Mad Miss Mimic ~ Reviewed by Elizabeth Barnes

"But which one is you? Which is the true Miss. Somerville?"





"Born into an affluent family, Leo outwardly seems like a typical daughter of English privilege in the 1870s: she lives with her wealthy married sister Christabel, and lacks for neither dresses nor trinkets. But Leo has a crippling speech impediment that makes it difficult for her to speak but curiously allows her to mimic other people's voices flawlessly. Servants and ladies alike call her "Mad Miss Mimic" behind her back... and watch as she unintentionally scares off every potential suitor. Only the impossibly handsome Mr. Thornfax seems interested in Leo... buy why? And does he have a connection to the mysterious Black Glove group that has London in its terrifying grasp? Trapped in a city under siege by terror attacks and gripped by opium fear, where doctors (including her brother-in-law) race to patent an inject able formula, Leo must search for truth in increasingly dangerous situations - but to do so, she must first find her voice."

At first, I was not sure if I was going to like Mad Miss Mimic. The writing style was odd, a bit tough to get into, and the content was slow at first. Thankfully, this was one of those novels that is slow in the beginning, but when it hits it's stride, it moves quickly.

The author, Sarah Henstra, introduces readers to Leonora Somerville, a very difficult narrator for me to grasp. Said to be called "Mad Miss Mimic", Leo often ends up dipping in and out of the novel depending on the situation that she is forced into. Leo has a stuttering disorder, but often in times of self confidence, she is able to mimic those around her. I thought it was quite fascinating because her speech was not used as a defensive mechanism. I saw it more as a manipulation tactic, which made Leo more interesting as a main character.

One thing I really loved about this novel was its historical elements. Henstra weaves all these facts and liberties into a fantastic mystery, and although the book to me was predictable at times, it never took away my enjoyment. I always loved to uncover more about Leonora and her desires to marry Francis Thornfax.

Mad Miss Mimic is a novel where the writing style is going to play a huge role in your enjoyment. I thought the story itself was very intriguing, entertaining, and mind boggling. Henstra keeps the reader guessing, and I believe that is a sign of a great novel.

I give this novel a 4 out of 5 stars.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Canada for the copy of this novel.