Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this novel.

I loved this one! When H's father dies she and her older sisters are dispersed to the winds. Grace is cast off, pregnant and disgraced. Frances runs away to join the service. Evelyn stays with H, and they are shipped off to live with their Aunt Madge by their pious older sisters. Then, the real story begins. H is accosted and assaulted by her older cousin, then later turned out into the streets during the plague that ravaged London. Left to the only work an unmarried, disgraced girl can do in the 1600s, she survives on wit and her body.

H is empowering, and strong. Her character deals with internal battle of her profession and who she is personally, and along the way, makes friends that become her family. She learns who she truly is, and the difference between a good name and being truly good. The writing is involving and paced beautifully, and the characters are vivid and delightful. One of the best reads of the year so far!

Even though I really liked this book I kept reading some other books in between. I think that all the things H went through seemed a bit too much as she faced desaster after desaster. Also there were some pages where all seemed a little dragged and it was difficult to focus, and so I wanted to relax my mind a bit. That's why it took me so long to finnish it.

The story is about H. A sweet girl who cares so much about her older sister, who was like a mother to her. After their father died they were sent to their aunt. There H meets her cousins, two hansome twins but very opposed to each other. From this point her life takes on a bad turn.
She is raped by one of the twins, the plague comes to London and takes her sister with it, she discovers that she's pregnant, she's thrown out in the street, survives the plague on her own mostly by stealing, she survives the fire, she becomes Doll - a prostitute, she loses both her baby twins at birth, etc.
After the death of Mother Cresswell and the fire that destroyed the bawdy house she becomes mistress Halcyon and fells in love with a beautiful boy, but still she has more obstacles to overcome.

In conclusion, I liked the book and the writing but it was way too long and everything that H went through was too much. At some point it annoyed me and I was constantly thinking what will be next, what is she going to face now.
And also keep in mind that she was 15-17 years old during these events!
Yes, those were terrible time to live in, but come on, too much is too much.
This felt like 3 books and not one book in 3 parts :)))

Also, if not for the ending with her marring Jasper and her confession of starting to love him (what!?? when did that happen???) I would have given 5 stars.

This book had me in the first few pages with a hanging and The Strange Adventures of H only got better. This rollicking tale takes place place in 1660's England during the reign of Charles II. H, who is called H by her parents because they can't agree on a name, is one of six sisters to her father's chagrin and anger. A minister with no fatherly love for his brood, marries off his two older daughters to two mean and righteous men, runs off the next two into a hard world and dies of a heart attack. The youngest two, H and Evelyn, are packed off to an aunt in London. A mere young adolescent H then has a respite at her aunt's in London where she is treated lovingly and well.
This, however, would be a short and boring book indeed if it ended here and this is not a boring book. As I can't give everything away, H survives the Great Plague of London, The Great Fire of London (all very exciting), destitution, the stage and many other adventures with a surprising end. There was also murder and orphans thrown in for extra entertainment. As Godfrey was putty in Aunt Madge's hands I was a slave to this book to the end. Thankfully, the weather was stormy and the power was out so the interruptions were minimal. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a review. Also to the author for an afternoon and evenings entertainment.

Absolutely stunning novel that is atmospheric and authentic. The author, Ms. Burton did a great job immersing me in the 17th and 18th century London. I absolutely loved H and her resilience. The author did a fantastic job detailing the effects of the Great Fire and of course the Plague, which felt so timely right now during Coronavirus.

Thank you so much NetGalley for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much NetGalley, Legends Press and Sarah Burton for this e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.

This book was fantastic!! Let's start with the story structure: it is divided in three parts, as H's three major chapters of her life. Part one starts with the introduction of H as a child, her many sisters, and the loss of both parents, which leads to her and sister Evelyn being sent to her aunt who embraces both girls and allows them to learn and grow in a confortable and loving home. Unfortunately, one of aunt Madge's sons, Roger, is the complete opposite of his dear mother: a vile, misogynic, manipulative womanizer who takes advantage of H and leaves her sick and pregnant.
Part two starts after the Plague hits the streets of London in 1666 and kills an astronomical number of people, to include H's sister Evelyn. H has to fall back on her feet and so leaves aunt Madge's Cheapside house and decide to prostitue herself in order to survive. This lifestyle leads her to mature quickly and makes her love for money grow. Despite her love for money (even though H cannot be considered a greedy person), her kindness and empathy always prevails. Good people could see beyond the painted face, through her eye, that H, or Doll as she was called when a prostitute, has a good heart. This good heart put several amazing people on her path as well as villains. H was able to navigate through all her relationships with great elegance and wit, and I admire her for it.

I can say that H has joined my list of most favorite fictional characters, for her resilience, strength, intelligence, sensitivity made me get very attached to her and understand all the choices she has made.

I finish this novel last night and I can't stop thinking about it. Sarah Burton's writing is smart, daring, blunt, sexy, and honest. If you love historical fiction, debut novels, strong female protagonists, London settings, daring stories, or journeys, I cannot recommend this book to you strong enough.

If you read this book, do not hesitate to contact me privately to discuss it.

This book is a pleasing read and I couldn’t be more satisfied with it. The experience of reading the story was entertaining and I couldn’t put it down once I started. The writing can be simple, but the plot is what grasped in.

This story follows a girl, named H, in the late 1700’s in London. The perspective of the story is basically her as an older woman talking to the reader. The story is split into important parts of her life. H talks about her early life, the life during and after the plague and the Great Fire of London. The book discusses the difficulties of being in the lower class and a single woman during those times. There are some topics that can be hard to read, such as sexual assault and suicide attempt, so a warning to other readers.

In all, this a fast paced historical fiction. I learned quite a bit of that era. The characters were very likable (well some...). I do recommend it to others who want to read about this time era. Thank you to Netgalley for the copy in exchange of an honest review.

Atmospheric and intriguing, I loved every moment of it. The author has a rare talent that is brought to the forefront in this beauty of a novel. Recommended.

Really enjoyed this book. Reading about the plague in London at this particular time really resounded how life has changed. Although I didn't particularly like the character H, I did want things to work out happily for her. Although slightly slow in parts I'm glad I had the chance to read this book and will actively look for this author again.

The Strange Adventures of H is a compelling and well researched novel following the eponymous protagonist H, as her life spins wildly out of her control from a regular upbringing to the harsh and unforgiving streets of London. While at times the novel is sort of hard to believe and there are a lot of chance meetings and blasts from the past, I was entertained the entire time so I’m okay with a little creative license.

I also liked that there was a through line of friendship and found family throughout the novel. It was great to see the sense of connection and the genuine care between H and her companions and how they would do anything for each other, especially when other characters in the novel are far more mercenary. I think this is one of the novels greatest strengths, the characters that we get to know as if they are real and how genuine they are. I felt for H, for her aunt Madge, Janey, Godfrey and Frederick to name just a few!

I’ve read a considerable amount of novels set in similar time periods with similar storylines but what sets this one apart the sort of ending we are given. Usually with a ‘fallen from grace’ storyline, especially in this time period, there’s not a whole lot of hope or something positive to glean but I actually liked the fact that we get a quite uplifting ending where loose ends are tied up and H gets what she deserves. As dark as the story gets at times and it does get pretty grim, the latter half of the novel and ending makes up for it.

Overall, I quite enjoyed reading this book and while it’s more of a one time read, I would still really recommend it for fans of historical fiction and period writing which is entertaining at all times.

4.75 stars

Why is NO ONE talking about The Strange Adventures of H? Not only is the cover absolutely STUNNING, but the story itself is just *lovingly stares into the distance* perfect. We follow H as she grows up into a strong woman who manages to navigate 17th century England. Not only is it timely as it covers the Plague of London 1666, but it also features revenge plots, family reunions, death, and more angst. All this has propelled Sarah Burton's novel to become my favorite historical fiction story ever.

Before continuing on, I must put a trigger warning for rape and suicide. They are quite prevalent in some areas of the novel.

The story is so wholesome. It made me laugh and cry. A great strength of the novel is the character-work. I genuinely loved Evelyn, Aunt Madge, Godfrey, Janey, Charlie and more. I also hated Sylvia, Roger, Diana and all the people that wronged H. A big theme that is explored is greed and how money affects people/relationships. I think Sarah Burton handles this theme extremely well. She thoroughly examines characters that value money over life in a way that is engaging as all these characters are like real people. I really admire how close you get to the characters. You know how they talk, how they make their decisions, and you can just picture them living alongside you. I love that.

The plot is separated into three segments. H struggles with her mental health and decides to take on plenty identities: first she goes as "H", then as "Doll", then as "Halcyon". All three areas of the plot were heavily investing as they examined different ways of life a woman could lead in 1666 London. Each section gives us a new villain, a new group of allies, and more tension. It keeps your attention all the way through!

There were only two scenes that keep me from giving The Strange Adventures of H a 5 star rating. In my opinion, the prologue is unnecessary. It doesn't really add to anything, and spoils one of the most epic moments in the book. The other scene is quite spoilery, so... (view spoiler on original review; linked below)

Overall, I NEED more people to be talking about this novel. It is truly amazing. If you are looking for a fast-paced, original historical fiction story, this book is for you.

Original review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3272678923

(Thank you Netgalley and Legend Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review!)

The Strange Adventures of H by Sarah Burton pulled me right in. I had not heard of this author but when I looked her up, I saw that she is an established author of children's books as well as a professor. I figured this meant she could write well and tell a good story! Very true.
The main character, H, is a child when the book starts and grows up in London during the bubonic plague in 1665 and also the great fire a few years later. I did not realize that a terrible, flu plague was a large part of this book when I chose to read it in early April 2020 while staying home and watching the world struggle with the pandemic of Covid-19. But, when I got to the part where the plague was spreading across London, it was so interesting and creepily parallel to our current time that I just kept reading.
While it is a coming of age story and H is a child during much of the book, it is definitely an adult book. (TW for rape, child abuse, assault) H has to survive on the streets of London after the plague causes her to be separated from everyone she knows and loves. She becomes a prostitute. The relationships between the girls in the house, and between H and her patrons, were well done and I was reminded of Frog Music by Emma Donoghue, which is another excellent historical fiction novel centered around the street life of San Francisco in the 1870s. Neither book glorifies prostitution, but they also do not demonize it. They see the humanity in the people who are living their lives that way during those times.
H has mental strength and self-confidence, but she struggles with self-acceptance. A theme in the book is self-forgiveness as well.
The characters are great and the family drama is intriguing. Also - as I suspected, Sarah Burton can write! I felt like I was reading a diary written in the 1660s and I even looked up a few words (a cup of sack turned out to be a glass of wine!), yet the whole time it was flawless and fast-paced. I really felt the sadness and desperation of London being wiped out by the plague and the fire. I really enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it.

*Many thanks to Sarah Burton, Legend Press and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
I found this debut novel by Ms Burton quite interesting and very much in the sentiment of the 17th and 18th centuries literary classics. The title, 'strange adventures of H', hiding the actual name of the female protagonist, feels like we are reading an actual memoir written by a woman who honestly describes her adventures and misfortunes, and eventually fortunes. H, the narrator, tell us about her childhood and her adolescence years, and what kind of life she led until she was rewarded in later years. Brought up far away from London, orphaned although with several elder sisters, H finds herself under the care of an aunt and considers herself both happy and lucky until she is seduced by a cousin and finds herself pregnant. She flees home and faces the 17th London reality.
I enjoy reading novels by Defoe, Richardson, Smollett or Fielding, so this novel was truly up my street. Two tragic events, the Great Fire of London and the Great Plague that struck in 1666 are depicted very well and with terrific care and thorough research on the side of Ms Burton. The characters are believable and so are their actions, and although the end of the novel was somehow predictble, it did not spoil the pelasure of reading.

Set in the 1660s in London, the story follows the life of H following the death of her father. The Plague and the Great Fire impact on her life and she finds herself struggling to survive. It is her close circle of friends that provide the warmth and support to help her thrive.
The book started out at a great pace, with a strong sense of Restoration London. Unfortunately the pace slackened as the story progressed but it did pick up again towards the end. Most of the time, the story was a little too predictable and the ending was rather contrived. The characters were mostly likeable although I didn't particularly like H herself.
Overall it was a reasonably entertaining story.

What an unexpected surprise this book was!
I have to say I did not see it coming when I requested to review this title. I fell for the cover and a story in London more than anything however the story catapulted itself to stratosphere after the first few chapters. T
he extraordinary plot twists, the story, the narration, the characters: I absolutely loved them!
I would not image living in London in 1660s. Our protagonist, born and raised in a poverty-stricken environment that lacks fortune encounters first the plague, then the Great Fire and as if that not enough, experienced first hand The Bawdy House Riots (Shrove Tuesday) within a 3-year period. The soul-crashing life she leads, how her adventures turn out create a most amazing story! My brain short-circuited after the first half; the surprises, twists and turns never end in her story. The misadventures continue within the style of “L’homme propose, le Dieu dispose,” (as Frenchie would say), God laughing at the plans she makes by creating obstacles every step of the way. A beautiful, creative piece of literature for fiction lovers and one of the greatest examples of historical fiction of the year.

Very much enjoyed this read. The author put time into making the reader feel immersed in the time and place of 16th century London. The pacing can be a bit slow but the details added are worth the atmospheric quality. Overall, I would recommend to those a fan of historical fiction.

Started and finished this one all in one day—I couldn’t put it down. The story follows H from childhood; following the death of her religious, overbearing father, H and one of her sisters are sent to London to live with their aunt. The events that follow see H navigating a series of triumphs and tragedies (including the plague and the Great Fire of London), doing what it takes to survive and ensure the survival of those she loves, in a time and place in which women have very little power. H was a wonderful protagonist, the story was complex and compelling, and there are few settings I love more than historic London! ✨

What an amazing book and what a prescient time to have read it. This story takes place during the plague of 1666 in London followed shortly thereafter by the great fire. During the time I find myself now, reading a book of quarantine in a time when little was known about diseases and how they spread, was very interesting.
The tale centers around H, a young orphan, and her sister Evelyn who have been given into the care of their Aunt. During the book, we are taken through different ups and downs in H's life and I found that though it was somewhat depressing subject matter times, it was very uplifting and had a wonderful character arc. The characters were all very well thought out, and I found myself wanting to know more of Godfrey and Jasper than I was given in the book itself. Though I was unfamiliar with the author previously, I feel as though she has a wonderful story laid out in this book and hope to read more from her in the future.
It was a wonderful quarantine book for me, and hopefully, it will be something you will choose to pick up in the future!
This ebook was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I found the language in the book to be period appropriate, which made it a pleasure to read. I even picked up some new 17th century slang.
The story was interesting but a bit too predictable. The characters were very well drawn and very likeable. The "bad" characters were extremely unlikeable. The strongest aspect of the tale was the wonderfully described life during the Plague time in England.

I really wanted to love this book, the premise of this story is great.
A young girl ‘H’ is orphaned and sent to live with her aunt. There she faces plague, fire and the loss of her innocence. She finds herself cast out onto the streets of London, whilst London is laying under a quarantine order. (Very apt at this dreadful time!)
What follows is the story of her fight for survival. The opening scene is both wonderful and horrible, it’s the sort of scene that stages with you, and so I had high hopes for the rest of the book.
I loved the first half of the book, unfortunately for me, the book then seemed to lose direction. I found the writing hard to follow but the storyline predictable and I’m sorry to say that I skim read the last few chapters.
The character of H was also difficult to like and root for, and for me the love story added nothing but predictability.
I wanted to love this but didn’t, and I’m sorry for that as there are some good points. If the author could continue the skill she showed at the beginning of the book all the way through then it would have been brilliant.

I liked this book and found the plot interesting, the book has a lot of characters and I found it hard to follow at times.