The story of a Georgian Spartacus
Through acts of courage and honour, ex-slave Daniel arrives in Georgian London to claim his inheritance. But Daniel’s first mistake is naivety in assuming all men have the same moral standards. Instead of a being welcomed, he and his sister Pearl are tricked, drugged, and beaten up. Daniel wakes to find himself in dire of circumstances; penniless, without even the clothes on his back, and dependent on the goodwill of the poorest of the poor in the Maze beneath St Giles.
As the story unwinds we are introduced to the poverty of St Giles and a community governed by a cruel and abusive ‘king’ called Elias. Daniel’s most immediate concern is to protect his sister, a girl on the cusp of womanhood who is independent minded and not inclined to be protected. But as a man of unusual strength of character Daniel comes to the notice of a secret society, The Blackbirds of St Giles, who long for a fairer future and a leader to topple Elias. In Daniel, they believe they have found such a man.
I was desperate to read this book for many different reasons. I loved Kate Griffith’s (co-author) book ‘Fyneshade’ so I had confidence the writing would be good. I was also interested to see how in a work of historical fiction the subjects of slavery and people of colour in Georgian England were handled. What I found was a balanced view that avoided stereotypes for both the white and black characters. The main character, Daniel, is an ex-slave and in the early part of the book we learn of the desperation that led to some slaves to rebel, harming some of their own in the process. If you excuse the pun, this is not a black & white story; there are both good and bad people of all colours, with the emphasis being on personal choices (or lack of) and the effect of money on making those decisions.
On a different note, Elias has a pet cheetah. The author references claws clicking on the floor and purring. I had to check this out as it pulled me out of the story (I thought big cats can’t purr, and as a feline surely a cheetah had retractable claws?) However, the author is correct. Cheetahs are one of the few big cats able to purr and their claws are only semi-retractable and so if they were overly long could tap on the floor. So now I can sleep at night…

The Blackbirds of St. Giles is a captivating read. The story centers around Daniel and Pearl as they escape a Jamaican plantation and head to the US where Daniel makes a place for themselves where he serves as a soldier.

Because of his friendship and character, he becomes the heir of his captain and friend but things do not go as expected and Daniel and his sister Pearl find themselves in London, destitute and alone.

They become blackbirds in The Rookery of St. Giles and must learn to navigate the underworld as well as the city of London.

The book includes a colorful cast of characters and the storyline integrates romance, action, crime, and more. There were a few twists to the story that were a bit predictable, but overall I enjoyed this tale. It reminded me of a mix between Dickens and Six of Crows, and I would definitely recommend it.

‘Think of the future, not the past.’

A historical fiction tale that brings to life a reality that many of us might not have been aware about and one that doesn’t shy away from the grim realities of the time.

From the first page, I was captured into the narrative of this novel. With the slave revolt on the Garnett Plantation forcing Daniel to make a terrible choice - to save his sister or his love - we follow the rest of his journey as he lives with the choices he’s made to keep his sister safe above all else. Choosing to serve the British army in the American War for Independence with the promise of freedom after the war, a terrible set of circumstances instead leave him and his sister destitute on the streets of St. Giles.

Daniel is an honorable main character, and as we are taken on his journey with him we cannot help but want to root for him to find success against all odds. Everything he does is with his sister in the forefront of his mind, and he wants nothing else but to protect her from the horrors of the reality they’ve found themselves in. I found Pearl to be, at times, almost naively unaware of the reasons for Daniel’s wanting to shelter her, but with her growing into a young woman and wanting some independence of her own, I could never fault her for her choices. Together they form a bond that keeps them together through hardship and loss, and despite their circumstances they both work to try to better themselves.

While the streets of St. Giles could be harsh and violent - lead by a violent man named Elias who calls himself the King of the Rookery - they still find community and safety among the same streets. I liked the intricacies of the many areas and people they meet within the streets - those who would betray them at any moment, and those who risk their lives to ensure their safety - and no person or station within this novel was simply one-dimensional.

Filled with drama, trauma, and even a bit of romance - this novel will captivate you until the last page. Any fan of historical fiction would love this novel, and you can tell a great deal of research was put into its creation. There were quite a lot of characters, but I found their introductions and inclusions to be easy enough to follow. While not the fastest paced novel, I was invested from the start and loved entering this world I had never even known existed before. With Daniel trying to turn their fortunes, a romance hovering in the background, and a surprise from the past arriving with a mystery to solve, this book was a great read from beginning to end.

A huge thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Kensington Publishing for providing this e-ARC.

I think this book has a great general message and provides amazing insight into what freed slaves may have experienced. It shows the bad and the ugly without sugarcoating, which I feel that many authors do.

Unfortunately, this was so hard for me to get into. I picked it up and put omit down so many times because I just wasn’t getting hooked like I hoped.

Dark book on the plight of slaves and the corruption of those whose seek power at the expense of others . The network of underground tunnels that existed in London in 1780 and housed the poorest of poor was well described although difficult to comprehend. The book had a maze of characters most vile and unsavoury but some had redeeming qualities that showed goodness can exist . The bond of family and friends existed in this book but was often overshadowed by all the despair . The ending showed promise of a change for the better .

This one started off strong for me. I was intrigued with he story and the freedom given after the MC service in America for the British Army. I liked the the glimpse into the treatment and lives of the so called free blacks in London during the 18th century. The book seems well researched and is written well. With all that said I did start to loose interest and get bored. Maybe it was the amount of characters I had to keep up with I am not sure. I do appreciate the detail into each character and the backgrounds provided. It does add to the imagery of the story. It also helps with the attachments to the characters and their hardships. I will also say that sometimes Daniel frustrated me with his decisions but I am ok with that because I think that made him more real to me and helped show is dedication to Pearl (his sister) and enhanced the hardships they both had to over come.

Over all this was a good and interesting read.

Jamaica, 1780. Daniel and younger sister Pearl escape from a sugar plantation during a violent uprising where they lose the rest of their family and Daniel's one true love Adanna. Fast forward a decade later Daniel finds himself in New York as a former slave fighting for Britain in the War of Independence against America. For his bravery in saving Major Edward Fitzallen during the battle Daniel is bequeathed the Major's inheritance on his deathbed as they return back to England. But Daniel's promised good fortune is not to be when he is tricked by the Major's brother and the document proving his inheritance is burnt. Left suddenly homeless and penniless Daniel and Pearl begin their journey of survival through the mazes beneath St. Giles Rookery, a place where poverty, hunger and crime run rampant and no one is to be trusted. But seeking their survival comes with a price and that is by the hand of Elias a powerful underground king of sorts who rules the crypts of the rookery and Daniel finds himself fighting for his and Pearl's life against the brutal Elias in a fight he didn't choose.
Was very excited to be approved to read this by Edelweiss and NetGalley, this was very atmospheric and I must admit that when I read this, in my mind's eye I saw Daniel as the utterly handsome Rege-Jean Page of Bridgerton fame and it made this read even the more enjoyable. Recommended

Thank you to author Lila Cain and NetGalley for approving me for a copy of this in exchange for my honest review

This book has a lot of background details of each character. Which is great. You see where that person comes from, and then how they got to their current position.
Daniel who was a freed from serving in His Majesties military, was caught in a very bad situation where his Captain couldn't help him due to the Captain's death. Daniel and Pearl then went from living a nice cushion life to living in a run down used room.
I really tried to get into this book, I just couldn't keep track of all the characters and then their current state. I will try again in a few months. Thank you NetGalley and Kensington for the advance copy.

This was a real eye opener! Set in the 1780s , Daniel and Pearl arrive in London. Daniel had been a slave and fought in the Civil War. Cheated and betrayed in a city not kind to poor and different people, they end up at St. Giles. This is story of poverty, prejudice and hardship, but it also a story about honour, love, loyalty and strong friendships. It was great to read a story from a different perspective, and the author captured the historical tone well. The portrayal of London was atmospheric. Then there is the plight of women and the choices they are forced into. Having devoured this in an afternoon, I will be eagerly awaiting any more books by this author. Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for. the chance to read and review this book.

A very interesting read about freed slaves and fellow black people living in London during the late 1700's.
Whilst I enjoyed reading the background history of St Giles (Covent Garden) and the surrounding area; as well as the underground boxing. How the different lifestyles/classes interacted with each other as a means to an end.
I personally felt the book dragged on.
The relationship with the main characters was heartfelt and that came through the writing.

The book follows two survivors from a Jamaican plantation, and believe me, the descriptions are vivid and compelling. It is very well researched and the narration is easy to follow. I enjoyed the writing style. Thanks Netgalley for my Arc!

Born on a sugar plantation in Jamaica, Daniel and his little sister Pearl escaped to make a better life for themselves. Daniel made a career and a name for himself in the Kings army fighting in America. When the pair make their way to England after the war the life they were promised is snatched away from them. Penniless and homeless they are taken into the Rookery where others like themselves have created a community under the streets of London. Determined to restore their fortunes Daniel will make a deal with the terrifying king of the Rookery, Elias, in an attempt to gain the siblings freedom. But there are others who would also like to be free and Daniel will have to decide how far he is willing to go for freedom.
This one took me a second to get into but once I did I was in it. I always enjoy imperfect characters and Daniel made a great flawed and complicated character. I loved how the author looked at freedom on a micro and macro level. I truly enjoyed this book.
Thank you to @netgalley and @kensingtonbooks for letting me have a copy for review. Look for #theblackbirdsofstgiles May 27 2025
#bookreview #bookrecommendations #bookstagram #booklover

This book sounds important and it does talk about important themes but not in a way that I find engaging

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