Silk And Steel: Studies in Russian-Language Literature in Israel

by Catherine King

Revenge

Mariah Bowes thinks that being alone and penniless is the worst thing that can happen to her, but then she becomes the innocent victim of a horrifying act of revenge.

Deception

Daniel Thorpe is consumed with guilt, it's his fault that Mariah endured such a terrible punishment, he'd never realised the terrible consequences his affair with the beautiful Lily would bring. Will he ever convince Mariah to trust him again?

Secrets

But for Mariah there are further horrors to face, truths to uncover. Not least the terrible secret that her father, Ezekiel Bowes, successful iron master and respectable member of the community, is determined no one will ever discover.

Genres: Romance

384 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2007

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Lou Sutton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book completely gripped me, took my interest wholly and I really enjoyed it - despite having a (literally) sleepless night 3 nights ago, following the vivid detailed account of the rape. I was not prepared for it to be so very in-depth; and wisely I read that part gingerly, skipping bits! I DID however go back to read the detail later, once I’d read how Mariah fared thereafter. And I applaud the writer for giving the account in the way that she did - just awful, gritty etc but probably how it would be if it happened. Mariah holding her breath in the hope that she’d faint, or die. That really took me to the scene, ‘feeling’ the despair. God bless anyone who has suffered anything similar 😔
I love the recovery phase - despite having the addition of the awful shock of her pregnancy as a result of the rape. Just how much can a body endure 😔? - but the beautiful caring person that is Dora shone a light of warmth in that whole scenario - tenderly, patiently allowing Mariah time, allowing her to just be - and herself (Dora) carrying on as normal but with appropriate gentle encouragements, when she felt necessary. I, again, ‘felt’ Mariah’s gradual healing and again applaud the writer for this.
Jumping way ahead now, I will say that one sadness I had at end of book is that neither Nathan nor Bel deserved to be so unlucky and I hope they found answers and maybe a resolution to their life stories, when they went to be with their ma, in Italy.
Loved this story, with all it’s back stories, from start to finish.

[Christina Rochester · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was another Catherine King that I wasn't overly keen on. This is another book which should contain several trigger warnings namely for group rape and infant loss.

I have seen various reviews criticising the way in which Mariah has reacted to the traumas she has faced, however I can understand her reactions, even empathise with them.

That said though I was unable to find this book anything other than mediocre.

[nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Addicted....

I loved this book.i could not put it down from the 1st few lines. Such a great read... best book i have read yet.gripping.

[Lauren Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just loved this book! King can create a story that really grips a reader.. absolutely amazing piece of work!

[Sorcha O'Dowd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've had this book of my shelf for years and have only just gotten around to reading it, and I can't express how annoyed I am at myself for not reading it sooner.

Silk and Steel is a brilliantly written book. The storyline was gripping and had me hooked. However, what I loved most was the wide range of different characters we were introduced to throughout the story, and as well as getting the main heroine, Mariah's views on them, King expertly switched to different characters view points, allowing us into the minds of the characters, that without this insight we would hate without knowing the full reasoning behind their feelings and actions. Even the most wicked of characters were shown to be human, and I loved it.

The only reason I couldn't quite give this book 5 stars is that at occasional intervals in the novel, language occasionally slipped into modern tongue in comparison to the language used in that time in history. Mariah's description of a suitor as 'creepy' jolted me from the era of the story so I lost the flow of the story occassionally.

But nevertheless, this was a brilliant read and I definitely recommend to those who enjoy historical romance packed with angst and intrigue.

4.5 stars.

[Anne Harvey · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Mariah Bowes is disowned by the man she believed was her father, she finds refuge with the loving Thorpe family. Then, in a case of mistaken identity, she is brutally attacked and left feeling despoiled. While recovering from her injuries, she gets to know eldest on, Daniel Thorpe, who had unwittingly been the source of the revenge attack. The two must undergo many trials and revelations before they realise their love for each other. Although I enjoyed this family saga set in 1840s South Yorkshire, I found the heroine's attitude to her misfortune wearing after a while. I kept wanting to tell her to pull herself together. I suppose that indicates that she became real to me, a sign of a good writer, which Catherine King undoubtedly was.

[Penny Grubb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my usual sort of book. There was a time I devoured these types of books. I'm not sure what the genre is officially. If I say historical saga, it feels wrong. Anyway, this one is really well written and researched. I've read many of these where the characters are annoyingly wishy-washy, but this book didn't fall into that trap. I was drawn to it originally because I know the area where it's set. Didn't know it a century or so ago, of course. It works. It's a good read.

[Beni Suharto · Rating 4 out of 5]

great book