The Best of Sisters

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4.4(4,656)

Eliza Bragg grows up beside the Thames in a family whose livelihood depends upon the river. When her brother Bart accidentally kills a man and flees to New Zealand, Eliza is left to face the consequences and the authority of a cruel uncle.

Separated by distance but bound by loyalty, the siblings struggle to survive the choices that drove Bart overseas. Eliza’s efforts to protect the remaining family bring her into conflict with those who control their work, money and reputation.

The Thames is both livelihood and route out of the family’s world. Barges, docks and overseas shipping connect London households to imperial migration, making Bart’s flight to New Zealand part of the same transport economy that sustains Eliza at home. The novel contrasts the apparent freedom offered by distance with the obligations that family reputation and poverty continue to impose on those who remain.