What’s a girl of fourteen to do when she finds herself alone in the world with no one to guide her?
Why, follow the Victorian self-help guide, A Young Lady’s Miscellany, of course! The trouble is, the advice it offers proves less than helpful in a modern context.
Muddling through, often with disastrous results, she finds a friend in her recently widowed grandmother, the door to whose small house is always open.
Inept at any job she is able to get and pursued by a slew of unsuitable suitors, she must instead spend a decade navigating her own miscellany in order to come of age.
Truly Enjoyable!
An honest and touching memoir written in a very expressive manner!
This is the story of a young women who, without parental guidance turns to a book for help throughout her teenage years and beyond. The Victorian novel is often out of touch with the modern world, but she muddles on. With her grandmother’s door always open, she struggles desperately and defiantly to find her niche in life.
Auriel Roe writes beautifully; I’m not sure what I expected from this memoir but it is an enthralling book which grabs the reader and pulls them in. I was quite mesmerised throughout as Auriel tries to decide what the future holds for her and it is a delightful read – very different from my usual but no less entertaining. I was desperate to find out where the story was going and rooting for her all the way through. Truly enjoyable, this is one novel I’m happy to recommend. 4*
My thanks to the publisher for my copy; this is – as always – my honest, original and unbiased review.
Tags: coming-of-age memoir
- Format: ebook, paperback
- Size: 169 pages
- Publisher: Dogberry Books
- Publication Date: 18 June 2021
- Book Links:
- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53931205
- https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/a-young-lady-s-miscellany
- https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/a-young-ladys-miscellany/paperback/9781838316006.html
- https://www.amazon.co.uk/Young-Ladys-Miscellany-Auriel-Roe-ebook/dp/B097KPPLJF
Author Details
Auriel Roe is an editor of memoirist.org, the home for high quality literary memoir writing.
Her debut novel Blindefellows was Amazon #1 in humour in UK, US and Canada. It has been translated into Spanish and Italian and is also an audiobook.
A Young Lady’s Miscellany , a humorous memoir of a troubled adolescence, is now available.
Auriel created the Jane Goodall eightieth birthday portrait and is a Royal Academy shortlisted artist.
- Website: https://www.aurielroe.com/
- Twitter: @auriel_roe
- Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/YoungLadysMiscellany
- Instagram: @aurielroe
Grace J Reviewerlady 
What a great review! This sounds like such a wonderful book.. I’ll definitely be reading it when I get a chance. Thanks so much for sharing it!
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Thank you – I hope you enjoy it too.
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You’re very welcome! And I hope so, too, it sounds right up my alley!
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