Book blurb:
When Covent Garden burns to the ground, her friends think Sarah Siddons has lost everything. But the great theater's destruction is only the latest loss in a life spent fighting for the one thing that mattered most: her family.
At fifteen, Sarah captivated audiences across England with her family's traveling theater company. That life—performing alongside those she loved, the stage and home intertwined—was all she ever wanted. But when her rising fame attracted dangerous attention, her parents sent her away to become "respectable," tearing apart the only dream she'd ever had.
Marrying William Siddons was supposed to bring it all back: the stage, family, belonging. Instead, it brought grinding poverty and impossible choices. With babies to feed and a husband who couldn't provide, Sarah became the sole breadwinner, performing through pregnancy, through grief, through exhaustion. Her every act was not a quest for glory, but for survival.
Based on the true story of Sarah Siddons, the most celebrated actress of the Georgian era, All for Love is a powerful portrait of a woman who sacrificed everything—her dreams, her happiness, her very self—to keep her family alive.
Review:
Jen Johnson has a strong, recognizable voice in Regency fiction. She is well-known for her attention to historical detail. In this novel, she takes on the Georgian theater scene with a historical fiction based on the life of Sarah Siddons. Sarah defied the odds by becoming a stage legend while raising a family and despite the rigid gender structures of her time.
The writing is well-done. The author's research shines in this novel. Sarah is well-drawn and relatable. The fictional aspects are nuanced enough to be believable. I have mixed feelings about using the first person in biographical fiction, but the writing is immersive. Johnson's love for theater is woven through the novel in well-placed quotes from theater and literature. This is the kind of story that can become heavy-laden with history, but Johnson keeps the tone breezy and comfortable. Real life doesn't come in a comfortable 3-act structure, so there are some bumps in the pacing that make the plot feel uneven. It didn't take from my ability to enjoy the book, however. I loved how he book started with Sarah's first moment on the stage and ended at her last. The theater itself was the love of her life.
Overall, a strong entry in marketable historical fiction. The book explores both the joys of family and the challenges of rigid gender roles. It does not have a primary romance, which may surprise the author's fans. Instead, it focuses on how one woman becomes a superstar in spite of her struggles.
Check out more of the author's works at: https://jengeiglejohnson.com/
Thanks to Cedar Fort for providing me with an advanced copy of this book for review.
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