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    The Mistress of Nothing: A Novel
    The Mistress of Nothing: A Novel
    The Mistress of Nothing: A Novel
    Ebook279 pages4 hours

    The Mistress of Nothing: A Novel

    By Kate Pullinger

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    The American debut of an award-winning novel about a lady’s maid’s awakening as she journeys from the confines of Victorian England to the uncharted far reaches of Egypt’s Nile Valley.

    When Lady Duff Gordon, paragon of London society, departs for the hot, dry climate of Egypt to seek relief from her debilitating tuberculosis, her lady’s maid, Sally, doesn’t hesitate to leave the only world she has known in order to remain at her mistress’s side. As Sally gets farther and farther from home, she experiences freedoms she has never known—forgoing corsets and wearing native dress, learning Arabic, and having her first taste of romance.

    But freedom is a luxury that a lady’s maid can ill afford, and when Sally’s newfound passion for life causes her to forget what she is entitled to, she is brutally reminded she is mistress of nothing. Ultimately she must choose her master and a way back home—or a way to an unknown future.

    Based on the real lives of Lady Duff Gordon and her maid, The Mistress of Nothing is a lush, erotic, and compelling story about the power of race, class, and love
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAtria Books
    Release dateJan 4, 2011
    ISBN9781439195062
    The Mistress of Nothing: A Novel
    Author

    Kate Pullinger

    Kate Pullinger was born in Canada, and moved to London in 1982 where she still lives. She is the author of Tiny Lies, a collection of short stories, and the novels When the Monster Dies and Weird Sister. She collaborated with Jane Campion on the novel of the film The Piano, and has written for film, television and radio. She is currently lecturer in Creative Writing and New Media at De Montfort University.

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    Reviews for The Mistress of Nothing

    3.5/5

    29 ratings29 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Lady's Maid Sally and Lady Duff Gordon journey from Victorian England to the dry climate of EgyptThis is the story of her awakening and the joys and repercussions that follow.Her freedoms include such things as abandoning English costume in favor of native dress, learning Arabic and a first taste of love.Freedom is an expression that a lady's maid cannot afford...Hence the brutal reminder that she is in fact mistress of nothing.This is a heartwrenching story ...historical fiction based on a true story, set in the 1860s."Based on the real lives of Lady Duff Gordon and her maid,The Mistress of Nothing is a lush, erotic, and compelling story about the power of race, class, and love"
    • 1/5
      If I could give this book a rating of no stars I would. The Mistress of Nothing is about nothing! There is one event for the entire book. The author didn't even seem to know how to end it as it just sort of trails of into .... nothing....
    • 4/5
      I thoroughly enjoyed this novel but I don't think I would have selected it as an award winner.

      It is difficult for me to imagine being a lady's maid - devoting oneself to another woman's life and so selflessly putting her life, her health, her desires, her happiness, her every 'thing' before my own. Even for money, I cannot imagine.

      This novel with setting in the Victorian era is another type of depiction of a servant learning too late the consequences for believing that she meant something more to the woman she served as a lady's maid. The story portrays the socioeconomic differences and adds layers to the story with introduction of politics of the time, cultural differences between England and Egypt, and gender inequalities. The descriptive writing pulls the reader into the story and transports the reader to perhaps more openly seeing a different time for women and the challenges they faced. Choices by the characters might not have been our choices but I believe the novel can open our minds and our hearts to understanding and if not understanding at least to thoughtful consideration and respectful dialogue if discussed. Perhaps that very reason is why it was selected as an award winner.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed this book as told from the viewpoint of Sally Naldrett, Lady Duff Gordon's maid. Lady Duff Gordon has TB and therefore has to move to a dryer climate and that dryer climate turns to be Egypt, Luxor to be exact. Sally has a relationship her Lady Duff Gordon's dragoman, becomes pregnant, and has his child which Lady Duff Gordon delivers. As Sally states on page 16, "But a lady's maid's loyalty must be to her Lady; ladies' maids do not marry. At least they do not marry an carry on being ladies' maids". Something I noticed about Lady Gordon Duff, her close friends in both England and Egypt were men and she wasn't close to her adult daughter Janet Ross nor did she employ another ladies' maid once Sally had been turfed out of French House. Her family did and by the time of her death it sounded like there had been another change of maids. The vivid portrayals of Egypt with many of its sights half-buried in sand ruled the Ismail Pasha who was taking men for work on the Suez Canal and animals, grain and land from their defenseless families left at home. Something I hadn't read about.
    • 3/5
      Lady Duff Gordon, dying of TB in Egypt, loves her devoted maid -- until her maid falls in love with someone else.
    • 4/5
      I haven't read this book in a two years and I still think about the story and plot--I need to read more of this author or genre.
    • 3/5
      I enjoyed the first Part of this book (Life) but cared less about Parts 2 and 3 (Death and Afterlife).

      I liked that the story jumps right into the heart of the story -- travelling to Egypt -- and summarizes the back stories of the characters quickly. The book could have started with Sally's childhood, the loss of her parents and living with an aunt only to be put into service at the Duff Gordon household, and followed her career there, including the year on a ship to South Africa and back. That in itself could have been a book, and I like that this book seems like the sequel to a story so that you don't have to read all that background. Life travelling through Egypt, learning its customs, is interesting.

      Then Sally has a baby and everything changes. Lady Duff Gordon's reaction, in my opinion, does not fit at all with the character built in the first half. I know the author frames it as the reaction to being dupped for so long, but her complete rejection of the situation is too extreme.

      I also felt, in Parts 2 and 3, that I did not know Omar at all. In Part 1 I started to get to know him, but then a curtain is pulled up and he's a stock character in some respects. None of his actions seemed to fit any particular sketch I could come up with. How could he be so loyal and loving to two different women (Lady DG and Sally) at the same time? The presence of his Egyptian wife and his treatment of her seemed logical, given the culture, but not the rest.

      Part 3 was very short and did not craft the scenes and characters as Part 1 did and I was happy for it to end.

      Yes, I liked reading the historical and cultural information. I recognize that the writing was well crafted in some parts. But as a whole, I was not impressed with the book. Not as an award winning (Governor General) book.

      A vacation read, perhaps, or for a high school ISU, but not as great literature.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed this book. I especially liked the author's writing style... I felt like I was reading something from a close friend. Pullinger's descriptions of Egypt were quite captivating as well.
    • 3/5
      A good read. quite entertaining an i enjoyed learning about the customs and culture of egypt.
    • 3/5
      Well, I was rather disappointed with this book. It begins with two interesting real-life characters, Lady Lucie Duff-Gordon and her maid, Sally Naldrett, but it soon resorts to conventional romance and a commentary on the hypocrisy of the British class system.The ailing Lady Lucie Duff-Gordon has been sent to Egypt for her health, accompanied only by her long-time lady's maid, Sally Naldrett. The unconventional mistress (known for her travel writing and independent spirit) encourages Sally to follow her lead in removing her stays and adopting a semi-masculine Egyptian dress as they revel in what they consider the "free" life of the anceint country. Lady Duff-Gordon relies on male friends and letters of reference to secure help--most notably that of a very capable dragoman who not only guides and interprets but also cooks and shops for the two women. Soon my lady, Sally, and Omar form a triumverate as jolly as the three musketeers. That is, until Sally and Omar fall in love, and Sally gives birth to an illegitimate child. Omar is willing to take Sally as his second wife--but not to go against the wishes of Lady Duff-Gordon and lose his lucrative employment.Perhaps the most interesting parts of the book are the descriptions of life in mid-nineteenth century Egypt, a seething political hotbed despite its placid surface. The current dictator, bent on building the Suez Canal, confiscates and taxes the property of the poor and conscripts young men into his work force. Lady Duff-Gordon happened to be one of the few Europeans to speak out against this regime. I suppose it should come as no surprise when a liberal "free spirit" reverts to the snobbish conventions of her privileged class. But Sally's naivete was equally annoying. There was enough of interest here to merit a mediocre rating, but, sadly, most of that interest came from outside of the two main characters.
    • 4/5
      This novel is based on the true story of Sally Naldrett, lady's maid to Lady Lucie Duff-Gordon. When Lady Duff-Gordon was sent to Egypt for its warm, dry climate, in order to try to slow the progress of the disease that was slowly wracking her body, she is accompanied by her faithful maid, Sally, In Egypt, Sally finds a freedom that she'd never dreamed possible back in England in the 19th Century. However, when she falls in love with an Egyptian dragoman, she finds that the freedom she'd found may only be an illusion.I whipped through this book in two days. Yes, it's short, but I could hardly put it down. Had I not been busy, I'm sure I'd have finished it the same day.It's a page-turner, and even though the tone is strongly romantic, it also deals with some solid themes - addressing differences in class and religion, for instance.This was a book that I thoroughly enjoyed.
    • 4/5
      I found this to be a rather enjoyable read. The story is told by Sally, the maid of Lady Lucy Duff Gordon. Lady Duff Gordon has TB and has been ordered by her doctor to leave England for the more arid climate of Egypt. Sally is the only servant to travel to Egypt with Lady Duff Gordon and recounts the two women's adventures while traveling up and down the Nile between Cairo and Luxor with their Egyptian guide, Omar.
    • 5/5
      Lady Lucy Duff Gordon has TB and living in damp England is killing her. She has decided to go to Egypt leaving her husband and children behind with only her faithful maid, Sally, as company. Sally does her best to look after "My Lady", as she calls Lady Duff Gordon, but she is unable to even buy food in the Egyptian markets. Fortunately friends of the Duff Gordons recommend that a dragoman be hired. Omar takes care of everything for Sally and My Lady. He hires a boat and crew to take them up the Nile, he cooks, he teaches them Arabic. In short he is indispensable. Omar has a wife and child who have stayed behind in Cairo. The close proximity between Sally and Omar leads to an intimate relationship. Soon Sally discovers she is pregnant. She knows she should tell "My Lady" but she puts it off. Lady Duff Gordon discovers the pregnancy when she is called upon to help deliver the baby. After that Lady Duff Gordon refuses to see Sally or her baby and she decides that the child should be sent to Omar's wife and Sally should go back to England. Sally has other ideas and she tries to raise her son alone in Cairo. Omar has to stay with "My Lady" since that is the only way he can support his family. Eventually Sally realizes that she cannot look after the baby and work so she delivers the baby to Omar's first wife. She gets along well with the first wife and is able to see the baby almost every day. But "My Lady" forbids her moving in with Omar's family.It's hard to understand why Lady Duff Gordon is so vindictive. It may be because Sally and Omar hid the pregnancy from her. It may be because she is close to death and she can't stand the proof of others having a life. It may be because, even though she is not your typical Victorian matron, she is appalled that an English woman has allowed a dark man to touch her.Kate Pullinger has not completely made up this tale. Lady Duff Gordon, Sally and Omar were real people and Sally did become pregnant with Omar's child. Lady Duff Gordon's letters from Egypt have been published and refer to this incident. Nothing is known about what happened to Sally and the baby and that is where Pullinger has allowed her imagination to run free.The descriptions of life in Egypt are vivid -- at times I had to remind myself that I was in Canada in the 21st century, not Egypt in the 19th.
    • 4/5
      I ended up enjoying this book a lot more than I thought I would when I first started reading it. Things really picked up around chapter six and then I couldn't stop reading until I finished the book. It had a happy-sad sort of ending, but it was satisfying to me. There were definite pros and cons to Sally's life and the decisions she made as Lady Duff Gordon's ladies maid. The same went for Lady Duff Gordon and Omar, her loyal servant. The story was thoroughly engrossing and I found myself living in Egypt back in the mid 1800s. It was quite an adventure. I found the cultural aspects of the story fascinating and the romance quite intriguing. The Mistress of Nothing was a love story for certain, but it had a bittersweet feel to it that I found quite addicting. Sometimes those stories are the best kind because in real life everything isn't peaches and cream, plus every decision made has ramifications that are far-reaching. I loved the part where Sally discovered that part of the problem was that she didn't "think" about what she was doing. She just gave herself over to it, reveled in it even. That type of impulsive behavior is often most destructive because usually it's not until the consequences are right in front of us that we realize things didn't have to go that route in the first place. But by then it was too late. It sounds like I'm talking in code, I know. But it's the only way to share my thoughts without giving a spoiler. All in all I really enjoyed this book. It started out a bit tedious, but once I became engrossed in the story I had to keep reading until I finished it. It had a unique feel to it sort of like "The English Patient," but not as tragic. Very compelling story and well worth the read.
    • 4/5
      This was an excellent read and I have now ordered 3 more of Ms. Pullinger's books.
    • 4/5
      Generally speaking, I take a pretty dim view of historical novels that play fast and loose with the real history that inspired them. Kate Pullinger freely admits to having done so in "The Mistress of Nothing", and has been publicly called out for it (not least by one of the real-life descendants of the book's chief villain, Lady Lucie Duff-Gordon). Certainly, this story of a nineteenth-century English maid's illicit love affair and her struggle to survive as a single mother owes a great deal to 21st century mores. But I enjoyed the book, all the same. I'm a sucker for good travelogues, especially ones penned by Victorian lady travellers (I really need to read Duff-Gordon's "Letters from Egypt" now). Also, the descriptions of Egypt were wonderfully langorous, and brought back memories of my own trip there over a decade ago.
    • 3/5
      3.5 stars.I enjoyed this short book, perhaps more than I think I should have when thinking back on it.On the plus side, it's a fascinating story, following an English lady's maid on a journey into Egypt, where she lets her old life go and begins a new life, one not entirely of her own choosing. The book drew a vivid picture of life in Egypt at that time.Unfortunately, the characters were all flat, and that includes Sally, the narrator. So much happens to her during the book, and she just goes along, calmly making decisions, but never showing her feelings. This is proper public behaviour for a woman of her station, but in a first person novel, I want to see behind the facade.At least I understood her motivations. The two other main characters remained a mystery to me, particularly Lady Duff Gordon. That's the downside of having one character narrate-- if she doesn't understand the actions of other characters, it's hard for the reader to do so.If you are looking for a glimpse of an unusual life, and a view of Egypt in a time of change, read this book. If you are looking for a nuanced character study, you may be disappointed.
    • 4/5
      I love historical fiction and the longer the better which is why I was surprised by this little book and how much I did like it even if I did feel as though there could have been more in terms of the historical. In the end, it was about the characters more than the place and I came to terms with that over the course of 250+ pages. When Lady Duff Gordon makes the decision to move to Egypt permanently for the sake of her health, her maid, Sally Naldrett, is excited, joyous even at the prospect of a new life. Always a woman of low means, Sally is happy with the idea of being her Lady’s mistress but when they finally arrive at their destination in Luxor, the formalness of England begins to dissipate and she finds herself more a friend and confident than a servant. Her relationship with Lady Duff Gordon is not the only thing in her life to dramatically change --- she falls in love with Omar Abu Halaweh, the dragoman brought on to assist Lady Duff Gordon. Unfortunately, he is already married with children. Their relationship becomes too much for Lady Duff Gordon and Sally finds herself alone and abandoned in a country not her own but one she loves as if it were. As I said, this is a very short book and oddly, when I finished, I found myself furious. Lady Duff Gordon ruins Sally for what she considers a betrayal. But the irony in that is she has helped servants in the past who have been in the same position as Sally so after being fascinated by this person and the way she defined her role as woman, mother, and wife, I found her intolerance towards Sally hateful. I want to say she ruined the story for me but she didn’t (although I would have liked to have seen more about Egypt itself and what was happening at the time --- it’s hinted at but not discussed). These two women, how their lives changed and how they were in many ways forced to not only accept but manufacture their own endings is really what this story is. My annoyance with Lady Duff Gordon quickly turned to a sort of understanding. I say sort because her treatment of Sally was truly hateful and a way to transfer her pain to another without having to deal with it. Lady Duff Gordon was a real person and while I know nothing of her, she was an interesting person to revolve this story around. What it also gave me was an interest in more historical fiction about Egypt which I will be looking for in the near future.
    • 4/5
      This novel is written in the first person perspective. The voice of the narrator was strong and beautiful. I enjoyed every sentence because of that narrative voice. I loved Sally and could not wait to hear her story. She rivals many of the best-loved narrators in literature. Her voice has a comforting familiarity as she discusses the exotic locations in Egypt. This was the strongest part of the novel.However, because the voice was so strong, the dialogue and main actions of the plot were muted. I like being pulled away from the narrator at times to focus on actions taking place. The dialogue did not live up to the standards of the narrator. I cared less about what happened than how Sally told me about it.This last paragraph make it sound as if I didn't enjoyt the novel, and I did very much. However is did fall short of excellent. (Spoiler below)I did have one quibble with the plot as well. When Sally decides to sleep with Omar, she knows that he is married. This fact does not give her a moment's pause. I realize that he can have more wives than one, but it still seems to constitute an affair to me. It surprised me that Sally, who has been so protective of her virtue up to this point, would throw it away on a married man without a thought. I am still trying to figure that one out.
    • 4/5
      The Mistress of Nothing came into my reading life at an advantageous time. Just prior to me picking it up, Egypt had overthrown its government. I had also recently watched the first installment of Downton Abbey, a PBS series about British aristocracy and their hired help. These things put me in the perfect mindset to read this novel, which is written from the point of view of Sally Naldrett, the lady maid for Lady Duff Gordon.Lady Duff Gordon has a terrible case of consumption and, as different climates on the continent were of little help to her, she is forced to leave her family for at least two years to live in the hotter, dryer climate of Egypt. As Lady Duff Gordon’s lady maid, Sally had little choice but to travel with her. Luckily, she was excited for the adventure and longed to see her Lady feeling better. While Egypt was literally a world away to the two women, they acclimated as well as could be expected. It was the women’s great good luck to encounter, Omar, the man who would become their dragoman, a translator, guide, and all around helper. Soon, they dropped their stays and confining dresses and adopted the dress of the Egyptians. Lady Duff Gordon was soon well enough to entertain both other British nationals as well as local men of a similar station to her own. When she is not ill, Lady Duff Gordon needs very little from Sally and Omar and their relationships, much to Sally’s shock, becomes more casual. Sally realizes that traveling to Egypt has given her the opportunity to be treated almost as an important friend, something that never would have occurred were she in England. This time of happiness did not last. With the arrival of Lady Duff Gordon’s husband for a visit does not go as the Lady had hoped and Sally makes it impossible for her not to tell Lady Duff Gordon the one secret she’d been keeping from her, Sally’s life comes crashing down.While The Mistress of Nothing dealt with the lives of actual human beings, what struck me the most about the story is the relationship between those with power, in this case Lady Duff Gordon, and those with none, Sally and Omar. Even in times of illness, while Lady Duff Gordon believes that she is in control of her life and her environment, she is kind-hearted to those needing her help and assistance. Before they left England for Egypt Sally relates the a fellow servant who had fallen from grace. The father of her unborn child left her and without her work, this unfortunate woman has nothing and no where to go. Sally is certain that her Lady will be kind to the girl and she was. Benevolence is easy when one feels in control. Benevolence also has a nasty flip side.When you’re in the situation of relying on the good will of another human being, be that for your livelihood or your life, you ought never take it for granted. This is what happened to Sally. She is taken aback by the way Lady Duff Gordon relaxed their relationship in Egypt. Both Sally and Omar mistook the growing intimacy of their evenings for her Lady Duff Gordon’s growing fondness of them. In actuality, it was all about Lady Duff Gordon and the freedom she herself had discovered. Taking that change as a sign of friendship and relaxing themselves set the stage for what was to come.I truly enjoyed The Mistress of Nothing. Not only did the Egyptian landscape and lifestyles come to life, I cared very much about the characters and how they made their lives there. It’s interesting how one can adapt so easily and thoroughly to physical, mental and religious changes in the landscape. Kate Pullman is an excellent writer and she had me hooked from the very first sentence. She adds depth to the characters and the situation in which they found themselves in a concise and beautiful manner. This is a novel for historical fiction fans and all readers interested in the dynamics between classes and how women interact with and treat one another. I highly recommend reading this novel.
    • 3/5
      The preface of the book (as well as the title and summary) informs you of the impending disaster so you are anticipating it the entire time. I think this expectation marred the otherwise pleasant journey through Egypt. Granted, without the expectation, I might have found the journey to be boring so obviously I'm just hard to please. Mistress of Nothing reads very much like a diary. The story takes place in a time of political turmoil in Egypt, and I found the greater surrounding Sally's journey to be a very interesting setting despite the fact that the politics really didn't intrude very often. I could sort of connected with the characters, but I can't say that I really liked any of them. If you like slice of life stories, you may enjoy reading this one The disaster, when it happens, is one that I'm not sure fits into the picture very well. It should be noted that this is based on a true story so it must be somewhat accurate, and real life in general is messy unlike nice neat books.
    • 3/5
      Mistress of Nothing tells the story of Sally, Lady Duff Gorgan's nurse and maid. When Lady Duff Gordon becomes ill the two women travel to Egypt in hopes that the dry climate will improve her health. Sally faithfully follows her mistress, spending every waking minute caring for her, utterly devoted and loyal. But Egypt awakens something new in Sally and when the bond between Lady and maid is tested, Lady Duff Gordon proves a formidible and cunning enemy.The setting and backdrop of the story, a rich and fantastical Egypt of long ago, is like a charater in itself. The historical details, engaging minor characters, and lush landscape flesh the story out nicely and make for an engrossing read. Sally herself is an easy person to love - tough and sentimental, determined, smart, and yet naive. In the end it is her fierce will to stay in Egypt that makes her so understandable. Omar was the person who troubled me the most, seeming to have clear values yet unable or unwilling to stand up to Lady Duff Gordon. I had a hard time reconciling the early descriptions of him with his later actions. Ultimately the end wasn't very satisfying and I was left wishing for something more.I listened to Mistress of Nothing on audio and it was a real treat! It is read by Rosalyn Landor. I was especially impressed by her consitent ability to switch from the uppercrust accent of Lady Duff Gordon to the humble maid's speech of Sally.
    • 3/5
      The best thing about this book was the wonderful setting in Egypt and the author's ability to paint pictures of the country and its people. Ms. Pullinger is a very good writer and I can see why this book won the G.G. Award.The plot is based on the true story of Lucie Duff Gordon, who left her family in England to live in Egypt in an attempt to cure her TB. She travelled with only her maid, Sally. Based on letters Lady Duff Gordon published, the author has created this story from Sally's perspective.Sally has been a servant all her life. In Egypt, she begins to enjoy freedom; first, from the oppression of Victorian clothing, and ultimately from spinsterhood and servitude to a life of love as a wife and mother. However, it seems Sally will have to pay dearly for these freedoms as she begins to lose what she most treasures, starting with Lady Duff Gordon's affection and approval.The plot was a disappointment as the motivations of the characters, especially Lady Duff Gordon, were never clear. She went from being a kind person, willing to help friends and strangers alike, to being cold and cruel to Sally with no explanation. Sally's husband, Omar's, motivations were perhaps easier to understand but any conflicts he felt were not mentioned or dealt with. All in all, I'd rate this as "ok" -- lovely writing and some very powerful images and moments. But, weak character development.
    • 4/5
      In 1865, Lady Lucie Duff Gordon’s Letters From Egypt were published, telling of her experiences as well-respected English woman forced to relocate to a warmer climate in order to survive tuberculosis. In her letters, she mentions Sally, her lady’s maid, but gives very little information about her. With this novel, Kate Pullinger attempts to fill that gap and tell Sally’s story. The story is well written; I really liked Pullinger’s sparse style. The premise was interesting and I loved the way Sally’s first view of Egypt from their boat was described. Her sense of awe and her joy were conveyed perfectly. I also really enjoyed all of the details of Egyptian life. A couple of elements made the book unsatisfying, despite the good writing. First, the love story between Sally and Omar seemed unrealistic. There wasn’t any build-up leading to it, it just happened and even though Sally is aware that Omar is already married, that fact never really comes into play until very late in the story. That left me wondering the entire time, “But what about...?” In addition, Lady Duff Gordon’s reaction to Sally and Omar’s relationship seems very inconsistent with the way her character was developed throughout the novel and is never explained. In the end, I was left with more questions than any resolutions to the story.
    • 4/5
      Totally mesmerizing story of a woman who tries to break free of her society's mores only to find that the limitations placed on her as a servant and woman are completely binding. Based on a true story.
    • 4/5
      I loved the premise of this book, which is to explore a time from someone's life from the view of those who shared the experience. Sally, maid to Lady Duff Gordon (of Victorian London; there are others!) is excited at the prospect of visiting Egypt in a bid to cure her Lady's TB. Along the way she becomes involved with Omar, who is hired to help acquaint the ladies with their new Egyptian home and becomes a fellow servant in Lady Duff Gordon's household. Complications ensue. I came at this novel knowing nothing about the (true-ish) story it tells which made it all the more delicious. Just know that it is a fascinating story, well told.
    • 5/5
      I really liked this book. The descriptions and the feeling of place were very well documented. I would have liked to know why lady Duff reacted the way she did, it was hard to understand since she was portrayed as such a kind and understanding individual. Very enjoyable read.
    • 4/5
      A backstory behind Letters from Egypt, Lady Duff Gordon's account of her time in 1860's Egypt, this is a rivetting account of her loyal servant's life - both one with her mistress and then daring to have her own. Powerful yet subtle writing and utterly believable characters.
    • 4/5
      The Mistress of Nothing by Kate Pullinger is a sweeping tale focused on the lives of two English women, their relationship and their experiences. The story is drawn from the known historical accounts of the last years of Lady Lucie Duff Gordon, who traveled to Egypt in the 1860's with only her lady's maid, Sally Naldrett, and settled in the Upper Nile region in the hopes that the dry Egyptian climate would be a cure for her tuberculosis. While much is written about Lady Duff Gordon, including her own published letters, Letters From Egypt, little is known about her lady's maid Sally. Pullinger has crafted a story of their time in Egypt told from the point of view of Sally. Lady Duff Gordon, a woman of some standing in Victorian society, is portrayed as a strong woman capable of easily adapting to her surroundings and an individual that is not afraid to fly in the face of conventional wisdom. Within months of settling in the Upper Nile region of Luxor, Lady Duff Gordon has shed her stifling English wardrobe for flowing Egyptian clothing, shorn her hair, started to learn conversational Arabic and hosting salons for intellectual discussions with the local Egyptian society. Sally, timidly at first, starts to follow the example of her employer and slowly sheds the stiff wardrobe and customs of an English household. We watch as Sally evolves from what has been almost a cloistered existence to one of freedom and expression. Sally's innocence slowly drops away as she transforms into a woman, whom in her thirties, is experiencing life for the first time.The story is a interesting examination of society of the time period, both European and Egyptian, and the evolution of the relationship between Sally and Lady Duff Gordon, from employee-employer, care giver-patient, to near equals, to abandonment and betrayal. The prose is rich and flows slow, steady and even, almost like the Nile itself. Overall, a great story to lose oneself in.

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    The Mistress of Nothing - Kate Pullinger

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