The Gilded Lily (Westmorland)

When I was in high school my favorite thing to do in the summer was to ride my bike to the public library, pick out a nice thick book, and go home and read all day, only stopping for dinner. Reading The Gilded Lily was like taking a trip back in time to those summer days. Set in the 17th century England, this is the tale of sisterly love, redemption, and just desserts. The characters are extremely well developed, showing well crafted arcs in behavior, motivation, and character. The plot and numerous subplots are also well drafted and the reader has no problem following each tale as it weaves in amongst the others. The book draws you in so well that you can see the back roads of London’s Friarsgate and the city in all of its mucky glory. You can smell the various odors, you can see the lead paint on the women’s faces, and you can hear the noises of the peddlers, beggars, and carriages. Well I loved everything about this book, I was slightly disappointed that one of the characters did not get her just desserts. I think this is mainly because she did show some guilt and repentance at the end. For the rest of the characters, the bad guys got exactly what they deserved, a A father saw his son for what he truly was, and the brother realized that punishing his twin’s murderer was not going to bring him back. If anything, I’m sad that I finished this book so quickly. It’s one of those books where you have to sit for a bit before picking up another book, as well as one that has you imagining what the characters did after the book ends. It is the perfect book for summer reading when you’re in a hammock, porch swing, or sitting beside a pool.

This historical fiction set in early England depicting the dramatic struggles of financial crisis, inequalities, social class of a large number of the population describes two young sisters and their decision to take their lives in their own hands in order to escape their despicable conditions. Their journey into even more hardships and their way of maneuvering through the twists and turns makes for a captivating and interesting story.

Deborah Swift's style portrays old England in the 1600s vividly and realistically.I am right there running through the streets with my heart pounding, right along with the main characters and sisters, Ella and Sadie. I didn't like Ella (secondary character) in the first book, 'The Lady's Slipper,' but by the middle of The Gilded Lily, I sympathize with her and not only do I want her to get her comeuppance and must keep reading to find out if she indeed does, I also want her to be redeemed. Ella's sister, Sadie, is my favorite and I also must stay with the story to see if she triumphs over her sorrows and predicament. There's suspense, a little romance, and excellent character development. I can't wait to read the next novel by this knowledgeable and skilled historical fiction writer.

I gave this an "average" rating because during the first third of the book I kept wanting to quit reading it. I felt it was just plodding along. I had difficulty connecting to one of the major characters. The plot revolves around two sisters, one I pitied and one that just irritated me. I decided to continue to see if what I wanted to happen to the one I pitied would make her not pitiable at all. I still considered not reading to the end until about the last quarter of the book when the pace finally picked up. The atmosphere is well done and the descriptions of the life of women was interesting, if gruesome at times. That was important for the plot and to understand the period. That setting Swift did well. I had read the first one in the series some time ago but it is not necessary to understand this one. This is a fairly dark historical novel, so don't expect sweeping romance or humor. Not a light read.

This story, about two sisters who escaped their village after robbing a dead man, will hold your interest. We wonder throughout the book of they will ever make it out alive. Will Ella see her sister for who she really is. Thank goodness Dennis shows up and gives them a place to live. Ella moved on but Sadie is stuck in the turmoil of hiding and staying put. I had to read this story quickly as I needed to know what would happen to the girls.

Anything I say could not really do justice to this Novel! It s an amazing, exciting tale of two sisters and the love between them, which endured great odds! Set in the 1600's in London, it gathers all the seedy characters and aspects of London life at this time. The characters become like friends ( except for a distinct few) and linger in your mind and I can't wait to read the third book in this fabulous trilogy! A must read!

A fascinating voyage into the gritty underworld of 1660s London, seen through the eyes of two desperate sisters in search of a better future. Swift is a master of historical details and deftly immerses the reader in the seedy back alleys and fog-shrouded banks of the River Thames, a place where life is short and dangerous, and women have few choices or opportunities. Sisters Sadie and Ella arrive in the big city determined to not only survive but thrive. At first, luck is on their side, but a crime they committed before fleeing to London shadows them everywhere they turn. The tension between the sisters sizzles as the authorities close in, and the thrilling pace during the story's dramatic climax makes this book impossible to put down. Swift's London is a feast for the senses, and the harsh world she creates feels chillingly real. I was transported!

This was a very interesting story... It was very long but I guess it was all necessary to come to the conclusion it had to come to. Ella and Sadie must have had the good Lord looking out for them for all's well that ends well! Read and enjoy!!

Fascinating insight into the life of the poor in London in 1661 and the most realistic relationship between two sisters I have ever read. All the characters were amazing. I really enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down. Excellent companion to The Lady's Slipper. Ms Swift quite justly deserves the title of a historical author, her research is so in-depth.

Action packed and a window into the life and times in 1661. The story of 2 sisters bond and adventures.

Ella and her younger sister Sadie have fled Westmoreland where Ella has robbed her dead master. (How involved was she in the death? It’s not at all clear.) They make their way to London where they soon discover that the money they have stolen is hardly enough to keep them. Their dreams of living as fine ladies meet the reality of life for young women in the mid-17th century city. The book accurately reflects the dreariness and misery of life for the working classes of the time. The sisters first find work in a wig factory, their fingers constantly cut as they pull the threads through the hessian of the wigs, their necks and arms stung as their overseer lashes at them if she sees them lift their heads from their work. It’s an excellent historical account, but the drab monotony of their lives can’t help but rub off on the reader. Despite interludes of excitement when they think that their crime in Westmorland might be catching up with them, it can (despite Swift’s easy writing style) be a long and sometimes difficult read. Eventually Ella, the more daring of the two, finds work with the distinctly suspect Jay Whitgift, the son of a successful pawnbroker. Ella has hopes of winning Jay’s heart and hence finally escaping from the drudgery of daily life and becoming a respectable woman. It is a measure of Swift’s skill in summoning up the period that we never for a moment think that she will succeed. Other novelists may give us girls who marry rich men and live happily ever after, but Swift is too firmly rooted in the reality of the 17th century to let us believe for a moment that this will not end badly. It ends extremely badly indeed. Swift uses the solid historical background of the story to allow her to leap off into something that, without such careful preparation, could easily be completely over- the-top melodrama. Instead, I was gripped as a story of two poor girls making their way in the city turned into a tale of white slavery, murder, arson and a dramatic finale at the Frost Fair held on the frozen Thames. Suddenly I was turning the pages enthusiastically wanting to know if Ella could escape Jay’s murderous plan or if Sadie was indeed condemned to starve, literally locked in a garret. 'The Gilded Lily' offers an outrageously exciting story in a beautifully detailed period setting. If the beginning seems a little worthy, it’s well worth sticking with. Recommended.

This was a great read. It was beautifully written. The characters were interesting and diverse. It had lots of detail of how life was back then too.

Although this is a sequel to “The Lady’s Slipper”, it also works perfectly as a stand-alone novel. This is mainly because none of the leading characters from “The Lady’s Slipper” appear in “The Gilded Lily”. Instead, one of the secondary characters from the previous book shares centre stage with a new character. This in itself is an admirable way to write a sequel, as it shows originality and creativity. So, the main theme is two young women – sisters Ella and Sadie – who head to London because Ella is suspected of murder. I didn’t warm to Ella and I’m not sure that it was the author’s intention that the reader should warm to her. Sadie, on the other hand, immediately gets a sympathy vote because of the birthmark on her face. I liked her easy-going personality and hoped she’d find happiness before the end of the story. The plot features many well-written scenes, which vividly bring 17th-century London to life. I could feel the cold when winter struck hard. As I’m writing this four years after reading the book, it’s hard to add more, but I do remember thinking that “The Gilded Lily” was a very good read, though not as enthralling as “The Lady’s Slipper”.