The Dress Lodger

Greater good is just halfway back to Bad.

This is a novel that takes you in the heart of Victorian London. The nightmarish prose, Dickensian and haunting at the same time, introduces Gustine, a very interesting character, and Dr. Chiver who is controversial and fascinating. At the heart of the story lies Medicine, and the well-known practice of stealing the unfortunate dead bodies in order to perform autopsies. There are echoes of the Burke & Hare events and the coming of the plague that troubled Britain in 1831 claiming about 52,000 lives. Amidst the bleakness, Gustine must protect her baby, an extraordinary child with a curse that is also a gift.

One of the best books set in Victorian England, a time of a society full of progress and tumultuousness.

Gut punch

Would be fun to do a compare/contrast
with this book and Slammerkin. The
main character here, like S, is also
a prostitute. Surprisingly good
story. The historical details felt
authentic.