Book Review- Fallen Grace by Mary Hooper

Title: Fallen Grace
Author: Mary Hooper
Series: N/A
Published by:Bloomsbury 2010
Length: 320 pages
Warnings: References to rape, pregancy, suitable for 12+
Other facts: Mary Hooper has also written other historical novels such as At the Sign of the Sugar Plum and At the House of the Magician, as well as contemperary novels like Megan
Summary by me: Grace Parkes is a fallen woman-she has given birth to a child without being married, and must now lay him to rest. After placing the body in an rich coffin to be buried with an unknown body, Grace and her sister are thrown out of their home by no fault of their own. They must now find ways to scrape by day by day. Enter the Unwins, a family dealing in death, who will doanything to cheat two young women out of what they rightfully own.

Review: I never properly enjoyed Hooper's other books, but I liked this one a lot. most likely becuase its set in a funeral parlour. I also normally don't like little rags to riches stories, but I think I made an exception for this. O like seeing the highs and lows in Grace's life, like how a poor Victorian girl's life would be. Grace is well characterised as a young determined woman. The harsh look at Victorian lives is filled with historical accuracy- correct to almost every last detail, with the author's notes at the end explaining everything. The whole thing had beautiful descriptions, painting lovely pictures in my head and bringing the story to life. The Victorian style calling cards, epitahs, newspaper clippings and so on heading every chapter are the beautiful final touches.
Overall: I give this Strength 5 tea beacuse it was so beautiful, had a lovely setting and I couldn't find anything to fault with it.