Book Review
Basic Details:
Book Title: Counting the
Cost
Subtitle: Linmore - The
Early Years (Linmore Series Book 2)
Author:
Jemima Brigges
Genre: Literature and
Fiction
Part of a series? Yes
Order in series: 2
Best read after earlier
books in series? Yes
Available: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50351036-counting-the-cost
Overall
score:
I
scored this book 5/5
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Short
Summary of the book:
A young gentlewoman who loses all and becomes
a maid for the gentry. A rape resulting in pregnancy. A child taken from her
and left as foundling. What will become of them all? What adversities do both
have to overcome and will they?
What
I liked about the book:
The book is full of heart-wrenching moments,
egging on the underdogs, with at the centre a strong woman.
What
I didn’t like about the book:
I enjoyed the entire book.
My
favourite bits in the book:
I enjoyed the entire book.
My
least favourite bits in the book:
The book was enjoyable in its entirety.
Any
further books in the series? Any more planned by this author?
This is the second book I’ve read by this author,
and I look forward to reading more.
What
books could this be compared to and why?
This is a period drama.
Recommendation:
In
summary, I would recommend this book for the following readers:
|
Children |
No |
|
Young
Adult |
Maybe |
|
Adult |
Yes |
If
you like period drama, this book may be
the book for you.
I
look forward to reading more by this author.
Book
Description by Author:
It is generally assumed that a woman’s
reputation once lost can never be restored...Counting the Cost – (Linmore - The
Early Years) – begins the story of a young gentlewoman, who, having overcome
adversity, sets out to help others less fortunate. Set in Pre-Regency rural
Shropshire (1794-1808) at a time when the common man had few rights and women
had none – other than those their menfolk deigned to bestow on them.(Reissued
as the Prelude to Living in the Shadows).Necessity drives a hard bargain and
Maria knows, from bitter experience, that a woman alone must do what she can to
survive. Ten years ago, her life was in ruins, and she would have died but for
the help of a gypsy herbalist. Afterwards, she determined to restore her good
name and reputation, even if it took subterfuge.Since then Maria has, by
sacrificing her youthful looks, become Miss Dinchope, housekeeper, the epitome
of primness and virtue. Her past is forgotten but she has learned that
respectability has many faces; some of which hide dark secrets that are every
bit as threatening as her own experience.Appalled by the degree of ignorance
and sloth, Maria adopts a regimented approach to raise standards in the
household, and by degrees succeeds in her endeavour – but no one knows what the
effort of being constantly on her guard against discovery, costs her.Sometimes
in the lonely hours of the night, she vows to move on to better things but
anger, an emotion she contrives to hide, drives her to protect the vulnerable
servants for which she has responsibility. One little pauper child, a new
housemaid, touches an inexplicable chord of memory, but where she has met the
girl before – and when, escapes her.Nell Walcote is an anomaly, unlike any
other servant in the household. Despite the girl’s poor upbringing, she seems
strangely refined and eager to learn. She can read and write her letters, and
Miss Dinchope determines to teach her the right way to behave. The prospect so
appeals to the housekeeper’s sense of Christian charity, she feels it is her
duty to train the girl for a better place in service, even if she must defer
her own plans to gain advancement.To avoid the pitfalls, she encountered as a
girl, Maria insists that Nell avoids men. Will the guidance of a maiden lady of
indeterminate age be enough to keep her safe – and for how long will it be
effective? A heart-warming story, which gives a rare insight into the lives of
women to whom kindness, honesty and friendship mean more than money and social
class – an introduction to an interlinking series that is filled with love,
loss, life and laughs.First published as a standalone, Counting the Cost now
sets the scene for The Foundling’s Path Trilogy. The story is the same; only
the edition and the cover have changed.
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