Jenny Agutter Books

Erica James is a well-known and award-winning British author who will appeal to many US readers. Reading this book is like curling up with a cup of tea and having a wise and thoughtful friend recount a good story. The subject matter is sad - a young woman and her husband are killed in a car wreck, leaving two children to be raised by an unmarried sister and her parents. But the tale is well told and there are many moments of humor. A romance unfolds, and a prominent character is attracted to two different men, but it's not like typical schlock where you know from the outset which one she's going to end up with. Over the course of the book, a mystery is resolved, a marriage strengthed, people suffer and grow, and of course much tea is consumed. The plot lines are not especially original, but they're also never hackneyed. All the characters (and we readers, for that matter) are treated with affection and respect. A thoroughly enjoyable read.

Great Book!!!

Will: 45, self employed, carefree, once stay-at-home Dad devoted to his daughters & still butting heads with his (re-married) ex-wife.

Harriet: 32, independent career oriented & keeping her promise to take care of her sister's kids while feeling second best.

Jaw-dropping circumstances, twist & turns and occasional humor all work together to form a very realistic story that will keep the pages turning. Ms. James also does an excellent job intermingling the supporting characters.

Well worth reading. So, curl up and enjoy this walk into the lives of neighbors Harriet & Will as they deal with the hand life deals them.

These read and listen books are wonderful! We recently added Heidi to the few have and it is as great as the others. They are wonderful for long car rides, or rainy afternoons, or just for those times when your children need a little quiet time. They come with a read a-long book, but younger children will happily listen without that. The narrators are talented and the stories will keep the interest of children as young as 3 years old. A great way to introduce your children to some classics! Also check out their other titles- all wonderful!

This book was what I needed. It has travel components in beautiful settings in England. Very developed characters! You even get connected to characters with small parts (ie the watress in the cafe) The main character is very likable as well as the characters within the town she stops in. The book really does tell us the importance of taking time for ourselves and our children. I would recommend this book to anyone for a easy going summer read.

I have no right to review Jane Austen. I give this book 5 billion stars.

This is probably the most classic romance novel of all time. I get shivers every time I re-read it and fall in love with the story over and over. While I love most of Austen's other books, this is the one I return to at least once a year.

If you have never read any of Jane Austen's books, I recommend you read this one. Definitely her masterpiece. Wonderful love story, great characters. You won't want to put it down.

This book is a collection of senseless drivel. I have no idea how anyone can give such a glowing review of it. I had to force myself to finish it. This book failed to hold my interest and was nothing more than the chatterings and trivialities of women who want a man. Overly "girly" and weak literature. F-

Jane Austen is a romantic and has written many books about romance, wealth, and pride. One of the greatest classics she has written is Pride and Prejudice. Pride and Prejudice is about a young woman named Elizabeth Bennet who lives in England in the early 1800s. Elizabeth is expected to marry a man of wealth but has vowed to the contrary and will only marry for love. Austen keeps you at the edge of your seat wondering whether Elizabeth and the very proud, Mr. Darcy, will ever fall in love despite their opposing views on wealth, social status, and pride.
Austen expresses so eloquently the intelligence and compassion of Elizabeth and portrays a dashing Mr. Darcy who discovers that his wealth will not guarantee him love and happiness. Both Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy discover that love through understanding and patience can penetrate the stereotypes of the wealthy and the middle class. Austen also points out that although marrying for love, regardless of wealth and social status is ideal, sometimes people are not free to marry for love but marry due to obligation to their family. The character development is one of the greatest strengths of this book. The complexity of all the characters made the book come to life. Mr. Collins provides much comic relief and Mrs. Bennet is portrayed as a silly woman who would be any daughter's or husband's nightmare. The only weakness I find in this book is the frustration I felt for Jane and her content nature. Maybe this just emphasizes the strength of Elizabeth`s character. Pride and Prejudice is a classic for a reason, it is a book that you can read again and again. Although this book was written in the 1800's, it is still relevant in today's society.

I absolutely adore this book. Everything Cassandra narrates I can vividly see in my mind. A strong voice and wonderful usage of words, makes it an even more enjoyable read.

I got this book based on the recommendation of a classmate, and immediately fell in love with the narrator. All the characters are intriguing, and I couldn't put it down. I must read for anyone who loves very British stories.

Thoroughly enjoyable story of two families in rural England in the first half of the 20th Century. And I agree with the cover quote from J.K. Rowling: "This book has one of the most charismatic narrators I've ever met."
-- Phyllis Zimbler Miller, author of "Mrs. Lieutenant" and co-author of "Seasons for Celebration"

Mortimer Adler (How to Read a Book) recommends reading a book three times to delve deeper into what an author is trying to say through their story. I just finished reading this for the first time. This really deserves a closer read now that I "get" what happens with Rose at the end. (No spoilers here).

I'd seen the movie a while ago and it didn't really do anything for me. I watched the movie again last night and still didn't like it. Sure, the movie was OK, but I don't think it really got to the heart of the story.

I feel the author is really trying to say something here that is summarized at the end during the discussion between Simon and Cassandra about her father's book. This book is a puzzle in itself on purpose. It is not just about a love story, or a child growing up. Dodie Smith is trying to say something about the creative process itself. It will take effort on the reader's part to tease out all the meaning that is layered into the story.

Along with the rest of the literary world, I recently rediscovered this classic after it was republished having sat in obscurity for years. And was promptly blown away. For any lovers of Pride and Prejudice, Anne of Green Gables, or even The Age of Innocence, this is a must-read. The plot is Austen's, the characters Montgomery's, and the setting and bittersweet flavor Wharton's. Written as the journal of a cynical but essentially dreamy 17-year-old, it depicts the turning point in both her life and the lives of her family, as they spiral toward decay and complete poverty, the only hope of redemption being offered by the arrival of wealthy, good-looking neighbors next door. Don't expect to find any Mr. Darcys in this book - the Cotton brothers are much more thinly sketched and truth be told despisable heroes than that famous character, but the book rides on the wistful, witty, breathtakingly clear voice and character of Cassandra Mortmain, a heroine who burns in the memory long after the book has been put down, and as such the book is more than worth reading. Doesn't quite achieve the peak of lofty classicism of other more famous books such as Jane Eyre or Pride and Prejudice, but a lovely story which skitters on the edges of childhood, romance, heartbreak, and growing up with grace and near-brilliance. For a book to be a true classic it must contain 1)intensely vibrant, complex, and individual characters, particularly the main one 2)a well-constructed and finely drawn plot, that brings nothing extra in and 3)that extra spark, of style or vision, that lifts a book into something that appeals on some level to all humanity. I Capture the Castle has a good dose of all three but not quite enough. On the first charge, while Cassandra herself fits the bill as nearly as a 17-year old can(unfortunately by the very nature of the age given to her she doesn't quite have the maturity or decisiveness of a woman) most of the other characters feel either over-the-top(her family) or under-drawn(Rose and the Cotton brothers). On the second, there is such a thing as too much detail, and Dodie Smith falls into that trap. On the third, she nearly, nearly reaches that level, particularly in the brilliant ending scene, but not quite; the wider emotions - hate, fear, and the deeper vision, is missing. So, in the end, while this remains a minor classic - the story of a year or so in the life of a girl - it's a brilliant and heartbreaking one. "Three more lines left. I love you."

How explain literary genius? How pinpoint the DNA which made three Yorkshire girls living in a rundown parsonage world famous authors? "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall" author is Anne the youngest of the Bronte sisters. This novel is little known but is still an excellent example of Victorian fiction at its best. The novel is set in the Regency period and deals with a mysterious widow who becomes the tenant of the rundown estate called Wildfell Hall. She is the subject of gossip in the small town close to the old estate. Gilbert Markham falls in love with her.
The book begins with a glance backward to 1827 by the first person narrator Gilbert Markham who is a farmer. We meet Gilbert, his siblings Rose and Fergus as well as their grumpy mother. This first 115 pages show us social comedy as Gilbert is the romantic beau ideal of a fatuous preacher's daughter. He sees Markham becoming friendly with Helen and her young son Arthur. Gilbert sees Helen with a man thinking she is proving untrue to their burgeoning romance. Later we will learn that the enigmatic stranger is none other than her brother! Helen gives Gilbert a diary which consists of about 300 pages in the novel. In this diary she tells her sad tale. After his all night perusal of the diary the fiery Gilbert is convinced Helen is worthy of his love and protection.
Helen was wed to a rakish, drunk named Arthur Hunington who takes her to his home at Grassdale. Arthur lives a dissolute life. He is lazy, unkind to animals and socializes with sleazy aristocrats. He carries on an affair with the stupid Annabella leading to Helen's leaving him.
The novel is a love story, an indictment against alcoholism and a story well told with well sketched characters to hold your attention.
I thought it interesting that "Wildfell Hall" has the same "WH" as does Emily Bronte's more famous "Wuthering Heights." I also noted that the heroine of Anne's novel is "Helen". Did this remind the youngest Bronte of elder sister Charlotte's memorable tragic child "Helen Burns" a student at Lowood School in Jane Eyre? The novel is also influenced by the 1700 page eighteenth century letter novel "Clarissa" by Samuel Richardson.
Anne Bronte died at the young age of 29 with her potential unrealized. She did produce this fine book and her other classic "Agnes Grey." She is worth a read! A good book to curl up with on a dark and stormy night!

I loved this story. I was a bit surprised by the content, considering the time the book was written. The story went deeper than I had thought it would, very enjoyable read. If you like Charlotte's books, you will love this one.

The romantic ending was much too brief after the long story leading up to it, but it was a good read.

I agree, having read the book, that Gilbert was brutish and at times overyly "girlish" in expressing his emotions. The ending was rather abrupt. But because it's just from letters, that's to be expected.

The elaborate Victorian prose style of The Tenant of Wildfell Hall does not obscure a story that is recognizably modern--that of an idealistic young woman who wants to save her brutish, alcoholic husband from himself.

Reviled for its "morbid love for the coarse, not to say the brutal," The Tenant of Wildfell Hall continues the theme Brontë began in Agnes Gray--that nurture's role in shaping in a person's character and future is more important than parents and other authority figures realize or take responsibility for. As Helen says of Arthur, she wants "to do my utmost to . . . make him what he would have been if he had not, from the beginning, had a bad, selfish, miserly father . . . and a foolish mother who indulged him to the top of his bent . . . doing her utmost to encourage those germs of folly and vice it was her duty to suppress."

Helen's background is also revealing. Raised by her uncle and aunt, she exemplifies the modern concept of the adult child of an alcoholic--self-righteous and controlling. Knowing that Arthur is flawed, she marries him with the objective of changing him and saving him for God. It can be speculated that Arthur, intrigued by Helen's youth, beauty, passion, and apparent demureness, envisions making her a more worldly woman. Neither knows the other beyond the surface, and each seems to want to transform the other into his or her own image. This is not the basis for a happy or durable union, as Helen learns.

Failing to control the father, Helen turns her attentions to her son. Quite rightly, she is horrified when Arthur makes his son a pawn in their marital battle, teaching him the manly Victorian arts of sport and predation, love of drinking and carousing, camaraderie without friendship, and disrespect for and the subjugation of women. Even Brontë seemed to be aware that Helen's approach is also disturbing in its own way, for the child-rearing debate between Helen and her new neighbors is the basis for an entire chapter before we learn her history. While many of Brontë's contemporaries would have agreed with the vicar's argument that experience builds character, Helen slowly reveals how experience of the wrong kind without a moderating influence can destroy character.

The structure of the novel is undoubtedly awkward; it is unlikely that anyone would share such intimate details and thoughts as well as another person's entire personal journal with even the dearest friend without a compelling reason. Gilbert, who is introduced, perhaps symbolically, as a hunter of predators (hawks), disappears from the story as he reads Helen's tale. This diminishes him, relegating him to Helen's redemption and reward. On occasion, for example, in "Domestic Scenes," Brontë's tense changes and irregularities make Helen's journal lose its currency and distract the reader with lapses into a novel-like tone.

The structure does, however, allow the reader (and Gilbert) to meet the reclusive, protective, guarded, almost-grim Helen before we find out about the life that has shaped her and her inflexible opinions. The revelation of her character, and the strength she has to flout convention when her conscience and sense of duty require it, helps to complete Gilbert's growth from sarcastic village wit to the kind of mature man more worthy of her.

Brontë's stated purpose was "to tell the truth, for the truth always conveys its own moral to those who are able to receive it . . . Let it not be imagined, however, that I consider myself competent to reform the errors and abuses of society, but only that I would fain contribute my humble quota towards so good an aim . . . ." Helen's story, like that of Agnes, reveals the uglier aspects of Victorian family life, usually idealized, that resulted when women had few rights, men abused theirs, parents did not take responsibility for instilling healthy values (such as respect for life) in their children, and divorce was out of the reach of most. Beyond the impressive gates and parks, within the stately estates, behind the closed doors, lurked family and social problems that could not be hidden or denied away. Helen's story was disturbing not because of her depiction of Arthur's demeaning, childish, and amoral behavior, but because she exposes the falseness of the idyllic family life her society held dear and because she is willing to abandon what society considers her duty to her marriage to perform her real duty to herself and her son.

Anne Brontë's work has been compared unfavorably to that of her sisters, Charlotte and Emily. Yet its psychological insights, including the very coarseness and brutality of which contemporary critics complained, make up for Brontë's lack of literary finesse. Her portrayal of Arthur, the fun-loving, amoral, pettish, selfish hedonist, and his boorish social circle resonates today. Despite his country gentleman status and his debt-supported wealth, Arthur is recognizable in all times and classes. Helen, too, is familiar as the long-suffering wife who finally takes action when her child is threatened.

Although much has changed since Brontë's time, her characterizations and insights on family life hold true today, making The Tenant of Wildfell Hall a classic in its own right.

This is my first Sidney Sheldon book. It was great! I want to read the sequel. Great plot, twists and turns.

What can one say about authors like Sidney Sheldon, Harold Robbins and the like? Their novels, while difficult to classify in a specific genre, would make fantastic made-for-tv movies. The Other Side of Midnight is no exception.

The story of Noelle Page, a humble fisherman's daughter who became one of the most famous, powerful women in the world. A short affair with Larry Douglas leaves her pregnant and desperately in love, waiting for him to return to marry her. Larry, however, has completely forgotten his promise and moved on. Noelle vows then and there to spend the rest of her life seeking revenge against Larry.

This long, sometimes confusing story entwines the lives of Noelle, Larry, and his wife Catherine. The opening scene reveals that Noelle and Larry are on trial for Catherine's murder.... the rest of the book deals with how they got there, starting with Noelle's childhood. It's a gripping read, definitely difficult to put down for more than a few minutes. The worst part, I think, is never being entirely sure who to feel sorry for. None of the characters are entirely evil or without some redeeming qualities, except maybe Larry.

Ironically, this was made into a movie by 20th Century Fox. They expected it to be a hit, while Star Wars (made and released at the same time) was expected to be a dud, so they marketed the films as a package deal (theatres that wanted to book The Other Side of Midnight had to contract to book Star Wars first). Well.... it sort of backfired. Star Wars, as everyone knows, took off like a shot, and The Other Side of Midnight floundered and has long been lost to obscurity. The book was definitely much more poignant than the film. I'd recommend it highly as a distraction-read, but literature it ain't.

Excellent, excellent book. This came out when I still a kid, but I remember mom and aunts discussing it. Nearly thirty years later, I finally had a chance to read it, and it really stands the test of time.

Right from the get-go it sucks you in with an interesting cast of characters flying into Greece for a trial of a famous actress. Turns out she's the "whore," and the otherside of midnight for her is, Catherine, the "virgin." How these two end up in each other's lives and what they do to each other...well that's to read and find out. The ending is a zinger as well.

Truly there is nothing bad about this about this book. It's a bit "larger-than-life", but that's just what makes it so fun.

I don't why they bother giving the Nobel Prize for literature to the bleak plays of Harold Pinter (2005) or the dreary novels of Kanzaburo Oe (1994), when we've had such a great writer as Sidney Sheldon around for the past four or five decades. This is one writer who deserved the ultimate prize, although now it is - alas - too late.

"The Other Side of Midnight" is perhaps his masterpiece. It is the story of Noelle, a naive young French girl who falls for a handsome American aviator during World War II. But when the war ends, Noelle waits in vain for her handsome flyer to return. Alone and abandoned, the young lady finds that she has to make her way by selling her body. She quickly discovers that she can make her sex appeal pay off and sleeps her way into movie stardom. All this time she keeps tabs on her aviator, who has returned to the US and started a family.

Several years later, when he loses his job, Noelle, now wife of a Greek millionaire, arranges to hire her former lover as her private pilot. Not recognizing his wealthy boss as the fragile young mistress he knew during the war, he is bewildered by Noelle's cruel treatment of him. This game of deception leads them both into very deadly territory.

A great book makes you want to read it. At the end of the day, that's the only prize worth struggling for: the prize of being read again and again and, in Sydney Sheldon's case, again and again and again and again...

This is definitely a Sidney Sheldon masterpiece. I got so totally hooked by this story that I had to go buy the DVD and can't wait to watch the movie. Sheldon takes us through the time span of 1919 to 1947 and the lives of two women, Noelle Page and Catherine Alexander. We recognize how their characters were formed as children and the subsequent actions and reactions of their life experiences resulting in the amazing tale of money, power, intelligence and revenge. The focal point of their lives is summed up in the character of Larry Douglas, American WWII pilot, honored for his heroic efforts in the war. Prior to the War, he met Noelle and she fell head over heals in love with him. He promised to marry her, encouraged her to go buy a wedding gown and then never returned, initiating in Noelle, a lifelong desire of revenge. Larry moves on to become a hero as a fighter pilot, attaining the status of Captain and loving and leaving practically every woman he makes contact with. He meets Catherine Alexander in Hollywood, posing as an actor in an Army recruiting film. So enthralled by his charm, Catherine ends up marrying him very quickly. She is lured by his man-of-the world charisma and Larry uses her naiveté as the tool of conquest to take Catherine away from Bill Fraser, the man she is seriously involved with and a true friend to her as well. Larry has always enjoyed the hunt more than the kill and Catherine, in this case, became the "hunt." Once the war is over, Larry is bored with his wife and his many routine piloting jobs which he cannot hold onto mainly because he can't deal with taking orders and following rules. Noelle has been following his every move through a private detective agency over the course of seven years, and decides this lull in Larry's career is the perfect time to seek her revenge. Sheldon is an amazing author taking the reader to France to tell Noelle's story, and then Chicago, Washington and Hollywood for Catherine's. Their lives merge in Athens, Greece where they all become connected to the Aristotle Onassis of the tale, Constantin Demiris. The climax and conclusion of this story takes so many twists and turns and of course hits the reader hard with the finale. I am on my way to order the sequel, "Memories of Midnight." My cousin read this book 30 years ago and remembered what a masterpiece it is to this day; she recommended it to me. The fact that a story can stick with a person for so long, explains the greatness of its content and the magnitude of its author.

Sidney Sheldon remains as one of the few writers who really know how to move a story, keep his readers absorbed and root for a protagonist. He was skillful at constructing a complicated plot, and had the main storyline intertwined with the numerous side stories. I also like how the author was comfortable with writing about any time, place, or setting. He adapted to them all very well, as any good writer would.

He also knew when to throw a twist at a reader. Sometimes it's comes as a pleasant surprise; sometimes you could hear yourself say "oh, this was totally unnecessary."

Sidney Sheldon's books are soap operas wrapped in the paperback (or hardcover). He adroitly strikes chords and rattles reader's nerves. His novels are what critics typically call an "absorbing, fast-paced page-turner." However, if you read more than one of his novels you will notice couple things.

First, he never bothered with complex descriptions of physical appearances. His characters are all good-looking, men have "arresting and sharp" glance and a "determined chin." Women are all with "soft", "silk", "sensual" bodies, "voluptuous", "provocative", "seductive" looks, "stunning" eyes and "shrewd" personalities. Sometimes, Sidney Sheldon got a tinge of inspiration and an "arresting look" became an "arresting intelligent look." But you get the point? Many writers label this "lazy writing". Lazy or not, Sidney Sheldon still sold his novels.

Second, frequently, his female characters have a bad first sexual experience. I don't know what the fascination Sidney Sheldon had with that, but their virginity was lost in "oh-how-I-wish-it-was-different" kind of way.

And, of course, here and there Sidney Sheldon gets carried away with complicating a story and inadvertently leaves some holes in the plot. But, hey, who doesn't?

So, what does all this have to do with "Bloodline"? Well, a lot. If everything I wrote above appeals to you, then it does not matter if I talk about this book or any other of his books. The review applies to them all. It's a formula.... the book, not this review ;-).

The first book I ever read was "If Tomorrow Comes" and that will always be a landmark favorite in my favorites written by Sidney Sheldon. Having some time to recooperate this summer, I took upon myself to start reading - - that's when my mom offered "BLOODLINE." The book is written in such a fashion of the hit movie "CRASH" where he talks about every character and at the end, he brings them all together! I do agree with another reader that he took a long time talkin' about Elizabeth's roots within the family because she felt like she didn't belong or the plot took too long to develop the story in the beginning that would shy readers away. But now that I look back, ALL of that was necessary for the story to be the way that it was. Upon reading other reviews, I stumbled upon one that made sense: Sheldon never revealed to us who planted the microphone behind Samuel's picture in the office...Overall, I think this book was great...I found "If Tomorrow Comes" to beat it as far as quality. The book still had the page turners in the beginning telling the family history, but it wasn't until the very end that one twist after another comes rolling in, which is what Sheldon does best.

This is master storyteller SIDNEY SHELDON at his best! The plot is breath-taking. The characters are rich and well described. Unputdownable. Finished the book in 2 days

This was the first novel I've read by Sydney Sheldon. The character development, plot development and prose is drivel compared to books by Greg Iles, Joseph Finder, Nelson DeMille, Richard Crais, Michael Connelly, Sheldon Siegel, and Richard North Patterson. Its so bad, I'm throwing the book out so I won't make the mistake of rereading it. Raise your standards people!

Another fantastic, mind-gripping read, holding its audience from page one. Bloodline spins the tale of a family-run pharmaceutical conglomerate. Roffe and Sons has been passed down to the heirs of Samuel Roffe's family, Sam Roffe, the only male descendant and holder of the controlling interest of the company, Anna Roffe married to Walther Gassner, Ivo Palazzi, married to Simonetta Roffe, Charles Martel married to Helene Roffe and Sir Alec Nichols' mother had been a Roffe. Samuel Roffe, founder of the company, had decided from the beginning that his company never go public. His theory, "Never let a friendly fox into your hen house. One day he's going to get hungry." When Sam Roffe (an experienced climber) dies in a mysterious mountain climbing accident, Elizabeth inherits his controlling interest in the company. Suddenly, life-threatening events begin to happen to her as she holds onto her great-great grandfather's wishes after finding a book telling the story of Samuel Roffe's life and the tense, emotional and physical struggle he endured to build the company from the ground up. In her great-great grandfather's memory and approach, she is determined to keep the company private and uncover the person responsible for the evil doings within the upper echelon (that being one of four of her cousins) or possibly her father's right-hand man, Rhys Williams. Rhys, not being a member of the family, was brought into the company by Elizabeth's father, however, unless he married a Roffe, in this case, Elizabeth (since she was the only female left), would be unable to sit on the Board of Directors. Williams was always kind to Liz (is it merely business or personal?) who grew up without a father's presence in her life (just the comforts of his money). Liz felt, even though she harbored strong feelings for Rhys, she could not afford to trust him or anyone until she uncovered the person out to destroy all that Samuel Roffe had built. Each cousin has their own issues; Anna Roffe's husband is out to destroy their children, Ivo Palazzi is leading a double life with two families, Charles is being lead around by Helene as a boy toy, Sir Alec has married Vivian, a wild, crazy party girl and Rhys has worked long and hard his adult life for Sam without the benefit of even a share of stock in the multimillion dollar business. Each one has their own agenda for forcing first Sam and now Elizabeth to have the company go public and thereby attaining the financial means to destroy the "fly in the ointment" of their respective lives. I could not put this book down until the last page was turned. Sheldon is the "master of storytelling."

I'm just finished reading the Railway Children to my 10-year-old, and it is such a great read!

I loved it as a child, and this is my second time reading it aloud. I can't recommend it enough.

It's just a nice story. Set at the turn of the century, three children are forced to leave their comfortable life in London and go live in a smaller house near a railway when their father is mysteriously taken away from them. They don't know why; we don't find out until the end of the book. In the meantime, their mother is very brave, earning money by writing, and they try not to bother her by getting to know the railway and getting involved in everybody's lives all around them.

The children are very sweet, and there's a thread of definite morality throughout the book.

Don't miss it with your kids!

If you liked Railway Children, you may also want to try Little Women (Unabridged Classics) or Island of the Blue Dolphins. My children loved those ones as well!

This is not simply a children's book. It is an extremely touching story of three children whose father is suddenly taken away from them and how they cope with the changed circumstances, how they adjust to "play at being poor" as their mother says. It is a book that is bound to enthrall you.

Utterly delightful. Loved it, ate it up. Need more Nesbit, soon as poss.

Three kids are taken to live in the English countryside when their father, well, disappears. While their mother suffers silently, and sells short fiction to help pay the bills (those were the days!), the children make a fantasy land out of their little village, especially the local railroad depot with all its fascinations. Imagine being fascinated with the steam train when it was cutting edge technology, not nostalgia! Communicating with the passengers via signs, befriending engineers, porters and station masters, even preventing a nasty rail accident, the kids end up both having fun and relieving the hardships of poor, careworn mother.

Beautiful book both remembers what its like to be a child and peeks into a childhood none of us ever knew. If you love the world of late Victorian/Edwardian Britain, read it. If you love the early parts of the Narnia books, before the kids enter the wardrobe, read it. It's precious.

I think it is kind of cool how the kids think of how to stop someone from wrecking a train. Also how they got someone un-fainted from when they were fainted. It was also pretty funny how their mother made a mistake when one of the kids said they revived a hound with a red shirt, but it was really a person.

I didn't give it 5 stars because there isn't very much action. But I still liked it a lot.

The Railway Children was originally published in 1906. It's different from many of Edith Nesbit's books, in that it doesn't feature any magic. The Railway Children is the story of three children, Roberta, Peter, and Phyllis. At the start of the story, the children live with their loving parents in a nice, modern house in London. Their lives change drastically, however, when their Father is called away unexpectedly and mysteriously. Their Mother takes them to live in an older house in the country, with only a single part-time servant, where they quickly realize that they are now poor. Mother spends all her time writing stories and poems, to submit them for publication, instead of playing games with them and teaching them, as she had done previously. The children are left largely to their own devices, with no lessons to distract them.

The house that they live in, Three Chimney's, is located near to a railway line and a small railway station. The railway quickly becomes a source of friends. The Stationmaster and the Porter (most especially the Porter, Perks) become major figures in the children's lives, as does a friendly "Old Gentleman" who waves to them every morning from the 9:15 train.

And the adventures begin. Through bravery and ingenuity (and through the coincidence of always being in the right place at the right time), the children avert not one, not two, but three separate disasters. They also get into trouble through their innocent attempts to help their Mother, and through their own sibling rivalries, and eventually help a Russian stranger newly escaped to England. Through it all, they miss their Father, and wonder what's happened to him, and why their Mother is so sad.

The constant adventures in this book make it a lot of fun. It does feel a little bit dated in places. There's a scene in which the local doctor tells Peter to be kinder to his sisters, for example, because they are "so much softer and weaker" than he is. But overall, I think that Edith Nesbit did a wonderful job of making the girls strong characters, too.

This book has lots of messages about bravery and right and wrong, and what makes up charity vs. friendship. And how to be good without being priggish. Some modern-day children might find it a little bit preachy in this area, though it is generally lightened with humor. But hopefully the adventures, and the realistic imperfections of the children, will win new readers over anyway. I know that I love this book (despite having a slight problem with the number of coincidences) and that the end brings tears to my eyes. If you haven't read it, The Railway Children is well worth checking out.

This review was originally published on my blog, Jen Robinson's Book Page, on April 30, 2006.

Young Geillis Ramsey comes to Thorneyhold to begin a new life. Alone and vulnerable, Geillis soon begins to feel a hint of something sinister in this otherwise idyllic setting. Thorneyhold is full of magic, but is it good magic or is it evil?

I've reread this book several times. The rural setting, the wonderful old house, the concept of simple magic, all delight me.

If you enjoy this book, I would suggest Elisabeth Ogilvie's "Theme for Reason". Like Mary Stewart, Elisabeth Ogilvie creates wonderful settings populated with interesting and likable characters. Highly recommended.

I am a big fan of Mary Stewart, and I bought this book ages ago after reading The Hollow Hills, etc. I came across it while going through old books destined for the library book sale, and it soon found it's way into the discard box. I expected much more than a dreamy, slow story about a woman who seems all-too-accepting of the random elements of magic in her life. The first half the book was almost uneccesary--slow and sad--and the second half reminded me of a cheap period romance.

While I do believe this is fitting for readers looking for a relaxing, flowery experience, it is a very bad choice for those of us expecting something engaging and exicting.

I absolutely LOVED this book! Once I started it I couldn't put it down until I finished it. It has the perfect blend of spells, potions, romantic love, family love, humor, and mystery as Gilly comes to terms with her childhood memories. I did not want this wonderful story to end.

Mary Stewart wrote many exciting novels, but "Thornyhold" is my favorite. I love the idealic-country setting. The images of magic, dreams, and wildlife will entrance you. The only thing to say against it, is that the ending is dated from a feminist viewpoint. But...I just imagine my own ending as I read and reread this gem.

This is a book I find myself picking up at least once a year to sit down and savor all over again. I return to this book not only for the excellent writing, but for it's peaceful tone with strong hints of otherworldly drama and its undercurrents of romance as well as its richly woven descriptions. While I love all of Mary Stewarts books, this is by far my favorite. I highly recommend it.