The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie (Book One Tommy and Tuppence Mysteries) Read Christie February 2024 Selection

 

Publication Date: 

January 1922

Length:

320 pages

Summary:

This is the second Tommy and Tuppence book I've read and they are becoming favorites of mine. It is also the second book published by Christie. Tommy and Tuppence are not in many of her books, only five total but they are a great addition to her detective characters.

When the story begins, it is 1920 and the Great War has just ended. Childhood friends, Tommy Beresford and Prudence "Tuppence" Cowley are reunited in London and share their personal stories of their latest adventures. Tommy, a former soldier and Tuppence, a war volunteer, commiserate together about their need for jobs and money. While they both would love to be independently wealthy, they realize that probably isn't going to happen anytime soon. As they talk further they decide to pool their intellect and talents and form a company, "The Young Adventurers, Ltd," aimed at solving any problem thrown their way, and soon have a client, Mr. Whittington. Before Tuppence can ascertain much information from him, she shocks him by giving him a false name she innocently pulls out of her memory, a "Jane Finn." This name completely surprises Whittington and he responds by angrily giving her money to keep quiet. Tuppence is shocked, not understanding why he is so upset over the seemingly made up name.

A friend of Tommy's from the intelligence community, Carter, tells Tommy the story of the real Jane Finn, who has disappeared after trying to deliver a secret letter to the American embassy in London, and that the letter was given to her on the fated ship, the Lusitania. Tommy and Tuppence decide to search for Jane, along with her American cousin, the very wealthy, Julius Hersheimmer. Carter warns them that they are likely to come up against a mysterious man, "Mr. Brown," who is the likely kidnapper of Jane and an evil man. No one knows his true identity and he tells them to be careful. 

Their sleuthing soon becomes dangerous, leading them to shadowy Russian politicians, secret back rooms, mansions with highly placed nobility, and kidnapping. Each of their lives are in danger, along with a tense sense of time running out to find the real Jane Finn alive. Throughout the case, their personal feelings grow for one another, making the resolution to the mystery even more high stakes.

My Thoughts: 

This story was a lot of fun and the identity of "Mr. Brown" was kept secret very well right up until the end. In fact, I was originally convinced I was right and then at the last moment I was proven incorrect! Switching back and forth between Tommy and Tuppence's experiences, as well as adding many colorful characters made it necessary to really pay attention and held my interest throughout. The plot was complicated and well drawn. I thought it was much better than many of her other stories I've read for this reason. 

My only real problem with the story was the part where Tuppence calls herself "Jane Finn." Although this is explained away as the plot unfolds, it was a bit of a stretch to me that it all happened the way it did. Without this element the story would not have worked, but still it did kind of bother me as far fetched. But it is fiction, so I went with it!

Even with the dark behavior of many of the villains, the story manages to retain a light heartedness that isn't there in some of her books.  It often felt much more like a cozy mystery. Tommy and Tuppence both come across as relatable, likeable young people who are clever, resourceful, and brave. It's too bad Christie didn't write more stories with them as the main detectives. I will be reading more of their books in the future.

The Leper of Saint Giles by Ellis Peters (Cadfael Chronicles Book 5)

 

Publication Date: 

January 1, 1996

Length:

217 pages

Summary:

Brother Cadfael, resident herbalist of Shrewsbury Abbey is helping to prepare for an upcoming wedding to be held there. Nobleman Baron Huon de Domville and Lady Iveta de Massard are hardly a young couple in love though. The groom is many decades older and is unattractive and harsh. The bride, innocent and used for an advantageous match between families, is desperate and dreading her future life. In love with another, Joscelin Lucy, a squire of Domville's, she hopes something will save her from her fate. 

As the time draws near, it seems her wish is granted when Domville is found strangled in the woods, apparently headed to an unknown destination, suspiciously alone and not in the company of any of his servants. Lucy, who was previously accused of theft by his employer when Domville suspected a romantic entanglement with Iveta, is accused of murdering Domville to save himself and goes on the run to avoid the gallows. 

Aided by his friends Simon and Guy, he is able to remain free for a time and is taken in by the Saint Giles leper colony, disguised in a location that no one, not even the Sheriff's men want to go. Biding his time while trying to figure out what to do, Lucy becomes attached to a mysterious leper and a young boy, Bran, who give him hope and compassion. 

Meanwhile, Brother Cadfael is on the case and investigating the mysterious death of Domville, not  willing to believe Lucy is guilty. His sleuthing leads him to mysterious plants, a previously unknown hunting lodge, and another woman in the mix. He has precious little time to figure out how these things all tie together if he is to save Lucy. 

My Thoughts: 

The story was well written as always in Peters's eloquent style, with lots of description and at least a few vocabulary words I had to look up. That makes her stories top notch as cozy mysteries go and Cadfael is always entertaining. There wasn't a whole lot of twists and turns until the last two chapters but they more than made up for the slower pace. Iveta's evil Aunt and Uncle are convincing villains, using her for their gain and Domville is given a back story that I didn't see coming. 

I had wanted to read this particular Cadfael mystery for awhile simply because the title intrigued me. I am reading the stories in order but really wanted to get to this one. While I enjoyed the mystery and ending a lot, I was a bit disappointed that Peters didn't include a little more history and insight into the actual disease of leprosy and the colony in the story. I realize the focus is on the crime and solving it but I thought she could have included more about the time and treatment of the disease then. 

I will continue with these mysteries as they are set in a time period I love, The Anarchy between King Stephen and the Empress Matilda. Shrewsbury is a great setting for the story and Cadfael is a solid character, always getting his man (or woman) in the end.

The Wintringham Mystery (Cicely Disappears) by Anthony Berkeley

Publication Date: 

1927

Length:

260 pages

This story was originally published as a serial in the The Daily Mirror, in 1926. It was then called The Wintringham Mystery but later renamed Cicely Disappears, when published in book form. Personally I prefer the original title much better. Famously, Agatha Christie entered and won a contest through the paper which asked for ideas about how to solve the book's mystery. (Actually, her husband entered the contest, but it was Agatha who was behind the actual idea.) She could not solve it and this fun fact made me want to read the book even more. I had not heard of this author before but he is just one of many writing during the wonderful Golden Age of Detective Fiction. Recently reissued it is considered a classic. 

Summary:

Stephen Munro is a former army officer who is forced to take a job as a footman to support himself. Completely unsuited to the job and having to humble himself to learn his duties he is nonetheless determined to do his best. He takes up his employment at the country manor house of Lady Susan Carey and to top off his ineptness for the job, is subjected to the embarrassment of some former friends arriving for a weekend stay and recognizing him in his new role. The ultimate humiliation is when his love interest, Pauline Mainwaring appears with her new fiance and Stephen is forced to confront his feelings towards her all while trying to remain an aloof, neutral footman. 

As the weekend unfolds, a seance is suggested, just for fun, by one of the guests. When Lady Carey's niece, Cecily disappears after the lights go out, everyone feels it must be a prank she is pulling on them for fun. But with time it begins to feel suspicious when she doesn't reappear. Stephen, Pauline, and some of the other guests begin to work together to find Cecily and discover an intricate, sinister plot hiding within the cozy Wintringham manor. 

My Thoughts: 

I really enjoyed this book. The character of Stephen was endearing and I enjoyed the chemistry between him and Pauline. It was written in a simplistic style which reminded me a bit of the old Nancy Drew stories I grew up with. One of the things I always enjoy about older novels is the strong vocabulary. This book had this sprinkled into the story and gave it that classic feel without being too difficult to read quickly. 

The mystery was pretty detailed and I certainly didn't figure things out. I thought it was cleverly done and kept you guessing right up to the last chapter. It would definitely fit into the "cozy" genre in that there was nothing too gruesome of shocking. A good read and by an author that was new to me which is always a good thing. 

The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie (Book One: Hercule Poirot Mysteries) Read Christie January 2024 Selection

 

Publication Date: 

October 1920

Length:

296 pages

I was excited that this was chosen for the Read Christie January selection. I read it years ago but remembered none of the storyline and since it is book one in the Poirot series I was happy to read it again and review it. 

Summary:

 On leave from the Great War, Arthur Hastings is invited to stay at Styles Court in Essex by his friend, John Cavendish. Just as he is settling in for a comfortable time, John's stepmother, Emily Inglethorp, is shockingly found dead one morning, apparently poisoned with strychnine. Hastings quickly enlists the help of his friend and detective, Hercule Poirot, to find out the what and why behind her death. 

The other guests involved include Alfred Inglethorp, Emily's husband who is many years younger than her, her stepsons John and Lawrence Cavendish (sons of Emily's first husband), Cynthia Murdoch, a family friend, and Evelyn Howard, Emily's friend and companion. Although Emily sometimes changes her will, at the moment it is believed that John will inherit the manor property per his father's will, and that Alfred will inherit Emily's money upon her death. 

Due to an overheard argument the night prior to her death, the occupants of the house are distressed as to what it was about and who she was arguing with. Likely Alfred or John, no one knows for sure and they also cannot find the new will Emily is believed to have written shortly before her death. Alfred left overnight to go to the village and Emily retired alone, taking her document case upstairs with her. When her body is found, the case is also found, broken open and with no documents inside. 

We are introduced to Scotland Yard Inspector Japp, who believes either Alfred or John to be the murderer, Alfred being the inheritor of the money and acting suspiciously, found lying about certain details, and John having no alibi and being in possession of items pertaining to the poison and a disguise, possibly used to buy the strychnine. Poirot, in his painstaking fashion for details, is left to piece each clue together, changing his mind at times as to who is responsible, as each new idea comes to light. 

My Thoughts: 

Going in to this Christie book I knew I would like it no matter what because it was her first. There is something special about it already because of that alone. I have grown fond of Poirot, Hastings, and Japp over the last year and a half of reading (and watching!) Christie books and shows so to see them introduced was fun. I had also read about how her genius with the poisoning storyline was well known and wanted to know how it was done. It was indeed quite an interesting twist that I would not have known about in any way ahead of time. I actually did guess correctly about one of the suspects, and that part was not as surprising, although I sense that Christie used some paths throughout the story to try to throw us off track, only to return to some initial suspicions in the end. 

I love the narration of Hastings, as I find him to be a sweet, innocent character and as Poirot is much more arrogant and harsh in his tone, the inner thoughts of Hastings work better I think for these stories. This book did not have the feel for me of getting to know the minor characters as much, but did include some marital issues between a couple of the guests that worked well for a side story, resolved at the end in a solid way. It wasn't my favorite of Christie's books by any stretch, but it is one you have to read because after all, it is the first. I am greatly looking forward to February's read featuring Tommy and Tuppence, as I've only read one book with those characters. 

Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie: A Hercule Poirot Mystery, Book Twenty-Three (Read Christie 2023 July)

 

Publication Date: June 1941

Length: 256 pages

I had heard of this book before and one friend said it was her favorite Christie book. So I was excited to finally read it. I liked the title too, as you don't normally think of "evil" in broad daylight. 

Arlena Marshall is the kind of woman other women don't like. She is beautiful and flirtatious, always the center of attention in any room she walks into and generally vapid of real substance. When Hercule Poirot travels to Devon on holiday he encounters her along with several other vacationers at the seaside hotel they are staying in. When Arlena is later found strangled on a secluded beach, Poirot suspects jealousy as the motive. He begins investigating her suspicious death, along with the local inspector. There are many suspects to choose from.

Staying at the hotel and interacting with Arlena are her husband Kenneth and her step-daughter Linda, Rosamund Darnley, who used to have a relationship with Kenneth, Patrick Redfern and his wife Christine, Odell and Carrie Gardner, the Reverend Stephen Lane, Horace Blatt, Major Barry, and Emily Brewster. There are triangles to be explored: Linda loathes her step-mother , Rosamund has a past with Kenneth, and the others all have their opinions of Arlena which are anything but flattering. Her death, while shocking in its brutality, is not surprising to any of the guests gathered there.  

As Hercule interviews them all and zeros in on his theory of the likely culprit, he finds everyone had a seemingly plausible alibi. From typing letters to recreational activities, all those present seem to have been unable to have followed Arlena and killed her. Patrick Redfern and Emily Brewster were the two who found her body and therefore the most likely to have been involved, although at the outset it doesn't appear they are guilty of anything other than trying to help. Strange happenings also bother Poirot, such as a bottle being thrown out of a window, narrowly missing Brewster, and the sound of someone running a bath around noon, an odd time to be sure. As he continues his investigation, Poirot realizes the little details are all linked and add up to a clever plan that is difficult to prove. 

This book was fun to read. I enjoyed the mystery and the ending is really ingenious. I would never have figured it out. There are so many little red herrings along the way that I predicted the ending two or there times and was wrong on all of them. The guests' discussions about Arlena Marshall and her "type" of woman were something you'd still hear today in a circle of gossip, and the relationship of the Gardners was comical. Mrs. Gardner talks incessantly and when she asks her husband anything his reply is always, "Yes, dear." It becomes cute and endearing throughout the book. Poirot was great as usual and he really is my favorite out of all the detectives Christie created.

This was a great summer read for the Read Christie challenge. Looking forward to the next one!

 

They Do It With Mirrors by Agatha Christie: A Miss Marple Mystery, Book Six (Read Christie 2023 June)

 

Publication Date: 1952

Length: 187 pages

I really wanted to finish this book to find out why the title was They Do It With Mirrors. When I learned the reason behind it I thought, "oh why didn't I think of that before!" It seems so obvious now. But that is why Agatha Christie is so popular...she always keeps you guessing and wondering right until the end. 

Jane Marple is visiting with her childhood American friend, Ruth Van Rydock, who lives in London. Ruth is very concerned about her sister Carrie Louise, who lives at Stonygates, a Victorian mansion which also serves as a home for wayward juveniles whom Carrie Louise's husband, Lewis, feels can be rehabilitated with enough care and guidance. 

Carrie's health has been failing lately and Ruth is concerned that she is in danger from someone on the premises although she can't exactly pinpoint how or why. Living there with Carrie is her granddaughter, Gina and her husband Wally, Carrie's daughter Mildred (not Gina's mother though), her two stepsons Alex and Stephen who often visit her, and a rather strange young man named Edgar Lawson. Edgar is an employee of Carrie's husband Lewis Serrocold but is troubled with delusions of being the son of a famous man, often changing who that man is daily. Most of the family and staff are not concerned and consider him harmless. Also present is Carrie's long time assistant and nurse, Miss Bellever. She is devoted to Carrie and suspicious of anyone interfering with her daily routine to care for her. 

As Miss Marple observes the people and surroundings, an unexpected visitor arrives. Carrie's stepson from a previous marriage, Christian Gilbrandsen, who is the trustee of the money his father accumulated. Christian is adoring of Carrie and very protective of her. That evening after dinner, Lewis and Edgar go into Lewis's office and an argument breaks out between them. The guests of the house are able to hear what is going on behind the locked door and when a gun is fired, think the worst, assuming Edgar has finally snapped and shot Lewis. Lewis emerges unharmed but not long after it is discovered that Christian has been shot and killed in another room while in the middle of typing something at his desk. Coincidence? Miss Marple thinks not and she realizes that Ruth has been on to something in her worry over dangerous happenings in the mansion. She begins to suspect Carrie's health problems and the murder are related and has to use her sleuthing skills to find out what is going on before anyone else is harmed.

I enjoyed the psychological mystery in this story. Edgar's delusions, Gina's strange relationship with her two stepbrothers, and the way Carrie Louise seemed to always have a naive, childlike view of everyone in spite of the threatening circumstances. I was completely wrong as to who the murderer was and the why behind it. I guessed at some events correctly though with regards to who might be related to another in a different way than originally presented. 

It was also interesting to see how the handling of the juvenile deliquency community was viewed a hundred years ago. Stonygates is a place where Lewis and the doctors there are toying with the idea of reform, something new in that time period. This was a radical departure from the typical feeling of the time that criminals needed punishment, not understanding, and the novel shows the clash of opinions on this subject.  I felt it was very modern of Christie to weave it into the narrative. 

While I did enjoy this book, I am finding the Miss Marple mysteries to be a bit bland compared to Poirot. He is just a more engaging character for me so I'm looking forward to next month's Read Christie book, Evil Under the Sun.

Jamaica Inn by Daphne Du Maurier

 

Publication Date:  1936

Length: 332 pages

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I have loved the book Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier all my life and have watched the 1939 movie adaptation countless times. I am not sure what took me so long to try another of her books but I'm glad I did. Jamaica Inn was so different from Rebecca (except for the Gothic touch) that it almost felt like it was written by a different author. It touches on a topic that is definitely unique and the only other book that comes to mind is Poldark, which is set in Cornwall as well. I love all things associated with the ocean, pirates, and Cornwall so I was really looking forward to reading this.

Mary Yellan has lost her mother and is traveling to Jamaica Inn, a long way from her home in Helford, to fulfull her mother's dying wish. The women had lived a bare bones, hardscrabble life on their farm without Mary's father to help them and now that Mary is alone, her mother wants her to go and live with her Aunt Patience and Uncle Joss. Although Mary is very independent minded and wants to stay on the farm, she realizes that her mother may know better and therefore decides to journey forth, hoping for an exciting adventure and warmth from distant relatives.

Upon arriving at the inn Mary immediately is met with a sense of darkness when she meets her Uncle who is anything but welcoming. A harsh, bitter drunk, he is abusive and secretive and her Aunt Patience is clearly a mental prisoner suffering from years of living with her precarious situation.  Mary tries to jump in and accept her life, offering her services in the cleaning and supervising of the inn, but quickly starts to notice they receive no visitors and the place is hardly fit for travelers. She suspects there is more going on underneath and her suspicions are confirmed when late one night she witnesses the rowdy comings and goings of shady men who appear to be unloading cargo and stashing it in a secret room under the direction of her Uncle Joss. Threatened with harm if she discloses what she knows, Mary at first keeps the secrets she has seen, if only to protect her Aunt and her place at the inn.

In her spare time, Mary explores the vast moors and when she becomes lost near dusk, she encounters help from a strange, Albino priest who takes her in, feeds her and gives her a ride back to the inn. She can't quite put her finger on why he makes her a bit uneasy but decides to trust him and knows if she ever gets into a real bind she can go to him. He shows her compassion and appears to be a friend.

As she learns more about her Uncle's "business" ventures and nocturnal activities, Mary becomes terrified that she has stumbled into a situation involving more than just stolen, stored goods. One night Joss, in a drunken stupor, reveals how he obtains the goods and confesses to horrific deeds which plague him even as he has no plans to stop. The ships containing the cargo he steals are plundered in a way that Mary could never have envisioned and she is helpless as to what to do with the information she now knows. 

Mary also meets her Uncle's brother, Jem, who she fights an attraction to. He is a much younger brother, closer to Mary's age and the two begin a tentative flirtation that turns somewhat romantic when he challenges her to join him on Christmas Eve in the nearby town of Launceston for holiday festivities. While there, Mary witnesses Jem's reckless behavior when he attempts to sell a stolen horse and she knows she is in over her head, Jem, being a younger version of Joss, and having the same romantically, dangerous streak that drew in her Aunt years ago. Mary does not want to end up like Patience and vows to stand her ground against her feelings for Jem but finds it almost impossible as he awakens feelings in her she has never known before. 

Upon returning home to Jamaica Inn, Mary faces her worst nightmare yet. She becomes a pawn in her Uncle's schemes and finds herself in mortal danger.  She must find a way to save herself, her Aunt, and reconcile her feelings towards Jem, all while not becoming as hardened as the men who control her. 

This book is darker than one I'd normally gravitate to. I admit I found myself wanting more light hearted moments but after finishing it, I realize it does have some light at the end of the tunnel, you just have to be patient. The writing is superb, hence the five star rating, and I can understand why it is a classic, still being read nearly one hundred years later. The characters are fleshed out superbly through their thoughts and flaws as human beings and Du Maurier really captures the despair of Joss, Patience, and Jem, who are tortured in their own, personal ways for the choices they have made in their lives. Mary is a heroine even as you know she doesn't set out to be, she is just trying to survive.  Uncompromising in her wish to do the right thing at each turn, you begin to admire her ability to survive each situation she is put in.

I'm not sure if I'll read another Du Maurier book soon. Eventually I'd like to read My Cousin Rachel and The Scapegoat. But I think it's time for a lighthearted summer read....this one was pretty dark and heavy!

Now, Voyager by Olive Higgins Prouty

Publication Date:  1941

Length:  284 pages

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I don't know why it took me so long to read this book. I have loved the movie my whole life ever since my parents introduced me to Bette Davis, and next to All About Eve, it is my favorite. It never fails to make me cry at the end when she says, "Oh Jerry don't let's ask for the moon....we have the stars!" Melodramatic yes. But I love it.

Maybe I thought the novel would ruin it for me but that was definitely not the case. I was afraid it would be so different from the picture in my head created so superbly by Davis and Paul Henreid (who plays her love interest) but the movie adaptation appears to have strayed little from the original story. It is an easy, flowing book to read, keeping you interested and moving along swiftly. 

Charlotte Vale of the wealthy Boston Vales has had a nervous breakdown and spent the last year in a sanitorium called Cascade, convalescing and trying to save herself from her domineering Mother and looming, permanent spinsterhood. Buying more time away from home to continue to blossom, she has embarked on a long, overseas cruise and meets Jerry, an unhappily married man who accompanies her on sightseeing excursions. As Charlotte gets to know Jerry better she starts to let down her guard and let him in on her past and how painful and lonely her life has been up until now. The youngest child born to a mother of advanced maternal age with uptight Victorian values, Charlotte has never been allowed to mature and become her own person. Her mother has told her that "she is a child of her old age" and it is clear she wasn't wanted. Having three older, successful brothers who have shown her disregard and contempt has only served to divide her further from a feeling of independence and confidence.

Jerry, and his friends who are on the cruise with him, reveal his troubles at home with his serious, prim, Puritanical wife, Isobel and his sense of devotion and love for his daughters cause him to stay bound to a miserable marriage where he provides for his family in practical ways while ignoring his lifelong dream of becoming a successful architect. Charlotte and Jerry begin as friends and companions but as events cause them to spend more and more time together, their innocent relationship moves from sporadic flirtation to a full romantic entanglement. When the cruise comes to an end, the two part, agreeing it will be the last time they will contact each other. Each return home to the harsh reality of their lives in America vowing to be grateful for their time together but determined to create a future without one another.

Charlotte tries to keep her end of the bargain. Using the new found confidence instilled in her from her beloved psychiatrist from Cascade, Dr. Jacquith, she asserts herself with her mother and although she plans to stay at home for now, she makes certain she carves out her own identity. She and her mother arrive at a truce of sorts and learn to live with the changes brought about in Charlotte's newfound lifestyle. The only reminder of Jerry is the camellia flowers he anonymously sends her that serve to let her know he still loves and cares for her. But just when she thinks she is ready to move on with a new chapter in her life, fate steps in and pulls them back together. 

This novel is written simply but has a deep, meaningful message throughout. The author skillfully conveys the transformation of Charlotte from ugly duckling to beautiful swan and just like in the movie version we are often privy to her stream of consciousness dialogue inside her head and get to witness firsthand her struggles and insecurities. You root for her to succeed and for Jerry to be happy. Both are adherents of duty and obligation and strive to do what is right even if it means sacrificing their own happiness. Prouty creates characters here that make you long for them to be together while feeling that the very fact that they aren't is why you respect them. 

Charlotte's mother is also expertly portrayed as the uncaring, selfish woman who has done her utmost to ruin her daughter's life. At one point she states, "when she was young, foolish, I made decisions for her, always the right decisions. One would think a child would wish to repay her mother's love and kindness."  Later in the book Charlotte tells her, "I didn't want to be born, you didn't want me to be born. It's been a calamity on both sides."

There are two other novels about the Vale family. I am interested in reading them but they are hard to find. Now, Voyager was a cinematic hit and so it is easily available online and to purchase in book form. Until I started doing a bit of research for this post, I had no idea there was more to the family's story. Some people have described her books as early YA fiction but after reading this book, I disagree. While her writing style isn't hard to understand or full of difficult vocabulary like some classic works, the subject matter would not be as easily identified with in a younger person who has not been through some heartache. It is one of those stories that I have grown up with but didn't fully "get" until I was a bit older. It is a great book to read even if you've seen the movie. 

 

Classics Club Spin #33: Number Reveal

 

Today is the day to see which number I got for the Classics Club Spin!  Drumroll......18! I am very excited because number 18 on my list is Now, Voyager by Olive Higgins Prouty.  I have meant to read this book for YEARS as it is in the top five of my all time favorite classic movies. It is my favorite Bette Davis movie after All About Eve and I had no idea there was a book until years after I'd fallen in love with the movie. This spin will finally get me moving to read the novel that inspired it. So April is looking like a lot of fun! I will post my review on my Classics Club page when I am finished with it, by April 30th. 

Publication Date:  January 1, 1941

Length: 284 pages

 

Book summary courtesy of Goodreads:

Boston blueblood Charlotte Vale has led an unhappy, sheltered life. Lonely, dowdy, repressed, and pushing 40, Charlotte finds salvation at a sanitarium, where she undergoes an emotional and physical transformation. After her extreme makeover, the new Charlotte tests her mettle by embarking on a cruise—and finds herself in a torrid love affair with a married man which ends at the conclusion of the voyage. But only then can the real journey begin, as Charlotte is forced to navigate a new life for herself. While Now, Voyager is a tear-jerking romance, it is at the same time the empowering story of a woman who finds the strength to chart her own course in life; who discovers love, sex, and even motherhood outside of marriage; and who learns that men are, ultimately, dispensable in the quest for happiness and fulfillment.

Classics Club Spin #33

 

Classics Club Spin #33

I am joining the Classics Club challenge this month to read a book from my list according to the number given to me on Sunday, March 19th. It is titled "33" because it is the 33rd time the club has had this challenge. This will be my very first spin. I am a little nervous about this as I like to have total control over what I feel like reading each day. But I made a goal to read these classics and this will help get me moving. I am already feeling waayyy behind! So wish me luck and I'll post on Sunday which book number I am tasked with reading. Here is my list of twenty random books from my Classics Club page:

1. Anna Karenina

2. Northanger Abbey

3. Jamaica Inn

4. North and South (Gaskell, not Jakes!)

5. The Man in the Brown Suit

6. Strangers On a Train

7. Emma

8. The Age of Innocence

9. 1984

10. Breakfast At Tiffany's

11. The Circular Staircase

12. Devil Water

13. This Side of Glory

14. Waverly

15. The Woman in White

16. Vanity Fair

17. The Talented Mr. Ripley

18. Now, Voyager

19. The Innocence of Father Brown

20. Whose Body?

Wondering what number the spin will land on? Check back on Sunday for my post! I have to read and review that book by Sunday, April 30th. 

St. Peter's Fair (Cadfael Chronicles Book 4) by Ellis Peters

 

Publication Date:  January 1, 1981

Length:  219 pages

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆

This series has always interested me due to its unique time period, well written dialogue, and intriguing plots. The continuation of Brother Cadfael's story along with recurring characters make it a must read, I have to check in and see what happens next. I struggle to read new authors for this reason.....I just love series books! And Ellis Peters has such a good grasp of vocabulary and description of the medieval period I always feel like I'm actually there myself. 

This story centers around real events, (as do all the Cadfael Chronicles), during the period known as The Anarchy. King Stephen and Empress Matilda are still warring over who will rule England, and the monks in Shrewsbury are caught in the middle. Empress Maud is trying to gain support for an invasion and takeover along with her brother, Robert of Gloucester and his son-in-law, Ranulf, the Earl of Chester, who she hopes will join the cause. Ranulf has not decided which side to join, Stephen or Maud, and is interested in weighing his options. In the summer of 1139, everyone in Shrewsbury is eagerly awaiting the start of the St. Peter's Fair. 

The story is broken down into sections: The Eve of the Fair, The First Day of the Fair, The Second Day of the Fair, The Third Day of the Fair, and After the Fair. At the beginning of the story we find the monks preparing for the three day event which will take place in and around the Abbey. This has been a long standing tradition, one in which the Abbey stands to benefit monetarily from the revenue generated. Geoffrey Corviser, the town provost, wants the order to allow for some of the money raised to go to damages incurred from last year's siege of the town but Abbot Radulfus is unmoved. He states that this is not the responsibility of the Abbey and that no money will be given. 

Tensions begin to rise between the townspeople who want the money for repairs and the merchants of the fair, who are caught in the middle and don't want to be seen sharing the profits and going against the traditions of the Abbey. When a wealthy wine merchant, Thomas of Bristol is pushed to the breaking point, he hits one of the young men with his staff and a riot begins. Later, when Thomas is found naked, murdered, and stripped of his clothes, Phillip Corvisor, the young man he assaulted, is charged with his death. 

Meanwhile, Thomas's niece, Emma, is grappling with the shock of her Uncle's death and feeling the weight of both the murder and the realization that she must make decisions regarding the wine business and her future. During all of the happenings, Cadfael takes Emma under his wing and vows to help her get to the bottom of her Uncle's murder. He is not convinced the right man has been arrested and charged. Due to clues uncovered regarding the state of the body and what appears to be the break in and search of Thomas and Emma's booth by an unknown culprit, he thinks there may be much more depth to the story and that the murderer is using the convenient surroundings of the riot and Phillip's involvement to mask a more sinister plot. As more is revealed, Emma realizes she may be in danger herself and must be careful as she works to uncover the truth. 

While the story had all the same elements of the three previous books, I found myself a bit bored with this one which is why I only gave it three out of five stars. It was disappointing because I look forward to being entertained when I pick up one of these and they are usually an enjoyable break from longer, epic books. The story's setting at the fair just wasn't terribly interesting and the main characters didn't excite me. Most of the real action didn't get going until late into the plot and even then, it wasn't that suspenseful. Cadfael didn't factor into many parts of the story that I normally expect and so I found myself wishing we'd seen and heard more from him. 

My favorite part was at the very end when the murderer and the motives behind the crime were revealed. I thought it was clever and brought some more history into the mix, which I always love. So even though it was a bit of a slog to get there, the ending was pretty satisfying. I will definitely be continuing with the series, but will probably take another break from it for a bit. The next story looks more interesting just based on the title, The Leper of St. Giles. Cadfael must seek help from the nearby leper colony and that alone sounds fascinating. 

The Cadfael Chronicles are well written, classic mysteries, but there are twenty so I'm sure there are bound to be a few that won't make the very top of my favorite list. They are still worth the read though.

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

 

Publication Date: October 14, 1905

Length: 236 pages

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

This was my second book for the Classics Club and also one of my January Historical Fiction Reading Challenge choices. I've had it in my Kindle forever and always wanted to tackle it. I sort of have a love/hate relationship with some of the classics: when I am immersed in the story, I really love it. But when I want to just zone out and am tired I get stressed about reading them because they require so much concentration. This book was not terribly difficult but it did stretch my vocabulary and made me ponder some deep ideas about life and what is important. And that is why the classics are, well, classics! 

Lily Bart is faking her way through life when we meet her at the beginning of the story. She is twenty-nine years old (a veritable Old Maid by the standards of the day) and looking desperately for a husband who can keep her styled in the manner she has become accustomed to. She is attracted to Lawrence Selden, a friend who is privy to the society she revolves in, but cannot act upon this attraction as he is not wealthy enough to suit her. While this sounds shallow and cruel, it is honest, and Lily does not pretend otherwise. She sets her sights upon the well to do Percy Gryce, despite the fact that she is not in love with him and finds him to be a tedious bore. Her desperation to continue to fund her lifestyle choices, including debts incurred from the game of bridge, cause her to ignore her feelings for Selden and nearly marry Gryce. 

Just when she is set to accept a proposal from Gryce, Lily is the subject of scandalous rumors which serve to change his mind about marrying her. Adrift again and in debt, Lily begins to involve herself with the husband of her friend Judy, igniting consequences which will later prove to be disastrous. As she continues down this path she finds she is becoming persona non grata in the upper echelons of society and as she resorts to spending time with other "friends" who are further down the ladder of wealth and importance, her reputation suffers.

When an unexpected opportunity to go on a cruise with her wealthy friends arises, Lily accepts and things turn against her. She tries to redeem herself in other ways and continues to find people to support her, even a man who proposes marriage, but each time her bad decisions and vacillation between what she wants and what is possible serve to complicate her life with tragic results.

I found this story to be a bit depressing. It is well written of course, as most classics are, and the vocabulary of these writers from long ago always amazes me. Almost from the start of the book I didn't care for Lily. She seems shallow and entitled, as if the finer things are owed to her because she expects them. I can see how some of my feelings are clouded by the time and social class I live in and that the point of the story is to see how money and status are fleeting, and not something to be pursued at the expense of one's own happiness and obtained by giving your soul to the highest bidder. I guess I didn't feel sorry for her in the sense that she had opportunities for what she wanted but continued to squander them. Without giving away too much of the later part of the book, I'll just say that her downward spiral wasn't entirely surprising.

I do like the peek into the customs and expectations of the time. My great grandmother, who I knew well, was born in 1904 so right around the time this book was published. Of course she was not rich or even a city dweller but it is fun to see what life would have been like for a well bred young woman of her day. There were not a lot of options if you wanted to have a nice, carefree life. Marriage as quickly as possible to a man of means was a necessity. But when I think of my great grandmother's life in rural Texas on a farm, I think she probably was much happier and content than Lily in her aristocratic New York world. 

The book could sometimes drag a bit and repeat itself, I think it could have been much shorter. But Wharton does a great job of building things slowly as to really see how Lily's circumstances deteriorate. I'm not sure if I will read another of her books anytime soon as some of the plot lines don't interest me. But I'm glad to have read this one to understand why it is so popular. It is timeless in its theme of being careful not to let materialism and societal acceptance cloud your better judgement. 

Classics Club Spin #32

 

Since I haven't officially been added to the Classics Club site yet, but still  wanted to play along anyway, I've decided to read number 6 from my initial list of 50 classic books on my Classics Club page. That was the spin number for this month’s challenge. And for me that book is......The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton.

I am very excited this is the book for me to read by January 29, 2023 because it's one I've told myself I needed to read about a million times. It's been sitting in my Kindle for years and I just never seem to get around to tackling it. I will be back to review it when I finish and will link it to my Classics Club list. 

Amazon Book Description

 Lily Bart is a well-bred but destitute woman from high society in New York City at the turn of the century. Wharton paints a picture of a lovely woman who, although being nurtured and trained to marry well both socially and economically, is approaching her 29th year, a time when her youthful blush is fading and her matrimonial choices are becoming increasingly limited. Lily's two-year social decline from wealth to a terribly lonely existence on the outskirts of society is chronicled in The House of Mirth. Wharton uses Lily as an attack on "a reckless, grasping, and morally dishonest upper class."