Review by Miriam Halahmy, 11-14+ years old
I really enjoyed this book because I found it interesting to see 1840s England from the perspective of someone who was not in a privileged circumstance. Also, I really enjoyed, and at points, related to the character of Kate Roper who is portrayed as a very strong-minded and hard-working girl. In fact, even when Kate herself is struggling to pay for food and rent she still provides to Anne Pickles family, which shows how selfless she is. 

Although, the character I found the most interesting was Charlotte Brönte because she is in a very privileged position, yet she still chooses to be generous and encouraging towards Kate. This is clearly shown at the end of the book when Kate announces that she is going away to Halifax and Charlotte gives her two gold sovereigns. Throughout the book Charlotte is often generous and spends time nurturing Kate’s passion for writing and reading while also inspiring her with what would have been considered ‘radical’ ideas. 

On the other hand, I found Luke Feather to be a very unattractive character (personality wise) because he was so self-absorbed that he often dismissed Kate’s wishes and aspirations as un-achievable or not worth pursuing. He gave little thought to how she might feel and talked for hours about his future and his goals regarding his passion for mechanics. When he’s first introduced, he seems like a perfectly nice boy who recognises Kate’s intelligence and encourages this but as we get to know him, we realise that his thing he is concerned about with her is marrying her and he doesn’t see her true worth. 

I did not know much about this period of history before reading this book and it has made me want to research more about this era. The fact that it was set in this period of history made it an interesting book to read because it explored ‘radical’ ideas such as women having more freedom or not having to marry and pursuing their own dreams. These so-called ‘radical’ ideas are interesting because nowadays these would not be considered as radical ideas or statements because women have a lot more freedom than they did in the 1840s. It is also interesting because Kate Roper and 15 (and later turns 16) years old girl has ended up working to try to pay for rent and food because her mother has passed away and her father has taken to drinking along with her younger sister. If the book had been set in a more modern time period, this would not have happened and therefore her pursuing her writing would have been made easier. Society has progressed so much since this time period, with young girls in England not having to work to survive and being able to receive a proper education. 

This book has made me want to learn more about this time period and has also encouraged me to read some of Brönte's books. I would definitely recommend this book to others, especially people studying this period of history because it gives you different perspectives and experiences from this era that help you understand what life was like for less privileged citizens. Overall, it was a really enjoyable book and I would highly recommend reading it. 

Review by Amelia, 12 years old, Archbishop Temple Church of England High School
It was a good book. Each chapter kept on making me want to read more because it is intriguing. It was set in the past and I like learning about the past. The thing I like about the past is how much it’s changed from then to now. In this case, the thing that has changed, since the time the book was set in, is that men had more rights than women. The currency is quite interesting because it is shilling in the 1800 but now it has changed to pounds. I had never heard of the Brontë sister before, and my favourite character is Charlotte Brontë. I like how she is all posh, but I also like how she likes to write and is a writer. I also like how Charlotte is kind and is helpful to people. In year 5 and 6, I wanted to become a writer, but I didn’t think it was possible. After I read this book, it made me think that it could be possible and I might have a chance to achieve that. It makes me feel like I shouldn’t give up on what I want, and it makes me want to write a book.