The magical realism aspect of this story really sets it apart. We travel with Bessie to Chicago, New Orleans, Cincinnati, and Texas, and then into the world of the paranormal as Bessie seeks revenge. After marriage, she eventually realizes that her husband has no intention of living a normal life with her. As Bessie, she is used by men and madams but still finds a measure of success. As Annie, the main character is treated abominably by society and the church. It makes the novel even more interesting and unpredictable. The first half of this book stays very true to the real-life story, but then there is a supernatural element that begins midway through. Based on a true story, this is a captivating book with a surprise. When the man who she thought would return her to respectability betrays her, she begins to seek revenge. She earns her own money, is showered with jewels, and gets the opportunity to travel. She becomes Bessie and is soon highly sought after by men. After the nuns take her baby, she tries to find the child but ends up going into prostitution just to survive. In 1860s New York, Annie Moore is sent to a convent for fallen women after getting pregnant out of wedlock. This is another review I did for the May edition of Historical Novels Review, the magazine of the Historical Novel Society.
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