Poor Girls
by
Clare Whitfield
We were never destined to have anything – so you know what we did?
We took it anyway.
1922. Twenty-year-old Eleanor Mackridge is horrified by the future mapped out for her – to serve the upper classes or find a man to marry (preferably kind). She ‘proved useful’ working in a munitions factory during the war – handling explosives – but now, society is returning to normal and women are being put back in their place.
But Eleanor has never paid attention to what society expects of her. When she crosses paths with a member of the notorious female-led gang the Forty Elephants, she is in awe of these bold women who wear diamonds and fur, drink champagne and gin, who take what they want without asking. Now, she sees a new future for herself: she can serve, marry – or steal.
After all, men will only let you down. Diamonds are forever.
REVIEW
I love reading about Alice Diamond and the Forty Thieves as I come from South East London, so I had to read this one.
This story is about Eleanor Mackridge who is from Brighton and is smitten with a man from London and when she finds herself handling stolen jewels from him and has to transport them to London, she is drawn into the world of stealing from department stores as part of a girl gang and trying to make her fortune.
Eleanor changes her name to Nell and when she meets the leader of the Forty Elephants, Alice Diamond, she is in awe of her and decides that she wants to be a part of that world.
Nell is put into a small gang (cell) and soon makes friends with the others and once she has been "trained" up there is no stopping her! but will her eagerness to make a fortune be her downfall?...
I really enjoyed this book, it was easy to read and liked the mix of characters.
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