A coal-mining town. A flicker of light. A boy who dreams of more.
Spennymoor, 1913. When ten-year-old Jem Poole sees a moving picture for the first time, it sparks a fascination that will shape the course of his life. Raised in a northern coal town marked by hardship and loss, Jem begins to dream of more than soot and survival — he dreams of light.
Through war, reinvention and the golden age of British cinema, Jem rises to national success, building a legacy of silver screens and stories that define a generation. But when a figure from his past reappears, long-buried memories resurface, and he must confront the truth of the life he has built – and the memories that never let go.
What did I think?
Oh my word, Poole of Light is a fabulous debut novel from RJ Verity! As soon as I saw that it was set in my local area of County Durham I wanted to read it and I am so pleased that I did as it's a fantastic historical fiction novel.
The novel starts in the coal mining town of Spennymoor where Jem and Daisy are inseparable childhood friends. When Jem's widowed father decides to move to Leeds to marry his sister-in-law, Jem doesn't even have time to say goodbye to Daisy. It's not the end of their story though and I loved the way that they meet years later.
Whilst 1913 doesn't seem like that long ago (to me, at least), it's a stark reminder of how tight money was for most families and the things that needed to be done to put food on the table. It must have been so difficult to simply exist and that's even before the two world wars depleted the population and the economy.
The film industry setting is unusual and I really enjoyed the insight into the early cinema experience that RJ Verity has clearly researched meticulously. It's a rags to riches story that reminded me a little of The Greatest Showman as Jem is so driven to succeed, despite the many challenges he must overcome along the way.
Atmospheric, authentic and entertaining, Poole of Light is a riveting and compelling historical fiction novel. It's a fantastic start to a new series and I can't wait to read more about the Poole family. A very highly recommended read and one that is not to be missed by fans of historical fiction.
I received a gifted paperback for the Rachel's Random Resources blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
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About the author:
RJ Verity grew up in Yorkshire and studied at King’s College London before spending more than twenty years in financial services across Asia. She now lives in Guernsey with her endlessly patient husband and their spirited ten-year-old Labradinger. When she’s not writing or reading, she can often be found exploring the island’s rugged coastline.
She is currently working on The Poole Legacy, her debut trilogy of historical novels. The first book in the series, Poole of Light, is out now.
Social Media Links –
A universal link to Amazon page: https://mybook.to/poole-of-light
The map: https://www.rjverity.com/1930s-leeds
The book club kit: https://www.rjverity.com/bookclub
The blog link: https://www.rjverity.com/blog
Giveaway:
Giveaway to Win a limited edition print of Poole of Light book (gold foil, high quality paper) (Open to UK Only)
*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Gleam box below. The winner will be selected at random via Gleam from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
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