Book Review: Peregrine Hill by Nina de Gramont

I had the opportunity to read this book thanks to #NetGalley.  Thank you again! TBP 11/2026I


This is a story that takes place during the Gilded Age and will be well liked by historical fiction buffs!

 The main character Mariah, she is 18 years old.  After a tragic accident takes out most of the family, her mother Isabella Bishop decides to basically sell off her only daughter to a rich old man John Whitten.  With this marriage, Isabella will be accompanying her young daughter as will Isabella’s mother so that all of their basic needs will now be taken care of thanks to the marriage Mariah is not wanting.  With a heavy laver of guilt, she agrees.  Thus, they enter the world and the main home of John Whitten and all its glamour and stuffy protocols.  The story revolves around all of the central characters that live or work in the main home.

 This has all the makings of being a great epic film around a strong female lead, Mariah. She is a young woman thrown into adulthood and a world full of rich snobs and the protocol she detests. As it attempts to batter her down and society wants her to fall perfectly in line, she vows to use whatever means she can to create a life that she can be more content in even if she ruffles feathers along the way! 

 It's excellent at showing the submissiveness that was expected of women during this period in time where women were more revered as a possession, like a household pet, then as a fully functioning human being with rights and privileges. Any attempt by males to force their will and conformity on women was met with approval.

The writing had a nice flow, making it an easier read than one might expect given the subject matter. The characterization of Mariah was very intense which was critical to the story.  The book had several different story lines. but they are seamlessly interwoven.

 I rated the book high because this author makes the story compelling having written it in such a way the characters come alive right off the page!


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