The Rope Carrier

This begins and ends with the last community of rope-makers who lived in a vast underground cave during the late 18th century. When the young Minnie goes to Sheffield to help her sick sister and the family she has married into, the life there is a sudden and awful contrast. The recreation of these historical worlds is marvellously done. The delicacy of the storytelling and the contemporary engravings are both a delight. It's a beautifully produced book.