Miss Eliza's English Kitchen

A Novel of Victorian Cookery and Friendship

By: Annabel Abbs

Narrated by: Ell Potter, Bianca Amato

Chosen as one of the season's best historical fiction novels by the New York Times!

Good Housekeeping Book Club Pick for November!

A Country Living Best Book of Fall!

A Washington Post Best Feel-Good Book of the Year!

In a novel perfect for fans of Hazel Gaynor’s A Memory of Violets and upstairs-downstairs stories, Annabel Abbs, the award-winning author of The Joyce Girl, returns with the brilliant real-life story of Eliza Acton and her assistant as they revolutionized British cooking and cookbooks around the world.

Before Mrs. Beeton and well before Julia Child, there was Eliza Acton, who changed the course of cookery writing forever.

England, 1835. London is awash with thrilling new ingredients, from rare spices to exotic fruits. But no one knows how to use them. When Eliza Acton is told by her publisher to write a cookery book instead of the poetry she loves, she refuses - until her bankrupt father is forced to flee the country. As a woman, Eliza has few options. Although she’s never set foot in a kitchen, she begins collecting recipes and teaching herself to cook. Much to her surprise, she discovers a talent - and a passion - for the culinary arts.

Eliza hires young, destitute Ann Kirby to assist her. As they cook together, Ann learns about poetry, love, and ambition. The two develop a radical friendship, breaking the boundaries of class while creating new ways of writing recipes. But when Ann discovers a secret in Eliza’s past and finds a voice of her own, their friendship starts to fray.

Based on the true story of the first modern cookery writer, Miss Eliza’s English Kitchen is a spellbinding novel about female friend­ship, the struggle for independence, and the transcendent pleasures and solace of food.

©2021 Annabel Abbs (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers

An engrossing listen

There’s something very captivating about this book. I really liked the setting of the Victorian kitchen and the overall Victorian era. I thought it was also very interesting to see the differences in the lives and hardships of both characters, and how they find a common ground in their love of cooking. All characters were very fleshed out and felt very genuine with their own voice.
The second half of the book was less successful, in my opinion. It sort of stopped progressing and meandered towards the end. The “reveal” of the “secrets” came way too late in the book, after the readers have long since guessed them… it would have been better to reveal them earlier so that we can delve into the characters feelings and explore how they deal with them. But since the book is more about the lives of the characters rather than any twists, it’s not a huge flaw.

The audiobook narrators both gave a stellar performance. Absolutely loved it.
Overall a very enjoyable read!

Great book

I really enjoyed this book
the narration was wonderful and the storyline kept my interest. I will probably listen to it again.

Delicious and engrossing

Annabel Abbs has brought the innovative author Eliza Acton to vivid life. I hadn’t known of her but, upon learning how many of my favorite writers about food, I am very happy I took the plunge. It is written in the alternating voices of Acton, from a middle class family fallen into disgrace, and Ann, her assistant who is rescued from abject poverty. Eliza lives mostly in her head while Ann struggles with her love and responsibilities to her mentally ill mother and alcoholic father.
Along with Hamnet and The Good Wife of Bath, Miss Eliza’s English Kitchen ranks among the best historical fiction I have read in the past few years.

Loved from beginning to end!

Surprised that only one narrator read both voices so well as they were totally different. The writing of this story is also poetry and the reader beautifully made the language flow. Well done!

A true delight!

Such a delight. Very nicely narrated and a charming story, do not pass this one up.

My favorite things !

This book has my favorite performers - Ell Potter and Bianca Amato! And my favorite subject - cooking and food ! I Loved it !! So well done ! These two women have the smoothest and most enticing voices and to hear them describe food made my mouth water ! May I have some more please ?

Great book

I saw a few reviews complaining about the main character being whiny or selfish. I call BS. Taking into account the times - early 1800- the conditions and situations of women and servants, and the conditions of trauma and depression I feel that is highly unfair. I recommend this to everyone.

Compelling and memorable

I did not know this author, and had no experience with either of the narrators, so I approached this audiobook equally curious and uncertain. It wasn't long - half a chapter? - before I was fully drawn in. I loved every moment of the story. The characters were so masterfully drawn I could visualize both the characters and their locations. The story was realistically portrayed, and well written and edited.

Beautifully narrated, I can still hear the narrators voices in my head, though I finished the book more than two months ago. I cannot recall when I last gave a 5 star review across the board but I do so in this instance with the hope it will encourage more readers to try it.

Slow start, but so worth the listen

Novel started a bit slow, but is so worth sticking with. Lovely weaving of cookery and the varied ingredients of life. Excellent narration, as well.

The Mysteries of the Stove

When two women who aren't much thought during their daily lives come together to make a book they find themselves as they perfect the recipes.