Book Review- "The Household" by Stacey Halls
Thank you to Netgalley and Bonnier Books UK for giving me an ARC of these amazing novel! The Household will be released in the UK on 11th April 2024
Usually, historical fiction doesn’t tickle my fancy. I love history and I love books but the characters in this genre of novels fall flat for me and, despite being historically accurate, I find the language puts me off as I struggle to connect with the story when the language is used like that.
Stacey Halls, however, manages to write accurate historical fiction all while using contemporary language that fit’s within the natural dialect of the characters. This is a big plus for me.
Set in 1847 and based on the real Urania College for Fallen women . The Household not only is patronaged by a well-known guy (hello Mr Dickens) but it follows the lives of this group of wonderful women that found refuge and family in a time and place where they were considered the dregs of society and tells stories that previously would have been lost. These women were prostitutes, petty thieves and destitute and the cottage was their first taste of family. The idea of the house was to give these women a cast iron routine that they would have lacked throughout their lives and prepare them for a life of servitude in the British colonies. They were given lessons on reading, writing, history, geography and religion which was a luxury that a lot of these young women could never have received otherwise.
Usually, Halls novels focus on one central character and their story, but the mix of different perspectives, backgrounds, and class is an engaging way to see how the world treats these women and how different their situations are. Especially since she shows the juxtaposition of the women in the cottage and the high society heiress Angela Burdett-Coutts. It’s really refreshing to see especially since Angela genuinely cares about these women like they are all her little sisters.
I also loved all the characters and the way they are potrayed as more than 2-dimensional, low life women who leer at men for money and drink. Halls gives a wonderful depth to their backstories that show their hopes, dreams and the people that put them into these situations in the first place *cough* the government *cough*.
Not to sound like a movie poster but it genuinely is such a wonderful story of love, friendship and found family. Honestly it really is! There are some wonderful sections where you can see that these girls who have been distrustful of people their whole lives and have never known what it means to have love, care, and meaningful connection this halfway house provides that for them.
The pacing of the story was also great. It’s like you’re watching a movie, but a book if that makes any sense. There were scenes near the end where I was screaming at the main characters to stop being silly , sort of a panto “He’s behind you” vibes, which in my eyes, is the tell of a great book.
If I had to give any criticism it would be having more of a backstory on one of the young women Martha. She is one of the only women who is well educated and not come from prison but from a Magdalen laundry. I know it’s implied what the story behind that was, but I would have liked a bit more. I also didn’t really understand why Richard Dunn stalked Angela for over a decade (this isn’t a spoiler by the way they tell you at the start!).
All in all, if you like historical fiction, strong women and 19th Century London then The Household is the book for you.
I hope you liked my first ever book review. While you’re waiting for The Household to be published I highly recommend reading her other books they are just as good!