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The Widow Makers #2
Strife
Fans of Jean Mead's first novel in the Widow Makers series will love this, the second in the saga of the mining Standish family. Set in the mid-nineteenth century, it continues the tale of the family's fortune in the slate quarries of north Wales.
The eldest son Tommy Standish is now the hard and ruthless manager of the Garddryn Quarry, while his father Joe and younger brother Frank are quarrymen. The family find themselves pitted against each other as Joe fights for fairer working conditions and pay for his fellow workers, while Tommy is determined to grind every last bit of sweat and toil out of them to further his own ambitions and wealth.
A nasty character through and through, Tommy treats everyone equally badly - from his depressed and opium-addicted wife Henrietta to his young son Edward and his parents, who remind him of his embarrassingly humble upbringing. You find yourself caught up in the struggles of those he is oppressing, hoping that his scheming will be foiled and that someone will stand up to him, as Jean Mead sweeps you along with her vivid descriptions of nineteenth-century life and the harshness and beauty of Snowdonia. A compelling vivid account that leaves you finishing the last page with regret and hoping for more!
HELENA EARNSHAW REVIEW FOR THE WELSH BOOKS COUNCIL. www.gwales.com
The eldest son Tommy Standish is now the hard and ruthless manager of the Garddryn Quarry, while his father Joe and younger brother Frank are quarrymen. The family find themselves pitted against each other as Joe fights for fairer working conditions and pay for his fellow workers, while Tommy is determined to grind every last bit of sweat and toil out of them to further his own ambitions and wealth.
A nasty character through and through, Tommy treats everyone equally badly - from his depressed and opium-addicted wife Henrietta to his young son Edward and his parents, who remind him of his embarrassingly humble upbringing. You find yourself caught up in the struggles of those he is oppressing, hoping that his scheming will be foiled and that someone will stand up to him, as Jean Mead sweeps you along with her vivid descriptions of nineteenth-century life and the harshness and beauty of Snowdonia. A compelling vivid account that leaves you finishing the last page with regret and hoping for more!
HELENA EARNSHAW REVIEW FOR THE WELSH BOOKS COUNCIL. www.gwales.com
- GenresHistorical Fiction
Paperback
First published May 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
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July 19, 2011brilliant follow up from widow makers looking forward to the 3rd book
October 2, 2015
This was very well written and laid out. I had this as a free download for my kindle. I did enjoy the story line even though I have not read book 1 or 3 in the series. Having lived in Wales for a few years and being interested in its history, I could easily relate to the circumstances and the background, so I found the situation enthralling.
I would have given it 4 stars, but there seemed to be frequent spurious formatting problems with line feeds in mid-sentence - at least one but as many as four on every page. This may differ in different versions, and probably doesn't even exist on a printed version.
Overall a thoroughly enjoyable book, and I look forward to reading the final part.
I would have given it 4 stars, but there seemed to be frequent spurious formatting problems with line feeds in mid-sentence - at least one but as many as four on every page. This may differ in different versions, and probably doesn't even exist on a printed version.
Overall a thoroughly enjoyable book, and I look forward to reading the final part.
December 31, 2012
Looked forward to the sequel and I wasn't disappointed. Now waiting anxiously to find out what happened to dreadful Tommy Standish. Surely he's due a downfall. Joe and Emily are now like my relatives as is young Edward and Frank.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews