Book Review of
Carnegie’s Maid
Clara Kelley is not who they think she is. She’s not the experienced Irish maid who was hired to work in one of Pittsburgh’s grandest households. She’s a poor farmer’s daughter with nowhere to go and nothing in her pockets. But the other woman with the same name has vanished, and pretending to be her just might get Clara some money to send back home.
If she can keep up the ruse, that is. Serving as a lady’s maid in the household of Andrew Carnegie requires skills she doesn’t have, answering to an icy mistress who rules her sons and her domain with an iron fist. What Clara does have is a resolve as strong as the steel Pittsburgh is becoming famous for, coupled with an uncanny understanding of business, and Andrew begins to rely on her. But Clara can’t let her guard down, not even when Andrew becomes something more than an employer. Revealing her past might ruin her future ― and her family’s.
With captivating insight and heart, Carnegie’s Maid tells the story of one brilliant woman who may have spurred Andrew Carnegie’s transformation from ruthless industrialist into the world’s first true philanthropist.
Lynn's Review
If you enjoy historical fiction, I think you will love this book. I can see why it has gotten so much attention on social media. The reviews of it have been great. The writing is well done and creative.
I have mixed thoughts on it though, but I usually do when it comes to fiction. Over all I thought the story was great and well written. I read it in just a couple of days. It was clean which I also really enjoyed. I have read several popular modern fiction books recently that had way too much sexual content for me. This book didn’t have that which I enjoyed.
My issue with the book is that it took a well known historical figure and added in so much fiction. Much of the general history about the Carnegie family and the time period were correct, but the whole maid part is made up. It would be nice to think that a maid or a staff member had such an influence on Carnegie and his family, but the reality is that they probably didn’t. I had trouble getting passed the made up parts of this story. If you read a lot of historical fiction though, that probably won’t bother you. Overall, it is a good book and if you love historical fiction, you will probably enjoy it.
I enjoyed this book. It was like a Cinderella story with a twist.
That is a great way to describe it!