Lady of Milkweed Manor

This book had me captivated from first page to last as I lived every moment along with Charlotte, her position as daughter of a vicar only exacerbating the fact that she is a woman pregnant out of wedlock. It was like reading a fascinating history book, only through the eyes and deep emotions of someone who was there. The shunning of her friends and family, the pain she felt herself, the mixture of hope and desperation she saw at Milkweed Manor, the close yet impossible relationship with her childhood friend now doctor. . . It was incredible just how much was fit into a simple story. I didn't want it to end, neither did I have any idea how it would. Utterly captivating and one that grips me yet again every time I read it. \\r\\n

This was the first one of Julie Klassen's books that I read, and it definitely won't be the last! The characters were well crafted and the plot finely woven. This combined with the setting came together in a novel that I could not put down! Other critics are right when they hail Klassen as the modern Jane Austen!

I think I have now read all of Julie Klassen's books. Each of them special in their own right. The Lady of Milkweed Manor did not disappoint. Ms Klassen has an amazing way of weaving history through a beautiful story without weighing you down with historical facts. But also not so little facts that it is just another romance with a historical setting. This story was so beautifully written that within a few chapters I felt as if I knew the characters personally. The twist and turns kept me wondering about how it all will end, right to the end. Some interesting facts about wet nurses where sprinkled through out the story. It made me realise that we as modern women do not have the monopoly on choices and frustrations about breastfeeding. We are grateful for the invention of formula milk for babies, but in those years there were not the option. Wet-nurses saved many babies lives. Puerperal insanity, another interesting topic in the book. So yes, it was truly a beautiful story.

Julie Klassen is an exceptional story teller, she has a good knowledge of historical fiction and attention to detail. This story is well worth reading and it brings home the harsh reality of people during that period, especially women and the few choices they had. Julie has captured the day-to-day lives of the characters in a way that made me feel like I was there. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a story that is inspirational and easy to read. After reading this novel I have bought another 3 novels of Julia Klassen's and I look forward to reading them.