The Eights is a novel I didn’t know that I needed to read. Miller is so creative in her exploration of female relationships and solidarity. Although at times The flash backs and flash forwards were well placed and allowed me to really understand the characters on a level that so many books fail to do. It is so well researched and moving, and I am so glad I have read it.

1920 and as the country recovers from the War, Oxford is accepting the first female students who will gain degrees. For four of them billeted together at St Hugh's it is the chance to break away - Otto, a socialite desperate to escape convention, Beatrice, the daughter of a famous mother wanting to be herself, Dora, suffering devastating loss and Marianne, a clever girl with secrets. Over their first year the girls find friendship in the face of adversity and prejudice. Superficially, this is a pleasant enough historical fiction novel but it does have a lot of hidden depth. The characters are not too stereotypical but act as great vehicles for bigger themes to be explored and the setting is cleverly placed to hit radical changes in society. Overall a very promising novel.

'The Eights' is a wonderful story of four very different women who are of the first women to study and graduate at Oxford University in 1920. Otto, Beatrice, Dora and Marianne learn to find their way within the maze and demands of Oxford. It is an uplifting story about how these brave, intelligent, resilient women form a strong friendship. I particularly, really enjoyed the vivacious character of Ottoline. I really enjoyed reading about this pivotal moment in history, post WW1 when women were given the vote. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

1920, Oxford England and four very different young women are amongst the first women to join the hallowed halls of Oxford University. On corridor eight of St Hugh's Dora, Beatrice, Marianne and Otto are placed in neighbouring rooms little knowing what a special friendship they would build. Sometime you know you are going to enjoy a book within a few pages and that how I was with this one, it’s clear the author has undertaken meticulous research and it shows. Briefly, Dora is there to honour the memory of her brother and fiancé who both died during WWI, Beatrice hopes to make her mother notice her, Marianne is from a less wealthy background and wants a better life and Otto needs to prove to herself that she isn’t just a worthless socialite. We follow the women through the trials and tribulations of their first year at St Hugh’s. I love how much of this book is based on fact, albeit our four ladies are all fictional. It’s still shocks me to think that it took so long, and a World War, for Oxford university to open it doors to women and enable them to matriculate. It’s clear there was still a lot of opposition to this decision, in fact the misogyny was quite open. The rules and regulations that had to follow were strict and Dons were still permitted to refuse them admission to their lectures. I loved all four of the women, despite all opposition, not only from members of the university but also from some of their families, they remained strong, determined and loyal to each other. This was a very enjoyable historical fiction novel and I’ll certainly be looking out for the authors next book. 4.5⭐️

This is an engaging novel about four young women who are part of the first intake of female students allowed to formally matriculate at Oxford in order to take degrees. It's very much in the tradition of female friendship narratives as the four bond instantly and support each other through trials and tribulations but it's heart-warming for all that. Although the focus is strongly on female experience, this doesn't fall into a 'man-hating' stance: 'good' female allies have a presence here too though they don't swamp the women: 'the most exquisite and unexpected acts of kindness. From strangers. From men.' At times, the structure gets a little clumsy with the regular flashbacks to the four women's lives before Oxford, but I was willing to forgive craft issues as I was enjoying the storytelling - just the thing for commute and/or holiday reading with a reliable historical backbone.