the past and think about how individual things had such a knock-on effect. if these things hadn't happened, would we still be where we are today?

i will say though that i really wish i wasn't working a full time job again because i think having to break up the book into such small pieces over such a long period of time kind of ruined some parts for me, just because i'd have to interrupt moments that really would be better read whole.

[Zandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miranda Malins brings the civil war to life with vivid detail, emotional eloquence, the full cast historical characters and a strong female narrator. It is a remarkable achievement which I really enjoyed and admired. It would seem appealing to modern readers to make Bridget a vehicle for modern, liberated ideas on the powers and place of women, and at the start of the book I wondered if Bridget would live up to the title of the book by rebelling against her family's religiosity, or against male domination in general. No, Bridget's rebellion is very seventeenth century: Malins portrays her heroine as often saying her prayers or reciting a Biblical quotation, so religion is seen as her constant source of inspiration and empowerment. And male dominance is not questioned, although women not being allowed to speak or act in the public sphere is challenged. Bridget's rebellion is to adopt different social ideals from those of her father and family, and I appreciated the way Malins brings to life the clash of beliefs, values and ideals within families and thus the nation. This book strikes me as both historically accurate and powerfully resonant today.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent novel about Oliver Cromwell's daughter and family as well.

The Rebel Daughter, by Miranda Malins.

Rich in historical details perfectly embedded in the story and plot, an excellent and realistic characterisation, this novel has shown me how Cromwell came to power, how his daughter strove to be part of the wars (literally and not). I also found interesting to read about the social differences remaining or not in the fight towards a new political area....
I really really enjoyed it. I read the first novel by the author (The Puritan Princess) about Frances Cromwell a couple of years ago which I also highly recommend! I hope she will write more novels! Miranda Malins is a historian and her academic area is Oliver Cromwell. Hence novels of a highest quality!

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this second book in the series to be less enthralling than the first, which I awarded 5 stars.
The writing is wonderful and I even liked the character of Bridget/Biddy Cromwell and her brave and astute attitude to the Civil War, but it didn’t engage me so much this time.

The book certainly emphasised how long the fighting and battles went on for, in Parliament and on the battlefield, and explained well that it wasn’t simply a case of Cavaliers v Roundheads, but so many different factions all involved and making it hard to negotiate successful peace talks - the royalists, the parliament, the New Model Army, the Scots and the Levellers.

Miranda Malins’ grasp of history is beyond reproach and she knows her subject matter but the book only really got going in the second half.
A 3.5 star rating from me this time, but I hope the remaining sisters have their stories told too.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Kayleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed following Bridgets life! I felt frustrated for her at the limitations placed on her because she was a woman, but equally glad that she found such a loving forward thinking husband.

I found the details of the campaigns interesting as well as Oliver Cromwells rise to infamy, and his conflicting views. I'm not well versed in history so I definitely learnt some things from this and need to do more research to understand more. I do take the army's side though - if you haven't been paid of course you don't want to go fight another battle elsewhere.

Really good historical fiction which never feels too bogged down in the details, despite having a lot of very important details

[sophie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I made a Goodreads account just to rate and review this book because it gave me such mixed feelings. I very much admire the author (as an historian above all else) and I was really excited for this especially since it seems there isn’t a lot of historical fiction set during this period. And there are things I really enjoyed about the book – I think the author has a lovely turn of phrase and I enjoyed her use of similes and metaphors for the most part, although the frequency of what I can only term ‘kitchen metaphors’ grew tiresome after the first few uses (thinking particularly of the pie metaphor and then later, in the throes of her grief, the blackberry jam/cream simile). I greatly enjoyed the author’s descriptions of grief and felt really moved by how she described the death of Bridget’s brother, Oliver, and the effect this had on the family. I thought the book was insightful and engaging for the first half or so when it was about Bridget’s relationship with her family and their daily lives, and I found Bridget very compelling and sympathetic despite her being objectively quite insufferable. Then she married Henry and things took a turn for the worst.

I can absolutely understand that many women of this time would have thought in the same vein as Bridget does in this book, but it was definitely a hard read at times, especially Bridget’s unquestioning subservience to all the men in her life (apart from poor Richard, who really got the short end of the stick here in how he was described, although I suppose this is from an older sister’s perspective). I’m still working out what’s rebellious about Bridget (as per the title) apart from her desire to travel and be of use as a confidant and aide to her husband, and her support of the Parliamentarian cause –is that really so rebellious/unusual for this time? I also couldn’t help but feel that the real Bridget must have been a little more complicated than the figure here, who explicitly never questions and never seems to have any conflicting feelings about her husband’s absence, his failure to recognise or care much about his children, his failure to ask about Bridget's wellbeing after having three children in four years, etc, etc. I struggled to grasp Bridget’s love or need for Henry beyond the maternal, since she was always going on about how he couldn’t take care of himself and this seemed to be her primary source of concern.

On the note of character, all of the characters in this book feel very skin-deep. There are also many characters named at the start of the book who only appear for a page or so (or never appear at all), and I can’t help but feel that a tighter cast would have been better here, if possible. Further, none of the characters ever rage or fight or have any unpleasant emotions (aside from grief) that endure beyond a few sentences. It occurred to me throughout that this book (I haven’t yet read the earlier book) seems predominantly a vehicle for the resurrection of some of the characters’ reputations (especially Oliver Cromwell and Ireton), but at times it felt like this was at the expense of an honest depiction of their faults and nuances. Another reviewer noted that the book is a very romanticised take on the period and I’d tend to agree with that.

Other, smaller gripes I had: the term ‘arched an eyebrow’ or ‘raised an eyebrow’ was used incessantly throughout. The use of nicknames for all the characters felt justified at times (Bridget’s brother Henry vs her husband Henry, the many different Olivers, etc) but also quickly got tiring. And one thing that bothered me particularly as someone who has studied this period at a university level: the lack of any mention of army surgeons. There are repeated references throughout the book to physicians, doctors, etc which felt very ahistorical to me given the strict medical hierarchy at this time, and the very prominent army surgeons from this period such as Ambroise Pare, Richard Wiseman, and James Cooke. This kind of oversight really broke my immersion in the story and continues to strike me as an odd choice/omission (I can only assume this was done deliberately, perhaps to avoid confusion in modern readers).

[Detlef · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dieser historische Roman von der britischen Historikerin Miranda Malins ist der zweite Roman der Reihe „Cromwells Töchter“, der jetzt bei Rowohlt erschienen ist.

Der Roman handelt von und beschreibt die Familie des Oliver Cromwell, wie auch die anderen Romane dieser Reihe. Cromwell hatte Mitte des 17. Jahrhunderts das britische Parlament angeführt und Krieg gegen den König geführt.

Erneut überrascht Miranda Malins mit ihrem Erzählstil, der für einen historischen Roman etwas ungewöhnlich. Aus der Perspektive der ältesten Tochter Bridget, genannt Biddy, als Ich-Erzählerin im Präsenz. Näher am Geschehen kann ein Leser nicht sein. Wir erleben die Ereignisse im britischen Parlament und in der Familie hautnah mit den Augen und Ohren dieser jungen Frau.

Francis, die erzählende Tochter des ersten Buches »Die Tochter des Königsmörders« ist in diesem Roman noch ein Kind, weshalb die jetzige Handlung vor der des ersten Bandes steht. Da der Roman aber starken Biografiecharakter hat und an den historischen Fakten nicht vorbei kommt, spielt das beim Lesen kaum eine Rolle. Beide Bücher ranken sich zwar um dieselben historischen Fakten, beleuchten das Geschehen und die Familie Oliver Cromwells aus einer völlig anderen Sichtweise.

In diesem Roman ist es Bridget (Biddy), die älteste Tochter Oliver Cromwells, die uns das Geschehen im England Mitte des 17. Jahrhunderts aus ihrer Sicht schildert. Der Handlungsbogen erstreckt sich von 1636 bis 1653. Der König beutet das Volk aus. Cromwell versucht, ein Parlament zu etablieren. Außerdem soll sich eine freiere Kirche als die der Katholiken manifestiert werden. Es werden viele Kriege und Schlachten geführt, bei der auch Brüder von Biddy sterben.

Doch die Kämpfer für ein Parlament sind sich nicht einig, ihre Soldaten werden nicht entlohnt, im Gegenteil sogar bestraft. Der König zögert immer wieder Vereinbarungen hinaus und hält sich nicht an Versprechen. Kräfte in der Armee wollen noch mehr Demokratie und Mitbestimmung des Volkes. Biddy fühlt sich zu ihnen hingezogen. Schließlich wird der König Charles I. hingerichtet.

Neben all dem historischen Geschehen beginnt eine Liebe zu blühen. Bridget bewundert den Mitstreiter Henry Ireton, ein unumstößlicher und diplomatischer Kämpfer für Parlament und Demokratie. Er überrascht sie mit einem Heiratsantrag. Biddy ist hin- und hergerissen, wird als seine Ehefrau aber doch eine starke Unterstützerin seiner Arbeiten. Hiermit legt Miranda Malins einen zweiten spannenden Strang in die Handlung, neben dem Kampf um das Parlament.

Wer sich für die Geschichte Englands interessiert, findet sehr viel Spannung in dem politischen Geschehen. Der Abschluss wird gekrönt mit der Frage, ob Bridgets Vater Oliver Cromwell zum König gekrönt werden soll. Offenbar ist das Volk noch nicht bereit für ein Parlament und bevorzugt die starke Hand eines Königs. Doch wie sich herausstellt, findet Cromwell auch hier einen diplomatischen Weg.

Als historischer Roman ist dieses Buch sehr interessant und vielen mit vielen Details gefüllt. Miranda Malins ist in der Lage, humorvolle Szenen und Wortwechsel zu bieten. Sie gibt sehr viel innere Zerrissenheit und menschliches Gefühl preis und versteht es, das Ende trotz aller Tragik und Dramatik versöhnlich klingen zu lassen.

Ein historischer Roman, der etwas anders als viele andere Romane dieses Genres und trotzdem sehr lesenswert ist.

© Detlef Knut, Düsseldorf 2023

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

In The Rebel Daughter, Miranda Malins returns to the family at the heart of her previous novel, The Puritan Princess: the Cromwells. However, where The Puritan Princess told the story of Frances, Oliver Cromwell’s youngest daughter, in this second novel we get to know Bridget – or Biddy – the eldest of his four daughters.

In 1643, nineteen-year-old Bridget is living at home in Ely, Cambridgeshire with her mother and younger brothers and sisters while her father and eldest brother are away fighting in the civil war that is currently tearing England apart. Bridget longs to join the men in shaping the future of their country, and although she watches with envy as her younger sister Betty falls in love, she knows she wants more from life than just to be a wife and mother. When she receives a marriage proposal from General Henry Ireton, a fellow commander of her father’s in the Parliamentarian army, she decides to accept in the hope that this marriage will provide the opportunities she’s been hoping for.

The relationship between Bridget and Henry is not a passionate or romantic one, but they get on well together and Bridget is able to involve herself in politics, offering opinions and advice as the war begins to come to an end and her husband and father must decide what happens next. The majority of the novel is set during this period, when with the Royalists defeated, the question of what to do about the King arises and Parliament and the army split into opposing factions, each with their own views on this very important question.

Bridget’s position as a member of the Cromwell and Ireton families leads her to cross paths with other important historical figures of the period such as Thomas Fairfax, commander of the New Model Army, and his wife Anne, and political activist Elizabeth Lilburne and her husband John Lilburne, one of the leaders of the movement known as the Levellers. Bridget herself doesn’t have a large role to play in politics, but Oliver and Henry value her input and she feels she is able to have a small amount of influence on their decision-making.

As well as the political situation, the novel also explores the human cost of war. Bridget experiences this for herself with the deaths of her brother and cousin and later, on a wider scale, when she sees the devastation of besieged Colchester, filled with crumbling buildings, smoke-filled streets and starving children – and this is nothing compared to the horrors she witnesses when she crosses the Irish Sea to join Henry after his appointment as Lord Deputy of Ireland. I wished we had seen more of life away from Parliament and the constant wrangling over the fate of the King, which did get a bit tedious at times.

Of the two books, I think I preferred The Puritan Princess, but I did find this one interesting and am pleased to have had the chance to learn more about Bridget Cromwell. I wonder whether Miranda Malins will write about the other two Cromwell sisters, Elizabeth and Mary, or whether she’ll be moving onto a new subject for her next novel.

[savage_book_review · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️🌠

Bridget 'Biddy' Cromwell feels like she is destined for more than just being a wife and mother. But perhaps, with the right man, she can do both? And when her father starts to climb the ranks of the Parliamentary army, she might get the opportunity of a lifetime...

The most striking thing about this book is how well it humanises Oliver Cromwell. You see him as a real family man; down on all fours playing with the children, his deep suffering at the loss of his older sons, his doting on his daughters and his trust in his wife. Likewise, he is painted here as a somewhat reluctant participant in the dethroning of a King; his desire for a new order is tempered by his understanding that too much change might not be accepted, and a respect for the old order. It's a far cry from the wart-faced stick in the mud killjoy you learn about in school! That's not to say that some of his darker side isn't referenced here, but where the story isn't absolutely centred around him, it's far from the main focus.

The story is very much told through the female gaze, with the main character being essentially held to the domestic sphere. However, it does come with modern sensibilities in her feeling that she can do more. She views her potential marriage as a business transaction which will in turn free her to see a bit more of the world and have some influence, even if it's indirect. It is a nice illustration of how women at this time could potentially hold a little power, and find some semblance of independence within a naturally dependant position.

I can't say I was overawed by the story itself; there's certainly nothing wrong with it, but it does have quite a generic feel. The blurb doesn't have a huge resemblance to the content; it makes it sound like there's far more intrigue and drama than there is. But it was readable and enjoyable, and it did the job of transporting me back to that place and time. The writing flowed well and, after a while, the emotional transfer does kick in, though probably not as strongly as it should.

Nice for a little introduction to this period; I only have a basic knowledge of this era, but I was able to roughly place the timeline and events, and learn a touch more about the players involved. However, I wouldn't say even that knowledge level is a requirement to read this. Looking forward to the sequel!

[Suzanne McDonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up. Malin's earlier Puritan Princess was a genuinely splendid historical novel - as in, it worked very, very well as a novel, while also being deeply grounded in excellent research, and evoking the people and the period splendidly. I happily gave that 5 stars and a very enthusiastic review. This one didn't work so well for me, either as a novel or as an evocation of the people and the history. The main characters came across largely as vehicles for setting out key political positions and providing summaries of events, and many of the lesser characters (in the novel, although often not in history, such as King Charles, and Fairfax and his wife) are not much more than cardboard-cutout-caricatures. There are some examples of a novelist's license here as there were in the earlier novel, although these mostly work OK for conveying important ideas / information (e.g. the Earl of Manchester coming to dinner at Cromwell's house, for everyone to rehearse the words that were spoken after second Newbury; compressing Lady Fairfax's two interruptions to the King's trial on separate days into one; and Ireton wasn't in bed with Bridget the night before the execution, waking to an epiphany about needing to pass an ordinance to prevent the declaration of a successor :) He's on record from Daniel Axtell's trial as having been in his room at Whitehall that night, with Harrison). Much more irritating, though, were some unnecessary inaccuracies. So, for example, Malins puts into the mouth of Elizabeth Lilburne that Fairfax (and other key officers) 'hastened out of London' to avoid the trial. No, Fairfax did not. He stayed away from the trial, but remained in London, and was working ineffectually right up until the end to try to prevent the execution without actually attempting a coup. Also, I wonder if publication was slightly rushed? There are some repeated sentences describing Ireton's funeral that really ought not to have gotten past the editors. And I wonder if the difficult circumstances in which this book was written had an impact. It's still a very interesting read, though - and full credit to anyone who attempts to make Bridget Cromwell the main character in a novel. She and Ireton were never going to be easy people to have as the central characters :)

[Valerie Thirkettle-Kayser · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Rebel Daughter takes us back to the Civil War times. It starts in 1636 in the home of Oliver Cromwell, just as an inheritance from his uncle brings him back into good fortunes and status. His life and actions are the background against which the books tells the main story, that of Bridget, his eldest daughter. She is a very exceptional woman and she does not see herself just in the role of running a household, but is also attracted to the politics that are so complex at that time in history, Marrying Henry Ireton, she finds herself play a role in what he and her father pursue for the Country, supporting them in their reflections and strategies, and even by living their army life with them. At the death of Henry Ireton, she remarries with Charles Fleetwood and the book closes in 1653 when their life has brought them to Ireland.
The novel is written from the point of view of Bridget and it really brings a deep perspective on her life and the circumstances she experienced. The wealth of knowledge the author has on this part of history creates a very rich story. The historical content is brought to the right level of detail and it triggered my curiosity to look up many of the details. I also liked the historical focus on the way of life, in particular the life of women. I loved the beautiful writing of this book. It really brings all the characters to life and provides a really vivid and interesting perspective on this episode of history. Miranda Malins has succeeded in sharing with us her deep knowledge of this period while making it an entertaining read.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author appears to me to be more a historian than a fiction writer. At times I feel that the author just want to inject historical explanation into the story. For example the author made Bridget ask Cromwell whether he had a hand in Rainsborough's assasination, or, earlier, whether he facilitated the King's escape to turn the parliament from negociating with the King. These moments seem to be there solely to serve the author's need to offer explanation.

However, the story lets one follow the development and ever-changing situations of the civil war period. How the objectives of Cromwell, Ireton and others evolved over time. I wish we knew more about the women in the Cromwell family, which would definitely help us understand those historical figures.

The author is successful in drawing my emotions. The book ended when Bridget married again and lived in Dublin. We know that later she expienced the restoration and the posthumous execution of her father and husband. If the story extend to those events, I don't know I can stand the sadness. Again, this was real events happened to a real woman in history. I wish there were more research to re-construct her experience.

[Emily · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh!

It’s a very rare DNF for me. I got to page 180, looked at the rows of books on my bookshelf waiting to be read and finally decided to give this one up.

It was like swimming in toffee. The characters were boring and the males were under developed. The author appears to be channelling her inner feminist and ramming it down your throat every other page. The plot was not engaging and I found the writing stuck heavy, but I can’t put my finger on why. It didn’t seem to flow and I know it’s historical fiction, but it didn’t feel realistic at all!

I dreaded picking it up and reading a few pages, I carried it everywhere with me in my bag as I alway do but I found every excuse not to do it.

Needless to say I shall not be reading any more books written by this author, but I will continue to seek good historical fiction books, thankfully. this seems like an outlier.

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edit: listened to a podcast interviewing the author. Realised how much this stayed with me and how much deep history the author was able to weave into the very accessible historical fiction. Amazing 5 stars


4.5 stars This made me so happy to return to historical fiction. I really enjoyed this book. The protagonist struggles with the same questions all women do - how much of my life can I live without sacrificing myself to the others around me? With this character and setting it feels so meaningful to have that same debate that I still struggle with. The author pushes on with a fierce pace that does reduce the plot to "more war and politics happens" which is fine for both people who actually know the history and people who are introduced to this part of England's story (I'm the latter!). Although maybe a little PG this was quick, interesting, and heartfelt. 4.5 stars

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven't read many books set in the civil war so I wasn't all that familiar with the players apart from Cromwell of course. I liked the way this is written, with attention on the female characters but not to the exclusion of the men. I think it suffered a little because a lot of the more battle based sections, the character could not have been there for so it was a little more focused on women's choices and decisions in that time. It was actually quite nice to have a female character actually not mind housework but just wanting something more. She wasn't dismissive of other women wanting that lifestyle, apart from her sister but I think that was more sibling rivalry than anything.

I will read more by this author but I won't necessarily seek out the books.

[Jo-anne Atkinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bridget Cromwell is the oldest daughter of an East Anglian farmer but their lives change when he inherits land and position. Now Bridget supports her father in his political and military ambitions even if they go against the rule of the king. She knows she is not beautiful but wants independence so hesitates when an ambitious soldier proposes. However their marriage prospers as they negotiate Civil War and politics.
This is a solid enough book. The premise is good, the story of Oliver Cromwell's female relatives is used as a backdrop for the history of the Civil War, and I really loved this aspect. The book itself is a little too romantic to be really gripping but it is entertaining.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this because of its in-depth historical context and the portrayal of Biddy’s character. I came to enjoy to the journeys she took and the changes in her life that took place. It was interesting perceiving the portrayal of multiple females political perspectives alongside males in the civil war and perceiving the wider role that some female had which extended beyond being caregivers by taking political actions.

I think for me I could not rate this book higher because I struggled getting through part 2 of the book and the large number of characters introduced in every section.
But I would love to read other books by Miranda as I found her writing style intriguing.

[Juliette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book tought me so much about the civil war. It's a period of British history that I don't know very well. I had heard of Cromwell but never the extent of his actions and influence during the war.
This book was really good, interesting and I really loved the perspective of his daughter and how she lived during the war.
I must admit that I did get a little confused near the end of the book as so many characters were introduced and so much was going on. I ended up skipping a few pages due to not understand everything.

[nicky matts · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very insightful view into a period I have not read much about .
Loved from a womens perspective of how to find her place in a changing world . A prominent man Oliver Cromwell and how his daughter helps to shape the changing world by supporting her husband . But yet still wanting more of an influence herself on the world that wouldn't be the same again

[Simon Rosenbaum · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fascinating insight into the lives of those experiencing the civil war and I learnt a lot of things that I hadn't known about this period. That said for some reason I didn't enjoy it as much as I expected to maybe because it had so many dark and unhappy things that happened to the characters.

[Alan Porter · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 🌟 star's for the historical writing and capturing the language used at the time....it really conveys a sense of historical accuracy....however the story is rather bland and unexciting which left me bored and hoping something sets fire too the novel...sadly it doesn't happen.

[CJ Mason The Fallen Librarian Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review for this excellent & illuminating historical read is on my blog https://thefallenlibrarian.wordpress....

[Jasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book, couldn't stop reading it. An incredibly well written in depth story with a fantastic main character.

[Tara Taylor · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not very rebellious if you ask me

[Kirsty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite what I was expecting but enjoyed all the same. A woman’s pov from the civil war period.

[maddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

this story felt quite small due to how much we know about the context