Velvet

May 18, 2013 Hennypenny rated it 3 of 5 stars

I have mixed feelings about this book. I think I expected more steampunk and less actual Edwardian historical. I felt that the book existed more to tell about particular types of historical events and issues than to tell a story about the characters. If that makes any sense.

I got more out of the descriptions of the fabrics of the fine clothes than anything else in the book. But I really loved the descriptions of the clothes. (Very vivid.) It makes sense that a laundress relates to her change in...more

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Feb 02, 2013 Adrienne rated it 3 of 5 stars

Velvet is working as a laundress when she gets the amazing opportunity to become the assistant to one of her laundry patrons, none other than Madame Savoya, a medium who conducts seances and communicates with the dead. Velvet is thrilled at the opportunity and the friendship she starts to form with Madame Savoya, as well as the chance to get to know handsome George, another of Madame Savoya's assistants, but eventually she starts to question some things about her employment and her employer.

This...more

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Dec 10, 2012 Karen Yingling rated it 4 of 5 stars

After the drowning death of her abusive father, Kitty reinvents herself as "Velvet" in early 1900s London and gets a job as a laundress at Ruffold's Steam Laundry. After fainting several times from the heat, she gets moved into personal laundry because she is literate and a hard worker. She eventually has the alluring Madame Savoya as a client, and gets to meet her when Madame sends two tickets to her public performance as a psychic. Velvet is enthralled, and when Madame intervenes with Ruffold'...more

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Oct 31, 2011 Beadyjan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical

Velvet is a young woman struggling to survive on the grimy streets of Victorian London. Misfortune has blighted her young life, the death of her hard working mother then her cruel father have left her penniless and alone. Working in the confines of a laundry every day is a struggle lightened only by her friendship with fellow laundress Lizzie and childhood playmate Charlie.

However fortune begins to smile on Velvet when firstly she is prompted to handling personal laundry and becomes the protegee...more

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Jun 14, 2013 Alice Of Wonderland rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ugh! To tell you the truth, Velvet was fair. Not so good, but not so bad. Yes, there were some good parts. Yes, there were some bad parts. It's so-so. Okay.

The cover of Velvet is nice. I love the background.

Velvet isn't on my recommended list. The synopsis and cover were screaming 'Read this book. Read me. Please read me.' Velvet didn't reach my standards. However I did learn some things about 'psychics'. The secrets of psychics revealed by Velvet and some other characters were fascinating...more

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Feb 24, 2013 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, historical, paranormal

*Spoilers included*

This book was a quick read. Very large font and quick chapters (which I liked the added touch of the chapter titles)

Velvet is a young girl (at least sixteen years old, but we are never told her exact age) who is an orphan and has to work a grueling job as a laundress. Enter Madame Savoya who sweeps in to save Velvet and offer her a job in her own home. Then Velvet gets caught up in the "spiritualism" and fancy lifestyle that Madame provides.

George: I really really didn't like...more

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Oct 10, 2012 Joannah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: field-review, own

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and had a hard time putting it down for any length of time. It is light historical fiction with a tiny bit of romance, a lot of intriguing concepts, and in my opinon well-fleshed out characters. I think this book is great for female readers age 11+, though younger fans of Mary Downing Hahn would likely enjoy it as well.

I love the section at the back of the book (referring to the advance uncorrected proof edition) that includes Hooper's inspiration for Velvet and m...more

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Jun 07, 2013 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Incroyable ! C'est le mot que je choisirais pour définir ce livre. Malgré quelques passages un peu longs et par lesquels j'ai été déçue, cette lecture m'a énormément plu.

La première chose qui m'a frappée dans ce livre, c'est l'objet en lui-même. Avec cette main qui traverse cette porte, jai trouvé cette couverture interpelante, attirante. De plus, le format du livre est peu commun. Plus étroit que la norme, il paraît allongé tout en ayant les coins arrondis. Rien que pour tout cela, je trouvais...more Incroyable ! C'est le mot que je choisirais pour définir ce livre. Malgré quelques passages un peu longs et par lesquels j'ai été déçue, cette lecture m'a énormément plu.

La première chose qui m'a frappée dans ce livre, c'est l'objet en lui-même. Avec cette main qui traverse cette porte, jai trouvé cette couverture interpelante, attirante. De plus, le format du livre est peu commun. Plus étroit que la norme, il paraît allongé tout en ayant les coins arrondis. Rien que pour tout cela, je trouvais que ce roman avait sa place dans ma bibliothèque.

Une fois le livre commencé, nous faisons immédiatement connaissance avec Velvet. Au fil des pages, je me suis attachée à elle. C'est une jeune fille entière, honnête, un peu naïve mais j'ai beaucoup aimé son caractère. Par contre, j'ai nettement moins aimé ceux de Madame et de George et j'aurais aimé voir Lizzie et Charlie plus présents.

Quant à la plume de l'auteure, elle est certes accessible puisqu'il s'agit d'un livre jeunesse mais je l'ai trouvée tout de même travaillée et très belle. J'ai également trouvé les notes de bas de page expliquant du vocabulaire et donnant des indications historiques lorsque cela est nécessaire très appréciables. Les quelques notes à la fin de l'histoire sont très intéressantes également. C'est chouette que derrière l'intrigue, il y ait aussi un but plus pédagogique, si je puis dire.

De plus, grâce à ces commentaires, l'auteure permet à ses lecteurs d'être totalement immergés dans l'ambiance du tout début XXème siècle, à Londres puisqu'ils ont la possibilité de s'imaginer un décor très précis. Pour ma part, en tout cas, je n'ai eu aucun mal à m'en imprégner et j'ai adoré voir défiler sous mes yeux, en même temps que les mots, les belles robes, la misère, les demeures décrites tout au long du roman. J'ai trouvé l'atmosphère et le décor plaisants, prenants, passionnants.

[SPOILER]
Comme le laisse entendre le résumé, le spiritisme occupe une très grande place dans l'histoire. Thème original, cela m'a tout de suite rendue très curieuse de ce que j'allais trouver dans ce roman. Et c'est à ce niveau que se situe ma déception. En effet, contrairement à Velvet, j'ai très vite compris que nous étions en présence d'une énorme arnaque. Du coup, pendant pas mal de pages, je me suis demandée quand elle allait enfin se rendre compte du subterfuge. C'est un passage qui m'a assez agacée en fait.
[/SPOILER]

Malgré cela, j'ai été surprise par certains évènements, pour mon plus grand bonheur ! Mary Hooper mène son récit d'une main de maître !

En quelques mots :

Malgré des passages où je me suis quelque peu ennuyée, j'ai adoré cette lecture. Le décor, l'écriture, le personnage de Velvet, l'intrigue, les moments de surprise, tout était fait pour me plaire. C'était ma première rencontre avec Mary Hooper mais je compte bien ne pas en rester là. D'ailleurs, sa série "La Maison du magicien" me fait très envie.(less)

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Sep 10, 2012 AshleyiSee rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Homeless and starving, Velvet was fortunate to find a job at Ruffold’s Steam Laundry and a tiny room to call her own. In 1900 Victorian England, she fights for survival every day against the heat and backbreaking labour. When an opportunity arises for a higher position, Velvet works her fingers to the bone keep her role as a personal laundress for the wealthy spiritual medium Madame Sayoya.

However, mistakes do happen and Velvet is fired. By a stroke of luck she is welcomed into the home of her...more Homeless and starving, Velvet was fortunate to find a job at Ruffold’s Steam Laundry and a tiny room to call her own. In 1900 Victorian England, she fights for survival every day against the heat and backbreaking labour. When an opportunity arises for a higher position, Velvet works her fingers to the bone keep her role as a personal laundress for the wealthy spiritual medium Madame Sayoya.

However, mistakes do happen and Velvet is fired. By a stroke of luck she is welcomed into the home of her best client. Now a part of the spiritual community, Velvet follows the rules to a T to ensure every séance of Madame’s goes without issue. She falls in love with Madame’s handsome assistant George and plans her future of finery. As time passes, cracks form in her wonderful world and Velvet must face her past and confront dangerous secrets.

Velvet takes an age-old story of a struggling girl in London during a period when fortune-tellers, mediums and paying for spiritual consultants were a fashionable hobby. Mary Hooper takes it a step further by weaving other historical aspects that are less flattering about this time period. It’s an easy and engrossing read that will keep you turning pages to learn more about how mediums tricked innocent patrons and if Velvet can survival being stuck in a web of lies.

I’ve always had a fondness for historical fiction. Perhaps it began with C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia books. I was always fascinated by historical England just as much as what occurred in Narnia. I absolutely feel in love with the imagery and storytelling of Victorian England. It’s extra enjoyable when part of the setting is around the corner from where one presently lives. Hooper does her research and she does it well. The tone, the language and the events of story are so engaging without being dry. The only criticism I have the book is how weak at times Velvet appears, and although I understand it’s a period equation, that’s how women behaved back then. I can’t help but wish there was a bit more spunk to her character. If this title is on your to-read list, get it read! It’s a great YA book that’s got some romance but has more depth by placing survival as the main focus.
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Aug 22, 2012 Salima Korri rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, i-own-this-physical, historical-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Yet another fine work from best selling author and one of my favourate historical fiction writers, Mary Hooper. And this time she has decided to write about Medium-ship and the world of the spirits which I personally thought was wonderfully approached by bringing the Victorian period to life right from the working conditions in the slums of London and the family get together of Christmas day to the Luxurious life of Mediums and the horrible ways of Baby Farms.

Immediately after reading the blurb...more Yet another fine work from best selling author and one of my favourate historical fiction writers, Mary Hooper. And this time she has decided to write about Medium-ship and the world of the spirits which I personally thought was wonderfully approached by bringing the Victorian period to life right from the working conditions in the slums of London and the family get together of Christmas day to the Luxurious life of Mediums and the horrible ways of Baby Farms.

Immediately after reading the blurb you can guess what the story will be about. A girl called Velvet, comes to live with a Medium and becomes her assistant, due to circumstances, to help Madame Savoya in the world of Fortune Telling. However 'she is not what she seems to be'. Obviously everyone can already guess that Madame Savoya, the medium, is most probably a fraud so what is the point of reading a book with such a simple plot? Well actually seventy five percent of the book tricks you in to thinking that certainly this plot has a twist because when you read about Madame Savoya, you can't help but think how amazing and talented she is and kind and generous to Velvet after saving her from the horrible Laundry factory so she cannot possibly be a fraud. This shows that the plot is very strong indeed and has you hooked on the book right till the end.

I really liked Madame Savoya at first and I just thought how cruel Mary Hooper was to twist Madame's identity like this because I simply adored her glamorous and elegant character only to know at the end that she is very very sneaky. Right from the beginning of Velvet's horrible life with an abusive father to her working at the Laundry and right until Madame saves her and shelters Velvet under her own roof; I thought that was really nice of Madame to do so and I really thought that this Medium was not at all like the others and I was on the verge of believing that Madame did have a spiritual talent of communicating with the 'Other Side'

Mary Hooper has certainty tricked her readers to believing the beautifully written and described hoaxes that Madame Savoya put on show to her clients. To top it off there a certain handsome gentleman, George that grasped my heart and I really thought that there was something romantic going on with Velvet and Madame Savoya's assistant. Only right at the end it is later discovered by Velvet they are both frauds due to circumstances and I cannot believe George's appalling behaviour of kissing Velvet when he was married to Madame Savoya all along!!

But the ending, however, was what I loved the most because of Charlie one of the most funny characters in the book. When I first read about him I thought that he would make a pretty good match with Velvet but she then falls for George which I thought was an even better match. Charlie helped Velvet through out the story and I found it simply sweet how he kept on persisting that she go on marrying him, which she does do by accepting his proposal at the end after finding the horrible truth of the residents at Darkling Villa.

All the characters were very well developed and each of them had their own little story of their own and then they are all linked again. I especially liked Lizzie (Which I keep saying for every character), Velvet's best friend. This book is also about friendship because when Velvet leaves Lizzie at the Laundry to work at a luxurious villa, Velvet does not give up on her best friend and keeps in touch with her and also asks her to help her unmask the terrible Madame Savoya after she has her suspicions.

I also liked how Mary Hooper not only wrote the story (obviously because she had to) but I liked how there was this sort of side story with Madame Savoya and her private sittings. This really stood out because at first I didn't quite understand why Mary had included this, apart from giving the readers a clear understanding of Seances, but once again this side story was then linked with the main one only to reveal yet another twist with 'Mr Grey'. It was also a reinforcement to help the readers find out more about Madame Savoya and her Medium-ship skills but most importantly it was a way to tell the readers how she was a fraud.

Another element that made the book a success was the fact that Mary has included names, facts and stories of real people in this particular time which I thought was very interesting to read in to and intrigued me to read more about especially Conan Doyle, the author of Sherlock Holmes.

What really won me over for this book was the skillful writing of describing a rich and vivid life of a Medium and what it took to become a successful one. Mary Hooper has successfully achieved in researching Mediums and has written lengthy descriptions of the tricks and hoaxes they had up their sleeves which goes to show how well researched this book was especially the detailed summary at the end of the story which I though was kind of Mary Hooper to include for the readers to understand more about the Victorian and Edwardian era right from Mediums, Baby Farms and the work of Women in the late 1800 and early 1900.

I definitely enjoyed this book and found it utterly enthralling and will be on the look out for more of her wonderful books.
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Mar 29, 2012 Mįčhēłłë rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: awesome-covers

When I got this book from my library, I first thought that it was going to be quite boring because it's in the historical fiction genre. When I first started reading it, I believed I was right, but then as I got about half way through I found it quite intriguing.

Velvet, by Mary Hooper is about an orphaned young lady working at a steam laundry, in Victorian London 1864. When Velvet is taken to live and work for Madame Savoya, she is very excited. Madame Savoya is a spiritual medium, who passes me...more When I got this book from my library, I first thought that it was going to be quite boring because it's in the historical fiction genre. When I first started reading it, I believed I was right, but then as I got about half way through I found it quite intriguing.

Velvet, by Mary Hooper is about an orphaned young lady working at a steam laundry, in Victorian London 1864. When Velvet is taken to live and work for Madame Savoya, she is very excited. Madame Savoya is a spiritual medium, who passes messages between the dead and the living. They become good friends, and George, who Velvet starts getting feelings for. After a few months of working for Madame discovers that Madame Savoya and George are not what they seem to be, and have been lying to Velvet.

The main theme is historical fiction, with a bit of romance in it. The topic was about mediums and spiritualists, and how they fooled heart-broken people into thinking that they really could contact their loved ones on 'the other side'. I found learning about the spiritual amd conning world quite fascinating. I liked this book because the ending gave me a surprise that Madame and George were frauds, and the romance between George, Velvet, and Charlie. Though I think the private sittings with 'Lady Blue', 'Mrs Lilac', and 'Mr Gray', was a waste of time.

When Velvet had to steal the baby from the baby farm, she was horrified to see what Mrs Dyer was doing. Mrs Dyer was acting as a nanny, taking care of babies. Their mothers were too young and unwedded to care for their children themselves. The unlicensed nannies would silently kill the babies, and tell their mothers that they had died of natural causes. I also found it shocking, and chilling that anyone would even think about doing something like that. The information at the back of the book was also very interesting and helpful.

Mary Hooper wrote this book for a young adult audience, and Anyone interested in the history of spiritual works. I would reccomend this book to young teenagers, especially those who like a light romance, and a bit of betrayal.

3 stars out of 5

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Aug 13, 2011 Kirsty (overflowing library) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-books, signed, uk-author

Velvet is one of those books which I love to read: Historical fiction which isn't weighy or dry with awesome characters I can relate to and an engaging storyline.

The thing I liked most about this book was the main character Velvet. She is a really interesting character and I enjoyed following her story from being an orphaned washer woman to become lady servant to one of the most prestigious mediums in the city. I loved how she was both quite streetwise in how she had had to look after herself an...more Velvet is one of those books which I love to read: Historical fiction which isn't weighy or dry with awesome characters I can relate to and an engaging storyline.

The thing I liked most about this book was the main character Velvet. She is a really interesting character and I enjoyed following her story from being an orphaned washer woman to become lady servant to one of the most prestigious mediums in the city. I loved how she was both quite streetwise in how she had had to look after herself and in the way she had lived since she had been on her own but also quite naive as well especially when it came to the the world of mediums. There were so many things in front of her eyes that just were quite right but she was so innocent in believing that she had been told that she didn't question the obvious things that were right in front of her for a long while.

The main focus of the story is the world of spiritualists and mediums and looks at how they made their business in the Victorian Era by conning people out of their money by playing on their weaknesses whilst they were grieving. I found it really fascinating and enjoyed finding out more about this world.

Another reason why I really liked this book was because it gave you a real sense of the history and was well researched. I am a big fan of historical fiction that gives the reader a real sense of period whilst not overburdening them with minor irrelevant details that do nothing more than make the story too weight and therefore a bit dry. This novel found that right balance and included some really interesting insights to victorian society, using Old Bailey Records no less, which I did not really know anything about. The part I found most chilling was the bit where Velvet visits a baby farm which was absolutely horrific.

The storyline for this book was really compelling for all the reasons I have already mentioned but also because it was nice and pacey meaning I didn't have a moment to get bored. Definitely one of the books out of the massive pile I have read this summer which I will be recommending regularly to others and certainly an author I am keen to read more of.

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Oct 13, 2011 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, read-in-2011

I've always thought I disliked historical fiction, but Velvet really changed my mind. Having won a set of Mary Hooper's historical novels from Wondrous Reads I figured I should at least give them a go and I'm glad I did.

The interweaving of historical fact with a fascinating fictional tale was superb. The author doesn't dilute the story with boring unnecessary history, rather keeping everything relevant whilst still being descriptive enough to evoke a great tale of Victorian/Edwardian Britain (t...more

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Feb 12, 2013 Courtney rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, teen-fiction

Velvet is an orphan and working in a laundry in London. The year is 1899 and times are tough for young women with no one to support them. Velvet figures this is about as good as it's going to get, especially since she has secrets to hide. She has a small room that she rents and mostly gets enough to eat. When she has a fainting spell, she is eventually promoted to doing laundry for the more wealthy clients. Velvet acquires the regular duties of laundering the clothes of Madame Savoya, a prominen...more

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Sep 26, 2011 Teresa rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have been avid fan of Mary Hooper ever since I read the wonderful Newes From The Dead and I haven’t been disappointed with any of her historical novels for children either, Fallen Grace was especially good with its focus on the Victorians’ obsession with death and mourning.

Velvet, our eponymous heroine, has not had an easy life – losing her mother, then neglected by an abusive, gambling father and eventually orphaned. The only thing keeping her from the workhouse is her daily drudgery in the s...more I have been avid fan of Mary Hooper ever since I read the wonderful Newes From The Dead and I haven’t been disappointed with any of her historical novels for children either, Fallen Grace was especially good with its focus on the Victorians’ obsession with death and mourning.

Velvet, our eponymous heroine, has not had an easy life – losing her mother, then neglected by an abusive, gambling father and eventually orphaned. The only thing keeping her from the workhouse is her daily drudgery in the steam laundry but Velvet aspires to greater things. Fate intervenes in the shape of the mysterious Madame Savoya, kin to the Romanovs, who is becoming one of the most popular spiritual mediums in London at a time when spiritualism is all the rage. Naturally Velvet jumps at the chance of becoming Madame’s maid/helper and, at first, she is dazzled by the glamour and excitement of her new life. Gradually the seeds of doubt are sown but discovering the truth could have fatal consequences.

Mary Hooper has the knack of drawing her readers straight in from the opening lines – you feel the intense heat and claustraphobic atmosphere of the steam laundry, you feel the tense expectation of the audience at her seances, you feel the desperation of those who will pay any price to have one more moment with their deceased loved ones. The inclusion of real-life characters such as the renowned Spiritualist, Arthur Conan Doyle and infamous Baby Farm murderer, Amelia Dyer, adds texture and depth to this gripping story. The fictional characters are all fully fleshed, flaws and all, especially Velvet’s fatal flaw – vanity. I love the way I always learn something new by reading Mary Hooper’s historical novels without feeling I’m back in the classroom. Her Historical Notes at the back of the book are particularly useful with the extra information on Baby Farms and Spiritualism.

Aimed at age 12+, this is an extremely engaging read for folk of any age who like a touch of warmth and zest in their historical fiction.

You can find up to date information on Mary hooper on her facebook page and she also contributes to a wonderful historical fiction blog The History Girls.

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Sep 12, 2011 Jessica (Jess Hearts Books) rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have a huge interest in stories about mediums and spirits especially those set in the Victorian/Edwardian period when spiritualism was at its peak. So reading Velvet a fictional yet realistic account on mediumship during that time was fascinating to me. Mary Hooper mixes fiction with fact and spins a realistic and creepy portrayal on what it might have been like working for a respected and popular medium during that time.

Velvet is my first book by Mary Hooper and I can certainly see why she is...more I have a huge interest in stories about mediums and spirits especially those set in the Victorian/Edwardian period when spiritualism was at its peak. So reading Velvet a fictional yet realistic account on mediumship during that time was fascinating to me. Mary Hooper mixes fiction with fact and spins a realistic and creepy portrayal on what it might have been like working for a respected and popular medium during that time.

Velvet is my first book by Mary Hooper and I can certainly see why she is such a popular author! Mary has the rare ability to submerge the reader entirely in the past and learn something about life during that time without it ever feeling like a history lesson. Mary makes her characters and situations relatable to the reader and whilst the plot is rich with history it above all is a good story that will captivate any reader whether your particularly interested in history or not.

The main thing I loved about Velvet was the fascinating and at times creepy plot. The story is rich with suspense and intrigue and I, like our main character Velvet, was swept up in trying to find out if the mediums, particularly Madame Savoya, were what they seemed.

Despite all the sinister goings on Velvet still manages to find time for romance something I think all female readers will appreciate and Velvet’s boy troubles make this heroine from another time relatable to modern teens. I really liked the characters of Charlie and Lizzie Velvet’s friends and couldn’t help but feel sympathy towards Velvet after everything she’s had to go through, she’s really a character you want the best for.

The only thing that let this book down for me was that I felt the ending was a bit abrupt. Once the big climax was unleashed everything else sort of trailed off and I would have liked a bit more closure regarding some things.

Overall I found Velvet to be a highly engrossing read that I couldn’t wait to escape into each night. If you’re looking for a realistic ghost story or simply a good historical read I would highly recommend this book and will definitely be looking to read more by Mary Hooper.(less)

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May 16, 2013 K.C. Hilton rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

First things first. I loved the feel and look of the small hardback and when I opened the book, I was surprised to see the font size so large. For some odd reason, I thought that this book was going to be a little scary. I'm so glad it wasn't! LOL.

I really enjoyed reading this book because it was an interesting topic. It took a while to set the scene (page 82), but when it did I was sucked in. The detail of the laundry shops, the way the poor lived and baby farms were awesome! I love learning ne...more

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Feb 26, 2013 Jo rated it 4 of 5 stars

An excellent read. I found this book in the young adult section and I was very pleasantly surprised y it. The story of Velvet is played out at the end of the Victorian era when she goes to work as an assistant to Madame Savoya a famous medium. The book takes us through the glamourous lifestyle of the acclaimed mediums of the day to the squalor of the dreadful baby farms. Velvet is at first a great believer in the skills of Madame Savoya and it takes quite some time for her to realise that all ma...more

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Nov 17, 2012 Kim McGee rated it 4 of 5 stars

Excellent example of Victorian hocus pocus and paranormal hijinks. Kitty, after living her childhood trapped in a house of abuse and poverty, changes her name to Velvet and begins to fend for herself at a laundry in London. Soon she is lucky enough to catch a break and becomes an assistant to a medium and goes to live in a fashionable townhouse. Her past comes back to haunt her as she becomes increasingly pulled into the life of Madam's seances and business dealings. It doesn't hurt that Madam's...more

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Jan 10, 2013 Lin rated it 2 of 5 stars

Some spoilers!

Despite a fun premise, this book suffers from amateurish writing and insufferable characters.

Narratively speaking, it's rather predictable, with twists hidden as subtly as a brick to the eye. The writing itself often resorts to the classic "tell, don't show" when it comes to the characters, especially in making sure we understand Velvet's inner monologue. Her thoughts are always there to ask the questions FOR the reader instead of letting the reader ask them herself.

In addition,...more Some spoilers!

Despite a fun premise, this book suffers from amateurish writing and insufferable characters.

Narratively speaking, it's rather predictable, with twists hidden as subtly as a brick to the eye. The writing itself often resorts to the classic "tell, don't show" when it comes to the characters, especially in making sure we understand Velvet's inner monologue. Her thoughts are always there to ask the questions FOR the reader instead of letting the reader ask them herself.

In addition, there were some things that didn't make any sense. We're told that Charlie is devoted to Velvet because of their friendship as children, but never see, so we're left to just assume that their bond as children was so strong that it provides the framework for his adult obsession with her (this is, as an aside, a pretty flimsy excuse to give Velvet a ridiculously devoted suitor, and it's difficult to see what about her inspires such devotion). For a man so obsessed with Velvet, why did he wait so long before going to see her at the steam laundry? Also, Velvet says that her father had probably paid for an elaborate funeral for himself, but they were weeks behind in rent in a shabby, rat-infested room. Little things like these kept me from getting truly invested.

In addition, Velvet is pretty insufferable as a main character. She is gullible and naive to the point where the narrative almost seems to condescend to her--and most of the characters certainly do. She's also extremely passive as a character, doing whatever Madame or George want her to do, and frequently keeping quiet or ignoring her intuition because she's worried about what George, who she is in love with, will say. BLEH. In addition, she bases most of her decisions around men, and is in turn manipulated by them extraordinarily easily. Even Charlie, ostensibly the 'good' boy, ignores her assertions that she doesn't love him, tells a nurse after saving her from drowning that he's her fiancée and therefore it's okay for him to see her undressed (WHAT), and INFORMS her when she wakes that they'll be getting married soon. In addition, when Velvet 'realizes' she loves him and has always loved him, he says, "of course you do. How were you to have known?" as though her feelings and wishes never meant anything to him (this is further evidenced by his constant inability to call her by her new name). Beyond being predictable, the love triangle ends rather repulsively, almost invoking the condescending sexism of the novels of the actual period this novel takes place in. Strange!

George and Madame were interesting, but in the last few chapters the narrative decides to throw a bunch of reasons to write them off as completely evil as opposed to nuanced, morally dubious people, which erases any interest I might have had in them. Still, I like the premise of them--I almost wish the book had been about them exclusively.

Also, some plot points are not really resolved satisfyingly--I would have liked to have seen more from the Mrs. Fortesque plotline in particular. This subplot was interesting!

Overall, an interesting premise that suffers from poor characters and some awkward writing choices. I wish this had been written in a less hand-holdy way, with perhaps some greater moral ambiguity to give it some depth, because the medium scenes were fun, and I quite like the premise and atmosphere of this book.(less)

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May 12, 2013 Hailee rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical

Hailee Christman
Hooper, M. (2012). Velvet. New York: Bloomsbury.
Historical
Selection process: Reviewed in Booklist, November 15, 2012, retrieved from

In early eighteenth century London, orphaned Velvet works as a laundress in a sweaty factory. After receiving a promotion to become the laundress of a wealthy woman, Madame Savoya, she receives an invitation by Madame herself to attend an "Evening of Mediumship" as a Christmas present. The spiritualism movement is in full effect and people attend ps...more

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Sep 12, 2011 Vivienne Serendipity Reviews rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: to-review

With every new book I read by Mary Hooper, the more she becomes one of my favourite authors. I just adore the way she writes. She is so descriptive in her prose, that I find myself floating off to whichever time in history she is writing about. This book is set in the early 1900's around the time of Queen Victoria's passing and Mary Hooper brings to life that time period with ease. You learn so much from the detailed stories she writes, providing us with an insight into the world during that tim...more With every new book I read by Mary Hooper, the more she becomes one of my favourite authors. I just adore the way she writes. She is so descriptive in her prose, that I find myself floating off to whichever time in history she is writing about. This book is set in the early 1900's around the time of Queen Victoria's passing and Mary Hooper brings to life that time period with ease. You learn so much from the detailed stories she writes, providing us with an insight into the world during that time period.

Within this book we get to delve into the world of spiritualism which was big business during the Victorian age. These people were ruthless and would stop at nothing to scam grieving people out of their inheritances. They would keep inventing new ways to stun their audience into believing they could contact the spirits.

There were certain chapters within the book that really stood out for me. The first one was Christmas Day, where we got to see a true Victorian Christmas through the eyes of Velvet, who had never experienced one before. I found myself rereading this chapter again a couple of times as it was just so beautiful.

The second one that really stood out for me was the chapter describing the seances. I just love reading about the flamboyancy of the Victorian seances and the lengths they will go to fool their paying customers.

I find the whole Victorian seance scene fascinating and would love to have experienced one. I am a great believer in spiritualism and have had enough experiences to be content in my beliefs. Yet it is quite obvious that during Victorian times, they were all scams to make people rich.

I struggled with Violet's innocence a little bit and I wanted to sit her down and give her a good talking to, so that she realised what was actually going on around her. I wanted her to see clearly what was occurring around her, before she became in danger.

I love the way Mary Hooper included famous people from history in her books. In this one we get a glimpse of Arthur Conan Doyle as well as other characters from history such as Amelia Dyer, the baby farmer. The whole baby farming issue really shocked me, I had never heard of such a thing and it really appalled me that babies were treated so badly.

Mary Hooper is excellent at balancing fact with fiction and creates a book that flows beautifully and is easily read. I am definitely a Mary Hooper fan and would recommend this book to others to read it. (less)

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Nov 05, 2012 Gretchen Hohmeyer rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, netgalley, historical-fiction, reviewed, on-amazon

This review originally appeared HERE on my blog, My Life is a Notebook.

2 1/2 stars

Thanks to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for this eARC!

The blurb calls this book “romantic” and “thrilling.” The fact is, this book is neither.

Honestly, I was expecting so much more from this book. The premise was interesting, and Mary Hooper is an established historical fiction writer. Sadly, this book plays on too many historical fiction cliches that bother the heck out of me.

The first problem is the way the book was w...more This review originally appeared HERE on my blog, My Life is a Notebook.

2 1/2 stars

Thanks to Bloomsbury and NetGalley for this eARC!

The blurb calls this book “romantic” and “thrilling.” The fact is, this book is neither.

Honestly, I was expecting so much more from this book. The premise was interesting, and Mary Hooper is an established historical fiction writer. Sadly, this book plays on too many historical fiction cliches that bother the heck out of me.

The first problem is the way the book was written. I have no idea why so many historical fiction books think they need to ramble on like historical pieces of the times. Yes, I understand there is certain language you can and cannot use when writing in historical periods, but we’ve cut out the rambling in modern day books for a reason. This is certainly a personal thing as well, since I prefer all unneccesary words to be cut, but still. It bothers me, and it made me iffy about the book from the get go.

The second was the characters. Apart from Madame Savoya, they were all pretty flat and generic. Velvet annoyed me especially, since she had the potential to be such a strong main character, but then fell into the utterly gullible and naive cliche. She toyed with Charlie (a boy from her past who is inexplicably smitten with her even though she brushes him off at every turn), with whom there was NO connection of any real kind, no matter how much they protested there was, and then she was completely taken in by both Madame Savoya and George, her assistant.

The kicker came with the ending–or rather, the lack thereof. I hit the button on my Kindle for the next slide and NOPE. Nothing. I literally couldn’t believe it. Looking back on those two pages or so, I guess they do suggest an ending, but it’s NOT a finished one. Not by a long shot. The climax is a brief and abrupt thing, then all of the sudden you have TWO pages of falling action and that’s just it. Note that when I say two pages, I’m talking for the screens of my small-as-possible Kindle. I’m not sure if this would even make two pages of book. Before this I was thinking of opimistically giving the book 3 stars, but this just killed the book for me.

I will say, however, that the idea continued to impress me all throughout the story. The intrigue that Hooper worked in was basic at times, but the entire setting–mediumship, etc–was really enjoyable and interesting. I learned a lot both about the real ideas of spiritualism and about how all the hoaxers got away with what they did. This is basically the thread that kept me reading.

I don’t read a lot of historical fiction, but I LOVE the genre. Maybe my standards for what I do read is a little too high, but this book just fell way short of all of them. I wanted so much more from the book, but I found the standard writing style, flat characters and an ending-that-wasn’t. Most of my frustration comes from the fact that I believed this book could be so much more. Hooper has a fantastic idea, but the execution just didn’t fit.(less)

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Sep 08, 2011 Sophie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, blog-tour, uk-author

I’m rather picky about my historical fiction so I’m always hesitant when starting a novel whose historical fiction I’ve never read before. I really need to get over that otherwise I may never have read the very awesome Velvet!

Mary Hooper’s depiction of Victorian London is rich, vivid and full of life. Velvet’s days in the steam laundry were full of hard graft and dangerous conditions and I could almost feel the sweltering heat and claustrophobic conditions that the laundry girls suffered for rid...more I’m rather picky about my historical fiction so I’m always hesitant when starting a novel whose historical fiction I’ve never read before. I really need to get over that otherwise I may never have read the very awesome Velvet!

Mary Hooper’s depiction of Victorian London is rich, vivid and full of life. Velvet’s days in the steam laundry were full of hard graft and dangerous conditions and I could almost feel the sweltering heat and claustrophobic conditions that the laundry girls suffered for ridiculously long hours every day. And then there was Velvet’s desperation to keep her job because of the horror of being poor at the turn of the century only to be rescued by one of London’s most popular clairvoyants, Madame Savoya.

And what a world Madame Savoya introduced Velvet to! Madame Savoya’s world is lavish and romantic and completely enthralling. I loved the way that the fads of mediums changed and developed and how their showmanship got even more extravagant. This was then reflected in their clothes, house and everything else about their lives. It was fascinating to see how they adapted to these changes and how necessary it was for them to do so for them to survive. The world of Victorian mediums is dark and slightly disturbing in the lengths they went to extract money from people drowning in grief.

It was this that Velvet struggled with later on in the novel. For most of Velvet she struggled where to place her trust and belief and I thoroughly admired that she wanted to do what was right regardless of how badly she would be affected. This was somewhat surprising to me for a time when young girls would sell their illegitimate children to avoid society’s stigma and would beg for jobs that would eventually send them to an early grave. Velvet is a very strong character that is determined to make her way in the world but didn't let her sense of romance or morality slide and I would love to be her friend.

I thoroughly enjoyed Velvet and I’m definitely going to be on the lookout for more of Mary Hooper’s historical fiction.(less)

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Nov 09, 2011 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, historical

4.5 stars.

Having been utterly enamoured of Mary Hooper’s Fallen Grace, I was more than delighted when a copy of Velvet arrived on my doorstep. I’m pleased to say that my anticipation was entirely justified, as Hooper’s latest effort contains many of the same elements that made Fallen Grace so outstanding. Though Velvet is set some forty years after Fallen Grace, there are a number of parallels that can be drawn between the two, and reading both novels in close succession is certainly a rewarding...more

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May 16, 2012 Caitriona rated it 4 of 5 stars

Purely by chance, I've just read two books in succession about Victorian/Edwardian mediums. The first, 'Distant Waves', was set in New York (the epicentre of the spiritualist movement) and very much believed that there were genuine mediums among the fraudsters. This book was set in London, and very much believed that ALL mediums were fraudulent. Having read both, I must say that 'Velvet' made a better case. It was just more believable.
For starters, our protagonist here had a lot more grit to her...more

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Nov 10, 2011 Hannah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-mg, historical, stand-alone, ghosts

Once again Mary Hooper manages to bring the Victorian period to life with such ease, from the luxury of carriages and jewels, to how Victorians spent their Christmas day, and the hardships of living from hand-to-mouth. So many details and historical facts are packed into the story making it feel so authentic and real.

We also get to see what the life of a medium was like in the height of spiritualism. Whilst more and more people were coming around to the idea that mediums were often fraudulently...more Once again Mary Hooper manages to bring the Victorian period to life with such ease, from the luxury of carriages and jewels, to how Victorians spent their Christmas day, and the hardships of living from hand-to-mouth. So many details and historical facts are packed into the story making it feel so authentic and real.

We also get to see what the life of a medium was like in the height of spiritualism. Whilst more and more people were coming around to the idea that mediums were often fraudulently tricking grieving widows out of their money, there were still many ardent believers that they could commune with the other side. To keep their wealthy clients and fight off any suspicions, mediums had to be increasingly clever about the way they worked and the level of communing they performed. I wondered what parlour tricks Madame might be using, and would have liked to have learnt in more detail of the methods mediums used to 'prove' they were really in the presence of the deceased.

Madame Savoya's lifestyle is one of luxury and decadence. Like Velvet I couldn't help but be entranced by her charisma, pretty clothes, her royal Russian ancestry and apparent skill as a medium. But knowing what we know now about mediums, I often thought Velvet was naive and unquestioning of her new life. Considering she knew of tricks used by mediums and was warned by others, Velvet still lived in ignorance. Perhaps because she felt so indebted to Madame, and the alternative would be living back in poverty, I can understand why Velvet didn't want to think too much on the matter.

Also creeping into the story was baby-farms. A sad and horrific part of our history, baby-farms were unlicensed 'nannies' with whom young, poor women out of wedlock left their babes. To save money however these children were drugged and starved or even drowned. The fact that the young mothers were too ashamed to report the death of their children, meant that the farms continued to exist. The realities of these harsh times are apparent in the story, and what I like is that you learn so much about the time period, both good and bad, that history becomes interesting.

Velvet is another mysterious and fabulous historical YA from Mary Hooper who has fast become a top author in the genre.

Rating: 4*(less)

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Jul 17, 2012 Carly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: for-review

I simply cannot express how much I loved this book! I was instantly intrigued the main characters name 'Velvet' and she doesn't just have an interesting name, she is such a charming, likable character. The second thing that had me hooded was the storyline being focused around a clairvoyant, something that is of great interest to me. Mary Hooper's writing style is fabulous and had me flipping through the pages as fast and I possibly could. Velvet is a real winner, with it's wonderful storyline th...more I simply cannot express how much I loved this book! I was instantly intrigued the main characters name 'Velvet' and she doesn't just have an interesting name, she is such a charming, likable character. The second thing that had me hooded was the storyline being focused around a clairvoyant, something that is of great interest to me. Mary Hooper's writing style is fabulous and had me flipping through the pages as fast and I possibly could. Velvet is a real winner, with it's wonderful storyline that is full of mystery, twists, turns and shockers, an amazing main character who's naivety is charming, and stunning writing that will have you glued to the pages from start to finish. A definite must read book!

Velvet is an orphan, she works her fingers to the bone in a steam laundry just to try and scrape by. She gets moved to another part of the laundry, handling the really wealthy peoples garments. but Velvet has an accident with one of the garments belonging to a wealthy client called Madame Savoya. She is sacked for her mistake and told to work to the end of the week. So you can imagine Velvet's surprise when she turns up for work the next day and Madame Savoya herself is waiting to see her.

Madame asks Velvet to come work for her in her grand house. Velvet can't believe her luck and eagerly accepts. She becomes entranced with all the finery in Madame's house and she really looks up to all the kind work she does for people using her clairvoyant skills. But all to soon Velvet realises that all is not what it seems with Madame Savoya! She is left not knowing what to do or who to trust, if she speaks out of turn to the wrong person she could put her own life in danger!

The ending is brilliant, I actually didn't think it would go quite like it did. I was thrilled for everyone involved and I really don't think it could of worked out better. Everyone needs to pick up Velvet, I really don't think you will be disappointed.

Favourite Character:

Madame Savoya: She is elegant, glamorous, sneaky and she plays her part really well. She is so intimidating and she would easily reel you in, if you let her!

*Special thanks to Bloomsbury for the review copy*

5/5 Stars

Carly :)
http://fictionfascination.blogspot.co...(less)

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Feb 03, 2013 Leanne rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, historical-fiction, paranormal, likeable-female-protag

This is the third book by Mary Hooper that I've read, and I've always enjoyed how she's able to drop in historical facts without being info-dumpy, as well as keeping the tone and voice of the narrative and characters accurate (so far as I can tell) to the time period.

And this book held my interest for the first 2/3rds, but then fell a little flat for me.

(view spoiler)...more

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Feb 14, 2013 Lizzy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

Best Bits: Fall is my favorite time to read historical fiction. I'm not really sure if it's the setting, description, or characters...but there's something extremely satisfying about being transported into another time as the weather changes around me. Velvet begins her story working in a steam laundry, and eventually finds her way into the home of a medium. There she experiences things that she never believed she would, and the reader gets a taste of what life was like for both the very poor an...more

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