A Thing of Beauty: A Novel of Glen Eyrie

by Ashley Eiman

Glen Eyrie, Colorado Springs, 1895-After the death of their mother, three young women are faced with a jolting reality: they must leave their home in England and travel across the Atlantic Ocean to live with a father they barely know. Nestled at the base of Pikes Peak, his stately home, Glen Eyrie, is filled with mysterious servants, a secret tunnel, and a history firmly rooted in intrigue. As the girls navigate their new lives in the West, they discover the power of adventure, romance, and passion-until a terrible tragedy threatens everything they hold dear. Elsie, Dorothy, and Marjory Palmer are the little-known daughters of Civil War hero, railroad tycoon, and eccentric philanthropist General William Jackson Palmer. This coming-of-age story will take you back in time to a fledgling pioneer town at the turn of the century, and give you a glimpse into the daily lives of one of Colorado's most influential families.

Genres: Fiction

216 pages, Paperback

Published June 10, 2016

Reviews

[Bells Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I visited Glen Eyrie for tea a few weeks ago and was stunned by the beauty of the place - I can’t quite imagine inheriting it and deciding it wasn’t worth keeping (which the family ultimately did). I was glad to learn a little more history about the family that built and lived in this beautiful place.

Based on the real family and the history of Colorado Springs, this novel does a decent job of linking actual events with a fictional approach as one never knows what the characters were actually thinking in their day-to-day life. I imagine real letters left behind helped form the novel. It was interesting that the daughters weren’t married very young as they must have been sought after unless they spent their earlier years hidden away from society.

Hint - if you go to buy this book at Glen Eyrie - don’t - the 25$ that they are charging is definitely not worth it. Either get it through the library or a downtown bookstore for less or like me find it for free in a local free library exchange. I’m sending it back via a friend to CO Springs to place it in a free library.

PS loved the dedication “To Jane Austen - you know what you did”

[Regina Merrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I purchased this book after visiting Glen Eyrie in Colorado Springs last year. I enjoyed the book, especially knowing a little about the family upon which this book is based. A wonderful read, and it makes me want to read even more about the area that enchanted me!

[Caroline Abbott · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this interesting as I have stayed in the Glen Eyrie Castle before. A bit of a slow plot, but liked learning more about the Palmer family

[Charissa Fryberger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun to read about Glen Eyrie, since I've spend a lot of time there.