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Nancy Astley was born in Whitstable, Kent in the late nineteenth century. She's from an ordinary, hard working family, and from a very young age she helped in her parents fish restaurant shucking oysters until her fingers were red raw with the icy cold water, used to keep the oysters fresh, but it was all she knew and she was happy with her life. She was loved by her parents and siblings alike, but when she entered her teens, the bright lights of a nearby music hall began to call to her. She loved the variety acts that performed there, but the momentous night that she watched a male impersonator named Kitty, well, that was to be the night that saw her turn her back on her loving family, and take her into a world that would put dear old coastal Whitstable and the Astley family firmly in the past.

This is a story of girl meets girl, as Nancy and Kitty begin a new life together amidst the bright ( and sometimes not so bright ) lights of London and its music halls. The author is truly gifted and describes the sights and sounds backstage that made me reminisce about my visits many years ago to the City Varieties in Leeds in the north of England, built in 1865, it's a theatre that is as authentic a music hall as it's possible to get these days. However, I digress, so onto the storyline - Nancy wants much more from Kitty, but Kitty is afraid that people will discover the fact that they are lesbians - let's not forget this was the late 1800's! Eventually Nancy will move onto another relationship, ( one that is both abusive and destructive, ) and which sees Nancy used as a cross dressing sex slave ) but not before she spends a spell as a prostitute ( albeit dressed as a male ) and performing sexual acts for other males. I know I seem to have mentioned sex a lot, and some of these scenes are quite explicit, but they are rightly included as they play an important part in the storyline, however for some of the characters, relationships were secondary to the sex within said relationship, so it was difficult for me to have much empathy with them.

Whoa, what a crazy mixed up life Nancy and her friends lead, but the author makes this an irresistible read, and even though they're a narcissistic bunch, they make for truly interesting subjects. All in all a very enjoyable romp that brings Victorian England ( with its staid and stuffy views ) very much to life.

* Thank you to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for my ARC. I have given an honest review in exchange*