Author: Lucy Strange
Genre: historical fiction/fantasy
Similar books: Ophie's Ghosts by Justina Ireland
The Hired Girl by Laura Amy Schlitz
Rating:
.JPG)
Summary (provided by publisher): Bess has left the London workhouse behind for a job at a rural cotton mill. But life at the mill is hard and cruel– a far cry from the fresh start Bess hoped for. The only way to survive is to escape, but the mill is like a prison with no way out.
Meanwhile, rumours are spreading about a vicious creature that lurks in the millpond. Bess is sure it’s all nonsense, until one night she sees something stir in the murky water.
But is it really a monster that lives in the depths of the pond? Or a creature trapped and alone, just like Bess, desperate to escape …
My opinion: At first glance, this book is quick to read and easy to follow. The parallel between Bess's situation at the mill and the fate of the creature in the pond is an obvious one. Of course, being a simple metaphor means it's a solid choice for teaching young readers about symbolism. The language is sparse and efficient but the atmosphere it creates is strong. We get a clear picture of the reality of life for impoverished children forced into work. And the future that Bess is looking towards is a realistic one. She doesn't anticipate a life of leisure, of being rescued from toil. She simply wants a job where her life will be respected. This is the sort of book that could be read several times and that you may draw different things from each time.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
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