In her captivating debut novel “The Eights,” Joanna Miller transports readers to 1920s Oxford, when the prestigious university first opened its doors to female students after a thousand years of male exclusivity. With meticulous historical detail and rich character development, Miller creates a world both familiar in its academic setting and extraordinary in its depiction of a pivotal moment for women’s education.
The novel follows four young women—Beatrice, Dora, Marianne, and Otto—as they form an unlikely friendship during their first year at St. Hugh’s College. Nicknamed “the Eights” after their corridor number, these characters navigate not only the challenges of university life but also the lingering shadows of the Great War and societal expectations that would prefer to keep them in their traditional roles. Miller, herself an Oxford graduate, delivers a narrative that feels both historically authentic and emotionally resonant, though it occasionally falls prey to predictable plot developments.
A Quartet of Complex Characters
The strength of “The Eights” by Joanna Miller lies in its nuanced portrayal of four distinct women whose paths might never have crossed outside the unique environment of 1920s Oxford:
- Beatrice Sparks: The politically-minded daughter of a famous suffragette, Beatrice has been tutored at home and craves both education and friendships with women her own age. Tall, socially awkward, and brimming with facts, she’s determined to prove herself worthy of her place at Oxford.
- Dora Greenwood: After losing both her brother and fiancé in the war, Dora arrives at Oxford in their place, struggling with grief while trying to find her own path forward. Athletic and conventionally beautiful, she harbors deep wounds beneath her composed exterior.
- Otto (Ottoline) Wallace-Kerr: The socialite daughter of a wealthy family, Otto served as a VAD driver during the war but failed at nursing. Mathematician, flirt, and rebel, she uses bravado to mask her own war trauma and insecurities.
- Marianne Grey: The quiet, studious daughter of a village rector, Marianne harbors the most significant secret of all—she’s actually a widowed mother who has left her young daughter at home to pursue her education under her maiden name.
Miller excels at developing these characters through their interactions, creating women who feel realistically complex rather than mere symbols of female empowerment. Each brings her own baggage, strengths, and vulnerabilities to their friendship, making their bond all the more meaningful as they support each other through academic challenges, romantic entanglements, and personal revelations.
Historical Authenticity with Contemporary Resonance
The novel’s historical setting is meticulously researched, with Miller bringing to life the restrictive “chap rules” that governed female students’ behavior, the stark contrast between the ancient, resource-rich men’s colleges and the newer, more modest women’s institutions, and the omnipresent shadow of the recently concluded Great War.
Miller writes with authority about Oxford’s geography, traditions, and academic rhythms, incorporating real historical events like Queen Mary’s visit to receive an honorary degree and debates at the Oxford Union. These details create a rich backdrop against which the more intimate story of friendship unfolds.
What makes “The Eights” by Joanna Miller particularly compelling is how it explores issues that remain relevant a century later:
- The struggle to be taken seriously in male-dominated spaces
- The balancing of personal relationships with professional ambitions
- The way grief and trauma shape our choices and relationships
- The impossible standards women are held to—simultaneously criticized for being too feminine or not feminine enough
Through her characters’ experiences, Miller explores how women’s advancement often depends on privilege and access, highlighting inequalities not just between genders but within them. This nuanced approach prevents the novel from feeling like a simplistic celebration of feminist progress.
Strengths and Weaknesses
What Miller Gets Right
- Historical immersion: The novel excels at recreating the experience of being among the first women at Oxford, with details that transport readers to 1920s academic life.
- Character development: Each woman evolves meaningfully through the academic year, with friendships that feel earned rather than contrived.
- Emotional depth: Miller skillfully explores grief, friendship, and the search for identity in post-war Britain.
- Structural balance: The novel moves between present-day scenes and revealing flashbacks that deepen our understanding of each character.
Room for Improvement
- Predictable plot developments: Some revelations feel telegraphed far in advance, particularly regarding Marianne’s secret.
- Occasional didactic moments: The novel sometimes presents historical information in ways that feel more educational than organic to the narrative.
- Secondary character development: While the four main characters are well-rounded, some supporting characters, particularly male ones, occasionally feel more like types than individuals.
- Pacing issues: The middle section loses momentum before building toward a satisfying conclusion.
Beyond a Simple “Women’s Story”
What elevates “The Eights” by Joanna Miller above many historical novels is its refusal to present its characters as perfect feminist icons or to reduce historical complexity to a simple narrative of progress. Miller acknowledges the privilege that allowed these women to attend Oxford while millions of working-class women had no such opportunities. She explores class and social hierarchy with nuance, showing how even pioneering women like Beatrice’s suffragette mother could be dismissive of their daughters’ accomplishments.
The war’s devastating impact permeates the novel, with each character carrying visible or invisible scars. In a particularly moving scene, the women witness a shell-shocked veteran having a public breakdown, forcing them to confront how the war continues to affect everyone around them.
The Oxford Setting as a Fifth Character
Throughout the novel, Oxford itself becomes a character—beautiful, prestigious, unwelcoming to women in many ways, yet irresistible with its “dreaming spires.” Miller’s descriptions of the university’s architecture, rituals, and seasonal rhythms reveal her intimate knowledge of and affection for Oxford.
From the fan-vaulted ceiling of the Divinity School to the Pre-Raphaelite murals in the Oxford Union, from rowing regattas on the Thames to May Morning celebrations, Oxford comes alive on the page. Yet Miller never idealizes it, showing how its beauty and traditions could coexist with entrenched sexism and resistance to change.
Final Assessment
“The Eights” by Joanna Miller is a remarkable debut novel that blends historical detail with emotional depth. While occasionally falling into predictable patterns, it succeeds in creating four distinctive, flawed, and ultimately inspiring women whose friendship provides both support and challenge as they navigate their groundbreaking year at Oxford.
Miller honors both the pioneering women who fought for educational access and the complexities of their experiences—not glossing over privileges of class and circumstance, nor presenting progress as inevitable or uncomplicated. The result is a novel that illuminates an important historical moment while telling a timeless story about friendship, identity, and finding one’s place in a changing world.
For readers who enjoy historical fiction featuring strong female characters, particularly stories set in academic environments or the interwar period, “The Eights” offers an engaging glimpse into a pivotal moment in women’s education—when the dreams of equality, so long deferred, began to become reality.
Miller’s debut announces her as a promising new voice in historical fiction, and readers will eagerly await her next offering.
Highlights:
- Richly detailed historical setting
- Complex, believable female protagonists
- Thoughtful exploration of post-war Britain
- Nuanced portrayal of women’s educational advancement
Areas for Improvement:
- Some predictable plot developments
- Occasional pacing issues
- Supporting characters sometimes less developed
- Some historical details delivered too didactically
“The Eights” by Joanna Miller stands as an impressive debut that reminds us how recently women had to fight for educational opportunities we now take for granted, while never reducing its characters to mere symbols of progress. In Beatrice, Dora, Marianne, and Otto, Miller has created women who feel authentic to their time while speaking to contemporary readers. Their story of friendship forged in a pivotal historical moment makes for a moving, enlightening read.