...(book review) longbourn by jo baker

'If Elizabeth Bennet had the washing of her own petticoats,' Sarah though, 'she would be more careful not to tramp through muddy fields.'

It is wash-day for the housemaids at Longbourn House, and Sarah's hands are chapped and raw. Domestic life below stairs, ruled with a tender heart and the iron will by Mrs Hill the housekeeper, is about to be disturbed by the arrival of a new footman, bearing secrets and the scent of the sea.

LONGBOURN by Jo Baker

Published: 2013

Genre: Historical Fiction, Reimagining

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

This was a book that caught my eye immediately! Pride & Prejudice from the perspective of the servants? Yes! What a gritty concept for the reimagining of a classic novel.

I had high hopes, but within the first 100 pages of this book I was feeling disappointed. I couldn't see where the story was going or how the characters were going to evolve from the dreadful monotony of life scrubbing, cleaning and seeing to the needs of the Bennet's.

The thing that kept me reading was the brilliant insight the book gave into their working conditions of such a house in the 1800s, when run with minimal staff taxed with looking after such a large family. It was clear the novel was well researched, and I really respect that in a historical fiction as it's not always a given.

The novel is split into 3 Volumes, and by the end of the first my interest was piqued once more, and I knew I wasn't going to be able to stop reading! 

With the introduction of the officers that the Bennet girls swoon over, it's clear their presence will disturb the order of things for the staff in the household in more ways than one. The new footman, James, seems to hide when they're invited to the house, whilst the youngest housemaid, Polly, catches the attention of the most frequent visitor, Mr Wickham.

The further into the book I got, the more invested I became in the characters. The story predominantly follows Sarah, the orphaned housemaid who remembers a different life and wants more from her current one; but throughout there are snippets of insight into all the character's thoughts. I found myself particularly drawn to Mrs Hill, the housekeeper, keen to keep order, but fiercely protective of those in her charge, including James, despite him seemingly being a stranger to them and new to the household.

Though she seems content and takes pride in the perfection of her work, Mrs Hill has a past that will resurface in a revelation that I certainly hadn't expected. She provoked sympathy not only for her character, but for the many women she represents within the era. It's all too easy to imagine the truth in her situation.

James. too, has a past that resurfaces, and the author impressed me yet again in Volume 3 of the novel with more historical accuracy in a completely separate setting. Men had their trials too, and sometimes their outcomes were literally life or death.

What I feared was going to be a disappointing read, soon made me change my mind. I appreciated all 443 pages of this novel for it's unique viewpoint. If, like me, you're a lover of good historical fiction, or frankly are fascinated by Pride & Prejudice from a different viewpoint, then I would recommend this novel!

~ If you enjoyed this review, please check out my others. I cover many genres, not just historical fiction! You can find more bookish content from me across social media @zuzuspages

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Zuzu 🖋

...bookshops are open...restrain yourself!

Like so many fellow bibliophiles, the first thing on my "when this madness is over" bucket-list, was to hit my favourite bookshop and make up for lost time! Which inevitably would have resulted in some financial repercussions and further storage issues - my shelves are already overburdened and groan at me regularly!

Instead, I thought I'd set myself a challenge, partly to prevent myself from overzealous, frantic book buying behaviour, and secondly to support a local charity shop that happens to stock a good selection of books - Thank you Heart of Kent Hospice!

I decided I'd see how many books I could get myself for £5 or less, and of course then I got excited and wanted to share them with you, cause I found some great ones. So, please enjoy my mini book haul!

no.1 The Wicked King by Holly Black

This is actually the second novel in a series that I've been wanting to read for some time. I know I can find the first book, The Cruel Prince, from any online shop, so I thought I'd take advantage of this one being 50p and in great condition. 

The book series is called 'The Folk of the Air', and it's a YA Fantasy first published in 2018. This is 100% my genre preference, and I've heard great things, so I'm excited to start reading!

no. 2 The Glass Castle by Jeannette

This is a book I've been wanting to read since I stumbled across the film adaptation on Netflix. It's a memoir, focusing on Jeanette Walls difunctional, though strangely loyal family. She was raised by a father who drank profusely and a mother who abhorred domesticity, leaving her and her siblings to raise themselves and strive for independence from their parents. I can't wait to see how the film and the book compare!

no. 3 The Memory Keepers Daughter by Kim Edwards

The blurb of this book gave me Jodi Picoult vibes, and I love her books, so I was intrigued by this concept. 'The night Dr David Henry delivers his wife's twins is a night that will haunt five lives forever. For though David's son is a healthy boy, his daughter has down syndrome. And in a shocking act of betrayal whose consequence only time will reveal, he tells his wife their daughter died whilst secretly entrusting her to a nurse.'

I'm already hooked!

no. 4 The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Other Tales of Terror by Robert Louis Stevenson

A classic, but one I've never read. Why was I under the impression that this was a chunky read? The copy I picked up is a Penguin Classic Edition and the story itself is 70 pages long. Very readable. I might save this one for October when  I like to read such "tales of terror".

no. 5 After Me Comes The Flood by Sarah Perry

This was Sarah Perry's debut novel apparently - not an author or a book I've heard of before, which is always fun! I like discovering new voices in the literary world.

This book is sinister, phycological fiction/gothic fiction, originally published in 2014. I don't read enough of this genre, so I'm looking forward to some creepy nights of reading. Gothic fiction is an underrated category!

no. 6 Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

I may be one of the few remaining humans in the world that has neither read this book or seen the film. I also hadn't read any Jojo Moyes' books until last year, when I got my first introduction through Sheltering Rain. 

In case there are any fellow book readers out there who've yet to experience Me Before You in any form, it's a Romantic Fiction originally published in 2012, that brings together two people who couldn't have less in common. Supposedly the Romantic Fiction of our generation. A bold statement, but a true one if the rave reviews I've read are correct!

So there we have it. My mini #fivepoundorless haul

Let me know what you've read, your opinions, and your recommendations on which of this novels to dive into first!

Zuzu 🖋

Find me on Instagram, Facebook and Instagram @zuzuspages for more bookish content!

...c'est la vie

Ahhh, writers' block. Not only is it frustrating, inconvenient (and several more expletive adjectives), it's also got the worst imaginable timing. 

When the first lockdown began in March last year, I felt a sense of anticipation - not at the state of the world of course, but at the limitless time I'd been given to write without the distraction of work! It was a blip of light and positivity in an otherwise trying time. 

But writer's block is a fickle thing, and so, when the rest of the world was restricted from visiting me, writer's block saw a vacancy and invited itself in to take up permanent and uninvited residence.

Which is my long winded way of telling you that I squandered an entire year of writing time.

Lockdown, it turns out, is as uninspiring as it sounds, and I couldn't force a single drop of creativity from my brain.

I took long walks, I learned to play the ukulele, I over-indulged in comfort food that will take me a year to eradicate, and I wrote no more than a single chapter, knowing instinctively that it wasn't any good...and then the spring came along...

Spring is typically not my favourite season, but with the promise of easing restrictions, and the soul lifting evidence of new beginnings budding and frolicking along my walks, I began to feel inspired again.
Last week, I sat down at a newly organised desk for the first time in months and felt a flood gate open in my mind. Words and idea's poured out of me for nearly 24 hours, faster that I could write or type to keep up with them. I honestly feel like I could sit down and write a book without pausing to outline it first. I'm hyped and I'm inspired and the curse of the writer's block is lifted...however...

I did say that writer's block had the worst timing imaginable. And that includes when it chooses to leave...two weeks before I have to go back to work. C'est la vie. Such is life.