* LIKE *Good, old style children's fiction
Subtitled "A Melodrama" ... perfectly apt
A totally enjoyable classic Victorian period piece with a feisty "heroine" and heartless "baddies". Though in this the villain isn't the usual out-and-out baddie. And the heroine leans towards naughty and is eager to seek love by participation in morally questionable activities. Characterisation and description are strong points, pitch perfect for the young reader, with excellent vocabulary and historical reference to enhance the melodramatic plot.
This follows the old "Pollyanna" style of sweetness and light winning out ... but with less saccharine. There is a moral of doing what is right and telling the truth though it could cost you the (false) love you have been looking for.
