Via letters rendered using a chatty, confiding tone, Nicholls (The Silent Stars Go By) presents a captivating epistolary novel set in 1896 that chronicles the friendship of teens Tirzah, Sophia, and Polly after they leave boarding school and embark on separate lives. . . . With great affection and sympathy, these winning heroines forge their own paths in this highly readable, tautly paced work.
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
An epistolary novel unfolding through letters, primarily round-robin correspondence between three young women in late-19th-century Britain. . . . This clever novel’s strength lies in its structure: The format effectively supports the drama, character development, voice, and pacing. . . A warm, gentle work with well-drawn characters and brisk pacing celebrating female friendship and independence.
—Kirkus Reviews
In 1896, Sophia, Tirzah, and Polly graduated from their British boarding school and went their separate ways in a society that has offered them few options. . . Nicholls tells their intertwined stories as they share their experiences and respond to each other’s thoughts and questions. . . Romance plays an increasingly large part in their lives and letters as time passes. With eye-catching jacket art, this engaging novel will appeal to readers intrigued by the late Victorian era.
—Booklist
If Jane Austen were alive today, this is just the kind of book she might have written.
—We Are Teachers
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