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A review by jhbandcats
The White Lady by Jacqueline Winspear
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I have loved the Maisie Dobbs series and was happy to see there’s a new book by Winspear even if it isn’t Maisie.
I just finished reading the first three books of a poorly written trilogy by a different author - I should have quit after the first. So from the first page of The White Lady I was happy knowing I was in Winspear’s capable hands. Her writing is smooth and informative without being didactic, her characters are often endearing, and her plots are inevitably intriguing.
The sections on the Great War and WWII were especially strong, the postwar story not as much. The ending seemed very unlikely; there were other ways it could have gone which would have been more realistic within the context. That said, I’ll read anything Winspear writes - she’s that good.
So, I’d recommend this novel but with a caveat about the last few chapters.
I just finished reading the first three books of a poorly written trilogy by a different author - I should have quit after the first. So from the first page of The White Lady I was happy knowing I was in Winspear’s capable hands. Her writing is smooth and informative without being didactic, her characters are often endearing, and her plots are inevitably intriguing.
The sections on the Great War and WWII were especially strong, the postwar story not as much. The ending seemed very unlikely; there were other ways it could have gone which would have been more realistic within the context. That said, I’ll read anything Winspear writes - she’s that good.
So, I’d recommend this novel but with a caveat about the last few chapters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Gore, Sexual assault, War, Classism, Suicide attempt, Child death, Animal death, Blood, Grief, Gun violence, and Violence