SOLVED. British Historical novel, early 1900s? Coming-of-age tale of young man who escapes limitations of a mining town via his drawings. [s]

[P-Zed]

The young man, son of a miner and a mother who resents that life, has many siblings but the eldest brother who is everyone's favourite moves to London to work then dies, because he meets a young woman and lets her wear his coat one very cold night. The protagonist works at a sewing factory but he can draw really well and eventually wins competitions and money for his drawings. From childhood he is friends with a local girl and they have a relationship, then he gets together with her older married friend, but eventually ends up with neither of them. His mother gets cancer or something like it and dies close to Christmas one year, actually technically the protagonist and his siblings decide one night to give her too much morphine so she can go peacefully. Is this ringing any bells with anyone? I can remember many more details too but I am hoping these will suffice.

[Kris]

P-Zed, around what year did you read this book? A range of years is fine.

[P-Zed]

I read it in about 2017, though as noted above it was written probably more than 100 yrs ago give or take.

[Rainbowheart]

How Green Was My Valley?

[P-Zed]

Having looked that up just now there are some similarities but that’s not it. Thanks though.

[P-Zed]

I just figured it out: DH Lawrence, Sons and Lovers

[Rainbowheart]

Glad you found it!

Sons and Lovers for the link.