The Old Gray Homestead

by Frances Parkinson Keyes

Work from the American author, and a convert to Roman Catholicism, whose works frequently featured Catholic themes and beliefs. Generally self-educated, Mrs Keyes first book, The Old Gray Homestead, was published in 1919.

Genres: Fiction

184 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1919

About the author

Frances Parkinson Keyes was an American author who wrote about her life as the wife of a U.S. Senator and novels set in New England, Louisiana, and Europe. A convert to Roman Catholicism, her later works frequently featured Catholic themes and beliefs. Her last name rhymes with "skies," not "keys."

Reviews

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jun 28, 6am ~~ Review asap.

830pm ~~ I am torn about this book. The story was well written, with drama and romance and a little bit of suspense, but it was not completely about life on a farm, at least not the way I expected it to be. The Gray family still lived on the old homestead, but the current crop of Grays have allowed the place to become rundown, with barns and other outbuildings that are falling apart, a sloppy appearance to the area around the house, and sickly cattle not worth the effort it takes to milk them.

Into this less than enchanting home comes Sylvia Cary, an extremely wealthy city woman who has been sent to the country on the advice of her doctor in order to rest and recover her nerves after some traumatic events in her life. She had seen the hotel in town but felt she simply could never get any proper rest there, and would the family consider allowing her to board for a few months?

Of course they would! The money was very much needed, and she would be no trouble at all. Or would she? Because right away she began to take over and change things. Not in a Snobby Rich Person way, but by a much more subtle passive aggressive manipulation that annoyed me and made her appear (to my eyes, at least) extremely selfish.

The story progresses and the inevitable happens. Two of the brothers fall in love with Sylvia, but in different forms. And here is where another annoyance cropped up. This book is a morality tale that rubs modern day fur the wrong way. At least it did mine So a person has 'a past', who cares? You live your life, you don't wallow in grief or guilt forever and a day afterwards. The past is past, let it go and get on with living!

The older of the brothers who was interested in Sylvia had very macho ideas about how a woman should behave, and even Sylvia tossed off a disturbing declaration about poor Edith, one of the sisters in the family, the one who made what the author obviously felt were wrong choices in her life. I think the characters were all supposed to be striving to live as some Ideal that possible can never be achieved, but is expected by society and especially religion. Appearances were very important in this story, and money too.

I am not a wild woman, but I certainly enjoy life and I felt bad for all of these characters who were trapped in the author's world view. This was her first novel and it did not make me want to read any other titles, but one has been recommended to me by GR friend Sandy and I ordered it earlier today so I will have one more Keyes book coming up Someday. Oh, and I was surprised to learn that Keyes is pronounced to rhyme with 'eyes' not 'keys'. I still can't get my brain to accept that, but I will keep striving just the same.

[Val Robson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I discovered the wonderful author Frances Parkinson Keyes in 1981 when I visited her former home, The Beauregard-Keyes House, in New Orleans. I was captivated by the house and have since been entranced by her many delightful books written between 1919 and 1966. She was a convert to Roman Catholicism and married to a US Senator. She draws upon her own life in many of her books and they are a testament to strict morals and a lifestyle very different to the one most of us lead in the 21st century, I love getting lost in her books and feel like I’m ensconced in a different era.

‘The Old Gray Homestead’ refers to the home of the Gray family who own farming land in Vermont. Howard and Mary have eight children who range from young and still living on the farm to older ones who have married or are helping to run the farm. The story opens with Sylvia Cary arriving unexpectedly at the farm seeking somewhere to stay. She’d visited their town some years before and was desperately looking to spend some time there following a difficult and tragic time in her hometown of New York. Mary took her in as a lodger and the family quickly learned that Sylvia was very wealthy and eager to help them out by paying for improvements to the house, things to modernise the farm, education for the younger children and much more.

Austin Gray, one of the older children does not appear to take to Sylvia initially and resents her arrival and gifts. But soon Austin learns more about Sylvia’s past and their relationship changes. Sylvia proves to be attractive to many, not least once her great wealth is known.

The writing is delightfully old fashioned with uses of phrases like "make love to" which merely means “to court” and not as we’d interpret it nowadays.

This is Frances Parkinson Keyes’ first book and isn’t as gripping as some of her later ones but is a lovely book to escape the realities of 2016 and go back a century in your mind. With thanks to Project Gutenberg which enables me to download a copy of this book onto my Kindle free of charge. I wish the other 50 plus novels of Frances Parkinson Keyes were all available online too.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

An old fashioned story told with charm. I am fond of novels written with some innocence, yet tells about struggles of morality and hard situations without going into details that are harsh and violent. Reading this book is like watching a 1940's movie. I love old movies and old books of this type. It is difficult sometimes to read about the roles of men and women that were in a less enlightened (ha) age.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

During a recent trip to New Orleans, I found a copy of this book by an author that friends had read as teenagers...Mrs. Keyes was from New England, but lived in New Orleans for many years after the war. She was a prolific writer and this was one of her first novels, written in 1919...it was an interesting read just for the language and social mores that were prevalent at the time...one of the more interesting story lines was about an unplanned pregnancy, but the word "pregnant" was never used and the reader still knew exactly what was being discussed! Another term was "make love to", in this case though, it referred to courting, not the deed...many of the characters experienced cathartic moments and the detail of their thoughts and emotions made the story move along quickly. I also read a bio of Mrs. Keyes and found her writing an interesting juxtaposition with her attitudes as described in the bio...maybe it wasn't a very perceptive biography...but it was a fun read and interesting to know what "chick lit" was like in 1919!!

[Carrie Dalby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keyes's first novel, published in 1919. It was "contemporary" when it was written, but ahead of its time. Keyes never shies away from flawed characters, sin, and the aftermath, but this read lighter than her later novels. Shorter in length and more sweet than saga, though there is heartache. Enjoyed it and tears welled up a few times.

[Anila · Rating 4 out of 5]

The delights and anguishes of love sweetly captured, it perfectly blends the highs and lows that Life never fails to test us with... a timeless story of perseverance and optimism written.

[James McLellan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A long as lasting love

Frances Parkinson Keyes so aptly expressed and conveys in all these wonderful characters the building of an incredibly deep lasting love that is fashioned out of deep respect and desire to build a life built on the foundation of those mutual qualities that bring two people together in marriage. This, along with the family and traditions show us all what we need to strive for in life.

[Deborah S. Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Author

Characters with depth. A story of family and others that intersect with meaning and learning from one another . Sensitively told without judging, with kindness and mercy for human failings but also with goodness and integrity and the ability to grow and learn through life if we are willing.

[Sonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a sweet, old fashioned love story. I’ve read other books by Francis Parkinson Keyes, and enjoyed this one as much as all the rest!

[Hannah Sorley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! It’s just about everything I look for in a romance!

[Aubrey Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this one one of the most beautiful books I've ever read, such an amazing classic, shows what a Godly relationship is really suppose to be like, between friends & lovers.

[David Mock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful and Uplifting!

The characters in this charming story are real and the emotions they have are so true to life. I look forward to reading more of her books!