Alcott (The Dressmaker, 2012) chooses another working-class girl as the heroine of her second historical novel. To Alice Barrow, a job at a textile mill in 1832 Lowell, Massachusetts, represents both an escape from her rural roots and a chance to forge an independent future. Although the hours are long and the work arduous, she enjoys the companionship of the mill girls and the opportunity to take advantage of the intellectual subculture of Lowell, including the mill’s literary magazine and lectures at the Lyceum. Alice’s common sense and intelligence attract the attention of Samuel Fiske, the mill owner’s son, who invites her to act as an emissary for her coworkers at a meeting with his family. However, when Alice’s best friend is found hanged, her burgeoning relationship with Samuel is threatened as his family withholds crucial evidence during the investigation. Set against an authentically detailed mill-town backdrop, this novel interweaves the industrial revolution, feminism, and workers’ rights into an engrossing narrative with a love story at its core. --Margaret Flanagan
Praise for THE DARING LADIES OF LOWELL
“Offers up a
compelling slice of both feminist and Industrial Age history”
--Christian Science Monitor
“Alice is cast in the mold of a character created by an earlier Alcott, the passionate and spunky Jo March. A refreshingly old-fashioned heroine, she makes THE DARING LADIES OF LOWELL appealing to girls of all ages”
--The New York Times Book Review
"Both
inspiring and thought-provoking. Ms. Alcott’s interweaving themes of strength, courage, love, loss and betrayal will keep the reader captivated for hours"
--
Fredericksburg Free-Lance Star
"The storytelling is lively.”
--The New York Times
“A riveting historical novel… In this book, and in real life, there's no story--or change--if people don't push the boundaries of what is acceptable, or give voice to uncomfortable truths.”
–Huffington Post
“Alcott draws from dramatic events indelibly etched in history and offers a fresh perspective…. Alcott's work will attract historical romance fans who will be entertained by the antics of the daring ladies who leave everything they know and embrace less-than-ideal conditions to gain their freedom.”
--Library Journal, starred review “Alcott draws on a real-life trial to lend authenticity to her romantic story….the book will illuminate and satisfy.”
--Publishers Weekly “This spirited story of young working women making hard choices has a compelling core”
--Kirkus Reviews
"Set against an authentically detailed mill-town backdrop, this novel interweaves the industrial revolution, feminism, and workers’ rights into an
engrossing narrative with a love story at its core."
--Booklist
"Rendered in vivid, authentic period detail,
The Daring Ladies of Lowell is a suspenseful, compelling tale of courageous young women fighting for justice—and sometimes their very lives—in the cotton mills of mid-nineteenth century Massachusetts."
—Jennifer Chiaverini, New York Times bestselling author of Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker “Set during the turbulent days of America’s industrial revolution,
The Daring Ladies of Lowell captures the spirit and courage of the young women who dared to work at factory jobs. Kate Alcott draws on the true story of a murdered mill girl for this captivating story of loyalty, friendship, and love—most of all, love.”
--Sandra Dallas, New York Times bestselling author of Alice’s Tulips and Fallen Women
“The Daring Ladies of Lowell are as complicated and flawed as any contemporary heroines, and they shine in this gripping 19th century tale about a small group of “factory girls” who refuse to be silenced when one of their own is murdered. Kate Alcott has woven industrial history, small-town politics, and pure invention into a nuanced gem of a novel about friendship, sacrifice, and love that will keep you turning its pages until the very end.”
--Amy Brill, author of The Movement of Stars Praise for THE DRESSMAKER Historical figures become intricate characters in Alcott’s hands.” —
Seattle Post Intelligencer “Seamlessly stitching fact and fiction together, Alcott creates a hypnotic tale.” —
USA Today “Offers a heroine you can really root for.” —
NPR, “All Things Considered” “From the minute Tess sets foot on the
Titanic, this is the kind of novel you simply cannot put down and cannot forget.” —
Tatiana de Rosnay, author of Sarah’s Key