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Riverrun
IT SURVIVED THE RAVAGES OF WARNOW IT FACED THE FURIES OF REVENGETo Cassandra Bowsmith, the kidnapped Yankee beauty, the lavish plantation stood for everything she had loved and lost...Once, its master had saved her life, and possessed her heart. Since then, they had been forced from Riverrun, and driven apart by the man who had been her first lover, a man now bent on revenge. And now Cassandra lived for a single, compelling dream...Alone in the stricken South, Cass returned to claim that dream. In a world seething with savage lusts, surrounded by men who would stop at nothing to destroy her, she risked her all for a daring vision of the land she was destined to share...Also available from Felicia Andrews -- Seacliff.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
397 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 1979
18 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 19, 2020
This one grew on me like a fungus, building steadily throughout. It's definitely a "man-ripper" in that there's little romance, the heroine is a ball-busting bitch, & the focus veers toward action as opposed to feelz. That gorgeous wraparound cover by Elaine Gignilliat is very picturesque, but the scene has nothing whatsoever to do with story content; a more apt image would be a flaming house surrounded by dying tobacco plants & a hook-handed Union psycho chasing the pants-wearing heroine through a maze of dead bodies.
That's not to say it's poorly written trash. Because it's not. The prose is good; the descriptions are vivid; the cast earns their keep. Cass is an interesting character with more depth than first appears; indeed, the entire group is fascinating, though they tend to whiplash en masse between hate, lust, loyalty, & betrayal. Once yours truly became accustomed to the weird lack of emotional transition, things flowed along quite well--but be warned. These people regularly inflict unlikable plot twists upon each other whether they deserve it or not. Very few are "good" in the sense of, say, Luke Skywalker or Aragorn (& those that are frequently end up dead). Like most of us, theirs is a struggle to balance light & dark, strength & compassion, while living on a historical backdrop that discourages balance of any kind.
Cass, for her part, survives a helluva journey. She wants respect, revenge, & the power to guide her own destiny--not a popular wishlist for women in that era, which probably accounts for why she gets along so well with the wandering newly-freed slaves she takes in at Riverrun. They get it. They get HER. The various men in her life...not so much, though Eric eventually comes around.
My one real critique (aside from the whiplash emotions) is the plot hole re: Cass's revenge against the rapey douchebag trio. She vows to hunt them down like dogs, etc etc, but never mentions such vengeance again after her disastrous stint in Philadelphia. I could understand her releasing such an impractical vow into the ether, but it feels more like the author simply forgot. Even a simple "Cass decided to jettison her past because ____" would've sufficed, but there was no mention of such an epiphany...& this woman never forgave an insult. :P
...But that's ok. It still earns a strong 4 stars, & is a good example of action-oriented Civil War rippers. (I suspect Mr Grant was partly inspired by Margaret Mitchell's masterpiece, as there are characters who feel like 'Mirror, Mirror' versions of GWTW; Melissa, in particular, is the Evul Bearded Spock version of Melanie.)
That's not to say it's poorly written trash. Because it's not. The prose is good; the descriptions are vivid; the cast earns their keep. Cass is an interesting character with more depth than first appears; indeed, the entire group is fascinating, though they tend to whiplash en masse between hate, lust, loyalty, & betrayal. Once yours truly became accustomed to the weird lack of emotional transition, things flowed along quite well--but be warned. These people regularly inflict unlikable plot twists upon each other whether they deserve it or not. Very few are "good" in the sense of, say, Luke Skywalker or Aragorn (& those that are frequently end up dead). Like most of us, theirs is a struggle to balance light & dark, strength & compassion, while living on a historical backdrop that discourages balance of any kind.
Cass, for her part, survives a helluva journey. She wants respect, revenge, & the power to guide her own destiny--not a popular wishlist for women in that era, which probably accounts for why she gets along so well with the wandering newly-freed slaves she takes in at Riverrun. They get it. They get HER. The various men in her life...not so much, though Eric eventually comes around.
My one real critique (aside from the whiplash emotions) is the plot hole re: Cass's revenge against the rapey douchebag trio. She vows to hunt them down like dogs, etc etc, but never mentions such vengeance again after her disastrous stint in Philadelphia. I could understand her releasing such an impractical vow into the ether, but it feels more like the author simply forgot. Even a simple "Cass decided to jettison her past because ____" would've sufficed, but there was no mention of such an epiphany...& this woman never forgave an insult. :P
...But that's ok. It still earns a strong 4 stars, & is a good example of action-oriented Civil War rippers. (I suspect Mr Grant was partly inspired by Margaret Mitchell's masterpiece, as there are characters who feel like 'Mirror, Mirror' versions of GWTW; Melissa, in particular, is the Evul Bearded Spock version of Melanie.)
February 28, 2022
I listened to the audiobook. This isn't exactly a romance, though it has some in it. I would describe this an a epic tale of war, personal tragedy, and the struggle to beat a personal enemy. There is a lot of action and violence in the book. There is also a lot of words used in the story that if written today, likely would not be used. However, it is accurate to the civil war period. All this being said I enjoyed the audiobook version and found it entertaining and was glad for each new chapter in the book.
September 3, 2019
A much better book than I thought it would be. Highly entertaining. Felicia Andrews whose real name is Charles L. Grant.
maybe
December 31, 2025No idea.
June 7, 2016
Fair story,read by Sara Morsey, a good narrator.Cassandra is raped,nearly murdered etc.It seems to be a repeating theme to allow herself to be damaged by men one way or another.She was not a likable character.Cassandra is found and falls in love with the owner of Riverrun. Unfortunately her first love won't let her alone.
I was given this book for an honest review.
I was given this book for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews