What do you think?
Rate this book
The Governess
In early nineteenth century English countryside, a scandal-ridden woman is hired to take care of a grieving nobleman's children. This is a story of how she mends the family and regains her life. A moving introspective character analysis of lonely people living through emotional abuse, guilt and ageism.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
530 pages, Paperback
First published August 4, 2014
6 people are currently reading
670 people want to read
About the author
Noorilhuda
2 books137 followersNon-Fiction: https://www.scribd.com/noorilhuda
http://newslinemagazine.com/contribut...
Fiction:
- ‘The Governess’ (2014): Praised by Historical Novel Society, Midwest Book Review and Kindle Book Review U.S., the novel has done well in the UK where it's regularly picked up as an ebook & frequently lands in Top 100 Free lists (#1 in 'Death & Grief,' #2 in 'Religious & Inspirational Romance,' #13 in 'Parenting & Families'): http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00MF8BJQE
- ‘Catharsis’ (2015) received mixed reviews: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010IQSFN4
http://newslinemagazine.com/contribut...
Fiction:
- ‘The Governess’ (2014): Praised by Historical Novel Society, Midwest Book Review and Kindle Book Review U.S., the novel has done well in the UK where it's regularly picked up as an ebook & frequently lands in Top 100 Free lists (#1 in 'Death & Grief,' #2 in 'Religious & Inspirational Romance,' #13 in 'Parenting & Families'): http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00MF8BJQE
- ‘Catharsis’ (2015) received mixed reviews: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010IQSFN4
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
July 6, 2015
Ungoverned
Title: The Governess
Author: Noorilhuda
Genre: Historical Romance
Length: 90,000 words (estimated)
Reviewer: Pearson Moore
Rating: 2 stars
The Governess is a romance novel with relatively well-drawn characters and narrative in some sense reminiscent of historical romances. While a minimal level of historical research is occasionally evident, the story suffers from too-modern narrative and dialog and frequent technical errors indicative of poor editing and insufficient grounding in written English. Though I do not recommend this novel to aficionados of the historical romance, the story may have some appeal to readers looking for an interesting ensemble of character sketches.
Probably the most pleasant and surprising attribute of The Governess was the depth of character development and narrative color. The novel is almost entirely narrative, but the liveliness of the prose kept me reading and engaged in the meandering, interesting, and sometimes even fascinating thoughts of the characters and descriptions of their actions. The narrative was heavily influenced by the worldview of each character's point of view, and this was yet another factor that enriched the prose.
I found occasional period-appropriate historical detail woven into dialog and narrative, and this was also refreshing. Set in 1832 England, the pre-Victorian 'silver fork' era, the story had its characters debating the value and future prospects of the British Monarchy and making occasional references to events of the time. Unfortunately, most of these references were not appropriate to the period, and indicated insufficient research into the world of 1830s Great Britain.
Technical writing errors abounded. I counted 18 spelling, vocabulary, usage, or grammar errors in the first 30 pages. Errors continued to occur with a frequency of about one every other page throughout the novel, though after a couple of hundred pages I stopped recording them. Present tense verbs were confused with past tense, the vocative comma often went missing, so that in some cases I had to re-read a statement to hazard a guess at what the author was attempting to say.
Readers familiar with Regency and pre-Victorian romance literature are acquainted with some of the peculiarities of usage and syntax of the time. I checked several of my assessments of incorrect spelling, usage, vocabulary, and grammar against five early 19th century novels: Jane Eyre (1847), The Wife and Woman's Reward (1835), Mothers and Daughters (1831), Romances of Real Life (1829), and Sense and Sensibility (1811). Errors such as "She bid her to move across the room with slight of her handkerchief" (The Governess, p. 32) simply did not appear in any of the five novels I searched. An author of the time would have written "She bade her move across the room".
Some readers will believe I have been too exacting in my expectations of the novel. But even readers unfamiliar with the nuances of early nineteenth century English literature will recognize elements clearly out of place. For instance, every few pages we are treated to late 20th century titles that never appeared anywhere in the 19th century. E.g., from page 43: "Oh, it's Ms. Adams, Ms. Jane Adams, the new governess, just hired." Whenever a young woman is introduced, she is respectfully announced as "Ms. X". There was no "Ms." until the late 1960s. Another example: On page 84 we are told that a character has just received a telegram. Telegrams make regular appearances throughout the novel. Unfortunately, the first-ever telegraph was not built until 1838. Though telegraphs were used in the 1840s, they were employed almost exclusively by railroads. This expanded to military use in the 1850s and 1860s. Telegrams didn't become a regular part of affluent society until the late 1870s. After reading of telegrams flying all over in 1832 England, I sometimes cringed at the prospect of turning the page, fearing I would read about characters tuning the radio to their favorite program, or sitting down to watch television.
Connoisseurs of pre-Victorian literature understand a primary driver of witty dialog and, more importantly, the inner dilemma faced by characters, is the enormity of social constraint that must be figured into every thought and action. Handled well, this consideration of social expectation can bring about truly thought-provoking insights into characters and the difficulty of their position in the complicated social web. If a woman ever exclaimed "What the hell is going on in here?" (p. 58) she would have been challenged, brow-beaten, or possibly even physically punished. At the very least the characters around her would have been shocked at the inappropriate language. Turning again to literature of the time, I found not a single instance of this or any similar phrase. "What the hell is going on" is very much a 20th century expression, and would never have found its way into a young woman's thoughts or words. 20th century expressions abound in The Governess: "She had seen its cheap rip-offs" (p. 56), "Did Mr. Bennet find everything okay?" (p. 41), "He was incredibly attentive towards her" (p. 96), "She being a new mother had changed in her affections placing him second, while for him, she remained number one" (p. 96).
Whenever a wannabe writer asks about penning a novel, I try to discourage her. Brain surgery is easier, and janitorial work is more rewarding. But for those who insist on following the lonely and difficult road toward publication, many thousands of hours and many millions of words must be written before a story worthy of others' attention can find its way to the market, and then only after a dozen or more people from varied walks of life critique the work and give their input. The Governess probably should have gone through a process similar to this. Unfortunately, while interesting in some respects, I found the novel overall a severe disappointment, and I cannot recommend it to fans of the historical romance sub-genre, nor to readers in general. Readers seeking good character description, though, may find many pages of fitting entertainment worthy of their time.
I received a free copy of The Governess in exchange for an honest review.
2 Stars.
Title: The Governess
Author: Noorilhuda
Genre: Historical Romance
Length: 90,000 words (estimated)
Reviewer: Pearson Moore
Rating: 2 stars
The Governess is a romance novel with relatively well-drawn characters and narrative in some sense reminiscent of historical romances. While a minimal level of historical research is occasionally evident, the story suffers from too-modern narrative and dialog and frequent technical errors indicative of poor editing and insufficient grounding in written English. Though I do not recommend this novel to aficionados of the historical romance, the story may have some appeal to readers looking for an interesting ensemble of character sketches.
Probably the most pleasant and surprising attribute of The Governess was the depth of character development and narrative color. The novel is almost entirely narrative, but the liveliness of the prose kept me reading and engaged in the meandering, interesting, and sometimes even fascinating thoughts of the characters and descriptions of their actions. The narrative was heavily influenced by the worldview of each character's point of view, and this was yet another factor that enriched the prose.
I found occasional period-appropriate historical detail woven into dialog and narrative, and this was also refreshing. Set in 1832 England, the pre-Victorian 'silver fork' era, the story had its characters debating the value and future prospects of the British Monarchy and making occasional references to events of the time. Unfortunately, most of these references were not appropriate to the period, and indicated insufficient research into the world of 1830s Great Britain.
Technical writing errors abounded. I counted 18 spelling, vocabulary, usage, or grammar errors in the first 30 pages. Errors continued to occur with a frequency of about one every other page throughout the novel, though after a couple of hundred pages I stopped recording them. Present tense verbs were confused with past tense, the vocative comma often went missing, so that in some cases I had to re-read a statement to hazard a guess at what the author was attempting to say.
Readers familiar with Regency and pre-Victorian romance literature are acquainted with some of the peculiarities of usage and syntax of the time. I checked several of my assessments of incorrect spelling, usage, vocabulary, and grammar against five early 19th century novels: Jane Eyre (1847), The Wife and Woman's Reward (1835), Mothers and Daughters (1831), Romances of Real Life (1829), and Sense and Sensibility (1811). Errors such as "She bid her to move across the room with slight of her handkerchief" (The Governess, p. 32) simply did not appear in any of the five novels I searched. An author of the time would have written "She bade her move across the room".
Some readers will believe I have been too exacting in my expectations of the novel. But even readers unfamiliar with the nuances of early nineteenth century English literature will recognize elements clearly out of place. For instance, every few pages we are treated to late 20th century titles that never appeared anywhere in the 19th century. E.g., from page 43: "Oh, it's Ms. Adams, Ms. Jane Adams, the new governess, just hired." Whenever a young woman is introduced, she is respectfully announced as "Ms. X". There was no "Ms." until the late 1960s. Another example: On page 84 we are told that a character has just received a telegram. Telegrams make regular appearances throughout the novel. Unfortunately, the first-ever telegraph was not built until 1838. Though telegraphs were used in the 1840s, they were employed almost exclusively by railroads. This expanded to military use in the 1850s and 1860s. Telegrams didn't become a regular part of affluent society until the late 1870s. After reading of telegrams flying all over in 1832 England, I sometimes cringed at the prospect of turning the page, fearing I would read about characters tuning the radio to their favorite program, or sitting down to watch television.
Connoisseurs of pre-Victorian literature understand a primary driver of witty dialog and, more importantly, the inner dilemma faced by characters, is the enormity of social constraint that must be figured into every thought and action. Handled well, this consideration of social expectation can bring about truly thought-provoking insights into characters and the difficulty of their position in the complicated social web. If a woman ever exclaimed "What the hell is going on in here?" (p. 58) she would have been challenged, brow-beaten, or possibly even physically punished. At the very least the characters around her would have been shocked at the inappropriate language. Turning again to literature of the time, I found not a single instance of this or any similar phrase. "What the hell is going on" is very much a 20th century expression, and would never have found its way into a young woman's thoughts or words. 20th century expressions abound in The Governess: "She had seen its cheap rip-offs" (p. 56), "Did Mr. Bennet find everything okay?" (p. 41), "He was incredibly attentive towards her" (p. 96), "She being a new mother had changed in her affections placing him second, while for him, she remained number one" (p. 96).
Whenever a wannabe writer asks about penning a novel, I try to discourage her. Brain surgery is easier, and janitorial work is more rewarding. But for those who insist on following the lonely and difficult road toward publication, many thousands of hours and many millions of words must be written before a story worthy of others' attention can find its way to the market, and then only after a dozen or more people from varied walks of life critique the work and give their input. The Governess probably should have gone through a process similar to this. Unfortunately, while interesting in some respects, I found the novel overall a severe disappointment, and I cannot recommend it to fans of the historical romance sub-genre, nor to readers in general. Readers seeking good character description, though, may find many pages of fitting entertainment worthy of their time.
I received a free copy of The Governess in exchange for an honest review.
2 Stars.
November 25, 2014
The plot of The Governess evokes Jane Eyre, as other reviewers have mentioned. A young spinster named Jane, with a tragic history, takes up a post as a governess; melodrama ensues. Unfortunately the resemblance ends there. I found this book nearly impossible to read. The extended flashbacks and interior monologues make it hard to tell when we are in the present and when reliving Jane's troubled history with her father. Moreover, the language is extremely odd. Anachronisms abound (considering that it is set in the 19th century), and on every page there are numerous phrases that are grammatically or idiomatically incorrect.
I am unfortunately unable to recommend this book, and would advise the author to revise it thoroughly.
I am unfortunately unable to recommend this book, and would advise the author to revise it thoroughly.
May 19, 2016
Obviously, the author of The Governess likes literary style of Jane Austen. I personally did not mind, in fact the very plot of the story is well designed and the characters are very well fit into the period of Victorian England. The main character Jane must find a job to survive, because they all rejected after her husband drove out of the house. She goes out of his seat and submits a request to be a governess in the Cavendish family at the other end of England. Lady Cavendish accepts it because she liked its simple and honest approach, although its recommendations less than the other candidates. But soon rumors, prejudices and lies about Jane come to Chateaux.
I personally liked the book, but my only objection is that sometimes the characters too much thinking. In addition, the writer has managed to conjure up every detail of that time. Descriptions are excellent and all in all, the book is very good.
"Copy provided courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review."
I personally liked the book, but my only objection is that sometimes the characters too much thinking. In addition, the writer has managed to conjure up every detail of that time. Descriptions are excellent and all in all, the book is very good.
"Copy provided courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review."
October 29, 2014
The Governess
I want to be able to say “I read this book in one sitting.” I can’t truthfully say that because I read slowly and the book is long, three hundred seventeen pages on my Fire. I can say, though, that the author pulled me into the story and kept me so interested that I only put the book down because it was time for dinner or time for bed or because I had been reading so long that I was tired! I didn’t WANT to put it down!
The plot is rather straightforward. The story is set in nineteenth century England. Jane Adams has been accused of adultery, divorced by her husband, and disinherited by her father. With no money and no one willing to take her in, she is reduced to seeking employment as a governess. Lady Cavendish employs her in spite of her background, and her nephew, John Lockwood, the father of the children, continues to employ her in spite of letters from her former husband and his friends.
As the book progresses, it becomes obvious that things might not be as they seem. Jane does not behave like the woman described in the letters. John becomes suspicious of the husband’s motives. Divorce her, all right, he thinks, but why does he care if I employ her? Why try to ruin her life? Once she accumulates the funds, Jane goes to court to clear her reputation and to reclaim what is hers.
Both Nora and John want the return of what they have lost. Jane wants her old life back: her father, her work, her house. John wants the wife he had loved since they both were twelve years old. The world is such, though, that one cannot turn back a clock and retrieve the past.
One finds very little direct dialogue in the book. The story is told primarily through Jane’s thoughts, and the text reads as if the characters are thinking. People do not think in neat, simple, perfectly formed sentences, and the readers often finds long, sometimes rambling thoughts, with phrases strung together one after another. The effect is striking, and I found myself pulled along by the text.
The characters are strongly drawn. I felt as if I knew Jane and John, Nora, John’s mistress, and Mr. Pritchard, Jane’s former husband.
I loved Jane, and I wanted her to be happy. The author provided more than one means by which she might find happiness, and I wanted to know which, if any, she would experience. The conclusion is not obvious until the final pages.
I felt sorry for John, I was irritated by Nora, and I despised Mr. Pritchard.
This book is not a short, easy read, but it is well-worth your time. You will find the story to be captivating, in spite of its simplicity. You will cry with the characters, learn about human nature, and speculate on the meaning of life.
This is an excellent book!
I want to be able to say “I read this book in one sitting.” I can’t truthfully say that because I read slowly and the book is long, three hundred seventeen pages on my Fire. I can say, though, that the author pulled me into the story and kept me so interested that I only put the book down because it was time for dinner or time for bed or because I had been reading so long that I was tired! I didn’t WANT to put it down!
The plot is rather straightforward. The story is set in nineteenth century England. Jane Adams has been accused of adultery, divorced by her husband, and disinherited by her father. With no money and no one willing to take her in, she is reduced to seeking employment as a governess. Lady Cavendish employs her in spite of her background, and her nephew, John Lockwood, the father of the children, continues to employ her in spite of letters from her former husband and his friends.
As the book progresses, it becomes obvious that things might not be as they seem. Jane does not behave like the woman described in the letters. John becomes suspicious of the husband’s motives. Divorce her, all right, he thinks, but why does he care if I employ her? Why try to ruin her life? Once she accumulates the funds, Jane goes to court to clear her reputation and to reclaim what is hers.
Both Nora and John want the return of what they have lost. Jane wants her old life back: her father, her work, her house. John wants the wife he had loved since they both were twelve years old. The world is such, though, that one cannot turn back a clock and retrieve the past.
One finds very little direct dialogue in the book. The story is told primarily through Jane’s thoughts, and the text reads as if the characters are thinking. People do not think in neat, simple, perfectly formed sentences, and the readers often finds long, sometimes rambling thoughts, with phrases strung together one after another. The effect is striking, and I found myself pulled along by the text.
The characters are strongly drawn. I felt as if I knew Jane and John, Nora, John’s mistress, and Mr. Pritchard, Jane’s former husband.
I loved Jane, and I wanted her to be happy. The author provided more than one means by which she might find happiness, and I wanted to know which, if any, she would experience. The conclusion is not obvious until the final pages.
I felt sorry for John, I was irritated by Nora, and I despised Mr. Pritchard.
This book is not a short, easy read, but it is well-worth your time. You will find the story to be captivating, in spite of its simplicity. You will cry with the characters, learn about human nature, and speculate on the meaning of life.
This is an excellent book!
July 7, 2015
I enjoy the fact this book was written from a female perspective and a woman who has been deeply hurt and betrayed at that. I enjoy the introverted nature of the inner monologues. How the book skips in time can be a bit confusing or how the story changes setting and characters can sometimes be confusing. I enjoyed the fact the book was written in a very straight forward manner, but I at times missed beautiful metaphors and word challenges.
I felt that the moving around in the narration kind of isolated me from the main character. At first I really liked the main character’s narration she was lonely and depressed and had hit some bad luck, but then that was juxtaposed with people who were somewhat superficial and had more power and control over their lives and were maybe motivated by finical means or status, and it really created a contrast of two worlds for me, one of dark disappointing and depression and one of everything always goes our way with no fear, no worry, and happy merriment. And it made it harder for me to be engaged in the main character’s transgressions when the book came back to Jane about her life. When she was confronting the head master about him being a bad father that moment was really big for her character, but I was completely disengaged because part of me thought, who cares what she feels she is just a replaceable part of the kingdom and I had to gut check myself that the entire book is about her, she isn’t just a servant, she is the main character. So the difference in life style and perspective made it harder to sympathize with her accomplishments and struggles. It isn’t to say she doesn’t deserve compassion because she does, but in a world where money seems to be the loudest motivator it is hard to switch that perspective and sympathize with a character who is all heart. It is a shift in emotions and values that is not done effortlessly.
I also found it hard to believe that a hardened man who had disconnected emotionally from his children was shamed privately by a woman he paid for to take care of them, and then without resolving his lack of connection with his children or his undervaluing of other female’s emotions, fell in love with Jane and that was supposed to be some sort of accolade.
I felt the timing of his inner change was more connected to Jane’s sense of empowerment, character development and personal power, than anyone else’s.
The man was so dead to his children, I don’t even feel their accidental drowning would have mattered to him. They were sickly and ill the entire time and he never seemed to bat an eye. And the idea that Jane prompted this change in him, almost romantically as her own revenge of never having a voice of morality in her previous life, which lead to a relationship between them, just feels like a woman asserting her will into a man, than does it feel like two people who are dealing with their issues and being re-born as stronger individuals.
I think a tragedy of being a woman is finding your voice and empowerment after many psychological kind of entrapment in life and wrongful attachments just to realize your individuality and leadership often is isolating; it doesn’t attract men or change men or cause men to feel any differently than they have always felt. I think that is the disappointment in empowerment, that this book doesn’t really reflect, this book reflects the idea that a strong woman can change a man’s view of his children through having a heart felt argument and privately shaming him or saving him with very passionate view points, and I just don’t believe that is true.
Overall I enjoyed the book, I liked the fact it was a story that hit close to him to me personally and as the book continued it provided deeper human truths about people’s motivations and private thoughts that shed light I think in-directly to different philosophical perspectives. I enjoyed the main character the most, I don’t know if I genuinely liked anyone else, and I wish the book was just more about her and her redemption.
I felt that the moving around in the narration kind of isolated me from the main character. At first I really liked the main character’s narration she was lonely and depressed and had hit some bad luck, but then that was juxtaposed with people who were somewhat superficial and had more power and control over their lives and were maybe motivated by finical means or status, and it really created a contrast of two worlds for me, one of dark disappointing and depression and one of everything always goes our way with no fear, no worry, and happy merriment. And it made it harder for me to be engaged in the main character’s transgressions when the book came back to Jane about her life. When she was confronting the head master about him being a bad father that moment was really big for her character, but I was completely disengaged because part of me thought, who cares what she feels she is just a replaceable part of the kingdom and I had to gut check myself that the entire book is about her, she isn’t just a servant, she is the main character. So the difference in life style and perspective made it harder to sympathize with her accomplishments and struggles. It isn’t to say she doesn’t deserve compassion because she does, but in a world where money seems to be the loudest motivator it is hard to switch that perspective and sympathize with a character who is all heart. It is a shift in emotions and values that is not done effortlessly.
I also found it hard to believe that a hardened man who had disconnected emotionally from his children was shamed privately by a woman he paid for to take care of them, and then without resolving his lack of connection with his children or his undervaluing of other female’s emotions, fell in love with Jane and that was supposed to be some sort of accolade.
I felt the timing of his inner change was more connected to Jane’s sense of empowerment, character development and personal power, than anyone else’s.
The man was so dead to his children, I don’t even feel their accidental drowning would have mattered to him. They were sickly and ill the entire time and he never seemed to bat an eye. And the idea that Jane prompted this change in him, almost romantically as her own revenge of never having a voice of morality in her previous life, which lead to a relationship between them, just feels like a woman asserting her will into a man, than does it feel like two people who are dealing with their issues and being re-born as stronger individuals.
I think a tragedy of being a woman is finding your voice and empowerment after many psychological kind of entrapment in life and wrongful attachments just to realize your individuality and leadership often is isolating; it doesn’t attract men or change men or cause men to feel any differently than they have always felt. I think that is the disappointment in empowerment, that this book doesn’t really reflect, this book reflects the idea that a strong woman can change a man’s view of his children through having a heart felt argument and privately shaming him or saving him with very passionate view points, and I just don’t believe that is true.
Overall I enjoyed the book, I liked the fact it was a story that hit close to him to me personally and as the book continued it provided deeper human truths about people’s motivations and private thoughts that shed light I think in-directly to different philosophical perspectives. I enjoyed the main character the most, I don’t know if I genuinely liked anyone else, and I wish the book was just more about her and her redemption.
February 10, 2015
I am generally a fan of historical fiction, but I had a difficult time getting into this book. Much of the novel consists of internal thoughts and monologues. These long streams of consciousness make it difficult to distinguish when you are in the present and when you are experiencing a flashback. The story in very slow, not uncommon for this genre, however I found much of the beginning uninteresting and had to stop myself from skimming pages. I wanted to give up several times, but I pushed on through and am very glad I did. Once I got past the 35% mark, the story began to pick up and the characters drew me in. The long monologues were still distracting, but my emotional attachment to the characters made these more bearable.
All in all, it was an interesting story with characters you’ll come to love. Though slow to start, don’t give up on this novel.
All in all, it was an interesting story with characters you’ll come to love. Though slow to start, don’t give up on this novel.
July 11, 2015
This book has some very good things going for it. For instance, the author has a very good grasp of the English language and how to use it. The story is engaging, if a bit slow. And it seems to be pretty well researched for a period (or historical) novel.
We come into the story as Jane readies herself for an interview with an employer needing a Governess. We are told through backstory and introspection that she has been kicked out of her home, divorced by her husband and disowned by her father. All of her friends (save one it seems) have abandoned her and sided with her husband. She is left with nothing and if this interview doesn't go well, she has no idea what will happen to her.
If you want to know what happened to put Jane in this position, prepare yourself for a long, long wait. Truthfully I got a little put off with not being able to get a true feel for the main character until the middle of a pretty long book. Was she truly an unfaithful and horrible wife? What on earth would make a father who (according to all Jane's memories and thoughts--and there are a lot in this book!) loved his daughter unconditionally disown her because of a divorce, no matter how scandalous? Did she fall in love with the "other" man? Was she duped? What? What? But all we are given are glimpses and nothing concrete. So, as stated, we really don't know who or what Jane is until halfway into the book. This was frustrating for me.
The book also goes into people's minds. A lot. There are paragraphs that literally last for a page and a half while delving deep into why a character feels the way they do. (And some of these overly long paragraphs are strung together for pages upon pages.) This was a bit overwhelming for me. As a reader, I prefer to get my information about a character through action and dialogue, not long and tedious mind reads. Again, one reader's opinion only.
I will say that halfway through the book, it really does get quite interesting. I found myself reading the last half much faster than the first half, wanting to know how things turned out for Jane. I really enjoyed the character of the lawyer, Mr. Fox. He came across as a capable man with a bit of a sense of humor. It is interesting to note that he is one of the few characters that we weren't given a full mind read on. And yet I got more of a feel for him than some of the others. Like I stated, action and dialogue do really work for me.
All in all, the story is interesting and seems to be well researched as to time period. Overall, I liked the book (especially the last half).
We come into the story as Jane readies herself for an interview with an employer needing a Governess. We are told through backstory and introspection that she has been kicked out of her home, divorced by her husband and disowned by her father. All of her friends (save one it seems) have abandoned her and sided with her husband. She is left with nothing and if this interview doesn't go well, she has no idea what will happen to her.
If you want to know what happened to put Jane in this position, prepare yourself for a long, long wait. Truthfully I got a little put off with not being able to get a true feel for the main character until the middle of a pretty long book. Was she truly an unfaithful and horrible wife? What on earth would make a father who (according to all Jane's memories and thoughts--and there are a lot in this book!) loved his daughter unconditionally disown her because of a divorce, no matter how scandalous? Did she fall in love with the "other" man? Was she duped? What? What? But all we are given are glimpses and nothing concrete. So, as stated, we really don't know who or what Jane is until halfway into the book. This was frustrating for me.
The book also goes into people's minds. A lot. There are paragraphs that literally last for a page and a half while delving deep into why a character feels the way they do. (And some of these overly long paragraphs are strung together for pages upon pages.) This was a bit overwhelming for me. As a reader, I prefer to get my information about a character through action and dialogue, not long and tedious mind reads. Again, one reader's opinion only.
I will say that halfway through the book, it really does get quite interesting. I found myself reading the last half much faster than the first half, wanting to know how things turned out for Jane. I really enjoyed the character of the lawyer, Mr. Fox. He came across as a capable man with a bit of a sense of humor. It is interesting to note that he is one of the few characters that we weren't given a full mind read on. And yet I got more of a feel for him than some of the others. Like I stated, action and dialogue do really work for me.
All in all, the story is interesting and seems to be well researched as to time period. Overall, I liked the book (especially the last half).
March 3, 2015
“Jane was a proud woman.”
With Jane Adams, the author of “the governess” has created a nineteenth-century character who is a twenty-first century woman. Jane is a woman after my own heart, although I don’t know if I could have survived the maltreatment she received at the hands of her beastly husband. A smart and conniving social climber, he cheats Jane’s father out of his business, manipulates his will so his daughter will be disinherited, and throws him and Jane out of their house. Mr. Adams dies immediately, and Jane is alone and without income and possessions. Furthermore, her husband spreads lies about her in the community, and she is seen as a wanton and depraved woman.
Luckily, in a novel set in the nineteenth century an educated woman, which Jane is, succeeds in finding a position as a governess. The owner of the estate, an elderly lady, likes Jane very much. Even her complicated nephew, who is mourning his deceased wife while having a mistress and pays no attention to his three children, has to admit: “She knows who she is, that’s why she is never lost.”
Jane is not impressed by the “master “ John, whose children she is tending, yet how could she ultimately not fall in love with him (and he with her) as the reader hopes and expects. In general, Jane has a dim view of men and their attitudes toward women; this is what makes her so contemporary. “You the lot of you, you put women on a pedestal only to create an anomaly. … So in life as in literature… .” Jane loved to work in her father’s shop, she is smart and rational; in fact, she feels well qualified to compete in a man’s world. She is probably brighter than many of the men around her.
Noorilhuda’s long novel is a contemporary version of nineteenth-century realism. Those novelists go on and on, and so does she. But after a while, I began to resign myself to it and enjoy it, even though I have read so many nineteenth-century novels that lately I have stayed away from them, for the most part.
In noorilhuda’s version, both the man and the woman suffer; John primarily because of love, Jane only partially—she has other worries, such as getting her house and other possessions back. But both are amazingly introspective and analyze themselves and their situations at great length. Somehow, they survive this and there promises to be a happy end.
In her first novel, noorilhuda is ambitious and appealing. One hopes she will continue to write fiction.
With Jane Adams, the author of “the governess” has created a nineteenth-century character who is a twenty-first century woman. Jane is a woman after my own heart, although I don’t know if I could have survived the maltreatment she received at the hands of her beastly husband. A smart and conniving social climber, he cheats Jane’s father out of his business, manipulates his will so his daughter will be disinherited, and throws him and Jane out of their house. Mr. Adams dies immediately, and Jane is alone and without income and possessions. Furthermore, her husband spreads lies about her in the community, and she is seen as a wanton and depraved woman.
Luckily, in a novel set in the nineteenth century an educated woman, which Jane is, succeeds in finding a position as a governess. The owner of the estate, an elderly lady, likes Jane very much. Even her complicated nephew, who is mourning his deceased wife while having a mistress and pays no attention to his three children, has to admit: “She knows who she is, that’s why she is never lost.”
Jane is not impressed by the “master “ John, whose children she is tending, yet how could she ultimately not fall in love with him (and he with her) as the reader hopes and expects. In general, Jane has a dim view of men and their attitudes toward women; this is what makes her so contemporary. “You the lot of you, you put women on a pedestal only to create an anomaly. … So in life as in literature… .” Jane loved to work in her father’s shop, she is smart and rational; in fact, she feels well qualified to compete in a man’s world. She is probably brighter than many of the men around her.
Noorilhuda’s long novel is a contemporary version of nineteenth-century realism. Those novelists go on and on, and so does she. But after a while, I began to resign myself to it and enjoy it, even though I have read so many nineteenth-century novels that lately I have stayed away from them, for the most part.
In noorilhuda’s version, both the man and the woman suffer; John primarily because of love, Jane only partially—she has other worries, such as getting her house and other possessions back. But both are amazingly introspective and analyze themselves and their situations at great length. Somehow, they survive this and there promises to be a happy end.
In her first novel, noorilhuda is ambitious and appealing. One hopes she will continue to write fiction.
May 25, 2016
I received a free copy of the book in exchange for a non-reciprocal review. Whenever I read/review a book that is outside my normal genre, I try to overcome my natural bias and attempt to give the book the benefit of the doubt. The Governess is a Victorian era romance novel. The story centers around a disgraced woman struggling to survive without compromising her sense of integrity. Throughout the book, the detailed back-story of several characters are presented, usually with extensive dissection of each character’s thoughts. As each character’s mental state and history is presented in lengthy and exhaustive detail, a few common viewpoints and stereotypes appear.
In my opinion, this is where the book becomes difficult. I understand the need for therapy. I understand that for people who are recovering from abuse, this type of book may be cathartic. I don’t want to downplay the value of this type of book for those who desire it. Generally speaking, in this book, all men are horrible beasts, extremely selfish, and lack any admirable qualities. Women are all victims. Most of the women turn on one another, gossiping, slandering, and manipulating. The main character’s love interest is a philandering clueless idiot who hates his children. As hard as I tried, I could not like a single character in this book. I found the endless psychological examination of each and every character’s thought processes tedious, boring and pointless. These mental therapy sessions often go on for several pages. When I found a passage devoted to describing flowers, I felt that it was the high point of the story. For most of the book, the plot is minimal, serving as an excuse to have another therapy session. Not much happens throughout the first half of the book. It’s only in the last few chapters where the plot advances and the main character’s scum of the earth ex-husband is put on trial.
Beyond that, there are numerous times where modern day expressions, phrases, and idioms are dropped into the story. I found it jarring. While it is possible for an author to juxtapose seeming incongruities in order to make a point or create a mood, the usage of modern phrases was inconsistent and appeared accidental.
I readily admit that this book is not my usual cup of tea, so my perception of the book and my opinion of it may not match those of someone who regularly reads this genre. For those who do, (and especially for those who love to hate men), they may enjoy this book.
In my opinion, this is where the book becomes difficult. I understand the need for therapy. I understand that for people who are recovering from abuse, this type of book may be cathartic. I don’t want to downplay the value of this type of book for those who desire it. Generally speaking, in this book, all men are horrible beasts, extremely selfish, and lack any admirable qualities. Women are all victims. Most of the women turn on one another, gossiping, slandering, and manipulating. The main character’s love interest is a philandering clueless idiot who hates his children. As hard as I tried, I could not like a single character in this book. I found the endless psychological examination of each and every character’s thought processes tedious, boring and pointless. These mental therapy sessions often go on for several pages. When I found a passage devoted to describing flowers, I felt that it was the high point of the story. For most of the book, the plot is minimal, serving as an excuse to have another therapy session. Not much happens throughout the first half of the book. It’s only in the last few chapters where the plot advances and the main character’s scum of the earth ex-husband is put on trial.
Beyond that, there are numerous times where modern day expressions, phrases, and idioms are dropped into the story. I found it jarring. While it is possible for an author to juxtapose seeming incongruities in order to make a point or create a mood, the usage of modern phrases was inconsistent and appeared accidental.
I readily admit that this book is not my usual cup of tea, so my perception of the book and my opinion of it may not match those of someone who regularly reads this genre. For those who do, (and especially for those who love to hate men), they may enjoy this book.
July 20, 2015
I should start by saying I received a revised edition (July 2015) so some of the prior reviews complaining about grammar/spelling errors have had their complaints addressed. Either that, or I've suddenly forgotten the rules of English because I didn't find many errors in the book.
Not that I was looking...
Anyways, this is a review of The Governess by Noorilhuda.
When I was in college I read IT, by Stephen King. It's a long book and I was up half the night finishing it. It was exceptionally well written and very creative.
It also scared the crap out of me.
So I set it down and vowed to never pick up a Stephen King book again. However as I went through life whenever I met someone who was a fan of Stephen King novels I could intimately understand why. In fact I didn't understand why so many people bashed on Stephen King early in his career. He obviously could write, it just might not be to everyone's taste.
So that was that and I didn't think much more about it.
Until now.
The Governess is a long book, I was up half the night finishing it. It was very creative and exceptionally well written. However... the subject matter was somewhat dark, and depressive, and angsty. I felt like I was on suicide watch for half the novel. The parallels with my college reading experience of IT (not in style or substance just in quality of the story and my reaction) were many.
So this was an easy five stars.
You're not reading this review because you liked The Hobbit and want to know if there are halflings in The Governess. (Spoiler alert: there aren't) Instead you were probably attracted to the perioud/Victorian setting and the allure of a woman in peril. Except Jane wasn't really in peril, it was more like dire straits. Or the end of her rope. It's a premise that's been selling books since forever. The real question is, does The Governess deliver the goods?
And the answer is, of course yes.
The author is talented, writes in a unique voice that stands on its own, and creates a believable story-world with characters that come to life enough to keep you reading late into the night. Or at least it kept me. So if you like intelligent reads and don't mind a few stray razor marks that weren't on your arms the night before then you'll love The Governess. Highly recommended.
January 25, 2016
Having previously read Catharsis, a 'psychological thriller, mystery and suspense' novel, and learnt that Noorilhuda had also written a historical novel I had questioned whether it might be that she was better suited to historical fiction. The answer I can safely say being (in my opinion anyway) a resounding yes.
OK, so the book wasn't without its flaws. There were some typing/grammatical errors (which I am assured have been addressed). It wasn't without some 'historical' inaccuracies (ironically enough the use of the word 'Okay' being one of them) but then this is a work of fiction and as such surely some poetical licence is allowed. And the 'Americanisms' given that Jane (the governess of the title) was a nineteenth century English woman of some breeding could be irritating. BUT get past these and The Governess is actually an enjoyable read. The author speaking with some authority when it came to the central issues of love and loss, betrayal and redemption. The constraints felt by Jane (the governess of the title) because of her gender and class well observed, her struggles and triumphs (no matter how small) making for compelling reading.
Though not what I'd necessarily describe as a 'stream of consciousness' piece, the novel does rely heavily on inner thoughts and monologues. Not always something to my taste but it worked well enough here. However those who subscribe to 'less is more' when it comes to dialogue be warned you may well find the prose a tad tiresome, the lengthy introspection, the self absorption, the extended flashbacks distracting to the overall flow of the narrative.
Probably not one for the reader wanting an 'easy' historical romance. The strength in the story for me lying not so much in the period details but the social commentary, the psychological delvings into the characters (Jane in particular) and the fact that it had the makings of a great piece on early feminism.
Copyright: Tracy Terry @ Pen and Paper.
Disclaimer: Reviewed on behalf of the author, no financial compensation was asked for nor given.
OK, so the book wasn't without its flaws. There were some typing/grammatical errors (which I am assured have been addressed). It wasn't without some 'historical' inaccuracies (ironically enough the use of the word 'Okay' being one of them) but then this is a work of fiction and as such surely some poetical licence is allowed. And the 'Americanisms' given that Jane (the governess of the title) was a nineteenth century English woman of some breeding could be irritating. BUT get past these and The Governess is actually an enjoyable read. The author speaking with some authority when it came to the central issues of love and loss, betrayal and redemption. The constraints felt by Jane (the governess of the title) because of her gender and class well observed, her struggles and triumphs (no matter how small) making for compelling reading.
Though not what I'd necessarily describe as a 'stream of consciousness' piece, the novel does rely heavily on inner thoughts and monologues. Not always something to my taste but it worked well enough here. However those who subscribe to 'less is more' when it comes to dialogue be warned you may well find the prose a tad tiresome, the lengthy introspection, the self absorption, the extended flashbacks distracting to the overall flow of the narrative.
Probably not one for the reader wanting an 'easy' historical romance. The strength in the story for me lying not so much in the period details but the social commentary, the psychological delvings into the characters (Jane in particular) and the fact that it had the makings of a great piece on early feminism.
Copyright: Tracy Terry @ Pen and Paper.
Disclaimer: Reviewed on behalf of the author, no financial compensation was asked for nor given.
May 21, 2016
First of all, the writing here is very good. I see people complaining in some of the other reviews about bad grammar and poor writing, and I just didn’t see that at all. The prose here is a strength, so I have to assume that some previous version of this book was very different than the one I just read. In this version, the writing is all very smooth and easy to read. The language is elegant and evocative.
It is also a very emotionally complex book. There’s definitely a darkness here, and a cynicism that comes through. It’s very nuanced and subtle. The characters are fairly realistic with interesting motivations.
This is a book about psychology, about getting into people’s heads and understanding why they do things, and for this reason, we spend a great deal of time looking back in the rear-view mirror at the past, learning of events that occurred before the novel started.
In some ways, this works well, because the author is especially good at writing interior monologues. But it also slows things down quite a bit.
In fact, there were times when I felt like the exhaustive focus on backstory was slightly overwhelming, but this is aimed at fans of literary fiction, and exposition is a crucial part of any book in that category.
It’s not the sort of pacing I usually prefer, but many of the expository sections are extremely interesting, and all of them serve the purpose of revealing the needed information about the characters so that their actions later in the book become more intriguing.
Overall, I can recommend this book to fans of historical literary fiction with a focus on very deep character development. Those who are looking for a simple romance novel or any sort of light entertainment would do better looking elsewhere.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest, non-reciprocal review.
It is also a very emotionally complex book. There’s definitely a darkness here, and a cynicism that comes through. It’s very nuanced and subtle. The characters are fairly realistic with interesting motivations.
This is a book about psychology, about getting into people’s heads and understanding why they do things, and for this reason, we spend a great deal of time looking back in the rear-view mirror at the past, learning of events that occurred before the novel started.
In some ways, this works well, because the author is especially good at writing interior monologues. But it also slows things down quite a bit.
In fact, there were times when I felt like the exhaustive focus on backstory was slightly overwhelming, but this is aimed at fans of literary fiction, and exposition is a crucial part of any book in that category.
It’s not the sort of pacing I usually prefer, but many of the expository sections are extremely interesting, and all of them serve the purpose of revealing the needed information about the characters so that their actions later in the book become more intriguing.
Overall, I can recommend this book to fans of historical literary fiction with a focus on very deep character development. Those who are looking for a simple romance novel or any sort of light entertainment would do better looking elsewhere.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest, non-reciprocal review.
February 25, 2017
'The Governess' sort of reads like a pastiche of 19th Century "courtly" novels by Jane Austen and the Bronte Sisters. There's also a healthy dose of Hawthorne's 'The Scarlet Letter' thrown in there for good effect.
And, on its face, this seems like a wonderful amalgamation of influences and themes to meld together and explore. The shame and disgrace associated with being a woman of supposed ill repute in a society that values social status above all things is great fodder for a novel.
However, it doesn't quite seem to come together in 'The Governess.' It has all the above-mentioned pieces, but the problem is that the book seems to confuse internal monologue with storytelling. The main character, Jane, immediately tells the audience any and every necessary detail in exposition without finding a clever way to work it into dialogue, events, or character progression.
For example, rather than having people treat Jane a certain way and then Jane react, we are told without dialogue how she perceives them treating her, how it should have made her feel, and then, ultimately, how she felt. It's a basic problem of 'Show, don't tell,' and it is violated handily throughout the novel.
There is an entertaining and thoroughly interesting novel in here, but it seems like another pass or two with an editing pen would be needed to bring it out.
And, on its face, this seems like a wonderful amalgamation of influences and themes to meld together and explore. The shame and disgrace associated with being a woman of supposed ill repute in a society that values social status above all things is great fodder for a novel.
However, it doesn't quite seem to come together in 'The Governess.' It has all the above-mentioned pieces, but the problem is that the book seems to confuse internal monologue with storytelling. The main character, Jane, immediately tells the audience any and every necessary detail in exposition without finding a clever way to work it into dialogue, events, or character progression.
For example, rather than having people treat Jane a certain way and then Jane react, we are told without dialogue how she perceives them treating her, how it should have made her feel, and then, ultimately, how she felt. It's a basic problem of 'Show, don't tell,' and it is violated handily throughout the novel.
There is an entertaining and thoroughly interesting novel in here, but it seems like another pass or two with an editing pen would be needed to bring it out.
February 24, 2016
This is not an easy review to write, why? Well its all down to taste. If you like classic Victoriana with a good story then this is for you. If you want your read to be full of depth and soul searching then dive in, but if your preference is for fast moving action then there are passages in this book that will drive you to exasperation. As I said its a matter of choice as to what you like to read.
So, we have a woman wronged who seeks to get her life back together. She has the whole world against her for perceived disgraces relating to her broken marriage, but is given the chance to build her life once more and to fight for what is right. The writing is excellent, indeed it could have been written within the time period it is set in. The use of colloquialisms is knowledgeable and precise in its accuracy. not Downton Abbey so much as Upstairs Downstairs.
As I said, if you like to immerse yourself in classical Victoriana then this is a near perfect read.
So, we have a woman wronged who seeks to get her life back together. She has the whole world against her for perceived disgraces relating to her broken marriage, but is given the chance to build her life once more and to fight for what is right. The writing is excellent, indeed it could have been written within the time period it is set in. The use of colloquialisms is knowledgeable and precise in its accuracy. not Downton Abbey so much as Upstairs Downstairs.
As I said, if you like to immerse yourself in classical Victoriana then this is a near perfect read.
April 19, 2016
Set in 19th century Britain, The Governess's setting, characters (especially that of protagonist Jane Adams) and the circumstances surrounding them are reminiscent of literary classic Jane Eyre. Noorilhuda's Jane, upon receiving appointment as a governess, has the challenge of overcoming her meager station in life as well as a past that may affect her future social standing. She is also plagued by “The Voice” in her own head, which often berates her and reminds her of her past, troubled relationship with her father. Employed by Lady Cavendish, Jane sets out to accomplish this task, along the way thrown in the midst of mystery, more family troubles, and romance. This story will likely appeal to fans of other historical fiction novels, particularly those that enjoy a romantic end.
October 17, 2015
I read this book at the author's request.
There were too many grammatical errors. The book was too long. The main characters surely came close to death caused by too much thinking. There was too little dialogue. Jane and John, the main characters, did study their past relationships and were better persons for having done so. This book was a romance novel, so the hf readers might want to skip this one.
There were too many grammatical errors. The book was too long. The main characters surely came close to death caused by too much thinking. There was too little dialogue. Jane and John, the main characters, did study their past relationships and were better persons for having done so. This book was a romance novel, so the hf readers might want to skip this one.
December 19, 2014
Review: http://goo.gl/d6m58W
I personally found it a bit long, drawn out and boring. There's a story that's worth reading, and I think those who really enjoy reading historical fiction, and one set in this time period, will enjoy reading it. It has interesting lead characters and believable dialogues. Just it needs patience to not stop reading. Not the best, not the worst either.
I personally found it a bit long, drawn out and boring. There's a story that's worth reading, and I think those who really enjoy reading historical fiction, and one set in this time period, will enjoy reading it. It has interesting lead characters and believable dialogues. Just it needs patience to not stop reading. Not the best, not the worst either.
May 24, 2016
Long, drawn out and VERY boring!
December 10, 2017
Slow but interesting enough for me to finish. Interesting period detail.
December 1, 2015
I know that with my four-star review, I am going to go against popular opinion a bit, so I should begin by saying that I don’t know the author, have never spoken to her and never met her, and I didn’t receive a free copy. I am a verified purchaser, as you can see. I just happen to like the book.
Many of the bad reviews are based not on the book itself, but instead on the author’s personal behavior; I understand some reviewers felt she over-aggressively sought out readers, and they acknowledge that they gave it a low rating without even taking a look at the book. This kind of nonsense has nothing to do with whether this is a good or bad book, and in a fairer world, Amazon would delete ratings by reviewers who didn’t bother to read the book. (If everyone who hated Frederick Exley personally gave him one star, he would be a very low-rated author indeed.)
This is the story of Jane Adams, a young and allegedly scandalous woman in England around 1840, who secures a job as a governess while seeking to redress the fraud that caused her fall from society; it is part romance, part period piece (the sort of English society story that we love so much here in America), part social/feminist critique, and part legal drama. It is well-plotted and paced, well-characterized and, for much of the book, very well-written, elegant and beautiful and poetic. It is long, but its length and style are in keeping with the sort of book written in the first half of the 19th century, in which characters would normally write 20 page letters to each other (as they do in this novel as well). These were books in which readers would live for a month at a time, and the length is appropriate, as is the detailed inner life of the book’s characters, which some other readers have critiqued, short-sightedly (in my view). Noorilhuda has created a real and believable world, and I cared what happened to Jane.
However, while most of the book is very well-written, at a certain point, maybe a couple of hundred pages from the end, the writing just falls apart.
On page 484, she writes, “She had done the rudimentary sketching in her room but had been unable to go beyond the initial promise due to lack of time,” and I felt as though that is what happened with this book.
It is as though the author had nearly completed her second or third draft, and then just stopped rewriting and published. Anachronisms become more common and awkward paragraphs become more frequent than not. I still plowed on ahead, because by then I was too invested in the story to stop, but I became frustrated that a book that was so good, so lovely and moving, seemed to lose steam so precipitously in the prose and style department, though the plot and characterizations remained compelling.
The anachronisms involved quotations from things that happened later than the book, slang that didn’t exist at the time, and historically impossible events, for example: “there is no such thing as a second chance or a second Act” (a quote from Fitzgerald, written more than fifty years after the book takes place, and “Act” shouldn’t be capitalized); “she had verbal diarrhea”; “Ms. Adams” (this is how Jane is generally referred to by the other characters, although “Ms.” – a modern feminist combination of Miss and Mrs. – was not introduced until the 1950s, and didn’t come into frequent use until the 1970s); “frustrated at every road block” (roadblocks of course are a 20th century invention, and the metaphor followed); when one of her young charges becomes ill, the doctor prescribes cough syrup, which I understand didn’t exist in the early 19th century; a young woman is described as “a fine piece of meat”; there are a few references to telegrams, which were in very limited commercial use at the time, and not yet known by that term; she uses the contraction “alright” throughout the book, which was not introduced until much later; “He’s bonkers that’s what it is”; “say what?”; “humungous” (this is both a misspelling and an anachronism, as the word didn’t exist in the 19th century); “Good Grief!”; “livid” (this usage is 20th century); “he wanted that vim and zing and dip and pep!” (“pep” is 20th century usage”); “So here he was, free at last”; “They came out from the noisy chatter into the quaint side of the street near the bus station”; “you and karma have got a nice dodge going on”.
I thought that the awkward writing, poor grammar and punctuation also became frequent as the book progressed, along with the careless anachronisms. (And bear in mind that I though the first two-thirds of the book was very well-written.) Ellipses are used inconsistently and incorrectly. (The general rule is three ellipses in the middle of a sentence, four ellipses between sentences – she uses endless ellipses, inconsistently.) Comma usage stars to fail. Some of the passages are incomprehensible. (“She thought of the porous damned night.”) A courtroom scene that should be an emotional highlight is poorly written, although otherwise well-plotted. (The “court did break into an innocuous circus.” I just didn’t know what “an innocuous circus” is supposed to mean.)
I want to highlight three examples. This first passage occurs at a particularly dramatic moment, when Jane meets a villain from her past. It should be emotionally compelling but is instead awkwardly written and punctuated, and filled with spelling errors, and much of it I could not understand:
She had been practicing her slighting looks and sarcastic mask in her mind’s eye .... She wanted people to call him names, reproach him, pull him in all directions, confuse him with their poisonous touches, injure him into submission and regret, and uninhibited mindless unbearable pain .... She wanted the warden to pull his neatly cut hair together and ram the head against a wall. She wanted the woman with the carousal [sic] to jab him with it till he bled .... She wanted his legs to be cut in tiny little pieces by the butcher so that he crashed from the proud smirky pedastal [sic] he had created for himself. And then she wanted him to writhe and plead as epithets were nailed into the remaining parts of his humungous [sic] body.
An important death, which should also be emotionally devastating, is described by the attending physician as follows:
It takes a while for mouth to take note and follow and by the time it did, it was arrested at the moment it was open and not close [sic]. I checked the pupils and found them watery. This is a common occurrence, as whenever the heart seizes [sic] to work, the pain lets up the person’s eyes to water.
So instead of mourning the death – which really is awful, to be very clear about it, the sort of dramatic turn worthy of some of our greatest writers, and which should make at least some readers cry – we are distracted by the misspellings and the awkwardness of the prose, which could be so easily corrected.
Finally, the following excerpt, which I read repeatedly and just couldn’t figure out, begins chapter 9, and introduces the pivotal courtroom scene:
The heart beats to a certain pressure, the rhythm being numb or cranky, swinging to an icy measured finish or throbbing high note, always dense, always recurrent, always a witness to the many emotions that encapsulate the human experience, whether shock, dismay, fear, lethargy, indifference or romance. People are fools for seeking facial expressions; they would do better and have more faithful reliable results by judging the mere pulse. The invisible ticks can lay bare the false notes more readily than any cleanser, whack the pretense of a person’s feelings and somber reactions and make the decline of a man more transparent than any wound or medicine. There is a beat for every occasion, mood and nuance. Jane wished hers would not ramble so savagely.
While I found the conclusion really satisfying on an emotional level, and brilliant in its way, I couldn’t help noticing that the novel’s very last two-word sentence has a capitalization typo in it. When the last sentence of a book has a typo in it, you know that it has been rushed into print too soon.
This is really a five-star book just waiting to break out of its shell, and it maintains its quality for a good long run. The last couple hundred pages remain compelling but just need a redraft, a really thorough, sentence-by-sentence redraft. This is the kind of work and the kind of author we should be encouraging, someone filled with ideas, someone who can write a book that is such a terrific mix of old and new. One day I think Noorilhuda will be a very good author of a very good book.
Many of the bad reviews are based not on the book itself, but instead on the author’s personal behavior; I understand some reviewers felt she over-aggressively sought out readers, and they acknowledge that they gave it a low rating without even taking a look at the book. This kind of nonsense has nothing to do with whether this is a good or bad book, and in a fairer world, Amazon would delete ratings by reviewers who didn’t bother to read the book. (If everyone who hated Frederick Exley personally gave him one star, he would be a very low-rated author indeed.)
This is the story of Jane Adams, a young and allegedly scandalous woman in England around 1840, who secures a job as a governess while seeking to redress the fraud that caused her fall from society; it is part romance, part period piece (the sort of English society story that we love so much here in America), part social/feminist critique, and part legal drama. It is well-plotted and paced, well-characterized and, for much of the book, very well-written, elegant and beautiful and poetic. It is long, but its length and style are in keeping with the sort of book written in the first half of the 19th century, in which characters would normally write 20 page letters to each other (as they do in this novel as well). These were books in which readers would live for a month at a time, and the length is appropriate, as is the detailed inner life of the book’s characters, which some other readers have critiqued, short-sightedly (in my view). Noorilhuda has created a real and believable world, and I cared what happened to Jane.
However, while most of the book is very well-written, at a certain point, maybe a couple of hundred pages from the end, the writing just falls apart.
On page 484, she writes, “She had done the rudimentary sketching in her room but had been unable to go beyond the initial promise due to lack of time,” and I felt as though that is what happened with this book.
It is as though the author had nearly completed her second or third draft, and then just stopped rewriting and published. Anachronisms become more common and awkward paragraphs become more frequent than not. I still plowed on ahead, because by then I was too invested in the story to stop, but I became frustrated that a book that was so good, so lovely and moving, seemed to lose steam so precipitously in the prose and style department, though the plot and characterizations remained compelling.
The anachronisms involved quotations from things that happened later than the book, slang that didn’t exist at the time, and historically impossible events, for example: “there is no such thing as a second chance or a second Act” (a quote from Fitzgerald, written more than fifty years after the book takes place, and “Act” shouldn’t be capitalized); “she had verbal diarrhea”; “Ms. Adams” (this is how Jane is generally referred to by the other characters, although “Ms.” – a modern feminist combination of Miss and Mrs. – was not introduced until the 1950s, and didn’t come into frequent use until the 1970s); “frustrated at every road block” (roadblocks of course are a 20th century invention, and the metaphor followed); when one of her young charges becomes ill, the doctor prescribes cough syrup, which I understand didn’t exist in the early 19th century; a young woman is described as “a fine piece of meat”; there are a few references to telegrams, which were in very limited commercial use at the time, and not yet known by that term; she uses the contraction “alright” throughout the book, which was not introduced until much later; “He’s bonkers that’s what it is”; “say what?”; “humungous” (this is both a misspelling and an anachronism, as the word didn’t exist in the 19th century); “Good Grief!”; “livid” (this usage is 20th century); “he wanted that vim and zing and dip and pep!” (“pep” is 20th century usage”); “So here he was, free at last”; “They came out from the noisy chatter into the quaint side of the street near the bus station”; “you and karma have got a nice dodge going on”.
I thought that the awkward writing, poor grammar and punctuation also became frequent as the book progressed, along with the careless anachronisms. (And bear in mind that I though the first two-thirds of the book was very well-written.) Ellipses are used inconsistently and incorrectly. (The general rule is three ellipses in the middle of a sentence, four ellipses between sentences – she uses endless ellipses, inconsistently.) Comma usage stars to fail. Some of the passages are incomprehensible. (“She thought of the porous damned night.”) A courtroom scene that should be an emotional highlight is poorly written, although otherwise well-plotted. (The “court did break into an innocuous circus.” I just didn’t know what “an innocuous circus” is supposed to mean.)
I want to highlight three examples. This first passage occurs at a particularly dramatic moment, when Jane meets a villain from her past. It should be emotionally compelling but is instead awkwardly written and punctuated, and filled with spelling errors, and much of it I could not understand:
She had been practicing her slighting looks and sarcastic mask in her mind’s eye .... She wanted people to call him names, reproach him, pull him in all directions, confuse him with their poisonous touches, injure him into submission and regret, and uninhibited mindless unbearable pain .... She wanted the warden to pull his neatly cut hair together and ram the head against a wall. She wanted the woman with the carousal [sic] to jab him with it till he bled .... She wanted his legs to be cut in tiny little pieces by the butcher so that he crashed from the proud smirky pedastal [sic] he had created for himself. And then she wanted him to writhe and plead as epithets were nailed into the remaining parts of his humungous [sic] body.
An important death, which should also be emotionally devastating, is described by the attending physician as follows:
It takes a while for mouth to take note and follow and by the time it did, it was arrested at the moment it was open and not close [sic]. I checked the pupils and found them watery. This is a common occurrence, as whenever the heart seizes [sic] to work, the pain lets up the person’s eyes to water.
So instead of mourning the death – which really is awful, to be very clear about it, the sort of dramatic turn worthy of some of our greatest writers, and which should make at least some readers cry – we are distracted by the misspellings and the awkwardness of the prose, which could be so easily corrected.
Finally, the following excerpt, which I read repeatedly and just couldn’t figure out, begins chapter 9, and introduces the pivotal courtroom scene:
The heart beats to a certain pressure, the rhythm being numb or cranky, swinging to an icy measured finish or throbbing high note, always dense, always recurrent, always a witness to the many emotions that encapsulate the human experience, whether shock, dismay, fear, lethargy, indifference or romance. People are fools for seeking facial expressions; they would do better and have more faithful reliable results by judging the mere pulse. The invisible ticks can lay bare the false notes more readily than any cleanser, whack the pretense of a person’s feelings and somber reactions and make the decline of a man more transparent than any wound or medicine. There is a beat for every occasion, mood and nuance. Jane wished hers would not ramble so savagely.
While I found the conclusion really satisfying on an emotional level, and brilliant in its way, I couldn’t help noticing that the novel’s very last two-word sentence has a capitalization typo in it. When the last sentence of a book has a typo in it, you know that it has been rushed into print too soon.
This is really a five-star book just waiting to break out of its shell, and it maintains its quality for a good long run. The last couple hundred pages remain compelling but just need a redraft, a really thorough, sentence-by-sentence redraft. This is the kind of work and the kind of author we should be encouraging, someone filled with ideas, someone who can write a book that is such a terrific mix of old and new. One day I think Noorilhuda will be a very good author of a very good book.
December 13, 2014
The Governess tells the story of a young woman cast aside by her husband and forsaken by all who know her. It opens on the morning of a hard-won interview. Jane is haunted by a voice in her head that tries to undermine what little self-respect and confidence she still has. Despite her reputation and her inner struggles, she is hired and assumes the role of governess for a well-to-do, but broken family.
Let me start off by saying I really enjoyed this story. The people and their histories are thoroughly explored, but not all at once. Everything is revealed slowly, just enough to draw you further into the story. At first I was worried I'd lose interest, because it seems to take an incredibly long time for anything to happen. But, instead, I found myself more and more engrossed as the story progressed, leading to some very late nights the last few times I picked up the book.
The story is complex and weaves several subplots into the main one that follows Jane on her road to redemption and self actualization. The mystery surrounding Jane's scandal, the vindictiveness of her husband and those he's turned against her, the aging Aunt, the Master of the house and his undying, self destructive love for his deceased wife, the relationship between him and his mistress, and the hints of connection between the Master and Jane. This isn't a romance novel. It's an exploration of some very real, very difficult social situations. It's a lot to take on in a single story, but I think it is done very well.
On the downside, I must admit this story can be a bit convoluted and slow. The first chapter, for example, is long and full of Jane's recent history and struggles, yet in the live story, she only manages to dress herself. What I'm saying is don't go into the story expecting action and adventure. This is a story designed to be thought about, internalized and talked about. It doesn't go anywhere fast. The shifting perspectives can also be a bit confusing, at times reflecting memories and at others reflecting experiences and thoughts of people who are no longer alive during the time in which the story takes place.
Overall, I found this to be a wonderful story, though covering some difficult issues. I would recommend this mostly to those who prefer historical fiction, and in particular to those who might read this for a book club or buddy read. When I finished, I wanted to discuss it, but since I didn't know anyone else who had read it, I really didn't have any outlet. I want to talk about what I thought about the ending, but doing so would spoil it. So, I will hold my tongue and recommend this for others.
I received a copy of this book from the author in return for a review.
Let me start off by saying I really enjoyed this story. The people and their histories are thoroughly explored, but not all at once. Everything is revealed slowly, just enough to draw you further into the story. At first I was worried I'd lose interest, because it seems to take an incredibly long time for anything to happen. But, instead, I found myself more and more engrossed as the story progressed, leading to some very late nights the last few times I picked up the book.
The story is complex and weaves several subplots into the main one that follows Jane on her road to redemption and self actualization. The mystery surrounding Jane's scandal, the vindictiveness of her husband and those he's turned against her, the aging Aunt, the Master of the house and his undying, self destructive love for his deceased wife, the relationship between him and his mistress, and the hints of connection between the Master and Jane. This isn't a romance novel. It's an exploration of some very real, very difficult social situations. It's a lot to take on in a single story, but I think it is done very well.
On the downside, I must admit this story can be a bit convoluted and slow. The first chapter, for example, is long and full of Jane's recent history and struggles, yet in the live story, she only manages to dress herself. What I'm saying is don't go into the story expecting action and adventure. This is a story designed to be thought about, internalized and talked about. It doesn't go anywhere fast. The shifting perspectives can also be a bit confusing, at times reflecting memories and at others reflecting experiences and thoughts of people who are no longer alive during the time in which the story takes place.
Overall, I found this to be a wonderful story, though covering some difficult issues. I would recommend this mostly to those who prefer historical fiction, and in particular to those who might read this for a book club or buddy read. When I finished, I wanted to discuss it, but since I didn't know anyone else who had read it, I really didn't have any outlet. I want to talk about what I thought about the ending, but doing so would spoil it. So, I will hold my tongue and recommend this for others.
I received a copy of this book from the author in return for a review.
May 11, 2015
I have found it quite difficult to write this review, since i am very ambivalent concerning this book. In one sense, the story and the way it presents complex social situations, has great potential. But with a very meandering style of writing, the author doesn’t quite fulfill this potential.
We are introduced to the troubled woman Jane, who struggles with a tragic and emotional past in 19th century England. After being abandoned by her husband and father, she manages to land a position as a Governess for a well-off family.
After closely having gotten to know Jane, I can clearly sympathize with her, and even admire how alive she strikes me, along with many of the other central characters. This is the part that kept me reading and what I like most about “The Governess”: the character descriptions. In great depth and with a good amount of emotion we see their lives and secrets unfold in front of us. Since I grew so fond of how the author portrays the individuals in this typically old British setting, it sometimes felt like I more was reading out of an interest in understanding these persons even better, than an interest in the plot itself. I have to give credit to the female perspective; it felt very authentic and was overall quite beautiful.
I am not sure whether it was all the long inner monologues, or the sometimes very slow pace, which made it hardest for me to find the story much more than okay. Even though there was no lack of intrigue, the slow pace combined with one too many flashbacks made me quite confused from time to time. As others have commented, some of the vocabulary in the book is also not entirely likely to appear in early 19th century England.
My recommendations to the author would be to maybe shorten the story a bit, revise it for non-contemporary language, and finally increase the pace somewhat. With those changes made, I think the story (which as I said had great potential) would be given more justice.
In conclusion, if you are a big Jane Eyre-fan and you’re looking for resembling novels to quench your thirst for British 19th century intrigue, then this might be just the book for you. If not, I wouldn’t be too sure you would enjoy “The Governess” all too much in its current form.
We are introduced to the troubled woman Jane, who struggles with a tragic and emotional past in 19th century England. After being abandoned by her husband and father, she manages to land a position as a Governess for a well-off family.
After closely having gotten to know Jane, I can clearly sympathize with her, and even admire how alive she strikes me, along with many of the other central characters. This is the part that kept me reading and what I like most about “The Governess”: the character descriptions. In great depth and with a good amount of emotion we see their lives and secrets unfold in front of us. Since I grew so fond of how the author portrays the individuals in this typically old British setting, it sometimes felt like I more was reading out of an interest in understanding these persons even better, than an interest in the plot itself. I have to give credit to the female perspective; it felt very authentic and was overall quite beautiful.
I am not sure whether it was all the long inner monologues, or the sometimes very slow pace, which made it hardest for me to find the story much more than okay. Even though there was no lack of intrigue, the slow pace combined with one too many flashbacks made me quite confused from time to time. As others have commented, some of the vocabulary in the book is also not entirely likely to appear in early 19th century England.
My recommendations to the author would be to maybe shorten the story a bit, revise it for non-contemporary language, and finally increase the pace somewhat. With those changes made, I think the story (which as I said had great potential) would be given more justice.
In conclusion, if you are a big Jane Eyre-fan and you’re looking for resembling novels to quench your thirst for British 19th century intrigue, then this might be just the book for you. If not, I wouldn’t be too sure you would enjoy “The Governess” all too much in its current form.
February 23, 2019
Title: The Governess
Author: Noorilhuda
Length: 272 pages
Genre: Drama, Love Story, Fiction, Historical
My rating: 3/5
Summary:
The story is about a lady Jane Adams who applies for the job of a Governess of motherless kids. It’s her journey of how her past haunts her and the way she overcomes all the challenges. It’s also about the growing fondness between her and the widowed owner of house where she works.
My take:
I was offered this book by the author through booksirens. The story starts with the Jane giving interview for the post of the Governess in one of the known real estates, for 3 motherless kids. The description of the estate is very detailed and very vivid. Author didn’t leave any scope for the reader to imagine the surroundings.
The story then progresses to introduction of all the characters. It doesn’t stop at the descriptions but the history of all the characters is also detailed which could have easily avoided since they don’t progress the story rather hampers the pace of book.
The story is written from the third persons voice and after every scene there is a lot of theory or philosophy from the characters point of view. A lot of effort has gone in the characterisation which as per me could have been shortened.
Since the story takes place in the 1800’s it depicts certain aspects of law during that time. The progress that the world has made with regards to the law for safeguarding the rights of women is evidential. The journey of Jane is beautiful and so is the love between John and his deceased wife. The growing fondness between Jane and John is natural.
There are also some emotional scenes which does evoke emotions towards the characters. The ending is good but I was expecting a confrontation between the main characters after one revelation. That left me a bit disappointed. You tend to sympathise with both the protagonists.
Even though the story is great but the pace of the book is one thing which makes it a bit boring. This book is for people who enjoy slow paced book.
Author: Noorilhuda
Length: 272 pages
Genre: Drama, Love Story, Fiction, Historical
My rating: 3/5
Summary:
The story is about a lady Jane Adams who applies for the job of a Governess of motherless kids. It’s her journey of how her past haunts her and the way she overcomes all the challenges. It’s also about the growing fondness between her and the widowed owner of house where she works.
My take:
I was offered this book by the author through booksirens. The story starts with the Jane giving interview for the post of the Governess in one of the known real estates, for 3 motherless kids. The description of the estate is very detailed and very vivid. Author didn’t leave any scope for the reader to imagine the surroundings.
The story then progresses to introduction of all the characters. It doesn’t stop at the descriptions but the history of all the characters is also detailed which could have easily avoided since they don’t progress the story rather hampers the pace of book.
The story is written from the third persons voice and after every scene there is a lot of theory or philosophy from the characters point of view. A lot of effort has gone in the characterisation which as per me could have been shortened.
Since the story takes place in the 1800’s it depicts certain aspects of law during that time. The progress that the world has made with regards to the law for safeguarding the rights of women is evidential. The journey of Jane is beautiful and so is the love between John and his deceased wife. The growing fondness between Jane and John is natural.
There are also some emotional scenes which does evoke emotions towards the characters. The ending is good but I was expecting a confrontation between the main characters after one revelation. That left me a bit disappointed. You tend to sympathise with both the protagonists.
Even though the story is great but the pace of the book is one thing which makes it a bit boring. This book is for people who enjoy slow paced book.
December 29, 2015
The Governess tells the story of a young woman, disgraced and disowned by her husband after being accused of adultery. Jane Adams takes employment as a governess to the wealthy Cavendish family as she tries to restore herself and her place in society. Lady Cavendish hires the young woman, in spite of the scandal. Mr. Lockwood, her nephew and father of the children, agrees, though he is not without reservations considering her shame and the warnings of her former husband.
Set in 19th C England the story combines romance, historical storytelling and legal theater while also spinning a convincing tale of period feminism.
As a historical piece, the story is interesting and convincing. However, the book’s real strength lies in its characters. The writing is characterized by highly detailed descriptions of each member of the cast. There is very little speech. In depth histories of those characters contribute to the readability and immersion into the equally well developed setting. Those that prefer a less-is-more approach may find the prose overbearing. However, for those that enjoy deep storytelling from different angles, this story may surprise and delight. It seems each character is given the chance to relate their stories. Little is left up to the reader to guess or fill in.
The pacing of the story can be slow at times, but flows smoothly from scene to scene as Jane navigates both her position, her relationships and her court fight to clear her name.
At first blush the story seems very well researched and the author clearly has a good grasp of 19th C England. However, the author occasionally falls short in her narrative by including more modern or contemporary phrasings and elements. They can be jolting and wrecked some of my absorption in the story. For a historical novel, it would benefit from a thorough scrubbing of inconsistent language.
Set in 19th C England the story combines romance, historical storytelling and legal theater while also spinning a convincing tale of period feminism.
As a historical piece, the story is interesting and convincing. However, the book’s real strength lies in its characters. The writing is characterized by highly detailed descriptions of each member of the cast. There is very little speech. In depth histories of those characters contribute to the readability and immersion into the equally well developed setting. Those that prefer a less-is-more approach may find the prose overbearing. However, for those that enjoy deep storytelling from different angles, this story may surprise and delight. It seems each character is given the chance to relate their stories. Little is left up to the reader to guess or fill in.
The pacing of the story can be slow at times, but flows smoothly from scene to scene as Jane navigates both her position, her relationships and her court fight to clear her name.
At first blush the story seems very well researched and the author clearly has a good grasp of 19th C England. However, the author occasionally falls short in her narrative by including more modern or contemporary phrasings and elements. They can be jolting and wrecked some of my absorption in the story. For a historical novel, it would benefit from a thorough scrubbing of inconsistent language.
October 12, 2015
The Governess is a novel set in 19th century England and introduces the reader to Jane, a young, divorced woman who finds herself nearly penniless and working as a governess for a wealthy widower and his former wife’s aunt. As with many works in this genre the story moves slowly, being primarily narrative, but I found it to be a well-written and enjoyable story.
The reader gets to know Jane slowly and as her story unwinds, starts to guess that her misfortune is not of her own doing. The only child of a self-made business man, Jane marries the man who ingratiates himself to her father and who, at the outset, appears to be sincere in his love for her. Through numerous flashbacks, the reader learns the truth and sees Jane through on her eventual quest for justice.
With very little dialogue, The Governess takes a while to really get started and there are times when the story bogs down somewhat and the narrative seems to get too long. I worry that some may give up on the story and that would be a shame because, once it gets going, it is full of strongly created characters that draw the reader in to their lives and their emotions. The author has a flair for painting a picture with her words and I was impressed with her ability to draw on a deep vocabulary to never leave any doubt in the reader’s mind as to what she intended. There are a few instances of references or word usage that didn’t fit with the time period and these do detract somewhat from the story but, overall, an enjoyable read for fans of historical fiction.
I received a pdf copy of this book in exchange for in impartial review.
The reader gets to know Jane slowly and as her story unwinds, starts to guess that her misfortune is not of her own doing. The only child of a self-made business man, Jane marries the man who ingratiates himself to her father and who, at the outset, appears to be sincere in his love for her. Through numerous flashbacks, the reader learns the truth and sees Jane through on her eventual quest for justice.
With very little dialogue, The Governess takes a while to really get started and there are times when the story bogs down somewhat and the narrative seems to get too long. I worry that some may give up on the story and that would be a shame because, once it gets going, it is full of strongly created characters that draw the reader in to their lives and their emotions. The author has a flair for painting a picture with her words and I was impressed with her ability to draw on a deep vocabulary to never leave any doubt in the reader’s mind as to what she intended. There are a few instances of references or word usage that didn’t fit with the time period and these do detract somewhat from the story but, overall, an enjoyable read for fans of historical fiction.
I received a pdf copy of this book in exchange for in impartial review.
September 15, 2015
The Governess is a psychological sophisticated novel that plays in England during the Victorian era. The beginning is flawless and immediately captures the reader’s curiosity.
Two storylines revolve around Jane, the main character: her struggle to seek retribution against her abusive ex-husband and the life of a rich family on the countryside, where she finds a temporary haven as a governess. Accordingly, two tensions linger throughout the novel: the friction between the warmhearted Jane and stiff British folks as well as the pending resolve of her abuse that the author keeps in the twilight until the very end. Jane owes a complex, ambivalent character inherited from an uncommon upbringing that continuously rubs against the grain of the Victorian British type, who are paradoxically religious, but unfeeling and unsympathetic at the same time. This antagonism offers abundant food for conflicts, something the author exploits mercilessly to keep the story sizzling.
Don’t expect action, the novel is rather descriptive of the characters and their lives, but the narrative’s psychological depth makes up for that. I liked these bits of wisdom: ‘We lie for the peace and quiet that only lies can bring’, and ‘Men loved a mystery’ and ‘One does not truly grow up till one loses a loved one’.
I can recommend this novel to anyone, however, it still needs some polishing, therefore I settled for four stars.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Two storylines revolve around Jane, the main character: her struggle to seek retribution against her abusive ex-husband and the life of a rich family on the countryside, where she finds a temporary haven as a governess. Accordingly, two tensions linger throughout the novel: the friction between the warmhearted Jane and stiff British folks as well as the pending resolve of her abuse that the author keeps in the twilight until the very end. Jane owes a complex, ambivalent character inherited from an uncommon upbringing that continuously rubs against the grain of the Victorian British type, who are paradoxically religious, but unfeeling and unsympathetic at the same time. This antagonism offers abundant food for conflicts, something the author exploits mercilessly to keep the story sizzling.
Don’t expect action, the novel is rather descriptive of the characters and their lives, but the narrative’s psychological depth makes up for that. I liked these bits of wisdom: ‘We lie for the peace and quiet that only lies can bring’, and ‘Men loved a mystery’ and ‘One does not truly grow up till one loses a loved one’.
I can recommend this novel to anyone, however, it still needs some polishing, therefore I settled for four stars.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 26, 2016
This was not an easy read. The copy I received must have been an updated copy from previous reviews, as I did not notice any typos, but there were still things that did not make sense. I live in America, but have been to England. It is not the right climate for mango trees. There were also several American terms in the novel.
There are very long passages in the novel where we are being told what people are thinking. Even when people are just writing letters, it's less like a letter and more like they are speaking out loud to someone and telling them a long story. The characters are well fleshed out, but the ending did not make sense to me. Like before, all of the letters in this novel spanned over multiple pages on my kindle. The letter at the end was only one sentence and the response was equally brief. It was as if the novel needed an end, so there it was.
Also, I realize this is supposed to be fiction, but my understand of inheritance law at the time and place, there was no need to put Jane through what she was put through and the trial never would have taken place. Women did not own property at the time.
As far as writing and character development go, this is a great novel, but historically speaking, I had to dock it a few stars
There are very long passages in the novel where we are being told what people are thinking. Even when people are just writing letters, it's less like a letter and more like they are speaking out loud to someone and telling them a long story. The characters are well fleshed out, but the ending did not make sense to me. Like before, all of the letters in this novel spanned over multiple pages on my kindle. The letter at the end was only one sentence and the response was equally brief. It was as if the novel needed an end, so there it was.
Also, I realize this is supposed to be fiction, but my understand of inheritance law at the time and place, there was no need to put Jane through what she was put through and the trial never would have taken place. Women did not own property at the time.
As far as writing and character development go, this is a great novel, but historically speaking, I had to dock it a few stars
September 5, 2019
The Governess is the tale of a woman trying to start a new life in Victorian England. The characters are well-defined and the story has potential. The pacing was a little chaotic for my liking.
There are a times phrases and events jump out as incorrect for the era.
Overall, the story may appeal to readers who love the Victorian era, a riches to rags to riches trope, and in-depth character studies.
There are a times phrases and events jump out as incorrect for the era.
Overall, the story may appeal to readers who love the Victorian era, a riches to rags to riches trope, and in-depth character studies.
October 21, 2014
I enjoyed the dialogue in this book very much. When the characters were interacting I found it very engaging. Some of the inner thought and background sections seemed to stretch on a bit for me. However, overall I thoroughly enjoyed the novel!
June 10, 2021
An exploration of human experience, a brilliant weaving of art
As a tale that mirrors life it is an exploration of two horrors: death and betrayal, it is a credit to the author for planning and executing this work that demonstrates a candour that many think they have but fail to demonstrate. It is honest, brutal, engaging and lays out a conversation that is intelligent, philosophical, illustrating the best and worst of human nature while being so raw that it challenges us to read or to leave off.
Given the daunting task, the integrity of the creative intent is phenomenal and successful and the writer must be commended. One review claims it is not a romance but must every romance follow the path of editorial manipulation and escapism? Where humans pretend that the life presented is so much better than our own.
But one must address a thread of thought within, the goodness of man. It is not biblical as the text states as the bible demonstrates that all men have knowledge of good and evil and are subject to temptation. The goodness of man is a sociocultural and religious construct which is then used to uphold many false narratives upon which inherent prejudices are based. Indeed the book exposes this by illustration where men are rejected or accepted based on public sentiment based on perceptions of power, beauty, wealth.... and not on any genuine knowledge of good or evil. And so we come face to face with the dichotomy of human frailty, we are enthralled by appearances but we rarely examine the heart.
The text forces us inward by taking us on a journey that demands that the male protagonist face the truth about himself. The greatest tragedy of the text is that it reveals another human peculiarity the ability to see others and not ourselves. Jane's last monologue is shaped by anguish, pain and the fact that many things in life are outside the dominion of our own power. She assumes she has failed her father. Why? Are we fairies or magicians who are all powerful? Yet the text answers us: the social constraints to which her father was subjected limited his ability to see. He is both hero and victim.
I enjoyed it and will read it again. A treatise on the human experience beautiful and flawed and yet masterful in the demonstration of the craft. A writer for writers. WOW!
As a tale that mirrors life it is an exploration of two horrors: death and betrayal, it is a credit to the author for planning and executing this work that demonstrates a candour that many think they have but fail to demonstrate. It is honest, brutal, engaging and lays out a conversation that is intelligent, philosophical, illustrating the best and worst of human nature while being so raw that it challenges us to read or to leave off.
Given the daunting task, the integrity of the creative intent is phenomenal and successful and the writer must be commended. One review claims it is not a romance but must every romance follow the path of editorial manipulation and escapism? Where humans pretend that the life presented is so much better than our own.
But one must address a thread of thought within, the goodness of man. It is not biblical as the text states as the bible demonstrates that all men have knowledge of good and evil and are subject to temptation. The goodness of man is a sociocultural and religious construct which is then used to uphold many false narratives upon which inherent prejudices are based. Indeed the book exposes this by illustration where men are rejected or accepted based on public sentiment based on perceptions of power, beauty, wealth.... and not on any genuine knowledge of good or evil. And so we come face to face with the dichotomy of human frailty, we are enthralled by appearances but we rarely examine the heart.
The text forces us inward by taking us on a journey that demands that the male protagonist face the truth about himself. The greatest tragedy of the text is that it reveals another human peculiarity the ability to see others and not ourselves. Jane's last monologue is shaped by anguish, pain and the fact that many things in life are outside the dominion of our own power. She assumes she has failed her father. Why? Are we fairies or magicians who are all powerful? Yet the text answers us: the social constraints to which her father was subjected limited his ability to see. He is both hero and victim.
I enjoyed it and will read it again. A treatise on the human experience beautiful and flawed and yet masterful in the demonstration of the craft. A writer for writers. WOW!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews