I very rarely reblog one of my reviews, but I have been so remiss about joining blog tours recently whilst I’m struggling to manage everything going on in my life that I was determined to support Rachel of Rachel’s Random Resources in this book birthday blitz for Maid of Steel by Kate Baker.

As well as sharing my review of Maid of Steel once more, there’s also a smashing giveaway (not associated with Linda’s Book Bag) that you will find further down this blog post.

Maid of Steel is available for purchase via the publisher, on Amazon UK, Amazon US and from Waterstones.

Maid Of Steel

It’s 1911 and, against her mother’s wishes, quiet New Yorker Emma dreams of winning the right to vote. She is sent away by her parents in the hope distance will curb her desire to be involved with the growing suffrage movement and told to spend time learning about where her grandparents came from.

Across the Atlantic – Queenstown, southern Ireland – hotelier Thomas dreams of being loved, even noticed, by his actress wife, Alice. On their wedding day, Alice’s father had assured him that adoration comes with time. It’s been eight years. But Alice has plans of her own and they certainly don’t include the fight for equality or her dull husband.

Emma’s arrival in Ireland leads her to discover family secrets and become involved in the Irish Women’s Suffrage Society in Cork. However, Emma’s path to suffrage was never meant to lead to a forbidden love affair…

My Review of Maid of Steel

Emma’s life is about to change.

Maid of Steel opens with exciting drama that I wasn’t expecting, but that drew me in to the narrative instantly and set the tone for Emma’s personality that was developed through the rest of the story. I felt compelled to read on.

I thoroughly enjoyed the plot of Maid of Steel. Firstly it has obviously been assiduously researched so that it is convincing and transports the reader to 1911 with clarity and authority. Kate Baker blends the real events of the era with a fictionalised story that is entertaining and captivating. I had no previous idea about the soldiers’ homes for example. This educational element to Maid of Steel gave it depth and gravitas.

Secondly, Maid of Steel has an entertaining, brisk, episodic plot too that would make it ideal for adaptation to a television series. I could also envision it as a hugely successful west end play in the style of Les Miserables.

I found the characterisation engendered strong reactions in me as a reader. Emma is by no means perfect. She can be foolhardy and reckless in behaviour, but I found I admired her totally. In contrast, I loathed Alice until towards the end of Maid of Steel when I discovered more about her. It was Thomas whom I found most fascinating though because I couldn’t decide how I felt about him. At times he seems weak, almost insipid and I despised him, and then in contrast he is seen to have self-control and moral integrity despite strong feelings and passions so that he is quite admirable even if mercurial. This made him really interesting to consider. Alongside the main characters, the more minor ones are equally realistic and interesting.

Dramatic, pacy story and great characterisation aside, however, I think it’s the sense of society, and specifically social injustice, that hooked me in so entirely. Women’s suffrage, Home Rule, the impact of church, state and societal expectation, sexuality and class all combine into a rich tapestry of fascination, making Maid of Steel a great read.

I was impressed by Maid of Steel because it is highly entertaining. It’s packed with historical detail. It’s dramatic and it gives a credible sense of history through interesting characters. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

Giveaway

Win a signed copy of Maid of Steel, candle and lipsil (Open to UK Only)

This giveaway is run through Rachel’s Random Resources and I am obliged to share the following information:

*Terms and Conditions –UK  entries welcome.  Please enter here.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

About Kate Baker

Maid of Steel is Kate’s first full length novel to be published. She also writes short stories and is presently drafting a second novel.

She writes at a desk covered in to-do lists and lights candles in the hope the lists disappear in the shadows.

She lives in East Anglia in the UK with her husband where they attempt to look after farmland for generations to come.

A small, very small, dog can be frequently found on Kate’s lap. Otis is her first miniature dachshund.

For further information visit Kate’s website, follow Kate on Twitter/X @katefbaker or find her on Facebook and Instagram.