100 Books in 2012: Book 20 "Accidents of Providence"

I adore historical fiction, and while the characters of this novel by Stacia Brown were richly drawn, the story itself was slow and meandering until the surprising end. Rachel Lockyer is an unmarried woman living in Cromwell's England. She works hard for a living, but when she enters into an affair with a married man, the community forgets her strengths. A child is found buried in the woods, and Rachel is accused of murdering her own bastard. What follows is a slanted trial without defense. The twist comes when least expected, and the book ends on a redemptive if somewhat uncertain note.

The characters are woven together brilliantly, and if you enjoy character driven tales of women who may or may not be more than their circumstances, you might enjoy this novel.

What are you reading this week?