This book was not my style, I found it a bit tricky to follow but wouldnt discourage others to read as I think others might like it but for me it just didnt sit right.

This was a book that took me quite a way out of my comfort zone by the end but that was still a great read.
Concentrating on the experiences of women after WW1 it started as a fascinating look at what they experienced in 1919 when the men returned from war and they all lost their (well paid) jobs and purpose.
Eleanor ends up leaving Brighton for London and becomes part of the real life 40 Elephants gang - an all women crime gang concentrating mainly on shoplifting in London in the 1920s.

I really enjoyed the bits of social history and the camaraderie that grew up in the gang but some of the criminal aspects were a bit too gruesome for me. I do want to read some of the books that Whitfield used in her research!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Poor Girls. I knew nothing about the Forty Elephants, the gang of female thieves that terrorised London in the early 20th century. I found the book well researched, captivating and fascinating. I couldn't wait to see what the girls got up to next. It was easy to see how after having freedom, independence and responsible jobs during the war many young women rebelled against being forced back into outmoded roles of marriage and servitude. I haven't read anything by Clare Whitfield before but I shall certainly look out for her other books now.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

Loved this thrilling book! I was invested in the characters journey throughout and couldn't wait to see how the story unfolded.

In a Nutshell: A historical gangland fiction with an atypical feminist story. Inspired by the women of the Forty Elephants gang in 1920s London who were known for their shoplifting skills. Complex grey characters, fast-moving plot, great historical atmosphere. Much recommend to fans of historical crime.

Plot Preview:
1922. Brighton, England. Twenty-year-old Eleanor hates that the only two options she has to escape her cramped and financially-struggling family home is to marry someone good and kind, or to serve the upper classes. After getting a taste of independence working in a munitions factory during the war, she is struggling to return to the same old life of subjugation. So when she crosses paths with a member of the notorious Forty Elephants and sees what they can do – and more importantly, what they can earn – she suddenly sees a third option in her future: steal.
The story comes to us in Eleanor’s third-person perspective.

Most historical fiction novels don’t even look at the period between the two World Wars, an era so rich in technological changes, economic upheavals, and political movements. This book is a welcome entrant in the limited group of books exploring this period and the change in social mores, especially for women.

Bookish Yays:
🙆🏻 This fictional story was inspired by real women in The Forty Elephants, led by Queen Alice Diamond. This band of thieves was unknown to me, so it was interesting to learn about this gang and their modus operandi at a time when women were supposed to be the docile sex.
🙆🏻 Eleanor. She has shades of both a protagonist and an antagonist. Just because she isn't in a typical feminine role, don’t assume her to be smart. She takes quite naïve decisions at times, and often allows her emotions to dominate her decision-making. All this makes her an unusual but compelling historical fiction lead. Those who want a goody-goody or a likeable female lead won't enjoy her portrayal, but I found her grey character intriguing.
🙆🏻 The other female characters in the story, be it Eleanor’s family or her companions in the Forty Elephants group, are also well-defined. The latter women come from varied age groups and varied backgrounds, leading to an interesting motley crew.
🙆🏻 The title is quite ironic. You do see that the gang members are poor girls (in the financial sense) when they join in. You also learn the general struggles of poor girls (those belonging to less privileged families) in 1920s London. But once you notice the activities the Forty Elephants are involved in, and what Eleanor’s “cell” does in the final quarter of the book, their decisions make you wonder whether to root for or against such “poor girls.”
🙆🏻 The found family trope is quite well used in the book, as it doesn’t just stop at a group of disparate individuals coming together, but also explores the complications of having a close-knit friendship with those who rely on lies and deceit for their work. Can you trust such a “family”?
🙆🏻 The pacing of the book is mostly steady. Not exactly fast, but not dragged either.
🙆🏻 Showing the idea of feminism in a historical fiction is somewhat risky, as authors often put 21st century values into earlier century protagonists. But as this is partly based on real women, the feminist angle is quite convincing in depicting what happens when you give women a taste of freedom and higher employment during the war and then expect them to retreat quietly into their pre-war “womanly” roles at homes or in menial jobs. It was great to read a historical fiction novel with so many women who live life on their own terms.
🙆🏻 Other than feminism, the story also covers themes relevant to the era and the plotline such as class differences and gender biases. There are several reflections on human nature and on the varying requirements from men and women.
🙆🏻 While most of the plot is serious and/or emotional, there are also some funny scenes and witty lines to lighten the narrative.
🙆🏻 The historical atmosphere is fabulous. I loved how vividly the setting, both in location and in time period, came alive.

Bookish Mixed Bags:
🤷🏻 Eleanor’s relationship with a particular male character gets frustrating at times. While this is still a realistic depiction of how many girls behave when they are in a relationship, the lack of corrective action from Eleanor’s side causes exasperation.

Bookish Nays:
🤦🏻 Almost all the male characters in the book are negative. The only exception is Eleanor’s father, who has only a limited role, and PC Bevan, who comes across as unrealistic. I wish there had been a better representation of the men so that even their arcs could have felt realistic.
🤦🏻 The language didn’t always suit the era. The dialogues and vocabulary seemed to be much more modern than the time setting. One word that was conspicuously anachronous was the word ‘misgender’: it wasn’t at all in use then. (I am also unsure if the hookah would be present in an underground club in 1920s London and if Eleanor would recognise one if she saw it, but I can allow this anomaly some benefit of doubt as I couldn’t find anything conclusive online.)
🤦🏻 I wish the book had preferred better time indicators. It gets tough to keep track of the time when there are so many events taking place. There are a couple of instances when the number of months that passed is mentioned, but the second half feels longer than it is in the novel.
🤦🏻 The final one-third seems to go off kilter in one particular incident. It is so gruesome and so unlike the rest of the plot in tone that I am not sure if it was the best plotting decision for this storyline. That scene brought down my overall reading experience to some extent, even though the ending was good.
🤦🏻 Personal choice, but I don’t like books that have multiple scenes of drugs and alcohol usage. These might be suited to the character at times, but in this book, I am not sure if the scenes were included only to prove the level of depravity of the character in question. They felt a bit forced.

All in all, while it does seem like I have a few too many complaints, I still enjoyed the book to a great extent. The medley of the themes, the setting, the main characters, and the real-life roots of the gang come together in a mostly winning combination. Had it not been for some uncomfortable scenes in the final section, my rating would have been higher.
Definitely recommended to those looking for a different kind of historical fiction with plenty of morally grey characters and a genuine feel of the darker side of the 1920s.

3.5 stars, rounding up as my Yays are quite hefty and the Nays are more due to personal preferences.

My thanks to Aria & Aries for providing the DRC of “Poor Girls” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

I thoroughly enjoyed Poor Girls by Clare Whitfield. Set in the 1920's, the main character Nell decides to leave her job in service for a life of excitement and risk in London. This opportunity comes via an encounter with a member of the female-led criminal gang the Forty Elephants. If everything goes to plan she sets to gain diamonds, furs, money and a taste of the high life. But what does she stand to lose if the plan fails? The story is fast paced, and keeps you gripped. I liked the writing style, and would happily read another book by this author.

Poor Girls is an interesting book based on the account of Eleanor Mackridge - aka Nell - who is desperate to escape the bleak future that is set out for her.

It’s 1922, and when Nell comes into contact with a member of the infamous female gang, Forty Elephants, she stumbles upon an opportunity to earn riches beyond her wildest dreams. While the story’s pace was good and I was intrigued to see where Nell’s journey was heading, I didn’t find myself massively bowled over or desperate to pick up the book and so it took me quite a while (by my standards) to read.

I’d never heard of the Forty Elephants before picking this book up and I found the detail around the gang intriguing, to the point where I spent some time researching their history. Some characters in the book are inspired by real people, and I enjoyed looking into this overlooked period of history in more depth.

Set in the vibrant yet gritty world of 1920s London, our protagonist, Nell, is compelling yet flawed. Her desire to break free from societal confines is relatable, but her relationships often feel superficial, leaving readers wanting more depth and emotional connection. While the redemption arc offers resolution, it could have been explored in greater detail to add nuance and impact to Eleanor’s journey.

Whitfield’s depiction of post-war London is vivid and immersive. Fans of Call the Midwife and classic heist narratives will enjoy the setting and cast of characters. But, the plot lacks the urgency to make it truly unputdownable, with moments where the pacing feels subdued.

Poor Girls is a cosy, enjoyable read with an intriguing premise, but it doesn’t quite reach its full potential. Still, for readers who enjoy historical fiction with a rebellious edge, this book offers plenty to enjoy.

I have always been deeply drawn to fiction that is inspired heavily by true historical events - Clare Whitfield has written an incredibly engaging piece of work here which speaks not only to the unseen societal struggles of these women from a bygone era, but to the struggles, dreams and desires of modern women today. Complex female characters, including protagonist Eleanor (Nell) are superbly well-written and fleshed out in a manner which historical fiction can frequently fail to achieve - I was immersed from start to finish, and endeavour to read more of this author's work in future.

I always enjoyed the books by this author but this one was my favourite: a novel that tells a story of choices to be free even if it means to be part of the criminal gang.
There's judgement, the characters are neither bad nor saint. They just are.
Entertaining, well written, well researched.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this advanced reader's copy and the opportunity to read this early. Review has been posted on Waterstones and Amazon.

Knew nothing about the dirty elephants before reading

I really enjoyed Poor Girls. It drew me in immediately, and I devoured it in one sitting. I just couldn't put it down.

Clare has a beautifully descriptive writing style that captures your attention and doesn't let go.
This is the first book I've read from her, but it definitely won't be the last.

Nell was the perfect main character, full of sass, strength, emotion, and mischief.
I loved her friends Effie, Lily & Charlie. They had a great dynamic, fun relationship.

It was also interesting reading how things were in that time. Poor women were treated terribly.

I highly recommend.

4 stars from me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Netgalley, Aria & Aries (Head of Zeus) and Clare Whitfield for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A dark and twisty thriller that kept me guessing until the very end. The atmosphere was tense, and the plot twists were perfectly executed.

Based on the real life Forty Elephants gang, this is set between the wars in London and we follow the life of Eleanor, who becomes Nell and her friends as they rob upscale department stores and jewellery shops. Evading detection thanks to the planning by the legendary Alice Diamond who runs the whole operation, they work in teams, donning disguises, playing various roles and putting on accents to change they way they're perceived. The aim is to get rid of the stolen goods immediately via trusted 'fences' and then hit another area of the city the next day. Always moving, always changing.

But when the girls start to dream bigger than the Forty Elephants scheme they start to get in above their heads and it's only a matter of time before they'll face their day in court

This was really entertaining, and enlightening! Who knew that bloomers were so useful back in the day!

1922. Twenty-four-year-old Eleanor Mackridge aka Nell is horrified by the future mapped out for her – to serve the upper classes or find a husband. During the war, she found freedom in joining the workforce at home, but now women are being put back in their place.

Until Eleanor crosses paths with a member of the notorious female-led gang the Forty Elephants: bold women who wear diamonds and fur, drink champagne and gin, who take what they want without asking. Now, she sees a new future for herself: she can serve, marry – or steal.

I really like the main protagonist Nell despite her criminality. Unlike the majority of her Forty Elephants colleagues she wasn't from a family who were involved in crime so I felt she brought a different dynamic to the group.

I knew nothing about the Forty Elephants before reading this book.

The book definitely portrays the themes of the times well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the advanced copy.

Initially I wasn't sure I'd like this book, as I'm not keen on books set in the past using modern colloquiallisms, but I persevered and actually its a very good read. Set in the early 1920s, Eleanor is not thrilled with her life. She worked in munitions in the war, earning good money, but after the ware women were shovelled back into their former roles as servants or mothers. Her father has returned from war a damaged man and her French mother is working hard to keep them all.

Eleanor wants more, she doesn't like serving in the teashop, where she has a chance encounter with a spivvy young man who seems to epitomise all she cannot have. However, after a night with him she finds herself standing in the hotel corridor with no clothes and the police chasing him. Managing to get home, she finds stolen jewellery in her coat, and from there she is drawn into the underworld of the Forty Elephants. Not a career her mother approves of, but Nell finds the mix of booze, drugs and stealing to be irresistable. And its a great life ... if you don't get caught.

Nell is an appealing character, railing against the mores of the day that were so constrictive for women. The story is told in a sympathetic and interesting manner, gripping the reader as Nell makes her new life. I enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Aria & Aries, Head of Zeus for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was excited to read Poor Girls as I’ve read previous books about the all female gang The Forty Elephants and found them fascinating.
Poor Girls begins in Brighton in 1922 where Eleanor lives with her family and works at the Grand Hotel. Her life feels dull since work at the munitions factory during the war ended. An encounter with a man in Brighton soon leads to her recruitment to the South London all female gang the Forty Elephants.
I loved the social history aspect of the novel and the focus on the role of women in society after the First World War. The character of Eleanor/Nell was interesting and I was intrigued about how she was drawn into the Forty Elephants. I loved the first quarter of the book but I found as the novel progressed I lost interest in the gang and the plot weakened. A really interesting idea but sadly the novel did not hold my interest..
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley, publishers and authors for an ARC of Poor Girls.
This is an interesting book from the perspective of women in the 1920s who have turned to a life of crime.
I enjoyed this book, gruesome and explicit parts and all.
Highly recommend.

I knew nothing of the Forty Elephants before reading this book. I was fascinated to learn they were a real life, all female London crime syndicate, who specialised in theft and are believed to have been active from the late 19th century to the 1950s. Clare Whitfield cleverly uses Eleanor’s recruitment and training into the gang to divulge information about how they used to operate. I still can’t believe they managed to hide furs in their bloomers!

The book brilliantly combines real life and fictional characters. Kate Meyrick, the famous club owner is referred to on more than one occasion. This reminded me of Kate Atkinson’s Shrines of Gaiety, whose character of Nellie is based on Kate Meyrick and the book is set at a similar time. Gang leader Alice Diamond is also a real life character whose life and rise to ‘gangland boss’ is captivating.

I found the story great fun, I enjoyed reading about the girls’ exploits and also their friendships and solidarity to each other. As well as offering an exciting story the novel also offers an insight into the social history of the time, following the war. Young women had very little opportunity to live independently from men and earn their own living. The war had given some women a taste of employment and freedom from the home, which they were reluctant to give up once the war was over. For some women, like Eleanor, crime was the only way for them to experience the freedom they yearned.

An exciting story and a well researched snapshot of London life in the 1920s, it’s a must for any fan of historical fiction.

I was already interested in the history of the Forty Elephants, so this really appealed to me in a ‘good for them’ way. Of course, the reality was far from glamorous, or as feminist as it appears on the surface - as the MC soon discovers.

Although I loved the story, I felt that it was broken down into several mignettes, rather than a coherent plot - as if the writer was trying to fit as much historical fact into the story as possible. Characters were introduced then swiftly dropped and you didn’t feel that you really got to know anyone apart from Nell.

Eleanor, or Nell, was a fascinating character and i loved following her on her 'adventures'. You really do root for her and the rest of the cell, having seen how bad their childhoods were.

I would have liked a less open-ended finale, as i don't think that there will be a sequel.