With murder dominating the news, the respected wife of a New Brunswick sea captain is drawn into the case of a British home child whose bad luck has turned worse. Mortified that she must purchase the girl in a pauper auction to save her from the lechery of wealthy townsmen, Josephine Galloway finds herself suddenly the proprietor of a boarding house kept afloat by the sweat and tears of a curious and not completely compatible collection of women, including this English teenager, Flora Salford. Flora's place in her new family cannot be complete until she rescues the missing person in her life, the only one who understands the trials she has come through and fresh horrors met since they were separated years before.
Reconnecting with characters of Beth Powning's beloved The Sea Captain's Wife, The Sister's Tale is a story of women finding their way, together, through terrible circumstances they could neither predict nor avoid, but will stop at nothing to overcome.
Paperback, 328 pages
Published May 25, 2021
by Knopf Canada
4/5 stars
The Sister's Tale is a vivid picture of life for women in the late 1800's. Women lacked rights and left to the decision making of men, men controlled their lives. The suffragette movement was just starting.
The characters were a mixed lot that included 2 girls who came from England as part of the Home Child Program.
This was an interesting story, maybe slow at times. Frustrating in parts where the treatment of women is shown. Heartbreaking in the treatment of these girls. Encouraging to watch women begin to take a stand.
The Sister's Tale is a journey for the women in this book. A journey of healing through loss, healing through pain and guilt, healing through injustices and being brave enough to accept, change and take a stand.
Beth Powning is a new to me author. She is Canadian and with a Canadian setting I was anxious to read this book. I have a couple of her previous books and I look forward to reading more.
This book is part of my 2021 Reading Off My Shelf Challenge #57
I'm eager to read this as I've read her other titles, including "The Sea Captain's Wife", which has connections to this one. I'd put this on hold at the library ages ago and finally I'm next in line!! I live in New Brunswick, by the way, so this author's books deeply resonate with me.
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