Yours from the Tower by Sally Nicholls - Book Review

Publication Date: 07th September 2023

Genre: YA Historical Fiction, Epistolary 

4.5 Stars 

One Liner: Adorable! 

1896-97

Trizah, Polly, and Sarah are eighteen-year-old best friends who left the boarding school to go back to their families/ lives. Trizah is in Scotland with her grumpy Grandma. Polly is home and enjoying being a teacher at the local orphanage. Sarah gets a chance to debut the Season and find a rich husband, thanks to her aunt. 

Over the months, the trio sends each other letters about their frustrations, hopes, dreams, confusions, dilemmas, love, adventures, etc. They also interact with others through letters. What does the future have in store for these lovely young ladies? 

The entire story is presented in letters between different characters. 

My Thoughts: 

I knew I had to read this when I saw the cover and the title. It gave me quirky vibes with a touch of fairytale and loads of laughs. The book delivers the same and almost met my expectations. 

The main characters – Trizah, Polly (Mary), and Sarah, have distinctive personalities that make it easy to keep their voices separate. There’s no confusion about who is who (I even tried reading a few letters by ignoring the salutations, and it still worked). 

The book is described as an epic Victorian teenage drama (in the author’s note), and I agree. The characters don’t always sound like they belong to the era, but they do work within the constraints of the period. 

Various topics are dealt with here, ranging from gender bias, social conditions for the common folk, marrying rich to support one’s family, the conflict between mind and heart (love vs. duty), lack of parental love, yearning for affection, loneliness, greed, etc. We even have a mini-mystery of sorts related to some kids at the orphanage. 

It does seem like a lot, but nowhere does the book feel overwhelming. Maybe it does get emotional at one point, which is necessary for a character’s growth. Even that is balanced by light-hearted supporting scenes and some drama. However, there are a couple of triggering mentions (check TW at the end of the review). 

Despite being an epistolary novel, the book manages to offer enough character development not just for the leading ladies but a few side characters too. I really enjoyed how it provides entertainment while presenting enough elements to think about. Be it the running of orphanages or the apparent differences between rich and poor, each element is tackled with the right amount of seriousness.  

The letters between other characters enrich the book and provide a more rounded perspective. I loved knowing Mr. Thompson and Sebastian’s thoughts. Their letters provide the necessary backstory into their lives, which makes them feel real rather than being uni-dimensional.  

Of course, I’d have loved it more if the book managed to include an epilogue with a letter or two. I always want to know if the characters have HEA. Still, the ending is apt and provides good closure (aligning with the characters’ arcs). 

The writing is easy to read despite having quite a few characters. The letters are of varying lengths and keep the momentum going. I hated taking a break, but I needed my sleep more. It’s a quick book and doesn’t feel like I’ve read 350+ pages. 

To summarize, Yours from the Tower is a cute, sweet, adorable, and delightful entertainer set in the Victorian era. With quirky and loving characters, it is light-hearted, fun, and enjoyable. Pick it up when you want something cozy and happy. Do check the triggers, though. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Andersen Press, for the eARC. 

#NetGalley #YoursfromtheTower 

TW: Parental neglect, alcoholic parent, mention of suicide attempt (no action but can be triggering), and hints of depression due to loneliness.