Set in the dark underbelly of 18th-century London, ‘The Blackbirds of St Giles’ tells the story of Daniel and Pearl as they grapple with surviving in a city that resists them at every turn. After escaping the Garnett plantation in Jamaica, fighting for the American civil war, and embarking on a journey across the Atlantic, the siblings find themselves in an impoverished area of London. They encounter enemies and allies, experience both betrayal and loyalty as they try to build a support network and protect themselves against the formidable Elias.

I really enjoyed the vivid imagery and how the authors didn’t shy away from the harsh reality of the times. I cared for the characters along every step of the way. The only reason I dropped a star is because I felt the pacing dragged a little in the middle third, although the final sequence was such a page turner. As the collaboration of two writers, Kate Griffin and Marcia Hutchinson, under the name Lila Cain, I thought it was a seamless blend of their authorial voices. I’m excited for the sequel!

Thank you to NetGalley for sharing the proof with me in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the authors, Kensington Publishing/ Dafina and Netgalley for the eARC.

What an amazing story! I already have a soft spot for stories set in St. Giles and Georgian England thanks to Elizabeth Hoyt’s Maiden Lane series. This book revisits the middle third of this period (1768), with its geographical parallel of American Revolutionary War. The story follows former enslaved man, Daniel, and his younger sister Pearl as they escape a sugar plantation in Jamaica all the way to the United States, where Daniel joins the British Army after King George III promises enslaved black men of freedom, prosperity and acceptance if they join the British Army against Washington’s forces. All is going well for Daniel until he and Pearl reach London, where all the promises of prosperity and stability turn to treachery and struggle in the slums of St. Giles. We follow their journey of survival and triumph along a back drop of social commentary, accurate portrayal of historical events & attitudes and a fascinating cast of side characters. I also enjoyed the pacing and writing style; the language seemed accurate to the time period.

Genuinely excellent. I would absolutely come back for more from this dynamic duo.

'The St Giles Rookery is the place where those who cling to the edge of the world find themselves when every other has been slammed in their face'.

Daniel and Pearl may have escaped the violent revolt against plantation owners in Jamaica, but their freedom has come at a cost: to serve in the British in the War of Indpendence. Having survived serving that military taskmaster, Daniel sets sail, with Pearl, to redeem the freedom promised by King George. However, his optimism is quickly quashed, almost as soon as he finds his feet on land. Instead of the riches he was promised, a betrayal sends him to the notorious Rookery of St Giles. A place even Dickens deemed 'repulsive'. In order to survive, and keep his sister safe, he needs to serve a new taskmaster, Elias, king of this slum. But Daniel is a fighter and in this hopeless place, he might just be the one to bring hope.

'The Blackbirds of St Giles' is why I love reading historical fiction. Although this is a story, its context is underpinned by a wealth of truth. This well-researched story is layered, touching upon poverty, power, slavery, and the class system. You would never guess that Lila Cain is a pseudonym for two authors writing as one. My only criticism is that some of the pacing is a tad slow - especially considering the length and that the beginning jumps around a bit in time, before finally settling into the crux of the story. All in all though, I believe historical fiction lovers will want to read this.

'Of course, not all of us are truly blackbirds; poverty has many shades, but we are all - as you rightly say - outcasts'.

ARC Review
First of all a huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance of reading this book with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I must say that I am a deeply mood(y) reader, so my path through this book has had some highs and some lows, but once the story started to bring forward the heavy feelings, I was sold—terribly enamoured to both the protagonists and their path through what life and society pushed them through.
I deeply admire those who embark themselves into deeply historically accurate stories, and Lila Cain did exactly this: the book takes some liberties - of course, since it's foremost a story - but it also shows the knowledge and research the author did before writing this book.
I loved the description of 18th-century London, the raw style of the author holding no punches, and being always on point through it all. I also really liked the protagonists, I found their characters and journeys very deep, realistic and compelling.

Only thing I should point out is that the pacing of the book in general tends to be a bit on the slow side, so for those who don't like slow pacing-books it might be hard to read.

The Blackbirds of St. Giles was truly descriptive, captivating, and an adventure full of victors and villains. As a Black American, we rarely hear the stories of our brothers and sisters across the pond who fought for King George with the promise of being freed after. This instantly brought me in and truly kept me in enthralled. Following Daniel and Pearl from their escape from the Garnett Plantation to the Americas to newness of London, you are thrown into a world of unlikely friends and into the fray of London's underground activity. This was clearly a deeply researched book full of interesting facts and wonderfully colorful descriptions. Wordsmiths for sure, we have in Lila Cain. If you are fans of Miss Scarlet and the Duke or other PBS masterpiece shows, this is definitely for you.

It was definitely drawn out on some points, but overall this was a solid read for me.

This uses the historical element perfectly and was invested in what was happening. I thought it uses the time-period perfectly and was engaged with the characters in this time. I was hooked from the first page and was glad everything was realistic and well done. Lila Cain has a strong writing style and am excited for more.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC!
I had never heard of the Blackbirds of St. Giles and I lived in England for 10 years, so interesting! The plot was good and so were the characters, all well written. Some miscommunication between characters that could have helped the storyline quicker but its the usual. I definitely recommend this book to all historical or historical fiction lovers.
4 stars

This is pretty solid historical fiction in that it feels well researched and has a compelling enough plot. I found a couple of things frustrating though that detracted from my enjoyment. First was the leap from Jamaica to England with so much left uncovered. I suppose this was intentional so the mystery later could be revealed but it really interrupted the tale. The second was Daniel's lack of communicating his plight to those he cares for. Again, I understand this would lend itself to the story later, but it just was maddening to live thru that part of it. I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

From the moment the prologue started I was absolutely hooked into this book. I didn’t see any of the plot twists coming and the writing was so powerful I felt the agonies of every single character
Everything was tactfully done; the implied details were powerful without the book being overly graphic or crude.
All of the characters were so well formed and the relationships that were formed throughout the book were fantastic!
I want a sequel though because I feel the book could have been longer!! The ending felt unfinished to me and I’d love to have more details about how the main characters lives played out.

This was a great book. It focused on a topic that is overlooked and not talked about enough. It was a moving story, you feel real emotion for the characters and feel for them. I did like the writing style of the author, it was flowing well and all tied together nicely. I liked reading this book!

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complementary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

Firstly thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

Really enjoyed this historical fiction novel - the descriptions of St Giles were really vivid and the whole story was really atmospheric and inspiring . The relationship between Daniel and pearl was really believable

The Blackbirds of St Giles brings a perilous journey of two siblings, Daniel and Pearl, who escape a slave rebellion in Jamaica in 1768.

Their journey takes them to New York where in 1776, Daniel answers king’s call to join His Majesty’s Troops during the struggles to retain America in exchange for freedom. While picking up the arms, Daniel saves a Major’s life in a battle. He is rewarded with the man’s inheritance. Thus, the journey takes him and his sister to London.

But promises are not always kept. What was supposed to be a rewarding life turns into a misery and another fight for survival. The siblings are thrown into the streets of dark parts of London brimming with poverty and cruelty.

This poignant story vividly paints the terrifying streets of 18th century London, the treacherous realities and persistence of two siblings exposing their hopes and despairs. It’s charged emotionally, and the bond between two siblings is deep and at times overprotective. It’s the story of resilience against prejudice.

This story exposes the lesser-known period in history, with captivating characters that can aw but also frustrate at times. It is a reminder of human nature to fight for freedom and dignity. Even with the gripping journey, the story has a slower pace.

Once this book began it was hard for me to pause.
There are books one reads and there are books one SHOULD read. This on leans a lot towards the second side.
Right from the get go, the book began on an active high note , in fact what starts as an atmospheric description quickly zooms in from a bird's eye view to a personal narrative on the go .
A jarring start that took me a few moments to catch on but once it did , I was hooked.
My favourite parts were the author's informed decisions to lay bare the descriptions of exceptional violence humanity has demonstrated against one another. I loved the themes tackled here. Survival, betrayal, despair and the narrow beam of hope people often cling to.
The siblings tug at heartstrings.
Though, I did feel the language used in certain descriptions of things / events or spaces could have been more direct, it read a little on the flowery side for me

I love learning something new when I read. I had never heard of the Blackbirds of St. Giles so I found a lot of the info very interesting. The pacing was a bit too slow for my personal tastes, but I am glad I read this. The characters were very well written. I hated some and loved others. I think Sparrow was my favorite character. I would be interested in his story!

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books, Dafina for this digital arc in exchange for my honest review which is not affiliated with any brand.

Lila Cain's »The Blackbirds of St. Giles« transports readers on an emotionally charged journey through the tumultuous lives of escaped enslaved siblings, Daniel and Pearl, as they traverse the perilous streets of 18th-century London.

The novel commences with a gripping scene, where Daniel and Pearl flee a violent rebellion on a Jamaican plantation, setting the stage for their pursuit of freedom and prosperity. A decade later, we find them in New York City, where Daniel’s dreams of a new life, as promised by the British crown, rapidly crumble, forcing them into the shadowy depths of London.

The plot deftly interweaves themes of survival, treachery, and the brutal realities confronted by those who have fled bondage.

The siblings' odyssey is marked by contrasting moments of hope and despair as they reconcile their aspirations with the grim truths of their new surroundings. The atmosphere is vivid; Cain skillfully paints the bustling yet bleak streets of London, teeming with danger and desperation, most notably in the labyrinthine tunnels beneath Covent Garden, where they meet Elias, an ominous figure embodying the power struggle within this gritty world.

Cain's writing style is both poetic and raw, submerging readers in the emotional landscapes of her characters. Daniel is depicted as fiercely protective yet tormented by his past, while Pearl evolves into a tenacious young woman battling her own fears. The sibling bond is exquisitely portrayed, capturing their connection amidst turmoil. Readers can palpably sense their experiences—their laughter, tears, and relentless quest for liberty.

»The Blackbirds of St. Giles« illuminates a lesser-known chapter in history, seamlessly blending historical facts with captivating storytelling. Cain crafts a poignant examination of identity and resilience against a backdrop of societal bias.

The novel is as enlightening as it is emotionally impactful, leaving readers with a resonant comprehension of the ghosts of the past that continue to haunt the present—a potent reminder of humanity's ongoing pursuit of freedom and dignity.

Traveling from the plantations of 19th century Jamaica to the streets of Victorian London, Cain chronicles the story of former slaves and siblings, Daniel and his sister, Pearl, as they try to make a life amidst the brutalities of slavery and the whims and vagaries of politics.