I think my love for this book boils down to
Dianne Setterfield’s extraordinary story-telling ability, her choice of
language, the wonderful setting, and her interesting characters.
This is a
gothic tale, and I love the atmosphere she evokes. Often, I found myself reading
the same passages over and over because it conjured up such perfect emotions.
Her writing is very rhythmical, her characters hiding behind what they don’t
say. Diane Setterfield reveals their backstories with pinpoint timing, the
atmosphere building, and the twists catching you off guard.
It’s a brilliant book — an old-fashioned yarn sort of a book, Gothic, intense, and unputdownable.
'Simply brilliant' Kate Mosse, international bestselling author of Labyrinth
***
Everybody has a story...
Angelfield House stands abandoned and forgotten.
It was once home to the March family: fascinating, manipulative Isabelle; brutal, dangerous Charlie; and the wild, untamed twins, Emmeline and Adeline. But the house hides a chilling secret which strikes at the very heart of each of them, tearing their lives apart...
Now Margaret Lea is investigating Angelfield's past, and its mysterious connection to the enigmatic writer Vida Winter. Vida's history is mesmering - a tale of ghosts, governesses, and gothic strangeness. But as Margaret succumbs to the power…
My
cover of this heart-warming book is bright pink: it’s joyous, stands out on my
bookshelf, and makes me smile. Even better is the inside.
The story is
wonderfully uplifting, the writing full of both humor and pathos: a fairy tale
written to lift your spirits and revive your belief in humanity.
I re-read this
gem of a book after seeing the film. It’s beautifully written, and the concept of
not giving up on your dream is an important lesson to us all. It’s only a short
book, but I promise it will warm your heart and stay with you forever.
I read and loved Elizabeth Goudge’s books as a teenager but had never read Gentian
Hill. Thank goodness I didn’t because it was a wonderful discovery.
There’s
poetry in her writing, rich detail in her descriptions, and her vivid prose transporting you to
place and time. In this case, it is the muddy country lanes and cliff tops of Devon and the
filth and clamor of Georgian London.
Crammed full of rich historical detail, this is a
love story, a coming-of-age story, a lost-and-found story. Yes, it may seem a bit old-fashioned, but that is what appeals to me. It’s an immersive read, a well-told yarn. It’s
kind, heart-warming, full of honour and courage. Just the sort of book I love.
First published in the US by Coward-McCann in 1949, Gentian Hill is Elizabeth Goudge's tour de force exploring with her usual skill the themes that always touch the heart: endurance, courage, and love.
Meet Stella Sprigg, adopted daughter of the Sprigg family, and follow her story of love and hope in a time where it hardly exists.
In the wake of
her mother’s death, Pandora Woodville has escaped her domineering father and
returned to Falmouth, bright with the dream of working at her Aunt’s school for
young ladies. On arrival, she is shocked to learn a series of sinister events
is forcing the school’s closure.
Acclaimed chemist
Benedict Aubyn has recently returned to Cornwall to take up a new post as
Turnpike Trust Surveyor. As news of the school’s ruin spreads, it seems
everyone is after her Aunt’s estate. Pandora and Aunt Harriet must do
everything in their power to save the school or risk losing everything.
Pandora, however, has another problem. She’s falling for Benedict. Can she
trust him, or is he simply looking after his own interests?
