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"A Heart Most Worthy" by Siri Mitchell
Apr. 22nd, 2011 10:23 pmI remember when Siri Mitchell's historical fiction books were first hitting the market a few years ago. They sounded intriguing and I was interested. Fast forward a few years and I hadn't been able to get my hands on any of her books, until Bethany House offered to let me review "A Heart Most Worthy". I jumped at the opportunity and I was not disappointed!
The cover of this book is absolutely beautiful, front and back. The story revolves around three young ladies who work at Madame Fortier's dress shop in 1918 Boston. Each of these Italian girls are looked upon as undesirable members of society by the elite socialites they serve. Each one has her own story. One is headstrong, one is reserved, and one is not what she seems.
I could relate most to Annamaria, who as the oldest daughter in her family was expected to be there to solve problems and pick up the slack for others. She struggles with knowing how to have a life apart from what is expected of her, or if it is even right to have dreams of her own. My favorite of the threesome was Luciana, whose past is shrouded in mystery and haunted by danger. Rounding out the group is Julietta, who is determined to catch the eye of some well-off young man and raise herself from the tenement housing she's been raised in.
One of my first impressions of the book was how much I loved Siri Mitchell's "voice" in the narrative. It was very unique and engaging. I wasn't too pleased when the narrator turned out to be omniscient but the plot was strong enough to withstand such a weakness. ;-) I understand from the author's note that this was at the suggestion of her editors and not something she normally employs.
The plot is very thick and interwoven. There are many characters to juggle and I thought she did a superb job making each thread draw you in until there was no way you could put the book down because you had to know what happened next! I read the final 150 pages in one sitting, unable to rest until I knew how our girls survived the Spanish Influenza, the effects of WWI and anarchists in Boston, and their adventures into love and romance. I really enjoyed this story and definitely plan on reading more by Siri. A good historical is hard to beat and I'm happy to find another author to keep my eye on!
Thank you to Bethany House for my copy of the book.
The cover of this book is absolutely beautiful, front and back. The story revolves around three young ladies who work at Madame Fortier's dress shop in 1918 Boston. Each of these Italian girls are looked upon as undesirable members of society by the elite socialites they serve. Each one has her own story. One is headstrong, one is reserved, and one is not what she seems.
I could relate most to Annamaria, who as the oldest daughter in her family was expected to be there to solve problems and pick up the slack for others. She struggles with knowing how to have a life apart from what is expected of her, or if it is even right to have dreams of her own. My favorite of the threesome was Luciana, whose past is shrouded in mystery and haunted by danger. Rounding out the group is Julietta, who is determined to catch the eye of some well-off young man and raise herself from the tenement housing she's been raised in.
One of my first impressions of the book was how much I loved Siri Mitchell's "voice" in the narrative. It was very unique and engaging. I wasn't too pleased when the narrator turned out to be omniscient but the plot was strong enough to withstand such a weakness. ;-) I understand from the author's note that this was at the suggestion of her editors and not something she normally employs.
The plot is very thick and interwoven. There are many characters to juggle and I thought she did a superb job making each thread draw you in until there was no way you could put the book down because you had to know what happened next! I read the final 150 pages in one sitting, unable to rest until I knew how our girls survived the Spanish Influenza, the effects of WWI and anarchists in Boston, and their adventures into love and romance. I really enjoyed this story and definitely plan on reading more by Siri. A good historical is hard to beat and I'm happy to find another author to keep my eye on!
Thank you to Bethany House for my copy of the book.
