Book Review: These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly

Hello TBF readers,

I recently read an amazing novel called THESE SHALLOW GRAVES by Jennifer Donnelly and I can't wait to tell you all about it! Take a look:

Jo Montfort is beautiful and rich, and soon—like all the girls in her class—she’ll graduate from finishing school and be married off to a wealthy bachelor. Which is the last thing she wants. Jo secretly dreams of becoming a writer—a newspaper reporter like the trailblazing Nellie Bly.

Wild aspirations aside, Jo’s life seems perfect until tragedy strikes: her father is found dead. Charles Montfort accidentally shot himself while cleaning his revolver. One of New York City’s wealthiest men, he owned a newspaper and was partner in a massive shipping firm, and Jo knows he was far too smart to clean a loaded gun.

The more Jo uncovers about her father’s death, the more her suspicions grow. There are too many secrets. And they all seem to be buried in plain sight. Then she meets Eddie—a young, brash, infuriatingly handsome reporter at her father’s newspaper—and it becomes all too clear how much she stands to lose if she keeps searching for the truth. Only now it might be too late to stop.

The past never stays buried forever. Life is dirtier than Jo Montfort could ever have imagined, and the truth is the dirtiest part of all.

This historical and mystery novel is absolutely fantastic! I was swept away by the characters (especially by the charming and infuriating Eddie Gallagher), the suspenseful plot and the 1890's New York City setting.

What made this book stand out was the main character, Jo Montfort. It's the 1890's and girls back then were expected to do two things: marry rich and have children. Right from the first chapter Jo did not fit this perfect society girl mold. She wanted to write shocking news stories like about the abuse that factory workers face. Of course, the only acceptable writing pieces women were allowed to write were about poems about sewing and puppies and they were never to be in the papers. When Jo's father died, everyone but Jo was convinced that it was a suicide. When she found out that Jo found out that her father was murdered, she is determined to find out who killed him. The more Jo discovered what happened, she became daring and adventurous. She was a strong, intelligent heroine who grew a backbone. Jo realized that sometimes she has to risk everything to be the person she always dreamed about. This novel is a true discovery of identity and how to follow your own path even though society constantly doubts or discourages you.

I highly recommend THESE SHALLOW GRAVES to fans who love historical and mystery novels and don't mind a little romance.

That's it for today! Be sure to check out the blog for more book reviews!

Miranda