From the brutal horrors of Jamaican plantations to the teeming streets of 19th century London, through lavish manor houses and across dangerous seas,''escaped enslaved siblings survive the American War of Independence and arrive in London to seek their fortune in this page-turning, immersive story of survival, betrayal, secrets, and the quest for true freedom.
On a terrifying night in 1768, Daniel and his young sister, Pearl, narrowly escape their brutal life of slavery when a Jamaican sugarcane plantation is torched in a violent uprising. In the ashes, Daniel leaves behind the rest of his family—and one powerful love.
More than a decade later in New York City, Daniel anticipates sailing with Pearl, now 15, to a new life promised by Britain'''s king to former slaves who fought for the Crown in America’s War of Independence. For saving a Major’s life in battle, Daniel is doubly rewarded with the man’s inheritance, to be claimed on the other side of the ocean.
But a king’s promises can be forgotten, and fortunes snatched away by the cruel prejudices of strangers in a new land . . .
Hopeless and homeless, Daniel and Pearl are lured into a dank maze of passageways roiling beneath London’s teeming streets, under the famed Covent Garden, and far below the crypts of St. Giles church. A world of unimaginable poverty, where the desperate live as outcasts—the blackbirds of St. Giles.
Reigning over the scene is Elias, a ruthless, violent ‘boss’ who sells protection for a price. To shield Pearl, Daniel must literally fight for their survival, stepping into the ring with a monstrous opponent.
Dazzling and poignant, The Blackbirds of St. Giles propels us into an extraordinary, too long overlooked community and period in history, when the threat of servitude is ever-present, and some ghosts of the past can never be escaped . . .
Genre: Historical
On a terrifying night in 1768, Daniel and his young sister, Pearl, narrowly escape their brutal life of slavery when a Jamaican sugarcane plantation is torched in a violent uprising. In the ashes, Daniel leaves behind the rest of his family—and one powerful love.
More than a decade later in New York City, Daniel anticipates sailing with Pearl, now 15, to a new life promised by Britain'''s king to former slaves who fought for the Crown in America’s War of Independence. For saving a Major’s life in battle, Daniel is doubly rewarded with the man’s inheritance, to be claimed on the other side of the ocean.
But a king’s promises can be forgotten, and fortunes snatched away by the cruel prejudices of strangers in a new land . . .
Hopeless and homeless, Daniel and Pearl are lured into a dank maze of passageways roiling beneath London’s teeming streets, under the famed Covent Garden, and far below the crypts of St. Giles church. A world of unimaginable poverty, where the desperate live as outcasts—the blackbirds of St. Giles.
Reigning over the scene is Elias, a ruthless, violent ‘boss’ who sells protection for a price. To shield Pearl, Daniel must literally fight for their survival, stepping into the ring with a monstrous opponent.
Dazzling and poignant, The Blackbirds of St. Giles propels us into an extraordinary, too long overlooked community and period in history, when the threat of servitude is ever-present, and some ghosts of the past can never be escaped . . .
Genre: Historical
Praise for this book
"Brava! A charismatic cast. A plot to stir your heart. This is very fine historical fiction." - Essie Fox
"This powerful story is steeped in truth and resonates with humanity. It's a gritty thriller and a whirlwind adventure, but most of all it's a tale of love and hope. A beautiful, original and heart-stopping read." - Janice Hallett
"Bringing Black Georgian London to life, this is a dark and wonderful tale of a brother and sister finding their feet in an unfriendly city." - Louise Hare
"From the very first sentence of Lila Cain's wonderful, eye-opening, page-turner of a novel I was hooked. Readers are in for a true treat." - Paterson Joseph
"The novel Dickens didn't write, but should have done. Simply magnificent." - Sean Lusk
"Enthralling, enraging, compelling and exciting. It both entertains and informs, about prejudice and perseverance and hope." - Anna Mazzola
"Full of twists and turns, peopled with characters to care about and shining a light on a little-known area of history." - Frances Quinn
"Equally thrilling and informative, a journey you won't forget!" - A J West
"This powerful story is steeped in truth and resonates with humanity. It's a gritty thriller and a whirlwind adventure, but most of all it's a tale of love and hope. A beautiful, original and heart-stopping read." - Janice Hallett
"Bringing Black Georgian London to life, this is a dark and wonderful tale of a brother and sister finding their feet in an unfriendly city." - Louise Hare
"From the very first sentence of Lila Cain's wonderful, eye-opening, page-turner of a novel I was hooked. Readers are in for a true treat." - Paterson Joseph
"The novel Dickens didn't write, but should have done. Simply magnificent." - Sean Lusk
"Enthralling, enraging, compelling and exciting. It both entertains and informs, about prejudice and perseverance and hope." - Anna Mazzola
"Full of twists and turns, peopled with characters to care about and shining a light on a little-known area of history." - Frances Quinn
"Equally thrilling and informative, a journey you won't forget!" - A J West
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