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Nightingale
Review: Nightingale: A Novel by Sharon Ervin
This novel begins with action and suspense. A dark night, a young village woman hears terrifying hoof beats, then sees a riderless horse. Yielding to her helpful nature, she locates the rider of the horse and tends to his wounds, one of which has rendered him blind.
Summoning her courage, Jessica assists the sightless man onto the horse, whom she has called “Sweetness” and he tells her where he lives. He tells the young woman his horse is not named Sweetness, but Vindicator. It is in these passages, where Jessica draws on all her courage to mount the horse and find the rider, and then ensure that she can assist the man, that Ms. Ervin’s research pays off. The reader can believe Jessica has had no riding experience, but she still manages to subdue the high-spirited Vindicator into one she called Sweetness.
The thrown rider is named Devlin Miracle, a nobleman of the land. During the long dark ride, Devlin calls her “Nightingale.” Upon reaching the estate, he asks her to please stay with him until he recovers his sight; then she may leave with a considerable sum of money. She acts as his eyes and guides him through the large estate, and he becomes dependent on her. His mother, the dowager Lady Anne, agrees to the contract and looks upon Jessica as a daughter, if not a daughter-in-law. She shows humor and forthrightness and encourages Jessica to accept her hospitality.
The agreement binds the two for some time, and when the duke regains a glimmer of sight, he toys with the idea of not telling her, so she will not leave him.
I was struck by the “love is blind” similarity. Of course, Jessica finds herself responding to him, and the “push, pull” dance begins.
I was particula1y pleased when Ms. Ervin revealed the crux of the story: The duke’s recovery signaled separation. (Page 164) The cast of characters includes the major-domo of the estate, Patterson, and a faithful servant of considerable size, a man they call Bear; a younger brother, Lattimer.
In her village, she has been betrothed to a man named Lout, an apt name for such a scoundrel. As Devlin slowly regains his sight, in flashes, a murder takes place with more treachery to follow, and Jessica is drawn into the intrigue.
The story is well written and well researched. The author has captured the essence of theperiod (Great Britain, 1840) and its emphasis on a woman’s virginity. She must resist herattraction to Devlin and at the same time, convince him that she and Lout have had no carnal knowledge.
My favorite character is that of the Dowager, Devlin’s mother, Lady Anne. While maintaining her position as lady of the manor, she also joins Jessica in her everyday affairs, and she has gifted her with stacks of proper clothing. Devlin attempts to earn Jessica’s love by learning her way of communicating with a sightless man: Listen more than talk. Speak the truth about your feelings, even though they may feel uncomfortable.
Before the novel draws to a satisfying conclusion, the murder mystery is solved, Lady Anne has given up her idea of matching Jessica with a young lord of the land, and Devlin at last discovers the proper way to propose marriage.
The protagonist is a smart, confident young woman who realizes she can pick and choose her suitors while remaining true to her duke, and I highly recommend Nightingale to readers, especially those who enjoy historical novels.
Reviewed by Marilyn Celeste Morris: WEBSITE: http://bit.ly/RIqtQ4;
This novel begins with action and suspense. A dark night, a young village woman hears terrifying hoof beats, then sees a riderless horse. Yielding to her helpful nature, she locates the rider of the horse and tends to his wounds, one of which has rendered him blind.
Summoning her courage, Jessica assists the sightless man onto the horse, whom she has called “Sweetness” and he tells her where he lives. He tells the young woman his horse is not named Sweetness, but Vindicator. It is in these passages, where Jessica draws on all her courage to mount the horse and find the rider, and then ensure that she can assist the man, that Ms. Ervin’s research pays off. The reader can believe Jessica has had no riding experience, but she still manages to subdue the high-spirited Vindicator into one she called Sweetness.
The thrown rider is named Devlin Miracle, a nobleman of the land. During the long dark ride, Devlin calls her “Nightingale.” Upon reaching the estate, he asks her to please stay with him until he recovers his sight; then she may leave with a considerable sum of money. She acts as his eyes and guides him through the large estate, and he becomes dependent on her. His mother, the dowager Lady Anne, agrees to the contract and looks upon Jessica as a daughter, if not a daughter-in-law. She shows humor and forthrightness and encourages Jessica to accept her hospitality.
The agreement binds the two for some time, and when the duke regains a glimmer of sight, he toys with the idea of not telling her, so she will not leave him.
I was struck by the “love is blind” similarity. Of course, Jessica finds herself responding to him, and the “push, pull” dance begins.
I was particula1y pleased when Ms. Ervin revealed the crux of the story: The duke’s recovery signaled separation. (Page 164) The cast of characters includes the major-domo of the estate, Patterson, and a faithful servant of considerable size, a man they call Bear; a younger brother, Lattimer.
In her village, she has been betrothed to a man named Lout, an apt name for such a scoundrel. As Devlin slowly regains his sight, in flashes, a murder takes place with more treachery to follow, and Jessica is drawn into the intrigue.
The story is well written and well researched. The author has captured the essence of theperiod (Great Britain, 1840) and its emphasis on a woman’s virginity. She must resist herattraction to Devlin and at the same time, convince him that she and Lout have had no carnal knowledge.
My favorite character is that of the Dowager, Devlin’s mother, Lady Anne. While maintaining her position as lady of the manor, she also joins Jessica in her everyday affairs, and she has gifted her with stacks of proper clothing. Devlin attempts to earn Jessica’s love by learning her way of communicating with a sightless man: Listen more than talk. Speak the truth about your feelings, even though they may feel uncomfortable.
Before the novel draws to a satisfying conclusion, the murder mystery is solved, Lady Anne has given up her idea of matching Jessica with a young lord of the land, and Devlin at last discovers the proper way to propose marriage.
The protagonist is a smart, confident young woman who realizes she can pick and choose her suitors while remaining true to her duke, and I highly recommend Nightingale to readers, especially those who enjoy historical novels.
Reviewed by Marilyn Celeste Morris: WEBSITE: http://bit.ly/RIqtQ4;
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