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The Mistress of Nothing
by Kate Pullinger
by Kate Pullinger
Julie Smith (Knitting and Sundries)'s review
bookshelves: galley, galley-grab, reviewed
Jan 12, 11
bookshelves: galley, galley-grab, reviewed
Read on January 03, 2011
This review first appeared on my blog: http://jewelknits.blogspot.com/2011/0...
In 1862, Sally Naldrett is 30 years old, orphaned at a young age when her parents, Battersea shopkeepers, were killed in a train derailment in Clapham. She and her sister Ellen were sent to live with their Aunt Clara, who, unwilling to feed two more mouths, sent both of them out to service jobs as quickly as she could. Working her way up from a lowly scullery maid, Sally is now lady's maid to Lady Duff Gordon (Lucie), fiercely loyal to her lady, with the belief that ladies' maids do not marry, as their first loyalty is to her lady. She has even turned down offers of marriage because her lady needs her. Her lady treats her well, even having taught her to read and write, which many servants can't do.
Lucie is suffering from consumption, and on the advice of her doctors, is going to live in Egypt for her health. Sally has always dreamed of Egypt, traveling to London on her days off to visit her favorite destination, the Egyptian Sculpture Gallery in the museum there. Lucie and Sally travel without Lucie's family to Egypt, and this is the story of their stay and of the journeys they took while there. Even more, it is a story of Sally becoming a woman of her own while still remaining loyal to her lady and of the slowly unraveling path of loyalty, friendship, and betrayal that Sally experiences.
Based on a true story (part of which is chronicled in Lady Duff's "Letters from Egypt"), and told from Sally's perspective, you will marvel with her at the wonders of Egypt, worry with her about the health of her lady, rejoice with her when she finally gets a taste of her own love, and sorrow for her at the result. Told in wonderfully evocative prose, this is a sweeping tale that will pull you in and not let you go until it's bittersweet end.
QUOTES (from an ARC; may be different in final version):
My lady had come to Egypt to evade death, but in Egypt I found life.
At times on our travels I fancied us a tribe of thieves, my Lady, Omar and me. We were stealing time, creating our own world, new lives for us all together, in Luxor, on the Nile, in Egypt, we three. But I smashed all this; I destroyed my lady's peace.
I hated her beautifully; my hatred was polished and hard and shiny and, truth be told, at times it sustained me.
BOOK RATING: 4.5 out of 5 stars
In 1862, Sally Naldrett is 30 years old, orphaned at a young age when her parents, Battersea shopkeepers, were killed in a train derailment in Clapham. She and her sister Ellen were sent to live with their Aunt Clara, who, unwilling to feed two more mouths, sent both of them out to service jobs as quickly as she could. Working her way up from a lowly scullery maid, Sally is now lady's maid to Lady Duff Gordon (Lucie), fiercely loyal to her lady, with the belief that ladies' maids do not marry, as their first loyalty is to her lady. She has even turned down offers of marriage because her lady needs her. Her lady treats her well, even having taught her to read and write, which many servants can't do.
Lucie is suffering from consumption, and on the advice of her doctors, is going to live in Egypt for her health. Sally has always dreamed of Egypt, traveling to London on her days off to visit her favorite destination, the Egyptian Sculpture Gallery in the museum there. Lucie and Sally travel without Lucie's family to Egypt, and this is the story of their stay and of the journeys they took while there. Even more, it is a story of Sally becoming a woman of her own while still remaining loyal to her lady and of the slowly unraveling path of loyalty, friendship, and betrayal that Sally experiences.
Based on a true story (part of which is chronicled in Lady Duff's "Letters from Egypt"), and told from Sally's perspective, you will marvel with her at the wonders of Egypt, worry with her about the health of her lady, rejoice with her when she finally gets a taste of her own love, and sorrow for her at the result. Told in wonderfully evocative prose, this is a sweeping tale that will pull you in and not let you go until it's bittersweet end.
QUOTES (from an ARC; may be different in final version):
My lady had come to Egypt to evade death, but in Egypt I found life.
At times on our travels I fancied us a tribe of thieves, my Lady, Omar and me. We were stealing time, creating our own world, new lives for us all together, in Luxor, on the Nile, in Egypt, we three. But I smashed all this; I destroyed my lady's peace.
I hated her beautifully; my hatred was polished and hard and shiny and, truth be told, at times it sustained me.
BOOK RATING: 4.5 out of 5 stars
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Reading Progress
| 01/03/2011 | page 58 |
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