Set in the early twentieth century, 'Poverty's Pain' is a remarkable novel telling the story of Edna Pain, a young woman struggling with survival. Her resilience against extreme poverty and the life that comes with it, is exciting yet fascinating, as it engulfs the reader and transports them into Edna's world. This is a place in time where people have become marginalised in society and trapped, not only because of the ravages of war, but also due to the era into which they have been born. This is a tale of romance, intrigue, great emotional catastrophe and is evocative of a time which may have been forgotten but for this novel, when life was not soft and cosy, but harsh and a bit wild: a true haunting novel. The reader will become submerged into Edna's search for hope and happiness. Will she ever find true love? Will she ever be truly happy?