Review & Giveaway: What Girls Are Good For by David Blixt

Nellie Bly has the story of a lifetime. But will she survive to tell it?

 Enraged by an article entitled ‘What Girls Are Good For’, Elizabeth Cochrane pens an angry letter to the Pittsburgh Dispatch, never imagining a Victorian newspaper would hire a woman reporter. Taking the name Nellie Bly, she struggles against the male-dominated industry, reporting stories no one else will – the stories of downtrodden women.

 Chased out of Mexico for revealing government corruption, her romantic advances rejected by a married colleague, Bly earns the chance to break into the New York’s Newspaper Row if she can nab a major scoop – life inside a madhouse. Feigning madness, she dupes the court into committing her to the Insane Asylum on Blackwell’s Island. 

But matters are far worse than she ever dreamed. Stripped, drugged, beaten, she must endure a week of terror, reliving the darkest days of her childhood, in order to escape and tell the world her story. Only, at the end of the week, no rescue comes, and she fears she may be trapped forever... 

Based on the real-life events of Nellie Bly’s life and reporting, What Girls Are Good For is a tale of rage, determination, and triumph - all in the frame of a tiny Pennsylvania spitfire who refused to let the world tell her how to live her life, and changed the world instead.

Publication Date: November 6, 2018

Creativia

Paperback & eBook; 535 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

*****

There were two factors that made me want to read this book. First, the author. I’ve seen his books around in the circle of historical fiction authors, in fact, I met him once back in Denver when he did a masterclass on sword fighting, with the real thing (how did he get those through airport security?). His novels in Ancient Rome are patiently waiting while I wind my way out of the 19th/20th century interests of late. Which brings me to my 2nd reason, Nellie Bly is a woman I’ve heard of but know nothing about. This is my kind of reading - entertaining and educational at the same time. I love reading about women in history, I was going to say strong women but they don't always start that way, it's a process, it’s through their experiences that make them stronger - like Nellie Bly.

I knew right from the beginning I’d love this book. Elizabeth or rather Nellie is spunky, spontaneous and rather a hoot. You never knew what she’d do next, whether it be interviewing factory workers, heading off to Mexico or an Insane Asylum I was totally captivated. Through these experiences, Nellie has to change and that’s what makes reading about her so interesting.

I love books that go deep, where not just the characters are developed nicely but the plot as well. I’ve found with some books this size that they could do with fewer pages but in this case, I loved the length and detail. The characters are authentic, I was immersed in the era, the author's research definitely shined through here.

What Girls Are Good For is a story of perseverance, standing up for what you believe in and an example of never giving up.

Available on Amazon

David Blixt‘s work is consistently described as “intricate,” “taut,” and “breathtaking.”

A writer of Historical Fiction, his novels span the early Roman Empire (the COLOSSUS series, his play EVE OF IDES) to early Renaissance Italy (the STAR-CROSS’D series) up through the Elizabethan era (his delightful espionage comedy HER MAJESTY’S WILL, starring Will Shakespeare and Kit Marlowe as inept spies). His novels combine a love of the theatre with a deep respect for the quirks and passions of history.

Living in Chicago with his wife and two children, he describes himself as “actor, author, father, husband. In reverse order.”

 For more information, please visit David Blixt's website.

You can also find him on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour we will be giving away 4 paperback copies of What Girls Are Good For! To enter, please use the Gleam form below. Giveaway Rules – Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on December 28th. You must be 18 or older to enter. – Giveaway is open to US residents only. – Only one entry per household. – All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion. – Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

What Girls Are Good For