Review of The Waterfront Lass by AnneMarie Brear
The Waterfront Lass is now one of my all-time favourites by AnneMarie Brear. I was gripped by this memorable, heartbreaking and uplifting story. It is beautifully and lovingly told. The hours just rolled by unnoticed as I was lost in the world of Meg Taylor. How I admire this engaging heroine! Her strength shines through as she tries to help her siblings rise above the poor living conditions.
Meg is a bar maid— a hard worker, determined to beat poverty and faithfully brings money in to help pay the rent. Her good disposition sees her through many trials but there are moments when even she is tested beyond her limits. It is heartbreaking to see the load she carries as the eldest, caring for the children because her Mam is too sick to get out of bed and her father is absent working on a canal boat. Her mother is a positive voice, though, in the home and even while her health rapidly deteriorates, she continues to pass on good advice and encouragement. She offers her children the benefits she gained as child: education. She makes sure her children speak well and can read. This is a result of her own upbringing as her father was a teacher and his father was a barrister. In that respect, her daughter Meg is half upper class. But sadly, the lower class is where they live and these two worlds war within her. She desires to move upwards and to see her dreams fulfilled. But she is not deluded in how difficult this could be. And when she meets Christian Henderson, a businessman who is attracted to her and her to him, she dares to consider what her life might be like in his world. And how she can save her family, too.
This novel is set in Wakefield, England in 1870. A large portion of the plot takes place on the waterfront (hence the title). AnneMarie draws a clear picture of the waterfront dweller’s existence and how hard it must have been. Little or poor food supply, run down dwellings and rampant disease were part of everyday life. But one thing her character Meg has demonstrated, is that being poor doesn’t mean you cannot keep a clean home, learn to read or show manners.
The vast gap between the working class and the upper class is clearly visible in The Waterfront Lass. AnneMarie has based her story on available historical references. We also learn in the Author’s Note, this novel was inspired in part by AnneMarie’s family history. Her parents were born in Wakefield but also some of her ancestors lived in the poor areas of this town. This likely inspired her to explore the area’s history and imagine what it might have been like to live there during those difficult times. To visualise the extreme opposites for the poor and well-to-do. And she shows what happened if/when the two classes collided or mixed. The opposition would have been just has heated as what we see in this novel.
The Waterfront Lass also explores friendship and Meg has wonderful friends that support her when she needs it most. There are some harrowing events she must endure and issues to resolve. Loss is very much a part of this story, but there are happy moments, too. And transcending love. The love shared between Christian and Meg is special but his family are quite another matter. The hatred exhibited by his mother and sister toward Meg would have been a likely response. In their eyes, someone of lower class was not good enough for their son or brother. But for Christian who tires of the snobbery and greed of the rich, the honesty and courage of Meg is refreshing.
All in all, this is a magnificent portrayal of love that defies class and dares one to dream. It is a beautiful story that carries a heart of sincerity. I loved it from the first page to the last. The characters are well drawn and the plot is moving and mesmerising. I did not want the story to end. And in some ways it has not. At least we know that AnneMarie will be visiting this family and setting again. I highly recommend The Waterfront Lass and give it 5 Blazing Stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for my review copy.
