Thursday, September 27, 2012

{Book Tour} Review--The Gilded Lily by Deborah Swift


My thoughts:
The Gilded Lily is an atmospheric piece of historical fiction and I loved it! Swift has captured the essence of 17th century London to perfection.  As I was reading about Ella and Sadie's exploits in the city, I actually felt like I was walking in their shoes.  The sights, sounds, and yes, even smells of London in that era were palpable to say the least.  In a time when it seemed the least offense, whether it be your first or third, could result in hanging, Ella takes a huge chance to get herself and Sadie to London, despite the risk.  This level of intrigue added to the excitement of the book.  What I would call a historical page turner, The Gilded Lily is definitely a book that keeps you wanting more.  I did not know that this book is actually the continuing story of The Lady's Slipper.  I will definitely have to get my hands on that book soon.  Swift's descriptive and accurately portrayed historical fiction is what I crave.



About the book:
Winter, 1661. In her short life Sadie Appleby has never left rural Westmorland. But one night she is rudely awoken by her older and bolder sister, Ella. She has robbed her employer and is on the run. Together the girls flee their home and head for London, hoping to lose themselves in the teeming city. But the dead man's relatives are in pursuit, and soon a game of cat and mouse ensues amongst the freezing warren that is London in winter. Ella is soon seduced by the glitter and glamour of city life and sets her sights on the flamboyant man-about-town, Jay Whitgift, owner of a beauty parlour for the wives of the London gentry. But nothing in the capital is what it seems, least of all Jay Whitgift. Soon a rift has formed between Ella and Sadie, and the sisters are threatened by a menace more sinister than even the law. Set in a brilliantly realised Restoration London, The Gilded Lily is a novel about beauty and desire, about the stories we tell ourselves, and about how sisterhood can be both a burden and a saving grace.


About the author:
Deborah Swift used to work in the theatre and at the BBC as a set and costume designer, before studying for an MA in Creative Writing in 2007. She lives in a beautiful area of Lancashire near the Lake District National Park. She is the author of The Lady's Slipper and is a member of the Historical Writers Association, the Historical Novel Society, and the Romantic Novelists Association.

For more information, please visit www.deborahswift.co.uk.

A big thank you to Amy with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for having me on the tour.
Tour Schedule
Twitter Hashtag: #GildedLilyVirtualTour

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2 comments:

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  1. I enjoyed this one too! I think you will find The Lady's Slipper really interest in terms of Ella's actions before the start of this book

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  2. The more descriptive, the more I love it! I so enjoy being able to read about a place and feel as if I am truly standing there in the middle of it with the characters. Both books are on my wishlist.

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