Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - 1863

Clara Kelley is part of a group of Irish immigrants being processed into America. A gentleman she does not know tells her a Mrs. Seeley is expecting her. Confused, she goes along with it thinking she might be able to get a job. It turns out she is to be posted as a lady’s maid to the wealthy Mrs. Margaret Carnegie. Clara realizes that they were expecting someone else because hers is a common name. But she stays quiet about the mix-up knowing that the other Clara Kelley must have died on the voyage.

Clara works hard to impress Mrs. Carnegie. On her first day off, Clara visits with her mother’s cousin whose family lives in dire straights. On her return to the Carnegie home via the train, she meets Andrew Carnegie, the older son. They enjoy stimulating conversation about the events of the day and find that they have similar interests and beliefs. But while they continue to share intelligent conversations, Clara realizes she must be very careful or people may think she is pursuing him.

Clara’s father had encouraged her to read in-depth and learn about all kinds of subjects. Therefore, she has a sharp mind. Her occasional chance to talk with Andrew is always enjoyable to them but she does all she can to keep her friendship secret from his mother. The woman is a very hard taskmaster and would take great delight in firing her.

When Andrew tells Clara that a company has been started with her as a shareholder, she is thrilled. The money she could make from the shares would more than enable her to bring her family over from Ireland. Andrew wants Clara to be with him but she knows that it would be impossible for them to be accepted as a couple so she turns him down. However, due to his interests in helping people, Andrew Carnegie turns out to be quite the philanthropist throughout his life.

I realize this is a piece of fiction which shows the author has a great imagination for which I commend her. I can’t help but feel that Clara could have gone on to find her way in the man’s world to make her own wealth. It brings to mind the old saying: “If you’re so smart, why ain’t you rich?” But this is fiction so there is no need to do anymore than enjoy the story for what it was meant to be.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Famine threatens the livelihood of Irish men and women, forcing them to seek better, yet unknown opportunities abroad in America. It was not uncommon to see a young girl on her own, sometimes the family’s only hope for income, and starting a better life. Clara is just such a girl; coming from a family of 5, her mother and father deemed her the best fit to starting life in America on her own. Clara’s older sister, Eliza, is set to be married, and her younger sister is, well, too young.

Clara seems to be at terms with her change in life. She does what’s best for herself on the voyage over to America; keeps to herself, avoids those who are sick; so that she may have the best opportunity for a job. Clara is settled on having either to work for a mill, or a seamstress- when your family owns a farm, there’s not much to choose from when it comes to work, seeing as she wasn’t trained for anything. Clara’s father, however, saw to it that his 3 daughters would be taught as men; reading, having an opinion, etc. It is because of her father that Clara developed her sharp wit, that puts her at an advantage to stand out.

Surviving the voyage across the sea was a feat upon itself, arriving in Philadelphia, Clara’s biggest concern is quarantine. If one person on the boat is deemed unhealthy, then the entire boat is at risk; setting back the hopes and dreams of finding a job and earning a living. And of course human beings are still separated according to class, like prize chattel going to the slaughter. Our Clara is lower class, not that that seems to bother her one bit. The only promise Clara has at this point is a second cousin already residing in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania- scraping what little money she has together, her plan is to make it to her family and find what little work is available.

By some luck, a Clara Kelley from a “higher class” is missing- and readers are left to guess that the name Clara Kelley is very popular across the seas. Clara hesitantly comes forward ( I mean it is her name and all) to see what exactly they are looking for. It turns out the other Clara was promised for “high end” maid work; judging how unkempt our Clara is from her trip overseas, the valet is questioning if she is who she says. Without any options of proving her validity, the valet whisks her and two other girls off in a carriage.

Ironically Clara is taken to Pittsburgh to start a trial employ with Mrs. Carnegie. Quite a difference in scenery for an Irish farm girl.

Mrs. Carnegie is a tough mistress to work for. She likes things the way she expects them to be preformed, and if you deter from that expectation you are dismissed from service. Clara professed she was a quick learner- picking up on her mistress’ mannerisms, she becomes the ideal lady’s maid. Mrs. Carnegie also takes a liking to Clara, and it is in the private moments between the two of them that she softens, and asks Clara her opinion on societal trends.

As Clara gains confidence in her stolen role, she is reminded of everything she left behind. Receiving letters from home paints a sad picture of what life on the farm has become. She is further reminded of what her life could have been by visiting her relatives. Seeing how destitute a life working in the mill is, Clara bolsters her resolve to do whatever she could to restore her family’s farm. Taking the train home, she breaks down. Missing her family, keeping up her assumed appearance, she sobs in front of complete strangers. That is when her mistress’ son, Andrew Carnegie talks to her.

Stemmed by Carnegie’s generosity of bridging the servant-master gap, Clara starts observing his business practices, and the two secretly exchange business deals to further the Carnegie name. How far can a lady’s maid succeed in business?

Here we are again, with a book breaking the stereotypes of history classes. All throughout high school we are inundated with men: presidents, inventors, business proposals. Reading these historical fiction books however, gives me hope that ideally, women are the backbone of everything these men did. Goading them on in lucrative business proposals, pushing for presidency because they had a good heart, making friends in that inner most circle to gain a vantage point. What if, most (I’m giving men the benefit of the doubt here) men’s brilliant ideas, stemmed from a simple pillow talk with their wife?

In a time where women were more for tea parties, and social events, it’s encouraging to think that woman were just as forward thinking as we are today. It angers me to know that in the past people like me, who are openly opinionated, and not full of decorum, would be looked down upon because I couldn’t keep a comment to myself. Granted, that comment would be dripping with cynicism, but that’s who I am. And I know for a fact I wouldn’t last long in that time period.

Just like in “The Other Einstein”, it feels that for far too long men have been running with ideas stemmed from women and reaping the benefits. All the while women have been scraping nothing but bottom, trying to carve out a place for themselves. I love hearing untold stories of women, even if they are historical fiction.

Again, Marie Benedict knocks it out of the park with “Carnegie’s Maid”. I earnestly hope that he continues her work with untold stories of great women hidden in the monstrous shadows of men.

Look for “Carnegie’s Maid” hitting shelves January 16th! You can pre-order here. I was chosen to receive an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review. Given that fact, it has not altered my opinion on the book at all.

With captivating insight and great sensitivity of heart, Marie Benedict tells the mesmerizing tale of an unknown woman who might have inspired an American dynasty, transforming Andrew Carnegie from wealthy industrialist into the world’s first philanthropist. In the 1860s, Irish immigrant Clara Kelley, seeks employment as a lady’s maid in the home of Andrew Carnegie, head of the Carnegie Empire. Unfortunately, Clara Kelley is not who she appears to be. Posing as a knowledgeable, well-experienced Irish maid, she is actually a poor farmer’s daughter with nothing to her name. Another woman named Clara has gone missing, and Clara pretends to be her, in order to earn some precious income to send back to keep her family alive. Clara tries her level best keep up the ruse though it requires special talents and skills that she does not possess. But she does have a stern resolve as strong as steel, along with an uncanny, unique gift of business skills, that makes Andrew rely upon her. But Clara cannot afford to let her guard down even for a single moment. It was too dangerous. Revealing the true state of her past might only serve to ruin her own future and that of her family’s, who depended solely on her for sustenance. Soon, Clara and Andrew care for each other deeply. When Clara suddenly goes missing, Carnegie’s fruitlessly persistent search for her eventually lay the foundation for his lasting legacy.

In this well-chronicled and impeccably researched novel, that highlights the hitherto unsung role of all unknown women like the mysterious Clara, who with extreme courage and selfless determination, made their silently, unannounced mark upon the renowned pages of history, we witness with breathless awe the stunning stamp of the relevance of history in the early immigrant experience. In a deeply human narrative of incredibly complex, extremely vulnerable, sensitive characters and peculiar twists and turns of fate, this book reveals the arresting power of ambition to realize the American Dream. With captivating insight, Marie Benedict's clever intellect is dramatically displayed in her well-drawn characters and well-crafted plot, utterly well-suited to historical fiction, in an engaging read, with excellent description and perfectly good balance of emotional tones.

Extremely realistic to accept and confront the vicissitudes of life head-on, the clear-headed, pragmatic Clara Kelley is firm in her convictions and careful to protect herself from impropriety. She struggles to understand Carnegie's inconsistent behavior and stubborn refusal to confront his flaws. Despite the shared chemistry between them, Carnegie's mercurial behavior is revealed in his double personality - the ruthless businessman and the egalitarian, erudite young man. Clara's musings and revelations are interestingly portrayed. Equality with passion is stressed, as the epilogue rushes the story to its logical conclusion. It is sad that in this heart-moving story, Clara and Andrew could never develop their relationship due to the sharp differences in their own particular positions in the echelons of society, forcing Clara to leave the Carnegie home for a life of total oblivion. In this fictional book, although readers are deprived of the 'happily-ever-after," that magical moment when true satisfaction comes to the reader, we derive a small measure of comfort from the fact that Clara’s loss becomes Andrew’s gain, when he pledges to pursue her lofty ideals for the ultimate good of mankind.

The climax of the story takes place on December 23, 1868 in the luxurious interior of the study of a hotel suite in New York, where ensconced behind his desk, Andrew Carnegie wielded his fountain pen with a fury, in dire contrast to the gentle melody of a Christmas song wafting through the air. Haunted by memories of Clara, Andrew had spent most of his time searching for her, without success. There was not even the slightest hint of her trail. Clara had covered her tracks so well that it was as if she had never existed except in a dream. Andrew was alone with his thoughts of Clara. In the seclusion and privacy of the study, intimate memories of Clara washed over him. Andrew was filled with a longing so intense as to give him physical pain. He remembered her demure manner and averted gaze, and the few times when she met his gaze unflinchingly, revealing fleeting glimpses of the sharp intelligence that lay concealed beneath her placid demeanor. Andrew had vowed to Clara that he would carve out a different path for himself, choosing a life that would be the most elevating in character and principles. He would honor his vow even though she had disappeared. Through his inexorable pain and agonizing despair at losing Clara, Andrew found healing grace. He might not have Clara, but he would wield her beliefs like a sword. The twin idols of status and money would be worshipped no longer. Instead, he would utilize them for the benefit and betterment of others, in creating ladders for immigrants to climb to success. The document Andrew so painstakingly drafted would have pleased his Clara. And this thought gave him a small measure of happiness. It was the tiniest of appeasements that was to set Andrew on the path to glory. Clara had won the battle at last.

Historical fiction is not my top favorite genre. However for Marie Benedict I like to make an exception. After reading The Other Einstein I was baffled how she is able to entwine historical facts with fictional characters and a plausible story. In Carnegie's maid she does it again.

Clara Kelly is the daughter of an Irish family. She is send off to America by her family in search of a better future. As by accident her namesake aboard the ship is fatally injured, she is mistakenly seen for the new maid for lady Carnegie.

Clara decides to try her fortune by reinforcing the lies of being the other Clara. She is taken into the household of the Carnegie's where she learns and grows into the role of the personal maid of lady Carnegie. She also meets Andrew Carnegie, the eldest son of the household.

Clara and Andrew develop a secret relationship, since relationships the maid and the employer are frowned upon in the nineteenth century. But as the situation in Ireland gets worse for Clara's family, she has a decision to make: will she chose for the welfare of her family or will she pursue her own happiness?

When she realizes that Andrew's career is taking off, but over the backs of immigrants, she confronts him with his own past. Forced by her own past, Clara does the inevitable to maintain her family's welfare. And indirectly she probably spurred Andrew's beliefs and thoughts. Because from a ruthless business man he changed into a philanthropist.

After the story I found myself googling for Andrew Carnegie. Although some of the facts didn't add up (for instance, he was an only child, whereas he has a brother in the story), it is wonderful to see that there was indeed a remarkable change in him. But it is unclear what fuelled his change. Again Marie has filled the gaps with a believable historical story, where she shows how the important role of strong woman throughout our history is often neglected or not shown. Four out of five stars from me and a special thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc.

At first glance, this looks like a classic Cinderella story, but on closer inspection, we see many divergences. Cinderella wanted to free herself from her terrible family, and Clara hopes to some day reunite with hers. Cinderella let her emotions carry her away, but Clara does everything she can to keep hers in check. More importantly, Cinderella had very few ambitions of her own and it seems she left her fate to others, while Clara knows she can rely only upon herself to survive, and possibly one day thrive in this new world. Finally, Cinderella was transformed from a poor peasant into a princess by a man, but Clara is forced to transform herself to improve her life and the lives of her family. With all these differences, perhaps this is the opposite of a Cinderella story, except for the fact that both come from nothing and end up with something better.

On second thought, maybe this is more like a Pygmalion story than Cinderella one. If we go back to the Greek mythology of Pygmalion, we know this is the story of a sculptor who falls in love with one of his statues, who the gods bring to life so the two can marry. Of course, it is the sculptor whose name is Pygmalion, and not the statue, but that’s beside the point. The parallel here in Benedict’s story is that Clara begins to come out of her shell when she begins studying the Carnegie businesses and Andrew begins to help her with her investigations, and later consult with her on these topics. However, unlike in Ovid’s tale, but closer to George Bernard Shaw’s play of the same name, we understand from the prologue of Benedict’s book that Andrew and Clara do not end up as a couple. Where Benedict combines the two is in how both Clara and Andrew end up transformed in one way or another through their association with each other.

Of course, it is less important to decide if this is a Cinderella story, a Pygmalion story, both or neither, than it is to see how carefully Benedict draws out this story. When it comes to this, I have to say that Benedict did a perfectly lovely job. We love Clara because she is strong, principled, while at the same time, willing to do almost anything to save her family. We admire Andrew because he’s that self-made, self-taught man who started with nothing and struggled to become one of the wealthiest people in the world. Even so, neither of them are perfect; Clara knows she’s living a lie, and Andrew’s affluence seems to have made him forget where he came from. Benedict melds these two characters – her fictional Clara and what she’s garnered about the real-life Carnegie – into a tale that is both charming and heartwarming, while at the same time, poignant. More importantly, Benedict lets you have empathy for Andrew, despite his faults, so that the emotional connection between him and Clara makes perfect sense.

I also found that although the story takes place in the mid-1800s, Benedict carefully highlights many things that are very relevant to today’s world, some of which borders on political commentary – in particular, class struggles, inequitable wealth distribution, and how money and power sometimes blind the affluent to the socioeconomic troubles around them which their greed often causes. Although this might sound like Benedict takes up a preaching soap-box, in fact, the style of the prose here is anything but that. Benedict uses language here in a very measured way, to build up an atmosphere of wariness that slides between guarded hope and discernible anxiety, without ever getting either maudlin or miserable.

Overall, I found this a very absorbing and enjoyable read. Benedict is a very talented writer with a gentle style, who has given us a book that isn’t overly heavy or romantic, has a very good balance of historical fact and creative fiction, with carefully developed, sympathetic characters and a well-rounded, believable story. The only thing that kept this from being perfect for me was at the very end. However, since I don’t give away any spoilers, I’ll leave it to say that I can warmly recommend this book and happily give it four and a half stars out of five. (Now I want to read Benedict’s first novel, “The Other Einstein” even more than I did before.)

My Thoughts

“You have taught me that I should carve out a different path. Pedigree, that accident of birth, does not give a man the right to public respect. Only good deeds can do that.”

What a fabulous premise for a story, that being, two like minds came together and set about making fundamental changes that would have a lasting impact on society. Could a relationship such as this have been a possible catalyst that turned this infamous businessman into a philanthropist? Marie Benedict has written this fictional account of one such possibility - such an interesting concept. Andrew Carnegie built free libraries, providing the gift of books and from that, an education, regardless of rank or money. Once a poor immigrant himself, he fully understood what it was to be a factory worker but went on to become one of the richest men in the world at that time.

“I cannot describe to you the impact that library had on my life and my success. It quite literally made me who I am today.”

This tale incorporates this and so much more, ranging from American industrialisation to class differentiation. Benedict has done her research from Ireland to America, from rural to urban living standards, to the clear division of the ‘haves’ and have nots’. The undisputable historical details are fascinating and will have you checking Google to learn more of not only Carnegie but other recorded facts from this time in American history - from the Civil War to railroad expansion, a fresh insight was superbly integrated. The blend of fact and fiction is seamless.

Am I fully convinced of the author’s theory? Not entirely. With the romance feeling a little bit too ‘Upstairs, Downstairs’ for me, I therefore found it difficult to commit to the profound effect Clara reportedly had on this magnate. I would have preferred more investment in the friendship between Mr. Ford (African American) and Clara for example, to provide more depth. It is also a short read, so there is not much time to cement such a strong assertion.

‘I sat back and watched him wield his “words” like a painter wields his brush, each a masterly stroke in the creation of a seamless whole. Except I was not witnessing the creation of an average painting, I realized. I was watching a masterpiece in progress.’

I cannot, however, dispute the quality of Benedict’s writing - it is an interesting and informative read, shining a light on the the historic details and social mores of the time. So put aside your doubts and immerse yourself in a fictional characterisation:

“ If Andrew still believed that I was the Anglo-Irish tradesman’s daughter Clara Kelley—the woman who had inspired him in business and affection and who challenged him to carve a different, better path than the one driven solely by avarice—the chance existed that my influence might remain.”




This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release

Before I read Carnegie’s Maid I knew very little about Andrew Carnegie’s life. I knew that he had been a philanthropist and encouraged reading – not just for those who were well off but those who couldn’t necessarily afford to buy books. That was about it.

What I did know was that I was eager to learn more. Marie Benedict’s fictional portrayal of Andrew Carnegie’s life was really interesting. The story is steeped in facts but with a delicious fictional love story wrapped around them. The love story between Andrew and Clara transcends class and was an absolute delight to read.

Carnegie’s Maid is an exceptional story and is a must read for fans of historical fiction.

Carnegie’s Maid by Marie Benedict is available now.

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Thank you to Netgalley for this book in exchange for an honest review. I tried to really get into this but I couldn’t. I’m sorry

I thought this was a great read. Clara is taking a boat over to America to help her family back in Ireland. When she arrives she discovers someone looking for a girl with the same name and takes on that girls identity so that she has a job to go to.
She is working as a ladies maid without any prior experience and it's interesting to see how she gains the skills she needs. Mrs Carnegie is a tough taskmaster in public. I didn't know anything about the Carnegie family and found it fascinating to read about the times that the real Carnegie family lived through.
Clara spends time with the son, who has several business interests and we hear about how he made his money.
I love historical books and will look out for more books by this author

A fast-paced, well researched story. Shed light on the immgrant experience and industrial revolution.

This book is certainly an interesting take on Andrew Carnegie. I did not realize going in that the Clara character was made up. I am still on the fence as to how I feel about that.

This interesting piece of historical fiction seems to have generated commentary far past what I suspect was the author's intent. Clara is a well drawn character- a poor woman who finds herself in the home of an industrialist as a lady's maid. Don't read too much into how Benedict has portrayed Andrew Carnegie and you'l enjoy this more. His motivation to become a philanthropist may or may not have been a woman like Clara but does that really matter in this context? Some will say it does but frankly, this is a short novel as much about about poverty, class, and 1850s Pittsburgh as it is about Carnegie. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is part of the subgenre of novels about women, often fictional, associated with famous men. If you like those, you'll enjoy this.

Marie Benedict's work isn't new to me. I've read, sometime last year, her debut novel, The Other Einstein, that I remember enjoying. For that reason alone, I decided to give Carnegie's Maid a try, since I didn't have a particular interest in the time period of the novel. I ended up enjoying the reading, yes, but it wasn't more than an okay book for me, sadly.

I didn't see any improvement comparing to her previous novel when it comes to the pace. It seemed ridiculously slow at times, especially towards the end. It was heavily detailed when unnecessary, and I found myself not caring that much and probably skipping a few paragraphs ahead.  I also couldn't sense that the story took years to fully take place, unless if I looked at the dates on the beginning of the chapter - the text itself not always gave it away. The end, although predictable, seemed rushed, but I believe that was the intention, since that's the kind of emotions the main character was feeling at the time. 

However, I stand by what I've previously said about the author: she is able to manipulate the reader's emotions. Even though I wasn't very fond of the love interest, and I was aware of the end the story would have, I found myself rooting for them. Actually, I was rooting for every character in the story, since they're all very unique and have different backgrounds and different goals. I'm glad it turned out the way it did.

I'm also glad the narrative touched subjects, although lightly, that concerned women at the time and place, such as the tightness of corsets or the fact that women should not want to attract attention to themselves. And that it reinforced the importance of education.

Carnegie's Maid was a pleasant enough read, I'm just sad it didn't take my interest. It'd maybe work out better for someone curious about the topic.

As an avid user of the Carnegie Public Library, and a recent discoverer of Pittsburgh and all the gems that it has available to people, I found some of the content of this book to be informative. However, the writing seemed geared toward a YA audience rather than adults. It absolutely should have been marketed as a YA book and there were moments where I felt the way the author was writing, it was almost insulting to the reader. I feel this could have been an amazing story and it just fell flat and became boring and almost torture to try and finish. I will admit that I was unable to finish the book [though I read the last few chapters to see how it ended, and even that fell completely flat for me - there was a lot of unanswered questions and I felt that the end was just a quick way to try and wrap things up. It was unsuccessful, in my opinion] and I don't really feel bad about it; I wanted to love it this book more than I did [or could]. It had such a great premise and ideology, but fell completely flat in its presentation and execution.

3.75 Stars

I read Marie Benedict's previous outing, The Other Einstein, with dissatisfaction that was probably borne of her lack of understanding of collegial work and intellectual attributions in the sciences and her overstating Mileva Maric's contributions to Einstein's Theory of Relativity for dramatic effect. (Once again, even if Mileva's discussions with Albert contributed substantially to his solving the relativity issue, she should have been credited for her contributions- there was no need to fabricate a situation in which he stole an idea of hers when clearly she never showed independent work in this particular area. With her math skills and his interest, she impacted his work and deserved full credit for her contribution. That contribution and its recognition was worth a book, right there.) Still, in spite of my dissatisfaction, Benedict is a capable writer and I wanted to read something of hers in which I was less vested. Being of Irish descent myself, and having ancestors that made their way to the US about the same time as Benedict's protagonist Clara Kelly, I was intrigued by what this book might have to offer about the Irish immigrant experience in the mid-1800's.

I'm happy to report that I find Carnegie's Maid is an all-around better book. The premise of the book centers on the stimulus for Andrew Carnegie's becoming a philanthropist and famous builder of public libraries. The reason behind his becoming a keen philanthropist remains a mystery to this day. Benedict provides us with an interesting idea- that it was a woman who influenced him and specifically, a woman from the social class from which he originally stemmed. For romance junkies out there, it's important to note that rather than being a conventional romance, this is a novel of the realities of social classes of the period, how difficult it was to gain purchase on a higher class, especially by marriage, and how ill-regarded the nouveau riche were. Relationships between the upper classes and the servant class never ended well. But here, that's not much of a worry. Stealing the identity of another Clara Kelly in order to get a ride and potential work in Pittsburgh, the heroine of this tale keeps her family, who are in dire straits, ever to the fore of her thoughts. She does so unfailingly. The view of Irish poverty both at home and in the US, as seen through Clara's eyes, is harrowing.

Andrew Carnegie is, in Benedict's hands, by turns a rather cutthroat businessman and a man struggling to remember his lean start in life. Born in a one-room weaver's cottage in Scotland, he and his parents emigrated to the US on borrowed funds and he eeked out a grinding living at the age of 13, working 12 hours a day, six days a week, in a Pittsburgh bobbin factory, Carnegie rose to be the wealthiest man in America and in acts of stunning philanthropy, donated an estimated 90% of his accumulated wealth to various libraries, universities, and foundations by the time of his death.

As I finished the book, I have to say that I thought that one likely conclusion about Andrew Carnegie's desire to provide access to books and education for the public was simply what that same access had meant to his mother, Margaret, who as even Benedict pointed out, read often and widely once she had access to books in the US. What greater way to honor his mother than with this legacy of free and public access to books and the education they provide.

There were various details that I thought stretched my imagination about the degree of contact between Andrew and Clara, or even simple details about things like whether it would be a lady's maid serving at dinner in a pinch, vs. a housemaid, or whether the lady's maid would hold the chatelaine versus the housekeeper. But let it all go and have a fun read. It may make you, like me, want to pick up a biography of Carnegie, or read about Irish immigrants in America.

Review on Amazon will be posted on or around the publication date.

I was excited to read this book as I think Andrew Carnegie is one of the most influential Americans ever. The Carnegie libraries are so important to the growth of our country. We had a Carnegie Library in our little town of 5000 and I spent a lot of time in it growing up. One of the most important events in my life took place there. I was in junior high and had just graduated to the adult floor. I had just selected "Desiree", the story of Napoleon's first love who goes on to marry the King of Sweden. What could be better than that to a 13 year old? The librarian told me it was too adult for me and called my mother (the miracle of small towns). My mother said, "My daughter can read whatever she wants." I smirked at the librarian and floated home empowered by my mother. I still have a copy of that book on my shelves, not for the literary value but for the lesson it taught me.

I digress. This is the story full of improbabilities. An Irish farmer's daughter sails to America so she can support the family at home. She knows no one but takes the place of a girl that died on the voyage as the lady maid for Carnegie's mother. Already hard to believe. Hard to believe that she was so polished that the mother turned to her for advice on European fashion and manners. I would have thought that someone concerned about European customs would chose an English or French maid instead of an Irish one.

She develops a quasi-friendship with Carnegie and eventually advises him on business matters. She even develops several business plans and he rewards her with stock in the company. She becomes wealthy although how she helps her family in America and Ireland is left a little vague. It's this relationship that gives Carnegie his moral code that leads to his founding of libraries in her honor.

It really was not my cup of tea. I had to leave too much reality behind to buy the story. It's a good book for people who enjoy romance more than I do.

Thanks to Net Galley for a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Clara Kelley, a recent immigrant and newly hired ladies’ maid in the Carnegie household captures Andrew Carnegie’s heart and captured mine almost immediately with her ingenuity and reinvention. The two of them together? Magic and fireworks.

Clara is a wonderful character - smart and industrious. She and Andrew first meet in the family library and based on their love of books, a mutual respect and admiration grows. According to the author, historians had theorized that a personal relationship may have changed Carnegie so she took that thought and ran with it, creating the fascinating Clara.

Another highlight of the book for me was Clara and her sister Eliza’s series of written letters. Clara’s poor Irish family had only enough money to send one of their children to America to make a new life and Clara is chosen. Through the course of the book, the girls’ back and forth letters are peppered into the story. Beautifully written and tugged at my heart. Clara’s helplessness was palpable.

Benedict did much research in creating this book, providing an honest look at the lives of ‘domestics’, the challenges of hardworking immigrants and the clear division of poor vs. wealthy. The historical details are fascinating and has made me more curious about business magnate and philanthropic Andrew Carnegie’s life, a man who himself was once a poor immigrant who began work at the age of 12 as a bobbin boy in a cotton factory and went on to change the lives of many thousands of people and become arguably the richest man in the world.
*will add to additional online venues on publication.

3.5

Carnegie's Maid tells the story of Clara Kelly, an Irish immigrant, who comes to America with the hopes of securing a job that will bring in enough money that she can send to her family. By some truly extraordinary circumstances, Clara lands the job of being the lady's maid to Mrs. Carnegie. It's in this position that she meets Mrs. Carnegie's eldest son Andrew. Andrew and Clara form a tentative bond over the fact that the Carnegies are immigrants themselves, like Clara, and have worked their way up the echelons of society to where they are at the beginning of the book. They further bond over discussions of Andrew's various business endeavors. As their friendship blossoms into something more, despite the difference in their stations, and Andrew begins to take Clara's business suggestions into consideration with much success and eventually lays the groundwork for Andrew becoming one of the world's most highly regarded philanthropists.

I really thought that Carnegie's Maid had such a wonderful premise. What's the saying? "Behind every great man there's a great woman" or something along those lines? It's an idea that I've read before, or seen on the big screen. The influence, the muse, for some great work and / or achievement. The idea is sound. The glimpse we get behind the scenes of a young Andrew Carnegie as he rises in the ranks and see how certain business decisions come to fruition is really fascinating. Carnegie's Maid goes a long way to show the differences between the classes, and the difficult time immigrants in particular had in coming to a new land, a new home, and making a suitable living for themselves and their families.

Unfortunately, I didn't feel the weight of the relationship between Clara and Andrew as much as I feel I should have. I'm not strictly speaking about romance, but the fact, as the book tries to convince readers, that Clara had such a profound impact on Andrew that it pretty much literally changed his life and how he ended up conducting himself just felt a little flat for me.

I love the idea that Marie Benedict has with this book and its predecessor The Other Einstein being told from the female perspective. Here, however, I felt like it would have benefited from having some instances told from Andrew's perspective as well. Carnegie's Maid deals a lot with the idea of wearing "masks", of trying to be someone else in order to fit in. The Carnegies surely did this as they integrated themselves into high society and moved up the ladder in business, and Clara does this as she tries to find her place as Mrs. Carnegie's lady's maid. Her feelings are further compounded as she and Andrew begin their relationship. If he's serious about his feelings, where could Clara possibly fit in the life he and his family have built for themselves. That was one of the problems for me was in identifying if indeed Andrew Carnegie's feelings were real or just another mask. Did he just enjoy having someone to bounce his ideas off of that would praise his business acumen? We do see a disparity in how he acts towards Clara when she opposes him. It's clear that these are issues that Clara herself has to determine, I just think by the end her decisions are more dictated for her rather than made by her regardless that they're probably ultimately the right ones. I wanted to feel like Andrew Carnegie's actions were more genuine.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. It's a quick and easy read. The beginning of the book starts at the end, of sorts, so the rest of the book is driving towards that moment, waiting for the timelines to meet up. I think this book would appeal to lovers of historical fiction.

I have to admit, I love a bit of historical fiction, and, along with I, Eliza Hamilton, I’m definitely getting a double whammy of life in 1700-1800s America.

Carnegie’s Maid Carnegie’s Maid is also centred around a historical figure: Andrew Carnegie, the iron baron who was quite possibly the richest man in the world at one point. Shrewd, ruthless, and a great businessman, he became a great philanthropist later in life- and that’s what this book is all about. Because Marie Benedict has introduced a new character in his life: Clara Kelley, an Irish maid who, supposedly, was the reason for his change of heart and newfound love for his fellow man.

As an exploration of life in industrial America- especially for the despite Irish Catholic immigrants- this is fascinating. They were immigrating en masse to America in the 1800s, away from the poverty caused by famine, and Clara encapsulates this perfectly, both through her interactions with her impoverished cousins, and the way she is treated by the household. She’s a sympathetic character, who is easy to like and to root for: she’s clever, and gutsy, and watching her find ways to subvert the rigid social system and snobbery of the Carnegies is very satisfying.

Carnegie is also an intriguing figure. I always find that the difficulty in writing historical novels is in making the historical characters relatable, human and interesting; Benedict does that, weaving together fact and fiction to create a character who is (as he should be) compelling. The historical element is very strong here, with everything from Abraham Lincoln’s assassination to the mores of New York society addressed, which makes for a compelling and engrossing read, taking in life in the servant’s quarters, and what life was like for the rich of America.

The only place where this novel falls down is in the romance between Carnegie and Clara. I mean, I’m all for a forbidden romance: master and servant, separated by circumstance and class? Count me in! But this felt awkward and forced. There was no chemistry between the two, and they felt rather as though they were being pushed together for the sake of the plot, before the inevitable unhappy ending, just so that Carnegie had a reason for becoming a philanthropist. They had hardly any time together, and no time for their relationship to develop- except for when Clara was feeding Carnegie her brilliant business ideas to pass off as his. That just felt jarring, and fit badly with the overall historical theme of the story.

Overall, then? This book is a great bit of historical fiction; it’s engaging, and taught me a lot about American life, and about Carnegie, that I didn’t know beforehand. With an interesting, nuanced plot, a great writing style, and a strong heroine, I really enjoyed it; for people who liked The Hired Girl, this is for you.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC for my Kindle.
The book sounded interesting and started out really good, but the ending was rushed.
It was very interesting to learn about the Carnegies, and how they obtained their fortune.
The maid and son relationship was a story similar to Jane Eyre, and their relationship ended how I expected. But once the maid left the employment of the Carnegies, there were too many years that weren't covered until she retired. Also, I would have liked to have known more about what happened to the maid's family that she left behind in Ireland. If the story wasn't so rushed towards the end, I would have enjoyed it more.