The Foundling: The gripping Sunday Times bestselling historical novel, from the winner of the Women's Prize Futures award

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The majority of the reading group said they enjoyed this book. Several people commented that they found it very readable, with a nice writing style and a good pace. They liked the historical detail and felt that they learned something about life in London in the later eighteenth century, the Foundling Hospital and the way it worked, and the kindly Thomas Coram. Some readers found the characters interesting, particularly Alexandra, whose problems were unfolded gradually, with hints of agarophobia or Aspergers, and eventually revealed as PTSD from a childhood trauma. Other readers found the characters slightly less convincing and one thought they were too stereotyped: “odd lady with manic sister”, “hero”, “mystery man”, “alcoholic brother”. One commented that, although she appreciated the way the author put female perspectives centre stage and presented the women’s point of view, the narrative seemed to be giving modern day sensibilities to eighteenth century women, which seemed wrong. There were also several comments questioning whether a woman in Alexandra’s position would have sat down to meals with the nanny, and why she appeared to have control of her own finances rather than having been appointed a guardian after the deaths of her father and husband.

The Foundling Hospital within the novel is based upon a real place that existed within that time, but this novel is driven more by its characters than by historical events. Stacey Halls knows her craft though, and she has such a talent at creating mood and atmosphere, at conveying emotion through gesture as well as words. She is certainly an author who has earned her place as an historical novelist of note. Just as I raved about The Familiars last year, I will quite happily rave about The Foundling this year. Stacey Halls has done it again! I was so mesmerised by The Foundling that I read it in one sitting. If you enjoyed the writing style of The Familiars and the mix of fiction and history, then you will ADORE this one as well. These feminine vessels we inhabited: why did nobody expect them to contain unfeminine feelings? Why could we, too, not be furious and scornful and entirely altered by grief? Why must we accept the cards we had been dealt?“

Although she’s sad to be asking for the chance to leave Clara in their care, Bess sets her mind to patiently saving the money needed to reclaim her. Like the other mothers, Bess also leaves a token by which Clara can be identified. Who has taken Clara? However, the single storyline is excellent, the period setting is superb and the theme heart-breaking. As many of these stories do, this one was also eye opening as more disgraceful practices are exposed of the treatment of the vulnerable and poor in society.

The second novel by Ms Halls tells a story of a very young woman who in 1754 gets pregnant and is forced to part with her daughter the day after she is born. Bess Bright knows she will have to collect money for several years to reunite with Clara, and this hope gives her the strength to work and be patient. Secondary characters from Bess’s siblings to Doctor Mead added to the tale. We also have elements of romance but these are secondary to the central theme of Bess and her daughter. Having to leave your newborn at a Foundling until you could afford to keep the child seemed to be the norm in the 1700's for poor families.

lucycrichton

While there is nothing predictable about this beautifully written story, I found the rapid change in Alexandra's character towards the end of the book a little unbelievable. However, I enjoyed this enough to have earmarked Stacey Hall's previous book, The Familiars, to read. um hinter dieses Geheimnis zu kommen, liegt ein langer Weg vor Bess. Sie muss nicht nur alte Wunden wieder aufreißen, sondern auch in eine Gesellschaft eintauchen und in vielen Schatten graben. Nicht zuletzt ist die Suche nach ihrer Tochter auch ein Weg der Selbstfindung und dem Überwinden all der Hürden der Zeit. But the main criticism of this book concerned the ending – everyone commented that the “happy ending” in which Alexandra voluntarily gives up the child and marries the doctor who understands her problems, and Bess marries Lyle and takes her daughter to a nice new home, was contrived, unlikely and “too neat”. Why would Alexandra, after years of suffering with PTSD, suddenly “snap out of it”? Would dividing the child’s time between two such different worlds, the privileged and the deprived, have been acceptable? And was the dilemma of a child with two mothers, her birth mother and the woman who brought her up, sufficiently explored? I found it endlessly surprising how history would repeat itself, despite a person doing everything in their power to make it otherwise.