Whispers in the Reading Room {Litfuse Book Review}



I loved this book. In fact I enjoyed it so much that I read it in less than 24 hours. Now in my defense there was a swim meet involved and so I had very little to do for a whole afternoon.

This story is set just after the World Fair in Chicago. Chicago itself has a notorious reputation and this story doesn't disappoint. It's not graphic or nasty just shows a glimpse into the rough and tumble of the underground illegal scene that was rampant during that time.

Lydia works in the 'Reading Room' (the library). She becomes interested with a mysterious gentleman 'Sebastian'. He doesn't give his name, nor does he borrow books, just comes in and sits quietly and reads.

They both love books and seem to have a lot in common, although they actually come from completely different worlds. A chance meeting starts a chain of events that changes their lives forever.

Can Lydia trust Sebastian, who seems to control the city - Is it power or fear or a combination of both. Lydia is living the illusion that she has money while trying desperately to secure a husband. Money is running short and there isn't much left to sell to try and make ends meet. Her father left Lydia and her Mother in a very poor financial situation.

Sebastian has managed to crawl out of the gutter - almost literally. He craves 'respectability' and has created the illusion of being respectable, as long as his two worlds don't collide. Until they do...

I love how well this book shows the plight of people that lived in this time period. It was so easy to drop into a desperate situation where someone would do almost anything to stay alive. There is a fine line between respectability and desperation, in this time it was money.



Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

 ©2011-2014 Chickensbunniesandhomeschool. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author Chickensbunniesandhomeschool.blogspot.com

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

HOPEFUL by Shelley Shepard Gray | Win a copy! Plus my Review

Magnificent Tales -Treasury of Bible Stories - Review and Giveaway

The Ultimate Blog Party #UBP13