A beautifully written historical fiction novel. The authors’ descriptive style was so well done I could almost smell the stench of London in 1850. It was not an idealized version of the time nor the place. It was real and raw and sometimes hard to read, and I appreciated that. Life was hard. Things weren’t fair or pretty for the majority of the population.
This is the year of the Great Exhibition in Hyde Park. Artists are all vying for their works to be accepted. And it is at this site that two people meet. For one, Iris, it isn’t memorable at all. But for Silas, in his severely messed up head, he has met his soulmate.
Iris and her twin sister Rose are apprenticed to a doll maker, who is also an addict. Iris hates it. She wants to paint. She wants more. And through chance, she is asked to model for an artist. Not only will she have her own bedsit, but she will also be learning to paint.
Down the street, Silas has thought of nothing but Iris. In his sick mind, she loves him as well. Now he is obsessed and is following her waiting for her to come to him and declare her love. When she rebuffs him, things get ugly.
An exceptionally well-written tale!
NetGalley/ August 13th, 2019 by Atria/Emily Bestler Books
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