Review: "Becoming Belle" by Nuala O'Connor

This is a great fictional story about Belle Bilton, the Countess of Clancarty. Belle who started her life as Isabel, was a woman ahead of her time. At the tender age of 19, she left home to go to London to follow her heart's pa

ssion to sing, dance and act on the stage. This was highly unusual in 1887 and frowned upon by the upper classes but she defies the accepted precepts and goes on to a very successful career. Being very guileless, she falls for a scoundrel, who leaves her with a child. With help from friends, she bounces back and meets the man of her dreams, only to lose him because of his overbearing father. This is the story of these turbulent years as she deals with all life throws at her in unconventional ways.

This story's major storyline is approximately 4 years, from the time Belle left home until the end of her court case that persecuted her for adultery. During this time, her character is shown to have a strong independent streak. She strongly maintains and undertakes to prove her innocence. The author uses her story telling skills to illustrate Belle's character and to bring depth to the story. This tale is fast moving, not over burdened by details and keeps you reading to the end.

I enjoyed this book immensely. All the women in the novel are strong in their own way during a period in history when this is not thought of as an attractive feature. You want to keep reading to discover if Belle wins the case and her love. This novel deals with adult themes and although handled delicately, I would not recommend it for young readers.