Lily: Foundling, rebel, angel, murderer
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- Create Date：2021-10-31 00:51:05
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Rose Tremain
- ISBN：1784744565
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Reviews
Tracey McHardy
，
This was an immersive historical novel。 Tremain is a skilled author who always evokes a setting or characters with a few skilful。 brushstrokes。It starts with a murder。Lily is found abandoned by a policeman， Sam Trench， who has to take her to the foundling hospital （against his better judgement） For her first six years she is fostered out to the loving Buck family in rural Suffolk。 Although this is not an easy life- picking stones from fields is back breaking work， it's a time in which Lily finds This was an immersive historical novel。 Tremain is a skilled author who always evokes a setting or characters with a few skilful。 brushstrokes。It starts with a murder。Lily is found abandoned by a policeman， Sam Trench， who has to take her to the foundling hospital （against his better judgement） For her first six years she is fostered out to the loving Buck family in rural Suffolk。 Although this is not an easy life- picking stones from fields is back breaking work， it's a time in which Lily finds love from Nellie her foster Mum。 She feels safe and secure。Unfortunately she has to return to the Coram Institute and the separation scene is heartbreaking。 Not only is the regime unloving but it's cruel and abusive。 Lily tries to escape with her freckled friend， Bridget， who reminds her of a thrush。 Bridget's character reminds me of Helen Burns， Jane Eyre's childhood friend。 Later we find Lily using her sewing skills living in a sparse rented room working for Belle's Wig Emporium。 Here she finds some security。 However she is keen to find her biological mother as she tries to discover her identity and encounters Sam Trench again。This tells the story in a linear way but Tremain doesn't。 We find out about the murder early on but need to go back in time several times to find out who it is and why。 Also the re-introduction of Sam into the plot has other ramifications。One of the themes is freedom。 In Suffolk LIly hears an apocryphal about a boy trapped at the bottom of a well and who can't breathe。 Lily finds the London fog hard to breathe in ， there is a caged bird too and an obvious part of the plot （no spoilers） which also links in。 However safety is also explored as people who come from an insecure background rarely fell "safe" in the world。Love is the counterbalance to this， but love in different forms。 Parental love， romantic love and friendship （Belle shows Lily some friendship which Lily tries to repay） I found this novel to be deeply affecting （especially Bridget's part of the story and scenes with Nellie） It was empathetically written。 Of course it recalls Dickens in its evocation of Victorian poverty or even Burnett's A Little Princess 。 The main characters are so well drawn that you can picture how Lily would behave if you were to meet her。 I read it quickly as I was so engaged by Lily's character that I was thinking about her between reading sessions and wanted to find out more so would pick the book up again。Thanks to the publshers and Netgalley for an ARC 。。。more
Carolyn Huckfield
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Lily knows that she will be hanged for a murder she has committed and this is her story。 She was an abandoned baby found by a policeman who takes her to the foundling hospital。 Babies are fostered out to families until they are seven。 Lily lives on a lovely farm and she is very happy。 However when she is returned to the foundling hospital her nightmare begins one nurse calls her miss disobedience and sexually abuses her right up until she can leave。 Lily gets a good job and reconnects with the p Lily knows that she will be hanged for a murder she has committed and this is her story。 She was an abandoned baby found by a policeman who takes her to the foundling hospital。 Babies are fostered out to families until they are seven。 Lily lives on a lovely farm and she is very happy。 However when she is returned to the foundling hospital her nightmare begins one nurse calls her miss disobedience and sexually abuses her right up until she can leave。 Lily gets a good job and reconnects with the policeman who found her。 He loves Lily and she confesses to the murder she committed to protect younger children being abused by this nurse。 He gives Lily 24 hours to escape and this she does by going back to the farm when she was happy。This is a well told story that pulls no punches over Victorian life for the poorest in the land。 It is moving and beautifully done and you will want Lily to get away with the murder。 。。。more
Louise Wilson
，
4。5 stars rounded up to 5Abandoned at the gates of a London park one winters night in 1850， baby Lily Mortimer is saved by a young police constable and taken to the London Foundling Hospital。 Lily is fostered by an affectionate farming family in rural Suffolk， enjoying a brief childhood idyll before she is returned to the hospital， where she is punished for her rebellious spirit。 Released into the harsh world of Victorian London， Lily becomes a favoured employee at Belle Prettywood's Wig Emporiu 4。5 stars rounded up to 5Abandoned at the gates of a London park one winters night in 1850， baby Lily Mortimer is saved by a young police constable and taken to the London Foundling Hospital。 Lily is fostered by an affectionate farming family in rural Suffolk， enjoying a brief childhood idyll before she is returned to the hospital， where she is punished for her rebellious spirit。 Released into the harsh world of Victorian London， Lily becomes a favoured employee at Belle Prettywood's Wig Emporium， but all the while she's hiding a dreadful secret。This is another book that I think your better off reading blind。 I found it to be quite an emotional read。 The rawness of the poverty and suffering people suffered in the Victorian era doesn't bare thinking about。 The book is descriptively written and the characters felt true to the era and the storyline is captivating on so many levels。 I loved this book from beginning to end。I would like to thank #NetGalley #RandomHouseUK and the author #RoseTremain for my ARC of #Lily in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Teresa Cornelius
，
Lily by Rose TremainThe character of Lily is brought alive by Rose Tremain。 The writing is so vivid that powerful images are formed and she creates a character in whom the reader fully believes。 Lily’s life begins as she is rescued by Sam Trench， a young policeman， and carried through a storm to the Coram Foundling Hospital。 From here Lily is sent to live with Nellie Buck， her husband and three boys on a farm。 The relationship between lily and Nellie is wonderfully evoked through small details s Lily by Rose TremainThe character of Lily is brought alive by Rose Tremain。 The writing is so vivid that powerful images are formed and she creates a character in whom the reader fully believes。 Lily’s life begins as she is rescued by Sam Trench， a young policeman， and carried through a storm to the Coram Foundling Hospital。 From here Lily is sent to live with Nellie Buck， her husband and three boys on a farm。 The relationship between lily and Nellie is wonderfully evoked through small details such as the fact that Lily would stroke Nellie’s earlobes as she drifted off to sleep。We know from the outset that Lily has committed a terrible deed and the events which led to this are revealed as we travel backwards and forwards through Lily’s life。 There is not much joy in Lily’s life but there are some beautifully evoked moments of pleasure such as the eating of yellow apples with Bridget and the scarlet gown which Belle lets her wear to the opera。 It is a powerful story which builds to its satisfying conclusion。I will be wholeheartedly recommending this novel to my various book groups。 Many thanks to the author， the publishers and to Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review。 。。。more
Helen
，
I have yet to be disappointed in any book written by the wonderful Rose Tremain。 Her latest book “Lily”， although shorter than many of her books， is full of wonderful descriptions which feast the senses and take you back in time to the period that this book covers。 Most of us know about the plight of orphans well into the twentieth century。 Dickens talks about orphans especially those， like Oliver Twist， who were forced to carry the sin of the mother。 Lily is just such a child desperate to know I have yet to be disappointed in any book written by the wonderful Rose Tremain。 Her latest book “Lily”， although shorter than many of her books， is full of wonderful descriptions which feast the senses and take you back in time to the period that this book covers。 Most of us know about the plight of orphans well into the twentieth century。 Dickens talks about orphans especially those， like Oliver Twist， who were forced to carry the sin of the mother。 Lily is just such a child desperate to know why she was abandoned。 She ended up in an orphanage founded by Thomas Coram， a cruel place where unthinkable acts are carried out on children。 There are characters in this book who want to help Lily but some let her down。 She was too scarred by all she had suffered to be able to be happy。 She is forever watchful。 The book is very sad but historically accurate and very well written with memorable characters such as Belle。 Thank you Netgalley。 A book for my book group！ 。。。more
Samantha
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It's an interesting story that does immerse you into Victorian Life， be it in the lovely Suffolk countryside， the dirty streets of London， or the awful Foundling Hospital。 We follow Lily from when she is found abandoned as a baby up until she is around 18 years old。 I felt her plight of feeling returned by her foster parents， but not knowing that by law she must be sent back so her training can begin to be able to become a worker in the future。 Eventually， she goes out to work and she does well It's an interesting story that does immerse you into Victorian Life， be it in the lovely Suffolk countryside， the dirty streets of London， or the awful Foundling Hospital。 We follow Lily from when she is found abandoned as a baby up until she is around 18 years old。 I felt her plight of feeling returned by her foster parents， but not knowing that by law she must be sent back so her training can begin to be able to become a worker in the future。 Eventually， she goes out to work and she does well at the wig emporium， as her foster mother taught her how to sew well。Lily is actually a sweet-natured girl， making friends with another girl at the hospital and they both try to run away to find their foster parents。 but because they try to escape， one of the Nurses is cruel to her。The story is less about her being a murderer and more about her plight in these times。It was a short book and overall I found it quick and generally easy to read。 However， I did find that the narrative jumped about from the present to her childhood with her foster parents， then at the Foundling Hospital which at times caused confusion， and there were no chapter breaks， just one paragraph after another。 I don't know if this was because it was an ARC， but it certainly didn't help。I received this book from Netgalley in return for an honest review。 。。。more
ABCme
，
'Lily' is an emotional story that touched me deeply。 The characters are mainly women， living through poverty and suffering， making the most of what life throws at them。 Strength， perseverance and moments of happiness are delivered in a realistic voice。Historical fiction at its best。 'Lily' is an emotional story that touched me deeply。 The characters are mainly women， living through poverty and suffering， making the most of what life throws at them。 Strength， perseverance and moments of happiness are delivered in a realistic voice。Historical fiction at its best。 。。。more
Sarah
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Rose Tremain does write a good historical tale。 Foundlings， merry farmers， orphanages， debauched wig makers， with a side of murder - this book has it all。 I did find some of the changes in timeframe a bit abrupt - but it could be that my early copy had some formatting issues。 All in all this a charming read， for all of her faults I was rooting for Lily throughout and was delighted to be reading a book from Rose Tremain who I have always enjoyed but have not seen much from recently。
Gemma
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Rose Tremain is an absolute favourite author of mine and I look forward to reading anything that she publishes。 The nature of this story was appealing to me on many levels， such as the Victorian London setting， the mystery of Lily's secret and the coming of age element as we follow Lily from a very young child into adulthood。 However， I must admit that this is not my favourite of Tremain's books。 The book is quite short in comparison to Tremain's previous work and I feel like the story suffered Rose Tremain is an absolute favourite author of mine and I look forward to reading anything that she publishes。 The nature of this story was appealing to me on many levels， such as the Victorian London setting， the mystery of Lily's secret and the coming of age element as we follow Lily from a very young child into adulthood。 However， I must admit that this is not my favourite of Tremain's books。 The book is quite short in comparison to Tremain's previous work and I feel like the story suffered as a result。 Tremain has a gift for detailed characters and settings as well as slow moving plots that unravel secrets and layers of complexity as the plot progresses。 Due to the shorter length I felt like these aspects were quite weak in the story。 At times the pacing was so fast that it was like reading a summary of the story with a lot of things being told to the reader rather than shown。 The plot was well constructed and the different timelines were handled nicely too so it made for an enjoyable story。 I couldn't help but root for Lily after such a difficult start in life and multiple obstacles and challenges she has to overcome to find a safe place to call home。 I just wanted more depth and detail to the book to get fully immersed in the story but unfortunately this was missing that spark I see so frequently in Tremain's novels。 Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK for the ARC。 。。。more
Tony S
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This is a fabulous book that is so well written you can almost feel the smog of London。 It is totally different as it will keep you guessing for a very long time。 I have not read anything by the author before but the writing is so strong and the characters are amazingly well described they felt real。This is a book I will remember for a very long time。
Connie
，
Lily is an orphan child - found abandoned as a baby by a young police constable， who takes her to the foundling hospital。 She is then fostered to a loving family who will keep her until she is six years old， then forced by law to return to the hospital - a place of cruelty and heartache。Lily is now seventeen years old and has a dark secret， one that she fears will send her to the gallows。This is a gothic tale of love， despair and revenge。 Beautifully written and at times heartbreaking。Thanks to Lily is an orphan child - found abandoned as a baby by a young police constable， who takes her to the foundling hospital。 She is then fostered to a loving family who will keep her until she is six years old， then forced by law to return to the hospital - a place of cruelty and heartache。Lily is now seventeen years old and has a dark secret， one that she fears will send her to the gallows。This is a gothic tale of love， despair and revenge。 Beautifully written and at times heartbreaking。Thanks to Netgalley and Publisher for the ARC。 。。。more
Alyson
，
Beginning in 1850， Lily is found as a baby at the gates to the park by a young policeman， Sam Trench。 He runs across London to the Foundling Hospital to hand the baby in， to get it help and give it hope。 Sadly for Lily however， the children's home is not really a place of hope and after six happy years living with a foster family she finds herself back there to be abused and mistreated。 How Lily deals with the tough life she has been dealt and who she becomes as she grows up and starts her own l Beginning in 1850， Lily is found as a baby at the gates to the park by a young policeman， Sam Trench。 He runs across London to the Foundling Hospital to hand the baby in， to get it help and give it hope。 Sadly for Lily however， the children's home is not really a place of hope and after six happy years living with a foster family she finds herself back there to be abused and mistreated。 How Lily deals with the tough life she has been dealt and who she becomes as she grows up and starts her own life are determined by these early years。This is the first book I've ready by Rose Tremain， although I've known the name for some time， and I thoroughly enjoyed it。 I loved the way she entwined the chapters of Lily's early life with her current one， and the depth of knowledge about Victorian London and attention to detail in the writing is excellent。 Lily comes across as a sad figure， but she had strong internal resolve。 Sam Trench is a decent solid individual， Belle Prettywood and her Wig Emporium are delightful， Lady Elizabeth Mortimer is completely believable as a benefactress， while the Bucks are thoroughly good people。I did have to suspend belief over Bert the sheep - I cannot fathom that it would follow them。。。 The story is a tad sentimental with the foundling child at the heart of it， and it is difficult to place Lily in the category of murderer since the whole of that scene is written almost as if she is in a dream， but the story is well written and a joy to read。 I will certainly look out for more books from this author。Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK， Vintage for an early proof in return for an honest review。 。。。more
B。S。 Casey
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Nobody knows yet that she is a murderer。。。On a cold night in 1850， a young police constable finds a baby abandoned in the dark。 After delivering her safely to the foundling hospital， he tries to find her again only to find out she'd been sent away to live with a foster family in the countryside and left with nothing but a name - Lily。As Lily grows， she finds she isn't quite happy with the expectations everyone seems to be placing on her - being quiet， subservient and grateful for the suffering s Nobody knows yet that she is a murderer。。。On a cold night in 1850， a young police constable finds a baby abandoned in the dark。 After delivering her safely to the foundling hospital， he tries to find her again only to find out she'd been sent away to live with a foster family in the countryside and left with nothing but a name - Lily。As Lily grows， she finds she isn't quite happy with the expectations everyone seems to be placing on her - being quiet， subservient and grateful for the suffering she's had to endure。 She can't wait to be released into the world， and Lily soon finds herself living in the basement of a prominent wig maker and becoming their best employee 。。。 but then she meets Sam。Sam had always kept a watchful eye on her over the years， when he could。 He'd never been allowed to visit， but he was always there， just needing to know she's okay。 And now they've finally been reunited， they can't deny there is a connection between them that is growing by the day。 But now， as the Detective Superintendent， Sam could bring her the happiness she's always desired or he could be the person to finally uncover her crimes and be her undoing。 "A 'good' life。 How can you live a good life if you have been precious to nobody and made to feel burdened by shame？ How can your heart not be vengeful？"Lily is a richly dark tale set back in the 19th century， completely captivating from the first page。 The setting was flawless， transporting the reader back in time and space， and while the period language took a little while to get into， it became immersive within a matter of pages。 I felt an immediate kinship with Lily - I didn't care that she was a murderer。 I didn't particularly even need the details of why， I just knew I cared for her character。 My heart ached for her， and her childhood friends as they tried to survive as best they could under the cold eyes of Nuns were supposed to care for them but never did。 The treatment they received was disturbingly uncomfortable， but wasn't anything uncommon for orphanages in that time period。 Lily was a brilliant narrator， insightful and reflective， providing vivid storytelling throughout and making every small detail stand out。 A tale of beautiful， brutal revenge that is perfect to get lost in。 I was gifted an advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review。 。。。more
Carlton
，
A quietly engaging story of a Victorian orphan， well written and believable as with all Tremain’s stories。I’m not quite sure why， but I found the style of this short novel initially jarring in its simple language， but quickly fell into the rhythm of Lily’s story。 This alternates between her current （1867） life， after she has committed murder （the story at the centre of the book， as we don’t know who till much later， although we suspect why）， and her upbringing as an orphan， abandoned in London a A quietly engaging story of a Victorian orphan， well written and believable as with all Tremain’s stories。I’m not quite sure why， but I found the style of this short novel initially jarring in its simple language， but quickly fell into the rhythm of Lily’s story。 This alternates between her current （1867） life， after she has committed murder （the story at the centre of the book， as we don’t know who till much later， although we suspect why）， and her upbringing as an orphan， abandoned in London and rescued by a police constable to be placed in Coram’s Foundling Hospital。 Lily’s early life is vividly described， first to the age of six on a Suffolk farm where life is hard but happy， and then when she is returned to the Foundling Hospital （orphanage） to learn a trade so that she can be useful to society （Victorian utilitarianism）。The storytelling is almost picaresque， with a profusion of potential storylines and characters creating dramatic tension， as I wondered where the story was going。 This is Dickensian in the richness of creating Victorian London， but with more three dimensional secondary characters （policeman Sam Trench who finds the abandoned baby Lily， Nellie Buck her foster mother until she is six， her sadistic orphanage Nurse Maud， Belle Prettywood her employer and wig emporium proprietor， Lady Elizabeth Mortimer her benefactress， Mrs Quale seller of holy artefacts） and without the humour。 Instead the novel includes moments of poetic insight for Lily， epiphanies to heighten the story， showing how she might struggle on with her life。 And struggle on she does to reach a satisfyingly open ending， full of possibilities。I visited the Foundling Museum （built on the site of the original orphanage） about two years ago， so had some historical background to the work of the Foundling Hospital， and found this fictionalisation very engaging。I received a Netgalley copy of this book， but this review is my honest opinion。 。。。more
Pearly Williams
，
Lily By Rose Remain is a remarkably written historical fiction。 Highly emotional， full of hope and heartbreak。 Set in the winter of 1850， Lily was found abandoned， by a police constable at the gates of the park and taken to London Foundling Hospital。 The harshness and cruelty endured feel so real and one can't help but feel sorry for her。 Set in Victorian times， life was hard， being an orphaned child， life was even harder for Lily。 Captivating on so many levels， the characters in this novel are Lily By Rose Remain is a remarkably written historical fiction。 Highly emotional， full of hope and heartbreak。 Set in the winter of 1850， Lily was found abandoned， by a police constable at the gates of the park and taken to London Foundling Hospital。 The harshness and cruelty endured feel so real and one can't help but feel sorry for her。 Set in Victorian times， life was hard， being an orphaned child， life was even harder for Lily。 Captivating on so many levels， the characters in this novel are so rich in history， well-described， and full of depth。 The author has the skill of pulling the reader into the story， making it impossible to put the book down。 I enjoyed this book very much and highly recommend it ！！Thank you Netgalley， Random House UK， Vintage， and Rose Remain for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for a fair and honest review。 。。。more
Mabel
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Extraordinarily captivating！ The absence of chapters seems to make it even more of a real page turner- I completed it it two sessions， finding it a superb read。 Lily is found abandoned as a baby and taken to a center for foundlings where she remains until Nellie， a farmer takes her in as a foster child。 Unfortunately she has to return to the center when she is six and life takes a downturn。 Follow her as she tries to overcome what life throws at her。
Lady Fancifull
，
Foundling and Murderess， a tender and heart-warming tale of the 1860sAn unnamed baby girl， abandoned to die， is rescued by a kindly policeman， and taken to the Foundling Hospital in Coram’s Fields。 It is 1850。 Such children are generally regarded as products of a woman’s shame – illegitimacy。 The hospital pays for the infants to be fostered， for 6 years， after which time they must be returned to the hospital， where they will be trained for some menial employment。Some fostered babies are loveless Foundling and Murderess， a tender and heart-warming tale of the 1860sAn unnamed baby girl， abandoned to die， is rescued by a kindly policeman， and taken to the Foundling Hospital in Coram’s Fields。 It is 1850。 Such children are generally regarded as products of a woman’s shame – illegitimacy。 The hospital pays for the infants to be fostered， for 6 years， after which time they must be returned to the hospital， where they will be trained for some menial employment。Some fostered babies are lovelessly fostered， just as a source of revenue， and are returned lovelessly to the harshness of Coram’s， to be reminded， daily， of their shameful beginnings and the hopelessness and burden of their existence。Others， though a source of income for their fosterers， were dearly loved， and returned unwillingly by their fosterers， bound only by law and contract to return them。 Lily was one such， growing up on a farm。 Despite this loving beginning， Lily， as a young woman， has a terrible secret。 She has murdered someone， and knows her crime will be discovered， or her guilt and shame will force her to confess it， and she will be hangedThere are no spoilers in this review – the reader learns this almost instantly。Rose Tremain is one of my favourite writers， drawn often to the stories of the outcasts， the strange， the outsiders。This a beautiful and rich novel， and little Lily – and young woman Lily， is a glorious and tender creation。Tremain is a writer who uses language richly and with delight， avoiding both clichéd writing whilst also not overcomplicating or being pretentiously clever or abstruse“The next thing she learned after cross-stitch was blanket stitch。 She thought of the downward threads as soldiers standing in a perfect line and the taut loops joining them along the edge of the fabric as their arms reaching out and reaching out to one another， to give themselves courage， until the line was ended。 She liked to use scarlet silk thread so that the soldiers would look smart in the red uniforms which James informed her British infantrymen always wore”Lily’s story， told in the third person， does not proceed in linear fashion。 Her sad beginnings， the happy time with her foster family on their Suffolk Farm， the hell she was returned to at Coram’s， and now her adult life as a young girl， apprenticed to a flamboyant theatrical wigmaker， twines back and forth。Initially， this was a little confusing – primarily I think because of some formatting challenges in my digital ARC， because paragraph， chapter or scene break symbols were missing， something which will clearly be rectified in wood or published digital versionAs ever， I surrendered to Tremain’s perennial craft， and surfaced out of it with regret。 。。。more
Laura Spira
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Rose Tremain never disappoints， she is a brilliant storyteller， and I enjoyed this very much。 In places it reminded me very much of Jane Eyre although Lily's privations at the Foundling Hospital are far worse than Jane's at Lowood。 Lily's happiest times are with her foster family and the cruelty of their forced relinquishment of the little girl is painfully vivid。 The book is full of strong women， both good and bad - characters beautifully drawn who command the reader's attention in a way that n Rose Tremain never disappoints， she is a brilliant storyteller， and I enjoyed this very much。 In places it reminded me very much of Jane Eyre although Lily's privations at the Foundling Hospital are far worse than Jane's at Lowood。 Lily's happiest times are with her foster family and the cruelty of their forced relinquishment of the little girl is painfully vivid。 The book is full of strong women， both good and bad - characters beautifully drawn who command the reader's attention in a way that none of the male characters do。 There is also a strong sense of place， often associated with Lily's search for her own identity and the burden of guilt she carries。 The book has a hopeful ending but Lily is still a teenager at the end and I finished reading it wanting to know more about Lily's subsequent life。I found the time changes in the narrative rather sudden and confusing - they weren't signalled by chapter， page or even paragraph breaks in the ARC I was reading。 Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC。 。。。more
Katrina
，
Lily by Rose Tremain is subtitled A Tale of Revenge。 It begins in 1850 when on a freezing cold night a young policeman Sam Trench discovers a tiny baby which has been abandoned by her mother in a park near Bethnal Green， London。 He takes the baby to the nearby London Foundling Hospital， better known as Coram， a home for orphans。 The babies that end up there are farmed out to people in the country until they are six years old。 The couples are given ten shillings a month to bring up the children s Lily by Rose Tremain is subtitled A Tale of Revenge。 It begins in 1850 when on a freezing cold night a young policeman Sam Trench discovers a tiny baby which has been abandoned by her mother in a park near Bethnal Green， London。 He takes the baby to the nearby London Foundling Hospital， better known as Coram， a home for orphans。 The babies that end up there are farmed out to people in the country until they are six years old。 The couples are given ten shillings a month to bring up the children so it’s just a way of making ends meet for them。 But Lily’s foster family， farmers in rural Suffolk， Nellie and Perkin Buck grow to love her。 At the end of the six years the unsuspecting Lily is dragged away from Nellie， the woman she loved like a mother and who loved her too， as did Perkin and their sons， they want to keep her but aren’t allowed to。Then begins a nightmarish existence for Lily at the hands of the cruel sisters （presumably nuns） of the Coram。 No toys or fun for the children who have to work， picking okum， scrubbing， washing clothes， sewing。 Lily has been taught sewing skills by Nellie， but her skills don’t help her avoid the abuse and terror of the place。It’s a twisted form of Christianity that’s taught there， but when Lily gets work as a wigmaker when she’s old enough to leave the hospital， the fate of the girls still left behind at the orphanage haunts her。This is a really good read， despite the fact that it is a wee bit disjointed at the beginning， and it doesn’t have chapters， something that I dislike as I like to read to the end of a chapter before putting a book down and no chapters makes it difficult to break off。 Having said that， I’m hoping that there will be a sequel to this book。 。。。more
Sharyn
，
An unusual story and the time shifts were disconcerting and cost the book a rating star。 Well written as one would expect from this author and a very good read。 A well paced tale of a hard life。 With thanks to NetGalley， the publishers and the author for an e-ARC of this title in excgange for an honest review
Michelle
，
On a cold November night in 1850， Lily is found abandoned in Victoria Park by policeman Sam Trench。 She is taken to the foundling hospital where she is soon fostered。 For the first six years of her life to Nellie who lives on a farm in Suffolk。 She loves it there and wants to spend the rest of her life there。 But the rules say she must be returned to the hospital after six years。 She is distraught。When she is returned， she is beaten and abused。 They tell her she is worthless， and she must repent On a cold November night in 1850， Lily is found abandoned in Victoria Park by policeman Sam Trench。 She is taken to the foundling hospital where she is soon fostered。 For the first six years of her life to Nellie who lives on a farm in Suffolk。 She loves it there and wants to spend the rest of her life there。 But the rules say she must be returned to the hospital after six years。 She is distraught。When she is returned， she is beaten and abused。 They tell her she is worthless， and she must repent her sins。 And she must pay back her debt to the hospital。 There is no kindness at the hospital， and she is always reminded of the predicament she is in。 When she was living with Nellie， she had learnt to sew so with these skills she ends up working for Belle Pettywood’s Wig Emporium。 They praise her for her skills。 But she is always filled with guilt of what she done when she left the hospital。 If anyone knew she would be sent to the gallows。Thank you， Random House Vintage for a copy of Lily by Rose Tremain。 This is the first book from the author I have read。 The author is a great storyteller。 This is a beautifully written tale of Lily but also the lives of orphan children who ended up at the foundling hospital。 The harshness and the cruelty that they endured whilst there。 You felt sorry for her actions she has made， and you can feel her desperation coming off the pages。 I really enjoyed this tale and will be seeking out more books from the author。 5 stars from me。 。。。more
DoodleBug
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Thank you so much to NetGalley， Random House UK， Vintage， Chatto & Windus and Rose Tremain for giving me access to an ARC。I thoroughly enjoyed this book。 When I was younger， I visited the Foundling Museum many times on both family and school trips and often wondered what life would've been like for a child living there。 This was wonderfully written and I could clearly see through Lily's eyes at the harsh and often horrific conditions she was forced to live in。， especially compared to her wonderf Thank you so much to NetGalley， Random House UK， Vintage， Chatto & Windus and Rose Tremain for giving me access to an ARC。I thoroughly enjoyed this book。 When I was younger， I visited the Foundling Museum many times on both family and school trips and often wondered what life would've been like for a child living there。 This was wonderfully written and I could clearly see through Lily's eyes at the harsh and often horrific conditions she was forced to live in。， especially compared to her wonderful childhood。 This was a wonderful story， which I recommend 100% to anyone looking for a story to lose themselves in for a while。 。。。more
Maureen
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Although abandoned as a newborn baby， on a cold and foggy November night in Victoria Park， London in 1850， Lily Mortimer’s first six years were idyllic - hard backbreaking labour， but idyllic nonetheless， as she was fostered by a kind and loving farming family。 Nellie and Perkin Buck and their sons， loved Lily and she loved them right back。 Surrounded by the beautiful landscape of rural Suffolk， and with a family and animals that she loved， Lily was really happy。After six years， she was returned Although abandoned as a newborn baby， on a cold and foggy November night in Victoria Park， London in 1850， Lily Mortimer’s first six years were idyllic - hard backbreaking labour， but idyllic nonetheless， as she was fostered by a kind and loving farming family。 Nellie and Perkin Buck and their sons， loved Lily and she loved them right back。 Surrounded by the beautiful landscape of rural Suffolk， and with a family and animals that she loved， Lily was really happy。After six years， she was returned to the Foundling Hospital where she had been cared for as a baby， that was the law， that she be returned to their care after the six years were up。 The parting， when it came was heartbreaking for all concerned。Life in the Foundling Hospital is harsh and cruel， a place where children are shown no love， indeed they’re reminded constantly of their worthlessness。 Eventually， because of her excellent sewing skills， as taught by her foster mother Nellie， Lily is given a place at Belle Prettywood’s Wig Emporium， where she is highly regarded for her skills， but nobody knows that Lily has a secret， something that could seal her fate with the gallows！This is particularly well written historical fiction， bringing 19th century rural Suffolk and London， deliciously to life。 It’s impossible not to feel empathy for Lily， and the narrative plays on one’s curiosity， pulling the reader ever onwards on a journey that is impossible to predict。*Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK， Vintage， Chatto and Windus for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review * 。。。more
Louise
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The blurb on this book starts with "nobody yet knows that she is a murderer" 。 For me it's the least important part of this story。Lily's life is full of important relationships，that actually made me a little emotional at times，especially towards the end。Whilst her life may have started bleakly，and certainly hit dark times，there's a lot of love for Lily。 The blurb on this book starts with "nobody yet knows that she is a murderer" 。 For me it's the least important part of this story。Lily's life is full of important relationships，that actually made me a little emotional at times，especially towards the end。Whilst her life may have started bleakly，and certainly hit dark times，there's a lot of love for Lily。 。。。more
John Derek
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Lily by Rose Tremain is an emotional roller-coaster of a ride。 A passionate historical， richly atmospheric tale。 Set in Victorian times when life was hard and for an abandoned child， even harder。The plot involves a series of setbacks and misfortunes for young Lily Mortimer and how she copes with everything the world throws at her。 You know in your heart of hearts that Lily is just one of the thousands of children who had gone through the same trial。 Put into loving care， then been ripped away an Lily by Rose Tremain is an emotional roller-coaster of a ride。 A passionate historical， richly atmospheric tale。 Set in Victorian times when life was hard and for an abandoned child， even harder。The plot involves a series of setbacks and misfortunes for young Lily Mortimer and how she copes with everything the world throws at her。 You know in your heart of hearts that Lily is just one of the thousands of children who had gone through the same trial。 Put into loving care， then been ripped away and forced into child labour。 A blow many would not live through， but Lily was made of firmer stuff。Memories plague her continuously， and we follow her story through flashbacks。 Things do take a dramatic turn when the then young constable Sam Trench makes an appearance。 Only now he has become a superintendent of the detective department。 Emotionally distressed and torn asunder， it stretches Lily to her very limits。Lily is an exquisitely written， intensely moving， and thought-provoking novel。 Thoroughly captivating on many levels。 The characters were well-developed and of an intense nature。 Full of depth and uniqueness。 The Victorian settings are described with eloquence and insightfulness。With every passing page， the author pulls you in， as she creates an enduring heroine who tries to beat the system。 The novel Lily is a passionate and emotional tale that will endure。Even though it is relatively short for a novel of this stature， I recommend this book highly。Thank you， NetGalley and Random House UK， Vintage， for the ADC of the book。 。。。more
Ceecee
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‘Abandon hope all ye who enter here’， foundling Lily certainly has。 After six very happy years being fostered by Perkin and Nellie Buck on their Suffolk farm she is reluctantly returned， as required， to the London Foundling Hospital known as Coram。 After what must feel like a lifetime of harshness and suffering she goes to work at Belle Prettywood’s Wig Emporium。 When we first meet Lily she’s 17， it’s 1867 and she is wracked with guilt which weighs her down with the enormity of a crime that is m ‘Abandon hope all ye who enter here’， foundling Lily certainly has。 After six very happy years being fostered by Perkin and Nellie Buck on their Suffolk farm she is reluctantly returned， as required， to the London Foundling Hospital known as Coram。 After what must feel like a lifetime of harshness and suffering she goes to work at Belle Prettywood’s Wig Emporium。 When we first meet Lily she’s 17， it’s 1867 and she is wracked with guilt which weighs her down with the enormity of a crime that is making her ill。 The story goes backwards and forwards filling in the gaps which works extremely well。 Rose Tremain never lets her readers down as the quality of the writing is so vivid that images spring off pages in full technicolour so we hear the sounds， see the sights， wince and gasp at some of the horrifying experiences at Coram。 Lily’s start in life has love and kindness which contrasts so sharply with the inhuman cruelty that is the lot of orphans at this time。 They bear the brunt and the taint of their abandonment and are punished for it which completely breaks your heart at the injustice。 Lily does get revenge but that’s what haunts her because she’s a good person which she demonstrates time and time again。 She is an excellent central protagonist， she bears and wears the scars， she’s courageous in her rebelliousness at the orphan， she’s very brave， has a deep conscience and a long memory of that early love especially from Nellie。 You feel such empathy for her and the things that happen to her move you to tears。 All the characters are well portrayed with real flair as they come to life before your eyes。 Some are kind and loving like Nellie and Belle， right to the opposite end of the spectrum and they make your heart bleed for their unfortunate victims。 Although this is a harsh tale， there are some snippets of humour usually when Belle is around， she’s just wonderful。 It’s a very powerful story which builds and builds with an ending that feels just right。 Overall， if you like well written historical fiction， with a good plot that you can immerse yourself in then this may just fit the bill。 With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House UK， Vintage， Chatto and Windus for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review。 。。。more
Janet
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Lily dreams of the gallows because she has committed a murder。 She longs to confess to someone what she has done。 This story is her confession to the reader， the story of her harsh， early life and how it culminated in murder。The story is beautifully written and effortlessly poetic。 It is a slow burner full of emotion， dominated by both love and fear and with a moving ending。 I would have liked a little more action and I kept waiting for something to happen but it never did。As a short book it was Lily dreams of the gallows because she has committed a murder。 She longs to confess to someone what she has done。 This story is her confession to the reader， the story of her harsh， early life and how it culminated in murder。The story is beautifully written and effortlessly poetic。 It is a slow burner full of emotion， dominated by both love and fear and with a moving ending。 I would have liked a little more action and I kept waiting for something to happen but it never did。As a short book it was quick and easy to read。 I did find that the narrative jumped about from the present to the distant past and early past which at times caused confusion。 Overall it was an enjoyable read but I felt that it just lacked something special。I received a free review copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for my honest and unedited review。 。。。more
Angela Thompson
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Lily by Rose TremainThis is not the first title I've read by Rose Tremain and it will not be the last。It's a poignant story of a baby found by a policeman one terrible foggy night 。 He takes her to a foundling hospital to be brought up 。 The baby is named Lily Mortimer。We follow her life ， from being happy being looked after by a farmer and his loving wife and then back to the founding hospital （ jail ） when she reached the age where families return a young child from fostering to pick up a new Lily by Rose TremainThis is not the first title I've read by Rose Tremain and it will not be the last。It's a poignant story of a baby found by a policeman one terrible foggy night 。 He takes her to a foundling hospital to be brought up 。 The baby is named Lily Mortimer。We follow her life ， from being happy being looked after by a farmer and his loving wife and then back to the founding hospital （ jail ） when she reached the age where families return a young child from fostering to pick up a new one。I loved the way it the author set out Lily's story which at times was heartbreaking and harsh 。 It was at times hard to follow as it jumped about a little ， but this did not distract from the enjoyment of the book。 Spellbinding。 。。。more
Sarah
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Another engrossing and memorable novel by Rose Tremain， Lily is the story of an abandoned Coram Foundling Hospital baby who is fostered by a loving farming family in Suffolk until she is six years old。 The law dictates that， after this time， she must return to the orphanage to learn humility， duty and gratitude despite a daily dose of punishment， abuse and humiliation。After her institutional years， rebellious Lily is employed at Belle Prettywood's Wig Emporium and enjoys learning her craft and w Another engrossing and memorable novel by Rose Tremain， Lily is the story of an abandoned Coram Foundling Hospital baby who is fostered by a loving farming family in Suffolk until she is six years old。 The law dictates that， after this time， she must return to the orphanage to learn humility， duty and gratitude despite a daily dose of punishment， abuse and humiliation。After her institutional years， rebellious Lily is employed at Belle Prettywood's Wig Emporium and enjoys learning her craft and working within a friendly female community。 Yet， memories of her time in the foundation and a need to understand her origins underpin her daily life。 Will she be able to quiet the voices and the pictures in her head？Tremain has given us a courageous and determined heroine in Lily。 Despite the fact that she has little education and been shown scant affection， she is determined not to become ground down by her circumstances。 Through the author’s portrayal of the characteristically vicious Victorian attitude to illegitimate children， she reinforces just how significant a child’s start in life is （perhaps echoes here of her previous memoir ‘Rosie’）。 Her formative years， spent in a rural idyll provides the strength she needs to believe in herself and， whilst some of her actions are morally wrong， who can blame her for what she does？This is a wonderful read。 The story could， equally， become a powerful screen adaptation。 Rose Tremain’s use of period details is entirely convincing; her characters are alive on the page and her narrative reinforces the importance of kindness in an unkind world。 Highly recommended。My thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK， Vintage for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review。 。。。more
Steve Streeter
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