For me, this was an unexpected Christmas story. Lady Margaret Mary Scott's family home is Dalkeith Palace, and throughout the narrative Christmases are described in detail. Family traditions, handmade ornaments, warm fires and towering Christmas trees symbolize yearning for family and belonging. The story describes an independent woman, balancing family and social expectations while forging her own path and coming of age in 1865.
In the beginning, the narrative didn't always feel real, but as the character of Lady Margaret Montagu Douglas Scott developed, I couldn't help rooting for her. I would have loved to find out at the end of the story that Lady Margaret had lived a life closer to the one described in the book. Unfortunately, as Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, noted, very little is actually known of Lady Margaret. She was the perfect canvas for an imagined life.
Spanning London, Scotland, Ireland, and America, the novel imagines a Lady Margaret who is independent, inquisitive, and empathetic. The book itself is cast as a romance, but I found it more of an exploration of feminism in the late 19th century, as suffrage and the fight women's rights began to rise.
This was an enjoyable holiday read, perfect for disappearing into another world.
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