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Amidst the lush romance of Victorian London, Florence, and Paris, a deadly family rivalry is born...
As long as she can remember, the exquisite Lenore Cleremont has lived at The Silk House, the luxurious English country estate of the wealthy Sallonger family. Neither servant nor true member of the family, she has grown up under the protection of her Grand'mere—who designs the luxurious gowns for the family's vast silk trade in the mansion's attic rooms.
Lenore shows promise as a dress designer herself. But most important, she has won the heart of the two charismatic Sallonger sons: Charles, handsome but cruel, and Philip, as kind-hearted as he is charming.
But tragedy is ready to strike. Soon, Lenore finds herself playing a central role in a drama that threatens to destroy everything she holds dear.
As long as she can remember, the exquisite Lenore Cleremont has lived at The Silk House, the luxurious English country estate of the wealthy Sallonger family. Neither servant nor true member of the family, she has grown up under the protection of her Grand'mere—who designs the luxurious gowns for the family's vast silk trade in the mansion's attic rooms.
Lenore shows promise as a dress designer herself. But most important, she has won the heart of the two charismatic Sallonger sons: Charles, handsome but cruel, and Philip, as kind-hearted as he is charming.
But tragedy is ready to strike. Soon, Lenore finds herself playing a central role in a drama that threatens to destroy everything she holds dear.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1987
33 people are currently reading
997 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Holt
371 books1,375 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Eleanor Alice Burford, Mrs. George Percival Hibbert was a British author of about 200 historical novels, most of them under the pen name Jean Plaidy which had sold 14 million copies by the time of her death. She chose to use various names because of the differences in subject matter between her books; the best-known, apart from Plaidy, are Victoria Holt (56 million) and Philippa Carr (3 million). Lesser known were the novels Hibbert published under her maiden name Eleanor Burford, or the pseudonyms of Elbur Ford, Kathleen Kellow and Ellalice Tate. Many of her readers under one penname never suspected her other identities.
-Wikipedia
Eleanor Alice Burford, Mrs. George Percival Hibbert was a British author of about 200 historical novels, most of them under the pen name Jean Plaidy which had sold 14 million copies by the time of her death. She chose to use various names because of the differences in subject matter between her books; the best-known, apart from Plaidy, are Victoria Holt (56 million) and Philippa Carr (3 million). Lesser known were the novels Hibbert published under her maiden name Eleanor Burford, or the pseudonyms of Elbur Ford, Kathleen Kellow and Ellalice Tate. Many of her readers under one penname never suspected her other identities.
-Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
March 2, 2017
3 stars is a bit generous, but I'll be nice because VH is a fave.
That said, this isn't her best. It drags, drags, draaaags to the pace of a halfwit snail. What's especially irksome is that the Big Reveal shows how good stuff is happening behind the scenes, but we rarely see it because Lenore isn't directly involved with the infamous Silk Vendetta -- she's only a peripheral piece of the puzzle. Instead we get repetitive conversations, rehashing of a few key points, & endless circling of the same few characters. It's just...flat. And stilted. Weirdly so, given that VH's novels usually wash down like hot chocolate.
There are a few good scenes, & it offers an interesting hook with a variety of heroes for Lenore, but overall I wouldn't recommend this one except for diehard fans.
That said, this isn't her best. It drags, drags, draaaags to the pace of a halfwit snail. What's especially irksome is that the Big Reveal shows how good stuff is happening behind the scenes, but we rarely see it because Lenore isn't directly involved with the infamous Silk Vendetta -- she's only a peripheral piece of the puzzle. Instead we get repetitive conversations, rehashing of a few key points, & endless circling of the same few characters. It's just...flat. And stilted. Weirdly so, given that VH's novels usually wash down like hot chocolate.
There are a few good scenes, & it offers an interesting hook with a variety of heroes for Lenore, but overall I wouldn't recommend this one except for diehard fans.
May 7, 2017
This is one of Holt's better books. Well plotted, well characterised and well written, The Silk Vendetta is about a woman who suffers the trials of being born out of wedlock. Her parents are French, but her mother died in childbirth, and her father did not have the guts to acknowledge her existence. But Lenore Cleremont had a formidable grandmother, who arranged excellent terms with her employer to send them to England to help in the business of another and rival branch of the family.
The employer is St. Allengere (Sallonger, in England), and the business happens to be the silk business. Sallonger silk is excellent, and good old Grandmere is their best designer. Lenore gets educated with the girls of the big house, but even so, she feels the pinch of her lowly status, especially as she grows up. That is, until she marries the prince - Philip, the younger Sallonger son. All this is setting the scene. After the honeymoon, Philip dies. Is it murder, accident or suicide?
After this, the story moves rapidly, as Lenore starts a business, becomes famous and finds her repentant father. Whew! Then more deaths happen, and Lenore becomes a suspect, bringing back the nightmares of Philip's death. Why is this happening?
It's an excellent and well-plotted story. I can't say much for the romance stuff, which is old-fashioned and sexist, but the mystery parts are excellent. I liked Lenore, but I would have liked her better if she had managed to do some stuff on her own instead of always relying on her grandmother, whom I hated. The old woman treated her ward so like a baby that it was very annoying. The French branch of the family was quite intriguing. Holt draws back from painting anyone as completely evil, wherein I think her strength lies. Even though this means she gets a little tolerant about complete jerks, this attitude tends to give depth to her characters. At least, it did in this book!
If you are new to Holt, maybe The Silk Vendetta is a good place to start.
The employer is St. Allengere (Sallonger, in England), and the business happens to be the silk business. Sallonger silk is excellent, and good old Grandmere is their best designer. Lenore gets educated with the girls of the big house, but even so, she feels the pinch of her lowly status, especially as she grows up. That is, until she marries the prince - Philip, the younger Sallonger son. All this is setting the scene. After the honeymoon, Philip dies. Is it murder, accident or suicide?
After this, the story moves rapidly, as Lenore starts a business, becomes famous and finds her repentant father. Whew! Then more deaths happen, and Lenore becomes a suspect, bringing back the nightmares of Philip's death. Why is this happening?
It's an excellent and well-plotted story. I can't say much for the romance stuff, which is old-fashioned and sexist, but the mystery parts are excellent. I liked Lenore, but I would have liked her better if she had managed to do some stuff on her own instead of always relying on her grandmother, whom I hated. The old woman treated her ward so like a baby that it was very annoying. The French branch of the family was quite intriguing. Holt draws back from painting anyone as completely evil, wherein I think her strength lies. Even though this means she gets a little tolerant about complete jerks, this attitude tends to give depth to her characters. At least, it did in this book!
If you are new to Holt, maybe The Silk Vendetta is a good place to start.
March 13, 2013
This book is all about guessing who the hero is. Is it:
Candidate A
pro: he's a nice guy and he actually marries the heroine
con: he actually marries the heroine early on, he's dead meat (or a fruit fly, see earlier VH reviews for the life expectancy thereof)
Candidate B
pro: he's a nice guy and he rescues the heroine from her villainous cousin when she's young
con: he marries villainous cousin's sister, he's a politician
Candidate C
pro: he's mysterious and French
con: I got nothing
I enjoyed this story quite a bit. All the silk details were a bit much, though not as bad as opals. Don't skim though, there's a surprising occurrence early on that gets brushed off at the time but proves to be the crux of the mystery later. There are strange deaths, strange accidents, and mysterious men. Nicely intriguing!
The plot is well woven but meanders a bit too much in the middle, especially with the politics. The story covers a long time period - I think the heroine's child is 11 or so by the end. The heroine is likable and strong. I really disliked the villainous cousin - what trouble he caused for everyone!
I felt sad when A dies, poor guy. I felt bad for B too, I hope he finds love again. The heroine did seem to really love him, and her rejection of him when he's free again seems cold. Of course by then she'd fallen in love with C. C was sexy but had less depth than B in my opinion. Of course he doesn't even show up until what, page 200 or something? Still C investigates and finally solves the mystery. So I guess he earns the heroine.
Candidate A
pro: he's a nice guy and he actually marries the heroine
con: he actually marries the heroine early on, he's dead meat (or a fruit fly, see earlier VH reviews for the life expectancy thereof)
Candidate B
pro: he's a nice guy and he rescues the heroine from her villainous cousin when she's young
con: he marries villainous cousin's sister, he's a politician
Candidate C
pro: he's mysterious and French
con: I got nothing
I enjoyed this story quite a bit. All the silk details were a bit much, though not as bad as opals. Don't skim though, there's a surprising occurrence early on that gets brushed off at the time but proves to be the crux of the mystery later. There are strange deaths, strange accidents, and mysterious men. Nicely intriguing!
The plot is well woven but meanders a bit too much in the middle, especially with the politics. The story covers a long time period - I think the heroine's child is 11 or so by the end. The heroine is likable and strong. I really disliked the villainous cousin - what trouble he caused for everyone!
I felt sad when A dies, poor guy. I felt bad for B too, I hope he finds love again. The heroine did seem to really love him, and her rejection of him when he's free again seems cold. Of course by then she'd fallen in love with C. C was sexy but had less depth than B in my opinion. Of course he doesn't even show up until what, page 200 or something? Still C investigates and finally solves the mystery. So I guess he earns the heroine.
April 10, 2019
A Brilliant Story of the Tangled Web of a Family Devoted to Silk
Set in Victorian England and France, this is the story of Lenore Cleremont, a French girl raised by her grand mere in England where she serves “The Silk House” as a gifted silk designer and dressmaker. Lenore is educated with the family’s children but knows she is not one of them. The family has two daughters and two sons. One of the sons, Philip, is kind; the other, Charles, is not. One of the daughters becomes Lenore’s dear friend; the other her jealous adversary.
When she is 15, Lenore’s grand mere tells her she is illegitimate and that her mother, a beauty who fell in love with the master’s son, died in childbirth. As Lenore comes into womanhood, she loses at love twice as she is caught up in a tangled quest for vengeance. And then an arrogant French count reveals a secret from her past.
I have to say I do love Victoria Holt’s stories and this is no exception. You will be drawn in to Lenore’s life, wanting her to find happiness, but despairing when she does not. Murder, treachery and betrayal populate this book but, in the end, all the threads come together. Lenore finds a man she can truly love and the mystery is finally solved.
If you love Victoria Holt, this is one not to be missed!
Set in Victorian England and France, this is the story of Lenore Cleremont, a French girl raised by her grand mere in England where she serves “The Silk House” as a gifted silk designer and dressmaker. Lenore is educated with the family’s children but knows she is not one of them. The family has two daughters and two sons. One of the sons, Philip, is kind; the other, Charles, is not. One of the daughters becomes Lenore’s dear friend; the other her jealous adversary.
When she is 15, Lenore’s grand mere tells her she is illegitimate and that her mother, a beauty who fell in love with the master’s son, died in childbirth. As Lenore comes into womanhood, she loses at love twice as she is caught up in a tangled quest for vengeance. And then an arrogant French count reveals a secret from her past.
I have to say I do love Victoria Holt’s stories and this is no exception. You will be drawn in to Lenore’s life, wanting her to find happiness, but despairing when she does not. Murder, treachery and betrayal populate this book but, in the end, all the threads come together. Lenore finds a man she can truly love and the mystery is finally solved.
If you love Victoria Holt, this is one not to be missed!
September 1, 2010
Victoria Holt has such an interesting writing style, very unique. Because the stories are never quite like one expects, I always enjoy her books. This book is a perfect example. It is written first person, from the heroine's point of view, which adds an intimacy with the reader (again, a precarious choice and one that must be done well to succeed). It is a wonderful combination of romance and mystery and even though the villain is quite obvious from the beginning, there are many surprises along the way that keep one intrigued and turning pages. My only complaint is with the very end of the book. While achieving the "happy ending", it leaves a multitude of questions unanswered. All the worries (very justified) Lenore has about risking her heart and life with her "love" are forgotten when he proposes, then... the end. If feels like a sucker punch and a pat on the head all at once.
January 14, 2013
I liked it but the romantic part of it was a little disappointing. The book as a whole was pretty detailed but in a mundane rather than exciting way much of the time. The story was good though.
On the whole, I think the VH novels are under-written at the end - there is not a totally satisfactory payoff, to me. Too many things happen in too few pages at the end - things happens too fast and in particular the romance part is too perfunctory - there are 2 paragraphs where I would like several pages. Not expressing myself totally as I would want but that is a basic way to say it.
On the whole, I think the VH novels are under-written at the end - there is not a totally satisfactory payoff, to me. Too many things happen in too few pages at the end - things happens too fast and in particular the romance part is too perfunctory - there are 2 paragraphs where I would like several pages. Not expressing myself totally as I would want but that is a basic way to say it.
April 3, 2016
Books written by Victoria Holt are so cheesy, but sometimes that's exactly what you need. I've read a loooot of her books when I was 14/15 years old..that was the last time I've read them. I absolutely loved them at the time. I'm thinking of reading one of her books just for the old times sake! =)
Read
April 30, 2020Hard to rate, because do I rate it as a fiction read, in general, or within it's specific genre? The atmospheric was fun and engaging, although typical in a pulpy way, but the writing (specifically, sentence structure and dialogue) was stilted and simplistic. At least it really did sound like the grandmother was French (with English as a second language), as she didn't seem to use contractions..?
Anyway, if you are looking for a fun chick lit gothic read, try it out!
Rating 3/5 for regular fiction book, and a 4/5 for chick lit.
Anyway, if you are looking for a fun chick lit gothic read, try it out!
Rating 3/5 for regular fiction book, and a 4/5 for chick lit.
September 9, 2024
I read most of her books when I was in high school - this was nostalgic! I really enjoyed it
October 31, 2024
One of VH's faster paced stories that I've read from her. But nonetheless, she paced it really well, and the twist at the end tied up nicely.
March 17, 2015
I was referred to Victoria Holt by a relative who said they were "clean romance books." Well, I read three of her books before this one, "Kirkland Revels," "The Captive," and "Pride of the Peacock," and while I wouldn't call them great literature, they were enjoyable reads. However, I was sorely disappointed in "The Silk Vendetta," because not only was it very dull, but there was an uncomfortable scene where a promiscuous character sexually harasses the heroine. Of course I understand that the author was trying to develop the plot, and things like this do happen in life, but it's not something I care to read about, and it seemed to be a step down from her other stories.
February 8, 2013
Dull as dishwater. Yet not dull enough for me to stop reading, which is a mystery in itself. The plot is.....weird. Through most of the book, you forget that there is even a plot. But at the end the mystery is solved, while you're going like "oh yeeeah, there was a mystery, I remember now!!". Most of the characters are boring creatures with boring lives. The only exception is the Comte, who only makes an appearance at the very end. I didn't dislike this book but I didn't particularly like it either because, as I said, it was just so boring.
March 17, 2008
I read all of Victoria Holt mystery/romance books in my 30s. Holt books are a higher caliber of romance fiction than something like Harlequins. Historically accurate. Good recreational reading with something to keep you turning pages.
June 18, 2012
A strong romanctic plot throughout. Although one might know what waits at the end, the end will undoubtedly surprise. The love plot entwines, confuses and then shocks. Beautiful! But the plot of all Holt's books sound similar.
April 1, 2015
Was a clean romance story with no embellishments whatsoever. The pace of the story was too slow felt it was dragging in most places. The mystery element ended too soon and the ending could have had couple of pages more!
June 21, 2017
A bit too long before the case finally unfolds in a few pages only.
The background of the silk production and trade could have been more detailed. It is unusual, not well-known and quite interesting.
The background of the silk production and trade could have been more detailed. It is unusual, not well-known and quite interesting.
March 4, 2008
first book that i ever read by victoria holt and let me tell you its got me hooked majorly
June 23, 2018
Worth reading for Lady Sallonger's taste in sensation fiction alone!
July 28, 2021
This book was not as I remembered
This book was awful. The punctuation and typographical errors were very distracting. I do not remember it being this bad.
This book was awful. The punctuation and typographical errors were very distracting. I do not remember it being this bad.
July 29, 2017
This was my first experience reading Victoria Holt. Growing up, I somehow got the impression that her novels fell into the category of "trashy romance"-- but then I saw her listed with other "gothic romance" authors I enjoy, so it seemed worth a try. My verdict, based on this one book, is that it's definitely not "trashy" romance. Most of the time, innuendo is as far as things go. There's one scene that may shock some readers-- but in general, very little happens "on screen".
That said, I wasn't especially impressed. I'll read some reviews and try to determine whether this book is representative of the bulk of her work before I decide if I'll try another, at some point. I wish I'd liked it better, because Holt was such a prolific author; this could've added dozens of books to my "Sounds Interesting" list.
It's not that the book was bad... (Here we go again! It's my standard damning with faint praise...) It was readable, but aside from a few parts, it wasn't as interesting as I'd hoped. Very predictable, with weak "mysteries" dragged out over the whole book. A couple of times, characters made annoying and illogical choices that just don't make sense. As a whole, it was fairly bland and repetitive. The book felt long, and that's the sign of either a bad book or (at least) a bad pairing of book and reader. I suspect that Victoria Holt simply may not be for me.
Specifics (with SPOILERS):
--Well, that's it. I'll be interested to see how Victoria Holt fans rank this novel against the others. Is it worth trying another, at some point?
Edited to Add:
I've read a few reviews, now, and some even go so far as to say that this is one of her better books. Hm... Not encouraging.
That said, I wasn't especially impressed. I'll read some reviews and try to determine whether this book is representative of the bulk of her work before I decide if I'll try another, at some point. I wish I'd liked it better, because Holt was such a prolific author; this could've added dozens of books to my "Sounds Interesting" list.
It's not that the book was bad... (Here we go again! It's my standard damning with faint praise...) It was readable, but aside from a few parts, it wasn't as interesting as I'd hoped. Very predictable, with weak "mysteries" dragged out over the whole book. A couple of times, characters made annoying and illogical choices that just don't make sense. As a whole, it was fairly bland and repetitive. The book felt long, and that's the sign of either a bad book or (at least) a bad pairing of book and reader. I suspect that Victoria Holt simply may not be for me.
Specifics (with SPOILERS):
--Well, that's it. I'll be interested to see how Victoria Holt fans rank this novel against the others. Is it worth trying another, at some point?
Edited to Add:
I've read a few reviews, now, and some even go so far as to say that this is one of her better books. Hm... Not encouraging.
October 28, 2022
Book Title: The Silk Vendetta
Author: Victoria Holt
Genre: Gothic, Romance, Mystery
Rating: 3/5
Warning: The review contains spoilers
The book The Silk Vendetta is another gothic romance and mystery novel by Victoria Holt that revolves around the character of Leonore Cleremont, a French girl born out of wedlock and raised by her grandmother who becomes her sole guardian when her mother dies in childbirth and her father refuse to accept her due to family pressure. Leonore’s grandmother is a formidable lady and an expert dress designer. She works for the rich Sallongers who are well-known silk producers in England. Hence, Leonore and her grandmother live in Sallonger’s big house called the “silk house” where she is treated better than most of the servants and is raised and educated with the other children of the house, however, due to her being an illegitimate child and a servant’s granddaughter, she does not enjoy the same privileges and respect as the other children of the house. Her only best friends in the house are Cassie and Philip the daughter and son of Sallongers respectively while the Sallonger’s eldest son Charles is a problematic guy who holds a grudge against Leonore for turning down his inappropriate advances. Things started to change rapidly for Leonore when Philip falls in love with her and marries her. This changes her status in the house; however, this happiness is short-lived because soon after her honeymoon, Philip dies under mysterious circumstances which the police to Leonore’s disbelief declare as suicide. This is where things change for Leonore and the story becomes a mixture of mystery, love, revenge, and much more.
Honestly, I do not have much to write about this book except that it has a lot of mysteries, revenge, family feud, and unrequited love much of which is addressed in the later part of the book. In fact, the actual mystery is unlocked in the last few pages. Moreover, the problem with the story is that Leonore is not directly a part of the unlocking of the mystery. There was no direct action from Leonore’s side. She seemed more of a passive character and quite dumb on several occasions despite the writer’s attempt at showing her very intellectual. She seemed more of a silent spectator than the protagonist of the story.
Then there is the character of Charles who made Leonore’s life a living hell on multiple occasions yet she somehow was okay to meet him and ready to forget his nefarious acts of the past. Also, the most annoying part is that we do not get to see him punished for his wicked behavior and all the stress he has caused Leonore and the other characters. Instead, we are told about his would-be punishment in a very vague manner through another character. I feel the readers deserved the closure of seeing Charles getting punished after all the trouble and distress he had caused Leonore’s. Apart from that, there were boring details of winemaking and silk production which I was not interested in. None the less, there were parts in the books I really enjoyed.
For me, the best part about this story was women's empowerment which was not something normal during the time the book is set in. I love how Leonore, her grandmother, Cassie, and the Countess started the dress-designing business together. However, I felt Leonore was not as passionate about that business as her other partners were. She was willing to give it up for her marriage even though no one asked her to do that. The story was good but the ending was not very fulfilling. In my honest opinion, the book was not really a bad read. Holt has a way of grabbing the attention of her readers. Yet I would not suggest this book to the readers as one of her best works.
Author: Victoria Holt
Genre: Gothic, Romance, Mystery
Rating: 3/5
Warning: The review contains spoilers
The book The Silk Vendetta is another gothic romance and mystery novel by Victoria Holt that revolves around the character of Leonore Cleremont, a French girl born out of wedlock and raised by her grandmother who becomes her sole guardian when her mother dies in childbirth and her father refuse to accept her due to family pressure. Leonore’s grandmother is a formidable lady and an expert dress designer. She works for the rich Sallongers who are well-known silk producers in England. Hence, Leonore and her grandmother live in Sallonger’s big house called the “silk house” where she is treated better than most of the servants and is raised and educated with the other children of the house, however, due to her being an illegitimate child and a servant’s granddaughter, she does not enjoy the same privileges and respect as the other children of the house. Her only best friends in the house are Cassie and Philip the daughter and son of Sallongers respectively while the Sallonger’s eldest son Charles is a problematic guy who holds a grudge against Leonore for turning down his inappropriate advances. Things started to change rapidly for Leonore when Philip falls in love with her and marries her. This changes her status in the house; however, this happiness is short-lived because soon after her honeymoon, Philip dies under mysterious circumstances which the police to Leonore’s disbelief declare as suicide. This is where things change for Leonore and the story becomes a mixture of mystery, love, revenge, and much more.
Honestly, I do not have much to write about this book except that it has a lot of mysteries, revenge, family feud, and unrequited love much of which is addressed in the later part of the book. In fact, the actual mystery is unlocked in the last few pages. Moreover, the problem with the story is that Leonore is not directly a part of the unlocking of the mystery. There was no direct action from Leonore’s side. She seemed more of a passive character and quite dumb on several occasions despite the writer’s attempt at showing her very intellectual. She seemed more of a silent spectator than the protagonist of the story.
Then there is the character of Charles who made Leonore’s life a living hell on multiple occasions yet she somehow was okay to meet him and ready to forget his nefarious acts of the past. Also, the most annoying part is that we do not get to see him punished for his wicked behavior and all the stress he has caused Leonore and the other characters. Instead, we are told about his would-be punishment in a very vague manner through another character. I feel the readers deserved the closure of seeing Charles getting punished after all the trouble and distress he had caused Leonore’s. Apart from that, there were boring details of winemaking and silk production which I was not interested in. None the less, there were parts in the books I really enjoyed.
For me, the best part about this story was women's empowerment which was not something normal during the time the book is set in. I love how Leonore, her grandmother, Cassie, and the Countess started the dress-designing business together. However, I felt Leonore was not as passionate about that business as her other partners were. She was willing to give it up for her marriage even though no one asked her to do that. The story was good but the ending was not very fulfilling. In my honest opinion, the book was not really a bad read. Holt has a way of grabbing the attention of her readers. Yet I would not suggest this book to the readers as one of her best works.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 7, 2024
This was so boring. I love historical fiction, but this was just executed poorly. Lenore as the choice of protagonist was awful. She seems like such a cold, emotionless person in the way she responds to everyone. They could be pouring their heart out to her and she will give the blandest response. Like, for instance, someone talking about how unhappy two people are in their marriage, how sad it is to see them like that, and all Lenore gives is "He is her husband." Or she's being warned against a certain man by different people and her response is always how the kids get along. Why does that matter? Most people in that case would give something else. And not just a "don't worry." She doesn't recognize others feelings. She doesn't comment on them. She doesn't reassure them. Does she have any empathy for others? She acts like she could care less about anything they are telling her. Everyone is so much more expressive then her.
The writing is lazy. When there is dialogue, there is way too much of it in a row without even a "he/she said" to break it up. Which would be fine if said dialogue was engaging but, again, with a protagonist like Lenore it's just annoying to see how she responds to all of it. It's either a question, a weirdly specific comment, or something that makes little sense to the conversation. There's no flair or elegance to this. Words like "premises" are over-used in the worst ways. Two examples:
"During the day that followed we looked at several premises."
"First, we have to find our premises."
She repeats herself a lot. Such as in the span of one page, writing "he amused us greatly" three times and "we encouraged him to talk" twice. She loves her words "enchanting", "charming", and "interesting."
I don't even think the story was bad. It just could have been written way better than it was. It took me out so much. I was rolling my eyes every time someone said "premises" instead of house or building.
The writing is lazy. When there is dialogue, there is way too much of it in a row without even a "he/she said" to break it up. Which would be fine if said dialogue was engaging but, again, with a protagonist like Lenore it's just annoying to see how she responds to all of it. It's either a question, a weirdly specific comment, or something that makes little sense to the conversation. There's no flair or elegance to this. Words like "premises" are over-used in the worst ways. Two examples:
"During the day that followed we looked at several premises."
"First, we have to find our premises."
She repeats herself a lot. Such as in the span of one page, writing "he amused us greatly" three times and "we encouraged him to talk" twice. She loves her words "enchanting", "charming", and "interesting."
I don't even think the story was bad. It just could have been written way better than it was. It took me out so much. I was rolling my eyes every time someone said "premises" instead of house or building.
March 18, 2021
Lenore vokser op i familien Sallongers silkehus; et imperium der bygger på silke og silkefabrikation i Viktoriatidens England. Hendes bedstemor er højt værdsat som en fremragende kjoledesigner, og hun og Lenora bliver accepteret næsten som medlemmer af familien. Lenores liv centrerer omkring huset jævnaldrene unge: Arrogante og flirtende Charles, alvorlige, men venlige Philip, selvviske Julia, og den blide, handicappede Cassie. Men da den tiltrækkende Drake Aldringham besøger huset, afslører Charles sin ondskabsfuldhed ved en begivenhed som får smertefulde og langvarige konsekvenser for Lenora. Hendes liv ændres drastisk efter hendes syttenårs fødselsdag, da Philip frier til hende. For en tid er hun meget lykkelig, men det hele bliver ødelagt af nogle mystiske hændelser. På Philip og Lenores bryllupsrejse, sker der et mord på en gade i Firenze; et mord som Lenore ikke kan finde en forklaring på, men som hun ved, har forbindelse til hende. Efter Philip dør ved en rideulykke, bliver livet i huset utåleligt. Sammen med bedstemoderen og hendes nyfødte datter Katie, forlader hun Sallongers silkehus for at etablere sin egen modesalon. Fiasko bliver afløst af succes, og da Drake Aldringham igen dukker op i hendes liv, tør Lenora igen tro på kærligheden. Men skyggerne fra fortiden truer igen med at tage Lenores lykke fra hende ...
January 29, 2021
Este libro me dejó bastante indiferente, o más que nada, frustrada. Existen varios personajes, y la trama pudo haber sido interesante, pero parece q la autora tenía q escribir algo pero no quiso tomarse la molestia de desarrollar ni la trama ni a los protagonistas y secundarios. Personajes débiles, sin carácter ni personalidad, no llegas a conocerlos, a saber que es lo que les preocupan o buscan. Podría haberse sacado algo muchisimo más elaborado de esta historia, aunque no sea algo fuera de lo común pero se quedó en intento, o ni eso. Incluso con la misma extensión, si tan solo se le hubiera dado más personalidad a los personajes... Algo, faltaba algo y creo que era eso. Tampoco sentías la pasión que supuestamente le ponían al montar la tienda, al enamorarse, al viajar. Y el final... para mi fue una metedura de pata, como: ¡Venga ya hombre! no te lo crees ni tú.
Y a pesar de todo, no puedo decir que sea malisimo o tan si quiera malo. Un libro corto para entretenerse cuando no tienes otra cosa mejor que hacer. Eso sí, si te gustan la moda, la costura y sobretodo la seda, te gustará mucho más que a mí.
Realmente de Venganza no tiene mucho, solo sabes el por qué del titulo al final de la historia.
Y a pesar de todo, no puedo decir que sea malisimo o tan si quiera malo. Un libro corto para entretenerse cuando no tienes otra cosa mejor que hacer. Eso sí, si te gustan la moda, la costura y sobretodo la seda, te gustará mucho más que a mí.
Realmente de Venganza no tiene mucho, solo sabes el por qué del titulo al final de la historia.
November 10, 2024
Overall, very well written and, for the period of time the novel covers, well paced. However, due to the writing style, I felt disconnected from the main character; for all that she goes through, I always felt that her emotions were separate from her character. Also, the mystery aspect of the plot was predictable. That’s not to say I didn’t like it; just to say that Lenore probably should have pieced things together herself instead of waiting for the Comte to do it for her. I loved the female relationships/camaraderie in the book; however, I wish these relationships could have been expanded upon towards the end of the novel instead of focusing on the male/female relationships. All in all, a good read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 7, 2023
I am really on the fence with this one. I think Holt is skilled at writing interesting characters with depth but feel Lenore betrays herself at the end. Not for her choice but for so easily agreeing to just give up work life and be a wife.
I think it was a missed opportunity to have the countess end up with Lenore’s father as well.
Cheers though for the character Cassie who was mildly under utilized but had wonderful inner growth.
I think it was a missed opportunity to have the countess end up with Lenore’s father as well.
Cheers though for the character Cassie who was mildly under utilized but had wonderful inner growth.
June 6, 2019
As I've been rereading and reading Victoria Holt again, I've found that I generally love her books no matter what, which was the case with this book, it just wasn't really my favorite (out of her other books.) No matter what I really enjoyed the Gothic feeling of this book, as well as the characters, and of course - the romance!
January 23, 2019
I'm a reader, I didn't take this book seriously it was just something to read to pass the time. After torching myself through it, it picks up eventually, and I'm not upset at all at his it turned out.
I just might read it again sometime.
I just might read it again sometime.
June 14, 2020
I enjoyed this book and read through it in just a few days. I think the author could have shortened it a fair bit; she repeated herself a lot. And I was disappointed in who Lenore married, mostly because I felt sad for the man she didn't marry (I won't give it away!).
March 7, 2021
Raised by her grandmother, Lenore Clermont grows up amid the world of silk fashion design to become strong and independent. Set betwixt England and France, Lenore encounters a handsome count. They debate the difference between the prevailing mores of each country. A fun read.
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