Book Synopsis:
Inspired by an infamous real-life case, The Mourning Necklace is the unforgettable feminist historical novel from the Women’s Prize-longlisted author of The Maiden, Kate Foster.
They said I would swing for the crime, and I did . . .
1724. In a tavern just outside Edinburgh, Maggie Dickson’s family drown their sorrows, mourning her death yet relieved she is gone. Shame haunts them. Hanged for the murder of her newborn child, passers-by avert their eyes from her cheap coffin on its rickety cart.
But as her family pray her soul rests in peace, a figure appears at the door.
It is Maggie. She is alive.
Bruised and dazed, Maggie has little time for her family’s questions. All that matters to her is answering this one: will they hang her twice?
Book Review:
The Mourning Necklace is a gripping, absorbing and poignant read which I really enjoyed.
The story follows the real life events of Maggie Dickson, a fish hawker who lived in the early 18th century and managed to survive being hung. Maggie is a very sympathetic character who I enjoyed learning more about. She works hard to overcome the problems she faces purely by being a woman. I loved her strength in the face of diversity and that she tried to do the right thing even when facing death.
The author does a great job setting the scene so that the reader feels transported to the time as if they are watching events unfold. It was very poignant learning more about how powerless the law made women which meant they didn’t even have control over their own bodies. I really felt for Maggie and all she goes through, particularly as I’ve lost a baby myself so I could relate to all she must have been feeling.
Overall I really enjoyed this fabulous read which I’ll definitely be recommending to others. The story has a great pace to it and there always seemed to be something happening to keep me reading. The dual timeline aspect of before and after the hanging was very intriguing as it allowed the reader to learn more about Maggie’s life. This helps the reader build an emotional attachment to Maggie which makes the later events harder to deal with.
Huge thanks to the lovely Chloe from Pan Macmillan for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.
If you’re a fan of absorbing historical fiction featuring historical characters you might not have known about them I highly recommend this book.
About The Author:
Kate Foster worked as a national newspaper journalist for more than twenty years before becoming an author. Growing up in Edinburgh, she became fascinated by its history and often uses it as inspiration for her stories. Her previous novels include The Maiden, which won the Bloody Scotland Crime Debut of the Year and was longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction, and The King’s Witches. The Mourning Necklace is her third novel. She lives in Edinburgh with her two children.
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