Without Sin

by Margaret Dickinson

Meg Kirkland fears her impudent tongue has caused her father’s dismissal from his job and forced her whole family from their home on Middleditch Farm. Worse still, her father abandons them outside the workhouse, leaving Meg to care for her devastated mother, Sarah, and little brother as tragedy continues to haunt the family.

Isaac Pendleton, Master of the workhouse, rules the lives of all those within its walls but when Sarah becomes his latest mistress, Meg is disgusted. Her loyal friend, Jake, born and bred in the workhouse, has a maturity and understanding beyond his years. Yet it is Meg’s fiery independence that encourages Jake to leave the workhouse and seek employment on Middleditch Farm. His future is assured, but who will take care of Meg? The pretty, vivacious girl, once so innocent, becomes a calculating and manipulative young woman who will stop at nothing to get her own way even if it means betraying those she has loved.

Genres: Fiction

Paperback

First published March 1, 2005

About the author

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

Reviews

[Lidia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book follows the story of Meg, a young England woman that has to faces so many betrayals that her heart gets stoned becoming a woman whiteout scruples. The last 100 pages were read so quick and I felt so bad for the main characters but in a way it was a fitted ending and I loved that there were consequences for what Meg did despite realizing all the bad things she did.

[Riya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spoilers ahead!!


Why didn't Meg and Jake end up together?😭😭😭😭😭😭 Whyyy? They loved each other, only if it wasn't for that Betsy. Oh god. Whyyy???😭😭😭

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Without Sin is a decent read, it's set in England in the early 1900's and follows the heartbreaking story of a family who loose everything and find themselves with nowhere else to go except the workhouse. I think on most levels it portray's a fairly accurate account of life in the workhouse and the difficulties escaping the deep poverty and stigma associated with being there... Just when they think life can't get any worse, the family find out it certainly can do! The story is good and told well until the end when it felt rushed and disorganised to me and rather disappointing.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was excited to read a story based around a village quite close to where I live in Nottinghamshire. The story is so gripping and really pulls you in,the characters take on a living form in your mind. Its amazingly detailed and just breathtaking. The only confliction I have was the ending,its feels very abrupt and so not how you want it to end. This is just a great take on romance,workhouse life and the misfortune life can take. Loved it!

[Casmad · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was not what I was expecting

I managed to read this book...just
The blurb did not prepare me for what I was expecting out of this book, I thought it would be about this girl, who's family has fallen on bad times and go to the workhouse, which is what happens and stays like that for a good few chapters, then everything takes a dramatic twist. The father had run off with a much younger girl which was weird, thinking that girl was closer to his daughters age than her! I suppose it was just preparing me though for the horrors ahead. Meg started working for a guy named Percy who was in his 40's (Meg is 16) and in the book people were saying she was just trying to marry him, and I was like nah she would not do that, that is weird with the age gap and he does not see her in that way
Oh how wrong I was
They do end up getting together, despite the age gap (granted this was set a long time ago where these things were not as big as they are now but it is still not good) and honestly I could only read one chapter at a time as it made me feel sick reading about those two and them being together and the 'awkward love making' it made my skin crawl.
Not only that, she then has an affair with the doctor who is like 30 and recently married! Like no that is also seriously wrong. I did sense somthing might happen between those two and I did slightly ship it but it is one of those ships that you don't think would actually happen as it is not good. The only charcter she did not end up with was the charcter that would of been okay for her and liked her.
Talk about irony am I right

Overall this story did have a lot of promise but I was disappointed and slightly disturbed at what actually did happen in the story

[Janice Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

Enjoyed this very much, i would have hated to be in a workhouse separated from my family. Blackmail and secrets know matter how well kept at the end of the day truth will out.

[Jacquie Rogers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed it

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this book but the ending however was a little disappointing. Meg had her trials and tribulations throughout this story and at many times I could not put this book down. The mystery, the scandal of how certain characters wanted to portray an image others. Dr Collins I was very surprised with considering what he had done...although Meg brought it upon herself, they were both to blame. She chose to act badly on what had happened to her in the past and use her situation poorly and prey upon others. Waters was a downright nasty piece of work and I wanted revenge for her to have been arrested or thrown out of the workhouse. She was just a spiteful woman who thought herself higher than others. Love the fact Jake found the truth about his past and he ended up happy. I do feel rather sorry for Percy as he truly loved Meg but the love was not reciprocated and he deserved to be loved and cared for, for he was a lovely man. My predictions were totally wrong however....I truly though Meg and Jake would end up together but where would the fun be in that....not all stories go the way you want/expect them to.

[Samantha Neal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing to read.
How once character life changes and show that if's horrible.
But the character became selfish towards anyone who cared.
But learns a lesson on this the behaviour of the character opens your eyes to what had happened.
Without Sin shows that people think they know what is right and yet it's wrong.

[Cheryll · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. Not as good as Catherine Cookson but getting close! I was disappointed with the ending. It could have had another couple of chapters to reveal what should have happened to the baddies!! Or have another book and make it a series...

[Linda Leedham · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read. Easy to follow, but was always going to end the way I was thinking it would end. So no surprise at the end.
I only picked up this book because her surname is my maiden name .

[Natalya · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars because the start was good but it felt rushed at the end and it wasn't much of a happy ending.

[Dan Hooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got this for Christmas what a sad book but a happy ending ish in the end