The UPSTART: A NOVEL

by Catherine Cookson

As a man who has clawed his way to the top in late nineteenth-century England, Samuel Fairbrother sees the purchase of a mansion on the outskirts of Fellburn as a fitting display of wealth, but his clashes with the disdainful butler Maitland almost destroy Samuel's family. 30,000 first printing.

Genres: Romance, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Chick Lit, Novels, British Literature

352 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1945

About the author

Catherine Cookson was born in Tyne Dock, the illegitimate daughter of a poverty-stricken woman, Kate, who Catherine believed was her older sister. Catherine began work in service but eventually moved south to Hastings, where she met and married Tom Cookson, a local grammar-school master.

Although she was originally acclaimed as a regional writer - her novel The Round Tower won the Winifred Holtby Award for the best regional novel of 1968 - her readership quickly spread throughout the world, and her many best-selling novels established her as one of the most popular contemporary woman novelist. She received an OBE in 1985, was created a Dame of the British Empire in 1993, and was appointed an Honorary Fellow of St Hilda's College, Oxford, in 1997.

For many years she lived near Newcastle upon Tyne.

Reviews

[Shirley Revill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing better than a seat by the fire, cup of hot chocolate and a Catherine Cookson. Bliss.

[Barbara Hawley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I fell in love with C Cookson when I was a teenager and still love her books. This is a good one!

[Suz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mum got me on to Catherine Cookson. I’d love to have reviewed this at the time. I do remember Samuel being a cocky thing! I have more Cookson here to read. Thanks mum!

[Lili · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read all of Catherine Cookson's books some years ago and enjoyed them immensley. I recently re-read all of them and find that on a second look I found them all so very predictable, and was rather disappointed. However I'm sure that it is my tastes that have changed not the calibre of her story telling.

[Lyndsey Gollogly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feels so strange reviewing a Catherine Cookson I’ve love her books from an early age and there is no better comfort read that her. This was a short read and reminded me just how much I love her writing.

[Cheryll · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great read from my favourite author :)

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

In some ways the characters were so unlikeable or poorly developed that you didn't care what happened to them. I really only got into caring about the storyline after a twist near the end.

[Shirley Dawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Catherine Cookson has really done well with this work. It is a really powerful story with some very good characterisation. The parents were unbelievably strict and cruel and the children suffered for their dreadful parenting. The main character, Janet, suffered extreme humiliation and cruel treatment but I really admired her strength and resilience whilst at the same time feeling such sympathy for her predicament.

This was a real page turner from the very first page to the last but I did find it a bit strange when Maitland, the butler, always happened to be in the room and privy to the family's personal matters!

[Renjay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Family Issues. That is the description of this book. I read The Upstart as part of a Book Challenge. 1800s aren't my preferred genre but this book was better than what I expected. It was not boring. Fans of historical fiction will enjoy it, if you want to get out of your reading comfort zone you may also enjoy it.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've enjoyed several of Cookson's novels, but this is not one of her best. There are some good bits in this odd story, but the romance was excessively drawn out and became exhausting. Other conflicts were never really resolved, but just rehashed ad nauseam throughout the entire narrative. Samuel, the clownish unreasonable patriarch, mostly indulged in insensible interactions toward his family and those issues did not settle in a meaningful way. Janet was an admirable personality, although a bit dim at times. Maitland was too good to be true. The secondary characters had little depth, were mostly unlikable, chaotic, and evoked little sympathy, so you didn't care what happened to them.

[Pattie · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I've ever read. Each character has their own depth, secrets, dreams, faults and pain....just as we all do, no matter their status in life and society. I highly recommend this book and other books by this author.

[Phylisha Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic tale about excessive ambition and climbing to the top of the heap leading to the disintergration of the family and family values. Classic read!

[Gautham Selvarajan · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started this book I did not expect it be this good. It was a very good reading experience. The growth of each character along story was great. Superb characterization. Overall a great read.

[Sandi · Rating 1 out of 5]

SO many words.

[Ami Nurlianti · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first Catherine Cookson book I read during isolation. The plots and the characters were interesting though wasn’t her best one.

[Helen Geng]

Read October 2020

[Faith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Det här är en ganska vidrig kärlekshistoria tyvärr

[A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good storyline.

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another smashing read from Catherine.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful story. Thoroughly enjoyed it from the first to last page.

[Angela Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read enjoyed the story have read & enjoyed many of her books quite nice to read her style after some larger novels.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic Catherine Cookson class struggles in late 1800's and early 1900's.

[Charley Lawrence · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story was quite obvious and I felt it was really dragged out, the story that was told over 400 pages could have been shortened by quite a lot- overall an ok read

[Ingrid Booij · Rating 3 out of 5]

Een aardig boek. Ik bleef wel lezen omdat het verhaal mij wel boeide.

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never tire of reading Catherine Cooksons books, this is my second time around with The Upstart, it's just as enjoyable as the first time in 2021 three years ago.

[Jane Payne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Catherine Cookson is one of my all time favourite authors and this beautifully written book is a great reason why . The characters are so real and the story is well told

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/10

[Shannon Magee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sadly it took me ages to get in to it. I didn’t really enjoy it. Which I was sad about these stories are normally my favourite to read.

[Sahra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Goed verhaal maar veel te langdradig en the age gap is disturbing

[Sue Burton · Rating 5 out of 5]

My goodness this took me back loved the author when I was young and still feel the same now I am older