Jane Eagland

This book was really entertaining. I don't know if I want to say it was good, necessarily, but it was entertaining. I liked it all the way to the end. Which was happy! And I'm so glad it was happy because really a story about a woman who wants to be a doctor and is also a lesbian in victorian times could probably end up really terrible. But I was so pleased to read about Lou and Eliza getting to live together and make out often. I got to this book from a recommendation in a bad review of [b:Ash|6472451|Ash|Malinda Lo|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1286563960s/6472451.jpg|6550542], and now from a review here I'm moving on to [b:Fingersmith|45162|Fingersmith|Sarah Waters|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327879025s/45162.jpg|1014113]. Here's hoping this chain of YA lesbian books never ends!… (more)

This book was infuriating at times, because it brought to the forefront how helpless women were during this time period--even strong willed, intelligent women. It makes me wonder how often women's spirits and bodies were destroyed in order to control them--and with permission for the law.
This book also has a romance under layer, and I think this was nicely done, too. All it takes is one person to truly see you in order to give you hope through the seemingly impossible circumstances of life.
I enjoyed that the book didn't tie things up all nice and neat, as well. Things were still complicate and messy and sad, even when the worst was over.… (more)