In her novel The Silent Governess, Julie Klassen weaves the tale of Olivia Keene and Edward Bradley. One evening, while escaping her own demons, Olivia overhears some information that Edward would rather not be revealed. In an effort to ensure that she not spread this damaging evidence, Edward insists that Olivia take a position in his house in the nursery. As time progresses, more intrigue and deception come to light. The meaning of family is tried and tested, with the definition being changed at every turn.
Klassen, a lover of Jane Austen and writer of Regency-period set fiction, has woven a beautiful tale of mystery and romance. The cast of characters display a range of personalities, each one surprising the reader with unexpected depth. As the tale continues, twists and turns abound.
That would be one concern I can express with this novel. Those twists and turns can become very difficult to follow, and I had to reread some passages to figure out who was who and what exactly was happening. While it does keep the story interesting overall, too many of these trails can leave a reader lost in the woods. I personally would have also liked to see Klassen follow the personal journeys of faith of both Olivia and Edward. She begins to do this at several points, but she does not ever follow them to any personal spiritual revelation.
Overall, Klassen’s novel was a quick, inspiring read. As it is set in one of my favorite periods of history, I really did enjoy reading her tale of a family where not everything is as it seems. Klassen’s tale is well-written and riveting. She tells the story eloquently, adhering to the time period with only a few liberties taken that do not rewrite the history of the period. I certainly look forward to reading other work by Klassen in the future.
This book was provided free of charge by the publisher as a review copy. The publisher had no editorial rights or claims over the content or the conclusions made in this review. Visit www.bethanyhouse.com for more information on this book.
