From the onset I totally fell for the main character H and I was rooting for her all the way. You really do go through a rollercoaster of emotions and events with H, meeting some hard to forget characters along the way. This book really did pull at my heart strings in many ways and made me smile from ear to ear. This book mentions many topics, some of which, hit hard and are in relation to the current climate. .
This is a wonderful Historical Fiction read, which I highly recommend and I can't wait to read more of this genre.
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This is a quick, engrossing read. H is a little predictable, with her heart of gold and rose colored glasses, but very likable nonetheless. The book is well written, has a good setting, a good plot, and is just overall a solid novel.

A glorious romp through seventeenth century London. H, so-called because her parents cannot agree on a name (what memories that brings back!), finds herself thrown out on the streets, penniless and alone. She survives the plague, the great fire, deception and violence. Coincidences and slightly too colourful characters abound, but I couldn't stop myself turning the pages way after what should have been my bedtime. The denouement was, in my opinion, only just the right side of kitsch, and - again in my opinion - I could easily, happily have done without the prologue. But it was all most enjoyable nonetheless.

This is a wonderful book, emotionally rich, and well researched. H is taken in by her aunt Madge, and is happy for a while, but from then on, things unravel at a great pace, not least due to the Plague, and great Fire of London. The Plague is described in detail, and the historical background to it, and the Great Fire, is the best I have read so far.
Without inserting any spoilers into this review, I can say this is the most impressive novel, for it's page turning qualities, and humour, at times. Also the character development. This includes H's own character, as she grows up, and learns more about life.
I would recommend this book to all who love historical novels.

When H loses her father, she is sent, along with her sister, to live with her Aunt in London. H and her sister live comfortably with their Aunt until the plague returns to London and their household is torn apart. From here, H is forced to look after herself, the only way she knows how.

The Strange Adventures of H is a piece of excellent historical fiction that easily goes to the top of my list of 2020 books.

Although H comes across as very naive at the start of the book, you're drawn in by her narrative and can't help but love and care for her character.

Many parts of this book are quite intense. The descriptions of plague ridden London and then London suffering the Great Fire are really interesting and well done. I also enjoyed reading about the social norms and classes of the time and how it could tear a family apart. A lot of research has been put in here by the author to great effect!

I was sad for it to end but, whilst it wasn't the ending I'd have picked, it was rounded off very nicely.

I'll definitely be picking up a physical copy of The Strange Adventures of H and be recommending it to everyone!

Wow this was a book I wasn't sure whether I'd like or not - I love historical fiction but usually more recent history than this so I was uncertain... but wow! I really enjoyed it.

It is set in the 17th century and deals with huge events in history that we all know about with basic GCSE-level knowledge - the plague, the great fire of London etc. And it was just so absorbing, told in first person it was really well told and helped me to learn all about what it would be like living through these events and also help me to understand how it happened.

The main character is H who is a child at first in this story and then an older teenager. I felt like I really got to know her and follow her through her journey in these pages.

It is the kind of book which has stayed with me, I think it was even more powerful given that we are in the midst of the covid pandemic so a lot of the things which came up with the plague were also relevant today despite being so many years apart! A fantastic read.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a type of historical fiction that I didn’t know I needed. My favourite period of history is 17th century Britain so this was either going to be amazing or horrible for me! Luckily, I absolutely loved it. Throughout the book, there is fantastic imagery of London, portraying both the Great Fire and the Plague and the effects both had on the city and its people. It was even more interesting reading about the Plague whilst experiencing the current Covid-19 pandemic.

The book being in first person was extremely interesting as, in the beginning, we get what I’d say is a very accurate portrayal of a childish mind, which develops with the storyline into a woman’s mind. I feel we always understand why H does the things she does because we are so wrapped up in her mind and thoughts.

There were dominant themes of religion and feminism which were an interesting mix in this seventeenth century setting and one I really did enjoy. Despite this being a work of fiction, it is a pleasant thought that there may have been feminists in seventeenth century London.

More generally, the book was very fast paced at points which I thoroughly enjoyed, as I think it could have been very easy to drag this story out further and make the timeline go by a lot slower, but I don’t think that would have been as enjoyable. Linked to this, the chapters are very short which I love in a book. The ending was just a little ‘too happy’ for me BUT I don’t think I would have changed it as I am happy for the central characters.

Finally I would add a TW for sexual assault, although it is not dealt with in detail.

This was a very good book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story is told by the main character “H” (how she got that name is explained later in the book). She recounts her life story starting first as a young girl living with her family in the country, then as a naïve teenager living with her Aunt and sister in London and finally as an older, wiser teenager a few years later. The story takes place in the 17th century, and includes details on the plague and the Great Fire of London that happened around 1666. Her and her sister were forced to live with her Aunt after her father had suddenly passed. Life was good with her Aunt, until her Aunt had to leave London to visit her house in the country. Her sister and H are left alone with her cousin and his wife. Life takes a turn for the worse soon after that, the rest of the story covers how H managed to survive, even thrive in the face of devastating life events. H is a likeable character, some readers may frown on how she makes her living, something that wasn’t really a decision she chose to make, but one she had to in order to survive. The ending was very satisfactory and I would certainly read another by this author. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the read.

I absolutely love Sarah Burton's writing style! This book was a winner in my eyes - great descriptive language and really strong storytelling. I would definitely recommend it to historical fiction fans.

I have only recently started reading historical fiction and wonder why it has taken me so long. This book appealed to me as I have been reading a lot of the genre recently.
I really enjoyed this book! I will be looking out for more reads from this author as the writing style is fantastic! I felt transported back to what was a dark time in English history, but it is a time that interests me.
The authors research is apparent throughout.
H is a fantastic character! This was a fabulous lockdown read and one I won’t forget!

The story centers around H from her childhood to adulthood. She is beset by awful circumstances, one after another; orphaned, raped, and ejected from her home during the Great Plague of London (with echoes of our current circumstances), the book details her determination to survive.

I loved certain aspects - the book successfully evoked mid-1600 London, H was well-characterized, and the cast of characters were at times heart-warming, funny, horrifying, or loyal. However, much as I enjoyed the leisurely pacing for two-thirds of the book, the last third felt like a sprint towards a haphazard and contrived happy ending (even if our heroine deserved one).

Though the ending felt rushed, I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to read the book. I give it four stars.

Some moments of feeling are written in your heart for ever, and this unutterably painful scene, where my sister and I stood some distance apart, both brimming over with the deepest misery, yet unable to comfort each other, has never been erased in mine.

When we first meet our heroine, H, she is attending a public execution in London with her friend. We learn that the executed man has been convicted of the murder of a woman, which was actually perpetrated by H and her friend. The book then jumps back in time and tracks H’s journey to this moment and past it, through the plague, the Great Fire of London, and various personal traumas. I hadn’t realized upon picking it up that I was reading my second book in a row set in the Stuart Era, which was a delightful surprise.

This is a stunning debut novel that captured me almost right from the beginning. Burton explored themes of loss, poverty, and chosen family through the eyes of H, a complex character for whom you can only wish the best. Unfortunately, this book is very timely, as a large portion of it centres around the plague. It was terrifying to see so many parallels to our current state in a book set during a horrific tragedy that occurred hundreds of years ago. The book touches on the particular sadness of losing a loved one and not being able to properly say goodbye or honour them, for fear of following them to the grave. It also explores the deepening of class distinction present in times like these: When the cards were on the table, the ordinary people knew, the rich would always save themselves first.

CW: depiction of sexual assault; plague

Following the footsteps of Henry Fielding (The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling), Daniel Defoe (The Fortunes & Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders) and other great 17th century novelists, Sarah Burton's masterful The Strange Adventures of H, is a rollicking and exuberant romp through the backstreets, pubs, and brothels of London in the tumultuous times of the plague and the great fire, to the sumptuous and decadent lives of the titled and wealthy. I happily read the book courtesy of NetGalley, the author and the publisher.

After her father's death, H, the eighth child of an English clergyman, finds herself and her sister sent to live with her widowed aunt in London. After being raped by a lecherous uncle, she is thrown onto the streets to fend for herself. She is 16 and with child. Her journey, which starts with hopeless despair, starts here and takes us through adventures and misadventures as H seeks to find financial and emotional security and stability. Awful as this sometimes is, H is a survivor, triumphing over the trials of plague, The Great Fire of London and the precariousness of 17th-century life for a woman of no importance. Fear not, though, all's well that ends well and getting there is all the joy of this book..

Sarah Burton lets H tell her own story. The writing is taut, crisp and observant. While the book is heavily plotted and filled with a cornucopia of colorful well-drawn characters, Burton keeps the story moving along swiftly. .The book, Sarah Burton's first novel, is a wonderful success and portends great things to come for her readers.

3.5
If I had only read the first two sections of this book, my rating would be higher, but I felt the last part brought the story down. The author does a great job of evoking London during the plague years and the Great Fire of London.

This is brilliant writing and excellent story, I would certainly reread this even in the future I enjoyed it that much and the story just kept me wanting more and more. Highly recommend this book!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It kept my attention and I read it in one sitting. Cannot wait to read more by this author. Hopefully there will be another book soon.

Oops, I missed pub date for this one, because life and migraines got in the way. What a fantastic book though! I read a lot of historical fiction, and this one was completely different from any of the ones I read before. It’s hard to get into why without being spoilery, but let’s just say that H’s life didn’t turn out the way I expected at all, and I loved it.

Part of the book takes place during a plague outbreak, and I have to say it was strange to read about that now, with so many similarities to the covid situation.

Overall I really loved this novel, if you are into historical fiction set in London I am sure you will love it too. Oh! And look at that gorgeous cover!

I couldn't put this book down. Sarah Burton has created a compelling tale with complex characters and brought to life a turbulent time in London in a way I hadn't read in a long time.

*4.5*
The Strange Adventures of H is a harrowing tale of a young woman, who under dire circumstances, is thrown into the streets of London to fend for herself. Split into three parts this memoir type tale shares with us the harsh realities of what it was to be a woman during this time period. We see H grow throughout this journey into someone who is inspiring, strong and worth reading about. Sarah Burton not only delivered a realistic feeling and well-researched novel but one that can transport you to 1600’s London. She created an amazing family dynamic and explored so many varying relationship themes throughout. I cannot sing the praises of this book enough - and while there was something about the writing in part one that made anxious to continue I am so glad I did - This will be a book that will stay in my thoughts for a very long time and one that I am sure I will re-read very soon as I found it captivating and thoroughly soul-wrenching. I felt so many emotions reading this and cannot wait to see what Sarah Burton writes next!

This book. Ooooooooh this book.

It had me intrigued from the very beginning and then I realized that the prologue paled in comparison to what came next (or first, as the prologue isn't actually the beginning of the story).

Once I hit the 71% mark I felt an incredible pang of regret that I wouldn't have this in my life for much longer.

At 74% my feelings about this book were summed up beautifully by H (via the amazing Sarah Burton):
"Like a young enamoured fool who seeks out sad music to lend charm to his own agony, I read these lines over and over, wondering at the thrilling pain they produced. I threw the book across the room. I picked it up. I threw it out of the window. I ran downstairs and retrieved it from the garden. I threw it into the fire. I picked it out with tongs. I sat down on the hearth and hugged the book to myself and wept."

Luckily, I didn't actually throw my book in the fire or out the window as I've been reading the e-arc received with great pleasure through Netgalley … but the sentiment is the same. I laughed. I cried. I cried some more. I got angry. I got ecstatically happy. I repeated all of these time and again.

I am absolutely in awe and I need more. Hopefully Burton will continue with the stories of Grace and Frankie and Godfrey and Kat and Janey and … I just need more.