Life in a bustling Welsh mining and ironworking town is hard and young Eliza Turner dreams of a life beyond the grime and drudgery of her life. Death and disease is never far away but when a devastating fever claims her parents, Eliza’s world collapses. Forced to leave her siblings behind, she is sent to London to work as a scullery maid in the Mayfair household of the Earl of Ravensworth.

Amid the monotony of scrubbing pots and sweeping floors, Eliza finds solace in art.

From the faces of the wealthy elite she serves to the vibrant life on London’s streets, her sketches become both a refuge and a quiet rebellion. When her drawings are discovered by Ned, the Earl’s wayward son—himself a failed artist—her life takes an unexpected turn.

Initially envious of her raw, visceral and untutored talent but captivated by her vision, Ned struggles to reconcile his own failures with his admiration for Eliza. He introduces her work to his bohemian circle, presenting it anonymously to protect her identity. It rapidly becomes a rallying call for challenging the status quo and bringing social inequalities to light.

As news spreads Eliza must decide whether to own her work or stay in the shadows. But in Victorian society, class prejudice and societal expectations are barriers to people like Eliza. Can she overcome her own insecurities to bring her art to life?

Set against the grit of Victorian industry, the glittering aristocracy of Mayfair and the bohemian movement in Paris, ‘Unseen Souls’ is a powerful story of resilience, ambition, and the unyielding strength of creativity to challenge convention and transform lives.