A wonderful book loved getting to know the first woman veterinarian surgeon In Britain and Ireland.Her personally her determination was inspiring.Really enjoyed getting to know her life and the people who surrounded her.#netgalley #sourcebooks

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. Aleen Cust is the precocious middle child of an aristocratic British family. In her younger years, she lived in Ireland where she loved to be outside with the animals, riding horses and caring for her dogs. But when her father dies unexpectedly, her family is forced to move back to England where her life changes drastically. Soon she is expected to be ladylike and to prepare for her presentation to the queen and entrance into society where her family expects her to find a suitable man to marry. But Aleen has other plans. She wants to become a veterinarian, even if none of the schools accept women and the profession won't give them their certification. With the help of her guardian, Major Fitz, and the encouragement of her friend, Dorothy, who has similar views of the role and expectations of women, she is eventually able to go to school and train to be a vet. It is an uphill battle that is met with strenuous resistance from her family who not only disown her but may have also actively sabotaged her efforts to be recognized by the professional organization of veterinarians. Through it all, Aleen not only perseveres but excels. As already noted, there is family drama and some romance but for the most part this is a story about Aleen and her animals. The stories of Aleen working with the livestock on Irish farms definitely have a James Herriot feel to them and reminded me of the beloved books from the All Creatures Great and Small series. Aleen was a remarkable woman who did not compromise on her desire to be a contributing member of society by caring for the creatures essential to society's survival. I read this book in an afternoon and would highly recommend it to anyone who loves animals, strong female characters and family dramas.

The Invincible Miss Cust reimagines the story of Aleen Cust, the first woman veterinary surgeon of Britain and Ireland.

19th century. Aleen is born in Ireland to an aristocratic English family. Growing up with brothers, she notices the experiences and opportunities that her brother have, but they are denied to her. From childhood, she loves horses, adventure, and competition. When she learns about such position as veterinary surgeon, it becomes her dream. But that is not to be, she is told. That would be a disgrace to family.

When her family returns to England, she gets embraced by family whose daughter shares the same passions as Aleen. The difference is her friend is allowed to go hunting and do the training as a nurse. Aleen’s eyes open to a different world where opportunities for women are possible.

The compromise is for Aleen to become a nurse, but she quickly discovers that nursing is not for her. She prefers countryside to stifling city hospital walls. And she resents the stiff relationship between doctors and nurses.

When she is about to give up her dream, an opportunity opens up.

In the first part of the story, we get to know Aleen and her family. What it takes for her to break through the walls of her family and to follow her dream. Once the dream is possible, she is against other walls. The man’s world, where she is not welcomed among her fellow students. Some accuse her of being a disgrace. Others ridicule her for being at the wrong place. But as it turns out, the biggest obstacles are still ahead of her.

The character of Aleen is interestingly explored. Her taking a professional position in man’s world isn’t an easy path. And there are other challenges. Coming from a privileged family, it most likely isn’t easy for her to transition to very simple lodgings with a privy in the backyard. The loneliness she feels, because her family ostracizes her. Accusing her of being selfish and causing them shame.

The story is vividly presented, with scenes of her childhood, school years, and professional life, while tending to animals and trying to save them. It is a story of a woman who breaks many conventions, not only with her professional life, but later also with her private life. It is a fascinating portrayal of one’s life who stands against challenges, but when the right people come along to give her a hand, she grabs the opportunity. Her family is against her, but there are some who support her and encourage her to fight for her dream.

With sophisticated prose and fascinating storytelling, the passion of one’s woman comes to life.

Review originally posted at mysteryandsuspense.com

I thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful book.
Miss Cust is a woman ahead of her time.
She knew what she wanted and went after it despite the difficulties in her path.
I greatly admired her because she a spunk.
Her childhood was interesting too.
I loved learning about the veterinary world and what goes with it. Just wow! A lot goes into this particular subject and the author has done her research well!
I didn't like the predijuces from the men too well. The other thing I didn't care for was the slow start it had. I almost didn't finish but now I'm glad I did!
The thing I loved most was that it was told from Aleen's point of view.
I somehow can connect to her better that way.
The second thing I loved most was the horses of course!
The Veterinary courses were so very interesting! I felt like I was in college myself!
5 stars for a job well done and for keeping my attention all the way through.
I highly recommend!
My Thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Fantastic!. Allen Cust was the first woman vet in Great Britain during a time when women professionals were not widely accepted. She led the life she wanted despite her family and societies feelings.

The Invincible Miss Cust tells the remarkable story of Britain and Ireland’s first female veterinary surgeon.

What I loved:
I loved learning about this veterinary world and following Miss Cust as she navigated the challenges and barriers of being the first woman in the field. It was interesting to see the connections drawn between Miss Cust and other real-life historical figures that she and her family were connected to. There’s a lot of historical context that comes through the story in terms of politics, gender roles, and general ways of living, which I really enjoyed. The story was both inspiring and entertaining.

What I didn’t love:
It was a bit of a slow start for me. I feel that some of the early parts of the book didn’t add much to the overall story and threw off the pace to a certain extent.

But overall, The Invincible Miss Cust is a unique and inspiring read.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the eARC! All opinions are my own.

I adored The Invincible Miss Cust and would love to read books written by Penny Haw. I am giving this one five stars.

This is an astonishing story of a brave young woman who defied her family and society during the Victorian era to become the first veterinary surgeon in England. I can’t remember the last time I read about a more determined, fearless woman, and the fact that this is based on Aleen Cust’s real-life story makes it even more special. I encourage everyone to read this inspirational book!

A powerful book about the strength of women and their fight for equality and to be heard. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the early read.

I read this book before it’s release thanks to NetGalley and I could not put it down!

Aleen Cust wants more than is expected of her as an aristocratic lady. She wants to ride horses and care for animals and learn about her world. But as her family often reminds her, that’s not ladylike, and might reflect poorly on the Queen, her mother’s employer.

But that doesn’t stop her. Instead she decides to do everything she can to become the first female veterinary surgeon. Can she make it happen even with her family sabotaging her, classmates ridiculing her, and the RCVS refusing to accredit her?

This book releases November 2022 and I can’t wait for you to pick up a copy!

Do you have any 'idea what it is to want to do something with your life and yet be forbidden simply because of your gender'? As the 19th Century draws to a close, so too have many women's expectations of only becoming a wife and mother. Increasingly, women sought higher education and fought, not only for the right to vote, but demanded the door be opened to previously solely masculine careers.

'The Invincible Miss Cust', follows the life of a girl who dared to dream of becoming a veterinary surgeon; unbeknownst to her, the first female vet in England. As a girl, Aleen always felt a kinship with animals and a sensitivity to their distress; she simply wants to spend her life caring for them. Aleen's mother and older brother are absolutely horrified at the notion. They make it clear that they'll disown her if she brings such shame on the family. Despite at times giving way to despair and hopelessness, nothing will diminish the single-minded goal of becoming an officially registered vet.

Life, love, and loss augment the details of Aleen's struggle to gain professional certification and fulfill her dream. Penny Haw delivers a historical engrossing account of a passionate, pioneer who, along with others during this time, helped pave the way towards equality between sexes. Throughout, Haw daubs her descriptions of the surrounding landscape and conditions to paint a vibrant picture that not only draws the reader in but makes them believe in the story of Miss Cust.

Excellent.

Aleen Cust is disowned by her family when she proceeds with following her dream to become a veterinarian surgeon. And further challenges by her male peers at the school. Once being at the top of her class and then the refusal to accept her by the veterinary board, she proceeds to gain the confidence of the community as she heals their animals.

I didn’t know much about the book when I requested from NetGalley. I think it very fitting to have recently finished James Herriot’s All Things Wise and Wonderful … and also after reading In The Shadow of A Queen by Heather B. Moore (pending release Oct 2022) which also includes (I believe the same ) Dorothy Grey as a supporting character.

I was not familiar with Penny Haw’s writing. I always love when NetGalley introduces me to new authors. Thank you NetGalley! For the opportunity to review the advance read copy (ARC) of the Invincible Miss Cust in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Penny Haw and Sourcebooks Landmark Paperback for approving my request for the ARC.

“The Invincible Miss Cust” is a historical fiction debut book by Penny Haw. I had never heard of Ms. Cust before, so this was a new person for me to learn about. Ms. Cust had a number of supporters and a number of detractors on her quest to become a veterinarian, and I liked how Ms. Haw portrayed both sides. Ms. Haw very nicely walks the fine line between family expectations (and not wanting to annoy said family more) and fulfilling one’s dreams. I felt the book did speed up toward the end (after WWI), but there may not have been a lot of historical information for Ms. Haw to depend upon shortly after that time. I did like the Author’s Note and the list of sources Ms. Haw consulted - and suggests the reader consult for further information. There are some fictional bits in this book - but Ms. Haw makes it clear in her Author’s note why she put in the fictional bits, which I appreciated. Overall, an uplifting story where someone goes against what’s expected of them due to restraints of the time and, in the end, gets recognition for doing said thing.

The Invincible Miss Cust is the story of Aleen Cust, who became England's first female veterinarian. Dickensian in scope, the book opens as Aleen is young girl who enjoys competing with her brothers in horse racing contests and who is appalled that the animals and pets on her Irish farm do not get the care she feels they deserve. Her parents allow her to sit in on her brothers' lessons rather than hire a separate governess, so from an early age, she believes (with good reason) that she is capable of anything her brothers are. When Aleen's father dies, the family is thrown back into the English Aristocracy, and Aleen is expected to act like a lady, which she is both ill-prepared and ill-suited for. Her brother Orlando is sympathetic to her frustrations, and eventually provides her with the means she needs to defy her family's wishes and study in Scotland.

Anyone who enjoyed James Herriot's or Gerald Durrell's books would also enjoy The Invincible Miss Cust. There are also similarities to Call the Midwife.

I enjoyed reading about how a young woman is determined to defy the odds and follow her dream of becoming a veterinary surgeon despite all the obstacles that were in her way. Very encouraging book that showed even the most unique dreams can come true if you are persistent especially during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s and how much time has changed since then.

All words and opinions are my own. I was given a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review.

The Invincible Miss Cust first caught my eye because the premise of the book was unique. I love historical fiction but I do need a break from all the WWII stories from time to time. I had never heard of Aleen Cust, the first female veterinary surgeon in Britain, and I wanted to know about her story. This is a fictional account of her life with plenty of real facts put in. The book was engrossing as we follow Aleen from childhood to her uphill struggles as an adult to follow her dreams. Aleen stood up for herself in a time and place where women were not expected be anything other than a wife and mother. The beginning of the book did drag a bit for me, but by the time Aleen was in Edinburgh I was completely invested in her story.

I loved Aleen as a character and I was rooting for her throughout the book. Aleen stood up to sexism and hatred, even from her own family to become a veterinary surgeon.

Fans of James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small would love Aleen Cust. My favorite parts of the book were when we saw Aleen caring for the animals she loved so much. I think historical fiction is best when it leaves the reader with the feeling that they came away learning something new and enjoying an incredible story. The Invincible Miss Cust checks both of those boxes for me.











https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4835691280?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

Writing: 3.5/5 Plot: 4/5 Characters: 4.5/5

This is the fictionalized story of Miss Aleen Cust, a minor English aristocratic in the 1880s who desperately wanted to be a veterinary surgeon at a time when that (and many other things) were forbidden to women (particularly of her class). She did, in fact, become the first female vet in Britain, and the description of the process was well documented and engaging. The story features great characters who were either those who encouraged and helped her along the way as well as those who did everything in their power to stop her (this category included most of her family who were aghast at the thought of a woman wanting to work!). I loved the details about the work itself and the arguments made by those horrified at the thought of a woman vet. Many felt that a woman castrating bulls was immoral. Not that it would be difficult or off putting, but immoral! That gave me pause as I considered a definition of morality that was so focussed on women not having any exposure to (and definitely no enjoyment of) sex.

The story was interesting enough on its own, and I was pleased that the author didn’t add a lot of melodrama where it wasn’t needed. It followed the facts pretty well — I looked them up on wikipedia earlier than I should have — don’t do that as it spoils the story when you know what is coming! The author is very clear on the few places where she allowed her imagination to fill in information that was based on unverified rumor. I will say that I personally did not feel those were the best parts of the story. I’m not generally a fan of fictionalized history — where the story of real people is fictionalized (as opposed to historical fiction where fictional characters are placed into real historical contexts). It seems somehow unfair to assign thoughts and words and actions to a person who doesn’t get to correct or object, but I did very much enjoy this subject, this characterization, and the book.

This was a well written historical fiction about Britain’s first woman veterinarian. I really enjoyed this book and I s, sure you will too.