I remember stumbling through Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet in high school and watching the movie on the big screen. Juliet's Nurse really made the story so much easier to read than Shakespeare's version. I found the book very interesting and I looked forward to having time to pick up the book to continue reading. The book held my interest all the way to the end with a lot of surprises. The book did contain a lot of Shakespearean language but it was not so much that I felt bogged down trying to interpret the words. I felt I was reading true literature. I would highly recommend this book.

I asked to review this book because I had never read a book on the lives of those who lived and worked near the mines. What a tragic story. The author did a very good job with the character developments and in her description of the difficult way of life. This family so dysfunctional that you only hoped there would be a little happiness at the end. Yet the young daughter, Brigid, proved to be a very intelligent young lady and tried so hard to save the family she so loved. A very hard life.

I am not one who finds business very interesting topic, but this book was a wonderful read. I found it hard to put down. The characters were very well developed and I found I had different likes and dislikes for the characters. This book really showed how business is "every man for himself" and there is really no such thing as a friend in the business. You had to watch your back. I especially enjoyed watching Sophie develop from a green newbie into a business person who learned how to get what she wanted without sacrificing her feelings for other people. Definitely would recommend this book to others and my book club.