This historical fiction is based on the life of Julia Pastrana, a woman whose physical appearance was seen by many to be monstrous, but whose singing and dancing were beautiful. Heralded on tours across nineteenth century Europe, she was a curiosity who fascinated many people. However, at the same time people were fascinated by her, many were simultaneously repulsed, and many felt she was an unnatural beast, someone to be hidden from children, pregnant women, and society at large. And what did Julia think of all of this? Carol Birch takes an opportunity to paint the story of Julia's life, in her own words, as well as through the eyes of the man who later became her husband.
Running through this story is the story of Rose, a collector of lost treasures who lives in modern-day London. It's unclear until the very end of the story what connection Rose has to Julia's story (and no, I won't give any spoilers here).
As someone who has read about the real Julia Pastrana, I found this book to be a good example of how historical fiction can bring a real person to life, and give insight into their life. While it's unclear just how much liberty the author took with history, it's clear that Birch did her research, which I appreciated. Many people may not be familiar with Julia Pastrana, and this book does a nice job of vividly bringing her to life, and giving her attention not as a human curiosity, but as a woman. Like many people exhibited as human curiosities, Julia was very intelligent (which was something many people would not have believed, because of her appearance and how society viewed such people at that time). Utilizing what she was born with, and understanding the limitations she faced in society, Julia seemed to make the best of what she could offer. Birch does a good job of painting a portrait of an extraordinary women, whose legacy continued years after her death.
If you would like to read more about Julia Pastrana, I'm including this link about her recent burial, as well as this article about her.
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| Photo of Julia Pastrana |
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