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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
Another that MS wrote later in life and set shortly after WWII. The same gentle sweetness that I enjoyed in Rose Cottage, though I do wish the heroine had stood up to Agnes a little more, especially in that last scene. You know she's untrustworthy, so why do you keep trusting her?
I enjoyed this simple book, she know how to write an easy and enjoyable read.
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
A light, slightly magical, slightly mysterious novel evoking the pastoral wildness of rural England. This book has a little bit of all kinds of things I like - independent women, dogs, herbalism, rural English life, magic & mystery, a cottage in the country, blackberries, a nice little love story that adds to the main plot without *being* the main plot. Good for quiet summertime reading, with a cup of tea (of course).
I suppose at 208 pages Thornyhold qualifies as a novel, but in some ways it feels like a novella. Sparse and focused, yet somehow sufficient for the story it tells. It is an odd, beautiful little book. It borderlines the feeling you get when you read a classic novel because it contains many of the same elements and archetypes: the lonely, orphaned girl, the emotions that reveal the human experience, the fight between good and evil. I'm sure you could find any number of Themes or Literary Tropes within the story as well.
I hesitantly remove a star for the romance. I know the entire story aims for it, yet somehow I found it disappointing. Maybe all the early references to the Victorian expectation that she meet a 'nice young man' gave me false hope that the story would subvert the expected happily ever after. But happily ever after comes in the nice, expected way and it isn't bad. Just...a little less than amazing. Plus, insta-love. I do despise insta-love, even well explained and reasonable insta-love.
Do recommend, for all that. I need more Mary Stewart!
I hesitantly remove a star for the romance. I know the entire story aims for it, yet somehow I found it disappointing. Maybe all the early references to the Victorian expectation that she meet a 'nice young man' gave me false hope that the story would subvert the expected happily ever after. But happily ever after comes in the nice, expected way and it isn't bad. Just...a little less than amazing. Plus, insta-love. I do despise insta-love, even well explained and reasonable insta-love.
Do recommend, for all that. I need more Mary Stewart!
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is a character driven story told from the point of view of Gilly, a young woman who after the deaths of her parents, inherits a mysterious house from her mother’s cousin. This cousin, Geilis, believed to be a witch by her small English village, also passes on her cat, rooms of herbs and cures, and a mysterious reputation.
Gilly is more or less modeled after Jane Eyre. A young girl who experiences a bleak, poverty stricken childhood and then is sent to a school run by rather cruel caretakers, there are a lot of similarities. I admire her for working very hard to get over her childhood mistreatment and working to carve a place of her own.
There are two main differences though. First off, this novel takes place in post WWII England, which was a very different time. Additionally unlike Jane, Gilly has a fairy godmother in her cousin Geilies. This cousin not only befriends her and provides for her education, but also wills her Thornyhold, her mysterious and isolated home in the north of England.
A lot of detail is centered on Thornyhold itself. There are detailed descriptions of the house and grounds, and while it makes it a little easier to visualize, it definitely slows down the story and takes too much attention away from what Gilly does. However the history of the house is very interesting, but the book doesn’t cover as much as I would like.
You could almost describe the book as magical realism. While there aren’t that many fantastical elements, there is a lot of mystery and folkloric influences. It appears as though anything that’s happens that could be deemed “magical” has completely logical explanations. Still, it does leave the reader to wonder.
As far as romance goes, there really isn’t much of it. That’s where the novel differs from a Jane Eyre retelling. Apart from an infatuation that’s free of any angst and the like, it’s not prevalent. Gilly is completely self sufficient and more than that, completely content in her own company. WE LOVE TO SEE IT!
Atmospherically while Stewart’s non Arthurian books are usually gothic/mystery/ romances, Thornyhold is basically a cottagecore lovers perfect novel. If you love a pastoral setting, and old houses with lots of plants and animals, you would absolutely adore this book. It’s a light-hearted read that’s quick and will put you in a restful mood. It’s not a fast paced read by any stretch of the imagination, and if you’re looking for action you may want to look elsewhere. But if you’re looking for a quiet escape for a bit this book will do you good!
Gilly is more or less modeled after Jane Eyre. A young girl who experiences a bleak, poverty stricken childhood and then is sent to a school run by rather cruel caretakers, there are a lot of similarities. I admire her for working very hard to get over her childhood mistreatment and working to carve a place of her own.
There are two main differences though. First off, this novel takes place in post WWII England, which was a very different time. Additionally unlike Jane, Gilly has a fairy godmother in her cousin Geilies. This cousin not only befriends her and provides for her education, but also wills her Thornyhold, her mysterious and isolated home in the north of England.
A lot of detail is centered on Thornyhold itself. There are detailed descriptions of the house and grounds, and while it makes it a little easier to visualize, it definitely slows down the story and takes too much attention away from what Gilly does. However the history of the house is very interesting, but the book doesn’t cover as much as I would like.
You could almost describe the book as magical realism. While there aren’t that many fantastical elements, there is a lot of mystery and folkloric influences. It appears as though anything that’s happens that could be deemed “magical” has completely logical explanations. Still, it does leave the reader to wonder.
As far as romance goes, there really isn’t much of it. That’s where the novel differs from a Jane Eyre retelling. Apart from an infatuation that’s free of any angst and the like, it’s not prevalent. Gilly is completely self sufficient and more than that, completely content in her own company. WE LOVE TO SEE IT!
Atmospherically while Stewart’s non Arthurian books are usually gothic/mystery/ romances, Thornyhold is basically a cottagecore lovers perfect novel. If you love a pastoral setting, and old houses with lots of plants and animals, you would absolutely adore this book. It’s a light-hearted read that’s quick and will put you in a restful mood. It’s not a fast paced read by any stretch of the imagination, and if you’re looking for action you may want to look elsewhere. But if you’re looking for a quiet escape for a bit this book will do you good!
A gentle, calm, beautifully detailed story about a lonely young woman finding a home. The plot was a bit lacking and felt anti-climactic, but this isn't a book that you read for the plot, more for the sense of place. Bonus points for many animal friends!
Absolutely delightful, and now one of my favorites. As I reached the end, I immediately ordered 4 more books by her, just so I can have her elegant, descriptive prose on hand at short notice. Her works are definitely going to be an inspiration in my own writing for the rest of my life.
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated