In the Mirror, a Peacock Danced is published by Agora Books on 24th June 2021. My thanks to the publisher for the review copy and the blog tour invitation.
Agra, 1938: Eighteen-year-old Florence Hunt has grown up riding horses past the Taj Mahal and chasing peacocks through her backyard under the critical gaze of her father. Increasingly enamoured with his work on the booming railway, Florence yearns to know more, but finds herself brushed away, encouraged only to perform the more ladylike hobbies of singing and entertaining guests. So when a dazzling young engineer walks into her life, she finds herself not only gripped by secret lessons in physics but swept entirely off her feet.
Portsmouth, 1953: Fifteen years later, Florence finds herself pregnant and alone in post-war England – a far cry from her sun-drenched existence in India. Struggling to cope with the bleakness of everyday life in a male-dominated world, Florence is desperate to find the woman she used to be. But when someone from her past reaches out, Florence might just have a chance to start over.
Soaring from the shimmering heights of the big top to the depths of heartbreak, can Florence find the happiness, independence, and passion she once had in order to start living again?
Set against the lush backdrop of early 20th-century India, In the Mirror, a Peacock Danced – the debut novel from Justine Bothwick – is the moving story of one woman’s journey back to herself.
My Thoughts:
I just want to start by saying everything about In the Mirror, a Peacock Danced drew me in. Initially that gorgeous cover and the title that initally sparks the readers interest. This book is the richly drawn and immersive story of Florence Hunt. The reader gets to meet Florence in 1938 Agra and again in Portsmouth in 1953 in this dual timeline story that captured my imagination.
When we met Florence at 18 years old she is living in Agra with her Father it is 1938. The backdrop is sumptuous, there are parties, horse riding and on the surface what would be described as a life of privilege. Florence loves to spend time adoring the peacocks in the yard. Florence however longs for something more. She is unhappy with her father and feels stifled and unappreciated. Her father at times was mean and cruel and often belittled Florence. Florence wants to better herself and learn. She is interested in Science and Engineering but these are perceived to be interests that are only pursued by men. Florence's father feels that she would be more suited to womanly pastimes such as singing. She has spent a lot of time around the railway where her father works and she is interested in the workings but as it transpires her interest is also piqued by a young man there who seems to be perfect and full of promise....
Fast forward fifteen years and it is now 1953 Florence has left Agra behind and now lives in Portsmouth. We meet her here when she is pregnant. It was so interesting the way that even though in a different time and place Florence is still unhappy and constrained by males. So, is a chance meeting with the past going to lead to the future for Florence and is she ever going to see those peacocks dance again.
Florence is such a wonderfully written character I really felt for her and hoped for a good outcome for her story. I wanted for her to be able to exactly what she wanted to do rather than having to pander to all of those around her.
Both timelines worked wonderfully and the history was woven in seamlessly. A rich and evocative portrayal of the life of a woman who just wants to do more and to be more. The writing her is wonderful and the plot memorable.
A really beautiful book inside and outside.
About the Author:
Justine is a graduate of the Manchester Writing School’s Creative Writing MA programme and has short stories published in Fictive Dream, Virtual Zine, Confingo Magazine, and forthcoming in The Lonely Crowd, and with Nightjar Press.
In the Mirror, a Peacock Danced is her debut novel.
You can follow on Twitter: @Bothwick_Cro
Please do have a look at the other stops on the blog tour.
No comments:
Post a Comment