Review: Rich Historical Fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 9, 2014
Chicago's Headmistress is an absorbing tale that kept my interest all the way through.  The main character, Giulietta, is first presented to the reader as a young girl living in difficult circumstances in Italy.  Then fate brings her to America where she must learn a new way of life.  Unable to forgive a wrong done to her by the "husband" who brought her to America, Giulietta strikes out on her own.  She is strong, resilient and determined to succeed in life.The author skillfully takes us to another place and time and shows us what life was like back then.I admired Giulietta for what she made of herself (which surprised me given her occupation) and cheered for her throughout. The novel's ending was shocking and somewhat saddening, but made perfect sense.  I look forward to reading The Family Angel, a related novel that has some of the same characters.