I normally like Chevalier's writing, but this was a disappointment. Set at the turn of the 20th century, the book looks at the lives of two contrasting families, using the various voices of those family members - and a gravedigger's son, too. I didn't believe in the voices of any of them, and I found the story stretched credibilty. I really couldn't believe in any of the sexual adventures that were hinted at more than described. Chevalier writes well, and carries the reader along with ease, so I finished the book, but was glad to do so quickly, to get on to something more rewarding. ( )

Nice treatment of early 1900's life and the beginnings of the sufferage movement. I was captivated by her characters, all of whom seemed consummately real. ( )

Genau zur Jahrhundertwende und dem Tod Königin Victorias 1901 setzt das Buch ein, das aus Sicht verschiedener Personen zweier Londoner Bürgerfamilien erzählt.
Es ist eine Zeitenwende, die sich hier langsam anbahnt, Frauen werden selbstbewusster und die Sufrggeten-Bewegung entsteht. Als Leserin empfindet man für Kitty, die Frau, die sich am vehementesten auflehnt, nicht nur Sympathie. So kann man sich etwas hineinversetzen in die ambivalente Gefühlslage aller Beteiligten, wohl wissend, dass wir ohne solche Vorkämpferinnen heute noch Heimchen am Herd wären.
Ich habe das Buch gern gelesen und fand es sehr spannend. Durch die wechselnden Perspektiven konnte man seine Eindrücke immer wieder neu verändern. ( )

Wonderful. Told in many voices. ( )

4.20.19 This book has even more poignancy than when I first read it many years ago. Tracy Chevalier deftly tackles sentimentalism in death culture, transitions from Victorian to Edwardian culture, class hierarchy, and women's activism. The chapters are short and move quickly. Each narrator helps weave a perspective into a rich tapestry that makes up the narrative. One of my favorite historical fiction novels. ( )