Sanningen om Alice

by Katherine Webb, Annika Sundberg (translator)

Bath, 1821. På en höjd ovanför staden tronar familjen Alleyns herrgård. Här har sonen Jonathan isolerat sig sedan han återvände från Napoleonkrigen. Men tjänsteflickan Starling tror inte att det är krigets fasor som plågar Jonathan, hon är övertygad om att han ligger bakom Alices försvinnande kvinnan Starling såg som sin syster.

När Rachel Weekes flyttar till staden korsas hennes och familjens Alleyns vägar. Hon dras in i en väv av lögner och misstro, och snart rämnar den tillrättalagda ytan.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Mystery, Historical, Gothic, Romance, British Literature

588 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2013

About the author

I was born in Kent in 1977 and grew up in rural Hampshire before reading History at Durham University. History remains a passion, and I write character-led mystery dramas, often with historical settings. I love to explore the way past events can reverberate in the present, and I'm fascinated by the vast grey areas in human morality and behaviour.

My debut novel 'The Legacy' was voted viewers' choice for Best Summer Read on the Channel 4 TV Book Club in 2010, and was nominated for Best New Writer at the National Book Awards in the same year. Subsequently, 'The Unseen','A Half Forgotten Song' and 'The Misbegotten' were all Sunday Times Top Ten bestsellers, and my books have been translated into 24 languages around the world.

Reviews

[Nikoleta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Η παρορμητική και εκδικητική Σταρλινγκ ζει κ αναπνέει πλέον για δύο μόνο στιγμές, να μάθει τι απέγινε η Αλις και για να παίρνει ευχαρίστηση βασανίζοντας τον υποτιθέμενο δολοφόνο της. Η θεοσεβούμενη και γλυκιά Ρειτσελ απλώς βρίσκεται στο δρόμο της. Τι θα γίνει όταν οι ιστορίες τους διασταυρωθούν και ένα μεγάλο μυστήριο φέρει στην επιφάνεια χιλια δυο άλλα ερωτήματα; Είναι η χαμένη Αλις η αδικοχαμένη αδελφή της Ρειτσελ, Αμπι; Η Αλις τι απέγινε; Που πηγαίνει κρυφά τα βράδια η Σταρλινγκ; Τι μυστικά κρύβει ο σύζυγος της Ρειτσελ, Ριτσαρντ; Γιατί έχει αποκηρύξει τον πατέρα του; Τι κρατάει μέσα του ο Τζοναθαν 12 ολόκληρα χρόνια και έχει χάσει τον ύπνο του; Ατμοσφαιρικό μυθιστόρημα με γρήγορη πλοκή, που διαβάζεται ασταμάτητα και αχόρταγα. Η αφήγηση δεν στέκεται σε περιττές λεπτομέρειες, δεν βαριέσαι στιγμή. Οι χαρακτήρες είναι απίστευτα καλοφτιαγμένοι με ξεχωριστές προσωπικότητες, όλοι τους με αποχρώσεις του μαύρου και του άσπρου μέσα τους. Οι διάλογοι και οι μονόλογοι είναι υπέροχοι. Μετά την ήττα που είχα με την "κληρονομιά" της Γουεμπ το "έρωτας και αμαρτία" ήρθε να με αποζημιώσει. Μου άρεσε πάρα πολύ.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was captivated by ‘The Misbegotten’, a wonderfully readable, utterly compelling story, set early in the eighteenth century. It is story of dark secrets, terrible losses, devastating lies, of the lives that they affect, and of truths that may be brought to light at a very high price.

It is the story of Starling, a founding, a girl-child found walking from the marshes. She who has the good fortune to be found by a good-hearted young woman. Alice took in the child, she gave her a name, she brought her up, and in time she found a place as a servant in the family home.

It is the story of Jonathan Alleyn, who loved Alice more than life itself, and who is devastated, completely broken, when Alice disappears. He becomes a recluse, watched over his anxious mother. Starling was told that Alice ran away, but she didn’t believe it. She believed that Jonathan had killed Alice, and that the knowledge of what he had done had left him unhinged.

And it is the story of Rachel, a governess, who seized a chance of marriage that she thought would bring her freedom. It didn’t; she found she was trapped. And then fate pitched her into the middle of the Alleyn household, where she was drawn into in the haunting mystery surrounding Alice’s departure.

The plot that brings all of these stories together is beautifully and brilliantly constructed. Secrets lead to more secrets, and the narrative becomes more and more compelling. Because I believed in these people, who they were, what their lives had made them, what they said, how they acted. And I cared. I appreciated a wealth of wonderful detail, and that every detail was significant. I appreciated lovely storytelling, full of rich descriptions that brought times and places completely to life. I was pulled in, I was pulled back and forth across twenty or so years, early in the nineteenth century, and I just couldn’t let go. The Misbegotten is a big and heavy book, but it didn’t feel like a big and heavy book. I read quickly because I so wanted to know – at first I was mystified, in time I put together a few ideas, but I didn’t work out everything until the end.

As I read I saw the influence of some of the nineteenth century’s most beloved authors. I saw Rachel walk the same streets and visit the same places as Jane Austen’s characters, in the city of Bath. I caught echoes of Emily Bronte in the relationship between Alice and Jonathan. And the plotting made me think of Wilkie Collins. But don’t think this is a pastiche. The Misbegotten has so much more than those influences, and it stands on its own merits. It speaks clearly of the inferior position of women in society, of the horrors of war, and it touches on themes that I don’t think would be found in any novel of its period.

It’s such a cliché, but I have to say that this is the perfect book to curl up with on a gloomy autumn evening. Because it is!

And I also have to say that if you plan to read ‘The Misbegotten’ you shouldn’t read too much about it before you start to read, because the details of characters, relationships and situations emerge so beautifully that it would be a pity not to come to as much of the book as you can without foreknowledge.

The story did rather lurch into melodrama at the end, but I didn’t mind. I know that not everybody likes it but I like a little melodrama from time to time. And the plot did resolve itself very nicely. I appreciated that the knots were tied, but they weren’t tied too tightly or to neatly.

There was one lose thread, that night or might not have been attended to, and it was rather nice to be left with that to ponder.

I’m sorry to have come to the end of The Misbegotten, but I am very pleased to have found a contemporary author with a backlist to explore.

[Stavroula P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 προς 4.
Μπορώ να πω ότι νιώθω ανακούφιση που το τελείωσα. Όταν ξεκίνησα να το διαβάζω δεν ήμουν σίγουρη κατά πόσο θα το συνεχίσω. Όσο όμως περνούσαν οι σελίδες η πλοκή άρχισε να αποκτά ενδιαφέρον και δεν ήθελα να το αφήσω ούτε για μια στιγμή. Βέβαια υπήρξαν αρκετές φορές που απλά ευχόμουν να εξελίσσονταν γρηγορότερα τα γεγονότα, ειδικά σε κάποιες περιγραφές στιγμών που έζησε ο Τζόναθαν στον πόλεμο.

Σχετικά με τους πρωταγωνιστές του βιβλίου. Η Στάρλινγκ ήταν αυτή που συμπάθησα περισσότερο, μαζί με τον Τζόναθαν φυσικά. Έβγαζε έναν δυναμισμό και μία δυναμικότητα, που όπως αποτυπώθηκε στο βιβλίο δεν είχε καμία άλλη ηρωίδα (κατά την δική μου πάντα άποψη). Η Ρέιτσελ, από την άλλη, μου φάνηκε απλά αδιάφορη.
Ουσιαστικά σαν υποκατάστατο της Άλις, όσο και αν οι υπόλοιποι ήρωες εν τέλει θεωρούσαν ότι δεν ήταν και τόσο ίδιες.
Τον Τζόναθαν, αν και μου είχε δημιουργήσει υποψίες, τελικά τον συμπάθησα πάρα πολύ. Ήταν ένας άνθρωπος πληγωμένος και δυστυχισμένος τόσο με αυτό που έγινε με την Άλις όσο και με όλα αυτά τα σκληρά γεγονότα που γνώρισε και βίωσε στον πόλεμο.
Τέλος, ένας χαρακτήρας που συμπόνεσα ήταν ο Ντάνκαν Γουικς. Ειδικά το τέλος του με έκανε να στεναχωρηθώ και να δακρύσω. Μπορεί να είχε κάνει και αυτός λάθη αλλά δεν του άξιζε αυτό που του συνέβη.

[Tanja Berg · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating 2.4* out of 5. The first 200 pages or so were pretty good and then it just started going in circles, getting nowhere.

Rachel Crofton is alone in the world. Raised as a lady, but now penniless since her parents are both dead and left her with nothing due to debt. She makes a living working as a governess, until, miraculously, a man called Richard Weekes proposes to her. After careful consideration, she accepts. He is no gentleman, but runs a succesful business.

Although, not that successful, as it turns out. When she, through her husband's connections, receives an offer of a job as companion, Richard encourages her. This despite the fact that the man, Jonathan Alleyn, she is supposed to be a companion to almost killed her upon first seeing her. Rachel looks too much like his lost love Alice. In addition, Jonathan is tormented by the war with the French that he took a part in.

The story jumps back and forth in time between the perspectives of Rachel "now" (1820's) and Starling in the past. Starling is the child that kind-hearted Alice takes in. Alice in turn is the ward of Lord Alleyn, father of Jonathan. Starling is still in the Alleyn household working as a maid when Rachel enters the picture, torturing Jonathan as best she can as she is convinced he killed her. But what really happened to Alice, and why?

It's all well and good in the beginning. It's interesting to hear about Starling's entrance to the Alleyn household and the beginning of Rachel's marriage - and its deterioration. Then the story takes us to the Peninsula war in which Jonathan took part. This is of no interest whatsoever and adds nothing except a deeper understanding of his torment. Then again, I'm not interested in what happened to Jonathan, I want to know about Alice.

This book suffers badly from lack of editing and could easily have been two hundred pages shorter without anything signifcant being lost. This would probably have prevented sighs of frustration and eyerolls on my part. Half the book felt like a total waste of time. Not recommended.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5 stars

In 1803, Alice and Jonathan are in blissfully love, but they face opposition. Lord Faukes is both Jonathan's grandfather and Alice's benefactor, but as much as he dotes on Alice, he insists that Jonathan makes a fine marriage, something that orphan Alice cannot provide. The young lovers defy him and continue to meet in secret, aided and abetted by their adoring servant Starling.

In 1821, Alice had been missing for twelve years and Jonathan has become a recluse, driven half mad by war and grief. The formerly devoted Starling is convinced that he killed Alice in a jealous rage, and has spent the last few years tormenting his already addled mind in an attempt to make him admit his murderous crime.

Also in 1821, we meet governess Rachel who has recently married the amiable Richard. When Starling first sees her she is stunned to find her the image of Alice. Seizing an opportunity to force a confession from Jonathan, she arranges for him to meet Rachel, and when he sets eyes on her he erupts in violence, causing Rachel flee in terror. However, persuaded by his mother to help bring him some kind of peace and by Starling to expose his guilt, Rachel agrees to become his companion, and as he begins to trust her, so the truth begins to emerge.

I really enjoyed this. The twists and turns come thick and fast, each more dark and disturbing than the last. With compelling storytelling that flits back and forth between the years, this gripping tale reads at quite some pace and as the devastating secrets and lies of the past are revealed one by one, it becomes impossible to put down.

This is the fourth book I've read by Katherine Webb, and I've found her a bit hit and miss. I gave a fabulous 5 stars to The Legacy, a massively disappointed 2 stars to The Unseen, and a decent enough but nothing special 3 stars to A Half Forgotten Song. The Misbegotten is a welcome return to form; I'm so glad I stuck with her!

[Edel Waugh Salisbury · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first thing you should know about this book is that it does not give up it's secrets easily. The second thing you should know about it is that those secrets are well worth the wait. The mystery girl within the entire story is called Alice and although it has been a long time since anybody has seen her she has a very strong presence even though she is believed to be dead. The characters are very strong in this book, some more likeable then others, but none are easily forgotten. Three characters from the book appealed to me the most and they were Jonathon, Rachel and Starling. These three all have their own troubles and it is wonderful seeing their characters develop throughout the story, the more the story went on the more I liked them. The entire book is jam packed with mystery and that is what really carries you through the story. It was definitely a gripping and at times intense read that is well worth every minute you spend reading it. The ending was perfect, I loved it!!!
I received this book for review by the kind folks over at lovereading.co.uk.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical fiction is not my favourite genre, but when I do read it I would always choose to read about ordinary people, I'm not a fan of novels based around the aristocracy or royalty. I was tempted to read Katherine Webb's fourth novel The Misbegotten by both the beautiful cover and the fascinating description of the story. I'm so very pleased that I did. It's a huge hardback, over 500 pages, but I've been completely engrossed by it over the past few days. It really is a wonderfully written novel, and one that I will recommend wholeheartedly.

The story is set in the city of Bath in the south of England and begins in 1803 when a small child is found walking alone from the nearby marshes. She is taken in by Alice, a young lady who has a secret past of her own. Alice names the girl Starling, and from that day on, the two are inseparable. The story then skips to 1821, and the wedding day of Rachel and Richard Weekes. Rachel is alone in the world, any fortune that her family had were lost by her father before his death, she is marrying beneath her class, but Richard Weekes appears to love her deeply and she has high hopes for their future together.

Rachel is introduced to her new husband's acquaintances, and it is through these that she meets the Alleyn family and is invited to become the companion of Jonathan Alleyn, a recluse who has suffered greatly since returning from the battlefields and finding that his beloved Alice has eloped with a secret suitor. There is a great mystery surrounding Alice's disappearance. Her faithful companion Starling believes that Jonathan is responsible for her disappearance and that Alice would never have left her behind. Mrs Alleyn, Jonathan's mother will not speak Alice's name and makes it clear that she was a good-for-nothing who was not worthy of her son's love.

Rachel become more and more involved in the mystery surrounding Alice's departure, not least because she bears a striking resemblance to the missing woman, and that in itself sparks suspicion in Rachel's own mind. The story continues to skip back and forth in time, allowing the reader to understand and follow the events that led up to Alice's disappearance.

Katherine Webb has created an absorbing story full of intrigue with apparent ease, her writing is compelling and flows beautifully. The characters are strong and so very appealing and each one of them grows so much as the story develops.
The sights and sounds of nineteenth-century Bath are described beautifully, from the grand houses with downstairs servants, to the back-street ale-houses with the drunks and whores. The snobbery and the hidden shame of the upper classes reveal the darkest of secrets, and the lengths that these people would go to avoid losing face amongst their peers.
Probably the most hard-hitting scenes in the book are when Jonathan Alleyn tells of his time on the battlefields of Spain. Katherine Webb does not hold back in her descriptions of the complete and utter horror that was experienced by the soldiers in battle. These scenes make for hard-hitting, violent and at times very emotional reading, but excellently done.

This is an absolute must-read, an outstanding story that will keep the reader engrossed until the very last word

[Titinha Scaeiro · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Este livro foi um pouco contraditório para mim, não pela história mas essencialmente pela tradução e quem sabe por causa dela, pelas personagens.
A mulher Esquecida é o primeiro livro da autora editado pela Saída de Emergência, sendo também o primeiro livro que leio de Katherine Webb.
A plot do livro é boa, a sua base e até o seu desenvolvimento está bem construído, a autora consegue surpreender e não desconfiei até ter o facto à minha frente, sabemos situações passada na guerra contra os franceses mesmo que poucas, há mistério, há um desaparecimento, há tudo que pode dar até certo ponto bom livro mas para mim faltou a empatia da história com a minha pessoa, e é aqui que entra a tradução e a forma de escrita da autora.
Eu como leitora, pois sou isso mesmo uma simples leitora, não consigo separar o que sou, o que penso do livro que estou a ler, por isso haver personagens que me irritam, que me fazem "apaixonar" por elas, que me fazem chorar com elas, situações em livros que fazem com que tenham vontade de entrar nas linhas e andar a "distribuir belinhas" a torto e a direito, é esse sentimento de pertence, de que faço parte da história, que senti falta neste livro."

Opinião completa em:
http://cronicasdeumaleitora.blogspot....

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars
Back in 2013, I was on a real Katherine Webb kick. I read a number of her titles and added this one to my TBR. Finally, in the summer of 2025, I rescued it from the want-to-read pile.

The Misbegotten tells the tale of Starling, a young servant working in the home of the Alleyn family. The master of the house, Jonathan Alleyn, is a shut-in, never venturing from his room and exhibiting his wrath on any servant who dares to enter. But once long ago, Starling was a foundling, living with the woman, Alice, whom Jonathan loved. What happened to Alice? Some say she ran away with a new lover to punish Jonathan for going to war. Starling believes that he was, in fact, Alice's murderer, and she has waited nine years to make him pay.

Enter Rachel. Newly married to a Bath wine merchant, Rachel bears a striking resemblance to Alice. Starling convinces Jonathan's mother to employ Rachel to come and visit Jonathan in hopes of getting a confession.

As the narrative bounced from 1806 to 1821, and more secrets were revealed, I felt the creeping atmosphere of anxiety that poured from the characters. Rachel's life with her husband is unhappy, and the Alleyn mansion reeks of awfulness. Starling also creeped me out, and I must admit to having a great deal of mistrust towards her for the majority of the narrative.

I do find the story was a bit drawn out, and that is why I am going to rate it the way that I have.


Goodreads review published 15/08/25

[Renita D'Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thrilling and packed with secrets and revelations. I love this author and absolutely enjoy everything she writes.

[LeseMaus · Rating 2 out of 5]

🐁🐁
Katherine Webb
Das fremde Mädchen
640 Seiten

Nachdem ich mich durch die ersten 100 Recht lahmen Seiten gekämpft habe, und die Geschichte dann doch etwas Schwung bekam, war ich doch sehr neugierig wie es weitergeht.
Leider verliert sie sich in an den Haaren herbeigezogenen und ziemlich übertriebenen Wendungen.
Wie auch "Das geheime Vermächtnis", welches ich abgebrochen habe, kann mich die Autorin nicht überzeugen und einen weiteren Versuch wird es nicht geben.

[Vanessa Wild · Rating 5 out of 5]

A compelling, absorbing and intriguing story about how secrets can come back to haunt us! Set in Bath in the 1800s, Rachel Crofton, a governess, marries a wine merchant and through him comes into contact with Jonathan Allen, a man who has suffered the horrors of war. He is also tormented by memories of his childhood sweetheart, Alice, who mysteriously disappeared whilst he was away fighting. With the help of Starling, Jonathan's servant and also Alice's close companion, they try to discover the truth - what really did happen to Alice?

I thought this was a fabulous read and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I loved the style of writing. It had me eagerly turning the pages to find out what happened and I was quite sad when I closed the book for the final time. The characters are well drawn and defined - Starling was my favourite for her sheer determination. There's a gripping plot at its heart which was well thought out and doesn't lose its pace. An enjoyable and fascinating tale which contains a little bit of everything - murder, mystery and a hint of romance.

This is the first book which I have read by Katherine Webb and it certainly won't be my last! Indeed, I have the rest of her books on my bookshelves and I look forward to reading each one.

Many thanks to www.lovereading.co.uk for sending this book to me to read and review. I wasn't disappointed.

[Bookread2day · Rating 5 out of 5]

Katherine write such good books. It starts of a bit sad. A little girl comes wandering to the farm house. She is wearing a dress that has been stitched by mixed scraps of fabric woven together. Upon her feet she has leather slippers tied on with string. Her undergarments are baggy, filthy and stinking.

[Susan Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a brilliant story - quite a long book but absolutely worth reading. Written in 'old English style' in the 1800's in Bath, full of mystery and intrigue, and almost a love story. Some horrible bits, never to be forgotten - Katherine Webb definitely in my top 10 authors now.

[blondie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Γρήγορο, έντονο, με μυστήριο,δράση όλα σε ένα μυθιστόρημα. Χαρακτήρες καλοδουλεμένοι, πλοκή δυνατή!Πολύ καλό!

[Σπυροπούλου · Rating 5 out of 5]

Υπέροχο!!Οτι καλύτερο για να κλείσει η χρονιά!

[vagia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Η αλήθεια είναι πως ο τίτλος με παραπλάνησε, ευτυχώς, καθώς νόμιζα οτι θα διάβαζα ένα ευκολοχώνευτο, ρομαντικό βιβλίο.
Ήδη, όμως, από την αρχή βυθίζεσαι στις απαρχές του 19ου αιώνα, με ήθη παλιά, νοοτροπίες διαφορετικές.
Η συγγραφέας καταφέρνει με την πένα της να σε μεταφέρει στο κλίμα της εποχής, σε αποβάθρες και σκοτεινά σοκάκια, ανάμεσα σε φτωχούς και πλούσιους, παράλληλα με επώδυνες αλήθειες, μυστικά και ψέματα, που αποδίδουν ανάγλυφα τον αυστηρό καθωπρεπισμό της τότε κοινωνίας.
Η πλοκή έξυπνη και ευρηματική, δίνεται κομμάτι κομμάτι στον αναγνώστη και αυξάνει την αγωνία μέχρι το τέλος.
Οι ήρωες πολύπλευροι και άκρως ανθρώπινοι, μου μετέφεραν τις ελπίδες, τα πάθη, μα και την αισιοδοξία τους. Αγαπημένη μορφή, η Στάρλινγκ, ενσαρκώνει το πρότυπο του ανθρώπου να αγωνίζεται με πάθος -δίκαια ή άδικα-για τα πιστεύω του, μέχρι το τέλος.
vivliakaioneira.blogspot.com

[Ana Rodrigues · Rating 4 out of 5]

Custou um pouco até ficar agarrada à história, só mais ou menos quando cheguei a meio do livro é que tive vontade de o ler sem parar para saber o que tinha acontecido à Alice.
O que me desagradou foi os capítulos serem muito grandes, muito densos, as páginas muito preenchidas; gosto mais quando há mais parágrafos e mais espaço, facilita mais a leitura, não cansa tanto.

[Jaye · Rating 2 out of 5]

Webb has a beautiful writing style and an obvious knowledge of history, and can paint a picture of 18th century England, complete with interesting colloquialisms. I had high hopes for this novel in the beginning (enough to send a copy to my mother), but somewhere after the 20% mark, the story fell flat...

The middle was full of unnecessary meanderings and it just became uninteresting. 280 pages would have been more than enough, as opposed to 500 plus...

In the beginning I felt sympathy for Rachel Crofton, she appeared very human with her worries and sadness, this orphan and unhappy governess, but during her marriage to Richard Weekes, said sympathy dwindled for the following reasons...

She married the man in full knowledge that she did not love him, but believed that he loved her, so decided to choose to love him. Very early on, she forgoes this deciscion. Rachel's mood became draped in self-pity and dicontentment and the book just became maudlin and overly depressing.

I also failed to understand her 'love' for Jonathan Alleyn. Somehow, this man, WHO TRIED TO KILL HER TWICE,(!!!) became a more attractive option, than her husband who had struck her, twice. Somehow, Jonathan became the 'good guy' and Richard the 'baddie.' These two attempted murders were explained away by the fact that Rachel looked like his long-lost childhood sweetheart...(well if that's the way you treat those you love!) Rachel revealed herself as being prideful and seemed 'up on her high horse'. She looked down on her simple new home with her husband and nurtured discontentment.

She also complained of being bored, but upon noticing that the house-keeping wasn't up to her high standard, instead of taking on this work herself, she goes ahead and employs extra help, (without checking if they could afford it), much to her husband's chargrin and when he complains of the extra cost, she just ignores him!

She makes absolutely no effort when it comes to the emotional or physical side her marriage, so it wasn't surprising that the whole thing fell apart as quickly as it did. Yet Richard showed her affection and spoke kind words. When he begins to spend more and more time away from home (probably because she is such a cold fish!) she doesn't like that either!

Rachel also does not enjoy 'marital relations' so eventually resorts to pretending she's asleep ... sigh. Then when her poor husband cries to her, asking why can't she love him, she merely ignores him.

She interferes with the estrangement between him and his father (who is clearly a drunkard) without knowing ANY of the details as to why they are estranged, or if they are good reasons and goes against her husband's express request not to see this (possibly dangerous) man, who tells her he has 'killed' Richard's mother!

Rachel's actions failed to make any sense to me. She built up all these secrets between herself and her husband, and preferrd to roam the streets than to do anything useful.

In the end she came off as being merely lazy and selfish, and all my sympathy for her vanished.

She also has a massive problem with the fact that Richard does not like to talk about his past, but seems blind to the fact that NEITHER DOES SHE! Richard knows nothing of Rachel's past, and the 'shame' and 'scandal' that affected her parents. In comparison, Richard divulges a great deal! She reveals her lack of care and concern for her husband by pressing him for details on his past, when he's obviously uncomfortable and thinks nothing of his pain. Her curiosity takes priority, and her impatience and greed for details.

So she basically chooses to go into this marriage, then sabotages it. Hmm...

The ending was 'happy' but by this time the author had just lost me :(

I would describe this novel as having potential and needing editing. During the beginning, whilst I was enjoying it, it reminded me of a mix between Jane Eyre, Silent Governess and In the Company of a Courtesan. But Rachel just wasn't as good as Jane Eyre. Jonathan Alleyn no where near as deep as Edward Rochester. It seemed that the author tried to paint the protagonist as being good, but that just didn't ring true in the end.

In a nutshell: I loved the writing style and the time and place Webb creates, but did not connect to the main characters (Rachel and Jonathan). The sympathy that Webb tried to arouse on Rachel's part, did not work for me...( and trust me, I'm a sucker for the under dog ;) )

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two of Katherine Webb’s books featured in my Top Ten from 2012 – The Unseen and A Half Forgotten Song. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on her latest – unusually for me (I have an aversion to heavy hardbacks...) I read it in the traditional way rather than on my Kindle, and loved every single one of its 531 wonderful pages.

No modern thread this time, but the story covers two timeframes. 1803 and a young child – called Starling because of the flocks that accompany her arrival – wanders in from across the marshes, filthy and ill-treated, and is taken in by Alice Beckwith and treated as her sister. Alice is the ward of Lord Faukes, and knows nothing of her parentage. When her guardian visits he is often accompanied by his grandson Jonathan Alleyn, and the young couple fall in love. In 1821, Rachel Crofton escapes life as a governess by marrying wine merchant Richard Weekes, and becomes the companion of Jonathan Alleyn, recently returned from the Peninsular War and now a recluse, driven to madness by everything he’s experienced and Alice’s disappearance. Starling works in the Alleyn household, convinced that Jonathan killed the woman who saved her life.

The story threads unwind in a totally compelling way – this is a story full of secrets and lies, treachery and cruelty, with twists and turns and revelations that keep you feverishly turning the pages. Rachel and Starling are both fascinating and likeable characters, and I grew to really care about them as they lived their lives and pursued the truth about Alice’s disappearance.

Others have said that this is a big book that doesn’t feel like a big book – I was quite mesmerised by the story that unfolded and really struggled to make myself set it aside and leave the life of its characters, so desperate was I to find out the truth. This was wonderful story telling, rich with descriptions of the period – and the descriptions of Jonathan’s wartime experiences leave enduring and horrifying images - plainly meticulously researched and intricately plotted. I really can’t praise it highly enough – Katherine Webb is most certainly going to feature in my Top Ten of 2013 too.

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all of Katherine Webb's books; the first two I adored but the last one, A Half Forgotten Song, was a disappointment to me. However I afford my favourite authors an 'off day' so I downloaded this one in the hope my faith could be restored in her beautiful words and convoluted stories; I was not disappointed.

The story begins in 1803. Alice Beckwith and Jonathan Alleyn have adored each other since they were children, having carved their initials in a tree at the age of 10. Alice is the ward of Lord Faukes and she has no idea of her parentage or why she is ensconced into the care of Bridget, with weekly visits by her guardian and his grandson, Jonathan who is the son of Josephine, Lord Faukes's daughter.

In 1821, Rachel is a governess and has a hasty marriage to Richard Weekes and moves to Bath whereupon she encounters the delightfully named Starling, who was the 'sister' of Alice. Starling is a servant in the employ of the Alleyn's and believes Jonathan killed Alice some 12 years previously so she has spent those years tormenting his already tormented soul in the hope that he will tell her what happened to Alice.

The book is littered with secrets and lies and Jonathan's tales of such terrible suffering during the war had me absolutely heartbroken at one stage. The descriptions are very vivid and the research, that Katherine Webb must have put into the events which took place, must have been painstaking.

It is a very long book but one which I devoured and absolutely loved and enjoyed. If anyone has any misgivings about giving up at any stage, please don't; every conversation / event that takes place, however small, is extremely important to the shape of the story.

Yes, Katherine is back on form and I for one am very very pleased. I cannot wait for her next one.

Highly recommended if you want to lose yourself in a beautifully written novel for a few days.

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed all of Webb's books. I read them in order of when they were published. I enjoyed The Legacy, but thought that The Unseen was much better (better written, better characters, better mysteries, etc.) Then I went on to read A Half Forgotten Song. After loving The Unseen so much, I was a bit disappointed but still thought it was an excellent read. Anyway, I was nervous to read The Misbegotten; I was hoping it would be better than The Unseen or equal in enjoyment. I was pleasantly surprised with this one, though. Immediately I realized that this book was different from her others. Usually Webb creates a duel story line-- one from the past and one from present day. The Misbegotten also had duel story lines, except neither were set in our present day; one was set around 1805 and the other around 1821. At first I wasn't sure if I liked this but then I ended up loving it. Webb did such a great job of transporting me back in time to the early 1800's. I loved the depiction of the farmhouse where Alice and Starling lived, and the growing friendships between Rachel and Starling and Rachel and Jonathan. I'm sad that I'm finished reading this book, as it was one of the best reads for me so far in 2013. I can't wait for Webb's next book; it can't come soon enough!

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms Webb has conjured up such a passionate yet disconsolate tale with all the trappings of a classic in the making. Set in the 1800's, rich with the misery and social wranglings, its' story, surely, concerns the complexities of love in all guises. War plays a hefty character entwined within the narrative but makes no excuse for it's cause or effect. Beautifully drawn, though difficult to imagine in our world today.

Rachel would be our main character though her bias is running alongside that of equally important roles. The origin of the story leads the reader into a story of the role of women in such a beleaguered part of history that it seems quite unbelievable to find a strength captured in social graces. Taken away from a life of service and solitude into a marriage that promises so much. she is stricken to realize that the life she has envisioned may hold more secrets yet to be pronounced.

Richly voiced and warm throughout, this is a book best read in as fewer sittings as you can muster. I found myself completely immersed in all the lives involved and couldn't have wished for a more complete story.

Truly wonderful!

[Lena Papanikolaou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ο εναλλακτικός του τίτλος θα μπορούσε να είναι το δέντρο της αγάπης!Απίθανο και άκρως ατμοσφαιρικό ανάγνωσμα με μαγικές περιγραφές και πολλές δόσεις μυστηρίου και αγωνίας.Αξιολάτρευτοι και αρτια δομημένοι ήρωες, απροσδόκητες ανατροπές και σκοτεινά μυστικά που έρχονται σιγά σιγά στην επιφάνεια ειναι κάποια απο τα μεγάλα ατου του βιβλίου.Η σφιχτοδεμένη πλοκή και η λυρική γραφή της συγγραφέως συνθέτουν ενα εκπληκτικό αποτέλεσμα Σε όλη την διάρκεια της ανάγνωσης η ένταση καλά κρατεί και φτάνει στο ζενίθ της στις τελευταίες σελίδες του βιβλίου, εκεί πλέον που πέφτουν κάποιες μάσκες και αποκαλυπτονται όλα.....

[Andreia Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Demorei imenso tempo para ler por causa da gripe mas acho que valeu a pena . Não é de todo um romance d época convencional mas tem um charme enorme por causa de um crime que é cometido .. Não se consegue largar o livro até descobrir quem matou a Alice . Mas mesmo assim não consegui dar 5 * porque acho que lhe falou qualquer coisa .
De qualquer forma recomendo .

[Ioanna Bouna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ενα βιβλιο στο στυλ που μου αρεσει , στην αγαπημενη μου εποχη και χωρα (1800 & Αγγλία),ιδιαιτερα καλογραμμένο με καλα δομημένους χαρακτήρες .Το απόλαυσα απο την πρώτη έως την τελευταία του σελίδα!!!!!!

[Vivienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure when I started this book if I was going to like it but kept going and then suddenly I was hooked and could not put it down thoroughly recommend it.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

felt this book was missing something and couldn't really get into as did have high hopes for this based in early part of the 19th century in bath

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I almost did not finish this book and that would have been a travesty. I was 1/3 thru when I put it down and asked myself why I thought this would be a good book? I went back to the reviews and decided to keep with it a little longer. And, I am VERY glad I did. While it seemed slow and tedious in the beginning, it was all a part of the process of telling the intricacies of the story line. The writing was brilliant in the long run. The characters were complex and compelling. The scenes that Jonathan describes from his time in battle and the war were gruesome and brutal. I really loved the main character, Rachel. I was so routing for her from the beginning. This is a dark, sad, Gothic mystery in its truest sense. Devastating lies and their effect on people are at the crux of the story. It was excellent.