Lady's Maid

Rating:
Summary: Thoroughly engaging novel of Victorian times
Review: As an English teacher, I'm ashamed to admit that I knew very little about either Elizabeth Barrett or Robert Browning before picking up this book. The story of their maid, Lily Wilson, gives an interesting perspective on the private life of Elizabeth and Robert. And I admired that Forster depicted the two famous literary figures as she saw to be accurate, rather than glamorizing and glorifying them as there might be a temptation to do. The two poets are very human, often fussy, melodramatic, and given to self-aggrandizement. That made me all the more interested in the story of Lily and the difference in their lifestyle and hers, and of course their indifference to the way they treated her. It's been a while since I read something like Jane Austen, so it was refreshing and fascinating to dip back into a world with social codes so different from ours today. This book must have taken years to research, and Forster's depiction of Victorian life shows the evidence of that research.

There was a page-long afterword that explained which parts of the book were true, but I wanted more. I wish Margaret Forster had written more books like this! You won't be sorry you picked it up.

Rating:
Summary: Completely engrossing
Review: I began reading the book (a library copy) while staying with a friend who had checked it out and only got as far as the first few chapters before I went home. I finally got my hands on my own copy and finished it in a matter of a couple of days. What a treasure!

Forster truly captures the feelings and struggles between the servant-class and the gentry of the era. Too often with books and movies of the period we only see the servants as floating background characters that announce guests, deliver tea-trays, and see to the horses. We forget that often these are humans with feelings and difficult lives.

We see Wilson torn from everything she holds dear in the course of the story. Each time she loses, she steels her resolve and is stronger, but more cynical over time. Yet her devotion to the Browning family never wavers. Elizabeth Barrett Browning holds Wilson in thrall; and for the most part the reverse is true as well.

A touching, sad tale.

Rating:
Summary: An absorbing and well written account of Victorian life
Review: I have to start out by saying that it has been 9 years since I read this book, but even now it stands out as one of the most telling books I have ever read about a genious writer named Elizabeth Barret Browning. In Lady's maid the story of Elizabeth Barret Browning is told from the eyes of her Maid servant. This unusual perspective gives the reader the ability to see the writer(Elizabeth Barret) from a third party focus instead of a introspective focus. The book is sooo good that you are instantly transfixed after the first page. If you are wise you will buy the book and read it when you can literaly sit down and read it cover to cover and enjoy it. It is that good! Enjoy and be edducated. Remember to have lots of tissue at the end, you will need it!

Rating:
Summary: An absorbing and well written account of Victorian life
Review: I knew next to nothing about the subject matter of this book when my mother lent it to me (she loved it as well). Forster is able to completely personalize the social constrictions of Victorian society through the eyes of Wilson, Lady's Maid to the poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Honestly enjoyable and a treat to read. I couldn't help noticing all the 5 star ratings here - well deserving of this fine author. Bravo!

Rating:
Summary: irritating
Review: I like this book but I was SO irritated by the characters. They are probably realistic for 19th century but the Brownings are unbelievably manipulative and Wilson is so subsservient to them. I know, I know, it's realistic but 21st century (even 20th century) people will find it irritating.

Rating:
Summary: A great historical fiction read
Review: I picked up Lady's Maid because someone recommended it to me as a great historical fiction book and finished it in the course of a weekend. What was most appealing to me about it was not the relationship between the Brownings though, but the relationship between the narrator Lily, Elizabeth Barrett's maid, and her mistress, and the discussion of class differences between the two, a topic that most likely would have been prevalent at the time. According to Foster, there really was a Lily and many of the features of her story were based on this Lily's own circumstances, and I found that very fascinating. The book got a little tiresome at the end but overall it was very good, both in writing and structure, as well as in storyline and development of characters. I'd give it a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.