On Hist Fic Saturday
Let's go back to ...1853
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My thanks to the author for my copy of this book.
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The harshness of 19th century life for women as seen through the eyes of a young bride. Margery Blake is nothing but a pawn in family affairs, and her marriage is seen as a good match. Margery has no power, or control over her life and endures her husband's rights to her body in order to produce an heir. Margery soon realises 'husband' is merely another title for owner, beater, brute, bully and evil. She finds friendship in the unlikeliest of places.
My thoughts..
We have the romantic notion that living in the Victorian era
was generally a time of pretty young ladies waiting eagerly for a man to take their hand
in marriage and then lead them into a life of conjugal bliss.
In The Diary of Margery Blake we are introduced to the spirited Margery when we are given leave to read her highly descriptive diary entries, in which we are privy to her thoughts and fears as she embarks upon an arranged marriage. As the story progresses, and continuing in diary format, we get to know Margery’s intimate thoughts about her marriage to Captain John Harrison. And just what happens in this tumultuous marriage forms the basis of this interesting historical saga.
In The Diary of Margery Blake we are introduced to the spirited Margery when we are given leave to read her highly descriptive diary entries, in which we are privy to her thoughts and fears as she embarks upon an arranged marriage. As the story progresses, and continuing in diary format, we get to know Margery’s intimate thoughts about her marriage to Captain John Harrison. And just what happens in this tumultuous marriage forms the basis of this interesting historical saga.
The author certainly brings this feisty young woman to life
and I read the diary entries almost like a voyeur, learning about the
struggles and fears and, it must be said, of the difficulties which Margery faces on a daily basis.
The difference between the sexes is very much at the forefront of this novel, especially in a time when women had relatively few rights and no say at all in where their lives would take them. Well written and with a strong and authentic voice The Diary of Margery Blake is one of those stories which paints a dramatic picture of a bygone time and which makes you glad to have been born in a more enlightened time when women have the opportunity to go wherever life leads them.
P J Roscoe is the the author of supernatural, historical novels for adults and faerie books that teach children morals. And is the 2017 Winner of the Marie M Irvine Literary Excellence Award for Historical fiction.
Thank you Jaffa for turning the pages, and thank you for reading my work. x
ReplyDeleteIt was pleasure, thanks for sharing your story with us :)
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