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Evensong
M.L. St. Sure's Evensong is a powerful and captivating historical romance novel, set in World War II, about a beautiful, celebrated opera singer forced to sing the singspiel before Hitler. Amidst terrible consequences, after heartbreaking conflict and loss, the heroine's voice carries the ultimate message of courage and freedom.
224 pages, Paperback
First published August 14, 2007
3 people are currently reading
198 people want to read
About the author
M.L. St. Sure
1 book27 followersDear Reader,
My father was in the Marines during World War II. As a child I had asked him many times about his shiny medals, photos, letters and postcards to my mother, things about the war. It seemed the more I pressed him for answers, the more reticent he became. By the time I was eight years old I was writing war stories in the closet where my father's uniform hung. I became obsessed with writing, and then one day I mailed one of my stories to the Oakland Tribune, and it was published the next weekend in the "Aunt Elsie" column. Well, that did it for me. I was a PUBLISHED author!
I lived in Berkeley, California and a few years later I entered college and majored in English. I was still writing stories in my free time. A friend of mine, who was editing for me, suggested that I attend the IOWA WRITER'S WORKSHOP in Iowa City, Iowa. So off I went to write more stories, and I absolutely loved it!
I had just finished a summer session when I received a phone call from my mother telling me that father had just died from an aneurysm. I was devastated. My chance to know him was over. A few months later, a package arrived for me in the mail. I quickly opened it, and found wrapped in old newspapers, my father's war journals. What a day that was for me! Though, by the time I began reading it, I soon grimly understood why he never spoke of the war. It took me a long time to absorb, to rethink, rehash everything that had happened to him. I really took it hard.
My husband, Ken, and my daughters suggested I write his story, that it would be therapeutic to cleanse myself of grief. So, I began writing and I could see with every page I completed that I was beginning to come to terms with it all. By the time I was finished, I was healed.
My book, EVENSONG, is dedicated to my father.
M. L. St. Sure
My father was in the Marines during World War II. As a child I had asked him many times about his shiny medals, photos, letters and postcards to my mother, things about the war. It seemed the more I pressed him for answers, the more reticent he became. By the time I was eight years old I was writing war stories in the closet where my father's uniform hung. I became obsessed with writing, and then one day I mailed one of my stories to the Oakland Tribune, and it was published the next weekend in the "Aunt Elsie" column. Well, that did it for me. I was a PUBLISHED author!
I lived in Berkeley, California and a few years later I entered college and majored in English. I was still writing stories in my free time. A friend of mine, who was editing for me, suggested that I attend the IOWA WRITER'S WORKSHOP in Iowa City, Iowa. So off I went to write more stories, and I absolutely loved it!
I had just finished a summer session when I received a phone call from my mother telling me that father had just died from an aneurysm. I was devastated. My chance to know him was over. A few months later, a package arrived for me in the mail. I quickly opened it, and found wrapped in old newspapers, my father's war journals. What a day that was for me! Though, by the time I began reading it, I soon grimly understood why he never spoke of the war. It took me a long time to absorb, to rethink, rehash everything that had happened to him. I really took it hard.
My husband, Ken, and my daughters suggested I write his story, that it would be therapeutic to cleanse myself of grief. So, I began writing and I could see with every page I completed that I was beginning to come to terms with it all. By the time I was finished, I was healed.
My book, EVENSONG, is dedicated to my father.
M. L. St. Sure
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
January 1, 2009
The reviews for this book were so good that I was looking forward to savoring it. Instead, I found the story implausible, the plot hard to follow and the main character uninspiring. The blurb on the back cover of the book implied a string of events that were closely connected, but I didn't find that connection in the book. In the end, I just felt let down; my high expectations unmet.
March 24, 2009
A heartbreaking tale of war
Evensong is an historical novel set in WWII during the rise of Hitler’s armies. The novel is billed as historical romance, and though there certainly is a component of romance to the story, its true strength lies in its detailed descriptions of the places and history that is unfolding; the harsh and brutal realities of war, and the way it allows you to see events through the characters’ eyes. The author demonstrates wonderful skill for lush storytelling.
A book such as Evensong does history a great service, because it tells of the horrors of war, not through facts alone, but in the way it conveys those horrors as felt, experienced and endured by the people who lived it. You are shown this through the personal experiences of people/characters you have come to know and care about. This gives even greater impact in helping us understand the unimaginable horrors and incredible pain of a war such as the one Hitler and his armies waged. The novel takes us on a terrifying, sickening, and shocking ride through a ‘kinderkamp’ that leaves me shuddering at the recollection. As we all know, these are things we must never forget, lest history be repeated.
I read in another review that this book is based on memoirs from a family member of the author, and I echo the comment of another reviewer who mentioned the lack of an author bio – sharing this kind of personal connection to the story would add much greater depth of meaning to the tale, and allow the reader to experience the author's obvious passion for this story on a whole new level.
In some books you read, you can tell that perhaps a hundred pages could be edited out to streamline the story, this book would have benefited from a hundred pages being added to it to make certain transitions in time and place not as abrupt, so the reader understands better when and where they now are, and to allow for even greater character development, and further explanation as to how certain events came to be.
For me, Evensong is a heartbreaking tale of the terrible price human beings paid because of the sheer malevolence and insanity of a war they could not prevent, nor escape. This story surprised me at times, taking me down paths I did not predict, and as they were unfolding, I wanted to stop, and return to a safer, happier place. But it does not allow that, neither does war, and so, although wrenching, it is fitting. The book also has an interesting rhythm to it, if you will. It starts off in a situation of hardship, which gradually improves, to a place of great comfort and interest and color and life, then slowly, the story strips all of that away and more, until the initial times of hardship seem almost like paradise. The ending was a surprise, and was full of tender emotion, heartbreak and sadness, and I wished it hadn’t happened. The same goes for war.
In the end, the book strikes a chord for the affirmation of life and the meaningful bonds of love and family. It also reminds us that wherever there is oppression, there is resistance, and that the human spirit endures. Even though some may lose the strength to go on, others carry on, and with them, the memory of the fallen. That in turn, strengthens the rest of us. Love, in many forms, is the novel's recurring theme. Evensong reminds us that a life well-lived is one where we fight for what is right and look after those we love to the best of our abilities. A lesson to cherish and remember…
Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands
Evensong is an historical novel set in WWII during the rise of Hitler’s armies. The novel is billed as historical romance, and though there certainly is a component of romance to the story, its true strength lies in its detailed descriptions of the places and history that is unfolding; the harsh and brutal realities of war, and the way it allows you to see events through the characters’ eyes. The author demonstrates wonderful skill for lush storytelling.
A book such as Evensong does history a great service, because it tells of the horrors of war, not through facts alone, but in the way it conveys those horrors as felt, experienced and endured by the people who lived it. You are shown this through the personal experiences of people/characters you have come to know and care about. This gives even greater impact in helping us understand the unimaginable horrors and incredible pain of a war such as the one Hitler and his armies waged. The novel takes us on a terrifying, sickening, and shocking ride through a ‘kinderkamp’ that leaves me shuddering at the recollection. As we all know, these are things we must never forget, lest history be repeated.
I read in another review that this book is based on memoirs from a family member of the author, and I echo the comment of another reviewer who mentioned the lack of an author bio – sharing this kind of personal connection to the story would add much greater depth of meaning to the tale, and allow the reader to experience the author's obvious passion for this story on a whole new level.
In some books you read, you can tell that perhaps a hundred pages could be edited out to streamline the story, this book would have benefited from a hundred pages being added to it to make certain transitions in time and place not as abrupt, so the reader understands better when and where they now are, and to allow for even greater character development, and further explanation as to how certain events came to be.
For me, Evensong is a heartbreaking tale of the terrible price human beings paid because of the sheer malevolence and insanity of a war they could not prevent, nor escape. This story surprised me at times, taking me down paths I did not predict, and as they were unfolding, I wanted to stop, and return to a safer, happier place. But it does not allow that, neither does war, and so, although wrenching, it is fitting. The book also has an interesting rhythm to it, if you will. It starts off in a situation of hardship, which gradually improves, to a place of great comfort and interest and color and life, then slowly, the story strips all of that away and more, until the initial times of hardship seem almost like paradise. The ending was a surprise, and was full of tender emotion, heartbreak and sadness, and I wished it hadn’t happened. The same goes for war.
In the end, the book strikes a chord for the affirmation of life and the meaningful bonds of love and family. It also reminds us that wherever there is oppression, there is resistance, and that the human spirit endures. Even though some may lose the strength to go on, others carry on, and with them, the memory of the fallen. That in turn, strengthens the rest of us. Love, in many forms, is the novel's recurring theme. Evensong reminds us that a life well-lived is one where we fight for what is right and look after those we love to the best of our abilities. A lesson to cherish and remember…
Rai Aren, co-author of Secret of the Sands
December 26, 2008
Love. Passion. Devotion. What do these words mean? Which matters most--ultimately? Is any of these more worth living or dying for than the others? "Evensong" takes on these themes with considerable force and ambition, and leaves us thinking, eyes wide open in the middle of the night, craving rest but still wide awake with wonder. This first novel from M. L. St. Sure is essentially a romantic thriller, although it's not so much a romance or a thriller as it is fictionalized history. In fact, it reads much like a memoir, even though it eventually becomes apparent the main character could not have written it. It's almost as though Ms. St. Sure became immersed in fact-finding about her European ancestors and decided that, by an imaginative filling in of gaps and breaks, it could be the stuff of literature. And, so it is.
Christina Cross is first-generation American, born on a dirt farm in Missouri of parents who emigrated from Vienna in the aftermath of World War I. Her father had been an opera singer in the old country, and she's inherited his talent, although not necessarily his passion for the career. After her father's untimely death, which turns her mother to drink, Christina takes a job waiting tables at an inn. There she's befriended and mentored by an elderly retired U.S. senator. She develops a passion for this father-substitute, romantic feelings that he doesn't reciprocate. But he's far from cold. He seems genuinely fond of her, urges her into a singing career, and is instrumental in her making connections that draw her back to Europe, where a kind of karmic fate awaits her.
She becomes involved with Laurent, a French military officer who has set his renowned carnal passions aside in favor of a fanatical devotion to the Resistance and the great cause of fighting the Nazi occupation. Oddly enough, Christina's own uncle turns out to be none other than Merechal Petain, a high official in the Vichy puppet government and a man who has rationalized his collaboration as the quickest and most painless way to a peaceful existence. Despite Laurent's intense focus on world affairs, it doesn't take him long to decide he's in love with Christina, but now she's the one who can't muster a passion for the relationship. For the rest of the novel, she will be driven by devotion--devotion to her much younger sister Nicolette, who eventually is thrown into a Nazi prison camp designed especially for children. Devotion to the child's rescue fuses with devotion to the cause of freedom and the battle against ruthless Nazi evil, as Christina and Laurent undergo a series of travails in their efforts to save Nicolette.
Ultimately, conflicting emotions seem to fade when it takes every waking effort to wrestle with the onrush of evil. It's not just a struggle for survival but a struggle to maintain the will to prevail. Love, passion, and devotion-powerful enough motivators in everyday life-matter much less than you'd think.
Gerald.
Boychik Lit
Christina Cross is first-generation American, born on a dirt farm in Missouri of parents who emigrated from Vienna in the aftermath of World War I. Her father had been an opera singer in the old country, and she's inherited his talent, although not necessarily his passion for the career. After her father's untimely death, which turns her mother to drink, Christina takes a job waiting tables at an inn. There she's befriended and mentored by an elderly retired U.S. senator. She develops a passion for this father-substitute, romantic feelings that he doesn't reciprocate. But he's far from cold. He seems genuinely fond of her, urges her into a singing career, and is instrumental in her making connections that draw her back to Europe, where a kind of karmic fate awaits her.
She becomes involved with Laurent, a French military officer who has set his renowned carnal passions aside in favor of a fanatical devotion to the Resistance and the great cause of fighting the Nazi occupation. Oddly enough, Christina's own uncle turns out to be none other than Merechal Petain, a high official in the Vichy puppet government and a man who has rationalized his collaboration as the quickest and most painless way to a peaceful existence. Despite Laurent's intense focus on world affairs, it doesn't take him long to decide he's in love with Christina, but now she's the one who can't muster a passion for the relationship. For the rest of the novel, she will be driven by devotion--devotion to her much younger sister Nicolette, who eventually is thrown into a Nazi prison camp designed especially for children. Devotion to the child's rescue fuses with devotion to the cause of freedom and the battle against ruthless Nazi evil, as Christina and Laurent undergo a series of travails in their efforts to save Nicolette.
Ultimately, conflicting emotions seem to fade when it takes every waking effort to wrestle with the onrush of evil. It's not just a struggle for survival but a struggle to maintain the will to prevail. Love, passion, and devotion-powerful enough motivators in everyday life-matter much less than you'd think.
Gerald.
Boychik Lit
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 20, 2008
Fine Writing!
M.L. St. Sure's novel EVENSONG is a sturdy, fast paced novel that ties a binding thread between the American isolation and the European commitment during World War II in a way that offers an informed, historically accurate, dramatic tale of personal involvement in the threat that eventually shook the entire world. The is novel is condensed (214 pages) and moves so quickly that even though the characters are well drawn and the highlighted encounters are painted vividly, this reader feels as though this novel is an abridged version of a much larger book - that being the reason for awarding four stars instead of five.
The story of the Cross family living in Missouri after escaping the tragedies of WW I and the manner in which some members of that family carry on the father's tradition of bravery by becoming involved with the French Resistance during WW II is the outline of the book. The father had been an opera singer in Europe but fled when an injury all but destroyed his vocal cords. In Missouri the family of five struggles to stay alive: the mother becomes an alcoholic after the father's death, the sole son Marcel remains loyal to the mother's way of life, and the two daughters - Christine and Nicolette - seek to escape their plight on the farm. Christine inherited her father's singing talent, a factor that plays heavily in her rising above her humble beginnings to become a heroine. Due to some touching and soulful investments by a US Senator (Liam) Christine is given the opportunity to live well and study voice, finding her special niche while falling in love with her older benefactor. When the Cross family collapses, Christine concentrates of saving Nicolette and through the kindness of Liam the two girls flee to France. Once in France Christine meets the handsome Laurent who will protect her from the perils of the Nazis and eventually be the loved on who salvages the vestiges of the Cross family from the horrors of the death camps of Hitler's creation.
The story moves so quickly that we miss certain pieces of information, such as why the dramatic difference in the hayseed language of Nicolette and the sophisticated language of Christine, the details along the way of the various explosions of action and emotion that would make us better understand the motivation of the sequences of events, and so on. And if anything this is a remark that can be made because the core of the novel is so excellent that it leaves the reader (at least this one!) wanting more. St. Sure is a fine writer and we can only hope there is another novel on its way! Highly recommended for a wide audience. Grady Harp, December 08
M.L. St. Sure's novel EVENSONG is a sturdy, fast paced novel that ties a binding thread between the American isolation and the European commitment during World War II in a way that offers an informed, historically accurate, dramatic tale of personal involvement in the threat that eventually shook the entire world. The is novel is condensed (214 pages) and moves so quickly that even though the characters are well drawn and the highlighted encounters are painted vividly, this reader feels as though this novel is an abridged version of a much larger book - that being the reason for awarding four stars instead of five.
The story of the Cross family living in Missouri after escaping the tragedies of WW I and the manner in which some members of that family carry on the father's tradition of bravery by becoming involved with the French Resistance during WW II is the outline of the book. The father had been an opera singer in Europe but fled when an injury all but destroyed his vocal cords. In Missouri the family of five struggles to stay alive: the mother becomes an alcoholic after the father's death, the sole son Marcel remains loyal to the mother's way of life, and the two daughters - Christine and Nicolette - seek to escape their plight on the farm. Christine inherited her father's singing talent, a factor that plays heavily in her rising above her humble beginnings to become a heroine. Due to some touching and soulful investments by a US Senator (Liam) Christine is given the opportunity to live well and study voice, finding her special niche while falling in love with her older benefactor. When the Cross family collapses, Christine concentrates of saving Nicolette and through the kindness of Liam the two girls flee to France. Once in France Christine meets the handsome Laurent who will protect her from the perils of the Nazis and eventually be the loved on who salvages the vestiges of the Cross family from the horrors of the death camps of Hitler's creation.
The story moves so quickly that we miss certain pieces of information, such as why the dramatic difference in the hayseed language of Nicolette and the sophisticated language of Christine, the details along the way of the various explosions of action and emotion that would make us better understand the motivation of the sequences of events, and so on. And if anything this is a remark that can be made because the core of the novel is so excellent that it leaves the reader (at least this one!) wanting more. St. Sure is a fine writer and we can only hope there is another novel on its way! Highly recommended for a wide audience. Grady Harp, December 08
January 17, 2010
2 1/2 stars. I requested this Goodreads first-reads novel based on this description: “M.L. St. Sure's Evensong is a powerful and captivating historical romance novel, set in World War II, about a beautiful, celebrated opera singer forced to sing the singspiel before Hitler. Amidst terrible consequences, after heartbreaking conflict and loss, the heroine's voice carries the ultimate message of courage and freedom.“
I am interested in WWII, I love opera, and I expected to like the book, I wanted to like it. It has received several good reviews. However, I'm afraid the book just isn't for me. There is too much romance for my taste, and not enough historical fiction. The romance is superficial, not enough development of the relationships. The characters seem flat and unfinished to me, and some of the plot is quite improbable with much of the historical parts glossed over. Characters introduced early as significant parts of the story just disappear later in the story.
I believe the author has talent and I hope she hones her skills. I'm sure the book, a quick read, will appeal to an audience with tastes other than mine. I wish I had been able to give a more positive review, but I just did not enjoy the book nearly as much as I had anticipated.
I am interested in WWII, I love opera, and I expected to like the book, I wanted to like it. It has received several good reviews. However, I'm afraid the book just isn't for me. There is too much romance for my taste, and not enough historical fiction. The romance is superficial, not enough development of the relationships. The characters seem flat and unfinished to me, and some of the plot is quite improbable with much of the historical parts glossed over. Characters introduced early as significant parts of the story just disappear later in the story.
I believe the author has talent and I hope she hones her skills. I'm sure the book, a quick read, will appeal to an audience with tastes other than mine. I wish I had been able to give a more positive review, but I just did not enjoy the book nearly as much as I had anticipated.
February 10, 2010
Overall, I think I'd rate this book a solid 3 stars.
It was a good read, the story was quite interesting (and I'm not one for historical reads so that's bonus points)and I'm all for a novel with strong female characters, though they were a bit one-dimensional at times; but I had an issue with the writing style, overall. I'm not a fan of excessive use of sentence fragments and this book was packed full of them, which irritated me while I read it but overall, didn't detract from the plot, though it could have used someone going over it with a red pen at times.
I may be nitpicking here, but I also found that the synopsis given was too detailed, as it left very few plot points to the imagination and does basically give away the direction the story is going to go in.
I'd recommend it again, overall, to people interested in the societal study around the time of World War II, and it's a great thriller with an interesting premise. A bit like a musical, but in written form. And quite a good historical romance, if that's all you're looking for.
It was a good read, the story was quite interesting (and I'm not one for historical reads so that's bonus points)and I'm all for a novel with strong female characters, though they were a bit one-dimensional at times; but I had an issue with the writing style, overall. I'm not a fan of excessive use of sentence fragments and this book was packed full of them, which irritated me while I read it but overall, didn't detract from the plot, though it could have used someone going over it with a red pen at times.
I may be nitpicking here, but I also found that the synopsis given was too detailed, as it left very few plot points to the imagination and does basically give away the direction the story is going to go in.
I'd recommend it again, overall, to people interested in the societal study around the time of World War II, and it's a great thriller with an interesting premise. A bit like a musical, but in written form. And quite a good historical romance, if that's all you're looking for.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2009
Still waiting to receive this book, I can only skate around on what's available to read here in my house, for a little while. Okay, received it yesterday (1/19). Really liked the first part but as the story continued, the characters fell into long bouts of introspection and musings about war, love and life. I feel that an editor needs to get in there and shape things up. There were some instances where the words had a nice rhythm together but failed to make much sense. More singing, less fighting! Goodreads Firstreads
January 18, 2010
I won this book from Firstreads and was excited to begin the book. The basis for the book sounded fascinating however I wish the characters had more depth. I would have liked to see more interaction between Christina and her love interests, Liam and Laurent. Also there are characters from the beginning of the book that we never hear about again. The ending was completely unexpected. The book is a quick read and leaves the reader with a lot to think about.
August 16, 2015
I received this book through the goodreads first-read program. It promptly got misplaced when many of my books were packed into storage.
Christina, is the daughter of a once famous Austrian opera singer and a minor French aristocrat. After the horrors her parents endured during World War I they emigrated to America. There they worked a small farm in Kansas and raised a family. Christina is taught to sing by her father, and has dreams of escaping from the farm to a life of success.
After her father dies when the family is caught in a severe storm, Christina gets work at a hotel in town as a singer to the guests. There she meets two men. The elderly Senator Liam Caradine and the Frenchman Laurent de Gauvion Saint Cyr. The Senator sees Christina as a daughter while Christina loves him with her whole heart. While Laurent has fallen head over heels in love with her and is consistently rejected.
When Christina's mother and brother fall into grief fueled drinking and let the farm fall into ruin, Christina auxins to her need to protect her younger sister Nicholette. With the help of Senator Caradine, Christina flees the country with her sister and arrives in France just before Germany invaded. The girls uncle, Philippe Petain, has been named the French Premier. He is willing to ally his country with the Nazis.
Christina and Nicholette find themselves thrown into war. Their uncle wants Christina to sing for Hitler. However She wants nothing to do with her uncles plans no matter the consequences. When her sister is taken by the Nazis Christina throws herself to helping Laurent in the French résistance with the goal of rescuing her sister.
Evensong is the first book by M. L. St. Sure. It dives into very powerful subject matter. The story delves into the horrors of war, and the struggles and sacrifices made during the hardship of war. While the idea of love is introduced to the story, this is by no means a romantic story. As Christina travels further into war-torn Europe looking for her sister we see her grow from a dream filled girl into a determined woman haunted by the death and terror surrounding her.
I thought this was a strong first novel. There were times when characters and their motivations felt a little flat. However the story was intriguing and really pulled me in as a reader. It is not a happy romantic look at WWII.
It does however portray in a realistic way what a soldier who is living through unrealized horrors might be feeling as they are entrenched in the war.
Christina, is the daughter of a once famous Austrian opera singer and a minor French aristocrat. After the horrors her parents endured during World War I they emigrated to America. There they worked a small farm in Kansas and raised a family. Christina is taught to sing by her father, and has dreams of escaping from the farm to a life of success.
After her father dies when the family is caught in a severe storm, Christina gets work at a hotel in town as a singer to the guests. There she meets two men. The elderly Senator Liam Caradine and the Frenchman Laurent de Gauvion Saint Cyr. The Senator sees Christina as a daughter while Christina loves him with her whole heart. While Laurent has fallen head over heels in love with her and is consistently rejected.
When Christina's mother and brother fall into grief fueled drinking and let the farm fall into ruin, Christina auxins to her need to protect her younger sister Nicholette. With the help of Senator Caradine, Christina flees the country with her sister and arrives in France just before Germany invaded. The girls uncle, Philippe Petain, has been named the French Premier. He is willing to ally his country with the Nazis.
Christina and Nicholette find themselves thrown into war. Their uncle wants Christina to sing for Hitler. However She wants nothing to do with her uncles plans no matter the consequences. When her sister is taken by the Nazis Christina throws herself to helping Laurent in the French résistance with the goal of rescuing her sister.
Evensong is the first book by M. L. St. Sure. It dives into very powerful subject matter. The story delves into the horrors of war, and the struggles and sacrifices made during the hardship of war. While the idea of love is introduced to the story, this is by no means a romantic story. As Christina travels further into war-torn Europe looking for her sister we see her grow from a dream filled girl into a determined woman haunted by the death and terror surrounding her.
I thought this was a strong first novel. There were times when characters and their motivations felt a little flat. However the story was intriguing and really pulled me in as a reader. It is not a happy romantic look at WWII.
It does however portray in a realistic way what a soldier who is living through unrealized horrors might be feeling as they are entrenched in the war.
November 27, 2014
M.L. St. Sure has created a haunting melody in the new novel Evensong, as it takes its readers back in time to the terrifying era when Hitler and his cruel army threatened to change the world forever.
Veteran Joseph Cross is simply trying to make a life for his family in the unforgiving farm land of Missouri. Wanting more for his children than he could provide, he trains his daughter Christina to sing the beautiful arias of the opera he himself could no longer sing. When tragedy strikes, young Christina falls back on her training and through the guidance of her benefactor Senator Liam Caradine, sets out to raise her family out of the poverty in which they lived.
Christina takes to the stage where her voice will soon be recognized around the world. With her young sister Nicolette, Christina moves to Paris, France to live with her uncle Phillippe Petain. When Hitler's army invades, her uncle becomes the Premier of France and orders Christina to sing and entertain Hitler and his high-ranking Nazi officers. Having already been recruited by the resistance leader Laurent de Gauvion Saint Cyr, Christina refuses to sing, earning the wrath of Hitler.
Christina, with Nicolette by her side, aids the resistance until young Nicolette is kidnapped. It is discovered to everyone's horror that Nicolette has been taken to the dreaded kinder camp, also known as the "Devil's Palace." Laurent risks all, including the very lives of those under his command in a suicidal mission to rescue Nicolette and return her to the sister he has fallen deeply in love with.
Meanwhile during her own attempt to rescue Nicolette, Christina is apprehended and given to an angry Nazi officer known for his cruelty. Realizing who his captive is and her relationship to Laurent, whom he despises, the officer takes great delight in his torture and humiliation of Christina.
Forced to sing for her captors, Christina faces a grave and pivotal decision: sing the Deutchland-Lied, or "Song of Germany," or taken a final stand in her allegiance to the resistance.
Evensong brings to mind a great tragedy. Not only are the cruelties of the Nazi party unveiled and laid bare, but so too is the cruelty of a deep love in a time when love cannot be afforded. This is a moving story, one worthy of the attention of any interested in historical fiction.
Veteran Joseph Cross is simply trying to make a life for his family in the unforgiving farm land of Missouri. Wanting more for his children than he could provide, he trains his daughter Christina to sing the beautiful arias of the opera he himself could no longer sing. When tragedy strikes, young Christina falls back on her training and through the guidance of her benefactor Senator Liam Caradine, sets out to raise her family out of the poverty in which they lived.
Christina takes to the stage where her voice will soon be recognized around the world. With her young sister Nicolette, Christina moves to Paris, France to live with her uncle Phillippe Petain. When Hitler's army invades, her uncle becomes the Premier of France and orders Christina to sing and entertain Hitler and his high-ranking Nazi officers. Having already been recruited by the resistance leader Laurent de Gauvion Saint Cyr, Christina refuses to sing, earning the wrath of Hitler.
Christina, with Nicolette by her side, aids the resistance until young Nicolette is kidnapped. It is discovered to everyone's horror that Nicolette has been taken to the dreaded kinder camp, also known as the "Devil's Palace." Laurent risks all, including the very lives of those under his command in a suicidal mission to rescue Nicolette and return her to the sister he has fallen deeply in love with.
Meanwhile during her own attempt to rescue Nicolette, Christina is apprehended and given to an angry Nazi officer known for his cruelty. Realizing who his captive is and her relationship to Laurent, whom he despises, the officer takes great delight in his torture and humiliation of Christina.
Forced to sing for her captors, Christina faces a grave and pivotal decision: sing the Deutchland-Lied, or "Song of Germany," or taken a final stand in her allegiance to the resistance.
Evensong brings to mind a great tragedy. Not only are the cruelties of the Nazi party unveiled and laid bare, but so too is the cruelty of a deep love in a time when love cannot be afforded. This is a moving story, one worthy of the attention of any interested in historical fiction.
January 26, 2010
I won this as part of a Goodreads give-away and so far so good! I like the book, but I'm only on chapter 7...
I won this as part of a Goodreads give-away and so far so good! I like the book, but I'm only on chapter 7...
I enjoyed the book, I felt the history behind it (I really enjoy WWII books and historical fiction). This story fell right in to everything I love in a book, however I found that the story jumped between romance novel and historical novel. It wasn't as cohesive as I would have liked, almost like there were two authors writing. The book was a good book nonetheless.
The story is of a young lady born with an amazing voice, believing she is growing up with less than the best for her and her family she takes us on an amazing journey of growth and hope. She begins her story in the US becoming a singer meeting powerful and beautiful characters. The story takes a turn and she makes a decision to go overseas to Paris and live with an uncle. Her uncle recognizes her beautiful voice and commits her to sing for Hitler, at the time France is in the process of becoming German occupied. Her story continues as she goes through some of the worst experiences the Nazis could inflict all in an effort to save her kidnapped sister…It really was a beautiful story, I think the author could have done a lot more with it – the plot was something that I could see becoming my favorite novel.
I won this as part of a Goodreads give-away and so far so good! I like the book, but I'm only on chapter 7...
I enjoyed the book, I felt the history behind it (I really enjoy WWII books and historical fiction). This story fell right in to everything I love in a book, however I found that the story jumped between romance novel and historical novel. It wasn't as cohesive as I would have liked, almost like there were two authors writing. The book was a good book nonetheless.
The story is of a young lady born with an amazing voice, believing she is growing up with less than the best for her and her family she takes us on an amazing journey of growth and hope. She begins her story in the US becoming a singer meeting powerful and beautiful characters. The story takes a turn and she makes a decision to go overseas to Paris and live with an uncle. Her uncle recognizes her beautiful voice and commits her to sing for Hitler, at the time France is in the process of becoming German occupied. Her story continues as she goes through some of the worst experiences the Nazis could inflict all in an effort to save her kidnapped sister…It really was a beautiful story, I think the author could have done a lot more with it – the plot was something that I could see becoming my favorite novel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2010
Won this from the goodreads first reads program. I was super excited to read this- I'm a fan of historical fiction with some romance. It was another fast read. The first half of the book I enjoyed- seeing Christina transform and try to make a change in her life. I wish I could have heard her voice. The romance part of the book fell flat for me. Laurent loved her before he even knew her which is a bit frustrating and her failure to open up to him because of her "love" for Liam was unfortunate. For all the things included in the book, it seemed way too short. Many parts couldn't be well developed- including characters- and there were many times that things happened and no lead-in was provided. The Nicolette killing a man is one example of a not well developed or explained part. I only understood it to have happened because the old guard told us not because I knew it happened when she threw her fossil. I like reading about WWII and this provided a different perspective than other books I've read which I liked at first. However, towards the end of the book I felt overloaded by the war and the horrible things that happened. The very end of the book seemed so Romeo and Juliet and I am not a fan of Romeo and Juliet. I can understand why the characters acted as they did- and yet, I do not think it is right. Basically, this book had good ideas and underlying structure but needed to be better developed in some areas and perhaps toned down in others.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 27, 2010
Won this book through the first reads giveaway and was very excited to read it! I thought the story was a good idea and had every good intention, but the writing fell short. I'd probably give it 2 1/2 starts if I could. It took me a long time to read because I just never really got captivated by the characters and the writing was painful at moments.
It really needed some research and editing. There were huge inconsistencies that I wasn't able to reconcile. Why did Christine use correct language and Nicolette use uneducated slang? How old was Christine anyway and what languages did she speak...I'm assuming she spoke French, German, and English? How was everyone in the hospitals and camps she encountered able to speak to one another without issue when they were supposedly from different countries, etc.? How did it come about that her uncle was the Premier of France? Why did Rasha wish her a Merry Christmas when he was a Russian Jew who I can't imagine would have been celebrating Christmas?
All in all, there were huge time gaps and a LOT of melodrama. I would have expected some of the lines if I was reading a romance novel, but not in historical fiction. Anyway, I think with some editing and good writing advice, this author could make a go of it, and the story could be a good one. I will look for more books by this author. Thank you for the chance to read and review!
It really needed some research and editing. There were huge inconsistencies that I wasn't able to reconcile. Why did Christine use correct language and Nicolette use uneducated slang? How old was Christine anyway and what languages did she speak...I'm assuming she spoke French, German, and English? How was everyone in the hospitals and camps she encountered able to speak to one another without issue when they were supposedly from different countries, etc.? How did it come about that her uncle was the Premier of France? Why did Rasha wish her a Merry Christmas when he was a Russian Jew who I can't imagine would have been celebrating Christmas?
All in all, there were huge time gaps and a LOT of melodrama. I would have expected some of the lines if I was reading a romance novel, but not in historical fiction. Anyway, I think with some editing and good writing advice, this author could make a go of it, and the story could be a good one. I will look for more books by this author. Thank you for the chance to read and review!
April 5, 2011
"Evensong" by M. L. St. Sure is a historical novel that spans the time from world war 1 to world war 2. At its center is a young woman that follows in her father's footsteps and becomes involved in the drama, politics and resistance of world war 2. The father of Christina sought refuge from war by moving to a rural area of the U.S.A. but the untimely death of her father, followed by a downward spiral of the mother and the family, finds Christina accepting an offer to sing in Europe, where she promptly becomes involved in politics. Realizing that she cannot look away when injustice occurs, Christina soon finds herself actively engaged in the resistance fight against Nazis in occupied France. When a person close to her is caught by the Nazis, Christina tries a daring rescue that puts her own life at risk. In the following events, Christina must choose her own personal beliefs over the potential rescue.
The story is well researched and provides an in depth look at the cruelty of war and oppression, especially the situation in the Nazi death camps. The author provides as well researched book that will take the reader on a thrilling journey to one of the more tumultuous eras of modern man.
The story is well researched and provides an in depth look at the cruelty of war and oppression, especially the situation in the Nazi death camps. The author provides as well researched book that will take the reader on a thrilling journey to one of the more tumultuous eras of modern man.
January 13, 2010
Thanks, GoodReads, for the copy of this. :)
As I'm reading other reviews, I'm wondering if I read the same book as them. I was obviously engaged in it, going through 200 pages just yesterday alone. But I feel... a bit let down, I guess. Which I feel HORRIBLE saying since I won it, ya know?
I understand that time skips between the chapters, and we're never told exactly how much. I'm okay with not having all of the details. But one instance really sticks out for me: Christina and Laurent are talking, and the conversation gets heated. She says something, writhing to get out of his grip. Yet nowhere before this was she in his grip. I know that's a little complaint, more so in editing than anything else, I'm sure.
The storyline intrigued me, and it was original. We weren't ever spared from the horror that Hitler inflicted, and I do appreciate that. The ending was... not what I expected. I'm a firm beliver in 'spoiler free is the way to be,' thus commentary on that won't be included. :)
Despite my misgivings, I'm grateful for the opportunity to have read this. :)
As I'm reading other reviews, I'm wondering if I read the same book as them. I was obviously engaged in it, going through 200 pages just yesterday alone. But I feel... a bit let down, I guess. Which I feel HORRIBLE saying since I won it, ya know?
I understand that time skips between the chapters, and we're never told exactly how much. I'm okay with not having all of the details. But one instance really sticks out for me: Christina and Laurent are talking, and the conversation gets heated. She says something, writhing to get out of his grip. Yet nowhere before this was she in his grip. I know that's a little complaint, more so in editing than anything else, I'm sure.
The storyline intrigued me, and it was original. We weren't ever spared from the horror that Hitler inflicted, and I do appreciate that. The ending was... not what I expected. I'm a firm beliver in 'spoiler free is the way to be,' thus commentary on that won't be included. :)
Despite my misgivings, I'm grateful for the opportunity to have read this. :)
March 30, 2011
Evensong is a brilliantly written novel. It’s evident that the author, M.L. St. Sure has done much historical research and really understood the time in history that the book is written in, which makes reading it that much more of a page turner. There are many phrases in the book in which I found intriguing and made me think. The parts I found most intriguing and interesting to read were the parts in the Nazi war camps; the book is written in a way that makes the reader feel as though they are in the book and the scene’s within are so easy to visualize, which makes me as the reader enjoy the book even further. The characters within the book were so relatable even though they are within a time before I was born and a time I couldn’t understand. Normally a book set in a war time is hard for me to read and I’m usually not into them as much as I am in other books, but this is definitely an exception and I would definitely recommend it; well worth the read!
March 6, 2016
I read a lot of reviews before reading this book-good and bad. I wasn't sure what to expect then when I started this book. It was a lot more intense than I thought it was going to be. It took me awhile to get into the book because it seemed to be moving very slow and then it sped it up as soon as Christina and her sister got to France.
Some reviewers said that the characters could have been more developed but I disagree. This story may have focused on Christina and her sister but there is so much history here that the focus is there not the characters. I liked the fast pace of this story because some stories spend too much time focusing on unimportant details. St. Sure has focused on details from the war and created characters around the war. This was a beautifully written novel with a surprising but fitting ending.
Some reviewers said that the characters could have been more developed but I disagree. This story may have focused on Christina and her sister but there is so much history here that the focus is there not the characters. I liked the fast pace of this story because some stories spend too much time focusing on unimportant details. St. Sure has focused on details from the war and created characters around the war. This was a beautifully written novel with a surprising but fitting ending.
March 22, 2010
I really liked this book! It was the kind of book that picked up speed as I got into it, and it was over before I was ready for it to end! I loved that it wasn't a fairy tale. I also loved the snippits of history tucked in here and there. I am a big fan of historical fiction from the WW2 era - and I was glad to read a little more about the way of life in France during the war. I read Sarah's Key a couple of months ago, and I was thrilled to find another book that took place in the time/location. This book is a quick read - so take a chance on M.L. St. Sure's first novel! I really enjoyed the story!
January 26, 2010
Thank you Good Reads and M.L. St. Sure for the opportunity to read your book as I won it from a giveaway. Sadly I was a bit underwhelmed by this book. It was a very quick read and unfortunately to say, I was glad. The storyline could have been a bit more interesting and it does jump around a bit with really nothing to latch on too. I am going to lend the book to a friend and then to my Mother, I will be curious as to what they think. I really wanted to like this book and I am sorry that it just did not grab my attention.
March 30, 2010
I won this as a First Reads book! Yay!
I have a really hard time with sad books. I'm such a tender heart that I really can't handle them very well. lol. The descriptions of how children were treated in concentration camps was particularly heartbreaking.
However... The female character is very strong and it's interesting to read how she dealt with the trials she was faced.
Overall, the book was not what I expected, but it was worth the read because I did learn a lot.
I have a really hard time with sad books. I'm such a tender heart that I really can't handle them very well. lol. The descriptions of how children were treated in concentration camps was particularly heartbreaking.
However... The female character is very strong and it's interesting to read how she dealt with the trials she was faced.
Overall, the book was not what I expected, but it was worth the read because I did learn a lot.
February 1, 2010
Won this from goodreads...
I'm just not sure what to think about this book. The story was original and could have been great, but there was a lot that just didn't make sense. The plot jumped around a lot and actually became unbelievable and confusing. I don't know...I guess my review is: confusing.
I'm just not sure what to think about this book. The story was original and could have been great, but there was a lot that just didn't make sense. The plot jumped around a lot and actually became unbelievable and confusing. I don't know...I guess my review is: confusing.
May 2, 2010
I agree with Debra's review. This book was very interesting but lacked depth to its characters. I also wanted more interaction between Christine and her twolove interests, Sen. Caradine and Laurent. Occasionally I felt lost as the story seemed to jump ahead in time without any warning. The ending was a complete surprise.
May 3, 2010
This was a strange book for me. It seemed a bit disjointed in the storytelling of a girl from a poor farm in Missouri ending up involved with the French underground in WWII, and her talent for singing is intertwined with Hitler, imprisonment, and a battle of wills. Very odd. Hard to get through, even though it wasn't that long.
January 26, 2010
I received Evensong through the giveaways and definitely recommend this book. One of the most interesting historical fictions I have read. M.L.St. Sure captivates with a fast paced rhythm keeping readers from becoming bored.
March 2, 2010
I'd give this 2 1/2 stars if I could. The story is strong, if a bit implausible, but the writing was thin. I had a poor idea of how much time had lapsed, which didn't bother me too much, in fact it may have added to the feeling of war, but the events were disconnected.
April 24, 2010
I won this book on firstreads. It started out a little slow and took me a while to get into it, but once I did it was pretty decent. It has quite a few emotional moments and you really feel sympathetic for the main characters. I would recommend this book to my friends and family.
January 19, 2010
I won this book through Goodreads First Reads, It was fast paced and I enjoyed learning more about France and their involvement during WW11. The author threw in some romance but did not sugar coat the war and the war attrocities.
March 24, 2010
I really enjoyed this book. I would have liked to see the characters developed a little further and it seemed to be a little harder to follow in the last 3rd of the book. However, overall an enjoyable read that I found I was not able to put down.
April 22, 2010
I won this book on goodreads and was excited to start it. I gave it two stars because I found the plot a bit hard to follow and the characters a bit uninteresting. It wasn't my favourite style of writing and it was a hard book to get through.
May 14, 2013
This was the first book our club picked to read. It was a quick and easy read. I somehow stumbled upon the author's email address and managed to email her and she was sweet enough to mail books to every member of our club! I would highly recommend this book.
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