This story introduced me to a genre.
I don’t say that lightly; I can assure you that I’m completely serious. Historical fiction had never interested me before I read Carnegie’s Maid. Marie Benedict does a wonderful job of blending history and narrative to create an immersive tale. The minute I finished this novel, I went to Goodreads and added at least eight historical fiction novels to my TBR. Despite some creative liberties and slower-moving sections, Carnegie’s Maid presents a wonderful tale.
Without further ado, let’s polish the details of this amazing story!
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. But the woman who shares her name has vanished, and assuming her identity just might get Clara some money to send back home.
Clara must rely on resolve as strong as steel and an uncanny understanding of business, attributes that quickly gain her Carnegie’s trust. But she still 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.
Treasure Maps
Carnegie’s Maid is set during the time of industrial America, so the reader gets a glimpse into the soot-covered reality of New York during that time period. The description is Carnegie’s Maid when it comes to these settings is intricate and detailed, and truly enlightening about the poor situation immigrants were in. I noticed, while skimming other reviews of this story, that many pointed out the historical inaccuracies of this book. Those inaccuracies do not extend to the setting.
Some have commented that placing the fictional character Clara Kelley into an actual person’s life isn’t right and takes away from the book. I disagree. Clara Kelley is representative of the many immigrants that actually came to America, and she is what makes Carnegie’s Maid historical “fiction.” The character herself is inspiring, with her grit and determination despite her circumstances.
Clara Kelley was not an actual person, but Andrew Carnegie was. I think that Marie Benedict does a wonderful job of portraying this historical figure in a respectful light, while showing possible flaws. If anything, this book encouraged me to dive deeper into the actual Andrew Carnegie, and to read his article, The Gospel of Wealth.
I should point out that while the historical accuracy of the book extends to the facts and information about the companies, there were many sections that moved at a slow pace (with the purpose of explaining the systems). Honestly, I skimmed a few paragraphs that contained what felt like “unnecessary information” just to get back to the central storyline. If you’re a history buff, or a fan of the political maneuvers surrounding industrial America, you might enjoy these pages. For me, they were a little sluggish.
Poisoned Apples:
The profanity is L2. There is minimal violence and no innuendo, although one of the main plot lines is a love story.
Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust
Carnegie’s Maid deals with the severe mistreatment of immigrants in America. Matthew 25:35 says this: “I was hungry, and you gave me food, I was thirsty, and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” During this time, it would have changed so many lives if Americans had been more welcoming to these immigrants, sharing their food and drink like the Bible says.
The Frog Prince
As I wrote at the beginning of this review, Carnegie’s Maid is one of my favorite books I’ve read in this genre. It’s true that it does lean more towards the “fiction” part of historical fiction, but that doesn’t make it any less a good story. As the author wrote in the back of the book, Clara Kelley is not a real person. However, the thousands of Irish and Scottish immigrants that helped build America (including Andrew Carnegie) were very real. This book was written to highlight the struggles they experienced. I think it did all of that and more. Whether you’re there for the romance, the history, or just because, definitely check out Carnegie’s Maid!
You can buy Carnegie’s Maid here.
Marie