This is a dark story about Florence ‘Flora’, who lives in the slums of Five Points in 19th century New York. Flora is living with tattooist Jordan who seriously abuses her both physically and mentally but she thinks she is better off with him than alone. To him she is a trophy and he uses her body to show his tattoos and they cover her whole body, and she also tattoos herself! But Flora has a gift, the Knowing, an ability to speak to the dead and she reads Tarot. The author has included some real characters, some of who made a living as freaks in travelling and resident shows, during this era as immortalised in the film The Greatest Showman. Briefly, after meeting Minnie Flora leaves Jordan and moves, with Minnie, into the home of debauched and wealthy Chester Merton. She makes a living reading the tarot cards, always trying to hold back the Knowing, but when she holds her first public seance she is unable to hold back and speaks to the spirit of a murdered boy prostitute and reveals his killer, putting herself and her friends in extreme danger. This a seriously creepy and scary read with this insidious ‘gift’ always fighting to get out through Flora to find what they perceive as justice for themselves, at any cost. The life Flora and her friends lived was quite heartbreaking, it was so difficult for women to own themselves as men held all the power. The love Flora and Minnie shared would be considered immoral and illegal so they always had to hide their true feelings. Although I felt compassion for Flora she was damaged, a product of her upbringing, and wasn’t a particularly loveable character. A very powerful, dark historical gothic read with great characters and an emotional storyline. I really enjoyed it.

"The Knowing" by Emma Hinds is just the type of book I love: tarot-card readers, mystics, freak shows, the grimy underworld in which they live and much more. What elevates this book above the rest is that it brings to life New York, Dublin and Manchester with the descriptions of those who dwell there. I loved the story of Flora meeting Minnie and trying to get away from Jordan who used her as a human advertising board for his tattoos. Great story and bound to be a big hit in 2024.

The slums of nineteenth-century New York, a mysterious and tattooed mystic fights for her future, her very survival weighing in the balance of a tarot card… Flora, a living canvas for an abusive tattoo artist scrapes a living by telling many a fortune to those seeking distractions from their every day lives, easy to mock the very person they ask for advice when it is she that holds their destiny in her hands. One day when out on a rare solo journey, Flora meets Minnie, a circus performer who turns heads on every street she walks down, yet she is the one who holds her chin high in the face of adversity for she knows her own worth, even when others don’t. Minnie offers Flora refuge in an opulent and lavish townhouse yet Flora soon sees that the beauty of this new dwelling is heavily influenced and tainted by Mr Chester Merton, an individual who is nothing more than malice and mischief made flesh. Earning her keep by reading tarot for Mr Merton’s guests whilst struggling to fully harness her gift, the Knowing, an ability which grants the user the power to summon the dead, Flora finds herself caught within a love triangle between Minnie and Chester, yet after one fateful night upon hearing the spirit of a murdered boy prostitute, Flora has no choice but to flee and pray that the Knowing will eventually come to her aid, rather than keep her in chains her whole life. But as she will soon see, run though she might, the past has a way of never quite letting go, and she will open her eyes to that which she has been blind to for so many wasted years. A stunning and memorable debut, The Knowing is bewitching, gothic, intoxicating, and stylish.

I was intrigued by the synopsis of this book and thought I would give it a try even though I wasn't sure if I would like it. Fantasy is my usual go to so it was quite a step away from my usual reading. None the less, from the first page I was fully hooked in to Floras' story and could easily have read this in one sitting it was so compelling! However , I wanted to savour every bit of Floras tale and read it in two sittings! It's quite a dark novel, based on truth, but the writing was so beautifully done: the characters and settings excellently portrayed. I felt the fear and despair of the women, particularly Flora, who were incredibly strong against the backdrop of squalor and depravity of the men who used and abused them for their own "entertainment" and the betrayal they suffered from those around them. I am glad she got a happier ending after the horror she had been through This is definitely a book to read for yourself to fully appreciate it and should be on everyones' reading list ( in my opinion) I rarely give five star ratings but in this case it is highly deserved.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. All I can say is: WOW! The Knowing is beautiful from start to finish. It deals with many dark topics and themes, but it is also a story of survival. I found myself picking up this book at every chance I got to read, and when it ended, I wished I could pick it up and start all over again. I enjoyed the bi rep in this book and the way the climax was written completely blew me away. The Knowing may very well be my favourite read of 2023. If you have an interest in the occult, tarot, ghosts, and feminine rage, this is absolutely the book for you.