The Girl from Old Nichol is one of those books that you wouldn't expect to give you so much emotions while reading a book. I don't know if it's just me but the book really gets me. The author does a good job translating the character's emotions to its readers. The main character's drive to survive after all the hardship that she encounters is really inspiring.

I read this novel a while ago and had totally overlooked leaving a review.

Historical fiction is one of my favourite genres. There are novels that will leave an impression on my mind and some don't. This was one such story that I still remember well. Almost as if I had only just recently read it!
Initially I was attracted - apart from genre - to this novel was because it mentioned the London Slums. I was born and raised in London, not far from the East End.. Incidentally my mother's name was Gladys! I hope to read more by this author in the future.

I really wanted to like this book. I was intrigued at the beginning with the descriptions of life in the slums. Gladys, Tonnie and a cast of colorful characters held my attention.
When Gladys left Old Nichol and moved to Dover, her life changed and so did the book. She works in the tavern, seeming to life when she becomes the barmaid and a singer. She holds a terrible secret, even though she tries to help others from Old Nichol. Gladys meets Millie and Tom, marries him and leaves the tavern for the life of a genteel lady in the country. Tom is killed, and the book slows down tremendously. We don't explore enough of the motivations of Mr. Pickwick and his devotion to Gladys and her daughter other than he is lonely. We don't know what happened to his former marriage, and why they take such an instant dislike to Gladys. I felt at times I was watching grass grow, and actually stopped reading for about a week. There was just not enough new ground being covered in character development or plot. Out to Oaken Arms we go again.
The ending was so abrupt, I felt cheated. Though this may indicate a sequel, I won't be back to read it.

There is something about this book I just did not like. I love the beginning! I love the story of Gladys life in Old Nichols. It was a nice tale that could have been stretched out more. However, her abrupt move was quite weird and that a girl of such an age would just flee like that. I know what she did was dire but really. (That is it! Some of the story is just too unbelievable. It took me a while to actually finish reading it.) Then how everyone just died. That was just awful. Everyone she came into contact with died. I know that the story is set up to be a series, but it could have been better executed. There is only so much rise and lost of fortune a person can take in one book.

I received an ARC of the novel from Amberjack Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

The Girl From Old Nichol is a historical fiction novel by Betty Annand. A girl named Gladys Tunner is born in a placed called Old Nichol AKA the slums of London. Her parents are raging alcoholics so she is forced to care of herself at a very young age. One day, after facing a terrible, disgusting incident as a pre-teen, she understands that she has nothing left for her in Old Nichol. Without any sort of notice, she leaves her parents behind and begins a new life under a new name. Gladys decides that in her new life, she is determined to become a governess. From there, she builds a successful life for herself where she finds good work, her best friend, her husband and even has a daughter. For the longest time, Gladys is happy with her life and what she is doing. Although it may seem like Gladys has escaped Old Nichol for good, it always manages to haunt her in one way or another. Will Gladys be able to live a normal, rich lifestyle under a new name or will her poor upbringing ruin her chances of becoming a governess?

The Girl From Old Nichol is, in one word, captivating. Gladys, the protagonist, is a young lady you will come to love by the end of the novel. You will respect her for her kindness and her ability to survive all that is bad. You will grieve with her when you learn about her childhood and the events that consume her as she grows older. I loved all of her relationships with all of her friends such as Tom and Millie. I thought all of the characters had great backstories and were rounded out enough that you cared for all of them. I think the major part of the novel that people will be talking about though is its ending. I’m not going to spoil the ending, however, I will say the ending is very abrupt and left in the air. When I got to the end I actually screamed because I was so sure that it wasn’t the end. I don’t know if I feel this is a good or a bad thing, if I liked it, or if it was even really needed at all. All I know is that I am hoping there will be a sequel because I need to find out what exactly happened to Gladys.

I really like this novel and think it has a lot of depth. When I found out this was Betty Annand’s first novel I was surprised because of the talent of her writing, it seems like she has been writing for many years. Annand’s writing is great, she creates a great story that sticks with you right away. I think once you start reading it, you won’t want to put this novel down in the beginning. It is filled with several tales of love, survival and friendship all tied into one. Even though I thought the beginning was fantastic, towards the end I felt it lost its way and became somewhat disinterested in what was going on. I understand she had to build up certain plot points in order to develop the story, however, after awhile I felt a lot the events were being repeated. But the abrupt ending sucked me in again and I am left feeling dissatisfied. Maybe dissatisfied in a good way since it makes me want to read more of Gladys’ story. I really hope there is going to be a sequel to this novel because I definitely want to read it, and would love to read more work from this author in the future. I recommend this book to anyone who craves to read a story about a powerful woman who learns to live and survive on her own. I would say that this book is suited for people around the age 18+, only because there is an almost-rape scene that could be disturbing for younger readers. This novel teaches you that although it may not seem like it, if you have the willpower, you can be anything you want to be. As long as you discipline yourself and understand that sometimes you deserve more than what is given to you, you will discover who you are.