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Moonraker's Bride
Born in a Mission in China, Lucy Waring finds herself with fifteen small children to feed and care for. The way she tackles this task leads to her being thrown into the grim prison of Chengfu, where she meets Nicholas Sabine - a man about to die.
He asks her a cryptic riddle, the mystery of which echoes through all that befalls her in the months that follow...
She is brought to England and tries to make a new life with the Gresham family, but she is constantly in disgrace and is soon involved in the bitter feud between the Greshams and a neighbouring family.
There is danger, romance and heartache for Lucy as strange events build to a point where she begins to doubt her own senses.
How could she see a man, long dead, walking in the misty darkness of the valley? And who carried her, unconscious, into the labyrinth of Chiselhurst Caves and left her to die?
It is not until she returns to China that Lucy finds, amid high adventure, the answer to all that has baffled her.
He asks her a cryptic riddle, the mystery of which echoes through all that befalls her in the months that follow...
She is brought to England and tries to make a new life with the Gresham family, but she is constantly in disgrace and is soon involved in the bitter feud between the Greshams and a neighbouring family.
There is danger, romance and heartache for Lucy as strange events build to a point where she begins to doubt her own senses.
How could she see a man, long dead, walking in the misty darkness of the valley? And who carried her, unconscious, into the labyrinth of Chiselhurst Caves and left her to die?
It is not until she returns to China that Lucy finds, amid high adventure, the answer to all that has baffled her.
342 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1973
35 people are currently reading
3142 people want to read
About the author
Madeleine Brent
31 books217 followersMadeleine Brent is a pseudonym used by Peter O'Donnell.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 499 reviews
March 30, 2020
4.5 stars. It's the late 1890's, and seventeen year old Lucy Waring has lived in a mission home in China and has been immersed in Chinese culture all her life. She was born in mainland China to Protestant missionaries, was orphaned at a young age, and has ended up taking care of fifteen abandoned Chinese girls at a rural Christian mission, pretty much singlehandedly after the elderly Englishwoman in charge of the mission falls ill and dies. Lucy speaks English (though less well than Chinese) but has no real knowledge of British culture and considers herself and all other foreigners ugly, because, you know, those unattractive round eyes.
Lately, though, the mission has run out of money and the girls have been living hand-to-mouth. In desperation, Lucy turns to theft to try to keep herself and the Chinese girls alive. On her latest outing she gets caught and tossed into prison, where she meets the second "foreign devil" in two days who has posed her the same riddle:
Above the twisted giant's knife
Where the wind-blown blossom flies
Stands the temple where fortune lies . . .
Rest the sightless tiger's eyes.
Nobody knows what this poetic riddle means, but everyone is convinced that some kind of valuable treasure awaits the person who unravels it.
Her co-prisoner, a young British man, has some money, and helps Lucy get out of prison with a little well-placed bribery. In return, Lucy marries him right before his execution for desecrating a Chinese lord's family tomb, so that he'll have an heir. Eventually Lucy is sent to England, where love and danger await her, along with some serious social missteps.
"You'll never guess why Papa brought you here," said Amanda . . .Moonraker's Bride is a light, enjoyable read, with hidden treasure, perilous caves, family feuds, misunderstandings, romance, hidden passageways, and terrible danger during the Boxer Rebellion in China. I thought this was one of the better books I've read in this genre. It's well-researched, interesting and exciting, even if you have to suspend some disbelief here and there.
I hesitated, for I knew that in a Chinese household the purposes of the senior male person would never be discussed in such a way. But this was England, where manners were different. Everyone was looking at me expectantly, so I bowed my head politely to Mr. Gresham and said, "I know you paid a lot of money to the Mission, sir . . . I am greatly honored that you have chosen this insignificant person to be your concubine now that your wife is becoming old."
There was the most terrible silence.
Madeleine Brent books are generally set in the 1800s, with an orphaned British heroine who has been immersed in a different culture, which has vastly affected her outlook on life. In Golden Urchin (my favorite!) the MC was raised by Australian aborigines, in Stormswift (NOT my favorite!) she was kidnapped at age 17 and forced into marriage and then into servitude/slavery in Afghanistan, and in Moonraker's Bride the heroine has grown up in China and has adopted its culture. It's an interesting pattern, and it does make for unusual and fascinating romantic suspense novels.
December 24, 2021
This Victorian romance reminded me a lot of Mary Stewart's books, because the heroine is such a fighter. She is strong, smart, and able to get out of trouble as quickly as others get into it. One of the things that boggled my mind about this wonderful story with the terrifically competent woman is that it was written by a man using a woman's pseudonym. It shows a man's influence, perhaps in the amount of adventure that Lucy gets into. I love adventure so this was perfect for me.
Lucy Waring is a seventeen year old girl who has lived her whole life in China as a missionary taking care of Chinese girls who have been abandoned by their parents, because boy children are preferred. Her parents died when she was young and the only other adult at the mission is Miss Prothero who is dying. Lucy has run out of money to take care of her 15 girls and, as a last resort, decides to leave the village and walk to Chengfu to steal. She tried begging before, but the Chinese have strict rules about who is allowed to beg, so she got into trouble.
She almost gets away with it, but is wrangled and thrown into prison. Lucy knows, as a foreign devil, because she is English, the ruling warlord will probably be very stern and cut off her hand.. She prays for just a beating, until a handsome, devilish, English stranger who is also jailed presents her with money enough to bribe the guards. This comes with strings attached. She has to marry her fellow prisoner, Nick Sabine. All this happens in the beginning and there is a ton more story, so I am not giving anything away. I can't wait to read more from this author, writing in the 1970s (not the most enlightened time) about a girl heroine. She has a mind of her own and she uses it.
Lucy Waring is a seventeen year old girl who has lived her whole life in China as a missionary taking care of Chinese girls who have been abandoned by their parents, because boy children are preferred. Her parents died when she was young and the only other adult at the mission is Miss Prothero who is dying. Lucy has run out of money to take care of her 15 girls and, as a last resort, decides to leave the village and walk to Chengfu to steal. She tried begging before, but the Chinese have strict rules about who is allowed to beg, so she got into trouble.
She almost gets away with it, but is wrangled and thrown into prison. Lucy knows, as a foreign devil, because she is English, the ruling warlord will probably be very stern and cut off her hand.. She prays for just a beating, until a handsome, devilish, English stranger who is also jailed presents her with money enough to bribe the guards. This comes with strings attached. She has to marry her fellow prisoner, Nick Sabine. All this happens in the beginning and there is a ton more story, so I am not giving anything away. I can't wait to read more from this author, writing in the 1970s (not the most enlightened time) about a girl heroine. She has a mind of her own and she uses it.
February 16, 2011
Rating clarification: 4.5 stars
Wow...how in the world did I miss this book back in the day? I can't believe it took me over 30 years to read this one.
Moonraker's Bride was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G-L-Y wonderful. The kind of book you get that tingling feeling about by page 10 or so. The kind of book you stay up way past your bedtime reading and savouring. The kind of romantic suspense book that used to be so popular 30-40 years ago, and now can't seem to be replicated by today's crop of writers. It reminded me very much of a better written gothic by Victoria Holt, or a watered down version of M.M. Kaye's masterpiece, Shadow of the Moon. Fans of either writer should enjoy this foray into the story of Lucy Waring, a young woman raised in China during the turn of the century. Lucy is a strong, resilient woman who has to care for a group of young Chinese girl orphans after her mentor, Miss Prothero, dies in the mission. Lucy must resort to stealing in order to obtain money to buy provisions, and it is during one of her forays into town that she is caught and put in prison. Once there, she meets Nick Sabine, an adventurer with a wicked twinkle in his eyes that will change everything in her life.
The story starts strongly in China, then moves to England (where it falters a bit in pacing and interest, IMO). The last 50 pages see our heroine back in China, during the Boxer Rebellion, and that's where I literally couldn't put the book down. Gripping, intense, romantic and altogether a great gothic read, I adored Moonraker's Bride and look forward to reading more by Brent.
***
Fun facts:
1. Writer Madeleine Brent was actually a pen name for a man, Peter O'Donnell. Who knew men could write such good gothic fiction?
2. The name of the heroine, Lucy Waring, was also the name of the heroine from Mary Stewart's gothic novel, This Rough Magic.
Wow...how in the world did I miss this book back in the day? I can't believe it took me over 30 years to read this one.
Moonraker's Bride was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G-L-Y wonderful. The kind of book you get that tingling feeling about by page 10 or so. The kind of book you stay up way past your bedtime reading and savouring. The kind of romantic suspense book that used to be so popular 30-40 years ago, and now can't seem to be replicated by today's crop of writers. It reminded me very much of a better written gothic by Victoria Holt, or a watered down version of M.M. Kaye's masterpiece, Shadow of the Moon. Fans of either writer should enjoy this foray into the story of Lucy Waring, a young woman raised in China during the turn of the century. Lucy is a strong, resilient woman who has to care for a group of young Chinese girl orphans after her mentor, Miss Prothero, dies in the mission. Lucy must resort to stealing in order to obtain money to buy provisions, and it is during one of her forays into town that she is caught and put in prison. Once there, she meets Nick Sabine, an adventurer with a wicked twinkle in his eyes that will change everything in her life.
The story starts strongly in China, then moves to England (where it falters a bit in pacing and interest, IMO). The last 50 pages see our heroine back in China, during the Boxer Rebellion, and that's where I literally couldn't put the book down. Gripping, intense, romantic and altogether a great gothic read, I adored Moonraker's Bride and look forward to reading more by Brent.
***
Fun facts:
1. Writer Madeleine Brent was actually a pen name for a man, Peter O'Donnell. Who knew men could write such good gothic fiction?
2. The name of the heroine, Lucy Waring, was also the name of the heroine from Mary Stewart's gothic novel, This Rough Magic.
March 20, 2015
Well! I don't know where to begin, this was just so good. 4 1/2, almost 5
Lucy Waring, is one of the most adorable heroines I have had the fortune to meet in a book. I liked her just as much as the Lucy Waring in This Rough Magic, (I read TRM and Moonraker's Bride within a day of each other or I'd never have noticed, unless I read Hannah's review)
I Love Lucy, her Chinese ways, sweet manners and how she was determined to do what was right, not what would please everyone else. (similar to the other Lucy, both did what was right, not what would please others) I thought it was charming how in China she was called Lu-tsi, as no one could say "Lucy". The culture is woven so carefully that I really felt the culture shock Lucy felt in England. That helped me to really feel like I was there with her, and I wouldn't have felt that otherwise.
What I didn't like was that the beginning and end were short, while the middle was long. I wouldn't complain if… If there had been more communicate between Lucy and the hero who I won't name. But I did love him, he was the most perfect, imperfect hero ever. Everything I hated about A Tale of Two Cities was fixed, and the things I loved, kept. Because, yes the hero in this book is like the Hero in A Tale of Two Cities, I couldn't help but draw the comparison.
It wasn't as good as The Long Masquerade or Golden Urchin, but it was still a reread. I'll be rereading this mainly to revisit the lovable characters.
A mild PG
A View of Lu-sti's China, (Brückenschlag)
Beautiful!
Lucy Waring, is one of the most adorable heroines I have had the fortune to meet in a book. I liked her just as much as the Lucy Waring in This Rough Magic, (I read TRM and Moonraker's Bride within a day of each other or I'd never have noticed, unless I read Hannah's review)
I Love Lucy, her Chinese ways, sweet manners and how she was determined to do what was right, not what would please everyone else. (similar to the other Lucy, both did what was right, not what would please others) I thought it was charming how in China she was called Lu-tsi, as no one could say "Lucy". The culture is woven so carefully that I really felt the culture shock Lucy felt in England. That helped me to really feel like I was there with her, and I wouldn't have felt that otherwise.
What I didn't like was that the beginning and end were short, while the middle was long. I wouldn't complain if… If there had been more communicate between Lucy and the hero who I won't name. But I did love him, he was the most perfect, imperfect hero ever. Everything I hated about A Tale of Two Cities was fixed, and the things I loved, kept. Because, yes the hero in this book is like the Hero in A Tale of Two Cities, I couldn't help but draw the comparison.
It wasn't as good as The Long Masquerade or Golden Urchin, but it was still a reread. I'll be rereading this mainly to revisit the lovable characters.
A mild PG
A View of Lu-sti's China, (Brückenschlag)
Beautiful!
December 21, 2014
3 1/2 stars
NUTSHELL :
A young English woman is raised in China in a missionary home for girl orphans. Despite being white on the outside she is more Chinese than English. When money runs out and the babies in her charge are starving, Lucy sets off for town where she attempts to steal a brooch. The story takes off there. Prison. Marriage. Treasure maps. Caves. England. The boxer rebellion and an unwrapping of villains. Its all there.
I really really love Madeleine Brent's books but I didn't feel that Moonrakers was up to the standard of either The Long Masquerade or Golden Urchin . Don't misunderstand me. Moonrakers bride is very good and deserves a solid 3 1/2 stars, I just didn't find it as outstanding as her other works.
The hero I really liked but we didn't see much of him. The bits in England were ok (not boring but not exciting either) and the ending a little too predictable. (And for the record, I really hate it when readers say a book is predictable, it sounds so snobbish) but seriously, I guessed everything in here so that probably took away some of the thrills for me. *sigh*
I'll tell you what I LOVED though. The humor. The scenes where Lucy talks about eating cat or becoming a concubine (see my updates) were hilarious. I love these kind of social blunders! And Lucy's friendship with young Matthew and Mr. Marsh was very sweet too.
My favorite parts were in China but alas it was a small part of the book. Still its worth a read. Enjoy!
CONTENT :
SEX : None
VIOLENCE :Mild
PROFANITY : Mild
PARANIRMAL ELEMENTS : None
MY RATING :PG
NUTSHELL :
A young English woman is raised in China in a missionary home for girl orphans. Despite being white on the outside she is more Chinese than English. When money runs out and the babies in her charge are starving, Lucy sets off for town where she attempts to steal a brooch. The story takes off there. Prison. Marriage. Treasure maps. Caves. England. The boxer rebellion and an unwrapping of villains. Its all there.
I really really love Madeleine Brent's books but I didn't feel that Moonrakers was up to the standard of either The Long Masquerade or Golden Urchin . Don't misunderstand me. Moonrakers bride is very good and deserves a solid 3 1/2 stars, I just didn't find it as outstanding as her other works.
The hero I really liked but we didn't see much of him. The bits in England were ok (not boring but not exciting either) and the ending a little too predictable. (And for the record, I really hate it when readers say a book is predictable, it sounds so snobbish) but seriously, I guessed everything in here so that probably took away some of the thrills for me. *sigh*
I'll tell you what I LOVED though. The humor. The scenes where Lucy talks about eating cat or becoming a concubine (see my updates) were hilarious. I love these kind of social blunders! And Lucy's friendship with young Matthew and Mr. Marsh was very sweet too.
My favorite parts were in China but alas it was a small part of the book. Still its worth a read. Enjoy!
CONTENT :
SEX : None
VIOLENCE :Mild
PROFANITY : Mild
PARANIRMAL ELEMENTS : None
MY RATING :PG
November 6, 2013
Really close to 5 stars but just not quite there. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is one of the better books in the romantic suspense genre that I have read. Can be hard to find in some libraries, but well worth tracking it down. I love how this author, really a man, sets his books in exotic locations and somehow works England into the story as well. He also writes strong, smart, capable heroines.
Takes place just before and during the Boxer Rebellion in China. Lucy Waring, 17 years old and very intelligent, was born and raised in China. She cares for about 15 girls in a mission. These girls were either abandoned or orphaned. The head of the mission is very sick and dies, leaving Lucy all alone to care for the girls. It is a very poor mission and Lucy must resort to theft to feed everyone. Well that gets her into a bind. She meets two Englishmen and they may or may not be able to come to her aid. There is also a helpful doctor. I don't want to give anything away, but Lucy ends up sailing for England. There are some hilarious scenes in England, as well as some suspenseful ones. One of the funnier scenes involves Lucy telling the family she is living with why she believes she was brought to England. In England there is also a young boy named Matthew who was sweet. We also have a bonfire, caves and a snow storm to add some action. After a bit, the story moves back to China and the action really picks up. I won't give anymore away.
This was recommended to me by my GR friend Hannah. Thanks Hannah!
Takes place just before and during the Boxer Rebellion in China. Lucy Waring, 17 years old and very intelligent, was born and raised in China. She cares for about 15 girls in a mission. These girls were either abandoned or orphaned. The head of the mission is very sick and dies, leaving Lucy all alone to care for the girls. It is a very poor mission and Lucy must resort to theft to feed everyone. Well that gets her into a bind. She meets two Englishmen and they may or may not be able to come to her aid. There is also a helpful doctor. I don't want to give anything away, but Lucy ends up sailing for England. There are some hilarious scenes in England, as well as some suspenseful ones. One of the funnier scenes involves Lucy telling the family she is living with why she believes she was brought to England. In England there is also a young boy named Matthew who was sweet. We also have a bonfire, caves and a snow storm to add some action. After a bit, the story moves back to China and the action really picks up. I won't give anymore away.
This was recommended to me by my GR friend Hannah. Thanks Hannah!
April 28, 2022
4.5 stars
I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to the latter part of the 19th century. Getting to know Lucy Waring and her time spent in China was engrossing. The Greshams in England were another matter. They were the epitome of all things wrong with high society and a lack of money.
The narrative style of Moonraker's Bride was both original and unusual. There was a strong sense of time and place whether she was in China or England. On more than one occasion, I felt I was immediately alongside of Lucy. I can't imagine a reader not liking her. Lucy's innocence and honesty were refreshing.
The author included enough historical tidbits; I spent some time googling.
And the romance? I know there are those readers who wanted more time spent with the H and h; I did, too. But I am not sure if the suspense would have been as taut nor the HEA as good.
I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to the latter part of the 19th century. Getting to know Lucy Waring and her time spent in China was engrossing. The Greshams in England were another matter. They were the epitome of all things wrong with high society and a lack of money.
The narrative style of Moonraker's Bride was both original and unusual. There was a strong sense of time and place whether she was in China or England. On more than one occasion, I felt I was immediately alongside of Lucy. I can't imagine a reader not liking her. Lucy's innocence and honesty were refreshing.
The author included enough historical tidbits; I spent some time googling.
And the romance? I know there are those readers who wanted more time spent with the H and h; I did, too. But I am not sure if the suspense would have been as taut nor the HEA as good.
September 16, 2025
I've been dithering over rating this book that I finished several days ago, mostly because it is truly a product of its times (published in 1973), and I don't know if that merits more grace for having any diversity or if I'm justified in criticizing how a culture that I in part belong to is portrayed.
Lucy Waring, the daughter of now-expired white missionaries in China, has grown up in China and now finds herself responsible for a mission full of young Chinese girls who were abandoned by their parents. When the money runs out, she turns to theft to feed these many mouths - and is caught. In jail, awaiing the brutal justice of the local ruler, she meets another 'foreign devil,' a young man who is looking for a lost treasure and accidentally desecrated a grave (whoops!). Nicholas Sabine is able to bribe the jailer for Lucy's freedom, and with his own execution looming, he asks Lucy to marry him so that she will inherit his wealth back in England.
Definitely one of the stranger marriage of convenience plots, and it sets off some peculiar adventures back in England, where Lucy is a fish out of water with her foreign culture and expectations. Apart from the social stuff (somewhat dull), there's genuine danger and an electrifying scene in a set of caves that made for good reading.
But. While Moonraker's Bride is pretty obviously researched and doesn't make obvious errors regarding Chinese culture, it seems to pick out the bad, the outre, the elements that an English audience would find most shocking. Case in point: there are several converstions about eating cats, which I'm told on decent authority (thanks, Dad) was actually pretty rare in China because, as he puts it, cat meat is sour. There are almost no Chinese characters with speaking parts, and the one with a name who speaks (Bechdel test for cultural rep?) is a very minor character who functions as a plot point. The other Chinese people are variably characterized as venal, filicidal, primitive, whining, shuffling, Other. There's little in here that acknowledges a functional and very old civilization, and I think I'm most offended that practically the only Chinese food mentioned is the humble shao bing, which is tasty but hardly the end-all of Chinese cuisine.
I'm also a little sad that Lucy's coming of age mostly seems to be about becoming less Other, more English, even changing her aesthetics to find 'foreign devil' men attractive. She retains her pluckiness, which is good, but at what cost? The romance is okay; lack of communication is a major element, as is often the case in these vintage romantic suspense novels, and the ending, pardon the not-really-spoiler, reeks of domesticity.
I might be willing to read another Madeleine Brent book eventually, maybe in another decade or so when I revisit the romantic suspense genre.
Lucy Waring, the daughter of now-expired white missionaries in China, has grown up in China and now finds herself responsible for a mission full of young Chinese girls who were abandoned by their parents. When the money runs out, she turns to theft to feed these many mouths - and is caught. In jail, awaiing the brutal justice of the local ruler, she meets another 'foreign devil,' a young man who is looking for a lost treasure and accidentally desecrated a grave (whoops!). Nicholas Sabine is able to bribe the jailer for Lucy's freedom, and with his own execution looming, he asks Lucy to marry him so that she will inherit his wealth back in England.
Definitely one of the stranger marriage of convenience plots, and it sets off some peculiar adventures back in England, where Lucy is a fish out of water with her foreign culture and expectations. Apart from the social stuff (somewhat dull), there's genuine danger and an electrifying scene in a set of caves that made for good reading.
But. While Moonraker's Bride is pretty obviously researched and doesn't make obvious errors regarding Chinese culture, it seems to pick out the bad, the outre, the elements that an English audience would find most shocking. Case in point: there are several converstions about eating cats, which I'm told on decent authority (thanks, Dad) was actually pretty rare in China because, as he puts it, cat meat is sour. There are almost no Chinese characters with speaking parts, and the one with a name who speaks (Bechdel test for cultural rep?) is a very minor character who functions as a plot point. The other Chinese people are variably characterized as venal, filicidal, primitive, whining, shuffling, Other. There's little in here that acknowledges a functional and very old civilization, and I think I'm most offended that practically the only Chinese food mentioned is the humble shao bing, which is tasty but hardly the end-all of Chinese cuisine.
I'm also a little sad that Lucy's coming of age mostly seems to be about becoming less Other, more English, even changing her aesthetics to find 'foreign devil' men attractive. She retains her pluckiness, which is good, but at what cost? The romance is okay; lack of communication is a major element, as is often the case in these vintage romantic suspense novels, and the ending, pardon the not-really-spoiler, reeks of domesticity.
I might be willing to read another Madeleine Brent book eventually, maybe in another decade or so when I revisit the romantic suspense genre.
July 31, 2017
I liked it more than Tregaron's Daughter which I also couldn't stop reading. Adventure and romance set in China and England around the beginning of the 20th century. I have 3 more books by this author waiting and then what?
April 1, 2021
Okay now don't get me wrong. I enjoyed reading this, I enjoyed the main character and I liked how fast-paced it was. I'm just not very sure if I like the idea of a 53 year old white male writing about a young girl growing up in China, when I don't think he has ever been to China (according to his wikipedia page, I did very extensive research...) or you know... talked to young girls about their inner experiences. To be fair, I don't think that ever happened at that time. Anyway, I feel like to fill in this "gap of knowledge", lots of stereotypes were used and that just bothered me a little. Also, I don't want to spoil the ending, but the ending definitely spoiled me if you know what I mean lmao, I for sure expected more of it.
March 17, 2008
The pitch on the back of this book states, "The stranger she married that night was gone by morning. But for the rest of her days, she would be Moonraker's Bride." Now, who could resist a story like that? Moonraker's takes place in China right before the Boxer Rebellion. This is an amazing book well worth the time invested in reading it.
June 27, 2018
My first thoughts after finishing this:
This was so sweet.
I can't believe it's actually written by a man.
Though I'm not saying for one moment that men can't write as good as women;they can,and they've proved it numerous times,too. It's just hard to associate sweet with
men.
This was so sweet.
I can't believe it's actually written by a man.
Though I'm not saying for one moment that men can't write as good as women;they can,and they've proved it numerous times,too. It's just hard to associate sweet with
men.
June 25, 2012
Moonraker's Bride was my first Gothic experience- read it when I was 12. I had enjoyed reading up to that point in my young life, but MB developed a deep and passionate love for books that has stayed with me since. It is THE book for me.
February 13, 2025
My all-time favorite Madeleine Brent book! This is one of the first books I ever read as a young teen that included a romance. I’ve read it many times.
Characters- Compelling FMC that I just adore. She is capable, humble, kind, smart, and 100% endearing.
The love interest is perfection. There are other side characters that I just love, too!
Plot- I enjoyed the FMC’s growth arc and adventures. How everything comes together at the end is great!
Writing This is old fashioned writing. In other words, it’s not super fast paced. But the writing is fantastic. Since I read this aloud to my 12-year old daughter, it’s okay that it was a little slower paced since she’ll listen to anything if I’m reading out loud. :) So I like to pick oldies to read to her, ones that I know she won’t read herself.
Romance- There is a soft, slow romance here. It’s actually a bit of a mystery who the love interest is at first. The plot and action complement the romance. Although the romance isn’t developed to its FULL potential, there was still good chemistry!
Content-
Language- no swearing
Spice- very clean.
Substance abuse- none
Cover- good
POV- single POV
Cliffhanger- no
Format- out of print book that I own
Characters- Compelling FMC that I just adore. She is capable, humble, kind, smart, and 100% endearing.
The love interest is perfection. There are other side characters that I just love, too!
Plot- I enjoyed the FMC’s growth arc and adventures. How everything comes together at the end is great!
Writing This is old fashioned writing. In other words, it’s not super fast paced. But the writing is fantastic. Since I read this aloud to my 12-year old daughter, it’s okay that it was a little slower paced since she’ll listen to anything if I’m reading out loud. :) So I like to pick oldies to read to her, ones that I know she won’t read herself.
Romance- There is a soft, slow romance here. It’s actually a bit of a mystery who the love interest is at first. The plot and action complement the romance. Although the romance isn’t developed to its FULL potential, there was still good chemistry!
Content-
Language- no swearing
Spice- very clean.
Substance abuse- none
Cover- good
POV- single POV
Cliffhanger- no
Format- out of print book that I own
May 20, 2010
If you want a book that keeps your attention, this is it. I read this book over a weekend and could hardly stand to put it down long enough to eat.
Lucy is an English orphan in China around the turn of the 20th century. She winds up in jail for stealing and meets Nick Sabine, an Englishman condemned to death. After learning about her situation, he marries her in the prison and gets her out, sparing her a brutal punishment. She is then helped out of the country and sent to England, a foreign land to her. Blundering her way through unfamiliar customs, dealing with the family she's been stuck with, and courting a man whose own parents don't seem to trust him, all leads Lucy to unlock a mystery no one else has been able to solve.
This is my absolute favorite Madeleine Brent book. The characters stay with you, the story line is still exciting despite knowing the end, and even the jacket description is awesome. It's the perfect weekend read.
Lucy is an English orphan in China around the turn of the 20th century. She winds up in jail for stealing and meets Nick Sabine, an Englishman condemned to death. After learning about her situation, he marries her in the prison and gets her out, sparing her a brutal punishment. She is then helped out of the country and sent to England, a foreign land to her. Blundering her way through unfamiliar customs, dealing with the family she's been stuck with, and courting a man whose own parents don't seem to trust him, all leads Lucy to unlock a mystery no one else has been able to solve.
This is my absolute favorite Madeleine Brent book. The characters stay with you, the story line is still exciting despite knowing the end, and even the jacket description is awesome. It's the perfect weekend read.
January 21, 2013
Madeleine Brent's books all follow a certain pattern, but it is an intriguing and enjoyable pattern indeed! The heroine always has an unusual background outside of ordinary society. She is usually thrust into that society and the story becomes a "fish out of water" story, and then usually it becomes incumbent upon her to return to her origins to solve the mystery/rescue or become reunited with the hero. Off the top of my head, some of her heroines have been circus performers, raised by aborigines, English girl raised in China (Moonraker's Bride),half-Caste Indian girl raised in Tibet, Daughter of a notorious Jewel Thief, A young English girl living in a Paris Garrett with a shocking past, etc. As predictable as the plots are, they are utterly fascinating and engaging. Great Romance as well, though adventure is the #1 focus.
August 1, 2017
I came across this novel in a book called "A Gothic Treasury". It has elements of Gothic, yet lots of adventure. In the 1899 China of the "Boxer" rebellion, no less. The twists and turns are fun and the characters are almost all beautifully done. The only drawback, for me, is that it was a condensed version and that always makes me feel feel as it I might have missed interesting details. I might read the unabridged version again - it really did seem just a little bit a bit too short.
October 6, 2016
Now, this was a great read! Much more gripping than any other gothic novel-- heck, any novel, period-- that I've read in a while, and with a thrilling, emotional romance that I actually cared about, for a change. Moonraker's Bride was an absolute treat to read. I could deduct some small fraction of a star for minor quibbles, but this one is easily rounded up to five stars.
Is it sexist for me to admit that I was ever-so-slightly skeptical when I learned (before starting the book) that Madeleine Brent was the pseudonym of a male author? I should never have doubted: he had far greater skill at writing romance than a great many of the female authors I've been reading, lately. I know next to nothing about the author, actually, but I can't help but picture him as one of his own characters-- Mr. Marsh.
I fear I can't go into a detailed reaction without possibly spoiling the story, so I'll save specific commentary for the next (spoiler-warned) section. Suffice it to say that the novel was a highly addictive blend of adventure, mystery, and romance, enlivened by occasional sparks of humor. I look forward to exploring more of the author's work.
Specifics:
-- Though the Chinese setting was not a special attraction to me when I selected this book, I ended up finding it an interesting and well-written element of the novel.
-- "You must always remember that you are an English child, dear. That does not make you better than a Chinese child, of course, but it is right to take pride in your own country." (This seems to be an unpopular opinion, in much of the West, these days, but I agree wholeheartedly that pride in one's own country is natural and healthy and does not stop one from appreciating what's good about other countries.)
-- "One way in which I knew I was a foreign devil was that I could follow and understand a tune in the same way as Miss Prothero. To the Chinese children the melody meant nothing, and neither did the time. They simply shrieked out the words, all on the same note and as fast as possible." (I imagine that some readers are bothered by this and certain other instances that may not be politically correct. Personally, I just wonder if this is a truthful depiction of how Chinese peasant children of the time would have sung a European tune-- especially since these children were raised in an English-run mission, with daily exposure to European music-- hymns. It seems they should be as capable of singing along as the average English child.)
-- Parts of the mystery were easy enough to solve, yet there was enough uncertainty (about everything except ) to keep me wondering for a good while exactly how it would play out. And by the time it was all perfectly clear, I was thoroughly hooked on the romance and wouldn't have dreamed of stopping reading, even if the mystery had been tidied up chapters earlier!
-- My new literary crush is . I'm not sure I can pin it down precisely-- -- but he's a thousand times more engaging and likable and real-seeming than the last dozen or so heroes I've "met". I vote "swoon-worthy"!
-- I looked up the definition of "moonraker" long before it was ever spelled out in the book. What a strange word! And a strange explanation for it, too...
-- If I had to find faults with Moonraker's Bride, they'd be as follows:
1. There are a great many coincidences... But those don't really bother me when the book is entertaining. Just heap on a little more suspension of disbelief.
2. Stereotypes? Well, yes, there are some, but they could've been much worse.
3. Though I like Lucy, she is almost too good to be true, most of the time.
4. Is it realistic that
-- There are times that Lucy is just a bit too naive and slow on the up-take, but I'm happy to overlook them. Especially when they yield moments of hilarity like
-- It's funny how often fiction gives us
-- This book has at least a couple of references to "spoonsful" of this or that. The word "spoonsful" just looks completely wrong to me. Possibly some people think that's correct, but I'm sticking with "spoonfuls". (And after looking it up online, I've now seen the word "spoon" so many times that it looks ridiculous-- nonsensical. Funny how easy it is to do that...)
--
-- I didn't realize until just now that this was published in the early 1970s! I would've guessed it was written earlier than that-- maybe about twenty years earlier... (That's a compliment, by the way...)
Is it sexist for me to admit that I was ever-so-slightly skeptical when I learned (before starting the book) that Madeleine Brent was the pseudonym of a male author? I should never have doubted: he had far greater skill at writing romance than a great many of the female authors I've been reading, lately. I know next to nothing about the author, actually, but I can't help but picture him as one of his own characters-- Mr. Marsh.
I fear I can't go into a detailed reaction without possibly spoiling the story, so I'll save specific commentary for the next (spoiler-warned) section. Suffice it to say that the novel was a highly addictive blend of adventure, mystery, and romance, enlivened by occasional sparks of humor. I look forward to exploring more of the author's work.
Specifics:
-- Though the Chinese setting was not a special attraction to me when I selected this book, I ended up finding it an interesting and well-written element of the novel.
-- "You must always remember that you are an English child, dear. That does not make you better than a Chinese child, of course, but it is right to take pride in your own country." (This seems to be an unpopular opinion, in much of the West, these days, but I agree wholeheartedly that pride in one's own country is natural and healthy and does not stop one from appreciating what's good about other countries.)
-- "One way in which I knew I was a foreign devil was that I could follow and understand a tune in the same way as Miss Prothero. To the Chinese children the melody meant nothing, and neither did the time. They simply shrieked out the words, all on the same note and as fast as possible." (I imagine that some readers are bothered by this and certain other instances that may not be politically correct. Personally, I just wonder if this is a truthful depiction of how Chinese peasant children of the time would have sung a European tune-- especially since these children were raised in an English-run mission, with daily exposure to European music-- hymns. It seems they should be as capable of singing along as the average English child.)
-- Parts of the mystery were easy enough to solve, yet there was enough uncertainty (about everything except ) to keep me wondering for a good while exactly how it would play out. And by the time it was all perfectly clear, I was thoroughly hooked on the romance and wouldn't have dreamed of stopping reading, even if the mystery had been tidied up chapters earlier!
-- My new literary crush is . I'm not sure I can pin it down precisely-- -- but he's a thousand times more engaging and likable and real-seeming than the last dozen or so heroes I've "met". I vote "swoon-worthy"!
-- I looked up the definition of "moonraker" long before it was ever spelled out in the book. What a strange word! And a strange explanation for it, too...
-- If I had to find faults with Moonraker's Bride, they'd be as follows:
1. There are a great many coincidences... But those don't really bother me when the book is entertaining. Just heap on a little more suspension of disbelief.
2. Stereotypes? Well, yes, there are some, but they could've been much worse.
3. Though I like Lucy, she is almost too good to be true, most of the time.
4. Is it realistic that
-- There are times that Lucy is just a bit too naive and slow on the up-take, but I'm happy to overlook them. Especially when they yield moments of hilarity like
-- It's funny how often fiction gives us
-- This book has at least a couple of references to "spoonsful" of this or that. The word "spoonsful" just looks completely wrong to me. Possibly some people think that's correct, but I'm sticking with "spoonfuls". (And after looking it up online, I've now seen the word "spoon" so many times that it looks ridiculous-- nonsensical. Funny how easy it is to do that...)
--
-- I didn't realize until just now that this was published in the early 1970s! I would've guessed it was written earlier than that-- maybe about twenty years earlier... (That's a compliment, by the way...)
Read
March 16, 2018Really liked this way back in high school when my grandma recommended it (and back then I probably would have given it 4 Stars) so I'd like to read it again to see if I still like it. 😀
August 29, 2024
Anne of Green Gables x The Scarlet Pimpernel
I would have devoured this as a preteen.
The main character was extremely likeable. The setting was memorable. The plot had some debonair twists. Published in 1973, but reads like it was published way earlier—so there's some funky pacing here and there.
I would have devoured this as a preteen.
The main character was extremely likeable. The setting was memorable. The plot had some debonair twists. Published in 1973, but reads like it was published way earlier—so there's some funky pacing here and there.
April 5, 2024
Lucy Waring has lived all her life in a christian mission in China. Her english parents have both died when she was a child.She finds herself in a dire situation, taking care of 15 orphan girls in the mission, because the lady in charge becomes ill with no hope of recovery.
Without money and any help from other english missions in China, she is forced to steal in order to make ends meat.
One one of this occasions she is caught in act and taken to prisson, where she faces a grim punishment ,probably loosing her arm for the theft.
But help comes in a surprising way, as a fellow inmate, the englishman Nick Sabine, bribes the guards to free and marry her.
As he is to be executed the next day for desacrating the family tomb of a powerful chinese lord, Nick writes his will and leaves all his possesions in England to Lucy.
As Lucy travells to England, due to the upcoming of the Boxer Rebellion, she has to face new challenges, adapt to a new culture with confusing customs and try to solve the riddle of the "tiger's eyes", a chinese treasure searched by many.
I realy liked this novel, most of all the main character Lucy who is witty, determined, kind and altruistic.
She is also direct in speach, which causes hillarious moments in the stiff english conversations.
Highly recommend!
At present I have read 3 books by Madeleine Brent and loved them all.
Somehow, the first read remained number one to me, that being "Stormswift".
Nontheless, this one and "The long masquerade" are also worthy of your time.
Without money and any help from other english missions in China, she is forced to steal in order to make ends meat.
One one of this occasions she is caught in act and taken to prisson, where she faces a grim punishment ,probably loosing her arm for the theft.
But help comes in a surprising way, as a fellow inmate, the englishman Nick Sabine, bribes the guards to free and marry her.
As he is to be executed the next day for desacrating the family tomb of a powerful chinese lord, Nick writes his will and leaves all his possesions in England to Lucy.
As Lucy travells to England, due to the upcoming of the Boxer Rebellion, she has to face new challenges, adapt to a new culture with confusing customs and try to solve the riddle of the "tiger's eyes", a chinese treasure searched by many.
I realy liked this novel, most of all the main character Lucy who is witty, determined, kind and altruistic.
She is also direct in speach, which causes hillarious moments in the stiff english conversations.
Highly recommend!
At present I have read 3 books by Madeleine Brent and loved them all.
Somehow, the first read remained number one to me, that being "Stormswift".
Nontheless, this one and "The long masquerade" are also worthy of your time.
December 3, 2016
I cannot believe how much I loved this book. I have a soft spot for well-written gothic a la 1960's when they had editors and educated writers and this was just more than I could have ever hoped for. At first I was turned off by the idea of China but I'm so glad that this idiocy did not keep me from reading. Holy cow. WHAT A BOOK!!!!!! What I loved most about it was the strength of the female character. I genuinely liked her. REALLY LIKED HER. And that just, well, come on. Doesn't happen. She's resourceful, brilliant, hilarious and practical. Every time I thought the book would fall into some cliched trapping, it surprised me. Lucy is a girl who can handle herself and who wouldn't want to be a "Moonraker's Bride" if it meant ending up with that piece of delicious. Yum! What a beautiful world to realize that Madeleine Brent (yes, I know this is really a man) wrote at least 9 more books! Off to Amazon!
January 24, 2015
The next best thing to a romance that gives you butterflies is one that warms your heart.
The romance in this book didn't occur until well into the second half, but it was adorable and so worth the wait. I prefer my romance to be a little less in the background, but the rest of the book was interesting enough to make up for it. Lucy's adventures in China and as a transplant to England were entertaining. Of course, she was quite dense when it came to a certain person's character (who I had pegged as a bad guy from the beginning), and if she hung her head and wondered what she said wrong one more time I was going to shoot something. Her mistakes regarding the differences between Chinese and English cultures were pretty amusing.
Overall, it was an easy read, not particularly well-written, but fun all the same.
The romance in this book didn't occur until well into the second half, but it was adorable and so worth the wait. I prefer my romance to be a little less in the background, but the rest of the book was interesting enough to make up for it. Lucy's adventures in China and as a transplant to England were entertaining. Of course, she was quite dense when it came to a certain person's character (who I had pegged as a bad guy from the beginning), and if she hung her head and wondered what she said wrong one more time I was going to shoot something. Her mistakes regarding the differences between Chinese and English cultures were pretty amusing.
Overall, it was an easy read, not particularly well-written, but fun all the same.
July 7, 2021
In late 19th Century China, on the eve of the Boxer Rebellion, Lucy Waring has grown up as the orphaned child of missionaries, running the Mission herself. More culturally Chinese than British, Lucy's world will change when she comes into contact with two feuding English families in search of a lost treasure, a hunt that will take her back to her native England and into danger and love. Lucy makes a strong addition to Brent's gallery of strong, capable heroines who are more than capable of solving their own problems and rescuing themselves. As in her debut Gothic, "Tregaron's Daughter," Brent offers detailed historical information about turn of the 20th Century England's manners and mores. The novel's only flaw is its curious lack of suspense in its final third, when Lucy returns to China. Otherwise, it's a very enjoyable ride.
March 19, 2012
This book had pretty much every element that I really love in a good book: exotic settings, a strong female lead character, several great twists in the plot, a title that makes you think while you're reading the book and try to figure out the reason behind it, triumph over adversity, mystery, romance, adventure. Usually I think I'm doing good to get in two or three of those elements from a book, but Moonraker's Bride has all! I'd never heard of this book before and I guess it's out of print. Many thanks to my awesome sister-in-law, Bonnie, for introducing this lovely book to me.
February 23, 2015
if you're keeping a list of delightful books for both you and your daughter to read, add this one to the list. It's listed as a romance book but I think it would be much more appropriately labeled as a heroic adventure book. It has action and history and mystery. I spent time on wiki researching the boxer rebellion and anytime I spend extra time learning about historical context is a sign of an engaging read.
November 21, 2016
One of the very best Gothic romance novels I have ever read. And, believe it or not, this one was written by a man! XD ! I read this book when I was 16, which is a great age to wholeheartedly enjoy a Gothic romance.
Lucy Waring, like all Brent's heroines, is simply splendid and hilarious. She is my favorite thing about this book.
Lucy Waring, like all Brent's heroines, is simply splendid and hilarious. She is my favorite thing about this book.
April 20, 2022
This book was fantastic! I feel like I just read a hidden gem.
January 5, 2018
Very satisfying--Gothic enough that one can't be completely sure who to trust or what their motives are until near the end, yet romantic enough to satisfy. I know little of Chinese/British history to speak to the accuracy of setting, but I enjoyed it; it's defnintely out of the norm. The romance is clean and sweeet and reminded me just a touch of LM Montgomery's novel The Blue Castle. 4.5 stars
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