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Dreamland Paperback – Import

4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 1,425 ratings

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Product details

  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1911445774
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1911445777
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.1 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.16 x 1.3 x 7.87 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 1,425 ratings

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Nancy Bilyeau
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If you tell Nancy Bilyeau that reading one of her historical novels of suspense is like strapping yourself into a time machine, you'll make her day. She loves crafting immersive historical stories, whether it's Jazz Age New York City in "The Orchid Hour," the 18th-century European chateaus and porcelain workshops in "The Versailles Formula," "The Blue," and "The Fugitive Colours," or Henry VIII's tumultuous England in "The Crown," "The Chalice," and "The Tapestry."

For her Genevieve Planche novels--"The Versailles Formula," The Blue" and "The Fugitive Colours"--she drew on her heritage to create a Huguenot heroine. Nancy is a direct descendant of Pierre Billiou, a French Huguenot who immigrated to what was then New Amsterdam (later New York City) in 1661. Nancy's ancestor, Isaac, was born on the boat crossing the Atlantic. Pierre's stone house is the third oldest house in New York State.

Nancy's mind is always in past centuries but she currently lives with her husband and two children in upstate New York. Her quest to cook the perfectly flavored cassoulet is ongoing.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
1,425 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the story intriguing and enjoyable. They enjoy the captivating characters and well-written writing style. The book immerses them in a world of glamour, glitz, mystery, and murder. The research is well-presented and the heroine is described as smart and resourceful. However, opinions differ on the pacing - some find it good and not too fast, while others feel it's too much too fast.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

47 customers mention "Story quality"44 positive3 negative

Customers enjoy the story. They find it intriguing and well-crafted, with a good pace and engaging mystery. The book is described as a historical mystery set in 1911 New York. Readers appreciate the author's skill in weaving suspense, romance, and excitement into the story.

"...fiction is not my typical go-to genre, I thoroughly enjoyed this compelling story of a passionate young book lover who has distanced herself from..." Read more

"...They still seem like newsreels or still photos. Dreamland feels vivid and immediate...." Read more

"...Rich with historical detail, excitement, suspense, romance and mystery, Dreamland is an engaging read in a world that I did not want to leave." Read more

"...It made me branch out to a time period and place that I believed I would have no interest in--but I was wrong. This book was fascinating!..." Read more

36 customers mention "Enjoyment"36 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book. They find it fascinating, engrossing, and enjoyable. The writing is excellent and never overdone. Readers appreciate the author's skill in bringing an era to life.

"...Told first-person, this novel captivated me from the start...." Read more

"...things I appreciate aboutNancy Bilyeau’s writing is her knack for bringing an era to life...." Read more

"...detail, excitement, suspense, romance and mystery, Dreamland is an engaging read in a world that I did not want to leave." Read more

"...This book was fascinating! I found myself stopping to google the places and events to learn more about them...." Read more

23 customers mention "Character development"23 positive0 negative

Customers find the characters captivating and engaging. They appreciate the historical descriptions of the characters and setting. They also enjoy Peggy's adventures and the difficulty portrayed by men of that era.

"...Peggy Battenberg is marvelous heroine. I won’t give it away, but I like it when characters actually build a bit of character along the way...." Read more

"I enjoyed the historical description of the characters and the setting. One could imagine the dress and rules of society." Read more

"...I loved the main characters and the historical aspects which are deftly woven throughout the story...." Read more

"...But most of all, I was drawn to the characters, their family squabbles, the rigors of the rich, the longings of the main character to simply "be..." Read more

12 customers mention "Writing quality"12 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the writing quality. They find the mystery well-written and the historical details accurate. The characters are described as beautifully drawn, though some are flawed.

"...The writing is flawless, and the details that flesh out the story bring it to life with all the color and contrast of the era." Read more

"...The writing is beautiful, and it made me feel as if I were a part of the Batternberg family!..." Read more

"...So 50% of my rating is based upon the fact that this is a very well written page turner...." Read more

"...And the ending was kind of predictable too. But overall the book was well written, although never got into much about life in the Gilded Age, which I..." Read more

7 customers mention "Pacing"7 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's pacing. They find the author skillfully immerses them in a world of glamour, glitz, mystery, and murder. Readers appreciate the details of bathing costumes, gossip magazines, and a city teeming with people. The backdrop of Coney Island is mesmerizing and enlightens them to the fact that it was a fascinating contrast between the seamy side of pre-WWI Coney Island and the glamorous side of society.

"...Dreamland feels vivid and immediate. I loved the details of the bathing costumes, and the gossip magazines, and a city teeming with immigrants...." Read more

"...One could imagine the dress and rules of society." Read more

"...the real Dreamland, but Nancy Bilyeau brings it to life with extraordinary details, a combination of carnival and sunlit memories...." Read more

"...novel, Dreamland, author Nancy Bilyeau artfully immerses the reader in a world of glamour, glitz, mystery, and murder...." Read more

5 customers mention "Research quality"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well-researched and presented. They appreciate the inquisitive, insightful heroine who is resourceful.

"...She is inquisitive, insightful and willing to look deeper into prejudice and bias, especially within herself. I loved the setting of 1911 New York...." Read more

"...was anxious for this newest book. This book was definately researched well, I learned allot about the different classes of people in that..." Read more

"...period pieces, but when they are written beautifully and clearly extensively researched, I definitely pay attention...." Read more

"...robber barons and their privileged, sheltered children-are well researched and presented. Definitely a recommended read." Read more

8 customers mention "Pace"5 positive3 negative

Customers have different views on the book's pace. Some find it good and immediate, while others feel it's too fast or slow.

"...Dreamland feels vivid and immediate. I loved the details of the bathing costumes, and the gossip magazines, and a city teeming with immigrants...." Read more

"...Then suddenly it races to such a fierce rate it was too fast...." Read more

"...Good pacing, too. This could be your book after a long, heady read when you just need a break...." Read more

"...Not to slow, not to fast. She weaves clues into the story along the way as to where the story is going, but you can never tell until the end...." Read more

a who dunit with flare
4 out of 5 stars
a who dunit with flare
Confession time: I'm a book cover judger. Always have been. Always will be.When I saw the cover Dreamland, I fell in love. I barely read any of the synopsis before asking to read the book, probably because it was giving off some serious Night Circus vibes and I needed more Night Circus in my life.While this is a very good book in its own right, I want to be clear from the beginning that Dreamland is not Night Circus and isn't even close. These are completely different books in different genres and I don't want anyone going into the book thinking they are remotely related the way I did. Silly me.I'm a big fan of murder mystery books, and though I'm not sure what that says about me, the genre seems to only be growing, so at least I'm not alone. Dreamland is the perfect amount of historical fiction and mystery with a protagonist that I was immediately drawn to.I read a lot of reviews for this book after writing my notes for my own review, mostly because I'm always curious to see if people are thinking the same things I am. I have to say I was surprised by the complaints about Peggy. It seems that the reviewers who didn't like her (and the book in general) seemed to find Peggy to wishy washy and indecisive. I feel like that's an unfair assessment.Peggy was raised in one of the richest families in America and stands to inherit millions of dollars. When the book opens, she has taken a job (unpaid) in a bookshop simply because she has issues with her pampered, unfocused lifestyle. When she is manipulated into vacationing on Coney island with her family, she meets an immigrant whom she is immediately attracted to. From this point on she's supposed to be entirely sure of her future?Peggy is fighting engrained behavior, family expectations, society in just trying to figure out what she wants out of life. Of course she isn't whole heartedly determined in her pursuit of anything, because at the most basic level, she still isn't sure what she wants. Why can't she question things, change her mind, be apprehensive about what is the right thing for her? I have trouble ordering in a restaurant, but people expect a character to me single minded about their entire lives??I argue the Peggy was written honestly and realistically.The best parts of the book were the observations made about immigration and class. I would say it was a dark portrayal of the way immigrants used to be treated, but given today's political climate, Dreamland is more accurately described as a cautionary reminder of how far we haven't come.With a great mystery and amazing character development, Dreamland is a romantic whodunit with some coney island flare.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2023
    Though historic fiction is not my typical go-to genre, I thoroughly enjoyed this compelling story of a passionate young book lover who has distanced herself from her extremely wealthy family in hopes of living a happy, ordinary life.

    After an emissary from Peggy Batternberg’s family removes her from her job at a bookstore in New York City and whisks her away to a summer holiday on Coney Island with her snobbish, pampered family, she takes off on her own to discover the unusual delights of the infamous carnival life. There, she finds a world she never imagined and the first stirrings of love she’s ever felt.

    Told first-person, this novel captivated me from the start. The extravagance of Peggy’s family was countered by the daily hardships of the people who flocked to the amusement park for their entertainment or their livelihood.

    There is danger and love and tyranny and murder, all of it mixed in with the strict morals of the day and the power that comes with wealth that can insulate the privileged from facing the consequences of their depravity. The writing is flawless, and the details that flesh out the story bring it to life with all the color and contrast of the era.
    2 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2020
    One of the things I appreciate aboutNancy Bilyeau’s writing is her knack for bringing an era to life. I have always been fascination with women in the gilded age. My own great grandmother famously left the parents ranch at 18 and headed down to see The World’s Fair in Chicago on her own (and didn’t give a hoot what anyone thought about it). But I realized none of my great grandma’s stories or the books set in the era (like The Devil in the White City, for instance) Really nail it. They still seem like newsreels or still photos. Dreamland feels vivid and immediate. I loved the details of the bathing costumes, and the gossip magazines, and a city teeming with immigrants. I’ll never think of Coca-Cola in quite the same way. And it transformed Coney Island in my imagination, from film-noir-black-and-white to the rich colors of an Alphonse Mucha print.

    Peggy Battenberg is marvelous heroine. I won’t give it away, but I like it when characters actually build a bit of character along the way. I was also very fond of the police inspectors Anthony Pellegrino (more of him please!!)

    My one regret as I indicated above was that I finished it too quickly. This wasn’t so much because I was anxious to find out “who done it”. That part wasn’t too difficult to figure out. It was more just the excitement of seeing it all play out and because pacing is such that at a point early on it became un-put-downable.

    I really hope Bilyeau will return to the scene of the crime in future books.

    All in all, it was everything a good mystery should be. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
    6 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2020
    Peggy Batternburg has been graced with being part of one of America's richest families in New York's gilded age. However, Peggy would gladly give up her family's perks to continue her position at the Moonrise Bookstore. When Peggy is unceremoniously taken from the bookstore by the family patriarch, her Uncle David, she is told that the family is summering at the Oriental Hotel and her presence is needed to secure the engagement of her sister Lydia to Henry Taul, notorious playboy and someone who Peggy would rather forget. After arriving to the Oriental, Peggy visits Coney Island and the Dreamland park where she finds artwork by Stefan. Peggy is enraptured with both the artwork and artist. While Peggy is busy with Stefan, a string of murders seems to follow the couple around. When Stefan is suspected, Peggy does everything within her power to find the real killer.
    I am a fan of all of Nancy Bilyeau's previous books and I couldn't wait to dive into the world and characters of Dreamland. From the ominous prologue, I was hooked into the mystery of the story. When Peggy enters the scene, I knew that this young woman would be the one to figure everything out. Peggy goes against the grain, especially when it comes to her family's wishes. She is inquisitive, insightful and willing to look deeper into prejudice and bias, especially within herself. I loved the setting of 1911 New York. Through the writing, the Gilded Age came to life-from the richness of the Oriental Hotel to the atmosphere of Coney Island. There was a lot of care taken to recreate Coney Island and Dreamland, especially when it came to the people of Dreamland. Even though we only meet most of the characters of Dreamland briefly, each of is fully realized with a rich background and story. Stefan's story is teased out slowly and through him we see the plight that many immigrants went through at the time. Though Stefan is treated unfairly and accused for simply being from his homeland, he does not lose hope or place blame. The mystery is engaging and complex as Peggy begins to realize that every murder can be traced back to her. Rich with historical detail, excitement, suspense, romance and mystery, Dreamland is an engaging read in a world that I did not want to leave.
    8 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2020
    I enjoyed the historical description of the characters and the setting. One could imagine the dress and rules of society.
  • Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2022
    I read this book after seeing the review written by a friend, and I am so glad I picked it up. It made me branch out to a time period and place that I believed I would have no interest in--but I was wrong. This book was fascinating! I found myself stopping to google the places and events to learn more about them. I loved the main characters and the historical aspects which are deftly woven throughout the story. I am always intrigued by lifestyles that, on the face of it, seem to be all about preparing for a pleasurable event, especially ones for which a change of clothing is required, enjoying said event, and then rushing off to change for the next. The contrast between this life of apparent ease and all the emotional, mental, and social challenges that accompany it makes for tales that truly resonate. Few of us live such lives of luxurious leisure, but we can all relate to the tension that surfaces between the lives we are expected to lead, and those we actually inhabit.
    4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • That Short Writer - Marta K. Destler
    4.0 out of 5 stars Reading Dreamland was like riding rollercoaster—@thatshortwriter on IG
    Reviewed in Italy on January 24, 2021
    This book is an historical murder mystery, set in and around Coney Island in 1911. A book that I read in one go and that, albeit with some weak points and a little predictability, left me with my eyes glued to the words. There is romance, a lot of mystery and angst, but also a lot of references to burning issues such as prejudice towards immigrants and the injustices they suffered, social differences and the role of women in that period.

    This is one of those cases where the cover immediately attracted me. It reminded me a little of the magical tints of The Night Circus, and although this book is a far cry from Morgenstern’s style and plot, the theme of the amusement park drew me like a moth to light.
    The second thing that struck me, as soon as I started reading it, is the way the words catapult you directly into the New York of 1911, with its wonders and contradictions.
    The events take place between the great hotels of Coney Island (the Manhattan Beach, the Oriental and the Brighton Beach) and one of the three amusement parks on Coney Island, Dreamland, with a few strolls in Central Park and its surroundings.

    Beyond the minute physical details here and there, from the clothes to the streets to the hotels themselves, what stands out is the incredible knowledge of the society of the time and, above all, the differences between the working class and the rich one, which the protagonist, Margaret “Peggy” Batternberg, belongs to.
    Her family is one of the wealthiest in New York, owners of numerous mining sites, but Peggy is the typical heroine and black sheep I love so much: independent, loyal and proud, with a huge heart and a bit of bubble naivety due to the bubble of glass in which she grew up. Despite the privileges that protect her in every move, Peggy is able to understand and see where the limits of her family lie and she shows it from the beginning, when we find her working in a bookshop even if she doesn’t need it, or when she mixes between dancers, street food vendors and Dreamland workers without ever looking at them with presumption—in this case the prejudices were aimed at her, a capricious bored heiress who never had to work a day of her life to buy her expensive clothes or the many jewels she wears.
    The meeting with Stefan, a Serbian immigrant and artist who works in Dreamland, will lead her to dream of a different life, full of love and adventure, but when corpses start to appear along their steps, they will soon both be catapulted into a network of deceptions and injustice, not only on the part of her own family, but above all by those who should have had to work to find the real culprits, namely the Police Department. Each character is imbued with hatred towards immigrants, even some immigrants themselves towards other nationalities. Serbs who hate Italians who hate Russians. There is so much racism and prejudice that it makes my stomach turn. And more than once I have feared for their safety.

    Speaking of these two lovely idiots: their love story is maybe a little too quick for my taste and I would have liked a lot more scenes with the two of them together (they are adorable as hell); I can understand, however, why they fell in love so quickly, despite the abysmal social differences that, for that time, were insurmountable: one was the comfort of the other, the promise of a better life that they always craved; someone who saw them with sincere eyes and for the people they are and not for what society expects. And then, I fell in love with Stefan right away too—how can you not love a gentleman with a broken English, who talks about art and ideals with so much ardor, humble and simply good despite the injustices he has suffered? I love him. I want one too.

    Regarding the secondary characters I loved Lydia, Peggy’s sister, who has had tremendous growth among them all: from the silly young woman who wants a convenient marriage with a rich and handsome man, to a woman who wants to fight for her rights and justice. I loved the relationship between the two sisters, faced with ever higher obstacles and which they have overcome together.

    Ben, Peggy’s cousin, is a very interesting character in his being ambiguous and fundamentally gray. I would have throttled him many times, but it’s really well written just to think about getting rid of him. Who I hated with all my heart is Henry Taul, Lydia’s boyfriend, so I won’t say a word, except: poor girl.

    The killer, interesting as it is, is quite predictable. Maybe because I read a lot of murder mysteries (hello Jeffery Deaver!) but I suspected that character from the start and was sorry to be right. Be that as it may, this didn’t make the mystery any more boring, quite the contrary; Peggy’s investigations and the aftermath of her actions left me with my heart in my throat at the end of each chapter, with numerous twists that didn’t help my poor nerves at all (semi quote).

    The ending left my heart empty; and it felt a little rushed to me, but overall the pace of the whole book was well weighted, a great blend of detailed descriptions and historical details, and action.

    Reading Dreamland was like riding rollercoaster, constantly anxious that something bad would soon happen—and it often did. I recommend reading to all lovers of the genre. It’s wonderful. Find my spoilery review on my blog, thatshortwriter dot it!
    Customer image
    That Short Writer - Marta K. Destler
    4.0 out of 5 stars
    Reading Dreamland was like riding rollercoaster—@thatshortwriter on IG

    Reviewed in Italy on January 24, 2021
    This book is an historical murder mystery, set in and around Coney Island in 1911. A book that I read in one go and that, albeit with some weak points and a little predictability, left me with my eyes glued to the words. There is romance, a lot of mystery and angst, but also a lot of references to burning issues such as prejudice towards immigrants and the injustices they suffered, social differences and the role of women in that period.

    This is one of those cases where the cover immediately attracted me. It reminded me a little of the magical tints of The Night Circus, and although this book is a far cry from Morgenstern’s style and plot, the theme of the amusement park drew me like a moth to light.
    The second thing that struck me, as soon as I started reading it, is the way the words catapult you directly into the New York of 1911, with its wonders and contradictions.
    The events take place between the great hotels of Coney Island (the Manhattan Beach, the Oriental and the Brighton Beach) and one of the three amusement parks on Coney Island, Dreamland, with a few strolls in Central Park and its surroundings.

    Beyond the minute physical details here and there, from the clothes to the streets to the hotels themselves, what stands out is the incredible knowledge of the society of the time and, above all, the differences between the working class and the rich one, which the protagonist, Margaret “Peggy” Batternberg, belongs to.
    Her family is one of the wealthiest in New York, owners of numerous mining sites, but Peggy is the typical heroine and black sheep I love so much: independent, loyal and proud, with a huge heart and a bit of bubble naivety due to the bubble of glass in which she grew up. Despite the privileges that protect her in every move, Peggy is able to understand and see where the limits of her family lie and she shows it from the beginning, when we find her working in a bookshop even if she doesn’t need it, or when she mixes between dancers, street food vendors and Dreamland workers without ever looking at them with presumption—in this case the prejudices were aimed at her, a capricious bored heiress who never had to work a day of her life to buy her expensive clothes or the many jewels she wears.
    The meeting with Stefan, a Serbian immigrant and artist who works in Dreamland, will lead her to dream of a different life, full of love and adventure, but when corpses start to appear along their steps, they will soon both be catapulted into a network of deceptions and injustice, not only on the part of her own family, but above all by those who should have had to work to find the real culprits, namely the Police Department. Each character is imbued with hatred towards immigrants, even some immigrants themselves towards other nationalities. Serbs who hate Italians who hate Russians. There is so much racism and prejudice that it makes my stomach turn. And more than once I have feared for their safety.

    Speaking of these two lovely idiots: their love story is maybe a little too quick for my taste and I would have liked a lot more scenes with the two of them together (they are adorable as hell); I can understand, however, why they fell in love so quickly, despite the abysmal social differences that, for that time, were insurmountable: one was the comfort of the other, the promise of a better life that they always craved; someone who saw them with sincere eyes and for the people they are and not for what society expects. And then, I fell in love with Stefan right away too—how can you not love a gentleman with a broken English, who talks about art and ideals with so much ardor, humble and simply good despite the injustices he has suffered? I love him. I want one too.

    Regarding the secondary characters I loved Lydia, Peggy’s sister, who has had tremendous growth among them all: from the silly young woman who wants a convenient marriage with a rich and handsome man, to a woman who wants to fight for her rights and justice. I loved the relationship between the two sisters, faced with ever higher obstacles and which they have overcome together.

    Ben, Peggy’s cousin, is a very interesting character in his being ambiguous and fundamentally gray. I would have throttled him many times, but it’s really well written just to think about getting rid of him. Who I hated with all my heart is Henry Taul, Lydia’s boyfriend, so I won’t say a word, except: poor girl.

    The killer, interesting as it is, is quite predictable. Maybe because I read a lot of murder mysteries (hello Jeffery Deaver!) but I suspected that character from the start and was sorry to be right. Be that as it may, this didn’t make the mystery any more boring, quite the contrary; Peggy’s investigations and the aftermath of her actions left me with my heart in my throat at the end of each chapter, with numerous twists that didn’t help my poor nerves at all (semi quote).

    The ending left my heart empty; and it felt a little rushed to me, but overall the pace of the whole book was well weighted, a great blend of detailed descriptions and historical details, and action.

    Reading Dreamland was like riding rollercoaster, constantly anxious that something bad would soon happen—and it often did. I recommend reading to all lovers of the genre. It’s wonderful. Find my spoilery review on my blog, thatshortwriter dot it!
    Images in this review
    Customer image
  • Vala
    5.0 out of 5 stars Made we want to read more from Nancy Bilyeau
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 10, 2020
    This was the first book I’ve read written by Nancy Bilyeau. When I read a new author the writing style is the first thing I pay attention to - If I do not enjoy this, I could not enjoy the rest.
    This book and Nancy’s writing did not disappoint! I liked the touching story and partly felt like I am thrown back in time myself.
    Would definitely recommend!
  • Kerrie
    5.0 out of 5 stars Up to the usual standard....
    Reviewed in Australia on February 26, 2020
    This novel met expectations of a well told tale.
  • P.L.
    4.0 out of 5 stars Dreamland
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 18, 2020
    I good entertaining read, well laid out with various turning points. It offers a very credible image of American society I the early 20th century.
  • Midgebear
    3.0 out of 5 stars Down on The Boardwalk
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 24, 2020
    3.5 Stars

    I really enjoyed all the family scenes in this book. Seen from Peggy's point of view the boredom of their lavish existence and the restrictions imposed on female members compared with the debauchery of the male members makes a wonderful contrast. Unfortunately, this was an all too true depiction of the early 1900s and combined with a real life setting (that I did actually research online) it made for a good read from a sanitised Social History standpoint.

    Unfortunately, I found the murder background less intriguing. The potential that ther eis a serial killer stalking the fairgorund and boardwalks of Coney Island just does not have the necessary suspense and intrigue to relaly suck you in. Initially it seems like it is going to go but as soon as you realise that the whole focus of this is to paint all of the police force as corrupt and uninterested it takes some of the interest away. The agenda of the book is very apparent in these sections and whilst it is undoubtedly true of some past and present members it felt like everyone was tarred by the same brush. Ironic really as that is what the author accuses the fictional characters of doing. Be it the poorer members of society seeing all people in positions of authority as a danger to their existence or members of the upper echelons seeing all the working class as being less than human. Whilst true to some extent it does beat the reader over the head with it and it becomes tiresome after a while.

    Overall it did give a glimpse in to the life of a girl becoming a woman in society's eyes and how constrained this makes her feel. In fact, how constrained she actually is. The descriptions of the desultory summer heat coupled with Peggy's desire to break free from her mould are handled really well and did draw me in and keep me in.

    Overall, an author that I will be watching and trying some further novels from.

    This review has been a long time coming. I actually read this book between the 12th and 19th April 2020 so my memory is a bit foggy about all the plot lines. Fortunately, I have a notebook where I jot some initial thoughts on the book and an overall ranking so between the book blurb and that I did have a reasonable handle on what I thought at the time of reading.