At the end of the book Mrs England passed Nurse May a letter from her sister that is 3 days old. What is the meaning behind this? Had she hidden the letters after all? I loved the character of Ruby and found her to be another strong female protagonist, something that the author is becoming known for. I enjoyed how the author dropped hints throughout the story about both Ruby’s past and the strange goings-on at Hardcastle House. I tried to piece it all together but there were twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end. It was loosely based around something or someone and you hear this in the authors notes so that made this read more impactful. Ms. Halls does not disappoint and will have you staying up late so you can find out what's going on in this household and with each character. 5/5 Certainly this is a slow-burn novel, and yet whilst there were chapters where not very much actually happened, I found myself enjoying the small details and interactions between the characters, which I think is credit to the author.

Mrs England by Stacey Halls Review | MMB Book Blog Mrs England by Stacey Halls Review | MMB Book Blog

This slow-burn, atmospheric story is set in rural Yorkshire in 1904 and features an eerie, remote locale, a Gothic vibe and mysterious happenings within an unconventional family. Of course there is no such thing as the perfect family and Ruby is alerted from the beginning that all is not well: Stacey Halls új regényének középpontjában ismét tragikus sorsú, ám hihetetlenül bátor nők állnak, és az anyaság, a gyermekek nevelése ezúttal is kifejezetten nagy hangsúlyt kap. A Mrs. England főszereplője a naiv May dadus, míg a nála rafináltabb, jóval összetettebb címadó szereplő sorsába jóval kevesebb betekintést nyerhetünk. Az olvasmányos történet baljós hangulatot áraszt, és lassan csordogál, egészen addig, míg mindkét nő lelki terheire fény nem derül. This is one of the most magical and atmospheric novels I have had the pleasure of reading in some time. Egyszerre elkápráztató és sötét, ugyanolyan gyönyörű, mint amennyire felkavaró. Magával ragadó, érzékeny regény.” – Inga Vesper, a The Long, Long Afternoon szerzője

I did question halfway into the book about a certain person, so it didn’t come as no surprise when I was proved right, however……why. That was my eagerness to find out. The book is called Mrs England but in reality, this is the story about 2 women. We follow their present whilst their disturbing stories becomes apparent as both women grow from under their subversive and controlling past (and present). It’s a story of power and control but also the strength of women to survive and thrive in such a time. Ruby May is a sympathetic character. She’s motivated and determined and her care of children is beyond reproach. Trained at the prestigious Norland school and recipient of her childcare certificate, Nurse May puts the child or children she is caring for at the center of her life. Norland College, which still exists today, provided Prince George and his siblings, Charlotte, and Louis, the children of Prince William and Kate with a Norland nanny.

Mrs England by Stacey Halls | Waterstones

West Yorkshire, 1904. When newly graduated nurse Ruby May takes a position looking after the children of Charles and Lilian England, a wealthy couple from a powerful dynasty of mill owners, she hopes it will be the fresh start she needs. But as she adapts to life at the isolated Hardcastle House, it becomes clear there’s something not quite right about the beautiful, mysterious Mrs England. That's probably not a problem for many readers, but I still wanted to mention it - because this also means that if you read a lot, you've probably internalised these structures, be it consciously or subconsciously, and you will also likely find the book rather predictable. I kept waiting for something fresh, a twist I hadn't seen before, but it never came. Spoilers: There would have been a great storyline had Nurse May actually fallen deeper for Mr Booth, who had just married and was expecting a child with another woman, which at one point I was sure that’s where it was heading, that unfortunately ended abruptly.

subiectul. Anglia anilor 1900, o dramă de familie, un observator activ, o privire aruncată în culisele epocii edwardiene. I feel like there were two people within me who read this book: one who is only a reader, and one who is also a writer; and they had different thoughts about this book. A XXI. Század Kiadó KULT könyvek sorozata elképesztően szép designt kapott. Ez a borító különösen jól mutat, ráadásul több szempontból is telitalálatnak bizonyult a tartalom tükrében. Halls is very good at drawing characters, with Ruby aware of herself and others around her, although first impressions are sometimes misguided. Mrs England’s birth family are named Greatrex and are all unappealing, and rather homogenous. Perhaps this is an intentional contrast with an otherwise diverse cast, each of whom play an individual role in an intriguing book.