Miss A and I saw this at Boundless Books. And we were sold at ‘Austen for our times’!
I ended up listening to it – it was beautifully narrated by Eleanor Howell.
Here’s the blurb …
At Oxford University, 1928, four young women make a secret pledge: ‘I hereby undertake to take and read any book kept away from nice young ladies.’
They’ve come from unlikely corners of the British Empire: brickworker’s daughter Annie, wealthy flapper Ridley, refined Parsi aristocrat Dorelia and disheartened schoolteacher Norma. They call themselves the Society of Literary Marauders and the price of entry is having stolen a book.
Their illicit meetings rapidly become a lifeline in a world where knowledge is power, and women are fed lies and half-truths. They start with small misdemeanours – getting their hands on banned books, stealing back historical records claimed by the men’s colleges. But over time, they become aware of a true literary injustice – and they slowly formulate a plan to put this historical wrong to right…
This was very enjoyable. I loved all of the Oxford references, and all of the Western Australian references. The letters to Annie from her mum and Alf were hilarious. And Kit? What a fabulous character.
I have to admit that I thought Annie’s dislike of Kit went on a bit long (here I am talking about the characters like real people).
It was clearly well-researched, but that was just background to a good story.
Here is an interview with Sasha Wasley