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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
So taking fulling into consideration that this book was first published in the 70's, I did enjoy it.
The mystery/suspense of this was well done. I felt in my bones something was waiting to happen and that drove me to the end. I needed to know what would happen despite that this story was very much told to the reader. So while at times I was almost skimming passages by the end (there was some unnecessary repetition) the telling gave the story a more fairytale-like feel, especially in the beginning. I enjoyed all of the Norse Mythology and the set up of the Seventh Moon revelry. And as the story progressed we really do see Helena age from a silly school girl into a woman who stands her ground.
My biggest complaint is this: I have seen this book described as spooky. The blurb itself tells you something dark will happen (it does). This was not traditionally "spooky". This had a major ick factor that grew and became creepy. Now maybe I'm too new to vintage gothic romances because I suspect the "boys will be boys" mentality is strong in most of them. The more I knew the more I wanted Helena to gtfo but maybe more people can rest in the vagueness that her man wasn't like other men...to her. I think. Sort of? Anyway, I enjoyed the story not the romance.
If you would like to know more about the creep factor that made me not like this romance, it is a major spoiler:
What is first hinted at becomes kind of a major plot point. These rich men lured innocent unsuspecting women into the forest and had their way with them. If the women demanded to maintain their virtue then they would fake marry them, sleep with them, then ghost them. BUT ITS OK because they take care of their bastards...especially if they really happened to like that one mistress. Helena's man never did this to her, mind....but whether he ever did it at all is really quite vague. And this is the creepy icky plot point that really made me want her to run screaming.
The mystery/suspense of this was well done. I felt in my bones something was waiting to happen and that drove me to the end. I needed to know what would happen despite that this story was very much told to the reader. So while at times I was almost skimming passages by the end (there was some unnecessary repetition) the telling gave the story a more fairytale-like feel, especially in the beginning. I enjoyed all of the Norse Mythology and the set up of the Seventh Moon revelry. And as the story progressed we really do see Helena age from a silly school girl into a woman who stands her ground.
My biggest complaint is this: I have seen this book described as spooky. The blurb itself tells you something dark will happen (it does). This was not traditionally "spooky". This had a major ick factor that grew and became creepy. Now maybe I'm too new to vintage gothic romances because I suspect the "boys will be boys" mentality is strong in most of them. The more I knew the more I wanted Helena to gtfo but maybe more people can rest in the vagueness that her man wasn't like other men...to her. I think. Sort of? Anyway, I enjoyed the story not the romance.
If you would like to know more about the creep factor that made me not like this romance, it is a major spoiler:
Content Warnings
Moderate: Miscarriage
Minor: Sexual assault
I'm so interested in books that I grab any chance to talk about them.One of Victoria Holt's books was recommended to me by a distant relative of mine.She didn't even remember the name of author.But since she was so fond of that book,I decided to find the book.It was Bride of Pendorric which I will read for sure.So,as I said it was my first book by Victoria Holt.This book is mixture of romance and mystery which I love both.
The beginning was excellent, in the middle it became a bit boring and repetitive,but towards the end it became breathtaking,full of excitement and suspense.
This book is about a young woman,named Helena.One morning,she awakened in her bed to be told that her marriage had been a dream.All through the book.she wanted to find out what had had happened to her.
My favorite part is the part in which the Count was killed by the innkeeper.I was about to shout.It served him right.He deserved to be killed in a more cruel way,though!!!!
I liked the mystery and I kept guessing,some of them were correct and some wrong.
To my surprise,their marriage was a real marriage and not a mock one.
But to my relief,fritz was Helena's son.
All in all.I enjoyed reading this book.I will read more of Victoria Holt's books
The beginning was excellent, in the middle it became a bit boring and repetitive,but towards the end it became breathtaking,full of excitement and suspense.
This book is about a young woman,named Helena.One morning,she awakened in her bed to be told that her marriage had been a dream.All through the book.she wanted to find out what had had happened to her.
My favorite part is the part in which the Count was killed by the innkeeper.I was about to shout.It served him right.He deserved to be killed in a more cruel way,though!!!!
I liked the mystery and I kept guessing,some of them were correct and some wrong.
To my surprise,their marriage was a real marriage and not a mock one.
But to my relief,fritz was Helena's son.
All in all.I enjoyed reading this book.I will read more of Victoria Holt's books
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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
During the Victorian period, a young English girl with a German mother was sent back to a girls' school in her mother's home country. The Black Forests are full of myths and legends and young Helena Trant is finds it all enchanting. One day she gets lost in the mists and is rescued by a handsome man and brought to his hunting lodge. An evening talking of German folklore beside the fire with that atmosphere of the forests works on her and the glittering-eyed 'Siegfried' with the noble bearing. Anything might happen, but thanks to an attentive housekeeper, nothing does and the schoolgirl is returned to the school none the worse for her adventure.
But, years later when this same girl is a young woman and accompanying newly met German cousins who came to Oxford and looked her up in her boring, staid life with her aunts, she is less ready for wholesomeness and during the Night of the Seventh Moon celebrations encounters "Siegfried" once again. This time, their idyll is all she has dreamed of with a quick meeting, marriage, and a honeymoon week that would stay with her the rest of her life. Max is a noble, she knows, and his life is complicated. He must find a way to ease his powerful family into accepting his beloved new wife. His father sends for him so he leaves Helena temporarily, he promises.
Only, the dream is shattered. Her cousins bring her away and the next thing she knows she is waking up in an infirmary being told the whole thing never happened that way. She was attacked by a wicked rogue and now she carries his child. In the end, she loses Max, her marriage, and the baby and must go back to England and pick up the pieces of her life.
For years, she thought it all a dream, and then a friendly German housekeeper drops by the bookshop in Oxford and mentions the need for the children of her household to have an English language teacher. Dare she return and find out what she can? They tried to convince her it was all a dream and Max was bad, but she believes differently and must know the truth .
On the Night of the Seventh Moon has an enchanting, dark fairytale quality to it and gothic tones running through it. Historically, this was Germany right before the war with France and Napoleon's grandson and the unification, when those small duchys existed and England's own Queen Victoria took a German prince for a husband.
It was a favorite read when I was a teen and I was delighted to revisit it in audio these decades later. Virginia Leishman was a new to me narrator, but she told this so well. I loved her voices for Helena and the large cast of characters of different nationalities, social statuses, genders, and age.
All and all, the enchantment for me was still there even these years later. Oh sure, it didn't have the same appeal as to the teenage romantic I was, but in the right mood, I can still appreciate it for the light gothic romance it was.
But, years later when this same girl is a young woman and accompanying newly met German cousins who came to Oxford and looked her up in her boring, staid life with her aunts, she is less ready for wholesomeness and during the Night of the Seventh Moon celebrations encounters "Siegfried" once again. This time, their idyll is all she has dreamed of with a quick meeting, marriage, and a honeymoon week that would stay with her the rest of her life. Max is a noble, she knows, and his life is complicated. He must find a way to ease his powerful family into accepting his beloved new wife. His father sends for him so he leaves Helena temporarily, he promises.
Only, the dream is shattered. Her cousins bring her away and the next thing she knows she is waking up in an infirmary being told the whole thing never happened that way. She was attacked by a wicked rogue and now she carries his child. In the end, she loses Max, her marriage, and the baby and must go back to England and pick up the pieces of her life.
For years, she thought it all a dream, and then a friendly German housekeeper drops by the bookshop in Oxford and mentions the need for the children of her household to have an English language teacher. Dare she return and find out what she can? They tried to convince her it was all a dream and Max was bad, but she believes differently and must know the truth .
On the Night of the Seventh Moon has an enchanting, dark fairytale quality to it and gothic tones running through it. Historically, this was Germany right before the war with France and Napoleon's grandson and the unification, when those small duchys existed and England's own Queen Victoria took a German prince for a husband.
It was a favorite read when I was a teen and I was delighted to revisit it in audio these decades later. Virginia Leishman was a new to me narrator, but she told this so well. I loved her voices for Helena and the large cast of characters of different nationalities, social statuses, genders, and age.
All and all, the enchantment for me was still there even these years later. Oh sure, it didn't have the same appeal as to the teenage romantic I was, but in the right mood, I can still appreciate it for the light gothic romance it was.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
For Christmas my mom wrapped up 1 book each month and this was one of the months. It started out incredibly slow. I think I was about 50 pages in and not much had happened and I was ready to DNF it. I was about 100 pages in when I felt it started to get good. I am glad I stuck through it because it was a good read but it starts out so slowly.
It was ok for what it is. Could have been shorter. I didn't really buy the connection between the protagonist and the Duke, but that's pretty typical in romances, so not a fair critique.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
It was charming and very interesting to read. Although the action and most interesting things happen toward the end of the book, I like it. I like especially at the beginning Victoria Holt's writing. It was detail-rich, but not boring. The only thing I didn't like and sometimes make me think twice if I wanted to continue reading was the recurrence of some phrases and passages in the text, like "I want to know what happened to me in those six days of my life" or "the Night of the Seventh Moon" or other points about characters and facts that are repeated over and over and over and over again...
The characters are quite good developed, especially the heroine, Helena Trant (or Lenchen). I found quite amusing Frau Graben and loved the children. Maximilien... Hmmm! No, I didn't like him, but he is the type of character I detest... The count, on the contrary, I found very interesting, despite being a stereotype.
In resume: it is an interesting book and it is worth to read it.
The characters are quite good developed, especially the heroine, Helena Trant (or Lenchen). I found quite amusing Frau Graben and loved the children. Maximilien... Hmmm! No, I didn't like him, but he is the type of character I detest... The count, on the contrary, I found very interesting, despite being a stereotype.
In resume: it is an interesting book and it is worth to read it.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
I was thrilled by how much I was enjoying the mysteries of Helena's romance, wondering if the dark truth was real or the fairy tale romance was the work of something magical. I'm glad I picked this up.
I loved the setting and enjoyed the characters. I didn't mind the slightly-too-convenient coincidences. But the continuous gaslighting that the heroine experiences really grated on me. It's a major plot point, but just yuck.
I really liked how this book combined magical elements with realistic ones. I liked Helena as a narrator too; she seemed like a sweetheart. I thought it was very interesting how everything came together. Holt kept you guessing as to whether or not Helena had imagined the whole thing or if it was all real. The way the answer was revealed was very clever and creative.