Burglars and Bluestockings

⭐⭐⭐

Burglars and Bluestockings by Julie Berry is a historical fiction novel set in 1897, featuring Maeve Merritt as the protagonist. Maeve, who found Mermeros the djinni in a sardine can, dreams of doing daring things that are not allowed for girls during this time period. When she goes on a summer field trip to Oxford with her friend Alice, they are amazed to see women studying at college and even playing sports. However, thieves looking to steal Mermeros put Maeve and her friends in danger, making her question if it's time to give up her djinni once and for all.

As much as I loved the cover of this book, I found the story itself just an okay read. Having not read the first two books, I felt like I was missing out on some context that would have made the storyline more compelling. Additionally, I thought the pacing was slow and the book overly long. Despite this criticism, I appreciate how well Julie Berry merges history with fictional elements throughout the novel.

Overall, Burglars and Bluestockings is a decent read for fans of historical fiction or those interested in exploring gender roles during Victorian times.

ARC Via NetGalley