KATHERINE CHRISTIAN

The Herries Chronicles #6

by Hugh Walpole

"Katherine Christian" is a gripping psychological thriller that delves deep into the intricacies of the human mind. Written by a talented author, this haunting novel weaves a tale of suspense, mystery, and self-discovery that will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the final page. The story revolves around Katherine Christian, a complex and enigmatic woman haunted by her past. As the protagonist confronts her demons and untangles the web of secrets that shroud her memories, a chilling series of events unfolds, blurring the lines between reality and illusion. Faced with a disorienting journey of self-exploration, Katherine must decipher her own mind to discern the truth from the tricks her psyche plays on her.

Genres: British Literature, Historical Fiction

396 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1943

About the author

Sir Hugh Seymour Walpole was an English novelist. A prolific writer, he published thirty-six novels, five volumes of short stories, two plays and three volumes of memoirs. His skill at scene-setting, his vivid plots, his high profile as a lecturer and his driving ambition brought him a large readership in the United Kingdom and North America. A best-selling author in the 1920s and 1930s, his works have been neglected since his death.

Reviews

[Laura]

Free download available at Project Gutenberg Australia.

Free download available at Faded Page.

From FP:This novel is an unfinished addition to the "Herries" series. Hugh Walpole had become attached to the characters of the original four "Herries Chronicles" and revisited them in this book and its predecessor, "The Bright Pavilions".

[Sue]

DNF. As I have not read any novels from H Walpole before, this one did not catch my attention much as I tried. It said on the cover that it is an unfinished novel...I don't think it would have bothered me, but it looks that the book was not only not finished, but also not edited. Some passages are clearly calling for an editor....

[Trevor Harvey]

This review contains spoilers.

The only reason I read 'Katherine Christian' is that it is the final novel in the 'Herries Chronicle'.
Over the years, I have read the previous five and I wanted to 'complete the set'.

Walpole's drawbacks as a novelist are glaringly exposed in 'Katherine Christian'.

Let's start with the plus points. Walpole is good at describing a big event, such as a riot or a family gathering. His descriptions of the effects of the weather on local scenery is good, in some respects as good as Thomas Hardy.

The major problem is the lack of character development. Walpole's characters are cardboard cut-outs with no psychological depth to them. They either love totally or hate totally.

It could be argued that one does not read Walpole for his psychological insights, but for the broad brush approach and his skill at description. Yes, all well and good, but they are not enough to compensate for 'Katherine Christian' being a poor novel.

[Kat]

Hate to give up on a book; however, this was horrible and I had to abandon it. No story, no character development, confusing story line under-developed and such a drastic change from the other novels in this series. The first four were superb and Bright Pavilions and this one were not so good.

[Melinda]

It's interesting but not sensational.