You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
Big thanks to Emmy for sending me a vintage hardcover copy of this book. ❤️
This interested me because I am a big fan of the 1964 film with Hayley Mills of the same name. I was so excited to find I enjoyed the book even more. The story was Disney-sanitized for the big screen and major plot changes were made for the sake of time.
The Nicola character in the book is a little older. This allows Mary Stewart to craft a truly admirable heroine who is capable, intelligent and a darn good secret agent/spy. The male characters attempt to shield her from the action and keep her out of things, but her assistance proves invaluable in the end.
Highly recommend on all counts.
This interested me because I am a big fan of the 1964 film with Hayley Mills of the same name. I was so excited to find I enjoyed the book even more. The story was Disney-sanitized for the big screen and major plot changes were made for the sake of time.
The Nicola character in the book is a little older. This allows Mary Stewart to craft a truly admirable heroine who is capable, intelligent and a darn good secret agent/spy. The male characters attempt to shield her from the action and keep her out of things, but her assistance proves invaluable in the end.
Highly recommend on all counts.
I have loved this book ever since I read it as a teenager. It is such a great adventure. And even though it is a little dated, I have enjoyed revisiting it through the years.
It was a fun read, and refreshingly, the movie was quite different, so the suspense and plot was fresh. I'd say the movie was generally more enjoyable, but I did like how this Nicola had much more agency and was far pluckier than Hayley Mills' Nikki, if not quite as charming. I did much prefer the book Mark though. Less of a jerk.
Still, if you had to pick one, I'd go with the movie.
Still, if you had to pick one, I'd go with the movie.
I grew up watching Disney's version of this book. Many of the names remain, the setting is the same and a jewel robbery is involved. The two stories being so different made it less predictable, which was nice. The mystery was okay, the romance left much to be desired and there was a little more language than in "Nine Coaches Waiting". But otherwise an enjoyable read. 2 1/2 stars. I pick the movie over the book. Of course, I'm a sucker for cheesy Disney "B" movies that I grew up with.
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I will probably read everything written by this author. I wish I had known her when I was younger. Now I must make up for lost time.
I first read this book after seeing the Disney movie when I was about 10 years old. The book was so, so much better than the Disney fluff, and after that I read everything Mary Stewart wrote during my early teens. I love this book because the description of the Isle of Crete was so vivid, and for all these years (55 of them!) I've been determined that one day I'll visit that lovely place. The story is still good after all these years, although not as captivating as it was when I was younger. Biggest surprise was that I still knew how to pronounce Agios Georgios.
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
If Agatha Christie is the queen of Mystery, then Mary Stewart is the queen of romantic suspense. I ADORE her novels and I savor each one. This, the fifth novel of hers that I’ve read, ranks as my second all time favorite (the first being the masterpiece that is Nine Coaches Waiting).
Mary Stewart, as always, is a master word painter. Her descriptive writing engages all the senses and this book had me walking along the warm Cretan paths, taking a respite to cool myself under a rocky crag, being surrounded by the scent of verbena and lemon, with the sound of the ocean lapping against the rocks.
Combine that with the mystery at foot, the possible danger, witty dialogue and a stubborn and capable heroine, I ADORED this book!
A comfortable chair and a Mary Stewart book is pure bliss for me.
My rating: Five stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3 1/2, probably, but I wasn't lying when I said I was craving a dose of Mary Stewart.
One of the first romantic-suspense novels I ever read, and it still holds up pretty well some 35 years later. Longer review to come.