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Lady's Maid: A Historical Novel

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Lilly Wilson, a dedicated lady's maid, serves the Barrett family with loyalty and care, especially to the sickly and talented Elizabeth Barrett. The story follows Wilson's journey from a shy servant to a confident woman, as she accompanies Barrett and Robert Browning on their elopement to Italy. The book delves into the complexities of class differences, the struggles of being a maid in Victorian society, and the sacrifices Wilson makes for her mistress.

Characters:

The characters are complex and reflect the societal hierarchies of the Victorian era, particularly the dynamics between a maid and her employer.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is rich and immersive, characterized by detailed descriptions and a serious tone.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot focuses on the life of Lily Wilson, Elizabeth Barrett Browning's maid, encapsulating the dynamics of their relationship and the societal structures of the time.

Setting:

The setting encompasses Victorian England and Italy, providing a backdrop that highlights the social and cultural contexts of the time.

Pacing:

The pacing is uneven, with some reviews noting slow sections but becoming more engaging toward the end.

Notes:

The novel is centered around Lily Wilson, the maid of poetess Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
Margaret Forster, the author, is known for her well-researched historical fiction.
The book gives a deep insight into the British social system of the past.
It explores the complicated relationship between Wilson and Elizabeth, filled with both affection and tension.
Wilson's character showcases the struggles faced by lower-class women in Victorian society.
Forster's writing style is described as detailed and nuanced, reminiscent of 18th or 19th-century literature.
The story highlights class and privilege issues in Victorian England.
Wilson navigates her relationship with her mistress while remaining aware of their class differences.
The narrative includes Wilson's growth as she gains experiences working with the Browning family.
Readers find the book immersive, often losing track of time while reading.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of class struggle, loss of parent-child relationships, and societal expectations which may be distressing for some readers.

Has Romance?

Romance plays a medium role in the narrative, particularly between Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Robert Browning, which is contrasted with the platonic yet poignant relationship between Wilson and her mistress.

From The Publisher:

"Fascinating . . . The reader is treated to a revealing account of the passionate romance between Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning through the eyes of an intimate observer."-Booklist

Young and timid but full of sturdy good sense and awakening sophistication, Lily Wilson arrives in London in 1844, becoming a lady's maid to the fragile, housebound Elizabeth Barrett. Lily is quickly drawn to her mistress' s gaiety and sharp intelligence, the power of her poetry, and her deep emotional need. It is a strange intimacy that will last sixteen years.

It is Lily who smuggles Miss Barrett out of the gloomy Wimpole Street house, witnesses her secret wedding to Robert Browning in an empty church, and flees with them to threadbare lodgings and the heat, light, and colors of Italy. As housekeeper, nursemaid, companion, and confidante, Lily is with Elizabeth in every crisis-birth, bereavement, travel, literary triumph. As her devotion turns almost to obsession, Lily forgets her own fleeting loneliness. But when Lily's own affairs take a dramatic turn, she comes to expect the loyalty from Elizabeth that she herself has always given.

Praise for Lady's Maid

"[A] wonderful novel . . . fully imagined and persuasive fiction."-The New York Times Book Review

"Absorbing . . . heartbreaking . . . grips the reader's imagination on every page . . . [Margaret] Forster paints a vivid picture of class, station, hypocrisy and survival in Victorian society."-San Francisco Chronicle

"Extremely readable . . . The author's sense of the nineteenth century seems innate."-The New Yorker

"Highly recommended . . . an engrossing novel of the colorful Browning ménage."-Library Journal

"Delightful . . . entertaining."-Vogue

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About the Author:

Born in Carlisle, England, Margaret Forster was the author of many successful and acclaimed novels, including Have the Men Had Enough?, Lady's Maid, Diary of an Ordinary Woman, Is There Anything You Want?, Keeping the World Away, Over, and The Unknown Bridesmaid. She also wrote bestselling memoirs-Hidden Lives, Precious Lives and My…

 
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