The Button Box

Set in Victorian London, this is the story of the Carter family, Clara, her three younger sisters and their father, a gambler and a drunk who is in danger of leading the family into destitution. Clara is determined to provide for her sisters. She works in a back-street draper’s shop and has dreams of eventually opening her own department store. This is the story of the struggles that the family face, both hampered and assisted by dramatic adventures aplenty.

The Carter family themselves are vaguely reminiscent of the March family in Little Women, and each of the four daughters has a well-developed individual character. I cared about them and wanted everything to work out OK, which meant that I became involved and immersed myself in their story. It was very easy to read and was gripping from the start, becoming a real page-turner as it progressed. In retrospect the plot was totally implausible with rather too many coincidences and more drama than you might expect for a working class East End family, but I was so wrapped up in the lives of the characters and the enchanting story that this all washed over me completely and seemed entirely normal.

Whilst the book is certainly not deep and meaningful, it is a thoroughly enjoyable holiday read. It also evokes the life and times of Victorian England, the hardship and poverty which was prevalent among much of the working class and the relationship between the well-to-do and the lower classes.

I couldn’t bring myself to give a fifth star purely because the book is lacking in depth. Maybe that’s unfair because I did thoroughly enjoy it. Although it was my first Dilly Court, I sincerely hope it won’t be my last.

Can Clara rise from poverty and humble beginnings and make a success of her life? Bringing her sisters with her, she rises from hardship through her own efforts, a measure of luck and with her treasured button box. But will love elude her? A historical tale, easily read and well written. Many titles available by this author if you like her style.