Rich and vibrant, a real enjoyment!
Above the Bay of Angels: by Rhys Bowen is a great read. Written with an almost flawless style, I love the atmosphere Mrs. Bowen creates apparently without any effort yet with such historical precision that I felt like I was living right at the end of the 19th Century. London has never been more real than when I took the Bakerloo line with Bella 🙂
Although Queen Victoria in her old age is portrayed admirably, readers are drawn to the protagonist of this story. Isabella (Bella) Waverly's fall from grace, her having to become a servant when in fact educated and coming from a good family, is touching and deeply moving as is her grabbing at any opportunity in order to find a better albeit proper way of life. More than that, it explains her needs and her quest, framed as she is by the period she's living in and the many prejudiced against women.
The recipes are also incredible, so mouthwatering that more than once I have been tempted to bite the page they're written on. Good thing I read on Kindle, so the book has suffered no harm!
I definitely recommend this book to anyone historically inclined, who loves to cook and eat, or who just wants a taste of the good old British Empire!