Gladys, the Reaper

"Gladys, the Reaper" by Anne Beale is a tale set in the late 1800s that follows a young Irish girl's trek to find her family in Wales. The reader meets Gladys, seemingly strained form fatigue and weariness as she is surrounded by a cast of characters overcoming hardships with the backdrop of struggling times. The novel touches upon themes of kindness, wealth gaps, and why it’s important to help those in need. Set during Summertime, as the the narrative unfolds, a farm-lady named Mrs. Prothero, notices Gladys and offers her help. The novel explores a picturesque yet contrasting image of nature's beauty alongside the plight of the impoverished characters and sets up the central question of how Gladys's arrival will impact the Prothero household and the novel's themes surrounding charity and social class divides.