Feeling a little different than the other books of Stacey's I've read, being based more in a period of time rather than a particular historical event.The Household is an engrossing and beautifully written story about a group of young women who are brought together in Urania Cottage after each having fallen on tough times.

Set up by a committee of London philanthropists, including Mr Charles Dickens no less! Urania Cottage is a home for wayward women, many of whom are offered the chance to stay after serving sentences for petty theft etc in prison. Providing them with a security, that many have never had, the aim of the cottage is to equip them with skills which will serve them well when they undertake their emigration to the colonies.

While forbidden to talk about their past to their fellow residents, it seems that it's not always possible to escape it. A problem which seems to be shared by those in the cottage and one of their benefactors.

With beautiful imagery and a wonderful cast of characters, Stacey weaves an intriguing tale of blackmail, dishonesty, unrequited love and loneliness while also including much hope and joy.

The expert of blending historical truisms with believable fiction, the Household is another Stacey Hall masterpiece to add to your collection.

I not a fan of historical fiction, but when I read the synopsis I was immediately attracted to read it.

I think the premise of the history is good, but somewhere along the way I got distracted between dense descriptions of this and that. I personally don’t enjoy when authors feel the necessity to describe everything.

I appreciate that this is based on a true history but I struggled to continue every time I tried to read it. I also don’t fully understand the main plot. And there was something happening with Richard’s character that wasn’t necessary? The ending felt rushed for me.

Maybe is just that I’m not the target for this type of books, but if you’re into historical fiction, you are definitely gonna enjoy it more than I did.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK.

I enjoyed this book but it wasn’t my favourite from Stacey Halls.

A wealthy Heiress is one of the sponsors of a home for fallen women, to give them the opportunity to improve themselves and then to sail to Australia for a chance to start again,

For me, this book felt a bit disjointed, as if I was reading several different stories without a link. There was a link, of course, it just didn’t flow together well.

Some of the characters were brilliantly written, Angela and the Browns, Martha, Josephine and Annie really stood out, others I didn’t connect with as much and would have liked more character development and possibly less characters would have worked better for me.

I love how Stacey Halls always champions strong women in her books and this theme continues here, with some feisty and fascinating women.

3 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Stacey Halls and Bonnier for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Stacey Halls' new novel, The Household is a must read for Historical Fiction fans.

Set in 1847, a group of young women, who have unfortunate pasts are given a second chance and a home at Urania Cottage by wealthy benefactor, Angela Burdett-Coutts and her close friend Charles Dickens. At Urania Cottage they learn domestic skills before emigrating to Australia and starting a new life.

This is a captivating read where the author has created intriguing characters and placed them in a real historical setting. The pacing was a little slow to begin with but I enjoyed the setting and getting to know the characters.

Thank you to @BonnierBooks_UK and @netgalley for the digital arc

Established to reform fallen women, the countryside abode of Urania Cottage offers a chance for redemption if those chosen are willing to embrace proper virtues and follow the rules. As the story progresses, the residents, grappling with their new reality and their complex pasts, find themselves questioning if it is truly salvation or another form of confinement. In The Household, Stacey Halls delivers another compelling historical fiction, blending themes of courage, virtue and womanhood, through bringing to life a social experiment with haunting characters and their intertwined fates.

Having devoured all of Stacey Halls' previous novels, I was thrilled to receive her latest addition for review (thank you to Stacey and the publishers!). The Household truly ensnared my heart and mind, which aside from how well the plot was developed, was down to the alternating perspectives. The way this book subtly lingered in the mind for days after finishing it is true credit to how talented Halls is.

Halls skillfully explores the societal constraints faced by women, regardless of their wealth, and delves into the intriguing story of Angela Burdett Coutts and her relentless stalker. Charles Dickens' involvement with Urania Cottage adds depth to the narrative, and the development of these characters, including Josephine and Martha, who are utterly captivating. My heart truly ached for these women and soared in their successes.

A must read for those who have read Halls previous novels, adore historical fiction and champion women's fiction.

Although nicely written this book wasn't for me. It never seemed to get going and I just found I had no interest in the plot or the characters.

As always you become fully immersed in the world that Stacey Halls has created. The Household is a book full of characters which can take a little time to get your head around.

What follows is an emotional tale of several women, brought together from different walks of life, but all battling their own issues.

A tale of purpose, redemption, love, family and turmoil.

This is not my favourite book by this author but she set the bar very high, so if you loved this definitely read her others too.

Stacey Halls’ books can be relied upon to be historical, well researched, beautifully written, with amazing characters and lots going on. This one is certainly no exception.
In London, a house has been set up for unfortunate girls who are down on their luck and need a second chance. Josephine and Martha, fresh out of prison, are amongst the first to arrive. Mrs Holdsworth, an ex prison warder, looks after the household and teaches the girls cooking, sewing, scriptures, music, and anything else they may need to prepare them for moving to Australia to begin a new life. The benefactors for this enterprise include a single, extremely rich, noblewomen called Angela, and Mr Charles Dickens – the famous writer. Unfortunately Angela has a stalker who has recently been let out of prison and she knows it is a matter of time before he comes after her again. Martha has been looking for her sister Emily who disappeared from service a whole before, and Josephine is still in love with Annie with whom she shared a cell in prison and who she thought was coming with her.
I absolutely loved this book. Beautifully written, and with a real feeling of authenticity. I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, romance, mystery, or just an incredibly well written book.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/edit/193256917

I really enjoyed the House hold and I think it my favorite Stacey Halls novel to date. It explores the inhabitants of Urania Cottage: a place for "fallen women" to make a fresh start and learn skills that they will need to re-start their lives abroad. Its the exploration of what makes a "fallen woman" that make the novel most interesting. The women who live at Urania are, for the most part, victims of their circumstances. Their paths were dictated not only by their economic circumstances but also by the actions of those around them: the mothers, fathers and employers that should have protected them. I also found it interesting that the concept of their "second chance" was based on their eventual travel abroad as if the skills they learned at the cottage weren't enough to redeem them in our society and the anonymity of a new country was needed to set them free.

The plot suffers a little because of the huge cast of characters and there are some plot lines that feel superfluous. The conclusion also feels a little rushed with some plot lines having no resolution. However I did enjoy the novel and its exploration of Victorian womanhood.

I’ve devoured all of Stacey Halls’ previous novels and couldn’t wait for the release of The Household, I was lucky enough to get an ARC so I could sneak it in earlier than the official release!

Set in Victorian England at a house for ‘fallen women’ called Urania Cottage, this book is a must read for fans of Dickensian literature (with the man himself taking a role in the book). As with Halls’ other novels, you’ll find yourself googling the history as you read.

There’s something about the characters that Halls writes that absolutely enchants me and has me racing to read their story. I’m sure part of it is how she writes their fictional tales into real history, making it even easier to suspend disbelief. As the book develops and we delve deeper into the lives of the main female characters, the juxtaposition of their social classes, histories and statuses creates an colourful tapestry of life in 1847.

This book had me in a choke hold from the start, and I’ll be recommending it to all and sundry!

I no longer even read the synopsis on this authors books. I simply read the name Stacey Halls and think ' I must read that, it will be good'. Yet again the writer does not disappoint.

"What they need more than any of that is our faith in them, love and patience and a foundation upon which they may build their lives."

Urania Cottage is a top secret refuge for women who all have one thing in common,they are fallen. They are not to speak of where they have come from or anything they have done in the past. This is a second chance to start again.

This was an enthralling read from Stacey Halls! I found all the women to be likeable from Urania Cottage they all got on so well. I'd highly recommend this to any historical fiction fan!

The Household is set loosely around the real life story of Urania Cottage, a small house in the countryside set up by Charles Dickens to give a second chance to women leaving prison.We follow the lives of Martha and Josephine on their journeys from prison, to Urania Cottage and back to the darkest corners of London.

This story oozes with atmosphere - it's grimy, disturbing and vivid. Contrast that with the life of millionairess Angela Burdett-Coutts who contributes significantly to Urania Cottage, not only via her wealth but also in befriending the girls, yet Angela hides secrets of her own and does not lead the charmed life everyone thinks.

I'm a huge fan of @staceyhallsauthor previous books and The Household does not disappoint! 4.5 stars 🤩

"Coming back through the house, she brushes a hand across the grand pianoforte, where her sister sang as Harriot played, while Angela sat on the rug, too small to take part. She presses a single note as if summoning her listening for her silk shoes in the hall. But the house is silent, and a gentle breeze flows through the open doors, carrying the mellow aroma of cut grass. When William dies, Holly Lodge and everything in it will be hers: the parrots in the bathroom, the horses in the stable.
Before she goes to bed, she looks back at the handsome instrument, silent for so long, wondering how it is that, through everybody has left her, she is the ghost."

Halls' historical fiction is always excellent - engrossing and authentic, with women at its heart - and The Household is no exception. Set in London in 1847, it's inspired by the real life characters of novelist Charles Dickins and heiress Angela Burdett-Coutts and their 'fallen women', philanthropic endeavour of Urania Cottage in Shepherds Bush. With a number of protagonists from different socio-economic backgrounds, their paths meet as the plot develops. Inspiring and strong female characters with heartbreaking back-stories combines with a missing sister, a stalker and a big twist, to create atmospheric mystery and tension. I couldn't put it down and it comes highly recommended to gothic, historical fiction fans who like tales influenced by real life people, places and events.

I’ve read all of Stacey Halls’ books and was delighted when I was given the opportunity to read this one in advance of publication.

Based on real figures and events, The Household is meticulously researched and really brings Victorian London to life. As with all of Halls’ books women take centre stage - trying to make lives for themselves in a society that conspired against them in a variety of ways.
There are a few parallel narratives in this book, and they all slotted together perfectly. The characters are believable and well written, and you can feel yourself rooting for them to be able to leave behind their old lives.

Some parts of the book felt a bit more plodding that previous Halls novels, and I wonder if this was due to the factual background to the story - life isn’t 100mph all day every day! That’s not so much a criticism, just a change from her other books. You can tell that Halls has a real passion for this period in history, and for telling the stories of women who would otherwise go unheard. I look forward to reading her next book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Household is another great book by Stacey Halls. Set in Victorian England the Houshold follows Martha and Josephine from prison to Urania Cottage a house set up by Charles Dickens for fallen women. The trails and tribulations of the girls are well thought out and keep you wanting more.

An immersive historical novel following the women and patrons of a house for fallen women in 1840s London. Well researched and well written but fairly bland in plot and characterisation. The pacing lacks the tension of Halls' other novels. Not one for me.

The Household is an immersive historical novel set in 1847. A group of wealthy philanthropists (including Charles Dickens and Angela Burdett-Coutts) are funding a new model home for "fallen" women: unlike other, more punitive homes at the time, Urania Cottage aims to tempt women to goodness by providing for their needs and treating them with dignity and respect. The novel follows the stern but good-hearted matron Mrs Holdsworth, millionaire patroness Angela Burdett-Coutts, and several of the women, primarily Martha, who is searching for her missing sister while being unable to leave the house and Josephine, a pickpocket separated from her lover, Annie. Although the inmates are not prisoners, if they leave the house they will not be allowed back, forcing both Martha and Josephine to take increasingly desperate measures to reunite with their loved ones. Meanwhile, Angela is increasingly trapped in her own home by a stalker who has recently been released from jail after tormenting her for the past decade.

I was interested to learn, after reading the book, that Urania Cottage was a real philanthropic endeavour, which was a bright spot in an age which had little compassion for women it considered "fallen". I hope that The Household helps more people learn about it, since it's a fascinating story which should be told. It would be a great choice for people who enjoyed Hallie Rubenhold's biography of the canonical victims of Jack the Ripper (a fantastic work of social history for women who had fallen through the cracks of 1880s society) and wanted to read a fictional book on a similar subject but with a more optimistic tone.

I've seen other reviews complain that this book was slow paced and didn't hold their attention. I think that's a fair criticism: the narrative takes its time and is strongly character driven. I definitely wouldn't recommend this book to someone looking for a fast paced and tightly plotted mystery. Frustratingly, I felt that another round of plot/structure/pacing edits could have elevated it to a 5 star read. However, I still read it in 2-3 days and found the characterisation and sense of atmosphere place to be one of the novel's strengths. One of the things I enjoyed was how the author showed real generosity to the characters, making even the background characters feel fleshed out and important. That said, this did lead to several red herrings that made it seem like the plot might go in another direction (e.g. a potential love triangle between Josephine, Martha and another inmate) which then ended up being scrapped. I also felt that Martha's elder sister Mary was forgotten about once the focus shifted to the missing sister, Emily.

What The Household most reminded me of was the BBC show Call The Midwife: a woman-led period drama that wears its heart on its sleeve when it comes to issues of welfare and women's experiences. The tone is mostly cosy, although it's true enough to the setting not to shy away from moments of darkness. Like Call the Midwife, the philanthropists running Urania Cottage are made palatable to a modern audience: there is no mention of Dickens' callous treatment of his own wife, or of Angela Burdett-Coutts' devout religious beliefs. Still, overall, Stacey Halls treats her subjects with dignity and compassion: one of the strengths of the book is that it shows how, even when the women are physically provided for, the trauma of their pasts makes it difficult for them to trust and sometimes leads them to self-sabotage.

I will be adding reviews on Goodreads and Instagram closer to publication day.

A hugely satisfying and immersive historical novel, drawing on the atmosphere and themes of Dickens - and featuring Dickens as a supporting character! - but with a contemporary feminist eye for the detail of the lives of women In Victorian England, and the misogyny and double-standards which affected all women, in different ways depending on their class and relative wealth. At first, the narrative hops between the heads of so many different women, it takes a while to orient. However, by the end, as these threads are drawn tighter and tighter, this is exactly what makes the pay-off so pacy and pleasing. I hugely enjoyed it, thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sharing it.

I loved this. Set in 1847 London - a group of wealthy individuals are funding a new home for young women coming out of prison. At Urania Cottage they will be trained in household skills after which they will have the opportunity to emigrate to the colonies. Angela Burdett-Coutts, known as the richest heiress in England, is one of the benefactors alongside author Charles Dickens, and she has just been made aware that the man who has stalked her for 10 years has been released early from prison. I love reading fiction that is based on real people and events and this is definitely one of my recent favourites, the author has clearly done extensive research and I’ve since read more about Angela Burdett-Coutts, fascinating woman.

Briefly, as the girls are gradually moved into Urania Cottage they are taught by housekeeper Mrs Holdsworth but there are rules, a lot of rules, and despite the massive improvement in their lives not all of them stay and Angela, in particular, finds this difficult to handle alongside her constant worry about her stalker.

I can’t say more for fear of spoilers but there plenty going on from start to finish. A medium paced read, very well written and character driven with some strong women including Mrs Holdsworth, who I loved, Martha and of course Angela. An eye opening Victorian drama inspired by real people and events I found it a very compelling read, the conditions and treatment received by poor women at this time were terrible but this book shows it’s not just the poor who didn’t receive appropriate justice. Fabulous book.