Books like The dwelling place by Catherine Cookson

In the 1830s, Cissie Brodie, a determined fifteen‑year‑old, finds herself alone after her parents die of cholera. With nine younger siblings to care for, she is forced out of their family cottage and faces the harsh reality of poverty and the threat of the workhouse. Despite the scarcity and the bitterness of those who see them as burdens, Cissie is resolute. She gathers the will to construct a new shelter, a rough stone dwelling that becomes a refuge for the Brodie family. In the struggle for survival, the family draws upon the support of friends and the scarce charity available to them. As they endure hardship, Cissie’s hope for love and a better future grows. The novel explores whether love can teach her to look beyond the walls of the dwelling place and into a wider world, while depicting the tenacity of a working‑class family in a time of societal hardship.

First publish date: 1920