A dickens of a novel

Historical novel is rich in women characters from all levels of Victorian society - including some from real life.

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Historical novels often reflect the concerns of the period in which they were written as much as they do the period in which the story is set. The rise of the middle class, the oppression of the poor and the futility of war were staples of early- to mid-20th century historical tales. Those written by women late last century and early in this will focus on the question of women's independence and their rights to literacy and birth control. Central characters are often bluestockings - literate women rejecting suitors and campaigning for the right for universal education.

In 1998, Sarah Waters published her first novel, Tipping the Velvet, a sensual, erotic book set in the Victorian era, and so pioneered what is now a celebrated genre, the queer Victorian tale. A couple of decades later, it seems that the same-sex love affair is a required trope in historical fiction written by gay and straight women writers.

Stacey Halls' The Household meets that requirement, as well as another frequently encountered ingredient in contemporary historical works. Real-life famous figures play their part: in this case, Charles Dickens and Angela Burdett-Coutts.