Kipling & Trix

by Mary Hamer

As small children, Rudyard Kipling and his sister Trix lived an enchanted life in India playing with their beloved servants and running around freely. Their innocent happiness came to an abrupt end when they were sent back to England to live with strangers and forced to conform to the strict rules of Edwardian society in an alien country.

Both brother and sister grew up to become writers, although one lived in the shadow of the other's genius. Rudyard Kipling's incredible life is known to many while his poetry and books have been read by millions – but what became of his talented younger sister? Her story, full of love and lies, became a distressing family secret that was hidden from the world...

Mary Hamer has unearthed the truth about Alice Kipling, known to her family affectionately as Trix. In this fictionalised account of their lives, the author goes to the heart of the relationship between a difficult brother and his troubled sister and explores how their early lives shaped the very different people they were later to become.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical

Unknown Binding

First published November 13, 2012

About the author

I was educated as a Catholic girl at a convent grammar school and after that at Oxford but I grew up a secret rebel. Reading Kipling’s Jungle Book, as a child gave me the first hint that there was a different, more exciting way to see the world. After reading English at Oxford I taught for many years and published works of non-fiction. Then ten years ago I began to research the dangerous lives of Rudyard Kipling and his sister, Trix. I started to realise that only fiction could do justice to their story. Kipling & Trix was my first novel and it won the Virginia Prize for Fiction.

Reviews

[Erin (Historical Fiction Reader) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Find this and other reviews at: http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot....

Biographic fiction is quickly becoming one of my favorite genres, so I assumed Mary Hamer's Kipling and Trix would be something of a slam dunk. Based on the early lives of the famed writer and his younger sister Alice, the prize winning fiction held much promise, but the realities failed to meet my expectations, I feel the time I gave to this piece misspent.

To get right to the point, Hamer's handling of the material left much to be desired. Her characterizations fell flat and the novel's tone was far too academic for my tastes. The pacing drags throughout the telling and I found it incredibly difficult to engage in the story Hamer put forth.

The research is well-done, Hamer obviously cares a great deal for the material, but her style and approach didn’t inspire my imagination and I found it very easy to put the book aside for other publications. I managed to push through to the end, but the story never pulled me in.

At the end of the day, I found the material in Kipling and Trix historically interesting, but I didn’t care for the narration and would have a hard time recommending it forward.

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this fictional biography of Kipling and his sister Trix, and found it compelling and absorbing from the first page. Meticulously researched but narrated with a novelist’s imagination, the book seemed to convey the essence of their lives and those of their families and friends, although, as the author herself admits, much must inevitably be pure conjecture. All the characters had depth, even the minor ones, and there were some wonderful cameo appearances, not least by a nicely imagined Henry James. I particularly enjoyed learning more about Trix, who had a very sad and troubled life. All in all this is a really good read, informative and entertaining.

[Caroline · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had so much potential. We've all read stories and perhaps poems by Rudyard Kipling and would like to know more about his inspiration and that of his sister. Sadly this book didn't really give us much more insight into either of them!! The changing of locations, people and times was confusing. I would have liked to know more about the people and their characters especially the interesting times they enjoyed in India and throughout their travels. Short of the mark and a wasted opportunity.

[Lesa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I honestly did not care for this book. The writing was just sub-par for me. It reads like someone did some research on Rudyard Kipling and tried to force all the little factoids into a story, and it just didn't work. It had horrible flow. Some parts of it were incredibly detailed and too specific, then the story would jump way ahead and leave out important events, leaving the reader to try to piece together what happened.

I don't think I would read another book by this author.

[Lolly K Dandeneau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh the crushing weight of Kipling's losses in life! Reading about the lushly exotic childhood made me understand so much more about him as an author. I have to confess I didn't know his sister was an author, in fact I didn't really know much about Kipling-the man. From reading this, I go between thinking 'Lord but he has an ego' to 'poor man'. As was done, children were sent away at such a young age, in their case to the horrid 'Auntie Sara' who favored (if one such as she can favor) his sister and hated him. To go from a free, idealic loving place to a nightmare altered the siblings in different ways. Kipling was about escape while his sister seemed to lose herself, with breakdowns. That she was a writer, I didn't know that either. I think of other authors eclipsed by better known, more beloved writers of their relation- some spouses as well as siblings. Such a shame!
It is interesting to see his sister embrace the cruelty of their 'Auntie Sara', better the devil you know- I suppose. Like many families, the reader witnesses how chidhood affects people differently.
We see Kipling as a young man, tortured by love and all it's betrayals and later with a family of his own. I didn't much care for their mother. This is such a tragic telling of the siblings life, and sometimes I forget how tragic earlier times were for many- losing children to illness and war, so many not having much say in their fate, social standing cripling true love. This isn't a happy light read, but real life rarely is.

[Emi Yoshida · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating look at the lives and losses of the Kipling family, centering on the relationship between siblings Rudyard and Trix. When parents Lockwood and Alice left their children behind in British boarding school, they never had any idea what traumatizing horrors their little kids were subjected to, until they grew up and became published writers, which brought shock and humiliation, but according to this account, the family never achieved closure or resolution.

I like the period descriptions of Warwick Gardens, Rottingdean and exotic Lahore and Cape Town. I hadn't realized how successful Rudyard Kipling was, on such a Rolls Royce level. I like the mention of so many celebrities (Wilde, Bram Stoker, the King) just wish their relation to the Kiplings had all been covered as thoroughly as Henry James's was. I love Historical Fiction, but wish Mary Hamer had supplied an explanation by way of an afterward as to which bits were made up and how things were researched. Was Trix really cutting? Did sister Trix and wife Carrie really never get along? The time line wasn't always chronological, which was confusing.

[Rebekah Crain · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought I would enjoy this fictionalized account of Kipling's life, and I can say honestly that I did. It, however, was far more entertaining during the first 1/3 or so. After awhile the story got a bit tedious for me, and I bang to find myself less inspired to keep at it. I did read it all, and I'm glad I did. But I can't say that I'd necessarily recommend it. It was just okay, in my opinion. And, quite sad, but then the sad details weren't those that were fictionalized, so I suppose there's no getting around them.

[Avril Caryer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was very disappointed with this book . The writing was not very good and the construction was very odd and did not flow logically. The characterisation was poor and the protagonists did not become real.
I could not fully engage with this book and had to force myself to finish it. Why did I bother? I suppose because I was interested in the Kiplings but I didn’t really feel that I had learned much about them. No Idea why it was a prize winner.

[Koren]

Tried hard to get through this but I gave up. I found the plot was too choppy. As things got interesting, we'd jump ahead a few years and I lost interest.

[George1st · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want to learn about a famous person's life, then the best way to achieve is this is by reading a well written and researched scholarly biography, but as a preamble to this, reading a fictionalised account of a life can be both educational and entertaining. In Mary Hamer's Kipling and Trix we get essentially an account of Ruddy Kipling's life through the prism of his relationship with his often troubled sister, Trix. Both had aspirations when young to write but one would be continually held back and thwarted due to their gender and the strict norms of Victorian society.

This is a fictionalised account of real lives and events so a degree of caution should be exercised regarding the veracity of certain of the events and dialogue, but it does give readers, Kipling's full chronological biographical details and an incredible amount of research has clearly been undertaken.

It is a dramatic story and is particularly strong on recounting how the two young children were sent from their beloved home in India to the cruel care of Mrs. Holloway in Southsea which would have a lasting impact on Kipling's later life.

.The writing is clear and concise and at the end I was certainly intent on reading more about Kipling, a far more complex and nuanced character than is sometimes thought, who Billy Bragg has attempted to reclaim for an inclusive sense of Englishness away from colonialism and jingoism. Well worth a read.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to preface this review with the fact that I love reading about authors lives and how it influences their writing. With this book I was not disappointed. The reader journeys through this childhood which had some pretty awful parts and then follows detailing his life with his writing and family
The insight gained is in his relationship with his sister Trix. As young children he is her protector and then at a very young age goes off to follow his profession as a writer. We learn about his relationships with women, then his marriage and three children.
I did not know very much about Kipling and was therefore enjoying every phase of his life. The more I learned the more I wanted to know.
If I were to offer any suggestions there would be two. One I would like to know about his relationship with Robert Louis Stevenson and if he influenced his writing at all. The second I would like to know more about his writing of the jungle book and Rikki Tiki
I highly recommend this book

[Tamsin Preece · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this quite disjointed and tricky to follow.

There is no doubt that Rudyard Kipling and his sister Trix lived an interesting life, but this book manages to gloss over some of it, while going into immense detail in other areas.

I certainly know more about these siblings than I did before, but I didn’t particularly enjoy the writing style.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy of this book.

[Trick Wiley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was different in the way this was written about Kipling and his sister. It goes from their childhood in India to England and what they experience as children and what happened to them as adults. I kinda had a hard time following what was going on. I think it could have been written a little bit did but user this is the first time I have ever read a out these two! Emotional in some parts but I really didn't enjoy it. I'm so sorry. I received this book from Net Gallery.

[Artie LeBlanc · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this started well, but suffered when it reached the better-documented later stages of Kipling's life - it seemed to become almost a tick-list of where he had been and what he had done. A shame, because the opening chapters on the Kipling siblings' childhood were convincing and gripping.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thoroughly unlikeable characters - and they're real! Regrettable choice of book!

[Ella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. Kipling and Trix

I did not know very much about Rudyard Kipling. After reading this book, I want to learn about him. What his life was like, and, how he treated the world around him. From the life, Rudyard Kipling and his sister Trix had growing up, to the life they lived as adults, this story was never dull. The bond between the siblings was evident from the start. Ruddy's need to protect her, from a young age, and her almost constant desire for his attention. The childhood they shared, yet remembered differently, was awful.
In my opinion, Mary Hamer wrote this very well. I noticed a few typos. The vernacular for that time period and that part of the world was very different. I made sure to look up any words that I didn't quite understand or thought were misspelled because of that. Anyone who is going to read this should take that into consideration before they start. Mary Hamer's scenery descriptions worked well with the plot. None of it was out of place or overshadowed the rest of the story. I appreciated that. Over or underwriting the surroundings can be either tedious to read or utterly boring. Anyone who loves history and/or historical fiction; this is a great read for you.

*** SPOILERS *** SPOILERS *** SPOILERS *** SPOILERS *** SPOILERS ***

In the preface, Mrs. Kipling is upset with Trix Kipling's part in her husband's life. She is also upset about how other people treated and/or behaved concerning Rudyard Kipling. Trix had a lot of problems that stemmed from her childhood and some of the choices she made as an adult. Her brother Ruddy had problems that stemmed from the exact same things. I reread those parts of the story a few times. I think Carrie understood how their upbringing shaped the siblings. Both of them were established writers at a certain time. What I mean is, Joseph Rudyard Kipling, Alice Trix Macdonald Kipling's older brother, is the first person thought of when Kipling is mentioned. So I enjoyed Mary Hamer bringing Trix forward, because, not many people talk about her work. At least not during my school years or my current life.
My favorite characters in this book are Carrie, Lockwood, Aunt Georgie, and Trix. Carrie was Rudyard's voice of reason and understanding. She knew how awful his childhood was and did her best to counter his moods with supportive understanding and level headed opinions of her own. Lockwood was a kind artistic man who was quirky and full of joy. Trix was quiet and shy when she was little and just as creative as her brother and father as she got older. I could see parts of my childhood, personality, and life in some of them. Trix's choice for a husband irked me to no end. Especially, when he turns out to be less than an understanding husband as the story progresses. Sadly, I think that was how a lot of marriages were during those years. Marriages of convenience. Trix didn't seem to know what she was doing when she decided to marry John Fleming. There wasn't anything her parents or brother could change about it before or afterward. Aunt Georgie was that supportive Aunt that every child needs in his or her life. When she and her husband suspected that Rudyard was not living well with 'Aunt Sarah', they did what they could.

I was not a fan of Alice Kipling, Rudyard, and Trix's mother. I could understand why she was more concerned with the world's perception of her family, than how her children were feeling or doing. How people treat you based on your previous actions is important. Yet, as a mother, she chose to form her own opinion on her children's childhood. It would have been better if both parents asked Rudyard what his childhood was like. If both parents considered that at least part of the book he wrote describing a painful childhood was true, they could have had a happier relationship. Maybe they would have understood each other better.

As I mentioned earlier, this is a very nice read for anyone who likes historical fiction. Not knowing much about how the Kiplings lived, shouldn't stop anyone. It could intense your urge to know more about these writers and their families. I hope this review was helpful

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Kipling strikes me personally as the most complete man of genius (as distinct from fine intelligence) that I have ever known." Henry James

2015 marks the sesquicentennial of Rudyard Kipling's birth. He was the most famous and popular author of his time. He won the 1907 Pulitzer Prize, the youngest recipient ever and the first English speaking recipient. His stories endure and have been turned into Disney cartoons and movies.

"In consideration of the power of observation, originality of imagination, virility of ideas and remarkable talent for narration which characterize the creations of the world famous author."The 1907 Pulitzer Prize citation

It seemed a perfect time to learn more about the author of Kim, The Jungle Book, Captains Courageous, and the many poems including If.

Mary Hamer's book Kipling and Trix was published in England in 2012. She chose to novelize her story because she "wanted to make emotional sense of these lives". Hamer's extensive research in preparation for the book brings authenticity, and her ability to capture the inner lives of her characters allows the reader to forge a deep connection.

Family tragedy changes a person. Consider President Lincoln and his wife Mary after the loss of their son, or Teddy Roosevelt after the death of his wife Alice and his mother on the same day. Childhood trauma has a lasting effect. When a person has endured childhood trauma and mets personal loss in adulthood the outcome can be disabling.

Rudyard Kipling and his sister Trix (Beatrix), like the other children of British civil servants assigned to India, were sent "home" to England for their education. Rumer Godden wrote about the same experience: a childhood spent in India, separation when sent to England, homesickness for their childhood family, and idealization of that first home. Kipling and Trix were not just unhappy and stifled in England, their caretaker hated Kipling and manipulated Trix. The abuse of her brother was witnessed by Trix and left a deep psychic scar. Kipling never got over their parental abandonment or the sense of responsibility for, and failure to protect, his sister. Kipling's story Baa Baa Black Sheep gives insight into their experience.

The bright girl who dreamed of writing married too young, and married badly to a man who relentlessly pursued her then expected her to become a regular Stepford Wife. Trix was able to publish verses and several books. She suffered several nervous breakdowns and became obsessed with Spiritualism and 'automatic writing.'

Kipling was still a boy when his father secured him a position in India. A compulsive writer, he published his first collection of verse in 1886. He lived life at a frantic pace, suffered a nervous breakdown, married, and settled in Brattleboro, VT. An ugly court case involving his brother-in-law sent the Kiplings to England. A winter holiday to South Africa brought Kipling and Cecil Rhodes together, and the Boer War became Kipling's new cause. He became obsessed with the idea of raising children to be soldiers.

Kipling changed after the death of his daughter Jo. Trix spent most of her young adulthood under her parent's care, mentally distraught. During World War I Kipling's son John died fighting in the Battle of Loos. It was after that loss that Kipling wrote, "If any question why we died/Tell them, because our fathers lied."

Fame, success, marital happiness, and wealth could not drive out Kipling's demons or save Trix.

I received a free ebook in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great idea to present the story of Rudyard Kipling and his sister Trix as a novel. Thoroughly enjoyable. I felt very strongly for the two women in his life - wife Carrie and sister Trix. We won't talk about his mother....

[Nannette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kipling and Trix by Mary Hamer
Courtesy Booktasters in exchange for an honest review

Historical Fiction can expand our view of actual events and the people involved in them. They can fill in the gaps between the known and the speculation. They are also tasked with entertaining the reader. In one of these missions Kipling and Trix succeeds and in the other fails.

Rudyard Kipling is one the great writers who came out of the British Empire. And it was the Empire that was his crucible of creation. He was born in India, spent several years there as a boy and returned as an adult. The exotic (at least to the British) peoples and lands of India were the fuel with which he created The Jungle Book and Just So Stories, among others. This is the known portion of the historical fiction in Kipling and Trix.

What I, and probably many others, did not know was Kipling's younger sister Alice (nicknamed Trixie) was also a talented writer. She was overshadowed by her brother’s fame and discounted because of her gender. She wrote honestly about her family, even using false names, but was criticized by her family for airing private issues in public. Her husband felt her writing had it’s place which was only in their house and did not appreciate her publishing any of it.

Kipling and Trix is the story of the siblings. They struggled to learn to live in English society opposed to the more relaxed atmosphere. As they grew to adulthood, they remained close, although Kipling did not approve of his sister’s choice of husband. Trix suffered from some form of mental illness. It is hard to say exactly what her diagnosis would have been in modern terms. Trix’s illness was treated as weakness. It was not discussed outside the family. The blame was placed firmly on her by society although her brother did try to understand. As Kipling rose to win the Nobel prize and become the close friend of King George V, Trix diminished under the weight of her illness and society’s expectations.

There were many things I learned through reading this book. Chiefly the existence of Trix and her close relationship with Kipling. I also learned of the terrible conditions they lived in while they were in England and their parents in India. This is where the book succeeded. Where the book failed was in the entertainment. It was not a page turner. I did not connect with Kipling or Trix. This may be a failing on my part since I am ignorant of India’s history and especially the British Colonial period. Some of the nuances of the story may have gotten past me. I would still recommend the book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and Rudyard Kipling’s writing.

[P Franke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not a Kipling scholar, so have no opinion on how close Hamer keeps to historical accuracy in her fictionalized portrayal in “Rudyard and Trix”, but that did not keep me from enjoying the story.
While following Rudyard's travels from India to England, the USA and South Africa was interesting, I was struck more by the various family dynamics and personal relationships.
Right from the beginning when Rudyard and Trix were sent away suddenly from India to live with strangers in Southsea in England. Trix, especially, at the age of three probably had no idea what was happening or why. Then to be subjected to years of religious fervor, and constantly being told by Mrs. Holloway alternately “you are such a good girl” and “you'll burn in hell if you are bad”, it's no wonder she spent the rest of her adulthood second guessing her life choices and retreating into fantasy from time to time. Rudyard was probably also affected but poured his angst into his writing, while seeking relief with drugs and alcohol.
Trix and Rudyard both suffered from some degree of mental illness. While Trix often found herself without a close support system within easy reach, Rudyard had his wife, Carrie, to hold things together when he reached the depths of despair.
I found an interesting parallel in how Carrie viewed Trix's personal problems as difficulties to be avoided whenever possible, while her own brother, Beatty, was a source of disruption for Rudyard's mental health. Carrie worked to shield Rudyard from Trix, but excused Beatty's excesses.
Still, I found Carrie to be one of the strongest personalities in the book, the “adult in the room” so to speak. She may not have been the most likeable person but she had great management skills to keep things on an even keel and pick up the pieces when things went haywire, something that Rudyard desperately needed throughout his life.
Other family dynamics and drama play out through the book. Rudyard's and Trix's parents, their aunt and uncle, the Holloways in Southsea, and Trix's own marriage, all this taken as a whole does much to fill out into a portrait what could have easily just been a sketch. This does make the novel a rather lengthy and dense read, but the end result is worthwhile.

[Monisha Menon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Growing up I remember constantly seeking inspiration from writers and Rudyard Kipling made an early entry into the list of writers I had the privilege of learning from. Born in Mumbai it was exciting to know that Kipling spent a part of his life there. His love for animals was clear in the Jungle book (which is relevant even today) but there is more to it than just the fables. Rudyard sought to perhaps lay down how societies and perhaps people learn from each other and what contracts they establish with one another. In this book, however Mary Hamer writes about his own relationship with Alice (Trix) his sister. I did do some research to understand a little more about it from what is generally known but not much is known. Mary has taken a chance with this literary license to explore this relationship between brother and sister.
Rudyard did not have it easy at all, from childhood he was at odds with the expectations of people around him and his own deep love of writing. He wanted his words to be the legacy for the world to view and take pleasure from. How he shares his first ventures with Trix at an early age are poignant and maybe displaying a need for approval from the person he held most dear. He did not care for worldly recognition and experienced turbulence in his relationship with his sister. They were separated and brought together many times over which made things complicated. Although he loves his sister she is troubled and different from him and makes decisions wildly unfavorable with Kipling. Kipling feels for this but endures through it. His sister also shares the love for writing but does not gain as much popularity as Kipling. Kipling maybe a Nobel Prize winner for literature but he had his share of loss and betrayal early on. He does not stop fighting however and the book explores the finer nuances of their childhood, preferences in the matters of love and family and values.
The language and expressions are beautiful and this is an exploration of relationships of those who we admire. But the author has to perhaps strike a balance to manage complex transitions between people and place to hold and engage an audience.

[Cherry Potts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read in pretty much one go thanks to insomnia, I started this at 4 this morning!
So how come I didn't know Rudyard Kipling's sister was a writer? Mainly because she published under a lot of different names including Beatrice Kipling. Mary Hamer makes a good case for why Kipling often behaved like an outraged hippo, threading all his problems and unpleasantness and his sister's multiple breakdowns back to the ghastly episode of being abandoned by their parents to a religious sadist in Southsea for several years. In some ways its a gruelling read,a lot happens that could depress the reader, as Rudyard and Trix cope with the fallout of their shared trauma, although no wallowing in the grimness is allowed.
Kipling gets a lot of flack for Jingoism and Hamer doesn't dodge the issue, but consistently shows someone else taking an opposing view (often his wife) and showing Rudyard's lack of comprehension of abd manipulation of his own influence, getting completely carried away with his own self importance, and flattered into speaking on behalf of others, and equating the Booers with the ghastly Southsea child-beater in Kiplings mind. I see what she's getting at but I'm not sure I entorely swallow the justification, the connection is made too strongly and too often.
There is an occasional false note in the dialogue, I suspect when original sources (letters, diaries) are being quoted a little too faithfully (particularly in South Africa), but when the dialogue is obviously made from wholecloth it is stronger. A very appealing picture is built of Kipling's relationship with Trix, and with his wife Carrie and their children. Atmosphere is well drawn with smells and damp pervading all the backgrounds in different ways. I found myself feeling very sorry for Lockwood Kipling, Rudyard's father.

[Laura Lacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is such a fantastic idea for a novel, so many of us grew up with Rudyard Kipling’s stories and poetry but know nothing of the man himself. He lived in interesting times providing much scope for describing Britain’s exciting and exotic Commonwealth of the period. Hamer has previously published non-fiction and it is clear that she has done her research for this novel. There are a lot of interesting biographical details of Kipling and his family. It is always interesting to hear about the families of their individuals, who are often talented themselves but do not get the same recognition, especially when it is because they lived in a time when it was more difficult to gain acclaim as a woman.

My favourite part of the novel was undoubtedly the beginning - learning about Kipling and his sister, Trix’s, exotic life in the colonies of India, compared with their drab, oppressive life when sent back to England. I gradually felt less and less attached to the characters as the novel went on and I did not find it held my attention. It felt as though Hamer was trying to cover too long a period, I would have enjoyed this more as just a novel about the characters in their youth. They also move around so often that it is easy to get lost and forget which country they are in at any given moment.

I liked the addition of information about spiritualism and automatic writing that Trix was so obsessed by. It was interesting to see how unfairly she was treated by those around her and Hamer definitely got across the injustice of how those with mental health problems were viewed by society. All in all it felt as though there was a lot of opportunity here, but something fell short in the style.

A copy was provided to me by Netgalley in return for an honest review.

[Maria Rivas-mc · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Feeling the shape of it against my hand was always the beginning of happiness. All I’d learned in that other place, the House of Desolation in Southsea, melted away.’
On acquiring the old bell-pull from his Aunt Georgie’s London house

‘Kipling & Trix’ manages to evoke the time, late 19th to early 20th centuries, which the Kipling family lived through. We’re taken to India, through Britain and America and South Africa and see first-hand societal mores and their effects during this transformative period in the world. From that perspective, it was an eye opener, driving me on occasion to Google to find out a bit more and to mesh my understanding of a situation or a person with what the book revealed. Sadness dogged them – early separation from their parents, deaths of Kipling’s children, nervous break downs that marked Trix’s life, the eternal struggle to compose and create. Yet, in spite of it all, the author reminds us that Kipling was revered and Trix, who outlived both brother and husband, remained a character to the end. In that sense, the close offers a sense of triumph.

If you enjoy biographies, this would be a good one to try. I received a free copy via Booktasters for an honest review.

[Heather Walker · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a chosen book from my reading group and interested me because of the Pre-Raphaelite connection - Rudyard and Trix's aunt was the wife of Edward Burne Jones. I've also been to Rottingdean where Rudyard lived for a while. The book looks at how the early years of Rudyard and his sister Trix affected them later in life. Although a novel the book is based on historical facts and I already knew that the early years away from their parents was not a happy one. Each child deals with the situation differently and sees it differently. It is an interesting book but I did get bogged down around the half way stage. Sometimes I felt it didn't flow well and it was easy to put down! It may just be me but I began to lose interest and slogged my way through the final quarter.

[Kelly Glenn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoy historical fiction and I looked forward to reading about Kipling.
Rudyard Kipling was an accomplished writer coming out of the British Empire. I really loved the history in this book. I also loved learning about Trix, his sister. I enjoyed Learning about their childhood and the struggles they went through together. It is fascinating to know that Trix was also a talented writer that was very much overlooked.
I very much enjoyed this subject and the history. For me, the book didn't keep my attention very well. It was not a page turner and parts of this book dragged on. I wasn't able to connect as deeply with the characters as I would've liked and parts of the story were hard to get through..
*Note: I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though I'll admit the book was slow and semi-difficult to understand in the beginning when they were children, it picked up quickly through each set of years. I hadn't previously known anything about Rudyard Kipling other than that he was the author of "The Jungle Book", but to read his story through a fictional narrative was quite enlightening. Hamer brings such life and understanding to the characters that it's easy to imagine the life they lead. I wasn't a fan of Trix' character throughout most of the book, but I suspect that's what her character was meant to be portrayed as. I definitely recommend this book - a very good historical fiction read, especially if "The Jungle Book" is one of your favorites.

[Brooke, · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kipling & Trix started well. I could visualise the family setting and the movements across continents to India. The children being returned to England to save them from outbreaks of fever was also gripping to read. The flow continued up until the foster father, Captain Pryse Agar Holloway, died - at which point, the novel became hard work. It is extraordinary that a person, written as a minor character, was doing all the work of holding the narrative together. Read More at http://wp.me/p4JCbo-5a

[Polly Krize · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Knowing Rudyard Kipling mainly for The Jungle Book, this book was an excellent read for me. His life was full, both of suffering and joys. Trix, a writer in her own right and his beloved sister, shared their isolated childhood with him in England, and this separation from their parents seemed to have colored both of their lives. The influence of his India experiences and his need to let the world know his views drove him as a writer. A well-written historical novel, well worth a look!

[NUNZIO · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliance and tragedy. So much life and innocense presented to a cruel world. Their lives from India to snobish Britain took the adventure from both but most of all "Trix". She was as great as her brother but put down for being female. It's a shame we, as a society, trample intellect because it has the wrong genetals. I cried for them both! This book gut wrenched me. It left me wondering why and why not should we be so insincere and hateful, kicking the estate that we feel below us. Why? Why?