Thyrza

Lambeth. The city had spat at her in centuries; herden mills ground in front of her, the books of shire towns bled their best ink upon her steam.

Thyrza Lane + Lambeth print workers' strike + Ackroyd mission + Gillingham conscience + suicide of the wronged = plot 80.

Thyrza Lane in this her window; with one voice she sang and the steam of shire towns rose in the breath of her singing.

Thyrza Lane + Grainger + Bower Ackroyd + Gillingham + Mark Wray + Totty Nainby = cast 82.

[T]he print-works sat in a great chimney; the work began at seven; then the great cock crowed of ten, of noon, of three, of six; the press brake hummed.

Mid-period Gissing; lyricism slows the indictment = pace 78.

[T]he print-works sat in a great chimney; the work began at seven; then the great cock crowed of ten, of noon, of three, of six; the press brake hummed.

Gissing's most lyrical book — working-class choral cadences = prose 89.

[T]he print-works sat in a great chimney; the work began at seven; the press brake hummed.

1880s Lambeth; the Stangate print works; lower-class London choral and meeting halls = world 86.

Lambeth. The city had spat at her in centuries; herden mills ground in front of her, the books of shire towns bled their best ink upon her steam.

'Lambeth.' as opening single word; choral factory word = hook 85.

[T]heir hymns above the moving of machines; the voice of the women was heard across the chimney.

Gissing's high-female character novel — Thyrza's voice is unusual = innov 84.

Mr Eldrick's letter, in the long pen, said: 'Gillingham, you are saved, and Thyrza has saved you.'

Gillingham saved from suicide by the dead girl's hand = ending 82.