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Larkswood by Valerie Mendes
In the tradition of THE FORSYTE SAGA, a sweeping historical novel that spans three generations, telling the dark secrets of a family torn apart.Larkswood House. The very name suggests birdsong, peace and elegance. It is home to the Hamilton children - Edward, Cynthia and Harriet - who enjoy the freedom and excitement of privilege. But in the glorious summer of 1896, with absent parents and a departed governess, disaster strikes the family, leaving it cruelly divided.More than forty years later, on the eve of the Second World War, Louisa Hamilton, newly presented at court but struck down with glandular fever, is sent to Larkswood to recuperate. There, for the first time, she meets her grandfather, Edward, home after decades in India. Haunted by terrible memories, the arrival of his granddaughter begins to gladden his heart.But as Louisa begins to fall under the spell of Larkswood, she realises it holds the key to the mystery that shattered her family two generations before. Will she find the courage to unravel the dark secrets of the past? And can Larkswood ever become home to happiness again?
Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
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About the author
Valerie Mendes
24 books21 followersValerie Mendes started writing when she was six. Seventy years later, she looks half her age, feels twenty-one – and is still obsessed with telling a good story.
Educated at North London Collegiate School and the University of Reading, Valerie worked as a journalist for part-work publisher Marshall Cavendish before joining the English Language Teaching Division of Oxford University Press. A short stint with Penguin Books and a second one with OUP at their invitation marked her move to Oxfordshire, where she still lives.
After a long career in publishing, Valerie was encouraged to become a full-time writer. She has published two picture books, Tomasina’s First Dance and Look at Me, Grandma! and four young adult novels, Girl in the Attic, Coming of Age, Lost and Found and The Drowning.
Larkswood, Valerie’s first historical novel for the adult market, was published by Orion in 2014, and translated into German. The Choice, Valerie’s second historical novel for adults, is set in Oxford, Woodstock and Cornwall in 1936.
Valerie returned to writing for teenagers with Where Peacocks Scream, set in modern day Oxford.
Educated at North London Collegiate School and the University of Reading, Valerie worked as a journalist for part-work publisher Marshall Cavendish before joining the English Language Teaching Division of Oxford University Press. A short stint with Penguin Books and a second one with OUP at their invitation marked her move to Oxfordshire, where she still lives.
After a long career in publishing, Valerie was encouraged to become a full-time writer. She has published two picture books, Tomasina’s First Dance and Look at Me, Grandma! and four young adult novels, Girl in the Attic, Coming of Age, Lost and Found and The Drowning.
Larkswood, Valerie’s first historical novel for the adult market, was published by Orion in 2014, and translated into German. The Choice, Valerie’s second historical novel for adults, is set in Oxford, Woodstock and Cornwall in 1936.
Valerie returned to writing for teenagers with Where Peacocks Scream, set in modern day Oxford.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
December 8, 2013
This really is a rather silly book, it is beyond melodramatic, a real modern gothic novel. Certain parts of the writing made me cringe, for example all of the villagers seemed to end every sentence with the phrase 'certain sure' this was rather irritating. However despite the obvious flaws of this book I found myself really enjoying it. The story goes from one extreme to another; set in 1939 and in the late 19th century this story has a huge rambling gothic house, incest, cruel parents, disinherited children, lesbians, secretly burried children and true love across the class divide. It left me feeling caught up in the romantic gothic insanity of the whole thing.
December 1, 2014
This book is a children's book. With incest.
Although it's easy to read; the lack of depth, characterization, and being chock-a-block full of age-old cliches, leaves this book severely lacking.
And kind of laughable.
And extremely frustrating.
There was a basis of a good story there, but, unfortunately, the author failed to deliver it.
It was a little like reading through treacle.
Everything seemed to be coated with sugar. There wasn't anything that struck a real emotional cord within. I couldn't comprehend why the characters did what did, thier motivations: the book had some pretty hard hitting themes to explore, yet treated them with a pat on the back and a 'there there, deary' attitude.
Like a book written for young children. With incest.
After reading the author's notes, I wasn't surprised to learn that before this - her first effort into adult literature, she was a writer of childrens books.
It showed. And her writing style really didn't suit her subject matter: It was like an old Mill's and Boon novel, for children. With added incest.
Although it's easy to read; the lack of depth, characterization, and being chock-a-block full of age-old cliches, leaves this book severely lacking.
And kind of laughable.
And extremely frustrating.
There was a basis of a good story there, but, unfortunately, the author failed to deliver it.
It was a little like reading through treacle.
Everything seemed to be coated with sugar. There wasn't anything that struck a real emotional cord within. I couldn't comprehend why the characters did what did, thier motivations: the book had some pretty hard hitting themes to explore, yet treated them with a pat on the back and a 'there there, deary' attitude.
Like a book written for young children. With incest.
After reading the author's notes, I wasn't surprised to learn that before this - her first effort into adult literature, she was a writer of childrens books.
It showed. And her writing style really didn't suit her subject matter: It was like an old Mill's and Boon novel, for children. With added incest.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 2, 2016
This. This. It has all the things I like in a light read, with it's grand old mansion in the English countryside, it's hints at family secrets, it's estranged family members and the dual time narrative which flashes back and forth between the 1890s and the onset of WW2. But then we get to know the secrets in question and it's just so SILLY. So unbelievable and so very, very silly, even stupid. Come on, lady, YOU HAD ONE JOB. Please don't write anything again, ever.
In this tale of utter unlikeliness and super one-dimensional characters, everything starts as it should. Mostly. It seems like a promising book, despite it's cheap moves and superficial character building. We then find out that some of the family members did something terrible, and after that it's just ACCEPTED. Just like that. By all of the family members. I promise it's something that wouldn't have been accepted today, and certainly not in 1940 England! But here they're all like, you did what now, oh well, time for tea. So they all gather for a happy family reunion. People believed dead are no longer dead. Everyone moves in together and overcomes their differences. Churchill calls with a job offer. They open a hospital. The end.
I think I actually lost IQ while reading this.
In this tale of utter unlikeliness and super one-dimensional characters, everything starts as it should. Mostly. It seems like a promising book, despite it's cheap moves and superficial character building. We then find out that some of the family members did something terrible, and after that it's just ACCEPTED. Just like that. By all of the family members. I promise it's something that wouldn't have been accepted today, and certainly not in 1940 England! But here they're all like, you did what now, oh well, time for tea. So they all gather for a happy family reunion. People believed dead are no longer dead. Everyone moves in together and overcomes their differences. Churchill calls with a job offer. They open a hospital. The end.
I think I actually lost IQ while reading this.
April 29, 2018
2'5 ⭐ Bien narrado pero nada nuevo,algo leído,visto o escuchado mil veces. Ha querido dar originalidad a la resuloción con una parte del secreto del pasado y me parece que roza el absurdo la naturalidad con que todos aceptan ese secreto que a mi enterder es horrendo y todos están tan felices... Pinta continuación que desde luego no leeré.
July 8, 2022
Está bien escrito, pero la trama es flojita y la actitud de los personajes un poco forzada.
December 24, 2013
Exquisitely evocative and multilayered this profoundly poignant novel is a must-read!
Capturing the elegance of “Downton Abbey” (or Netherwood) and ideal for fans of Julia Gregson and Kate Furnivall this is a story targeted towards a wide-readership. This delicious debut spans across a vast three generations and alternate time periods, in the vein of Bee Ridgeway’s the river of no return {or likewise a Barbara Erskine historical novel}. Larkswood House tells the dark secrets of a family torn apart, and is filled with thought-provoking connotation and reflective parts. This is a story of one house that touches the hearts of all its occupants over the years, similarly to many other literary works regarding ‘great’ houses and drama’s {for instance Marchlands}.
The very name ’Larkswood’ suggests birdsong, peace and elegance. It is home in 1896 to three children; Harriet, Edmund and Cynthia who delight in the privileges that present them with freedom and excitement.
One summer when the governess is absent and so too are their parents, a disaster strikes that leaves the family cruelly divided…40 years later and during the time of WW2, Louisa Hamilton is sent to Larkswood, where she unexpectedly encounters a long-lost relative who holds the key to hidden secrets. And so the mystery surrounding her past, spanning across two generations begins to unravel and with it such darkness. It then begs the question if Larkswood will ever be home to happiness again?
This deftly woven mystery that is shrouded in sinister secrets, is a remarkably compelling and utterly fascinating read. I was drawn into this house’s past like a moth to a flame, completely enchanted by the interlacing events that link the present to the past so seamlessly. Deliciously dark and full of spine chilling tension that builds to such a dramatic climax, I was incredibly impressed by this beautiful book. I just loved how the author combined all the elegance and atmospheric ambience within a contemporary, modern felt tale. Refreshingly original and tangible {so as to get under your skin}, I was most impressed by an unforgettable story. Larkswood is so tempting – it is both alluring with its formidable ancient façade seeped in history and yet there is something so mysterious about it that its almost unnerving and chilling to the core!
I would urge readers to add this to their ‘Wish List’ for a *new* New Year’s read to start 2014!
www.valeriemendes.com
I won an ’Uncorrected Bound Manuscript Copy’ of Larkswood by Valerie Mendes, through a Goodreads first-read book giveaway. I would like to thank both the author and Orion publishers.
4.5 STARS!!
Capturing the elegance of “Downton Abbey” (or Netherwood) and ideal for fans of Julia Gregson and Kate Furnivall this is a story targeted towards a wide-readership. This delicious debut spans across a vast three generations and alternate time periods, in the vein of Bee Ridgeway’s the river of no return {or likewise a Barbara Erskine historical novel}. Larkswood House tells the dark secrets of a family torn apart, and is filled with thought-provoking connotation and reflective parts. This is a story of one house that touches the hearts of all its occupants over the years, similarly to many other literary works regarding ‘great’ houses and drama’s {for instance Marchlands}.
The very name ’Larkswood’ suggests birdsong, peace and elegance. It is home in 1896 to three children; Harriet, Edmund and Cynthia who delight in the privileges that present them with freedom and excitement.
One summer when the governess is absent and so too are their parents, a disaster strikes that leaves the family cruelly divided…40 years later and during the time of WW2, Louisa Hamilton is sent to Larkswood, where she unexpectedly encounters a long-lost relative who holds the key to hidden secrets. And so the mystery surrounding her past, spanning across two generations begins to unravel and with it such darkness. It then begs the question if Larkswood will ever be home to happiness again?
This deftly woven mystery that is shrouded in sinister secrets, is a remarkably compelling and utterly fascinating read. I was drawn into this house’s past like a moth to a flame, completely enchanted by the interlacing events that link the present to the past so seamlessly. Deliciously dark and full of spine chilling tension that builds to such a dramatic climax, I was incredibly impressed by this beautiful book. I just loved how the author combined all the elegance and atmospheric ambience within a contemporary, modern felt tale. Refreshingly original and tangible {so as to get under your skin}, I was most impressed by an unforgettable story. Larkswood is so tempting – it is both alluring with its formidable ancient façade seeped in history and yet there is something so mysterious about it that its almost unnerving and chilling to the core!
I would urge readers to add this to their ‘Wish List’ for a *new* New Year’s read to start 2014!
www.valeriemendes.com
I won an ’Uncorrected Bound Manuscript Copy’ of Larkswood by Valerie Mendes, through a Goodreads first-read book giveaway. I would like to thank both the author and Orion publishers.
4.5 STARS!!
March 10, 2014
“A sweeping historical novel that spans three generations, telling the dark secrets of a family torn apart.” So said the publicity material for Larkswood by Valerie Mendez, and of course, that was enough to make me want to read it. The cover is also appealing to me – what secrets lie behind that window? With the promise of melodrama and intrigue, I settled down with this book, hoping for a read that left me content and as much in love with reading as ever.
Using the popular dual time period/narrator device, Larkswood alternates between the stories of Harriet and her siblings in 1896, and Louisa, the grand-daughter of Harriet’s brother. It starts in typical fashion – a young girl, running through the woods in an attempt to conceal a secret, worried that someone will see her and questions will be asked. She’s burying a baby … but whose is it? The reader soon realises that Cynthia, Harriet’s elder sister, has given birth to a stillborn child while their parents are away. Until now, the Hamilton siblings have enjoyed a privileged existence, albeit with disinterested parents; the birth of this child, means change to all they know.
More than 40 years later, new debutante Louisa Hamilton is sent to Larkswood to recuperate from glandular fever. Her grandfather, fresh from years in India, agrees to let her stay, and Louisa soon comes to enjoy country life. As romance blossoms between Louisa and the young, handsome gardener, she becomes aware that the house is shrouded in mystery, and no one wants to talk about it. Questioning her grandfather leads her nowhere, so she takes matters into her own hands. But at what cost? Can the wounds of the past ever be healed?
As I read Larkswood, I couldn’t help but be reminded of the Flowers in the Attic series, and while I liked that as a teenager, as an adult I have a rather different response to that series. Readers familiar with the V.C. Andrews series may have an inkling of what I’m alluding to, but for those not, I won’t spoil it here. What I will say is that I felt like the actions of certain characters were condoned, with the reader manipulated into feeling sorry for them because their parents were so self-absorbed. Sorry, that didn’t sit right with me. Nor did the parents’ response, which was reprehensible, but that fit more with the darkness the novel was aiming for.
On the whole, I found myself a bit underwhelmed by this book; something about it just didn’t work for me in the way I’d hoped … and this was before the deep, dark secret was revealed (and there were plenty of hints, so it was no big surprise). I really wanted to love this because it had many of the elements I adore in novels (although the house was less of a “character” than is usual in this genre), but I had a hard time maintaining interest towards the end. It started with such promise, but I’m afraid I didn’t feel it delivered the punch I hoped for. I also felt that the romance between Louisa and the gardener needed more work to make me feel it.
Using the popular dual time period/narrator device, Larkswood alternates between the stories of Harriet and her siblings in 1896, and Louisa, the grand-daughter of Harriet’s brother. It starts in typical fashion – a young girl, running through the woods in an attempt to conceal a secret, worried that someone will see her and questions will be asked. She’s burying a baby … but whose is it? The reader soon realises that Cynthia, Harriet’s elder sister, has given birth to a stillborn child while their parents are away. Until now, the Hamilton siblings have enjoyed a privileged existence, albeit with disinterested parents; the birth of this child, means change to all they know.
More than 40 years later, new debutante Louisa Hamilton is sent to Larkswood to recuperate from glandular fever. Her grandfather, fresh from years in India, agrees to let her stay, and Louisa soon comes to enjoy country life. As romance blossoms between Louisa and the young, handsome gardener, she becomes aware that the house is shrouded in mystery, and no one wants to talk about it. Questioning her grandfather leads her nowhere, so she takes matters into her own hands. But at what cost? Can the wounds of the past ever be healed?
As I read Larkswood, I couldn’t help but be reminded of the Flowers in the Attic series, and while I liked that as a teenager, as an adult I have a rather different response to that series. Readers familiar with the V.C. Andrews series may have an inkling of what I’m alluding to, but for those not, I won’t spoil it here. What I will say is that I felt like the actions of certain characters were condoned, with the reader manipulated into feeling sorry for them because their parents were so self-absorbed. Sorry, that didn’t sit right with me. Nor did the parents’ response, which was reprehensible, but that fit more with the darkness the novel was aiming for.
On the whole, I found myself a bit underwhelmed by this book; something about it just didn’t work for me in the way I’d hoped … and this was before the deep, dark secret was revealed (and there were plenty of hints, so it was no big surprise). I really wanted to love this because it had many of the elements I adore in novels (although the house was less of a “character” than is usual in this genre), but I had a hard time maintaining interest towards the end. It started with such promise, but I’m afraid I didn’t feel it delivered the punch I hoped for. I also felt that the romance between Louisa and the gardener needed more work to make me feel it.
April 3, 2014
I've been hesitating about putting this review up, as I received the book for free through the First Reads scheme, and I wasn't sure how fair it might be to put up a rather luke-warm review. But I decided in the end that it's in the spirit of First Reads to be totally honest. So here's my review.
The synopsis of this book was really intriguing: dark secrets, families torn apart, a historical reach spanning generations. What’s not to like? The introductory chapter didn’t disappoint, either, setting up the mystery nicely.
The story begins with Louisa Hamilton and her coming out, along with her older sister. Louisa is then set for a season in London, which she really isn’t looking forward to. However, she becomes ill and is sent to Larkswood House, the family home to which her grandfather, whom she has never met, has only just recently returned.
As she recovers, Louisa begins to love Larkswood, her grandfather Edward and, more unfortunately, the hot gardener. She also discovers what appears to be a family secret and endeavours to investigate. Some 40 years ago, when Edward was a teenager living with his two beloved sisters and with absentee parents, disaster strikes the family, tearing it apart.
The two stories are told in parallel to each other; we don’t learn what the terrible secret is until near the end, but I found it easy to guess. That said, there were plenty of other twists along the way that I didn’t see coming. As a thriller this all works very well and I read the book in just a couple of days – the mystery is such that you really want to find out what happened.
One of the things that often seems to suffer with thrillers, though, is characterisation, and this is the case here. The characters are all rather cliched and one dimensional. Edward is never more than the gruff, bluff grandpa. Louisa’s sister is the beautiful, shallow one interested only parties and securing a good marriage. Louisa herself is plain and bookish, intended no doubt to appeal to a rather bookish audience, or at least one that sees itself as such. Parallels between the two sets of sisters are clear but never examined.
I didn’t buy Edward’s acceptance – and tacit approval and encouragement – of Louisa’s relationship with the gardener. Their differences in station would have been enough for him to put his foot down and his own past would mean he would want to keep them apart. I can’t say much more without giving away the secret, but I found the ending unsatisfying. It was wrapped too easily for my liking.
The synopsis of this book was really intriguing: dark secrets, families torn apart, a historical reach spanning generations. What’s not to like? The introductory chapter didn’t disappoint, either, setting up the mystery nicely.
The story begins with Louisa Hamilton and her coming out, along with her older sister. Louisa is then set for a season in London, which she really isn’t looking forward to. However, she becomes ill and is sent to Larkswood House, the family home to which her grandfather, whom she has never met, has only just recently returned.
As she recovers, Louisa begins to love Larkswood, her grandfather Edward and, more unfortunately, the hot gardener. She also discovers what appears to be a family secret and endeavours to investigate. Some 40 years ago, when Edward was a teenager living with his two beloved sisters and with absentee parents, disaster strikes the family, tearing it apart.
The two stories are told in parallel to each other; we don’t learn what the terrible secret is until near the end, but I found it easy to guess. That said, there were plenty of other twists along the way that I didn’t see coming. As a thriller this all works very well and I read the book in just a couple of days – the mystery is such that you really want to find out what happened.
One of the things that often seems to suffer with thrillers, though, is characterisation, and this is the case here. The characters are all rather cliched and one dimensional. Edward is never more than the gruff, bluff grandpa. Louisa’s sister is the beautiful, shallow one interested only parties and securing a good marriage. Louisa herself is plain and bookish, intended no doubt to appeal to a rather bookish audience, or at least one that sees itself as such. Parallels between the two sets of sisters are clear but never examined.
I didn’t buy Edward’s acceptance – and tacit approval and encouragement – of Louisa’s relationship with the gardener. Their differences in station would have been enough for him to put his foot down and his own past would mean he would want to keep them apart. I can’t say much more without giving away the secret, but I found the ending unsatisfying. It was wrapped too easily for my liking.
December 18, 2013
This novel begins with Louisa Hamilton and her coming out as a debutante in 1939, alongside her much prettier sister, Millicent. For Millicent, and her mother Gloria, the season is all that matters; but Louisa finds it a chore. When she is taken ill with glandular fever, her mother is more concerned that Millicent’s marriage chances will be ruined than with her younger daughter. Louisa is sent to Larkswood Hall, deep in the heart of Hampshire, where her grandfather has just returned after more than forty years in India. Now widowed, Edward Hamilton is delighted that he been has asked him to care for his granddaughter. He has been estranged from his family for many years and is determined to make Louisa’s stay happy. At first, Louisa is horrified to be sent away. War is looming and she is hoping to convalesce quickly and return home, despite her dislike of the social season. However, before long she is entranced by Larkswood and the handsome gardener, Thomas Saunders....
The story alternates between that of 1939 and the 1890’s, when Edward was a young man. Louisa discovers a locked tower and evidence of Edward having two beautiful sisters, but he refuses to speak of them. This is a tale of cruel parents, long buried family secrets, forbidden love and scandals – all set in a beautiful, country house. If you enjoy novels with a good period setting and a lot of family intrigue, then you will probably enjoy this.
Rating 3.5
The story alternates between that of 1939 and the 1890’s, when Edward was a young man. Louisa discovers a locked tower and evidence of Edward having two beautiful sisters, but he refuses to speak of them. This is a tale of cruel parents, long buried family secrets, forbidden love and scandals – all set in a beautiful, country house. If you enjoy novels with a good period setting and a lot of family intrigue, then you will probably enjoy this.
Rating 3.5
January 6, 2015
one dimensional characters, very heavily cliched. I had no empathy with the characters , unbelievable story line. Mills an Boon ending....utter tosh, I was actually tutting out loud as I further got into the book at the silliness of the language used by the characters.....Drivel
September 4, 2014
What a silly story with a byline that might make a few readers uneasy.
This reader was certainly not impressed.
This reader was certainly not impressed.
April 21, 2016
A sign of a good story is that I stayed awake last night to finish the last 100 pages when I should have asleep!
April 2016
I read this is October 2015 and sadly never got round to reviewing properly. I know I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Proof of this is that I stayed awake to finish the last 100 pages when I should have been asleep! Recommended to anyone that enjoys a family saga with plenty of drama and intrigue.
http://lindyloumacbookreviews.blogspo...
April 2016
I read this is October 2015 and sadly never got round to reviewing properly. I know I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Proof of this is that I stayed awake to finish the last 100 pages when I should have been asleep! Recommended to anyone that enjoys a family saga with plenty of drama and intrigue.
http://lindyloumacbookreviews.blogspo...
April 17, 2015
I thought this was a lovely first adult novel from Valerie Mendes on similar lines to Kate Morton and Rachel Hore. The ending left you wondering if there was another book about Louisa and Tom
August 21, 2017
LARKSWOOD is a very, very good read. I'm not usually a fan of different time lines, but it works well here. I raced through this book eager to find out how everything tied together.
June 1, 2018
A poignant, wonderfully researched story that transported me.
June 4, 2020
8/10
Historia a dos tiempos, 1896 y 1939, que acaban confluyendo. Me ha gustando mucho, más conforme avanzaba, bien escrita y de lectura ágil. La autora me ha sorprendido más de una vez y viajar a una mansión en la campiña inglesa me ha encantado.
Historia a dos tiempos, 1896 y 1939, que acaban confluyendo. Me ha gustando mucho, más conforme avanzaba, bien escrita y de lectura ágil. La autora me ha sorprendido más de una vez y viajar a una mansión en la campiña inglesa me ha encantado.
October 26, 2018
A dark family past, a granddaughter trying piece everything together and a house that has contained generations of secrets.
LARKSWOOD
By Valerie Mendes | Standalone
My rating: 5 stars | Pages: 400
What made me pick it up: I found the book while hunting through Book Depository’s bargains and saw using the library extension app that my library had copies in stock. Plus, I can’t resist a gothic historical fiction novel
Format: Paperback | Source: Library
2018 challenge/s: Goodreads 2018 Reading Challenge
Full review can also be found at Bindro's Bookshelf
THIS BOOK CONTAINS INCEST. PLEASE CONSIDER AS TO WHETHER THIS IS THE RIGHT BOOK FOR YOU
— CONTENT WARNING
Larkswood
THE EYE OF THE SUN WINKS ON THE HORIZON.
THE DAWN CHORUS BEGINS: A FLUTTERING OF WINGS, A SWIRL OF CHEEPING SONG. IN PARTICULAR, THE SONG OF THE LARK. IT RISES CLEAR AND GLORIOUS INTO THE SKY AND BEYOND.
HARRIET LIFTS HER DUSTY, TEAR-STAINED FACE.
DAY HAS BEGUN. THE CHORUS IS A REMINDER, A WARNING.
— VALERIE MENDES
Dual timelines coming together to reveal secrets seems to be one book trope I can’t resist. I hear about a family past, an old house that has weathered it all and the terms historical fiction and I am sold.
Larkswood is the family home that Edward has finally returned to after all these years. He ran or was forced out a long time ago and those ghosts still haunt him to this day. Louisa is Edward’s granddaughter who falls sick during ‘the season’ and is sent to stay with her grandfather at Larkswood.
Louisa is not necessarily thrilled to be sick, but she is happy to be away from her mother and sister who are very much ruled by societal norms. Louisa likes to read and explore and begins to form a relationship with her grandfather who has been abroad for most of her life.
Louisa forms a friendship with the gardener and is enjoying her time at Larkswood but she is a smart girl who is able to figure out that something isn’t quite right and begins to piece together the mystery and the secret that tore the siblings apart all those years ago.
Edward, Harriet and Cynthia are close siblings until that summer begins a chain of events that leads to one secret after another being buried deep within Larkswood.
Louisa is getting close to the truth and could jeopardise her new, fragile relationship with her grandfather and the sanctuary she has created at Larkswood. As a second World War approaches, Louisa’s world is about to change in more ways than one.
I loved Louisa as a character and how she still loved her family but stood apart from her mother and her sister’s influence. She was happy to live a much simpler life, albeit still one of privilege but she is always willing to help others.
The past storyline is intense and keeps building and I loved the points of view from Harriet, the sister who is on the outside, like Louisa, trying to uncover what is happening and when she does, she wishes she never knew at all.
I love family reunions and bringing the gang back together and I also love ‘where are they now’ storylines. Piecing together what happened to the siblings and seeing where they ended up is super interesting and I loved seeing how the tragic family events shaped them and their personalities.
This book has a lot of mixed reviews on Goodreads but I was glad I went into this one blind, just knowing it was about family secrets and set in the past. I really enjoyed it but as I have mentioned, this story hit a lot of my sweet spots, being historical fiction, dual timelines, uncovering dark family pasts and bringing the gang back together, mixed in with a protagonist that I really liked. I may have been frustrated by some of her choices but I could understand her reasoning and motivations and that is all I want from the characters I read.
Larkswood had a main character that I could get behind which helped drive the plot of uncovering the past. The broken family coming together, still with fractures but trying to heal just really made me love this book so much.
2018 Reading Challenges:
Goodreads 2018 Reading Challenge
Have you read Larkswood? Do you recommend any other interesting gothic historical fiction? I would love to know your thoughts and recommendations in the comments below.
5 stars.
LARKSWOOD
By Valerie Mendes | Standalone
My rating: 5 stars | Pages: 400
What made me pick it up: I found the book while hunting through Book Depository’s bargains and saw using the library extension app that my library had copies in stock. Plus, I can’t resist a gothic historical fiction novel
Format: Paperback | Source: Library
2018 challenge/s: Goodreads 2018 Reading Challenge
Full review can also be found at Bindro's Bookshelf
THIS BOOK CONTAINS INCEST. PLEASE CONSIDER AS TO WHETHER THIS IS THE RIGHT BOOK FOR YOU
— CONTENT WARNING
Larkswood
THE EYE OF THE SUN WINKS ON THE HORIZON.
THE DAWN CHORUS BEGINS: A FLUTTERING OF WINGS, A SWIRL OF CHEEPING SONG. IN PARTICULAR, THE SONG OF THE LARK. IT RISES CLEAR AND GLORIOUS INTO THE SKY AND BEYOND.
HARRIET LIFTS HER DUSTY, TEAR-STAINED FACE.
DAY HAS BEGUN. THE CHORUS IS A REMINDER, A WARNING.
— VALERIE MENDES
Dual timelines coming together to reveal secrets seems to be one book trope I can’t resist. I hear about a family past, an old house that has weathered it all and the terms historical fiction and I am sold.
Larkswood is the family home that Edward has finally returned to after all these years. He ran or was forced out a long time ago and those ghosts still haunt him to this day. Louisa is Edward’s granddaughter who falls sick during ‘the season’ and is sent to stay with her grandfather at Larkswood.
Louisa is not necessarily thrilled to be sick, but she is happy to be away from her mother and sister who are very much ruled by societal norms. Louisa likes to read and explore and begins to form a relationship with her grandfather who has been abroad for most of her life.
Louisa forms a friendship with the gardener and is enjoying her time at Larkswood but she is a smart girl who is able to figure out that something isn’t quite right and begins to piece together the mystery and the secret that tore the siblings apart all those years ago.
Edward, Harriet and Cynthia are close siblings until that summer begins a chain of events that leads to one secret after another being buried deep within Larkswood.
Louisa is getting close to the truth and could jeopardise her new, fragile relationship with her grandfather and the sanctuary she has created at Larkswood. As a second World War approaches, Louisa’s world is about to change in more ways than one.
I loved Louisa as a character and how she still loved her family but stood apart from her mother and her sister’s influence. She was happy to live a much simpler life, albeit still one of privilege but she is always willing to help others.
The past storyline is intense and keeps building and I loved the points of view from Harriet, the sister who is on the outside, like Louisa, trying to uncover what is happening and when she does, she wishes she never knew at all.
I love family reunions and bringing the gang back together and I also love ‘where are they now’ storylines. Piecing together what happened to the siblings and seeing where they ended up is super interesting and I loved seeing how the tragic family events shaped them and their personalities.
This book has a lot of mixed reviews on Goodreads but I was glad I went into this one blind, just knowing it was about family secrets and set in the past. I really enjoyed it but as I have mentioned, this story hit a lot of my sweet spots, being historical fiction, dual timelines, uncovering dark family pasts and bringing the gang back together, mixed in with a protagonist that I really liked. I may have been frustrated by some of her choices but I could understand her reasoning and motivations and that is all I want from the characters I read.
Larkswood had a main character that I could get behind which helped drive the plot of uncovering the past. The broken family coming together, still with fractures but trying to heal just really made me love this book so much.
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Have you read Larkswood? Do you recommend any other interesting gothic historical fiction? I would love to know your thoughts and recommendations in the comments below.
5 stars.
October 20, 2015
This book is a frothy concoction with a dark secret at the heart. The writing is very "golly gosh!" and utterly cringeworthy much of the time. The rather unsavoury secret isn't actually revealed until 75% in, but it's heavily signposted very early on and is very easy to guess. When it is revealed, everyone seems to sweep it under the carpet as insignificant, which is odd to say the least.
The characters are flimsy cut-outs, with nary a stereotype unused. Our heroine, Louisa, is a busybody of the highest order, pushing her way into people's lives and demanding they tell her their deepest, darkest secrets. And even though most of the secret-keepers have been holding their cards close to their chest for forty-odd years, they spill the beans to Louisa with barely any pressure. Then they all tell her how brave, clever and gutsy she is. And they all repeatedly call her Louisa Hamilton all the time instead of just Louisa.
I think Larkswood House is supposed to be a character within the book too, but there's not sense of place or menace. It's just a place where something happened a long time ago. The pre-war setting doesn't really matter either. I think it's supposed to be part of a build-up of tension, but simply setting out facts in letters or having flighty characters talk about how "that silly little man" Hitler is "simply ruining" their season doesn't do the job.
This book wants to be gothic melodrama, but it never quite hits those heights. There's no cliché left unused and no happy ending left to wither and die on the vine. This would have been a much better book if the author didn't have such a desire to wrap everything up in a giant pink bow.
The characters are flimsy cut-outs, with nary a stereotype unused. Our heroine, Louisa, is a busybody of the highest order, pushing her way into people's lives and demanding they tell her their deepest, darkest secrets. And even though most of the secret-keepers have been holding their cards close to their chest for forty-odd years, they spill the beans to Louisa with barely any pressure. Then they all tell her how brave, clever and gutsy she is. And they all repeatedly call her Louisa Hamilton all the time instead of just Louisa.
I think Larkswood House is supposed to be a character within the book too, but there's not sense of place or menace. It's just a place where something happened a long time ago. The pre-war setting doesn't really matter either. I think it's supposed to be part of a build-up of tension, but simply setting out facts in letters or having flighty characters talk about how "that silly little man" Hitler is "simply ruining" their season doesn't do the job.
This book wants to be gothic melodrama, but it never quite hits those heights. There's no cliché left unused and no happy ending left to wither and die on the vine. This would have been a much better book if the author didn't have such a desire to wrap everything up in a giant pink bow.
August 12, 2018
Absolutely loved this book! Was very surprised by the low star reviews but then that is often a sign I will like something! Lovely atmosphere and descriptions, great writing, maybe the taboo subject matter put people off - people really can't cope with anything off the beaten track! It thought it was great - couldn't put it down.
December 2, 2014
Ok... Odd....
So the incest is ok, all carry on as normal?
It could have been so much better.
So the incest is ok, all carry on as normal?
It could have been so much better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 23, 2018
1.5
Si bien la historia está dentro bastante bien narrada, no me gustó mucho. Por momentos me hizo acordar a Flores en el Ático de VC Andrews, después a otras novelas ambientadas en la Segunda Guerra Mundial.
La historia se resuelve en las últimas 20 páginas. Cuando en la primera parte del libro es todo blah blah blah y la verdad aburrido.
Y el final... que decir del final... la principal historia de amor la deja ahí sin resolver.
En fin.
Si bien la historia está dentro bastante bien narrada, no me gustó mucho. Por momentos me hizo acordar a Flores en el Ático de VC Andrews, después a otras novelas ambientadas en la Segunda Guerra Mundial.
La historia se resuelve en las últimas 20 páginas. Cuando en la primera parte del libro es todo blah blah blah y la verdad aburrido.
Y el final... que decir del final... la principal historia de amor la deja ahí sin resolver.
En fin.
March 25, 2021
What a load of rubbish.
July 28, 2024
Hmmmm not a fan… I love a period drama set in the English countryside but it was just poorly written… on one page the same character uses the same ‘dashed’ verb to describe something happening within the same paragraph 3 times (cringe)!!!
The characters were not realistic at all- the parents of the 3 children are so unrealistic and 2 dimensional, the love affair with the lower class gardener is such a rip-off of every English love story or straight out of Downton Abbey, cliched.
I will give credit where credit is due- I have never written a novel and would be proud of giving something a go that came out like this but it is not a well-written adult drama that should get accolades or I would waste my money on, sorry!
The characters were not realistic at all- the parents of the 3 children are so unrealistic and 2 dimensional, the love affair with the lower class gardener is such a rip-off of every English love story or straight out of Downton Abbey, cliched.
I will give credit where credit is due- I have never written a novel and would be proud of giving something a go that came out like this but it is not a well-written adult drama that should get accolades or I would waste my money on, sorry!
February 3, 2014
This historical novel spans three generations of The Hamilton Family and their links with the Gothic Larkswood House. From the late 1800s to the beginning of WW1, the reader is treated to intertwining stories from Edward, his two sisters and his Grandchildren. Skeletons, intrigue and mystery are abound and Louisa Hamilton, the youngest grandchild, is determained to uncover the hidden past of Larkswood. No matter who is upsets in the process.
Over 450 pages of historical fiction, this book started off so well. I was gripped by the descriptions of the early Hamiltons and what may have happened on the fateful night of the opening chapter. The research into the relevant periods was well done and sympathetic but very one sided. Hardly any mention of the villagers or staff at Larkswood made for a lack of balance. The Hamiltons were a unlikable lot, spoiled, rich and uncaring. While the gardens of the estate were described lovingly, there was very little mention of the house itself, bar the study and some bedrooms. Lovers of this genre may be disappointed with this oversight.
The writing is simple and childish at times, a lot of repetition and over usage of certain phrases. The story was gripping at first but lost it's momentum fairly early on in the book. The last few chapters were, basically, bizarre - far too much going on, too many neat tying of bows and ticking of boxes.
I'm afraid I was not overly impressed with this work and it was a struggle to finish it. It had the potential to be a great novel, but was overstuffed and was too dismissive of bad and inappropriate behaviour.
Over 450 pages of historical fiction, this book started off so well. I was gripped by the descriptions of the early Hamiltons and what may have happened on the fateful night of the opening chapter. The research into the relevant periods was well done and sympathetic but very one sided. Hardly any mention of the villagers or staff at Larkswood made for a lack of balance. The Hamiltons were a unlikable lot, spoiled, rich and uncaring. While the gardens of the estate were described lovingly, there was very little mention of the house itself, bar the study and some bedrooms. Lovers of this genre may be disappointed with this oversight.
The writing is simple and childish at times, a lot of repetition and over usage of certain phrases. The story was gripping at first but lost it's momentum fairly early on in the book. The last few chapters were, basically, bizarre - far too much going on, too many neat tying of bows and ticking of boxes.
I'm afraid I was not overly impressed with this work and it was a struggle to finish it. It had the potential to be a great novel, but was overstuffed and was too dismissive of bad and inappropriate behaviour.
January 15, 2014
I received this book as a Good Reads First Reads.
I love the cover of this book - it leads you to believe there is intrigue and a fabulous story lying within the pages - and you'd be right.
The story is a generations of the same family from alternate times told between parts of the 1890s and the 2nd world war.
Louisa Hamilton is a debutante in 1939 but when she takes ill she is sent to live with her widower grandfather in Larkswood. At first she hates it and all she wants to do is get well and go home .....but then she meets the gardener Thomas Saunders.
The story eases to 1890s when her grandfather was a young man and you get to know the life he led.
Louisa finds herself in exploring Larkswood and comes across a secret locked tower that no one speaks of and finds evidence of other family members who no one ever mentions ......but why
If you love a book full of mystery, intrigue and family secrets all set in a wonderful country setting in a beautiful house then this book is for you.
Mystery follows with every page that you turn and you can't finish one page without wondering what is going to happen next and you can almost imagine the characters as real people.
A lot of research has gone into this wonderful book - and it's one I will certainly keep and read again - I loved it :)
I love the cover of this book - it leads you to believe there is intrigue and a fabulous story lying within the pages - and you'd be right.
The story is a generations of the same family from alternate times told between parts of the 1890s and the 2nd world war.
Louisa Hamilton is a debutante in 1939 but when she takes ill she is sent to live with her widower grandfather in Larkswood. At first she hates it and all she wants to do is get well and go home .....but then she meets the gardener Thomas Saunders.
The story eases to 1890s when her grandfather was a young man and you get to know the life he led.
Louisa finds herself in exploring Larkswood and comes across a secret locked tower that no one speaks of and finds evidence of other family members who no one ever mentions ......but why
If you love a book full of mystery, intrigue and family secrets all set in a wonderful country setting in a beautiful house then this book is for you.
Mystery follows with every page that you turn and you can't finish one page without wondering what is going to happen next and you can almost imagine the characters as real people.
A lot of research has gone into this wonderful book - and it's one I will certainly keep and read again - I loved it :)
July 7, 2014
Larkswood House. The very name suggests birdsong, peace and elegance. It is home to the Hamilton children - Edward, Cynthia and Harriet - who enjoy the freedom and excitement of privilege. But in the glorious summer of 1896, with absent parents and a departed governess, disaster strikes the family, leaving it cruelly divided. More than forty years later, on the eve of the Second World War, Louisa Hamilton, newly presented at court but struck down with glandular fever, is sent to Larkswood to recuperate. There, for the first time, she meets her grandfather, Edward, home after decades in India. But as Louisa begins to fall under the spell of Larkswood, she realises it holds the key to the mystery that shattered her family two generations before. Will she find the courage to unravel the dark secrets of the past? And can Larkswood ever become home to happiness again?
The reader is taken to the pre war world of privilege, opulence and grandeur.
I thought this was a really good read,there was a bit of a twist. I really enjoy books set in this era and it would be enjoyed by others who felt the same.
The reader is taken to the pre war world of privilege, opulence and grandeur.
I thought this was a really good read,there was a bit of a twist. I really enjoy books set in this era and it would be enjoyed by others who felt the same.
December 9, 2014
While the author bravely took on what she and her editors have considered "the last taboo," incest, and while the story weaves together the history and culture of the waning days of British aristocracy, going back and forth between the end of the nineteenth century and the eve of World War II, too many of the characters remain stock characters. Admirably, none of the major characters is presented in totally glowing or totally demonic terms, except perhaps Louisa, the youngest member of the Hamilton family. This was an airport purchase, one I read with mild interest in the course of a few hours, a few planes on a long journey home. Perhaps the reason that I kept at it was because, for me, it was not a "gripping mystery"--I sensed within the first few chapters what was to come--but I needed to confirm my very early (first fifty pages) suspicions and wondered why the author needed so much time to wrap up the story.
September 1, 2014
Interesting story about a family's dark past. The truth proves to be very unexpected. The story takes place in two time periods—in 1897 when the family scandal took place at Larkswood House and was hastily covered up, and in 1939, when the granddaughter of one of the members involved int he scandal come back to the house. Louisa Hamilton falls ill during her debut Season in London and is sent to stay with her grandfather at Larkswood to recover. As she does, she discovers both the family secrets, and the fact that she wants a very different kind of life than the one her mother has planned for her. The story was enjoyable and light, the ending satisfying.
May 17, 2021
Este es un libro que me regalaron en mi último cumpleaños. Leí la sinopsis y me atrajo completamente su ambientación y el misterio que rodeaba la trama. Lo comencé a leer en verano, pero lo abandoné porque estaba en medio de un bloqueo lector. Hace unos días lo retomé, pero no he conseguido conectar con la historia en ningún momento, al igual que con ninguno de los personajes (pese a que sus personalidades son fuertes e independientes). Esto no quiere decir que no me haya gustado, porque sí que lo ha hecho, pero la he sentido como una historia sin más, que ya apenas recuerdo.
2'5/5⭐
2'5/5⭐
May 16, 2016
Certainly had a hard time putting it down! Quite a shocking tale, but I enjoyed every minute of it!
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