by Lesley Pears
My sketch … The story of Matilda, a little flower girl in Victorian England who was lucky. “Lucky” is defined as Opportunity *and* (hard) Work. One day she saves a minister’s daughter from being trampled by horses and is offered the opportunity of working & living with their family. The missus is not an easy woman to work for or live with. But Matilda works hard and when the minister is called to New York City, she accompanies the family. Her story involves the Wild West, wagon trains, San Francisco at its beginning, the Gold Rush, and romance. This saga is about a strong woman who took opportunities – or “lemons” – and made them work.
My Review …
A saga that lets the reader learn what life was like for the poor in Victorian London. Her family — father, little brother, little step-brother. Both the father and Matilda work but the family often goes to bed hungry. Repeatedly in trouble — her step-brother, dragging along her little brother. But Matilda was not a person to accept her “lot in life”. Any opportunity was a chance for something better. The POV is mostly Matilda’s. It is, after all, her story.
Readers look for strong characters. Well, look no further than Matilda. She’s not only strong but she is tough. Don’t try to tell her that she is a woman and therefore is not up to the idea|project|problem.
Readers look for plots that are interesting with unexpected and/or compelling twists. Author Lesley Pearse skillfully weaves Matilda’s story so that the included highlights from 1800s American history are believable.
The pacing in the first segment of Never Look Back was a bit slow. I had been reading Lily’s Promise when I started this book; I needed a “fiction” break from Lily’s harsh realities. I had no idea it was 800+ pages long. It was easy at the beginning to stop reading Never Look Back and catch up with Lily’s story. Thus, a minus .5 star deduction.
And then — the story takes off. And I was hooked. As the various characters unfold, you have people you like, admire, and want to take to the woodshed (if you get my meaning). There are people you were raised to avoid and instead find that you not only like but enjoy their interactions.
The romance — I did skip the “intimate” (i.e., sexual) scenes, but for an 800+ page book, those scenes are few.
I do recommend Never Look Back. Rating: 4.5 rounded to 5 stars for websites that accept only round numbers.
I received a complimentary e-ARC copy of Never Look Back via NetGalley from the publisher, Agora Books. A positive review was not required; the opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#NeverLookBack #NetGalley #LesleyPearse #AgoraBooks
