I read this book because I absolutely love the PBS miniseries. Obviously there weren't any surprises in it because I had seen the show already, but I love the characters and learning about that time period. This book made me cry many times. The only reason I didn't give it a five is because she went on a very long tangent about prostitution in London during the 1950s that was a little graphic for my taste. Definitely a heartbreaking aspect of life for poor women in that time, but I don't want details. I continue to be impressed that this was the world I was born in - this was actually the way some parts of the civilized world worked less than 60 years ago. Appalling and yet so human, you can't help becoming involved with the people. I particularly liked the last vignette in this first book of the series. These parents still had the right to choose to keep their child home who probably should have gone to hospital. They were allowed to accept the consequences of possible death or disability for their child. Today we (society) would simply take the child away to preserve its life. I'm not sure that's an improvement but I am sure that's one of my soapboxes.
This is terrible...but I think I like the mimiseries better.
—Violet
If you like the show you will like this book.
—Charles28
Couldn't get past the first chapter.
—smexyhayhay
