The Girl Who Dared to Dream
This is a simple tale narrated chronologically, mainly from the point of view of one principal character. No literary tricks, but beautifully crafted.
The date is 1912. The principal character is Mabel, daughter of a lower middle-class family in the East End of London. Mabel has ambitions to become a secretary—not yet a major occupation for young women—but her father’s traffic accident forces her to leave school and go into service. Costeloe vividly portrays the relentless, servile drudgery in the lower levels of domestic service in a rich household and the repressive hierarchy among the servants. Mabel loses her job following an unjust accusation of theft, but all ends well, and she not only survives but prospers, thanks to an unlikely friendship. My only criticism is that the resolution of the main plot is spoilt by two final chapters introducing a new story line centering on a hitherto minor character.
Diney Costeloe has written over 20 novels, and this is one of her best.
