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

This was an interesting read with a lot of research done by the authors on medical practices of the time. I enjoyed reading about Nora's journey from being saved by Dr. Croft to her learning and becoming a skilled surgeon in her own right. She faces obstacles as a female studying medicine, such as hiding her skills, helping Dr. Croft with surgeries in secret, not being taken seriously, and her inability to become a licensed practitioner.

As I got to know more of the characters (Nora, Dr. Croft, Daniel, and Mrs. Phipps), I grew to really like them. They were all different from each other and the interactions between them made the characters feel real.

The only inconsistent part of the writing was, after Daniel had left for Richmond for a while, Nora refers to Daniel by his first name (even though up to that point in the story she'd only refer to him as Dr. Gibson) and it flips back to addressing him as Dr. Gibson. A few chapters later it states she started referring to him as Daniel because of Dr. Croft and Harry.

Overall, the story was well-written and well-researched. The characters were varied and made the story more interesting.

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haley49's review against another edition

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inspiring reflective relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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kelly_e's review against another edition

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challenging informative inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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."

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kbrsuperstar's review against another edition

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pooogsz's review

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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

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the_caffeinated_book_dragon's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

I throughly enjoyed this book! The main character, Nora, is a strong, brilliant woman who's medical aptitude is unfortunately hidden from the medical world as her talents (as a woman) are frowned upon by society. The doctor which she lives with is gruff outwardly but has a warm heart, especially toward Nora. I loved the book in its entirety. The characters were engaging, the book was historically accurate, and the story flowed perfectly!

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maralaene's review against another edition

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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.

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mooandshoe's review against another edition

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challenging dark funny hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

It’s a good book and well-written, just not exactly the type of book I usually go for.

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