panoramic view of old French estate with cast, flanked by image of 19th-century woman

SOPHIE DAWES

Extra Pages

Welcome - Sophie Dawes Extra Pages



These pages are designed to accompany your reading of the novel 'The Testament of Sophie Dawes.' The story is set within the Victorian era and is presented in the form of a personal journal and letters It is therefore what is termed an 'epistolary novel' - in which you are involved in detecting the underlying plot and exploring the course of travel for yourself as you go.

Whether you are about to read the book or have already done so, you will discover something of interest here. You will find portraits of many of the characters along with images of the places described in the story. You can see the key locations in England and in France as they were in the past, and there is also a selection of surviving images of Sophie Dawes herself.
The novel was published in 2016. Set in Victorian England, it describes one of the most extraordinary rags-to-riches stories ever.

Presented in the form of a journal and letters, Sophie's story is told through the experiences of an archivist working at the royal residence of Osborne House during the months following the death of Queen Victoria's consort, Prince Albert, in 1861. We follow him and his work. And we share in his journal as he gradually unearths the details of a young woman who, from a background of utter poverty and obscurity, went on to become one of the most wealthy and powerful of people in all of France. In fact, in all of Europe. But, as stated on the back cover, it is knowledge that does not please everyone.

Additional topics include

• The French Revolution and its aftermath.
• The mysterious demise of the Prince de Condé in 1830.
• The rise to power of Louis Philippe, King of the French.
• And the possible fate of the boy king Louis XVII.