Refugee by Mrs Alfred Sidgwick (1934)

Another Mrs Alfred Sidgwick review! And a particularly interesting subject for romantic fiction in the 1930s. Review by Judith W: A young Jewish woman, Helga Aquilar, is rescued from Berlin in the 1930s by an English woman, Mrs Cone, who brings her to London  and deposits her in the house of two bachelor barristers, Charles … Continue reading →

Karen by Mrs Alfred Sidgwick (1918)

Review by Kath R: Karen, an young English girl, daughter of a widower, goes to Germany for the wedding of a school-friend.  She falls out with the temperamental family and returns to England.  On her return she decides to marry a German army officer, a count she has met on the train, who is also … Continue reading →

Below Stairs by Mrs Alfred Sidgwick (1913)

Review by Thecla W: Priscilla Day is 12 at the beginning of the novel and living with her parents. Mr Day has lost his job and they are poor. Mrs Day is thinking about Priscilla’s future and concluding that soon she will have to go into service like her two older sisters and as she herself … Continue reading →

Cynthia’s Way by Mrs Alfred Sidgwick (1901)

Review by Jane V: Cynthia, a rich, independent English society girl (albeit without surviving family) goes to Germany as a governess ‘for an adventure’. Cynthia lives with a family run by a homely aunt of the four orphaned, unruly children and tactfully brings discipline and education to the family.  The children’s guardian Adrian (their half … Continue reading →

Mrs Alfred Sidgwick (c.1850-1934) and Cousin Ivo (1899)

Cecily Sidgwick published 41 novels and collections of short stories over her long career from 1889 until her death in 1934. She was born in London to a German Jewish family, and frequently wrote about Germany and German characters. She  married a philosopher, Alfred Sidgwick, and converted to Christianity. I would be fascinated to learn more … Continue reading →