Slammerkin by Emma Donoghue Book Review

Genre: Historical Fiction
Age: 14+ (Strict Parents: 16+)
Pages: 334
Gender: Female
Publication Year: 2000

Plot: 5/5
Description: 5/5
Characters: 4/5
Developed: 5/5
Fast Paced: 3.5/5
Cover: 2/3
Memorable: +2

Total: 26.5/28
Percent: 95%
Grade: A

   This book took me a little while to read, but it was not because it was bad, obviously by the grade I gave it it wasn't. I just was reading a lot of books at the same time and I didn't want it to end. Actually now that I am done reading it I have this aching feeling in my stomach to just pick it up and read it again, but I can't do it because it is a library book, but eventually I will buy and add it to my bookshelf. It was that good. I warn you though it deals with a lot of adult topics.

   I liked the plot, even if it can be thought as a little disgusting at times. This book is about a girl named Mary Saunders who lived in 1700s England. At age 14 this girl longs to better herself up, have pretty things and such. Well, one day she sells her body to the ribbon maker so she can have a beautiful red ribbon. Well, eventually her mother finds her out because she got pregnant and through her out on the streets. There Mary is taken in by a prostitute named Doll. At first Mary refuses to turn into a harlot, but eventually she does. Oh yes, and she also gets rid of her baby before it is born so she won't have to care for it. Well the first half of the book tells about their life as whores in England. After that something happens and Mary goes off to Monmouth to live with a friend of her mothers and becomes a seamtress. There she has many very interesting adventures. This book is based off the few surviving facts about a girl named Mary Saunders who lived in the 1700s, who did something I am not going to say or it will ruin the book. Anyway I thought the plot was pretty good.

   The description was good. At some parts a little too good. I absolutely loved how Mary described things, she was just so opinionated and she used some good words. So I think the description deserved a 5/5.

   I liked most of the characters a lot. But I had one wee little problem. Well, when the character Daffy was first introduced I liked him a lot, he was infact my favorite character. But at the end (sorry I am going to be vague or I might give the plot away) he was just so uncaring to Mary, well at the very very end. Other then that I had no problem with the characters. On other reviews of this book some people found Mary unlikeable, but I actually liked her a lot. I thought Mrs. Jones was a pretty good character too, also was Abi. I liked Doll a lot when something happened to her in the middle of the book I was pretty sad.

   As always I can't really say much for developed. I thought the author developed the story perfectly.

   I gave the book a 3.5/5 for pacing because it wasn't really fast, but It wasn't slow either. I think the pacing was perfect actually. It was very steady. Except for at the end, but it was drawn out to make it more dramatic, which in my eyes worked very well.

   Ok the cover, well I liked the Canadian cover way better. This one isn't my favorite cover in the world, but it isn't bad either. It fits the story really well and the ribbon is kind of cool. So I gave it a 2/3.

   This book was memorable, not a +3 memorable but I almost gave it a +2.5. It was a very good book that a lot of people would not forget.

   In all I liked this book a lot. I am for sure going to check out some other books by this author. I recommend this book for people who want to learn what women had to do to make money in the 1800s and if they just enjoy gritty historical fiction.