Gavin imbues her text with a richness of historical details that allows the reader to gain a better understanding of the social climate in the middle of the eighteenth century. Urban areas are described in all of their filth and bustle, as are the docks, filled with all sorts of unsavory characters. Transportation methods are difficult, taking much time to travel about the land, letting readers understand why individuals like Thomas rarely, if ever, left the city in which they were born. The leisurely life of the Ashbrooks, enjoying the services of maids, butlers, and other physical laborers, contrasts sharply with the life of the Ledbury family and with the life of Meshak, who performs hard physical labor all of his life. By adding all of these historical facts to the story, Gavin captures the atmosphere of England in the 1700s and offers a believable scenario...