Harbor for the Nightingale: A Stranje House Novel
In the latest novel in Kathleen Baldwin’s Stranje House series, Maya Barrington continues to use her gift of soothing voice and ability to perceive inner music to navigate the complex world of Britain during the Napoleonic era, as a student at Miss Stranje’s School for Girls. When Lord Kinsworth comes into her life as her duet partner just as Napoleon makes his next move against Britain, Maya must put her doubts about his seemingly rakish insincerity aside and learn to trust his inner music and the partnership it offers.
Harbor for the Nightingale contains flashes of the rural Indian village of Maya’s childhood and the origin of her gift. The perspective gives the novel a sort of inverted glimpse at the Raj in this era of its history. It’s not exactly “post-colonial,” but still well done. As the fourth novel in its series, it should be read in order – the depth of world-building is impressive, and should be appreciated from the beginning.
Baldwin succeeds in using the perception of sound to give Maya a rich inner life. Fans of historical heroines will enjoy this series about unconventional Regency young ladies.
