Reviews with content warning for Abortion - The Girl in His Shadow

Title: The girl in His Shadow
Author: Audrey Blake
Series: Nora Beady #1
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 4.0
Pub Date: May 4, 2021

T H R E E • W O R D S

Unique • Interesting • Detailed

📖 S Y N O P S I S

After a cholera epidemic claims the lives of her entire family, the orphaned Nora Beady is taken in by Dr. Horace Croft. Being raised in the home of a surgeon, Nora takes a keen interest in the world of medicine, eventually developing an extensive knowledge base. 1840s London had no place for women in medicine, and the consequences of a woman practicing were very grave. For this very reason, only a selective few are aware of Nora's work as a medical assistant. The Girl in His Shadow follows Nora's journey of pushing boundaries, and self-discovery

💭 T H O U G H T S

I've never read anything quite like The Girl in His Shadow! This novel opened up a whole new world of medical history I know very little about, and offered a storyline that was so entirely different. This book felt like a breath of fresh air in the historical fiction genre.

Audrey Blake's writing offered vivid descriptions, to the point I often felt like I was in the room with the characters. There is no denying the plot was extensively and carefully researched, although it did seem long winded and overly scientific at times. The cast of characters were well-round, and Nora is a heroine unlikely any other.

It came as somewhat of a shock when I learned that Audrey Blake is the pseudonym for a writing duo, and that this was co-wrote. There is absolutely no way of knowing it was penned by multiple authors while reading. The Girl in His Shadow is a fascinating account, and I look forward to writing book two in the Nora Beady series, and will be curious to know if there will be more.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• historical fiction lovers
• readers who love a strong female lead
• fans of medical dramas

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"That is the great benefit of being a man, with every opportunity in the world before you. You cannot understand."

Content Warnings

pooogsz's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

It was good but a little Slow. The ending was pleasant

Content Warnings

maralaene's review

Go to review page

emotional inspiring medium-paced

This was a really interesting read. The main character Nora, is a brilliant scientist and naturally gifted surgeon in a time when women were not allowed to be either in English society. She struggles with the morality of remaining silent and safe versus using her knowledge and potentially facing prosecution.

The characters and overall story were beautifully written and captivating. It was not a fast-paced book, but I still felt pulled in to the story. Definitely worth a read if you enjoy historical fiction, with a very realistic approach for its strong female character.

Content Warnings