An Amazing Journey and Amazing Historical Fiction!
As a young child, Elspeth lived with her father, the groundskeeper of the estate of Lord Reginald Westerna. When her father died, Lord Westerna took her in and bought her up as a Lady. She was the daughter he never had.
As a young woman, Elspeth’s wealthy English gentry’ world collapses when Lord Reginald Westerna dies and leaves her alone with her cruel stepbrother, Warwick. His jealousy and hatred of her brings him to accuse her of a crime she didn’t commit and she is sentenced to deportation to Australia.
There, the Governor of the Colony, Sir Rossmore, employs her. He is widowed and once he learns Elspeth’s story, she rises in station and a romance between the two begins.
This is a beautifully written story, that really captures the time and place of both England’s and Australia’s rich gentry. We also get a glimpse at the dark “underbelly” of the two countries. It is a story of love, courage, adversity, and romance. It has a fine cast of characters and a well thought out plot. A lot of research must have gone into writing this story and describing the costuming of the day.
I highly recommend this wonderful book.
5/5
Thanks to Diana Patterson and Rita Turner for an advance reading copy!
Note to my fellow bloggers who also reviewed this book: If you would like me to link your review at the bottom of my review, please leave a comment with the link to your review.
Copyright 2007-2010: All the posts within this blog were originally posted by Teddy Rose and should not be reproduced without express written permission.
In Northern California teenage sisters Claire and Anna live with their father and work the family farm together with Coop, a boy who is brought into the family from a neighboring farm. Very quickly this family shatters. To say why, would be to give away a spoiler. So, sorry dear readers my lips are sealed! I will say that we do follow all three characters into their adult lives. Anna becomes a writer of biographies, which brings us to the second half of the book. She writes about the life of turn-of-the-century French poet named Lucien Segura. There was also another story within the story.
This book is about the past, loss, and passion.
To be quite honest, at times I had trouble following along. I wasn’t always sure what family I was reading about until I read further. Then I would catch up and follow smoothly along until it happened again.
I didn’t dislike this book, but I do think it would have been better written as three short stories. I just didn’t see the connection. That said, Ondaatje’s descriptions of both landscape and characters were amazing.
Note to my fellow bloggers who also reviewed this book: If you would like me to link your review at the bottom of my review, please leave a comment with the link to your review.
Copyright 2007-2010: All the posts within this blog were originally posted by Teddy Rose and should not be reproduced without express written permission.
Susanna Smith’s last living relative has recently died and she goes to Weymouth, Massachusetts to settle her aunt’s estate. Susanna’s faithful companion, a Weimaraner, goes along.
This is no usual estate. Both Susanna and her Aunt Susanna are both descendents of Abigail Adams, wife of President John Adams. The house is listed in the National Registry of Historic Places and has many heirlooms in it including letters from Abigail to John, the future president of the United States.
Susanna is not sure what to do with the house and she consults with a Realtor who also hooks her up with an antiques dealer. The antiques dealer has a shady past, to say the least, and the adventure begins.
The letters from Abigail Adams are authentic and the highlight of the book. I really enjoyed reading them. The book itself had a little of everything, romance, mystery, adventure, danger, with emphasis on little. It was enjoyable but maybe a bit too rushed. I think I would have liked it more if we had gotten to know the characters more and had more plot development. It was hard to believe that a romance could bloom in a couple short meetings, etc. I loved the historical bits and pieces but could have taken or leaven the rest. I think this book, as written may be better suited for young adults.
3/5
Thanks to AuthorHouse for sending an advance reading copy of this book!
Note to my fellow bloggers who also reviewed this book: If you would like me to link your review at the bottom of my review, please leave a comment with the link to your review.
Copyright 2007-2010: All the posts within this blog were originally posted by Teddy Rose and should not be reproduced without express written permission.