Better than Bronte!
This is not a retelling of Bronte's "Shirley" but a highly original, fast-paced plot driven by conflicts. The action takes place during the Luddite uprising in the West Riding of Yorkshire in 1812. New textile machinery is destroying jobs at a time when unemployment could literally mean starvation for the families of these men. The conflict between the government-supported mill owners and the desperate workers is the backdrop and cause of other conflicts as well. The narrator, Shirley, who is part of the relatively new industrial power elite, comes to realize that, despite her generosity, her wealth derives from the work of men, women, and children who toil twelve hours a day under intolerable conditions. She is also conflicted by her feelings toward her enemy, Tom Mellor, leader of the Luddite army. A common working man in some respects, but a man of uncommon character and charisma, he is both a magnet and a touchstone. When Shirley is attracted to him, the stage is set for even more conflicts.
This novel can and should re read at one sitting because there is no pause in the action.
The narrator is a complex, fascinating woman who chooses to use the power of her mind and wealth to break the rules of her society. To a great extent, she is more dangerous to the establishment than the Luddites themselves.
