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shareen17's review
3.0
I enjoyed this book. I really love Mary Stewart's writing style. I think her syntax and voice is unique, so I love reading anything she's written. I think someone who is not such a fan might not like this book as much. The suspense is a little lighter, the plot a little slower than some of her other books.
melissa_who_reads's review
4.0
Really enjoyed this one, with a circus, the Lipizzaner horses, fairy tale castles, Vienna, and pastries all featured prominently.
rebroxannape's review against another edition
5.0
This one takes the typical Mary Stewart heroine(nice, sensible, spirited, smart, and attractive) to Austria. I think this is the only one of her books where the heroine is already married. Vanessa and her husband had been planning a second honeymoon to Italy when he puts everything on hold because his company is supposedly sending him to Sweden. Vanessa is not pleased, to say the least, and they part in anger. But then she sees her husband in a newsreel about a tragic circus fire in a small village in Austria! And, he has a protective arm around a pretty young woman! Despite her angry parting words, Vanessa and Lewis are happily married and her upstanding husband has never given her a reason not to trust him. What is going on? Coincidentally, A friend of her mother’s has asked her to chaperone her 17-year-old son, Tim, to visit his estranged father in Vienna not far from where the newsreel was filmed. What is a concerned and suspicious wife to do? Need you ask?
If I had to name a favorite Mary Stewart novel, this would be it. Tim and Vanessa become the best of friends despite their age difference, and their relationship is charming. When Lewis is tracked down, he has a very good if rather astounding reason for his deceptive actions and his many “business trips” to Europe. It turns out that there is a lot more to her husband than Vanessa was aware of. In most of Mary Stewart’s novels, the romance is tinged with darkness and suspicion with little room for humor. I loved that this one was happy and even lighthearted. The rapport and banter between Vanessa and Tim and Vanessa and Lewis and eventually Tim and Lewis was a highlight.
Of course, there is intrigue and danger involved, including a thrilling chase over the rooftops of a fairy tale castle and a terror-filled race by car and train to rescue Tim from an unthinkable fate. Yikes! Poor Tim. PTSD is definitely part of his future. And intertwined throughout is the small family-owned circus which proudly features a Lipizzan stallion. When Vanessa, a qualified veterinarian by the way, is called on to treat an old broken-down horse who was injured in the fire, it leads to two of the most touching and triumphant scenes in a Mary Stewart novel I can recall.
The crime part is a bit pedestrian. I liked the romanticism and drama of what turned out to be the red herring much better. But that is just a quibble. There is another mystery that crops up in this one that is much more intriguing and involving than the mere breaking of international laws. I've never forgotten what I learned about the Lipizzan horses and their history when I read this for the first time. I listened to this one on audible, and as usual, this added even more enjoyment to this story that I last read many many years ago.
https://rebekahsreadingsandwatchings.com/
If I had to name a favorite Mary Stewart novel, this would be it. Tim and Vanessa become the best of friends despite their age difference, and their relationship is charming. When Lewis is tracked down, he has a very good if rather astounding reason for his deceptive actions and his many “business trips” to Europe. It turns out that there is a lot more to her husband than Vanessa was aware of. In most of Mary Stewart’s novels, the romance is tinged with darkness and suspicion with little room for humor. I loved that this one was happy and even lighthearted. The rapport and banter between Vanessa and Tim and Vanessa and Lewis and eventually Tim and Lewis was a highlight.
Of course, there is intrigue and danger involved, including a thrilling chase over the rooftops of a fairy tale castle and a terror-filled race by car and train to rescue Tim from an unthinkable fate. Yikes! Poor Tim. PTSD is definitely part of his future. And intertwined throughout is the small family-owned circus which proudly features a Lipizzan stallion. When Vanessa, a qualified veterinarian by the way, is called on to treat an old broken-down horse who was injured in the fire, it leads to two of the most touching and triumphant scenes in a Mary Stewart novel I can recall.
The crime part is a bit pedestrian. I liked the romanticism and drama of what turned out to be the red herring much better. But that is just a quibble. There is another mystery that crops up in this one that is much more intriguing and involving than the mere breaking of international laws. I've never forgotten what I learned about the Lipizzan horses and their history when I read this for the first time. I listened to this one on audible, and as usual, this added even more enjoyment to this story that I last read many many years ago.
https://rebekahsreadingsandwatchings.com/
cimorene1558's review
5.0
I love Mary Stewart! Romance, mystery, an interesting background, plus a happy ending are (if well-written) a winning combination!
reneesmith's review against another edition
5.0
Spending time with favorite stories is like a visit from old friends . . . Beautiful writing. Characters filled with heart & courage. Threads of history, mystery & romance played out in an exotic location. An immersive, magical experience from master storyteller Mary Stewart.
telemwill's review against another edition
3.0
Charming and wholesome. Not my favorite of Mary Stewart's, but an enjoyable read.
evaseyler's review
4.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I found the characters realistic and engaging, the plot twists kept me guessing and in suspense, and... dude. Lipizzanner. WIN.
that_little_drop_of_poison's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
corvinaq's review
4.0
This gothic thriller was OK but the main character’s husband was written so bizarrely assily that I was convinced the entire book he was secretly the villain. Displeased at the end to have them going off pregnantly.
2022 Re-read: this re-read is much more generous. This book was a lot of fun and I forgave its plot holes and occasional sexism.
2022 Re-read: this re-read is much more generous. This book was a lot of fun and I forgave its plot holes and occasional sexism.
layallyourbooksonme's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0