I'm a big fan of tracy chevalier books, so was thrilled when I found this newish one on the bargain table at the booksmith. I held on to it for a month while I finished the Narnia series, but then polished the 400 pager off in about a week.
It's 18 century England, and the Kellaway family has just experienced the loss of their middle son. Hoping to escape the memories, Thomas Kellaway and his wife move their two younger children, Maisie and Jem, from rural Dorset to London (Lambeth, to be precise) at the invitation of Philip Astley, a circus owner. Thomas is a chair maker, but becomes one of the head set constructors for the circus after realizing there wasn't a large market for his quality chairs in London. The story focuses on his youngest child Jem, and his friendship with a street smart girl named Maggie. The child of a con artist and a laundress, she's confident and familiar with the ways of city folk, and takes to the much quieter Jem instantly, as he does to her. The book focuses on the progression of this friendship throughout a difficult time in English history, and touches on the controversial poetry of William Blake, who lives close by.
While not quite up to par with some of her other books, this was a quick satisfying read which kept me waiting for more.
Netflix rating? 3.5/5 stars
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