My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Who knew that choir competitions were a big deal in northern England in the late 1800s? I certainly didn’t. But Carol Cram’s new novel, The Choir, immerses readers not only in that world, but in the lives of poor, working women and housewives for whom the meagre winnings in such a competition could make an enormous difference to their lives.
The tale has two intersecting stories, those of childhood friends turned enemies, Eliza Kingwell and Ruth Henton. Both had been known as extraordinarily talented singers in their youth. Eliza ends up married to Ruth’s violent step-father, births him five daughters, and is desperate to get them – and herself — to a safer life. When all else has failed, she sets her hopes on winning a regional choir competition. The prize money would make it possible for her and her daughters to flee.
Ruth, meanwhile, has become a “professional beauty” and singer in London, entertaining even the likes of the Prince of Wales. Her life takes a sudden, negative turn and she’s forced out of London. Having lost her influential fans, Ruth is stuck judging dreary regional choir competitions to earn her keep.
The book is well-written, and one can empathize with both women, the difficult choices they have made and where those choices have led them. The musical knowledge woven through the book is delightful. My only complaint was that at times the plot felt a bit too neat. But maybe it wouldn’t hit you that way if you weren’t – as I am — in the middle of editing your own first novel and trying to ensure you hit all the required beats.
