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Maude Horton's Glorious Revenge
An Arctic expedition. A mysterious death. And the lengths to which one woman will go to avenge her sister
When Maude Horton receives a letter from the British Admiralty informing her of her younger sister’s death, her world is shattered. Bold and daring, Constance had run away from her life in Victorian London two years prior, disguising herself as a boy to board the Makepeace, an expedition vessel bound for the Arctic’s unexplored Northwest Passage. The admiralty claims Constance’s death was a tragic accident, but Maude knows when she is being deceived.
Armed with Constance’s diary from her time at sea and a fiery desire for justice, Maude sets her sights on the Makepeace’s former scientist, Edison Stowe, a greedy and manipulative man whom she suspects had a hand in her sister’s death. When she learns he has a new venture, a travel company that escorts spectators across the country to witness popular public hangings, she decides to join the latest tour, determined to extract the truth from Stowe and avenge her sister—no matter the risk to herself.
From the stark beauty of the Arctic to the teeming streets of Victorian London, Maude Horton’s Glorious Revenge is a mysterious, transportive tale about the unbreakable bond of sisterhood and the things we are driven to do by both love and greed.
When Maude Horton receives a letter from the British Admiralty informing her of her younger sister’s death, her world is shattered. Bold and daring, Constance had run away from her life in Victorian London two years prior, disguising herself as a boy to board the Makepeace, an expedition vessel bound for the Arctic’s unexplored Northwest Passage. The admiralty claims Constance’s death was a tragic accident, but Maude knows when she is being deceived.
Armed with Constance’s diary from her time at sea and a fiery desire for justice, Maude sets her sights on the Makepeace’s former scientist, Edison Stowe, a greedy and manipulative man whom she suspects had a hand in her sister’s death. When she learns he has a new venture, a travel company that escorts spectators across the country to witness popular public hangings, she decides to join the latest tour, determined to extract the truth from Stowe and avenge her sister—no matter the risk to herself.
From the stark beauty of the Arctic to the teeming streets of Victorian London, Maude Horton’s Glorious Revenge is a mysterious, transportive tale about the unbreakable bond of sisterhood and the things we are driven to do by both love and greed.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 16, 2024
220 people are currently reading
10905 people want to read
About the author
Lizzie Pook
2 books187 followersLizzie Pook is an award-winning journalist and travel writer contributing to The Sunday Times, Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, Condé Nast Traveller and more. Her assignments have taken her to some of the most remote parts of the planet, from the uninhabited east coast of Greenland in search of roaming polar bears, to the foothills of the Himalayas to track endangered snow leopards. She was inspired to write Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter, her debut novel, after spending time in north-western Australia researching the dangerous and fascinating pearl-diving industry.
She lives in London.
She lives in London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 499 reviews
December 16, 2023
This was a gripping and chilling book set in both the Arctic and Victorian London. I was invested in the book and the characters and their plight from the very beginning. Told in two timelines, this is a riveting tale of sisters, revenge, greed, love, courage, and adventure.
Maude Horton received a letter from the British Admiralty informing her that sister Constance (Jack Aldridge) has died. No further details were provided. Maude's sister Constance ran away from Victorian London and assumed the identity of Jack Aldridge, so she goes to sea as a boy onboard a ship. Maude goes on a quest to learn the truth, when she is given a copy of her sister's journal from her time aboard the Makepeace in the Arctic, Maude knows that Constance/Jack's death was no accident.
The book is told through the journal entries of Jack Aldridge and through the time in London when Maude is looking for answers. The journal entries describe what life was like onboard the ship, Jack's experiences, and the things Jack witnessed. The journal entries were my favorite part of the book. There is a sense of danger throughout the journal entries. The Arctic is unforgiving, freezing, and stark. The sailors live a rough, harsh, cold life on board. Constance/Jack is at risk for being discovered as being female at any given time and survival was paramount.
I enjoyed both sisters’ bravery and courage. Both sisters went against the norms of their time. I also enjoyed Maude's quest for the truth, her cleverness, and her determination and drive. This book has likeable and unlikeable characters which had me rooting for some and booing and hissing at others. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions which transported me to the past. Speaking of the past, this book does involve whaling, the killing of animals for food, and harsh treatment of animals which may be upsetting to some but were common during that time.
I found this book to be well written, gripping, and full of tension. This was my first book by Lizzie Pook, and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.
Thank you to Alyssa diPierro, and Simone and Schuster who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Maude Horton received a letter from the British Admiralty informing her that sister Constance (Jack Aldridge) has died. No further details were provided. Maude's sister Constance ran away from Victorian London and assumed the identity of Jack Aldridge, so she goes to sea as a boy onboard a ship. Maude goes on a quest to learn the truth, when she is given a copy of her sister's journal from her time aboard the Makepeace in the Arctic, Maude knows that Constance/Jack's death was no accident.
The book is told through the journal entries of Jack Aldridge and through the time in London when Maude is looking for answers. The journal entries describe what life was like onboard the ship, Jack's experiences, and the things Jack witnessed. The journal entries were my favorite part of the book. There is a sense of danger throughout the journal entries. The Arctic is unforgiving, freezing, and stark. The sailors live a rough, harsh, cold life on board. Constance/Jack is at risk for being discovered as being female at any given time and survival was paramount.
I enjoyed both sisters’ bravery and courage. Both sisters went against the norms of their time. I also enjoyed Maude's quest for the truth, her cleverness, and her determination and drive. This book has likeable and unlikeable characters which had me rooting for some and booing and hissing at others. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions which transported me to the past. Speaking of the past, this book does involve whaling, the killing of animals for food, and harsh treatment of animals which may be upsetting to some but were common during that time.
I found this book to be well written, gripping, and full of tension. This was my first book by Lizzie Pook, and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.
Thank you to Alyssa diPierro, and Simone and Schuster who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
January 18, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC. It hasn't affected the content of my review.
Okay, first, I'm going to take the chance here that I'm going to sound ungrateful, but I mean this in the spirit of genuine feedback. Only giving out a PDF file for your ARC does not really encourage readers. It is very hard to read, limiting the devices on which it can be read. I could only read on my phone, which is a guaranteed recipe for not getting me to actually read something. To finish this book, I actually purchased it on pub day via audio and abandoned the ARC I had been given for free because the reading experience on it was so bad.
The audiobook was very well done, though! And I do prefer audio to e-books when there is the chance of that.
So this book was good and I liked it, but spoilers for the rest of this review, it didn't live up to the title, which was going to be my metric on whether or not it got bumped up to four stars. Maude's revenge was indeed revenge, but I wouldn't call it glorious. More like mostly competent.
Maude Horton's Glorious Revenge is a historical fiction novel set in Victorian England, when public hangings were public entertainment, people were still trying to find the Northwest Passage, and the British Empire was in its heyday. Maude's sister Constance disguises herself as a boy and joins an expedition to find the lost ships the HMS Terror and the HMS Erebus*, and when the ship returns she's not on it. She was killed, and no one will tell Maude how or why. Her body, still dressed in its boy's clothes, was left in the Arctic. Maude decides to find out what happened to her sister and do something about it. When her efforts bring her a journal her sister kept while on board, she soon targets the very likely culprit: a man named Edison Stowe, who has recently started a business arranging tours for the wealthy to hangings all across Britain.
*The shipwreck remains were finally found in 2014, and basically all the crew starved to death because the ships were caught in ice floes that wouldn't melt. Dude, they found body parts in cooking pots. It got brutal.
The book is told in varying chapters from Maude, excerpt's from her sister's journal, and from the killer himself, who in a nice touch, never thinks of Constance (Jack, as he knew her) at all. The journal bits were very interesting, seeing Constance in peril, but also seeing the details of what an Arctic sea voyage in the 19th century would have entailed. Maude was interesting to follow, but could have been moreso, and I neither liked nor disliked hearing from Stowe. All of this came down the ending, however, and the titular revenge, and I just don't think the book delivered. The author made the questionable choice to keep Maude's POV distant and hide a lot of her actions from the reader until the very end. This made her look kind of incompetent, and more importantly, just wasn't very fun. If you're planning a revenge plot, let's see some plotting! Of course, save some twists for the end, but I just think it was a bad idea to obscure nearly all of it from us.
A huge problem is that Stowe isn't just being pursued by Maude, but by creditors who have promised him violence. The existence of these creditors does a lot more to harm him than Maude does, in my opinion, and their presence really takes away from any impact she makes on him.
I would say this is mostly a missed opportunity, but I did have a good time listening to it. I wish it could have been a great time, though.
Okay, first, I'm going to take the chance here that I'm going to sound ungrateful, but I mean this in the spirit of genuine feedback. Only giving out a PDF file for your ARC does not really encourage readers. It is very hard to read, limiting the devices on which it can be read. I could only read on my phone, which is a guaranteed recipe for not getting me to actually read something. To finish this book, I actually purchased it on pub day via audio and abandoned the ARC I had been given for free because the reading experience on it was so bad.
The audiobook was very well done, though! And I do prefer audio to e-books when there is the chance of that.
So this book was good and I liked it, but spoilers for the rest of this review, it didn't live up to the title, which was going to be my metric on whether or not it got bumped up to four stars. Maude's revenge was indeed revenge, but I wouldn't call it glorious. More like mostly competent.
Maude Horton's Glorious Revenge is a historical fiction novel set in Victorian England, when public hangings were public entertainment, people were still trying to find the Northwest Passage, and the British Empire was in its heyday. Maude's sister Constance disguises herself as a boy and joins an expedition to find the lost ships the HMS Terror and the HMS Erebus*, and when the ship returns she's not on it. She was killed, and no one will tell Maude how or why. Her body, still dressed in its boy's clothes, was left in the Arctic. Maude decides to find out what happened to her sister and do something about it. When her efforts bring her a journal her sister kept while on board, she soon targets the very likely culprit: a man named Edison Stowe, who has recently started a business arranging tours for the wealthy to hangings all across Britain.
*The shipwreck remains were finally found in 2014, and basically all the crew starved to death because the ships were caught in ice floes that wouldn't melt. Dude, they found body parts in cooking pots. It got brutal.
The book is told in varying chapters from Maude, excerpt's from her sister's journal, and from the killer himself, who in a nice touch, never thinks of Constance (Jack, as he knew her) at all. The journal bits were very interesting, seeing Constance in peril, but also seeing the details of what an Arctic sea voyage in the 19th century would have entailed. Maude was interesting to follow, but could have been moreso, and I neither liked nor disliked hearing from Stowe. All of this came down the ending, however, and the titular revenge, and I just don't think the book delivered. The author made the questionable choice to keep Maude's POV distant and hide a lot of her actions from the reader until the very end. This made her look kind of incompetent, and more importantly, just wasn't very fun. If you're planning a revenge plot, let's see some plotting! Of course, save some twists for the end, but I just think it was a bad idea to obscure nearly all of it from us.
A huge problem is that Stowe isn't just being pursued by Maude, but by creditors who have promised him violence. The existence of these creditors does a lot more to harm him than Maude does, in my opinion, and their presence really takes away from any impact she makes on him.
I would say this is mostly a missed opportunity, but I did have a good time listening to it. I wish it could have been a great time, though.
March 3, 2024
I received this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Maude Horton is determined to avenge her sister Constance, who died on board an Arctic exploration disguised as a ship's boy. Questions around Constance's death plague Maude, as does the man who seems to have been responsible for it. Maude ends up getting closer to the man himself, Edison Stowe, armed with her arsenal of apothecary tinctures and medicines, to get the truth and justice for her sister.
I really liked the premise of this book - and I also enjoyed the time setting this was based in, the mid 1800s with a focus on the public fascination with hangings and other public executions. However, I think the overall story and execution of the plot was a bit disappointing - a story of a sister taking revenge on her sibling's murderer should be juicy and tense, and I felt like the story was flat and lacking in these aspects. I didn't really like that we got so much of Edison's POV as it took away from Maude's journey and therefore we didn't get some scenes that could have been really good in her perspective, but got a little run down of why it had happened instead from her when we switched back. The fact Maude is a chemist and knows her tinctures should have been a really big part of the story but it just wasn't, it was so disappointing.
This book didn't quite deliver to me the story I wanted, and unfortunately it's the second time a Lizzie Pook book has done this to me. I think in terms of historical setting and premise, she writes very well but the actual execution of the plot, the building up and connection with the characters always fall short for me. She tends to have really gorgeous covers that don't end up matching the inside of the book.
Maude Horton is determined to avenge her sister Constance, who died on board an Arctic exploration disguised as a ship's boy. Questions around Constance's death plague Maude, as does the man who seems to have been responsible for it. Maude ends up getting closer to the man himself, Edison Stowe, armed with her arsenal of apothecary tinctures and medicines, to get the truth and justice for her sister.
I really liked the premise of this book - and I also enjoyed the time setting this was based in, the mid 1800s with a focus on the public fascination with hangings and other public executions. However, I think the overall story and execution of the plot was a bit disappointing - a story of a sister taking revenge on her sibling's murderer should be juicy and tense, and I felt like the story was flat and lacking in these aspects. I didn't really like that we got so much of Edison's POV as it took away from Maude's journey and therefore we didn't get some scenes that could have been really good in her perspective, but got a little run down of why it had happened instead from her when we switched back. The fact Maude is a chemist and knows her tinctures should have been a really big part of the story but it just wasn't, it was so disappointing.
This book didn't quite deliver to me the story I wanted, and unfortunately it's the second time a Lizzie Pook book has done this to me. I think in terms of historical setting and premise, she writes very well but the actual execution of the plot, the building up and connection with the characters always fall short for me. She tends to have really gorgeous covers that don't end up matching the inside of the book.
October 29, 2023
This was such an interesting story- I never knew about the tours described within and I always enjoy historical fiction most when I learn something new! I thought the main villain of the story was more interesting than Maude’s character! Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.
November 2, 2023
**2.5 stars - rounded up to 3.
This book...I don't have much to say. I appreciated the author's research that went into the historical aspects of this book and the storyline was interesting enough that I wanted to see how it ended. I also do love a historical fiction. But that was about it for me.
I wasn't able to connect with any of the characters really and I felt the storyline was a bit slow. I think my biggest issue with the book - the unnecessary amount of times that animal death and animal cruelty was talked about. As someone who is sensitive to the topic, I would never have picked up this book, had I known HOW MUCH was spent talking about the animal deaths and cruelty. It was traumatizing and not in a good way. I get that, with an Arctic expedition, its going to come up. But over and over and over and over and over. Not necessary. Add some trigger warnings.
This was not the book for me, and I don't think I would pick up another book from this author in case any other animal topics were as in depth in her previous book or future books.
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an e-arc copy of this book.
This book...I don't have much to say. I appreciated the author's research that went into the historical aspects of this book and the storyline was interesting enough that I wanted to see how it ended. I also do love a historical fiction. But that was about it for me.
I wasn't able to connect with any of the characters really and I felt the storyline was a bit slow. I think my biggest issue with the book - the unnecessary amount of times that animal death and animal cruelty was talked about. As someone who is sensitive to the topic, I would never have picked up this book, had I known HOW MUCH was spent talking about the animal deaths and cruelty. It was traumatizing and not in a good way. I get that, with an Arctic expedition, its going to come up. But over and over and over and over and over. Not necessary. Add some trigger warnings.
This was not the book for me, and I don't think I would pick up another book from this author in case any other animal topics were as in depth in her previous book or future books.
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an e-arc copy of this book.
February 27, 2024
5 giant shiny stars.
1850s Victorian England. Two orphaned sisters are being raised by their grandfather learning all the tricks of the apothecary trade. One sister (disguised as a boy) disappears on a trip to discover the NW Passage. Sister #2 stops at nothing to find her missing sister. This story has one of the NASTIEST BEST villains in my recent memory. Additionally, there's great detail about public hangings (Netflix entertainment of the 1850s), living conditions, food, Arctic explorations, plus plus plus. The storyline is terrific and original, the characters are fresh and believable, the pace is nonstop (I read in one day). So glad I found this one.
1850s Victorian England. Two orphaned sisters are being raised by their grandfather learning all the tricks of the apothecary trade. One sister (disguised as a boy) disappears on a trip to discover the NW Passage. Sister #2 stops at nothing to find her missing sister. This story has one of the NASTIEST BEST villains in my recent memory. Additionally, there's great detail about public hangings (Netflix entertainment of the 1850s), living conditions, food, Arctic explorations, plus plus plus. The storyline is terrific and original, the characters are fresh and believable, the pace is nonstop (I read in one day). So glad I found this one.
September 18, 2024
It’s 1850 and Constance Horton has disappeared. Her older sister, Maude knows that Constance boarded a ship bound for the Arctic, disguised as a boy. She never came home as a result of a ‘tragic accident’.
But Maude isn’t having that. After managing to get her hands on Constance’s Arctic journal her suspicions are confirmed, something is certainly awry. To seek justice Maude needs to do her own detective work, bringing her into contact with the criminals of Victorian London. It’s a dangerous task, but Maude is stronger than she looks…
This was a hugely immersive dive into the past. The early Arctic explorers and Victorian London are subjects that fascinate me so from the start I was hooked. The book also focuses on the macabre fashion of the time of ‘murder sightseeing’, where members of the public would come out in their thousands to attend public hangings, some places even offering hospitality packages, imagine!
The contrast between the crowded slums of London and the vastness and isolation of the Arctic is also intriguing. I honestly can’t tell you which location I preferred most. There are some truly seedy characters within this story and Maude and Constance contrasted with them superbly. Their determination and their bravery made me love them both and I was behind them all the way.
Grisly, macabre, enlightening and utterly fascinating, Maude Horton’s Glorious Revenge was an absolute joy to read.
But Maude isn’t having that. After managing to get her hands on Constance’s Arctic journal her suspicions are confirmed, something is certainly awry. To seek justice Maude needs to do her own detective work, bringing her into contact with the criminals of Victorian London. It’s a dangerous task, but Maude is stronger than she looks…
This was a hugely immersive dive into the past. The early Arctic explorers and Victorian London are subjects that fascinate me so from the start I was hooked. The book also focuses on the macabre fashion of the time of ‘murder sightseeing’, where members of the public would come out in their thousands to attend public hangings, some places even offering hospitality packages, imagine!
The contrast between the crowded slums of London and the vastness and isolation of the Arctic is also intriguing. I honestly can’t tell you which location I preferred most. There are some truly seedy characters within this story and Maude and Constance contrasted with them superbly. Their determination and their bravery made me love them both and I was behind them all the way.
Grisly, macabre, enlightening and utterly fascinating, Maude Horton’s Glorious Revenge was an absolute joy to read.
March 16, 2024
It’s a bit of a slow burn, but it got me towards the end.
Lose a POV and you could easily spent more time giving us Maude and Constance’s backgrounds and abilities and relationship. But a pivotal late scene is really well-written and the last few chapters gave me all the feels, so rounding this one up.
3.5 stars
Lose a POV and you could easily spent more time giving us Maude and Constance’s backgrounds and abilities and relationship. But a pivotal late scene is really well-written and the last few chapters gave me all the feels, so rounding this one up.
3.5 stars
February 25, 2024
Maude Horton’s Lackluster Revenge
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January 7, 2025I set 'Maude Horton's Glorious Revenge' (2024) aside at 33%.
The book was well written. I liked that there was no attempt to present it as if it were a novel that could have been published in 1850. The writing felt contemporary and so did most of the dialogue. I thought that made the book more entertaining and avoided it becoming a pastiche. The use of Constance's first-person journal entries for the past and third-person reporting for the present helped stoke my curiosity and gave the story some variety.
The book was well researched. The historical details were fascinating without being burdensome. It brought 1850s London to life with enough detail to make me very glad not to have been born in that era and it describes life on a small naval ship in as an ordinary seaman, that makes it feel like something that could only be survived with the help of a lot of rum.
Despite all of that, after I'd read the first third of the book, I found myself reluctant to pick it up again. Why? The worlds described, London and the Makepeace voyaging through the Arctic ice, were unpleasant and oppressive. Edison Stowe, the bad guy in the story, has no redeeming attributes. He was the embodiment of Victorian venal entitlement. Constance, the dead sister was reckless and selfish. Maude, the live sister is about to turn to the dark side to get her revenge. It's clear that there is nothing she won't do to make Stowe pay. I can feel the bad things coming and I know they will be vivid, credible and vicious.
I don't want all that nastieness in my head, especially if all I get is a story of self-destructive revenge, so I've set the book aside.
I would like to read more of Lizzie Pook's work, so I'll be giving her debut novel, 'Moonlight and the Pearler's Daughter' (2022) a try.
The book was well written. I liked that there was no attempt to present it as if it were a novel that could have been published in 1850. The writing felt contemporary and so did most of the dialogue. I thought that made the book more entertaining and avoided it becoming a pastiche. The use of Constance's first-person journal entries for the past and third-person reporting for the present helped stoke my curiosity and gave the story some variety.
The book was well researched. The historical details were fascinating without being burdensome. It brought 1850s London to life with enough detail to make me very glad not to have been born in that era and it describes life on a small naval ship in as an ordinary seaman, that makes it feel like something that could only be survived with the help of a lot of rum.
Despite all of that, after I'd read the first third of the book, I found myself reluctant to pick it up again. Why? The worlds described, London and the Makepeace voyaging through the Arctic ice, were unpleasant and oppressive. Edison Stowe, the bad guy in the story, has no redeeming attributes. He was the embodiment of Victorian venal entitlement. Constance, the dead sister was reckless and selfish. Maude, the live sister is about to turn to the dark side to get her revenge. It's clear that there is nothing she won't do to make Stowe pay. I can feel the bad things coming and I know they will be vivid, credible and vicious.
I don't want all that nastieness in my head, especially if all I get is a story of self-destructive revenge, so I've set the book aside.
I would like to read more of Lizzie Pook's work, so I'll be giving her debut novel, 'Moonlight and the Pearler's Daughter' (2022) a try.
November 10, 2024
4.5 stars
March 31, 2024
I thought I would enjoy this one more than I did, but I think it became a problem of Reader + Expectations not fitting with the actual audience or the genre for this book. A lot of the marketing on the back focuses on how it's dark, and a thriller, and a cutting social commentary on Victorian era practices, but I didn't find that at all in my reading.
At first I did like it a lot, it's very clearly well researched. But at about the one third point, I started to feel a tonal dissonance that got on my nerves. The novel wants to approach some very dark and heavy themes, but then skirts around engaging with them. It leaves the tone feeling... I don't know. Off.
The main villain, Edison, was never fully scary to me, but this could be because of the heavy genres I'm used to. Mostly he just seemed inept. The narrative calls him manipulative a few times but bro really can't get anything done. Oh and we mustn't forget that he was weirdly abused by his mother as so many of our tragic male villains ought to be! It added to my frustration a lot.
The rest of my frustration came from my inability to track the logic of the characters sometimes. It often felt like they knew more than they should, as if being fed more information than they had rightfully earned. Added to which, the tense of the book jumps around a lot. The narrative skips over important things happening, I suspect in the interest of injecting suspense, and then backtracks to hastily recap those important things that we didn't get to see. Some easy tricks were relied on for big moments, such as some random mother and baby being in trouble in some indeterminate way as a tool to separate Maude and Edison when things were about to get tense, except I can't for the life of me figure out where the danger was coming from, nor was there ever a resolution much beyond the woman passing the baby into the crowd (??????) and never being mentioned again. And then, when Maude finally does track Edison down again, we find out what happened between them in an aforementioned recap that, for me, totally deflated the tension.
The last couple of chapters won me over a little with the reveal that but that good will was murdered by the fact that the final climax was also skipped and recapped when I am especially annoyed with this moment on a personal note, because a big pet peeve of mine is when major head trauma is treated as a little narrative whoopsie daisy.
I waffled in how to score this book, I suppose it's about a 2.5 or a 5/10 in that I enjoyed somewhere around half of it and really disliked the other half. If it was meant to be a biting social commentary about how Victorian society liked to kill things, it was rather toothless in my opinion. Not much was said by the narrative aside from "look what they did, doesn't it make you uncomfortable?" in a common voyeuristic kind of way that others our past without engaging critically with how much and how little we've changed. At first I was going to round up the score to a 3 given that the things I dislike are definitely personal taste, but the ending was so frustrating.
It is, however, well researched and decently written (confusing tense choices aside), so if you're looking for a text that engages with dark themes without ever being all that uncomfortable, you might enjoy it a lot more than I did.
At first I did like it a lot, it's very clearly well researched. But at about the one third point, I started to feel a tonal dissonance that got on my nerves. The novel wants to approach some very dark and heavy themes, but then skirts around engaging with them. It leaves the tone feeling... I don't know. Off.
The main villain, Edison, was never fully scary to me, but this could be because of the heavy genres I'm used to. Mostly he just seemed inept. The narrative calls him manipulative a few times but bro really can't get anything done. Oh and we mustn't forget that he was weirdly abused by his mother as so many of our tragic male villains ought to be! It added to my frustration a lot.
The rest of my frustration came from my inability to track the logic of the characters sometimes. It often felt like they knew more than they should, as if being fed more information than they had rightfully earned. Added to which, the tense of the book jumps around a lot. The narrative skips over important things happening, I suspect in the interest of injecting suspense, and then backtracks to hastily recap those important things that we didn't get to see. Some easy tricks were relied on for big moments, such as some random mother and baby being in trouble in some indeterminate way as a tool to separate Maude and Edison when things were about to get tense, except I can't for the life of me figure out where the danger was coming from, nor was there ever a resolution much beyond the woman passing the baby into the crowd (??????) and never being mentioned again. And then, when Maude finally does track Edison down again, we find out what happened between them in an aforementioned recap that, for me, totally deflated the tension.
The last couple of chapters won me over a little with the reveal that but that good will was murdered by the fact that the final climax was also skipped and recapped when I am especially annoyed with this moment on a personal note, because a big pet peeve of mine is when major head trauma is treated as a little narrative whoopsie daisy.
I waffled in how to score this book, I suppose it's about a 2.5 or a 5/10 in that I enjoyed somewhere around half of it and really disliked the other half. If it was meant to be a biting social commentary about how Victorian society liked to kill things, it was rather toothless in my opinion. Not much was said by the narrative aside from "look what they did, doesn't it make you uncomfortable?" in a common voyeuristic kind of way that others our past without engaging critically with how much and how little we've changed. At first I was going to round up the score to a 3 given that the things I dislike are definitely personal taste, but the ending was so frustrating.
It is, however, well researched and decently written (confusing tense choices aside), so if you're looking for a text that engages with dark themes without ever being all that uncomfortable, you might enjoy it a lot more than I did.
January 14, 2024
4.5 Stars! Action-packed, alluring, and exceptionally atmospheric!
Maude Horton’s Glorious Revenge is a rich, adventurous tale that sweeps you away to London in 1850 and into the life of the independent, bold Maude Horton who, after learning of her sister’s suspicious death on the Makepeace’s expedition to find the missing explorer Sir John Franklin, embarks on a secret mission of her own, attending ghastly public hangings and befriending the shady Edison Stowe in order to discover what truly happened to her.
The prose is eloquent and vivid. The characters are persistent, clever, and brave. And the plot is a fascinating tale of life, loss, family, bravery, survival, tragedy, danger, forbidden love, sisterhood, and vengeance.
Overall, Maude Horton’s Glorious Revenge is an intriguing, absorbing, meticulous tale by Pook that grabs you from the very first page and does an outstanding job of blending historical facts with fiction that is both compelling and wonderfully immersive.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Maude Horton’s Glorious Revenge is a rich, adventurous tale that sweeps you away to London in 1850 and into the life of the independent, bold Maude Horton who, after learning of her sister’s suspicious death on the Makepeace’s expedition to find the missing explorer Sir John Franklin, embarks on a secret mission of her own, attending ghastly public hangings and befriending the shady Edison Stowe in order to discover what truly happened to her.
The prose is eloquent and vivid. The characters are persistent, clever, and brave. And the plot is a fascinating tale of life, loss, family, bravery, survival, tragedy, danger, forbidden love, sisterhood, and vengeance.
Overall, Maude Horton’s Glorious Revenge is an intriguing, absorbing, meticulous tale by Pook that grabs you from the very first page and does an outstanding job of blending historical facts with fiction that is both compelling and wonderfully immersive.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 17, 2024
4.5 Stars
Steeped in grief, murder and revenge—and told through the dual POVs of Maude, her deceased sister Constance (via journal entries) and Edison Stowe (the man Maude believes is responsible), Lizzie Pook’s second novel is as exquisitely detailed and atmospheric as her first!
After learning of her sisters’ death aboard an arctic expedition vessel (described solely as death by misadventure) Maude (rightfully) wants answers. And after a disastrous confrontation with the Admiralty, Maude suspects a coverup is at hand.
So, when her sister’s secret journal (which details Constance’s journey aboard The Makepeace until moments just before her death) end up in her possession Maude is determined to find out the truth and get her revenge by whatever means necessary.
This was a fabulously plot twisty, rollercoaster of a book! Pook manages to blend the delightfully intriguing mystery of an Agatha Christie novel, with the dark and grisly undertones of Sweeny Todd (minus the cannibalism or musical numbers) that had me well and truly hooked!
The writing was as well researched and intricately detailed as Pook’s debut (which I also loved) weaving historical elements soo seamlessly that it was difficult to tell what was based on fact and what was fiction—which for me, made the narrative even more immersive.
Set during the height of murder mania and the public’s obsession with sensationalism, I was blown away by how vivid the descriptions were. Particularly those from Constance’s POV, which painted a poignantly vivid picture of just how terrifyingly harsh the arctic environment really was for explorers. And given how precarious her own position was, disguised as a cabin boy on a ship full of men—I was on edge the further into the journey (and journal entries) we got.
Impressively, all of our main characters were complex and full of depth. Even Edison (who was my least favourite character) had an intriguing, multifaceted background that (sort of) explained most of his motivations.
Though of course, it was Maude who stole my heart with her heartbreaking earnestness to find closure over her sister’s death. It took courage to do what she does and I couldn’t imagine having to do half of it whilst grieving soo deeply. But, Maude’s dedication (and methodical approach) to justice and revenge was gloriously compelling!
I did go into this expecting it to be more of a slow burn, but was pleasantly surprised by how pacy it was. Which definitely helped to make many of our characters’ riskier decisions seem all the more intense.
If you enjoy twisty, gothic-esque tales of murder most foul and wily women getting their revenge—then you’re gonna absolutely love this! Though do check the TWs beforehand.
Also, a huge thank you to BookBreak UK for the (rather glorious) proof.
Steeped in grief, murder and revenge—and told through the dual POVs of Maude, her deceased sister Constance (via journal entries) and Edison Stowe (the man Maude believes is responsible), Lizzie Pook’s second novel is as exquisitely detailed and atmospheric as her first!
After learning of her sisters’ death aboard an arctic expedition vessel (described solely as death by misadventure) Maude (rightfully) wants answers. And after a disastrous confrontation with the Admiralty, Maude suspects a coverup is at hand.
So, when her sister’s secret journal (which details Constance’s journey aboard The Makepeace until moments just before her death) end up in her possession Maude is determined to find out the truth and get her revenge by whatever means necessary.
This was a fabulously plot twisty, rollercoaster of a book! Pook manages to blend the delightfully intriguing mystery of an Agatha Christie novel, with the dark and grisly undertones of Sweeny Todd (minus the cannibalism or musical numbers) that had me well and truly hooked!
The writing was as well researched and intricately detailed as Pook’s debut (which I also loved) weaving historical elements soo seamlessly that it was difficult to tell what was based on fact and what was fiction—which for me, made the narrative even more immersive.
Set during the height of murder mania and the public’s obsession with sensationalism, I was blown away by how vivid the descriptions were. Particularly those from Constance’s POV, which painted a poignantly vivid picture of just how terrifyingly harsh the arctic environment really was for explorers. And given how precarious her own position was, disguised as a cabin boy on a ship full of men—I was on edge the further into the journey (and journal entries) we got.
Impressively, all of our main characters were complex and full of depth. Even Edison (who was my least favourite character) had an intriguing, multifaceted background that (sort of) explained most of his motivations.
Though of course, it was Maude who stole my heart with her heartbreaking earnestness to find closure over her sister’s death. It took courage to do what she does and I couldn’t imagine having to do half of it whilst grieving soo deeply. But, Maude’s dedication (and methodical approach) to justice and revenge was gloriously compelling!
I did go into this expecting it to be more of a slow burn, but was pleasantly surprised by how pacy it was. Which definitely helped to make many of our characters’ riskier decisions seem all the more intense.
If you enjoy twisty, gothic-esque tales of murder most foul and wily women getting their revenge—then you’re gonna absolutely love this! Though do check the TWs beforehand.
Also, a huge thank you to BookBreak UK for the (rather glorious) proof.
October 22, 2025
Pirmas sakinys: Pradėkime nuo pabaigos, gerai?
Neįtikino. Pradedant dienoraščiu (rašyti tokiu stiliumi ir detalumu laive, plaukiančiame į Arktį? nekalbant apie įrašus poliariniame šaltyje) baigiant epilogu ().
Neįtikino ir kaip detektyvas, neįtikino feministinės natos (). Gotika, paslaptinga mirtis, kelionė į Arktį irgi yra daugiau reklaminiai žodžiai nei knygos esmė. O palyginimas su Stuart'u Turton'u iš viso yra nusikaltimas.
O patiko detalės apie epochą – 1850-ųjų Londoną, laivus ir Arktį. Norisi tikėti, kad autorė pasielgė sąžiningai ir neprikūrė, ko nebuvo.
Romanas priminė nuotykių knygą paaugliams su dabartinių (XXI a.) idėjų užmetimu ant senesnių laikų. Galėtų būtų Alexandre'as Dumas ar Thomas'as Mayne Reid'as jaunajam skaitytojui 2025 m. Nors ir dėl to suabejočiau, nes bent jau manęs, pasikartosiu, neįtikino: skaityti kankintis nereikėjo, tačiau pagaulumo irgi nebuvo.
P. S. Knygoje nebuvo nė lašelio humoro: romanui pretenduojančiam į britišką detektyvą, tai yra nusikaltimas.
P. P. S. O kodėl Modėl Horton kerštas šlovingas?
3.6/5✰
Neįtikino. Pradedant dienoraščiu (rašyti tokiu stiliumi ir detalumu laive, plaukiančiame į Arktį? nekalbant apie įrašus poliariniame šaltyje) baigiant epilogu ().
Neįtikino ir kaip detektyvas, neįtikino feministinės natos (). Gotika, paslaptinga mirtis, kelionė į Arktį irgi yra daugiau reklaminiai žodžiai nei knygos esmė. O palyginimas su Stuart'u Turton'u iš viso yra nusikaltimas.
O patiko detalės apie epochą – 1850-ųjų Londoną, laivus ir Arktį. Norisi tikėti, kad autorė pasielgė sąžiningai ir neprikūrė, ko nebuvo.
Romanas priminė nuotykių knygą paaugliams su dabartinių (XXI a.) idėjų užmetimu ant senesnių laikų. Galėtų būtų Alexandre'as Dumas ar Thomas'as Mayne Reid'as jaunajam skaitytojui 2025 m. Nors ir dėl to suabejočiau, nes bent jau manęs, pasikartosiu, neįtikino: skaityti kankintis nereikėjo, tačiau pagaulumo irgi nebuvo.
P. S. Knygoje nebuvo nė lašelio humoro: romanui pretenduojančiam į britišką detektyvą, tai yra nusikaltimas.
P. P. S. O kodėl Modėl Horton kerštas šlovingas?
3.6/5✰
January 24, 2025
Une belle histoire de vengeance, mêlée à une expédition en Arctique
Moins glauque que ce à quoi je m'attendais
Moins glauque que ce à quoi je m'attendais
February 10, 2024
Historical fiction at its finest. Grabbed my interest at the start. Strong characters.
March 17, 2024
3.5 stars
This one was hard to rate and really made me wish again we could give half stars. It's not really "just" a three star book (even though I stand by my point that a three star rating is a good rating), I liked it more than that, but considering I only give four stars to books I really enjoyed, that didn't feel right either.
At the heart of things, "Maude Horton's Glorious Revenge" is that kind of grim Victorian mystery novel: Everything is gloomy and grimy and violent. If that's your thing, I think you might enjoy this a lot more than I did, but I didn't expect it to be like this, I was expecting a more adventorous, heisty revenge story tied into the story of an ill-fated arctic expedition. This book's main crime is, I think, that it seriously under-utilises the arctic expedition. We get a few excerpts from Constance's diary she keeps while travelling to the Arctic on the Makepeace, but I personally wanted more of that and less of that grimdark, "everything is horrible and life is hard" Victorian aesthetic that's been so popular lately.
The mystery surrounding Constance's death on the Makepeace was still very entertaining and I really liked her sister Maude, who leaves her quiet life at her grandfather's pharmacy behind to find out what really happened to Constance. But I have to admit, I was seriously disappointed how little time we actually spend with Maude. Considering the book is named for her and her big revenge plot against her sister's killer, it was a bit of let-down that only a handful of chapters were actually about her. I think there were more of Constance's diary entries than chapters from Maude's point of view.
Most of the book (I would say about 70%, at least that's what it felt like) were narrated by one Edison Stowe, who is identified as Constance's killer right off the bat. I ... didn't like that. I think it would have been good to have his point of view in small doses, see what he does while Maude stalks him, who he knows, why he did what he did, but basically the book is about him. It's less The Glorious Revenge of Maude Horton and more The Horrible Crimes of Edison Stowe. We learn more about Edison, his motivations and his twisted backstory than we ever learn about Maude or even Constance, who basically haunts the narrative, but we learn surprisingly little about her.
That's why I don't want to give this book four stars. I loved the Maude chapters, Constance's diary entries were interesting and I would have liked some insight into Edison's perspective on things but spending basically the entire book in his head wasn't it. Especially because Maude's actual revenge, her big plan and her preparations to take him down aren't taking center stage, it's basically like: "Oh yes, and Maude was doing this while all this stuff happened with Edison." I think the big reveal of how everything clicks together in the end was meant to come as a plot twist like in a heist movie when they show you what the actual plan was all along, but I would have much rather been there for it, I'd much rather have seen Maude make these connections, figure out the truth and prepare her big plan. This wants to be a story about female rage and empowerment, but is it really if the biggest chunk of the story focuses on how the abusive, murderous man feels about all of it?
Last but not least, I'm never a big fan when sexuality is used as a big plot twist. I'll put this in a spoiler tag, even though I don't think something like this should ever be a spoiler, but it's used as one in the book, so.
All in all "Maude Horton" was an interesting, entertaining read but while I thought I would totally love it, it turned out to be just okay.
This one was hard to rate and really made me wish again we could give half stars. It's not really "just" a three star book (even though I stand by my point that a three star rating is a good rating), I liked it more than that, but considering I only give four stars to books I really enjoyed, that didn't feel right either.
At the heart of things, "Maude Horton's Glorious Revenge" is that kind of grim Victorian mystery novel: Everything is gloomy and grimy and violent. If that's your thing, I think you might enjoy this a lot more than I did, but I didn't expect it to be like this, I was expecting a more adventorous, heisty revenge story tied into the story of an ill-fated arctic expedition. This book's main crime is, I think, that it seriously under-utilises the arctic expedition. We get a few excerpts from Constance's diary she keeps while travelling to the Arctic on the Makepeace, but I personally wanted more of that and less of that grimdark, "everything is horrible and life is hard" Victorian aesthetic that's been so popular lately.
The mystery surrounding Constance's death on the Makepeace was still very entertaining and I really liked her sister Maude, who leaves her quiet life at her grandfather's pharmacy behind to find out what really happened to Constance. But I have to admit, I was seriously disappointed how little time we actually spend with Maude. Considering the book is named for her and her big revenge plot against her sister's killer, it was a bit of let-down that only a handful of chapters were actually about her. I think there were more of Constance's diary entries than chapters from Maude's point of view.
Most of the book (I would say about 70%, at least that's what it felt like) were narrated by one Edison Stowe, who is identified as Constance's killer right off the bat. I ... didn't like that. I think it would have been good to have his point of view in small doses, see what he does while Maude stalks him, who he knows, why he did what he did, but basically the book is about him. It's less The Glorious Revenge of Maude Horton and more The Horrible Crimes of Edison Stowe. We learn more about Edison, his motivations and his twisted backstory than we ever learn about Maude or even Constance, who basically haunts the narrative, but we learn surprisingly little about her.
That's why I don't want to give this book four stars. I loved the Maude chapters, Constance's diary entries were interesting and I would have liked some insight into Edison's perspective on things but spending basically the entire book in his head wasn't it. Especially because Maude's actual revenge, her big plan and her preparations to take him down aren't taking center stage, it's basically like: "Oh yes, and Maude was doing this while all this stuff happened with Edison." I think the big reveal of how everything clicks together in the end was meant to come as a plot twist like in a heist movie when they show you what the actual plan was all along, but I would have much rather been there for it, I'd much rather have seen Maude make these connections, figure out the truth and prepare her big plan. This wants to be a story about female rage and empowerment, but is it really if the biggest chunk of the story focuses on how the abusive, murderous man feels about all of it?
Last but not least, I'm never a big fan when sexuality is used as a big plot twist. I'll put this in a spoiler tag, even though I don't think something like this should ever be a spoiler, but it's used as one in the book, so.
All in all "Maude Horton" was an interesting, entertaining read but while I thought I would totally love it, it turned out to be just okay.
January 8, 2024
The year is 1850, London.
Constance Horton has disappeared.
Questions must be asked. Answers have no choice but to come into the harsh light of day. And one woman shall have her revenge….
Maude, the older sister of Constance, knows only that her sister abandoned the apothecary they call home, and, disguised (apparently very convincingly to all) as a boy, boarded a ship destined for the mighty yet haunting Arctic. She never did return to either London, or their home. Described and summed up to nothing more than ‘A tragic accident’ the aloof Admirality called it. How dare they be so swift and wicked in their actions. Maude knows something isn’t right.
Why would her sister up and leave without a word, and just what reason could she have possibly had for deceiving those upon the vessel she boarded, never to be heard from again?
When Maude stumbles upon Constance’s Arctic journal, the truth becomes clear that something sinister is veiling her and those around Maude from knowing what happened to her sister, even if Maude has to face up to some pretty nasty facts.
To find the answers she so desperately seeks - and deliver justice for her sister - Maude has no choice but to crawl into the seedy underbelly of London and into the path of very dangerous and powerful individuals, the sort of men who seek fortune in the city’s horrors, from Newgate hangings to the ghoulish waxworks of Madame Tussaud’s yet nothing will prepare our heroin for the grisly truth that can be found hidden in the most unlikely places.
Will Maude ever find what she is looking for, or will she be better off never truly knowing what took place in the ghost land of the Arctic?
A gruesome, brutal, thrilling, and compulsive read, this dark romp through London and the Arctic is a testament to the great power of storytelling!
Constance Horton has disappeared.
Questions must be asked. Answers have no choice but to come into the harsh light of day. And one woman shall have her revenge….
Maude, the older sister of Constance, knows only that her sister abandoned the apothecary they call home, and, disguised (apparently very convincingly to all) as a boy, boarded a ship destined for the mighty yet haunting Arctic. She never did return to either London, or their home. Described and summed up to nothing more than ‘A tragic accident’ the aloof Admirality called it. How dare they be so swift and wicked in their actions. Maude knows something isn’t right.
Why would her sister up and leave without a word, and just what reason could she have possibly had for deceiving those upon the vessel she boarded, never to be heard from again?
When Maude stumbles upon Constance’s Arctic journal, the truth becomes clear that something sinister is veiling her and those around Maude from knowing what happened to her sister, even if Maude has to face up to some pretty nasty facts.
To find the answers she so desperately seeks - and deliver justice for her sister - Maude has no choice but to crawl into the seedy underbelly of London and into the path of very dangerous and powerful individuals, the sort of men who seek fortune in the city’s horrors, from Newgate hangings to the ghoulish waxworks of Madame Tussaud’s yet nothing will prepare our heroin for the grisly truth that can be found hidden in the most unlikely places.
Will Maude ever find what she is looking for, or will she be better off never truly knowing what took place in the ghost land of the Arctic?
A gruesome, brutal, thrilling, and compulsive read, this dark romp through London and the Arctic is a testament to the great power of storytelling!
February 7, 2024
Found it to be dull and the the climax actually doesn't justify the title specifically 'glorious revenge'.
The setting and the overall English Victorian environment is well described.
However the character build-up is not well constructed and as a reader I wasn't able to develop a strong feeling or connect with anyone. Also, reasons for specific actions and the climax is just flat and doesn't create any sort of a thrill. Very much below expectations.
The setting and the overall English Victorian environment is well described.
However the character build-up is not well constructed and as a reader I wasn't able to develop a strong feeling or connect with anyone. Also, reasons for specific actions and the climax is just flat and doesn't create any sort of a thrill. Very much below expectations.
March 18, 2024
One of the worst books I’ve read in a long time. The storyline has so many holes in it. It was kind of like watching one of those “B” movies that are so bad you keep watching. It could only have been better if Constance had reappeared from the dead and taken her own vengeance on Edison. Actually I was kind of disappointed that didn’t happen
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2024
A fascinating and immersive tale of two halves:
1) diving into the grisly and macabre underbelly of Victorian London and witnessing the theatrics and obsession of gruesome murders and public hangings,
2) the mystery of Constance’s death on a dangerous Arctic adventure, which Maude Horton, her grieving sister, is determined to find out what really happened to her sister on the Makepeace ship.
It is clear that Lizzie Pook has done a lot of research to create such a vivid world in this story. I felt transported to the 19th century, drawn into the horror yet fascinating public spectacles of execution that drew crowds in the same way that concerts and live performances do today, where money is to be made, and the macabre is knitted into the fabric of London society. The adventure in the Arctic is also dazzling, chilly and isolated - I could feel the cold breath in the air 🥶 I loved the story unfolding through Constance’s secret diary excerpts and feared so much for her safety! Both parts of the interwoven story have lots of grisly details of death (humans and animals) so be warned!
The cast of characters are colourful and distinct. Maude and Constance’s grandfather and Sedgwick were favourites, in addition to the sisters. I was captivated by Maude Horton’s journey for revenge. The revelations of Constance’s hidden secrets took me by surprise and the reasons behind her death was sad 😢.
As well as being a historical mystery and adventure story, it is a story about the love between sisters, and also having the courage to face the truth.
A delightful historical fiction read, and also I have to mention the beautiful cover 🤩
1) diving into the grisly and macabre underbelly of Victorian London and witnessing the theatrics and obsession of gruesome murders and public hangings,
2) the mystery of Constance’s death on a dangerous Arctic adventure, which Maude Horton, her grieving sister, is determined to find out what really happened to her sister on the Makepeace ship.
It is clear that Lizzie Pook has done a lot of research to create such a vivid world in this story. I felt transported to the 19th century, drawn into the horror yet fascinating public spectacles of execution that drew crowds in the same way that concerts and live performances do today, where money is to be made, and the macabre is knitted into the fabric of London society. The adventure in the Arctic is also dazzling, chilly and isolated - I could feel the cold breath in the air 🥶 I loved the story unfolding through Constance’s secret diary excerpts and feared so much for her safety! Both parts of the interwoven story have lots of grisly details of death (humans and animals) so be warned!
The cast of characters are colourful and distinct. Maude and Constance’s grandfather and Sedgwick were favourites, in addition to the sisters. I was captivated by Maude Horton’s journey for revenge. The revelations of Constance’s hidden secrets took me by surprise and the reasons behind her death was sad 😢.
As well as being a historical mystery and adventure story, it is a story about the love between sisters, and also having the courage to face the truth.
A delightful historical fiction read, and also I have to mention the beautiful cover 🤩
May 13, 2024
Interesting
April 5, 2024
I picked this up blindly for the cover, and it turned out to be a really engaging story.
June 17, 2024
I really enjoyed this book! This was first Lizzie Pool book and I was disappointed. I really liked her writing style. I liked that some of the chapters were journal entries. The mystery of what happened to her sister had me hooked.
Thank you Simon and Schuster for the gifted physical copy.
Thank you Simon and Schuster for the gifted physical copy.
February 4, 2025
Maude reçoit un jour une lettre qui lui affirme le décès de sa soeur, Constance, dans de sombres circonstances, sur un bateau qui traversait les océans. La jeune femme va alors tout faire pour découvrir la vérité, quitte à en payer le prix...
"La Glorieuse vengeance de Maude Horton" est une enquête historique haletante. Plongé dans le Londres du XIXe siècle, cette histoire avait sur le papier tout pour me plaire. Pourtant, j'ai trouvé l'intrigue assez convenue, on ne sort pas des chemins traditionnels de l'enquête historique. C'est un bon roman, mais qui n'a pas suffisamment fait écho en moi pour pleinement l'apprécier.
"La Glorieuse vengeance de Maude Horton" est une enquête historique haletante. Plongé dans le Londres du XIXe siècle, cette histoire avait sur le papier tout pour me plaire. Pourtant, j'ai trouvé l'intrigue assez convenue, on ne sort pas des chemins traditionnels de l'enquête historique. C'est un bon roman, mais qui n'a pas suffisamment fait écho en moi pour pleinement l'apprécier.
January 28, 2024
☆☆☆
London, 1850. Constance Horton has disappeared.
What drew me to the book: With a title like 'Maude Horton's Glorious Revenge' how could I not be drawn in?
How long it’s been on my TBR: A little under a month.
My expectations: Glorious revenge as well as some mystery and sleuthing. I also expected shocking twists and a book which would keep my interest throughout. Other than that I expected decent writing and for the book to keep me interested throughout.
My thoughts whilst reading: The first thing I have written down was that I was interested in the multiple points of view, I only expected to see the story told through Maude, not that we'd see both her deceased sisters and the books villain point of view too. The next thing I wrote down was that I didn't see it being more than 3.75 (less than 100 pages in). After this (87 pages in) I noted that I wasn't very interested in the book, it wasn't gripping me like I thought it would. After this, I wrote how I wasn't a fan of the prologue (why I wrote this under the 87 pages section and not right at the beginning I'm unsure) but I felt it was overly descriptive in a way that didn't flow well which wasn't an issue with the rest of the book but clearly didn't leave me with a great first impression. 100 Pages in I noted that despite the synopsis only mentioning Maude it had 2 other points of view, both more prevalent (and interesting) than Maude's, it left me feeling like she was a secondary character to her story about her getting revenge for her sister death. 176 Pages in I wrote down that the perfect word to sum up my thoughts on the book, that word? Disinterest, not because the story was that awful, I just didn't feel it was for me. 210 Pages in and I was very underwhelmed by how the book was progressing, despite being two-thirds into the book we were still pretty much where we started, with Maude still needing to enact revenge and her character still being in the same place as the start of the story (development wise). I also put down that despite we travel over the country in the book it still felt stilted with the most interesting parts being Constance's diary entries, they were the best part of the book. That is the last of what I wrote down (as I picked it up and read the rest around this point as I just wanted to finish the book) but I do remember being disappointed by the actual revenge, there was also a twist at the end which came out of nowhere like there weren't really any hints towards it or anything it was just revealed all of a sudden at the end and that was that.
Overall: Unfortunately, there was nothing glorious about this book. The most interesting points of view weren't the main character, the act of revenge itself was good but the leadup and everything else was not. This book didn't feature many twists or truths unfurled.
Miscellaneous: I think the book would've been more interesting had it started with Constance going on her adventure, following her until her untimely death and then should've followed the Doctor on her ship, it would've probably been more interesting. The historic part (like the hangings and how popular they were) were interesting to read about.
Did it meet my expectations: Regrettably not, instead it made me forget I had any expectations at all.
Favourite character: I didn't have one but if I had to choose I'd say Constance.
Favourite relationship: Probably Constance and the Doctor on the ship whose name I've forgotten.
Favourite scene: I don't think I had one.
Favourite quote: "I do not yearn for home." Stuck out to me whilst reading.
Why I rounded the review up / down*: Not applicable.
Will I be reading the sequel: Not applicable.
Will I be keeping my copy: Maybe, the cover is so pretty, pink and green but I don't see myself rereading the book so I will most likely donate it.
Do I recommend it: Honestly, no. I'm sure there will be people who'll enjoy it and who it will be perfect for but generally, I wouldn't recommend it.
*(For rating systems such as Goodreads)
Major thanks to BookBreak UK books for the ARC.
London, 1850. Constance Horton has disappeared.
What drew me to the book: With a title like 'Maude Horton's Glorious Revenge' how could I not be drawn in?
How long it’s been on my TBR: A little under a month.
My expectations: Glorious revenge as well as some mystery and sleuthing. I also expected shocking twists and a book which would keep my interest throughout. Other than that I expected decent writing and for the book to keep me interested throughout.
My thoughts whilst reading: The first thing I have written down was that I was interested in the multiple points of view, I only expected to see the story told through Maude, not that we'd see both her deceased sisters and the books villain point of view too. The next thing I wrote down was that I didn't see it being more than 3.75 (less than 100 pages in). After this (87 pages in) I noted that I wasn't very interested in the book, it wasn't gripping me like I thought it would. After this, I wrote how I wasn't a fan of the prologue (why I wrote this under the 87 pages section and not right at the beginning I'm unsure) but I felt it was overly descriptive in a way that didn't flow well which wasn't an issue with the rest of the book but clearly didn't leave me with a great first impression. 100 Pages in I noted that despite the synopsis only mentioning Maude it had 2 other points of view, both more prevalent (and interesting) than Maude's, it left me feeling like she was a secondary character to her story about her getting revenge for her sister death. 176 Pages in I wrote down that the perfect word to sum up my thoughts on the book, that word? Disinterest, not because the story was that awful, I just didn't feel it was for me. 210 Pages in and I was very underwhelmed by how the book was progressing, despite being two-thirds into the book we were still pretty much where we started, with Maude still needing to enact revenge and her character still being in the same place as the start of the story (development wise). I also put down that despite we travel over the country in the book it still felt stilted with the most interesting parts being Constance's diary entries, they were the best part of the book. That is the last of what I wrote down (as I picked it up and read the rest around this point as I just wanted to finish the book) but I do remember being disappointed by the actual revenge, there was also a twist at the end which came out of nowhere like there weren't really any hints towards it or anything it was just revealed all of a sudden at the end and that was that.
Overall: Unfortunately, there was nothing glorious about this book. The most interesting points of view weren't the main character, the act of revenge itself was good but the leadup and everything else was not. This book didn't feature many twists or truths unfurled.
Miscellaneous: I think the book would've been more interesting had it started with Constance going on her adventure, following her until her untimely death and then should've followed the Doctor on her ship, it would've probably been more interesting. The historic part (like the hangings and how popular they were) were interesting to read about.
Did it meet my expectations: Regrettably not, instead it made me forget I had any expectations at all.
Favourite character: I didn't have one but if I had to choose I'd say Constance.
Favourite relationship: Probably Constance and the Doctor on the ship whose name I've forgotten.
Favourite scene: I don't think I had one.
Favourite quote: "I do not yearn for home." Stuck out to me whilst reading.
Why I rounded the review up / down*: Not applicable.
Will I be reading the sequel: Not applicable.
Will I be keeping my copy: Maybe, the cover is so pretty, pink and green but I don't see myself rereading the book so I will most likely donate it.
Do I recommend it: Honestly, no. I'm sure there will be people who'll enjoy it and who it will be perfect for but generally, I wouldn't recommend it.
*(For rating systems such as Goodreads)
Major thanks to BookBreak UK books for the ARC.
January 27, 2024
‘I think of how we laughed, how we read, how we kissed and breathed as one. Just like a pair of lungs rising and falling together.’This is a love story! I’m flabbergasted! I reached the end of ‘Maude Horton’s Glorious Revenge’, and it whizzed right onto my five-stars shelf, just like ‘Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter’, Pook’s debut, did, in 2022.
Certainly, Lizzie Pook’s latest book can be compared with her first: in it, we have a young woman just as self-possessed a protagonist, just as spiritful as Eliza was. And here again is that resolute authorial voice, Pook directing her players. And overall, what really impresses is that comprehensive sense-experience of the narrative. I remember with her first novel, feeling drunk on the physicality of Pook’s depictions, her highly sensorial style.
So, here, it’s the vivid language that enamoured me. Those metaphors! Those similes! (I must stop using exclamation marks in this review!):
‘These officers (handsome, clean, wealthy) fringed with gold like ambulant Christmas trees, walk fore to aft at a slow pace, hands clasped behind their backs as if strolling the corridors of a museum.’Language in ‘Maud Horton’s Glorious Revenge’ reminded me of an Elizabeth Bishop poem. Such phrases as '[whitehaired men] recline like lemurs on overstuffed leather, nonchalant' and ‘as if a woman barging her way into an admiralty boardroom at Whitehall is a common as a mouse crossing the floor’ recall Bishop’s ‘[black-and-white] man-of-war birds’ in her poem ‘The Bight’, as they ‘open their tails like scissors on the curves / or tense them like wishbones, till they tremble.’ Pook's comparisons trip along just as effortlessly and with the same deeply felt naturalism, which exploded my reading experience beyond merely tracking her characters’ actions and construing meaning from their dialogue. Pook amplifies the colour and texture of everything she describes, so that I felt this book in the same part of me where poetry resides.
Lizzie Pook never ever tells her readers what to think; she never does more than present us with what she wants us to see. In fact, this novel excels in the ‘showing’, not ‘telling’. As a reader, I appreciate bearing witness to the plot and being given the space to use my imagination. The only thing that tripped me up a little was the shifts between tenses. The variety of tenses involved with the interspersions of Jack Aldridge's diary require a bit of keeping-track-of. But then, isn’t this just the same as the diary of Eliza’s Father in ‘Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter’? I soon settled into it. And that relationship between the protagonist and the author of the diary is something that carries through from Pook’s first novel. It worked brilliantly then, and it works brilliantly here too.
In terms of action and pace, Pook winds up the cogs right away and sets the plot clattering off at once! Then at roughly 40% the two narratives that are being recounted parallel to each other, converge and there’s a delicious locking-into-place of the plot mechanics and from there, ‘Maud Horton’s Glorious Revenge’ is genuinely unputdownable.
Two back-to-back quotes from the novel could render the whole synopsis together:
‘I’ve been considering what it is to be a man. What threads weave together to form the tapestry of who he truly is.’
“For I think we can all agree that there is nothing quite so depraved on this earth as a woman who kills.”Thank you to the author, and the publishers Picador, Pan Macmillan, for the thrill of reading an advance review copy via NetGalley.
June 16, 2024
I hate to say this about any book, but I was so happy this was over... I can't imagine why I just kept reading and reading... it was just an exercise in misery.
What happened to intrigue? Thrills? Action? Adventure? This was as dull as below the deck of this artic ship would have been and smelled about the same. I thought with all of the elements for a great story, it might have at least been a 3 star (average) read, but alas, it was not.
Just not for me.
2 stars and glad it is done
Happy Reading!
What happened to intrigue? Thrills? Action? Adventure? This was as dull as below the deck of this artic ship would have been and smelled about the same. I thought with all of the elements for a great story, it might have at least been a 3 star (average) read, but alas, it was not.
Just not for me.
2 stars and glad it is done
Happy Reading!
March 15, 2024
I listened to this book. It was ok for me. It was a very slow start and took a bit for me to get into. Overall I enjoyed the book.
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