I very much enjoyed this historical fiction book set in and around Oxford. Four female students meet at the university of Oxford in 1921 and form a deep bond of friendship. It's a lovely and moving story. I learned loads about the history of the university as well as the appalling way women were treated back then. Beautifully written and highly recommended.

I loved this, I read it in one sitting, the characterisation of the four ‘Eights’ was touching and authentic, the novel is so well researched, and provides a fascinating social history of women and education at the time. I can’t recommend The Eights enough. It was incredibly moving. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I fell utterly, eternally in love with 'The Eights' and its four heroines: Beatrice, Dora, Marianne, and Otto (in order of appearance not esteem - I cannot decide who I love most). Set in Oxford in 1920-1, ‘The Eights’ is a fictionalised account of four of the first women to matriculate as full students able to take degrees. The women’s academic ambitions and the barriers they face, including their own sense of self-doubt and guilt, are wholly convincing, inspiring, and relatable. Their position as women finding their own way in a world very different from that of their mothers is powerful and poignant. The profound aftershocks of the Great War are heartbreaking (much blubbing on my part), but the green shoots of hope were as uplifting as a hot air balloon ride (also much grinning, and happy blubbing on my part). Sense of place is spot on, and period details were perfect without ever overwhelming the characters at the story’s heart. Oxford has been the setting for 8.8 million novels over the past two centuries (official made up stats), but this miraculously offers a fresh, clear-eyed and modern perspective while retaining magic and charm. It’s pure Brideshead era - a city of aquatint - but shows one of the many other sides of the city and the university. It also contains fascinating insights into women’s work and lived experience during the war, plus the suffrage movement and manages not to feel preachy. I will probably spend the next few weeks harvesting copies of Vera Brittain and Robert Graves from secondhand shops. When I’ve finished the essay I’m meant to be writing as a current student at the university, in honour of the Eights. Obviously. Thanks to @penguinfigtree and @netgalley for the advanced copy.

The Eights is so beautifully written. I was with the Eights every step they took. I loved every character and felt so attached to all four girls. It captured the timeless energy of female friendships. The twists were brilliant and the thrill of Otto was so fun to read. I couldn’t possibly decide which of the Eights is my favourite.

Without a doubt, the proof copy of Joanna Miller’s debut novel, The Eights, was my favourite read of 2024! Set in 1920, in the shadow of the Great War, the book features four young women who are among the first cohort of women allowed to matriculate at Oxford University. The four are very different, both in personality and background, and I loved the back stories that the author created for each of them: Dora is still mourning the loss of her brother and fiancé on the battlefields of the First World War and is there to take their place. Beatrice, the daughter of a famous suffragette feels overshadowed by her mother and yearns to find her own way in life. Socialite, Otto is trying to flee from her haunting experience of nursing in WW1. Marianne, the quiet, clever daughter of a village vicar, is hiding a secret that could thwart her dreams of graduating and becoming a teacher. All are brought together in neighbouring rooms on Corridor Eight of St Hughes’ College and form a brilliant bond of friendship that will sustain them though the trials and tribulations as they navigate this male dominated, misogynistic world. Meticulously researched, I was amazed at the many rules and regulations that the women had to endure, including curfews and being chaperoned everywhere! Rich with local and literary detail, I enjoyed recognising various Oxford landmarks such as the Pitt Rivers Museum, and Blackwells famous bookshop - places that we have visited on many occasions. And I loved the cameo appearances of literary figures such as debut author, Agatha Christie, authors Vera Brittain, Winifred Holtby, and even Thomas Hardy receiving his honorary DLitt. Inspirational, moving and witty, I just loved spending time in the world of The Eights and highly recommend buying this wonderful new novel about these beautifully drawn trailblazing women, and their powerful friendship, when it publishes on 3rd April. A huge thank you to Joanna Miller and Penguin Fig Tree for my proof copy. I am now hoping that there will a sequel!