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The Oxford Chronicles #1
Inklings
It's 1964 and young American Kate Hughes anticipates finding knowledge--and perhaps love--at Oxford University. She discovers possibilities in David MacKenzie, a young lecturer who carries on the legacy of his friend and mentor, C.S. Lewis. But conflict arises when she also catches the eye of the dashing Lord Stuart Devereux. Kate's heart is torn between the two men, and her convictions are challenged as her vulnerability draws her to a rendezvous she may regret. Sprinkled with allusions to classic English literature, references to C.S. Lewis, and an appearance from Professor J.R.R. Tolkien himself, this wonderful first novel unfolds with grace into an endearing story that will delight both devotees of The Inklings and readers of romance. This new Harvest House edition of Inklings contains the original novel and an all-new sequel titled Intentions.
408 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
October 19, 2008
I saw this reviewed in WORLD magazine when it first came out. As I recall, it was a flattering review, which makes me wonder: I thought the WORLD reviewers had higher literary standards than this.
Let me be frank: the writing is appallingly bad. It's a sweet idea (young American woman comes to study at Oxford shortly after C.S. Lewis's death, meets handsome tutor, falls in love), but I was first bothered that it had been billed as a must-have book for any Lewis/Tolkien fan, and yet it appears written for those who have little knowledge of either man. Certainly few readers who glory in the skilled prose of Tolkien or Lewis could consider this novel well written. Consider:
* Except for a few random references to the beehive hairstyle and the free love movement, there is little to identify the time period as being in the 1960s. It could as easily have believed it was a present-day setting. There was no feel for the time period, and little enough for the geographic location.
* It has a GLOSSARY. And not a glossary of esoteric terms one might find in a Oxford don's vocabulary, but words like "cuppa" and "cheerio". Not only that, but almost each word in said glossary is also is explained (very artificially) in the text.
* At one point David (the abnormally young Oxford don - could anyone really reach that position by the tender age of 25, anyway?) is talking Kate, who is supposedly quite the Lewis fan. He tells her about studying under Lewis, and at one point calls him Jack. "Jack?" she says. "I thought his name was Clive Staples!" Later he spends paragraphs telling her that Lewis lived in a house called the Kilns, married an American named Joy, and so forth. One has to believe that Kate would have known all this, so it must be a very clumsy attempt to get the information to the (apparently clueless) reader ... in a book marketed to Lewis fans.
* The author needs to learn the concept of "show, not tell."
* Most reviewers of this book seem so enamored of the fact that it's a romance that glorifies chastity and physical restraint in a relationship that they are willing to completely overlook the poor writing. Well yes, that sort of a relationship is a fabulous thing and certainly unusual in modern fiction. But I as a Christian have a problem with excusing bad writing just because the main characters make a commitment to save their first kiss until their wedding - or for any other moral issue. We as Christians should be producing better fiction (and art, movies, poetry) than the world. We should have higher standards and produce a superior product. We do ourselves no favors by churning out heavy-handed drivel like this. There is a way to weave morality naturally into a story: this isn't it. The whole book feels like nothing more than a platform for pushing the author's particular brand of courtship.
Let me be frank: the writing is appallingly bad. It's a sweet idea (young American woman comes to study at Oxford shortly after C.S. Lewis's death, meets handsome tutor, falls in love), but I was first bothered that it had been billed as a must-have book for any Lewis/Tolkien fan, and yet it appears written for those who have little knowledge of either man. Certainly few readers who glory in the skilled prose of Tolkien or Lewis could consider this novel well written. Consider:
* Except for a few random references to the beehive hairstyle and the free love movement, there is little to identify the time period as being in the 1960s. It could as easily have believed it was a present-day setting. There was no feel for the time period, and little enough for the geographic location.
* It has a GLOSSARY. And not a glossary of esoteric terms one might find in a Oxford don's vocabulary, but words like "cuppa" and "cheerio". Not only that, but almost each word in said glossary is also is explained (very artificially) in the text.
* At one point David (the abnormally young Oxford don - could anyone really reach that position by the tender age of 25, anyway?) is talking Kate, who is supposedly quite the Lewis fan. He tells her about studying under Lewis, and at one point calls him Jack. "Jack?" she says. "I thought his name was Clive Staples!" Later he spends paragraphs telling her that Lewis lived in a house called the Kilns, married an American named Joy, and so forth. One has to believe that Kate would have known all this, so it must be a very clumsy attempt to get the information to the (apparently clueless) reader ... in a book marketed to Lewis fans.
* The author needs to learn the concept of "show, not tell."
* Most reviewers of this book seem so enamored of the fact that it's a romance that glorifies chastity and physical restraint in a relationship that they are willing to completely overlook the poor writing. Well yes, that sort of a relationship is a fabulous thing and certainly unusual in modern fiction. But I as a Christian have a problem with excusing bad writing just because the main characters make a commitment to save their first kiss until their wedding - or for any other moral issue. We as Christians should be producing better fiction (and art, movies, poetry) than the world. We should have higher standards and produce a superior product. We do ourselves no favors by churning out heavy-handed drivel like this. There is a way to weave morality naturally into a story: this isn't it. The whole book feels like nothing more than a platform for pushing the author's particular brand of courtship.
August 16, 2022
4.5⭐
I stumbled across this book (series) while wandering aimlessly at my local used bookstore. And I am so happy that I did. I just finished book three in the trilogy and I absolutley adored the McKenzie family & friends. Books I'll definately reread in the future!
If you love C.S. Lewis & Tolkein I highly recommend!
I stumbled across this book (series) while wandering aimlessly at my local used bookstore. And I am so happy that I did. I just finished book three in the trilogy and I absolutley adored the McKenzie family & friends. Books I'll definately reread in the future!
If you love C.S. Lewis & Tolkein I highly recommend!
May 21, 2010
The trouble with this novel, other than that it is badly written, and is more of a sermon about how girls and boys should not kiss until their wedding day, is that the author has borrowed a beautiful setting (Oxford) and a beloved figure (C.S. Lewis) and his circle of friends, and an intellectual place (Oxford university) to write a completely un-intellectual, and rather simplistic novel.
Some who love this novel write in their reviews that it's charming to see chastity in a relationship. I am sure I agree. However, this novel has characters that announce their intentions clearly, are as artless as they are good, and who love truth and beauty, in theory, but haven't got a single interesting thing to say through the entire book.
The historical anecdotes are very nice. When the author relaxes into the tropes of romance, she is at least moderately readable. But when she ratchets up the Evangelical New-Speak, she descends into drivel. I must quote, I simply must. Only if she had actually put all the chapter and verse references in with the quotes from the Bible, could this novel have become less readable.
"I've been thinking a lot about the scripture in First Timothy that speaks of treating the younger women as sisters in all purity. Ever since my own sisters went off to college, I've thought about how I want them to be treated, and how I'd want to kill any bloke that lays a hand on them."
The passage from First Timothy is practically a character in the book. It is clearly the Author's voice, and it isn't subtle. There is a four page sermon on saving your first kiss for your wedding night, there are several examples of couples who have. I have nothing against that idea, but a novel is not the place to make a heavy-handed case for your ideas. Perhaps you could show, instead of telling people, how a gentle love that waits, and wants only the best for your beloved, is better than an attitude of "getting what you can get now". Surely there is a more artful way, as a Christian, of building this truth into a romantic novel, that can get the hearts of the female readers beating faster, while treating the younger women as "sisters, in all purity".
The author has sprinkled the text with enough"cheerios", and "pip-pip", "rubbish", and "bloke", to emulate British English well enough for a reader from the USA with absolutely *no* experience of reading British fiction. However if you have read anything at all, the dialogue will sound incredibly wooden, and fake. The biggest laugh here, is the glossary at the end, that explains words that I would have thought any author would be ashamed to pretend her readers were not familiar with. These words are all explained carefully in the text as well. As if nobody reading this book would know that "football" in England is called "soccer" in the USA.
It is to the author's credit that the novel's only mention of Catholicism, is not negative at all. I was gratified to read the following exchange:
"Is Mr Holmes a Christian?"
"Yes, Austen is. He's a Catholic like Mr. Tolkien, so he's a bit more mystical and private about his faith than an evangelical type like me."
Nevertheless, the whole rest of the book shows such a strong preference for American-Evangelical language, including giving things to God, and seeking God's will, and all kinds of prayer lingo.
It was interesting to be reminded of how earnest and well-meaning american evangelicals are, and how thoroughly they misunderstand Christians from the rest of the world, especially those who do not live within their american evangelical bubble.
But I would tolerate any amount of religious sentimentality, if it was accompanied by good writing. But it is not. The author has a degree in English, and is an English teacher. She has probably read a few hundred novels, and she must surely have some inkling, of how to write a novel. She does not follow these inklings, alas.
The sweetest parts of the story are the ones where the author has no point from her sermon notes to preach. When Kate goes to a ball with a young Lord of the realm, Kate enters into the moment, and I did too. But I was not able to enjoy that kind of escape as much as I would have liked to. As a great lover of the words of Lewis, Tolkien, and the Inklings, I had hoped this book might be one I could recommend to all my friends who love to read C.S. Lewis. Sadly, I can not.
Some who love this novel write in their reviews that it's charming to see chastity in a relationship. I am sure I agree. However, this novel has characters that announce their intentions clearly, are as artless as they are good, and who love truth and beauty, in theory, but haven't got a single interesting thing to say through the entire book.
The historical anecdotes are very nice. When the author relaxes into the tropes of romance, she is at least moderately readable. But when she ratchets up the Evangelical New-Speak, she descends into drivel. I must quote, I simply must. Only if she had actually put all the chapter and verse references in with the quotes from the Bible, could this novel have become less readable.
"I've been thinking a lot about the scripture in First Timothy that speaks of treating the younger women as sisters in all purity. Ever since my own sisters went off to college, I've thought about how I want them to be treated, and how I'd want to kill any bloke that lays a hand on them."
The passage from First Timothy is practically a character in the book. It is clearly the Author's voice, and it isn't subtle. There is a four page sermon on saving your first kiss for your wedding night, there are several examples of couples who have. I have nothing against that idea, but a novel is not the place to make a heavy-handed case for your ideas. Perhaps you could show, instead of telling people, how a gentle love that waits, and wants only the best for your beloved, is better than an attitude of "getting what you can get now". Surely there is a more artful way, as a Christian, of building this truth into a romantic novel, that can get the hearts of the female readers beating faster, while treating the younger women as "sisters, in all purity".
The author has sprinkled the text with enough"cheerios", and "pip-pip", "rubbish", and "bloke", to emulate British English well enough for a reader from the USA with absolutely *no* experience of reading British fiction. However if you have read anything at all, the dialogue will sound incredibly wooden, and fake. The biggest laugh here, is the glossary at the end, that explains words that I would have thought any author would be ashamed to pretend her readers were not familiar with. These words are all explained carefully in the text as well. As if nobody reading this book would know that "football" in England is called "soccer" in the USA.
It is to the author's credit that the novel's only mention of Catholicism, is not negative at all. I was gratified to read the following exchange:
"Is Mr Holmes a Christian?"
"Yes, Austen is. He's a Catholic like Mr. Tolkien, so he's a bit more mystical and private about his faith than an evangelical type like me."
Nevertheless, the whole rest of the book shows such a strong preference for American-Evangelical language, including giving things to God, and seeking God's will, and all kinds of prayer lingo.
It was interesting to be reminded of how earnest and well-meaning american evangelicals are, and how thoroughly they misunderstand Christians from the rest of the world, especially those who do not live within their american evangelical bubble.
But I would tolerate any amount of religious sentimentality, if it was accompanied by good writing. But it is not. The author has a degree in English, and is an English teacher. She has probably read a few hundred novels, and she must surely have some inkling, of how to write a novel. She does not follow these inklings, alas.
The sweetest parts of the story are the ones where the author has no point from her sermon notes to preach. When Kate goes to a ball with a young Lord of the realm, Kate enters into the moment, and I did too. But I was not able to enjoy that kind of escape as much as I would have liked to. As a great lover of the words of Lewis, Tolkien, and the Inklings, I had hoped this book might be one I could recommend to all my friends who love to read C.S. Lewis. Sadly, I can not.
April 22, 2022
Wholesome, engaging, and wonderfully satisfying. I don’t think I need to read book two! My favorite part however, is how well Jeschke handles physical attraction from a Biblical standpoint. Her lovable, if not romantically idealistic characters work to showcase how the process leading to marriage should look as well as the temptation and emotional trials that often accompany it. I was very impressed not only with her theology but her honesty and the catharsis I felt in reading about characters who feel the way I do. All in all it is a compelling novel certainly worth reading, and if you are a fan of classic literature and romance, such as myself, you won’t be disappointed.
November 26, 2014
Jeschke's degree as a travel writer is on showcase in this preachy and polemical fundamentalist romance set against the backdrop of 1960s Oxford. The book trades heavily on the names and celebrity of Tolkien and Lewis, who ultimately have little at all to do with the story, in which a chaste and virtuous Mary Sue listens for 200 pages to an endless, pedantic Christian indoctrination from her tutor before (spoiler warning) marrying him and living happily ever after in the bliss of a proper Christian wedlock.
You are in the target audience for the book if you are (a) a seriously observant Christian, (b) an ardent fan of C.S. Lewis who nevertheless doesn't engage very hard with his theological writing, and/or (c)a visitor to Oxford once upon a time, who would like the touristy sites described to you by a fellow tourist so you can nostalgically remember your time there.
I fall into the third category, and it's primarily in this capacity that I was able to finish the book, which is rich in its descriptions but appalling in its plot and characterization.
The best thing that can be said about this book is that Jeshcke's descriptions of the many beautiful locations of Oxford are vivid and accurate. She has been to most of the sites described here, and is eager to show the familiar reader just how well she knows the sites. Sometimes two characters talk back and forth about a place just so we can hear how much research the author has done on the location. It's a nice walk down memory lane for Oxford trippers, but one weighed down by wooden, unlikable characters and a pedantic tone that does not let up for a minute.
There is nothing inherently bad about evangelical fiction, of which this novel is an aggressive and unabashed example. Lewis's own Narnia chronicles were exactly this. But through craft, characterization, and a gift for storytelling, Lewis produced work that ultimately stood on its own whether or not you treated as an advert. Jeschke preaches to the converted throughout; the story is in essence one long commercial for the author's personal religious values as a pastor's wife descended from four generations of pastors' wives.
Aside from a profession of devotion, there is not even much theological depth to be had here, nor engagement with any of the challenges of Christian thought except whether or not to disappoint God by sleeping with a scientist. Lewis himself, I think, would have seen this as a wasted opportunity-- while Tolkien might simply have been frustrated by the one-dimensional treatment of the school he loved. We are told rather than shown that the male protagonist is Really Smart at English™, but we never see any sign of it save a handful of questionably imprecise Shakespeare quotes. There's not a word of Anglo-Saxon or Middle English in the book, nor anything else about the period that so influenced these scholars. That seems like an oversight when it comes to who these great writers were and why they were at Oxford in the first place.
Overall, the book is worth slogging through if you meet all three criteria for people who would enjoy it. But the depth just isn't there as a work of fiction in general, nor even as a work of Christian evangelist fiction in particular. There is better, more accomplished, more thoughtful Christian writing to be had; much of it, ironically, begins with Lewis himself.
You are in the target audience for the book if you are (a) a seriously observant Christian, (b) an ardent fan of C.S. Lewis who nevertheless doesn't engage very hard with his theological writing, and/or (c)a visitor to Oxford once upon a time, who would like the touristy sites described to you by a fellow tourist so you can nostalgically remember your time there.
I fall into the third category, and it's primarily in this capacity that I was able to finish the book, which is rich in its descriptions but appalling in its plot and characterization.
The best thing that can be said about this book is that Jeshcke's descriptions of the many beautiful locations of Oxford are vivid and accurate. She has been to most of the sites described here, and is eager to show the familiar reader just how well she knows the sites. Sometimes two characters talk back and forth about a place just so we can hear how much research the author has done on the location. It's a nice walk down memory lane for Oxford trippers, but one weighed down by wooden, unlikable characters and a pedantic tone that does not let up for a minute.
There is nothing inherently bad about evangelical fiction, of which this novel is an aggressive and unabashed example. Lewis's own Narnia chronicles were exactly this. But through craft, characterization, and a gift for storytelling, Lewis produced work that ultimately stood on its own whether or not you treated as an advert. Jeschke preaches to the converted throughout; the story is in essence one long commercial for the author's personal religious values as a pastor's wife descended from four generations of pastors' wives.
Aside from a profession of devotion, there is not even much theological depth to be had here, nor engagement with any of the challenges of Christian thought except whether or not to disappoint God by sleeping with a scientist. Lewis himself, I think, would have seen this as a wasted opportunity-- while Tolkien might simply have been frustrated by the one-dimensional treatment of the school he loved. We are told rather than shown that the male protagonist is Really Smart at English™, but we never see any sign of it save a handful of questionably imprecise Shakespeare quotes. There's not a word of Anglo-Saxon or Middle English in the book, nor anything else about the period that so influenced these scholars. That seems like an oversight when it comes to who these great writers were and why they were at Oxford in the first place.
Overall, the book is worth slogging through if you meet all three criteria for people who would enjoy it. But the depth just isn't there as a work of fiction in general, nor even as a work of Christian evangelist fiction in particular. There is better, more accomplished, more thoughtful Christian writing to be had; much of it, ironically, begins with Lewis himself.
October 15, 2008
I've read very little fiction this past year, not because I don't like it, but because I got hooked on Neil Postman books which led me down other rabbit trails. But in the midst of this l-o-n-g winter I found myself wanting/needing some light reading, and the book Inklings by Melanie M. Jeschke presented itself. I found it a very satisfactory diversion for several reasons.
First, I love C.S. Lewis and although the setting of the story picks up immediately after his death (mid 1960's), his influence and teaching lives on in the life of a young man he mentored (David MacKenzie). I loved the C.S. Lewis quotes sprinkled throughout and the well researched tidbits about his life that were woven into the reading. I also relished walking the Oxford campus and experiencing it vicariously through the eyes of a young American student who was studying there, Kate Hughes. I think my mid-winter doldrums matched the way she sometimes felt as she learned to live with the rainy weather of England!
This was a romance story, and admittedly the plot was not anything out of the ordinary. But there were many elements to enjoy nonetheless: the exhilaration of finding the life partner of God's choosing, the struggles entailed in blending lives from two different cultures, and the issue of pre-marital purity. The author managed to make the commitment to purity appear reasonable and honorable, when it could have just as easily looked prudish and old-fashioned.
I would not hesitate to hand this book to a teenager because it reinforces high standards in a relationship without making it look too easy.
I enjoyed this novel, which was a first for pastor's wife/homeschool Mom Melanie M. Jeschke. In fact, I straightaway ordered the whole trilogy to place on our book table at the upcoming woman's retreat. I tend to put "heavy" books on the table most years, and I think the ladies will enjoy the pages of a sweet, English, C.S. Lewis tinged romance as much as I did.
First, I love C.S. Lewis and although the setting of the story picks up immediately after his death (mid 1960's), his influence and teaching lives on in the life of a young man he mentored (David MacKenzie). I loved the C.S. Lewis quotes sprinkled throughout and the well researched tidbits about his life that were woven into the reading. I also relished walking the Oxford campus and experiencing it vicariously through the eyes of a young American student who was studying there, Kate Hughes. I think my mid-winter doldrums matched the way she sometimes felt as she learned to live with the rainy weather of England!
This was a romance story, and admittedly the plot was not anything out of the ordinary. But there were many elements to enjoy nonetheless: the exhilaration of finding the life partner of God's choosing, the struggles entailed in blending lives from two different cultures, and the issue of pre-marital purity. The author managed to make the commitment to purity appear reasonable and honorable, when it could have just as easily looked prudish and old-fashioned.
I would not hesitate to hand this book to a teenager because it reinforces high standards in a relationship without making it look too easy.
I enjoyed this novel, which was a first for pastor's wife/homeschool Mom Melanie M. Jeschke. In fact, I straightaway ordered the whole trilogy to place on our book table at the upcoming woman's retreat. I tend to put "heavy" books on the table most years, and I think the ladies will enjoy the pages of a sweet, English, C.S. Lewis tinged romance as much as I did.
April 5, 2010
i just finished reading this book for the 2nd time. I had originally found it in the library and read it, and found it to be fascinating. But then i couldn't continue the series because other individuals always had the 2nd and 3rd books out. The first part of this book (its written in two parts...might have been better if they were seperate books because they certainly seem to be written in two seperate tones) i found to be the most intriguing. I have never had such a desire to hop on a plan straightaway for England as i did in the first couple chapters of this book. I wanted to visit all the haunts of the former Inklings and see Cambridge and Oxford, and visit all the places talked about in the book. I also wanted to read everything ever written by Tolkien and Lewis. it was that good. i am looking forward to what the next two books have in store for me. i have bought the second book and then must find the third one.
i found the first part of the book to be much more relatable for me then the 2nd half. I'm not sure why i didn't enjoy it as much, it seemed to be perhaps a bit more forced with emotion. or perhaps i felt that i had come to know the characters so well in the first book that i didn't believe some of their actions and reactions in the 2nd book. Ms Jeschke does do a good job at painting 1960's England. and she also gives a glossery in the back of the book of some of the British terms made use of that might be unfamiliar to the reader. I believe that part one of this book is something that i could read over and over again. i definately would still give it the 5 star review i had given it previously.
oh and the Inkling's were a group of writers who would meet together in a pub and discuss writing and have discussions. this book reflects on a group of individuals who take up their ideas and discuss great works, including those of the 'original' group.
i found the first part of the book to be much more relatable for me then the 2nd half. I'm not sure why i didn't enjoy it as much, it seemed to be perhaps a bit more forced with emotion. or perhaps i felt that i had come to know the characters so well in the first book that i didn't believe some of their actions and reactions in the 2nd book. Ms Jeschke does do a good job at painting 1960's England. and she also gives a glossery in the back of the book of some of the British terms made use of that might be unfamiliar to the reader. I believe that part one of this book is something that i could read over and over again. i definately would still give it the 5 star review i had given it previously.
oh and the Inkling's were a group of writers who would meet together in a pub and discuss writing and have discussions. this book reflects on a group of individuals who take up their ideas and discuss great works, including those of the 'original' group.
January 10, 2011
I hate to add the disclaimer of "For Christian fiction..." but honestly, I've read a lot of it and have been impressed by little of it in its relevancy. However...for Christian fiction, this is a pretty good book! It's always nice to see an author really do the research necessary for a time-period novel (even though this is set in the 1960s...not quite as far removed as some)and one that references so many literary and historical figures. I was slightly put-off by some of the more extreme Christian notions in the book (i.e., not kissing until the wedding day), but the author provides valid reasons for characters' notions of such extreme purity. She also does a wonderful job of making it clear that it's a character's choice, not necessarily something that all couples should strive for.
It definitely made me look over at my husband and smile while reading and feel thankful that I have a man who shares my faith and understands the struggles of being a Christian when it's so easy to act in the ways of the world. Don't get me wrong, though -- the book is not "preachy" at all. But it very much is Christian fiction.
There are many very fun and educational references to the "Inklings" society, which included C.S. Lewis (a favorite of mine) and J.R.R. Tolkien. Fans of each would enjoy this book, I think. I will most likely try the other novels in the "Oxford Chronicles" as well.
It definitely made me look over at my husband and smile while reading and feel thankful that I have a man who shares my faith and understands the struggles of being a Christian when it's so easy to act in the ways of the world. Don't get me wrong, though -- the book is not "preachy" at all. But it very much is Christian fiction.
There are many very fun and educational references to the "Inklings" society, which included C.S. Lewis (a favorite of mine) and J.R.R. Tolkien. Fans of each would enjoy this book, I think. I will most likely try the other novels in the "Oxford Chronicles" as well.
August 24, 2008
Isn't it refreshing to find a book which does not glorify promiscuity, which actually advocates sweetness and love? There are other books,like On Chesil Beach, for instance, which contain sexual references and are, indeed, also worthy of praise for their thoughtfulness and writing. However, this is the only book I've read that eschews the modern seemingly requisite trashiness that's found so often in novels.
The writing here is a bit amateurish, but what do I care? It's a great idea for a story sweetly done.
I actually found some of the writing humorous where it wasn't meant to be. And it could use some pizazz in its structure and sentence construction. However, the concept is so great - an American goes to Oxford University, meets a new Inklings group, and falls in love - that the writing can be forgiven and a reader can be thankful the book somehow made it into print given today's stinky narrative/content standards
The writing here is a bit amateurish, but what do I care? It's a great idea for a story sweetly done.
I actually found some of the writing humorous where it wasn't meant to be. And it could use some pizazz in its structure and sentence construction. However, the concept is so great - an American goes to Oxford University, meets a new Inklings group, and falls in love - that the writing can be forgiven and a reader can be thankful the book somehow made it into print given today's stinky narrative/content standards
December 27, 2021
I liked the first half of the book with information about Oxford and Cambridge and students getting an education. I didn't like the part about how silly the male character was on how he wanted to remain pure before their wedding yet continued to spend time in the home of his former girlfriend. It made no sense that he could understand the Bible and how God wants to have each person remain away from sex before marriage, yet he visited an unmarried woman and his former girlfriend at all hours of the night (due to her fake illness) and never thought to bring another person with him to keep all people knowing what was going on. second half of book was a big disappointment. I think author knew it would be otherwise why give second half of the book another title: Intensions.
August 16, 2010
I found this book preachy, ill-written and plain annoying. It wasn't at all realistic. I should've listened to the other goodreads reviews before wasting my time on this book. Just to clarify, this book is not immoral and I don't think it will hurt anyone who reads it (besides lowering their standard of good literature) but I consider it a waste of your time. There are so many clean books out there, don't stoop to this books level.
December 4, 2017
When I found this book, I expected it to be a sort of academic story involving C. S. Lewis. Instead it was light Christian fiction for women, but that was okay. The fact that I had the opportunity to visit Oxford earlier this year made this book very enjoyable to me. The story was sweet and many places I visited were referenced. I will definitely read the sequel.
June 26, 2023
I think other reviewers critiques of this book are similar to ones I would have. I loved the Oxford University setting and many references to literature and C.S. Lewis, but there's a reason that I read less and less Christian fiction as a genre once I discovered the classics. So much of the time it felt like 1990s American sermon points inserted as dialogue, which falls flat even if you agree with the sermon points. It felt more like the way Christians in the southern United States would speak as opposed to Christians in 1960s Oxford.
I also felt very frustrated with the male lead throughout the second half of the book. He preached to his fiancee way too much when he should have been listening to her instincts. As with every book, it will be enjoyed by some and disliked by others. :)
I also felt very frustrated with the male lead throughout the second half of the book. He preached to his fiancee way too much when he should have been listening to her instincts. As with every book, it will be enjoyed by some and disliked by others. :)
December 7, 2017
Love this book! Super sweet and an easy weekend read!
November 21, 2023
My rating is probably closer to 2.5 stars. I loved the Oxford setting and all the classic literature references. The storyline was interesting, but it was definitely cheesy and not very realistic. Parts of it I really enjoyed and other parts were terribly annoying.
September 14, 2016
I picked this book up in the library because I was attracted by the title. I'm a fan of the Inklings, so I was curious about the book. The blurb said it was set in C.S. Lewis's and Tolkien's Oxford. But it turns out to be a trashy romance, and reads like fan fiction, a fan of the Inklings trying to write a romantic novel like Jane Austen, only without the humour.
I very nearly stopped reading after the prologue.
The stilted dialogue, the preachiness, put me off. It was so twee. A student with a crush on her tutor in 1960s Oxford. Even if it did refer to the Inklings, and was set in places familiar to them, it was badly written, at times even embarrassingly so. But I read on, and discovered that though it may be inauthentic and phony, it is as inauthentic and phony as real life.
It is set in Oxford in 1964, a year after the death of C.S. Lewis. If he had read it, perhaps he would have cringed as much as I did. But then I thought back, because at that time I was a student, and recalled the kinds of conversations that we had, the kinds of concerns that we had, and realised that it was true to life. We had crushes and unrequited love like the characters in the book. Our minds wandered in lectures and tutorials with thoughts of "She loves me/she loves me not". And we did it all without the wit of Jane Austen or the depth of thought of the Inklings, much as we admired them.
Well, in 1964 I had not heard of the Inklings, nor of J.R.R. Tolkien, but I had read, and liked, the novels of C.S. Lewis and Charles Williams, though, unlike the characters in this story, our English lecturers despised them, and would rather we turned our attention to writers like D.H. Lawrence and H.W.D. Manson.
But even when cringing at the stilted conversation in the prologue, I had to recall that I admired their project for a latter-day Inklings, and indeed even tried to form such a thing myself, if only on the Internet. So for many of the objectiosn to the book, I could find an excuse. There was a sense in which it was realistic and true to life. Real life conversations and situations are often as banal and stilted and silly as this.
But the excuses could not quite cover the bad writing, and the book did not live up to the title, which was what had attracted me to it in the first place.
It is an American author writing about English universities, and so she provides a glossary of English terms for American readers, But "cheerio" sounds more like 1940s slang than that of the 1960s, and the author does not seem to be aware that an academic gown is a gown and not a "robe". English people are more likely to say "I'd like you to" do something than "I'd like for you to" do something. In England a "vest" is an undergarment, and so on.
As a romance novel it was not up to the standard of Jane Austen or Georgette Heyer. It was more in the Barbara Cartland or Mills & Boon class. I could just make it to the end of the first part, which covered the heroine's first term at Oxford. The next part was too much, and I began skipping pages, and then whole chapters and finally reading the first couple of sentences of each chapter to see if there was anything new.
Fan fiction can sometimes be worth reading, I've sometimes urged people to write something in the same genre as one or other of the Inklings. But I don't recall any of them writing in the Mills & Boon genre like this.
I very nearly stopped reading after the prologue.
The stilted dialogue, the preachiness, put me off. It was so twee. A student with a crush on her tutor in 1960s Oxford. Even if it did refer to the Inklings, and was set in places familiar to them, it was badly written, at times even embarrassingly so. But I read on, and discovered that though it may be inauthentic and phony, it is as inauthentic and phony as real life.
It is set in Oxford in 1964, a year after the death of C.S. Lewis. If he had read it, perhaps he would have cringed as much as I did. But then I thought back, because at that time I was a student, and recalled the kinds of conversations that we had, the kinds of concerns that we had, and realised that it was true to life. We had crushes and unrequited love like the characters in the book. Our minds wandered in lectures and tutorials with thoughts of "She loves me/she loves me not". And we did it all without the wit of Jane Austen or the depth of thought of the Inklings, much as we admired them.
Well, in 1964 I had not heard of the Inklings, nor of J.R.R. Tolkien, but I had read, and liked, the novels of C.S. Lewis and Charles Williams, though, unlike the characters in this story, our English lecturers despised them, and would rather we turned our attention to writers like D.H. Lawrence and H.W.D. Manson.
But even when cringing at the stilted conversation in the prologue, I had to recall that I admired their project for a latter-day Inklings, and indeed even tried to form such a thing myself, if only on the Internet. So for many of the objectiosn to the book, I could find an excuse. There was a sense in which it was realistic and true to life. Real life conversations and situations are often as banal and stilted and silly as this.
But the excuses could not quite cover the bad writing, and the book did not live up to the title, which was what had attracted me to it in the first place.
It is an American author writing about English universities, and so she provides a glossary of English terms for American readers, But "cheerio" sounds more like 1940s slang than that of the 1960s, and the author does not seem to be aware that an academic gown is a gown and not a "robe". English people are more likely to say "I'd like you to" do something than "I'd like for you to" do something. In England a "vest" is an undergarment, and so on.
As a romance novel it was not up to the standard of Jane Austen or Georgette Heyer. It was more in the Barbara Cartland or Mills & Boon class. I could just make it to the end of the first part, which covered the heroine's first term at Oxford. The next part was too much, and I began skipping pages, and then whole chapters and finally reading the first couple of sentences of each chapter to see if there was anything new.
Fan fiction can sometimes be worth reading, I've sometimes urged people to write something in the same genre as one or other of the Inklings. But I don't recall any of them writing in the Mills & Boon genre like this.
May 11, 2016
It seems a little presumptuous to set a Christian romance in 1960s Oxford with people who (fictionally) knew C. S. Lewis and who start a literary society called "The Inklings" after the famous original. The author obviously loves the University of Oxford, C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and all things surrounding them, and I'll bet she's also read Dorothy L. Sayers' novels with Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane, and I'm with her there. This is a fine story but the gravitas of the setting and background characters seem to outweigh the romantic story, which would have been good enough without all the baggage, and is almost overwhelmed by it. I liked the story; it's a lovely Christian romance, and maybe I'm just a snob about someone who has attempted to roll that up with all the legendary Oxford setting and literature. I won't be reading the rest of the series, unless perhaps I can find the others at the library sometime. It was almost painful to see these beloved writers and settings used in furtherance of this story.
May 7, 2013
This book was slow-moving with very little plot and an author who explained everything WAAAY too much. For example, halfway through the book, she started part 2...which started out with a summary of part 1, like we had forgotten what happened 40 pages before. She included an english glossary in the back...but it was not needed since she explained any little word she used, even obvious ones like "biscuit" or "soccer."
I picked up all 3 books in this series at a used book sale and I'm not even going to open books 2 & 3. For me to NOT finish a series...you know it's BAD.
There are MUCH better clean, Christian, God-glorifying books out there! Try Julie Klassen.
I picked up all 3 books in this series at a used book sale and I'm not even going to open books 2 & 3. For me to NOT finish a series...you know it's BAD.
There are MUCH better clean, Christian, God-glorifying books out there! Try Julie Klassen.
March 18, 2017
I picked it up, saw "1960's, England, famous authors, book club," and said, okay, I'll read this. Well it turns out that the whole "book club" part which was advertised as a big part of the book was only a really small part. The rest of it was a rather boring romance with a dull girl and an even duller boy. Actually, I liked the "cad" boyfriend better than "David," who she ends up with. And I also think that the only reason "David" fell in love with her was because of her stupid hair. Just a weird book. It's also preachy.
November 19, 2011
at first i thought it was a little cheesy. but then it pulled me in. i would probably really give it a 3 and a half, not a four - but i did really like it. the info on c. s. lewis and tolkien was a side-line but one i enjoyed; as was all the info and locations of oxford. i am definitely looking forward to the second in the series. just the descriptive bits and bits of romance got cheesy, and i just ignored that knowing the rest was good.
May 5, 2014
This was an enjoyable little romance set in 1960's Oxford, a year after the death of C.S. Lewis. It recounts the recommitment to his faith of a young Oxford don, a former student of Lewis; his and a friend's founding of a new Inklings group honoring the beliefs and work of the original Inkling's; and his attraction to an American student assigned to his tutorial, along with her attraction to him. It was a pleasant read and reflects on dating issues that are still pertinent today
June 16, 2012
This is the best fiction book on Purity I have read since 'I Will Follow'. I loved that the two main characters make mistakes, some of them big ones. It made it feel real and like anyone and commit to purity, no matter their past.
This book is not a light or quick read. If you liked Micheal Philips series Secrets of Heathersleigh Hall, or books with deep lessons, this book is for you.
This book is not a light or quick read. If you liked Micheal Philips series Secrets of Heathersleigh Hall, or books with deep lessons, this book is for you.
July 14, 2015
This is warm and cosy, rapid and light to read. I've not read much since the birth of our third child, so this was pleasant to read on holiday in mini reading windows. Then author had signed he book and given it to the owners of of our holiday house. That along with the title made me curious. It's nice, gentle and caresses your feet. The author is sincere and honest. I too love Lewis.
April 29, 2020
I did not like this book. The girl is stunning and knows it and that's one of the only reasons that boys like her. Also, I think that the boys are complete jerks. David wants her to give up her dreams and have a family instead and doesn't want to kiss her until the wedding. I had hoped it would be more about C.S. Lewis and the Inklings.
January 14, 2017
Gotta agree with the negative reviews, I'm afraid. I read this book many years ago while visiting the Kilns and sitting in the common room there. Not too well written, and just unconvincing. Too bad, it seemed like a good premise.
September 18, 2023
The first 300 pages were great, but the last 100 pages lost me.
This is the first novel I've read where the 3rd person jumps around to both character's inner thoughts, at times within the same paragraph. That might have bothered me in a present-day novel set in the US, but since it was England; there were words and phrases I didn't recognize and so much exposure to higher education, I accepted the writing style as a new cultural experience.
Towards the end, I no longer cared if the love birds ended up together. Sometimes, people need to mature before they get married or end a relationship that isn't a good fit. If it weren't for the physical attraction, they didn't have all that much in common apart from a love for literature and learning.
Five stars because I enjoyed the story, the writing, and how the author wove CS Lewis into the storyline. The last fourth of the book flowed nicely, but it wasn't my "cuppa tea." ;)
This is the first novel I've read where the 3rd person jumps around to both character's inner thoughts, at times within the same paragraph. That might have bothered me in a present-day novel set in the US, but since it was England; there were words and phrases I didn't recognize and so much exposure to higher education, I accepted the writing style as a new cultural experience.
Towards the end, I no longer cared if the love birds ended up together. Sometimes, people need to mature before they get married or end a relationship that isn't a good fit. If it weren't for the physical attraction, they didn't have all that much in common apart from a love for literature and learning.
Five stars because I enjoyed the story, the writing, and how the author wove CS Lewis into the storyline. The last fourth of the book flowed nicely, but it wasn't my "cuppa tea." ;)
September 4, 2017
Dit boek werd me aangeraden in Kara en heeft als aanbeveling 'Voor als je van C.S. Lewis houdt, of van romantiek.'. Nu houd ik van allebei dus dit boek was ofwel perfection, ofwel horror. Het bleek het midden te zijn. De romantiek is iets te veel en voorspelbaar, maar then again, het speelt in Oxford en gaat over Britse professoren, so who cares. Kate wist vrij weinig over C.S. Lewis voor iemand die een liefhebber geacht werd te zijn, maar ach, er waren ook nog geen biografien uit. Zelf vond ik de Lewisinfo soms overkill, maar dat kwam waarschijnlijk omdat ik veel al wist. Wel heb ik besloten that I simply must be in Oxford again, Addison Walk and May morning and all. oh en ik heb Cambridge op m'n wishlist gezet :) Al met al een fijn tussendoorboek, toch 4 sterren vanwege de CSLewis en Tolkien info.
April 24, 2023
My daughters each read this in late middle school and I read it along with them. We LOVED it! For them, it kicked off a love for CS Lewis and a hunger to read his writing. I was thrilled about that. Christian historical fiction became their favorite genre. But even better, they started thinking about finding their “David” one day. One daughter used the name “David” in her journal every time she prayed for or thought about her future husband. At her wedding with DAVID, she was able to share that God took her literally and answered all her prayers for her husband! They just had their first baby and named him Dawson, which means “son of David.” My husband and I are heading to England to celebrate our 40 anniversary at the Bird and the Baby!! 🥰 Thank you for writing this book!
September 16, 2020
I LOVED this book despite the many flaws. It drew me in so quickly and got me out of my reading slump. And for that, I am truly grateful. Although the book is most certainly preachy at times (...and it does tend to take you out of the story...) I loved the Christian aspect and it was woven very beautifully into the plot. David is a handful but I’m glad Kate saw in him what I didn’t, haha.
What I wouldn’t give to be an attractive wealthy young girl studying at Oxford and joining book clubs that meet in famous pubs...*sigh*
What I wouldn’t give to be an attractive wealthy young girl studying at Oxford and joining book clubs that meet in famous pubs...*sigh*
June 2, 2025
Good story well-written. I loved being in this setting while reading her story, with glimpses of the literary works and lives of Lewis and Tolkien. In another life, I'd choose to be a part of C.S. Lewis' Inklings, passively, and hope to gain enough confidence to share my thoughts, ask my questions and learn. This book gets four star, as I wanted more of the interactions among the writers of Lewis' and Tolkien's time, and this book was set in 1965, as year after Lewis' death. I do recommend it for story and writing quality.
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