Reviews

Apple Bough by Noel Streatfeild

catebutler's review

emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

lucyblack's review against another edition

4.0

This story doesn't really have any plot and of course you know everything will turn out okay cos this is a Noel Streatfeild novel, but still wanted to read to the end. I love the family in this book and I want to be them with all their love, talents and privilages. I want there confidence, their looks, their staff. These books are like comfort food to me, especially the descriptions of their comfort foods. I want to come home from a hard day of being the best at everything and be fed a 'tea' with five different kinds of cake.

readingelli's review against another edition

lighthearted relaxing slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Minor neglect, child performer

shonaholmes's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

A Very NS read - but one you can't help but love.

inarasbooks's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

msjenne's review against another edition

3.0

Not one of my most favorites--everyone seems to whine a lot, Wolfgang is one of her more insufferable characters, Ethel is just a copy of Posy Fossil, Sebastian is "sensitive" (and suffers from "exhaustion"), and Myra is too good to be true.
And of course as usual the servants are much more sensible and responsible than the parents. Oh, and those hilarious foreigners! They just get so overemotional!
Still, it's never dull, and before you know it you've read the whole thing in one go.

jaymeeloo's review against another edition

4.0

5/13/2012 update: Goodreads now has a book cover available!

It is just so sad that Noel Streatfeild's books are hard to find: to purchase or to borrow at the library. Notice the book cover for this book isn't even available on Goodreads. Such a shame!

If you have read and enjoyed Ballet Shoes or Theater Shoes (and you can get your hands on a copy of this book) I am pretty sure you'll like this one just as much. Noel sticks to the same plot and character ideas in all her books.

This time around it is the Forum family which includes Myra, Sebastian, Wolfgang and Ettie (all named after famous musicians). Due to Sebastian's fame as a young volin virutoso the entire family travels the world together until the other children get a bit bored with it all and hope to train in their own areas of film and ballet.

jenne's review against another edition

3.0

Not one of my most favorites--everyone seems to whine a lot, Wolfgang is one of her more insufferable characters, Ethel is just a copy of Posy Fossil, Sebastian is "sensitive" (and suffers from "exhaustion"), and Myra is too good to be true.
And of course as usual the servants are much more sensible and responsible than the parents. Oh, and those hilarious foreigners! They just get so overemotional!
Still, it's never dull, and before you know it you've read the whole thing in one go.

katekat's review against another edition

4.0

I have always loved Noel Streatfeild's books and as a child I got my library to ILL them for me or hunted through second hand book stores to find all of them. She tells the perfect "girls stories". I was always able to find one character in each book that was my favorite. They definitely stand up to re-reads.