Publisher: Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing
Published: June 1, 2021
Source: Author via Suzy Approved Booktours
Summary:
It’s 1912, and protagonist Helen Fox is a factory worker living in New York’s tenements. When tragedy strikes in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, Helen is seduced by the Suffragist cause and is soon immersed, working alongside famous activists.
As Helen’s involvement with the cause deepens, she encounters myriad sources of tension that test her perseverance: estrangement from her husband, who is blindsided by his wife’s sudden activism; ostracization by neighbors; unease at working side by side with wealthier suffragettes; and worry about her children as she leaves them to picket the White House in Washington.
The narrative spans World War One and concludes with the triumph of 1919. In a time when the obstacles for women, from any background, were insurmountable, Helen discovers her voice as an independent woman and dreams of equality in a male-dominated society.
My thoughts:
Historical fiction is definitely one of my favorite genres and so it was no surprise when I said yes to read this book. It is, however, the first book I’ve read that focused on the Suffragist movement.
This book is set in the early 1900s and I loved how it follows this one woman who accidentally becomes part of a huge movement in history. Helen Fox had been a factory worker in New York City until a tragedy affected her family. She then becomes involves with the Suffragists but it is not without it’s issues at home. Even though this means she is bringing home more money, it still causes major tension between her and her husband. This was still a time when women had to ask permission to do most things – something I cannot even begin to fathom!
I loved seeing how Helen worked to balance her duties as a parent and wife with her responsibilities to the cause. At first timid and unsure of herself, we see the growth of her as a person. She had a strength that helped her persevere time and again.
This was a fascinating look at a time that I’ve always been interesting in and I loved that I was familiar with some of the names of women who were involved in the cause. And it has left me very excited to pick up an upcoming release that covers a similar topic, Jennifer Chiaverini’s The Women’s March, which is due out next month! I love when one book leaves me eager to read another one…and that’s exactly what this book has done.
For anyone interested in historical fiction, women’s rights or the suffragist movement, I definitely recommend picking up The Accidental Suffragist. It’s available now.
