The FPL Teen Blog! - put together by your friendly neighborhood YA librarian!
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Monday, April 28, 2008
BOOKENDS
The Remarkable Life and Times of Eliza Rose by Mary Hooper
When Eliza is kicked out of her home by her step-mother, she journeys to London to seek out her father, who has gone to the city to find work. But life on your own in London is difficult and she soon ends up in Clink Prison for stealing a bit of bread. Bought out of prison by Ma Gwyn, Eliza finds herself the embarrassed and reluctant beauty of a brothel house until Ma's daughter Nell rescues her. Nell is a star of the stage and a mistress to the king and introduces Nell to a life of glamour, politics, court, love, and money. But when her father tells her he's not really her father, and her aunt can't tell her of her parentage, Eliza feels lost and worried. Dependent on friends and strangers, with no family and no real home, Eliza wonders of she will ever discover where she fits.
I'm not generally one who's a great fan of historical fiction, but I really enjoyed this book. The writing is quite good, the setting is realistic, and the addition of actual characters and locations of the time give it an authentic feel. Eliza is endearing -- a true friend with concerns and worries and hopes -- easy to relate to. This is a book I definitely recommend.
Y FICTION HooperLabels: book review, books for girls, historical teens
~emily - 10:26 AM~
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