Scan barcode
tarynhaasaurusrex's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
maplessence's review against another edition
3.0
3.5*
Set in a favourite country (Austria) & a favourite time period (the sixties) but even so this for me wasn't one of Stewart's best.
I don't think Stewart felt completely comfortable with the whole espionage thing. The story worked best for me at the times the hero Lewis wasn't present. Vanessa & the engaging Tim managed very well! Part of the story felt a bit confused & I had to go back for a reread.
The trademark heroine in peril bit was thrilling & I was on the edge of my seat. & as always, Stewart captures the locale very well.
Also a lot less smoking (thank heavens!) but also a lot more chauvinism - a dated term for some dated attitudes.
For example;
Something about his voice as he spoke made me shoot a glance at him. Not quite authority, not quite patronage, certainly not self-importance; but just the unmistakable echo of that man-to-woman way that even the nicest men adopt when they are letting a woman catch a glimpse of the edges of the Man's World
This is a teen boy & the woman is a veterinarian. Blech!
I prefer Stewart's more self reliant heroines. But at least this one wasn't smoking like a train.
Set in a favourite country (Austria) & a favourite time period (the sixties) but even so this for me wasn't one of Stewart's best.
I don't think Stewart felt completely comfortable with the whole espionage thing. The story worked best for me at the times the hero Lewis wasn't present. Vanessa & the engaging Tim managed very well! Part of the story felt a bit confused & I had to go back for a reread.
The trademark heroine in peril bit was thrilling & I was on the edge of my seat. & as always, Stewart captures the locale very well.
Also a lot less smoking (thank heavens!) but also a lot more chauvinism - a dated term for some dated attitudes.
For example;
Something about his voice as he spoke made me shoot a glance at him. Not quite authority, not quite patronage, certainly not self-importance; but just the unmistakable echo of that man-to-woman way that even the nicest men adopt when they are letting a woman catch a glimpse of the edges of the Man's World
This is a teen boy & the woman is a veterinarian. Blech!
I prefer Stewart's more self reliant heroines. But at least this one wasn't smoking like a train.
caroparr's review against another edition
3.0
This time we're in Vienna and the surrounding countryside, but our heroine is not an ingenue for once. This time she's a young married woman who fears her husband is leading some kind of double life and sets out for Vienna to track him down. Beautiful descriptions of the landscape, as always, like this one:
Yes, another high-speed car ride up and down a mountain, plus a circus, the Lippinzaner stallions, and a McGuffin of a mystery about drug smuggling. Entertaining as always.
The trees were thinning. The road twisted again under us, and the Mercedes lurched across ruts and swung round another hairpin, running momentarily clear of forest, so that down to our right we got a sudden dawnlit view of the valley bottom tucked between its dark hills. The lake was polished pewter wisping with silver mist. The stars had gone, and the moon hung in the morning air, rubbed and faded like a thin old coin.
Yes, another high-speed car ride up and down a mountain, plus a circus, the Lippinzaner stallions, and a McGuffin of a mystery about drug smuggling. Entertaining as always.
marilynsaul's review
3.0
Not my favorite of Mary Stewart's early works. There was a bit too much of the patronizing male and wilting female in it for me. Once I was assured of the human outcome, I skimmed through the remaining 20+ pages because, in all honesty, by this point all I cared about was the "old piebald". He warranted an epilogue, for which I am grateful.
clairetrellahill's review
4.0
Super enjoyed that!! My first married Stewart heroine. Exciting and fun. Very flirty and subtle tension, I like it. Also we support when your husband burns the hand of the man who attacked you. That’s hot.
kath61's review
3.0
This book is dated but it was published in 1965 so this is not surprising. The first half was slow and quite boring but it improved after that with some quite moving scenes around the central equine character and some excitement to finish with. It would make a good film.
thenovelbook's review
3.0
Not bad suspense. Anyone who likes horses might get into this one, as a Lipizzaner stallion is part of the mystery and responsible for probably my favorite part of the book.
One big difference between this and some of Mary Stewart's other books is that the heroine is already married. Her husband is just as lordly as Stewart's usual alpha males. The girls in these stories are allowed to be reasonably intelligent, but only the men get to have all the puzzle pieces. One gets the sense that the heroines are slightly annoyed but resigned. :)
One big difference between this and some of Mary Stewart's other books is that the heroine is already married. Her husband is just as lordly as Stewart's usual alpha males. The girls in these stories are allowed to be reasonably intelligent, but only the men get to have all the puzzle pieces. One gets the sense that the heroines are slightly annoyed but resigned. :)