Slammerkin by Emma Donoghue is a gritty, 384-page historical novel based on a true 18th-century story, following Mary Saunders, a London girl who leaves poverty for prostitution, driven by a desire for luxury and freedom. The paperback explores themes of class, servitude, and obsession, detailing Mary's transformation into a prostitute, her desperate ambition, and the tragic consequences of her relentless hunger for a better life