Friday, October 28, 2011

The Hangman in the Mirror by Kate Cayley



The Hangman in the Mirror takes place in Canada, and is based on a true story. 15 year old Francois, newly orphaned, is looking to increase her standing in society, and does so by taking a job as maid to Madame Pommeroy. For once in her life, she is well fed and well dressed. She still longs to be more than she is, however, and steals a pair of gloves from her employer. When she is caught, Francois needs to use a loophole in a law to marry a hangman... or be hung.

"The Hangman in the Mirror" was an excellent book, written with a lot of detail and dialogue. I was easily able to picture the 18th century Montreal that the author described, especially the dirt and poverty of Francois's original home. The characters were likeable though flawed, and the struggle in Francois between being a faithful maid and owning something of her own was very realistic. I also liked how the characters had small things in their past that connected them. I would recommend "The Hangman in the Mirror" to girls who like historical fiction.

Reviewer Age:15

Reviewer City, State and Country:Pennsylvania, USA