The is a book to immerse yourself into. It takes you and drops you into a world that is both recognisable and atmospheric.
The Weather Woman begins in London in 1789, a time so cold that even the River Thames froze over. A time when Neva Friezland’s gift of predicting the weather could help to save lives, but also a time when women with brains or unexplained powers could be misconstrued. The consequences of discovery could be grave if anyone should discover it. This is a world where men have power and women follow. As a woman who knows her own mind and has an intelligence beyond all the men she knows, Neva could be in grave danger. The only way she can expand her knowledge and use her gift is to hide away or become a man and take chances. So, when she becomes the Weather Woman - a woman who can predict the weather – she must remain out of sight. And then there is what to do about Henri Denou, the young man who gets closer to Neva than anyone else. This is a book to immerse yourself into. It takes you and drops you into a world that is both recognisable and atmospheric. Beautifully painted landscapes and characters abound throughout and it was a pleasure to read.
I enjoyed this historical novel based in Regency England where Neva Friezland has to find her way in a male dominated society. She has a gift of predicting the weather but is not allowed to use it in a society where women have very proscribed roles. Her adopted father gives her a voice through the development of an automaton - The Weather Woman - and she develops an alter-ego, Jonas, to allow her to sample male society. She is forced to make choices about her future when she falls in love. A captivating story full of historical detail and many twists and turns.
Neva Friezland was born with an extraordinary gift to foresee the weather. In Regency England women are born to be married, have children and keep house - not to be involved in predicating the weather which is the preserve of God. In order to use her gift her adoptive father builds the Weather Woman which allows her to foretell the weather. She also develops a male persona which allows her to mix freely in society and learn more about the science of the weather.
Her life is turned upside down when she meets Henri and has to decide what she wants.
Alongside this storyline, a long lost family member claims the fortune left by her father and Neva must work to preserve her family home and her good name.
I enjoyed the historical setting - it was fascinating to see how society treated men and women and the roles assigned to them. Life in London by the river was vividly brought to life.
An interesting read - full of twists and turns.
A slightly whimsical but extremely enjoyable tale, very atmospheric and beautifully written with some wonderful descriptions.
A slightly whimsical but extremely enjoyable tale about a young girl called Neva, who is adopted by a clockmaker after her parents are killed when a disaster happens during the Frost Fair of 1789. It appears she can predict the weather but to enable her to do so in public, she takes on a male disguise and forecasts the meteorological conditions from inside an automaton, built by the clockmaker. “It can be very dangerous to be ahead of your time, especially if you’re a woman.”
This is an atmospheric story and it’s beautifully written. I thought it had a Dickensian vibe at times. There are certainly some Dickensian sounding characters. Ebenezer Ratchet for one! The descriptions are wonderful. There’s a definite sense of time and place, although with a little magic and hint of the supernatural thrown in. The author brought it all to life for me, I almost thought I was there walking alongside these marvellous characters. I was totally immersed in Neva’s story and was gripped from beginning to end. A real page turner! A captivating and engaging read which I would recommend to those who enjoy a combination of the historical and fantasy genres.
A fantastic, original read set in Regency England at a time of frost-fairs, gossip-filled high society and very few opportunities for radical thinkers such as the main character Neva. A colourful cast of characters will draw you into their vividly drawn world. A great read.
An absolute joy of a novel! Having read and loved many of Sally Garner's novels for children and young adults, I was keen to read this novel for adults and I wasn't disappointed. The Regency world of ice-fairs, gossip-filled society and lack of opportunities for women is beautifully depicted by Gardner. At times, my imagination played it out like a Merchant-Ivory film but at others it was like 'The Personal History of David Copperfield' (the film by Armando Iannucci), filled with vibrant, flamboyant characters. The characterisation is wonderful and the web of relationships, with Neva - the weather woman - at the heart of them is complex but deftly spun with Gardner subtly introducing themes about sexism, gender fluidity and neurodiversity into her narrative.
True there were some parts of the story that didn't sit easily with me. Neva is such a self-contained, quirky character that it somehow seemed a betrayal of her for her to marry. But the novel is, after all, largely a love story, so I can forgive this because the novel is such a fantastic, original read.