Thanks to @netgalley for the advanced digital copy of The Blackbirds of St Giles 🩶

It's 1782 and Daniel and his sister, Pearl, have escaped a life on the sugar plantation in Jamaica. Thanks to his well connected friend in the British Army, they find themselves on their way to England with a bright future and freedom ahead.

But not everyone is as kind to them there - Daniel and Pearl are cruelly tricked and end up in the backend of St Giles, barely surviving in a dangerous and dirty world. There's a group there who call themselves The Brotherhood and they intend to set their people free from tyranny but they need Daniel's help to succeed...

I love a good historical fiction book so obviously I jumped at the chance to read this one. Plus the cover was gorgeous, the story intriguing.

The writing in this was incredibly vivid, portraying a dark side of the London underground that we don't get to see much of but contrasting to the world above inhabited by the gentry. It's hard not to root for Daniel and Pearl, ever optimistic that their fate can be changed. But God was it hard to read about their hardships and knock backs.

An important part of History to learn about for sure, this was an eye opening and engaging book where light triumphs darkness.

The Blackbirds of St Giles is out on 30th January 2025!

From beginning to end, this book had me completely in its thrall. It has been a while since I have read a book that was this gripping. It is written by literary duo Kate Griffin and Marcia Hutchinson, under the name Lila Cain.

This book follows Daniel who now, in the year 1782, arrives in London with his sister Pearl. After having escaped slavery at a sugar plantation in Jamaica, he fought for the British monarchy in the US war of independence. As a result he was given his freedom, and, from a dear friend and his military superior, a large inheritance.

However, the life that Daniel was promised was cruelly pulled out from under his feet and, he and Pearl are forced to survive in London with nothing to their name. They live under the vicious Elias, the so-called “king of the rookery”. However, Daniel manages to find loyalties and friends, who all, like him seek a better life, and as such, seek to free themselves from the despotic rule of the tyrannical Elias.

I truly found myself unable to put this book down, and when I was forced to (as I unfortunately found cooking while reading to be a particular challenge), I found I could think about little else (also inconvenient as I am currently trying to apply for a masters degree). I swallowed this book in three days. I was moved by it - it made me cry at times, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The history attached to this novel is fascinating but deeply harrowing. However, in reading the book, I found myself desperately interested to find out more about St. Giles and the gangs that ruled it during this era.

I particularly loved the end of the novel; while there was resolution, the authors chose not to answer every single question, which was something that I particularly appreciated.

Many thanks to Simon & Schuster and to Netgalley for the free digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.