The Eights by Joanna Miller is a well-researched historical novel set in 1920, the year women were first allowed to go to Oxford. It follows four young women - Beatrice, Dora, Marianne, and Otto - as they deal with school, grief after the war, and the problems that come with being pioneers in a school that is mostly men.
I really liked the setting and the historical background, especially the small references to the suffragette movement and the effects of World War I that are still felt today. The way the women were friends was sweet and well done. But I had trouble really connecting with the characters. This may have been because the story was told in the third person, which kept me from getting too close to them. The first third was a little confusing because the voices were still settling down, and I wanted to see more scenes of academic life to balance out the social focus.
This is still a thoughtful and enjoyable read for people who like feminist historical fiction and stories about found family. Oxford has never felt so full of life.
