The Weaver's Daughter
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Average rating3
15
Ratings1
Average rating3
"Travel back to Regency England and the Industrial Revolution with Sarah Ladd as she weaves the tale of a woman torn between her father's stubborn hold on the past and her dreams for the fast-approaching future ... Kate Hathaway comes from a long line of handloom weavers. With the Industrial Revolution in full swing, Yorkshire's textile industry is changing, but Kate's father, a successful but feared clothier, rejects technological advances. With the aid of fellow artisans, he will do anything to keep outsiders-and mechanical looms-out of their small village of Ambledale. With his military days behind him, Nicholas Stockton returns home to England and expects to take his place in the family business-a textile mill in Ambledale. But when his grandfather dies suddenly and leaves the struggling mill entirely in his care, Nicholas is confronted with the monumental task of righting his grandfather's wrongs, especially when it comes to the manner in which the mill workers have been treated. Kate is wary of the handsome man now running the Stockton Mill, but after spending time with him in various social settings and watching him advocate for the less fortunate, she warms to him. Nicholas, too, has been warned that the Hathaways are a dangerous family, but after witnessing Kate's kindness, his opinion changes. As her father becomes increasingly desperate, Kate faces the impossible choice: preserve her father's legacy and sacrifice her own dreams, or put her fate in the hands of a man she barely knows and fight for the future she has come to believe in. With courage and God's guidance, Kate steps into the future and discovers a love she never knew possible"--
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Now this one is a good story! A Regency centered around the strife between the weavers and the millers as machine-weaving mills take over the previously hand-done cloth industry—both unique and interesting in scope. It was hard to lay it aside to do other tasks, and I found both Henry and Kate to be equally engaging and principled characters. It was a joy to spend time with both of them, to see how Kate endeavors to show respect to her difficult father, and how Henry defends his livelihood with compassion and forgiveness. I wanted to root for both of them to succeed. I also loved how their romance was circumspect and appropriate to the time period they are in.
The antagonists were also believable and interesting. For example, Frederica is just as trapped as Kate is, despite her fancy lifestyle and better position in society.
I definitely am hoping that this is the start of a new series, and that we get to have a book on Frederica and a book on Kate's brother Charles!
Cons: I didn't like how Mollie's having a child out of wedlock was portrayed in a couple places. At first it was made clear that she had asked God's forgiveness for her “indiscretion,” but in later scenes it was called “error in judgment” and “perceived sin,” which made it sound like she hadn't done something all that bad. It's hinted that her sin of lying is greater than her sexual sin, while Biblically both are against God's laws.
Language: “for heaven's sakes” used lightly
Thanks to NetGalley for a free review copy. A favorable review was not required.
The plot around the weaver's mill was my favorite thing about this story. I was surprised that child labor wasn't a more heightened aspect in the back half, as it was beautifully set up in the front.
However, I was significantly disappointed that the unwed pregnancy was addressed as an inconvenience and “perceived” wrong rather than the sin it actually was. For this reason, this is my least favorite of Mrs. Ladd's books.
The romance between Kate and Henry was sweet.
I wish there was more resolution with Kate's father, but this aspect was realistically written. His last appearance in the book was exquisite.
Content: tobacco, unwed pregnancy (not treated as sin), replacement profanity, alcohol, replacement expletives
