Noorilhuda's Blog - Posts Tagged "ebooks"
David Burnett reviews 'The Governess'
One Cannot Turn Back the Clock
October 27, 2014
5-stars
I want to be able to say “I read this book in one sitting.” I can’t truthfully say that because I read slowly and the book is long, three hundred seventeen pages on my Fire. I can say, though, that the author pulled me into the story and kept me so interested that I only put the book down because it was time for dinner or time for bed or because I had been reading so long that I was tired! I did not WANT to put it down!
The plot is rather straightforward. The story is set in nineteenth century England. Jane Adams has been accused of adultery, divorced by her husband, and disinherited by her father. With no money and no one willing to take her in, she is reduced to seeking employment as a governess. Lady Cavendish employs her in spite of her background, and her nephew, John Lockwood, the father of the children, continues to employ her in spite of letters from her former husband and his friends.
As the book progresses, it becomes obvious that things might not be as they seem. Jane does not behave like the woman described in the letters. John becomes suspicious of the husband’s motives. Divorce her, all right, he thinks, but why does he care if I employ her? Why try to ruin her life? Once she accumulates the funds, Jane goes to court to clear her reputation and to reclaim what is hers.
Both Nora and John want the return of what they have lost. Jane wants her old life back: her father, her work, her house. John wants the wife he had loved since they both were twelve years old. The world is such, though, that one cannot turn back a clock and retrieve the past.
One finds very little direct dialogue in the book. The story is told primarily through Jane’s thoughts, and the text reads as if the characters are thinking. People do not think in neat, simple, perfectly formed sentences, and the readers often finds long, sometimes rambling thoughts, with phrases strung together one after another. The effect is striking, and I found myself pulled along by the text.
The characters are strongly drawn. I felt as if I knew Jane and John, Nora, John’s mistress, and Mr. Pritchard, Jane’s former husband.
I loved Jane, and I wanted her to be happy. The author provided more than one means by which she might find happiness, and I wanted to know which, if any, she would experience. The conclusion is not obvious until the final pages.
I felt sorry for John, I was irritated by Nora, and I despised Mr. Pritchard.
This book is not a short, easy read, but it is well-worth your time. You will find the story to be captivating, in spite of its simplicity. You will cry with the characters, learn about human nature, and speculate on the meaning of life.
This is an excellent book!
David Burnett for the Kindle Book Review
I received a copy of the book in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
-----------------------------
Review posted on Amazon.com
Direct Link to the review:
http://davidburnettsbooks.blogspot.com/
http://www.amazon.com/review/R1IJR5CG...
Ebook link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MF8BJQE
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00MF8BJQE
-----------------------------
October 27, 2014
5-stars
I want to be able to say “I read this book in one sitting.” I can’t truthfully say that because I read slowly and the book is long, three hundred seventeen pages on my Fire. I can say, though, that the author pulled me into the story and kept me so interested that I only put the book down because it was time for dinner or time for bed or because I had been reading so long that I was tired! I did not WANT to put it down!
The plot is rather straightforward. The story is set in nineteenth century England. Jane Adams has been accused of adultery, divorced by her husband, and disinherited by her father. With no money and no one willing to take her in, she is reduced to seeking employment as a governess. Lady Cavendish employs her in spite of her background, and her nephew, John Lockwood, the father of the children, continues to employ her in spite of letters from her former husband and his friends.
As the book progresses, it becomes obvious that things might not be as they seem. Jane does not behave like the woman described in the letters. John becomes suspicious of the husband’s motives. Divorce her, all right, he thinks, but why does he care if I employ her? Why try to ruin her life? Once she accumulates the funds, Jane goes to court to clear her reputation and to reclaim what is hers.
Both Nora and John want the return of what they have lost. Jane wants her old life back: her father, her work, her house. John wants the wife he had loved since they both were twelve years old. The world is such, though, that one cannot turn back a clock and retrieve the past.
One finds very little direct dialogue in the book. The story is told primarily through Jane’s thoughts, and the text reads as if the characters are thinking. People do not think in neat, simple, perfectly formed sentences, and the readers often finds long, sometimes rambling thoughts, with phrases strung together one after another. The effect is striking, and I found myself pulled along by the text.
The characters are strongly drawn. I felt as if I knew Jane and John, Nora, John’s mistress, and Mr. Pritchard, Jane’s former husband.
I loved Jane, and I wanted her to be happy. The author provided more than one means by which she might find happiness, and I wanted to know which, if any, she would experience. The conclusion is not obvious until the final pages.
I felt sorry for John, I was irritated by Nora, and I despised Mr. Pritchard.
This book is not a short, easy read, but it is well-worth your time. You will find the story to be captivating, in spite of its simplicity. You will cry with the characters, learn about human nature, and speculate on the meaning of life.
This is an excellent book!
David Burnett for the Kindle Book Review
I received a copy of the book in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
-----------------------------
Review posted on Amazon.com
Direct Link to the review:
http://davidburnettsbooks.blogspot.com/
http://www.amazon.com/review/R1IJR5CG...
Ebook link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MF8BJQE
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00MF8BJQE
-----------------------------
Patricia Hamill reviews 'The Governess'
A Book That Takes Its Time
December 13, 2014
4-stars
The Governess tells the story of a young woman cast aside by her husband and forsaken by all who know her. It opens on the morning of a hard-won interview. Jane is haunted by a voice in her head that tries to undermine what little self-respect and confidence she still has. Despite her reputation and her inner struggles, she is hired and assumes the role of governess for a well-to-do, but broken family.
Let me start off by saying I really enjoyed this story. The people and their histories are thoroughly explored, but not all at once. Everything is revealed slowly, just enough to draw you further into the story. At first I was worried I'd lose interest, because it seems to take an incredibly long time for anything to happen. But, instead, I found myself more and more engrossed as the story progressed, leading to some very late nights the last few times I picked up the book.
The story is complex and weaves several subplots into the main one that follows Jane on her road to redemption and self actualization. The mystery surrounding Jane's scandal, the vindictiveness of her husband and those he's turned against her, the aging Aunt, the Master of the house and his undying, self destructive love for his deceased wife, the relationship between him and his mistress, and the hints of connection between the Master and Jane. This isn't a romance novel. It's an exploration of some very real, very difficult social situations. It's a lot to take on in a single story, but I think it is done very well.
On the downside, I must admit this story can be a bit convoluted and slow. The first chapter, for example, is long and full of Jane's recent history and struggles, yet in the live story, she only manages to dress herself. What I'm saying is don't go into the story expecting action and adventure. This is a story designed to be thought about, internalized and talked about. It doesn't go anywhere fast. The shifting perspectives can also be a bit confusing, at times reflecting memories and at others reflecting experiences and thoughts of people who are no longer alive during the time in which the story takes place.
Overall, I found this to be a wonderful story, though covering some difficult issues. I would recommend this mostly to those who prefer historical fiction, and in particular to those who might read this for a book club or buddy read. When I finished, I wanted to discuss it, but since I didn't know anyone else who had read it, I really didn't have any outlet. I want to talk about what I thought about the ending, but doing so would spoil it. So, I will hold my tongue and recommend this for others.
I received a copy of this book from the author in return for a review.
--------------------------
Review posted on Amazon.com
Direct links to the review: http://www.amazon.com/review/R31OPA67...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...
http://patriciahamill.blogspot.com/20...
December 13, 2014
4-stars
The Governess tells the story of a young woman cast aside by her husband and forsaken by all who know her. It opens on the morning of a hard-won interview. Jane is haunted by a voice in her head that tries to undermine what little self-respect and confidence she still has. Despite her reputation and her inner struggles, she is hired and assumes the role of governess for a well-to-do, but broken family.
Let me start off by saying I really enjoyed this story. The people and their histories are thoroughly explored, but not all at once. Everything is revealed slowly, just enough to draw you further into the story. At first I was worried I'd lose interest, because it seems to take an incredibly long time for anything to happen. But, instead, I found myself more and more engrossed as the story progressed, leading to some very late nights the last few times I picked up the book.
The story is complex and weaves several subplots into the main one that follows Jane on her road to redemption and self actualization. The mystery surrounding Jane's scandal, the vindictiveness of her husband and those he's turned against her, the aging Aunt, the Master of the house and his undying, self destructive love for his deceased wife, the relationship between him and his mistress, and the hints of connection between the Master and Jane. This isn't a romance novel. It's an exploration of some very real, very difficult social situations. It's a lot to take on in a single story, but I think it is done very well.
On the downside, I must admit this story can be a bit convoluted and slow. The first chapter, for example, is long and full of Jane's recent history and struggles, yet in the live story, she only manages to dress herself. What I'm saying is don't go into the story expecting action and adventure. This is a story designed to be thought about, internalized and talked about. It doesn't go anywhere fast. The shifting perspectives can also be a bit confusing, at times reflecting memories and at others reflecting experiences and thoughts of people who are no longer alive during the time in which the story takes place.
Overall, I found this to be a wonderful story, though covering some difficult issues. I would recommend this mostly to those who prefer historical fiction, and in particular to those who might read this for a book club or buddy read. When I finished, I wanted to discuss it, but since I didn't know anyone else who had read it, I really didn't have any outlet. I want to talk about what I thought about the ending, but doing so would spoil it. So, I will hold my tongue and recommend this for others.
I received a copy of this book from the author in return for a review.
--------------------------
Review posted on Amazon.com
Direct links to the review: http://www.amazon.com/review/R31OPA67...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...
http://patriciahamill.blogspot.com/20...
READ-A-THONS & REVIEWS
Okay I think it’s about time I started organizing my reading schedule a bit more tightly, to know what I’m reading, when, where and for how long:
So this month, the focus is on the following books in various groups:
“All About Books”:
BOTM: To Kill a Mockingbird (though I doubt I’ll start it before August)
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
July Readathon: Getting through more pages of Fields of Blood: Religion and the History of Violence and The Woman in White
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Carol-Shields-Read-a-long: ‘The Stone Diaries’
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
“Books, Blogs & More”:
July Sci-Fi Group Read: Ultraxenopia
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
“Review Group”:
Since I’ve already finished 2 of the required 4 readings for non-reciprocal ethical reviews (Kayne Milhomme's Grace and Disgrace and P.J.McDermott Avanaux: A Hickory Lace Adventure), and have 2 months to finish off the rest (Gloria Piper's Emperor's Hostages and Scott Spotson's Bridge Through Time), so will go easy on this one.
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Reviews for self-pubs posted as ‘anna fantabulous’ on requisite sites.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
Independent Blogger Michelle Miller ‘True Book Addict’’s summer readathon:
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1...
http://seasonsreading.blogspot.com/20...
For which I’ll be finishing M.A. Phipps Ultraxenopia and reading bits of Wilkie Collins' The Woman in White
So this month, the focus is on the following books in various groups:
“All About Books”:
BOTM: To Kill a Mockingbird (though I doubt I’ll start it before August)
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
July Readathon: Getting through more pages of Fields of Blood: Religion and the History of Violence and The Woman in White
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Carol-Shields-Read-a-long: ‘The Stone Diaries’
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
“Books, Blogs & More”:
July Sci-Fi Group Read: Ultraxenopia
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
“Review Group”:
Since I’ve already finished 2 of the required 4 readings for non-reciprocal ethical reviews (Kayne Milhomme's Grace and Disgrace and P.J.McDermott Avanaux: A Hickory Lace Adventure), and have 2 months to finish off the rest (Gloria Piper's Emperor's Hostages and Scott Spotson's Bridge Through Time), so will go easy on this one.
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Reviews for self-pubs posted as ‘anna fantabulous’ on requisite sites.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
Independent Blogger Michelle Miller ‘True Book Addict’’s summer readathon:
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1...
http://seasonsreading.blogspot.com/20...
For which I’ll be finishing M.A. Phipps Ultraxenopia and reading bits of Wilkie Collins' The Woman in White
