“I enjoyed this book more for the atmosphere than the plot. It gives you a feel of what it was like to be poor (but proud) in 19th century London. Liza is a likeable character because of her spunk and humorous comebacks and watching her fall is wretched. What keeps the novel from being great is that there’s no real explanation for the fall. You spend a good chunk of the novel wondering, “Why is she going out with him?” ”
