The Master of Liversedge
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The Master of Liversedge
by Alice Chetwynd Ley
Edition: ARC, 2018
Synopsis: William Arkwright, the master of Liversedge Mill, is a proud yet lonely man.
The mill seems to be his only interest in life and his young step-sister Caroline is the only person able to bring a smile to his face.
But Liversedge Mill is in trouble as the Luddite rebellion sweepings through the north.
Workers are conspiring to smash machines and terrorise their masters.
Mary Lister, Caroline’s new governess, arrives on a night of violence and death.
Having been forced by the snowy track to travel the last part of her journey in a small farm waggon, crouched under a tarpaulin, Mary is confronted by uproar.
The Luddites somehow discover that the wagon in which Mary was a passenger was carrying shearing frames — and they are out to smash the lot …
Shaken and confused Mary finally reaches the Mill.
Confronted by her haughty employer, Mary is determined not to let William’s over-bearing nature ruin her spirits.
During the stormy weeks that follow her arrival, Mary is torn between her sympathy for the poor and downtrodden of the rebellion and her unwilling admiration for the inimitable Master of Liversedge.
Who will she side with?
Her head or her heart.
The Master of Liversedge is a gripping historical romance from a master story-teller.
Based on contemporary accounts of the Luddite uprisings in Yorkshire in 1812, we follow Mary Lister, who is a new governess in a family defending their mill. William Arkwright has little patience with Miss Lister, and her cousin who has Luddite sympathies. Can these two overcome their differences in a time of turmoil?
What I loved about this was the level of historical detail and accuracy. I felt the desperation of the mill workers who were losing their livelihood. I understood the mill owner trying to keep his business relevant and productive. Mary;s viewpoint as the outsider observing it all was perfect to show all sides.
The one point I did not enjoy was the romance. Mary and Mr. Arkwright may have spent time together, but they did nothing but argue. I in no way saw what attracted Mary, though see why Mr. Arkwright would be attracted to the sweet and innocent governess.
Overall, it is a enjoyable look to a troubled time. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy fictional telling of events that really happened.
