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portybelle's review
5.0
Hidden is the latest novel from Linda Gillard and just like the other books from this author which I have read, I thought it was excellent.
This is a dual time story and that is something I always enjoy. It tells the story of Esme, whose brothers and fiance were all killed during World War One. She places an advert in a newspaper offering to marry an officer, in particular one who has been injured during the war. This may seem an odd thing to do but it did actually happen. Her marriage, however, turns out to be very different from what she hoped with her husband suffering terribly from shell shock and becoming more and more controlling.
In the present day, the focus is on Miranda who has inherited Myddleton Mote, the house where Esme lived, from her actor father. There is a leak in the moat surrounding the house and as the water level drops, a skeleton is revealed. A very unwelcome visitor to the house causes a lot of damage but in the meantime, reveals some long hidden secrets. As well as the two main parts of the story, we also read Esme's innermost thoughts in extracts from her testimony.
Hidden is so beautifully written with the characters all so well drawn. I can't quite decide if I liked the story in the past or present best or if I liked them both equally and I think that is a good sign. I felt so much sympathy for Esme and the awful situation she found herself in. Whilst initially, like Esme, having some compassion for her husband and how he was not coping with his experiences in the war, as his behaviour grew more irrational, I began to not only seriously dislike him but also worry for her safety. Both storylines are strong and show the very different experiences for women. The two main characters had much in common in their relationships but with a hundred years separating them, it was clear how much the rights of women have, thankfully, changed over time.
Hidden is quality storytelling, a real page turner which is full of tension as the secrets from the past are revealed. So much was hidden in the book not just in a physical way but also in a more emotional way. Linda Gillard tells the interwoven stories of Esme, Miranda and Myddleton Mote in a compelling way in this richly detailed, atmospheric novel.
This is a dual time story and that is something I always enjoy. It tells the story of Esme, whose brothers and fiance were all killed during World War One. She places an advert in a newspaper offering to marry an officer, in particular one who has been injured during the war. This may seem an odd thing to do but it did actually happen. Her marriage, however, turns out to be very different from what she hoped with her husband suffering terribly from shell shock and becoming more and more controlling.
In the present day, the focus is on Miranda who has inherited Myddleton Mote, the house where Esme lived, from her actor father. There is a leak in the moat surrounding the house and as the water level drops, a skeleton is revealed. A very unwelcome visitor to the house causes a lot of damage but in the meantime, reveals some long hidden secrets. As well as the two main parts of the story, we also read Esme's innermost thoughts in extracts from her testimony.
Hidden is so beautifully written with the characters all so well drawn. I can't quite decide if I liked the story in the past or present best or if I liked them both equally and I think that is a good sign. I felt so much sympathy for Esme and the awful situation she found herself in. Whilst initially, like Esme, having some compassion for her husband and how he was not coping with his experiences in the war, as his behaviour grew more irrational, I began to not only seriously dislike him but also worry for her safety. Both storylines are strong and show the very different experiences for women. The two main characters had much in common in their relationships but with a hundred years separating them, it was clear how much the rights of women have, thankfully, changed over time.
Hidden is quality storytelling, a real page turner which is full of tension as the secrets from the past are revealed. So much was hidden in the book not just in a physical way but also in a more emotional way. Linda Gillard tells the interwoven stories of Esme, Miranda and Myddleton Mote in a compelling way in this richly detailed, atmospheric novel.
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