De Dienstmeid Van Fairbourne Hall (2012) - Plot & Excerpts
I seem to like the types of books that Julie Klassen writes. Well I guess that makes sense because I always loved those Jane Austen type of movies & books. Klassen writes within that historical period. But as with her previous novel that I read, somehow she makes it relatable to modern life. People still have servants these days like a cleaning lady & many people don't treat them very well. But life as a servant in a regency household is one thing all together. Everything had to be done by hand. There were no toilets. No showers or tubs with piped in hot water. No vacuums. You wanted hot water? You had to heat it on the stove & lug it up to the bath tub & then repeat the process until the tub was full. Oh, the things we take for granted these days. I liked this book because the heroine Margaret had to flee her home as she was afraid she would be pressured into marriage. Margaret overhears her stepfather ordering his nephew Marcus to get himself engaged & then married to her (because of her upcoming inheritance). The stepfather even implies that Marcus should get Margaret pregnant because that would be a big scandal & she would have to marry someone to be deemed respectable society again. Wow talk about a scoundrel. So after Margaret hears this she decides to run away. She has no where to go so she follows a maid named Joan (who she'd gotten dismissed by accident) to her sister's house & then to a hiring fair in a town called Maidstone. Well, Margaret eventually gets hired as a maid & must perform all sorts of drudgery that she was unaccustomed to doing her whole life. She gets an appreciation for all the hard work maids actually do & realizes how spoiled & blind she had been. She rejected a man because he wasn't as handsome on the outside as his brother & she comes to realize that what's on the outside doesn't always match what's on the inside. Great book.My only complaint? I thought the book ended too abruptly. I wanted to read Margaret getting married & living in her old family home! Julie Klassen's books always remind me of Jane Auten's novels(: It was an enjoyable read and I appreciated the subtle humour littered through the story. Natheniel is such an honourable and honest man, hat I found him quite and entertaining at times. Along the line of characters, I enjoyed the development of Margaret thoroughly as well! I did not notice it at first while I was reading the book, but she has indeed grown into a young lady when you compare her right from the beginning and at the end. The unique thing I liked about this story is that it intertwined the lives of the servants and the masters of a house so nicely together. It was refreshing to learn about the workings in the lodge from these various perspectives. Hear their sorrows, their complaints and share the pleasant moments all together. Although there were many parts in the book that I felt very annoyed with the plot and wished it to quickly reveal itself, I still enjoyed it(: IT WAS A GOOD BREAK FROM ALL THAT STUDYING. So additional points for that(:
What do You think about De Dienstmeid Van Fairbourne Hall (2012)?
Couldn't wait to see what happens at the end but at the same time didn't want it to end.
—shardaec
Really good. The life of a maid was no picnic that is for sure. Ewww chamber pots!
—Brigido25
A fun regency romance with a touch of mystery. Great book to read on vacation.
—angel143
No real surprises, but excellent writing style and captivating scenario.
—mumby2319
