Scan barcode
jessreadthis's review
4.0
This was a sweet little book. Some of the dramatic scene transitions seemed so reminiscent of a black and white 1940's movie- I was here for it.
Though I guessed at the ending, it wasn't spoiled for me in the slightest. The scenery descriptions and the themes of love for Scotland were wonderful.
Though I guessed at the ending, it wasn't spoiled for me in the slightest. The scenery descriptions and the themes of love for Scotland were wonderful.
elke_go_read's review
5.0
What a lovely book! It is extremely rare that I ever feel compelled on finishing a book to immediately turn to page one and begin again. But Lady Rose and Mrs. Memmary left me with exactly that urge.
charlottejones952's review
4.0
Lady Rose and Mrs Memmary is a love letter to Scotland. Ruby Ferguson's writing style evokes the atmosphere of a fairy tale whilst talking about characters that are wholly realistic. Keepfields, the house in which Lady Rose grows up, and the landscape around it becomes a character in its own right and is so much a part of the characters' lives that it is impossible to imagine this book set anywhere else.
With charming illustrations and feminist themes, this is definitely a classic that more people need to be reading and talking about. Ruby Ferguson manages to write in such a simple style that is so beautiful at points that I was rereading paragraphs. Overall I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves classics, or anyone who wants an easier classic to read.
With charming illustrations and feminist themes, this is definitely a classic that more people need to be reading and talking about. Ruby Ferguson manages to write in such a simple style that is so beautiful at points that I was rereading paragraphs. Overall I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves classics, or anyone who wants an easier classic to read.
tyraohrnberg's review
2.0
asså kanske förtjänade den inte en tvåa men sorry asså inget för mig. alldeles för sockersöt och sliskig. skulle jag beskriva den här boken skulle det vara med ordet aspartam; söt, äcklig och lämnar en ganska bitter eftersmak. kändes som om ruby verkligen ville skriva en fin bok om skottland och typ samtidigt vara lite jane austen blandat med sir walter scott, funkade inte. boken blev dock lite bättre på slutet när vissa saker började gå dåligt för kära rose men kan tyvärr inte ge högre betyg än 2 av 5 när jag i princip skumläste 50% av boken.
dundermifflinbooks's review
5.0
This underrated classic is a stunning, enchanting love letter to Scotland and I simply ADORED it. The writing was so gorgeous and fairytale-esque that I often found myself re-reading paragraphs. I can't wait to read this again and tab all my favorite sections.
amandaquotidianbooks's review
4.0
A lovely litter novel about one romantic life and her love of Scotland. Was especially fun to read after my visit to Edinburgh.
ergative's review
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
Meh. The preface calls it a 'curdled high romance', and I see what the intention was--to show a fairy tale and then show the dark side of it. But for me, this intention didn't succeed.The delightful fairy-tale childhood portions were too twee and precious, and the frustrated bits when Lady Rose grows up and realizes that society is stultifying and patriarchal and horrible was engaging with the issue at not even Feminism 101, but Remedial Feminism level. It felt a lot like Gaudy Night: the conversation about women's role in society has moved well on from where this book was, and the rest of its literary merits were insufficient to make up for the very tedious message it had to tell. Yes: the Good Old Days with the Grand Old Houses and Great Ladies were oppressive to women! My goodness, what a contrast!
Also, Rose says several times that she knew the costs of remarrying and accepted them when making her decision, but one of those costs was deserting three children under 10. She grieves more at the fact that her mother says that she's disappointed her grand country of Scotland than at the fact that her family takes her children from her. We see how much she loves them, but she gives them up with barely a kick. No wonder her son wants nothing to do with her when she comes back to Scotland: She remarried a month after his father died and then deserted him and his siblings utterly for fifty years. Wouldn't you be pissed too if your mother did that to you? Good grief. She chose a lover over her children and considered the trade worth it. That's hard to forgive.
Also, I figured out the twist, such as it was, very early in the book.
Also, Rose says several times that she knew the costs of remarrying and accepted them when making her decision, but one of those costs was deserting three children under 10. She grieves more at the fact that her mother says that she's disappointed her grand country of Scotland than at the fact that her family takes her children from her. We see how much she loves them, but she gives them up with barely a kick. No wonder her son wants nothing to do with her when she comes back to Scotland: She remarried a month after his father died and then deserted him and his siblings utterly for fifty years. Wouldn't you be pissed too if your mother did that to you? Good grief. She chose a lover over her children and considered the trade worth it. That's hard to forgive.
Also, I figured out the twist, such as it was, very early in the book.
shippers1983's review
4.0
This book belongs in a fairy-tale land somewhere. Lady Rose is a lovely little girl who is charming and lovely despite her cold and uncaring parents who send her away to boarding school. She marries the mean-spirited Lord Galowrie, equally cold-hearted, and endures a 10 year loveless marriage before he is killed. She finally gets what she deserves and falls in love with a new man. Such is their love that it transcends the society that shuns them and they live happily ever after. Or at least as happily ever after as you can hope for.
It is emotional without being sentimental and sweet without being saccharine. Ferguson manages to make the point that life for a woman was tough in the late 19th century, without having to resort to heavy handed tactics.
The beauty of the book lies in its simplicity. There is no need to over-egg the pudding and it is proof that less is more when it comes to invoking an emotional reaction in your reader. If you can make it through the last chapter of the book without getting a tear in your eye then you are a tougher person than I am.
It is emotional without being sentimental and sweet without being saccharine. Ferguson manages to make the point that life for a woman was tough in the late 19th century, without having to resort to heavy handed tactics.
The beauty of the book lies in its simplicity. There is no need to over-egg the pudding and it is proof that less is more when it comes to invoking an emotional reaction in your reader. If you can make it through the last chapter of the book without getting a tear in your eye then you are a tougher person than I am.