The blurb of In the Margins notes that Frances Wolfreston "uniquely preserved the earliest part of Shakespeare’s legacy".

I think I would have needed to be psychic to have figured this out from reading this book. Yes, Shakespeare's poem Venus and Adonis is frequently mentioned, and we learn that Frances loves collecting books and that she writes her name in her books, but that's about it. Otherwise, the novel is about her life, family and a few other women, living straitened lives under Puritanical rule. It's interesting, but the connection to preserving Shakespeare's legacy is tenuous at best. Pointless really even to refer to it in the blurb.

The blurb also states that "In the Margins is a testament to the way literature can illuminate our inner lives and set us free when the world around us is covered in darkness."

Again, I got nothing of this reading the book. Yes, we know that Frances loves books, but I got no sense that books were 'illuminating' her inner life or setting her free. Again, what stands out in this narrative is Frances' distress over her mother's imprisonment, and her attempts to have her released. The books are peripheral. And even what we do learn about women's lives at this time isn't anything new or insightful.

Apart from this feeling that the book wasn't what it purported to be, I did enjoy it and was reasonably engrossed in the story. It's well written. I listened to the audiobook, beautifully narrated by Hannah Morrish.

Overall, my 3* rating is not generous, but I can't stretch to a 4: it's a good read but rather slow, and not what I expected. It's always better to underpromise and overdeliver rather than the reverse.

Thanks to the author, publisher W.F. Howes Ltd, and Netgalley for the ARC. All my reviews are 100% honest and unbiased, regardless of how I acquire the book.

#NetGalley #bookreview @gailholmeswrites #InTheMargins #books.beledit

This was a fascinating insight into a part pf our past, which was excellently narrated. I enjoyed the pace of the narrator and found her voice calm and relaxed as I listened to the story.

I enjoyed the story, though it is quite a slow-burn and I felt slightly wanting at the end. Perhaps a foreword about the main protagonist would have been helpful.

Frances Wolfreston showed the tenuous nature of a woman’s existence in England during Cromwell’s period of rule. She is a determined character but is totally powerless on almost every way. I loved her passion for reading and education, and totally felt the snub when she tries to sell her precious assets (books) only to be told by men that her choice of reading matter were not saleable - especially as she had written her name in them.

I was puzzled by the attraction to Sam, and her mother’s plight was shocking but felt genuine. Such a hard time to live in. I would love to have known more about her part in ‘preserving’ Shakespeare’s legacy…. Are her books some of the early versions which survived?

An absorbing and stirring historical read based on the real life story of Frances Wolfreston, an intelligent wife of a rector, who takes it upon herself to save works of literature during the 1640s puritanism that disallowed the frivolous entertainment of many books of worth. She preserved many early copies of Shakespeares work, inspired by her mother, who taught her to read via Shakespeare sonnets. Frances' job is to report the parishioners of their faults, but she finds herself having to choose between her duty and her heart's desire. Her own mother is one of those arrested for unprotestant behaviour. When her husband lacks the reserve to help, Frances is determined to find a solution. A beautifully written and moving account of Frances Wolfreston 's spirited rebellion against wrongdoings. A must for any lover of literature and historical fiction. Wonderfully narrated in this WaveSound recording with WFHowes #inthemargins #gailholmes #netgalley #wavesound #wfhowes #audiobook

This title isn’t quite what I expected. I thought there would be more about the role Frances played in saving manuscripts. That wasn’t the case. That aside, this is a slow and detailed exploration of life during the civil war. Women were disempowered,particularly once married and they were not expected to be learned or scholarly in any way. Gail Holmes paints a convincing picture of how life might have been. A constant threat of civil unrest and the possibility of being accused of witchcraft coloured day to day life. The narration throughout is excellent and I enjoyed the story but felt a little disappointed that it fell short on important historical detail. Well written and engaging, it’s a anther generous 4.

I listened to the audiobook version of In the Margins and I really like how the narrator brought life and emotion in a well-written book. The story got me hooked already from the very beginning. It is a quiet but very emotional book, highlighting the importance of education for girls and the hardships of being a woman at a turbulent time.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction.

This is quite a slow, quiet book, more contemplative than particularly plot-driven. This character focus leant itself well to the narrow lens of the story, told from the rectory of a small parish. Frances has responsibilities in the church as well as at home as a mother and wife. I enjoyed watching her navigate the complexities of marriage and filial responsibility at a time when marriage moved the legal attachment of a woman from her parents to her husband. But as much as I enjoyed the read at the time, it hasn’t particularly stuck with me since I put it down.

As always seems to be the case recently, I have a quibble with the marketing. The summary began with “Inspired by a real person, In the Margins is the story of spirited book-collector, Frances Wolfreston—the woman who uniquely preserved the earliest part of Shakespeare’s legacy.” While the book-collecting plays a part in the story, the preservation of Shakespeare’s legacy does not. While I assume the real Frances played a part in saving manuscripts from the Puritan’s crusades against the theatre, none of that happens during the book.

Engaging book with an ecellent narrator and engaging storyline. Thoroughly recommend.

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

Three stars from me means I believe the author has achieved their aims and it’s a good book, but that I personally didn’t fall in love with it.

I was really excited about this novel, which is about one of the very few women we know had her own book collection in the Early Modern period, despite not being from the landed gentry. There have been various academic articles about Frances Wolfreston and it is brilliant that she’s now the main character in a novel.

Personally, I’d have liked more about her books. I really enjoyed the parts in which she talks about writing in her almanack, which I’ve seen at the Bodleian Library and I assume was a starting point for the author of the novel.

If you are interested in the turbulent national events in the period, and in the witch hunts going on, then this will be a brilliant read for you. It really conveys the feelings of fear experienced by women with any sort of knowledge - book learning or from oral culture - that they could become the next target of state-sanctioned violence simply for daring to know more than it was thought a woman should at the time.

Overall, excellent historical fiction. Just not quite bookish enough for me (a former book historian and forever librarian).

Maybe I would have bypassed this normally because of the cover art (sorry!) but the book itself was great. I loved the characters, the intricate writing style and his the chapters flowed. Glad I picked it on audio as the narrator is a good match, would definitely listen to more from this author