The Carroll Girls

"The Carroll Girls" by Mabel Quiller-Couch is a tale of four sisters, Esther, Penelope, Angela, and Poppy, who face a difficult home life because their mother cannot care for them properly and their home is falling apart; their world changes dramatically when they are sent to live with their cousin Charlotte in Devonshire. The story begins by showing us how each sister deals with the struggles they face, such as Penelope finding peace in their overgrown garden and Esther's frustration with their poverty. The novel expresses the slow fall these children experience as they cope without a father and a barely-there mother. As they get ready to leave behind everything they know for a fresh start with Cousin Charlotte, they feel a mix of anticipation and sorrow as they say goodbye to their old life and step into an uncertain future.