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Copsi Castle
Under the towers of Copsi Castle...a tale of brooding terror & romance unfolds -- a tale of history and love and hot perversity. The castle boasted 750 years of ancestors and now this -- the prayed-for-heir is a family curse.
Sir Harald would do anything to insure an heir for Copsi Castle -- even tolerate the wedding of his uncontrollably violent and insane son, Magnus, to the sixteen-year-old beauty Hannah.
Under the lash of a riding crop, the dance of death begins. Where it will end, nobody knows, for Copsi Castle never gives up its secrets...
Sir Harald would do anything to insure an heir for Copsi Castle -- even tolerate the wedding of his uncontrollably violent and insane son, Magnus, to the sixteen-year-old beauty Hannah.
Under the lash of a riding crop, the dance of death begins. Where it will end, nobody knows, for Copsi Castle never gives up its secrets...
- GenresHistorical Fiction
Paperback
First published January 1, 1978
44 people want to read
About the author
Norah Lofts
107 books309 followersNorah Ethel Robinson Lofts Jorisch (27 August 1904–10 September 1983) was a 20th century best-selling British author. She wrote over fifty books specialising in historical fiction, but she also wrote non-fiction and short stories. Many of her novels, including her Suffolk Trilogy, follow the history of a specific house and the residents that lived in it.
Lofts was born in Shipdham, Norfolk in England. She also published using the pseudonyms Juliet Astley and Peter Curtis. Norah Lofts chose to release her murder-mystery novels under the pen name Peter Curtis because she did not want the readers of her historic fiction to pick up a murder-mystery novel and expect classic Norah Lofts historical fiction. However, the murders still show characteristic Norah Lofts elements. Most of her historical novels fall into two general categories: biographical novels about queens, among them Anne Boleyn, Isabella of Castile, and Catherine of Aragon; and novels set in East Anglia centered around the fictitious town of Baildon (patterned largely on Bury St. Edmunds). Her creation of this fictitious area of England is reminiscent of Thomas Hardy's creation of "Wessex"; and her use of recurring characters such that the protagonist of one novel appears as a secondary character in others is even more reminiscent of William Faulkner's work set in "Yoknapatawpha County," Mississippi. Norah Lofts' work set in East Anglia in the 1930s and 1940s shows great concern with the very poor in society and their inability to change their conditions. Her approach suggests an interest in the social reformism that became a feature of British post-war society.
Several of her novels were turned into films. Jassy was filmed as Jassy (1947) starring Margaret Lockwood and Dennis Price. You're Best Alone was filmed as Guilt is My Shadow (1950). The Devil's Own (also known as The Little Wax Doll and Catch As Catch Can) was filmed as The Witches (1966). The film 7 Women was directed by John Ford and based on the story Chinese Finale by Norah Lofts.
Lofts was born in Shipdham, Norfolk in England. She also published using the pseudonyms Juliet Astley and Peter Curtis. Norah Lofts chose to release her murder-mystery novels under the pen name Peter Curtis because she did not want the readers of her historic fiction to pick up a murder-mystery novel and expect classic Norah Lofts historical fiction. However, the murders still show characteristic Norah Lofts elements. Most of her historical novels fall into two general categories: biographical novels about queens, among them Anne Boleyn, Isabella of Castile, and Catherine of Aragon; and novels set in East Anglia centered around the fictitious town of Baildon (patterned largely on Bury St. Edmunds). Her creation of this fictitious area of England is reminiscent of Thomas Hardy's creation of "Wessex"; and her use of recurring characters such that the protagonist of one novel appears as a secondary character in others is even more reminiscent of William Faulkner's work set in "Yoknapatawpha County," Mississippi. Norah Lofts' work set in East Anglia in the 1930s and 1940s shows great concern with the very poor in society and their inability to change their conditions. Her approach suggests an interest in the social reformism that became a feature of British post-war society.
Several of her novels were turned into films. Jassy was filmed as Jassy (1947) starring Margaret Lockwood and Dennis Price. You're Best Alone was filmed as Guilt is My Shadow (1950). The Devil's Own (also known as The Little Wax Doll and Catch As Catch Can) was filmed as The Witches (1966). The film 7 Women was directed by John Ford and based on the story Chinese Finale by Norah Lofts.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 30, 2015
Cover blurb: Under the towers of Copsi Castle...a tale of brooding terror & romance unfolds -- a tale of history and love and hot perversity. The castle boasted 750 years of ancestors and now this -- the prayed-for-heir is a family curse.
Sir Harald would do anything to insure an heir for Copsi Castle -- even tolerate the wedding of his uncontrollably violent and insane son, Magnus, to the sixteen-year-old beauty Hannah.
Under the lash of a riding crop, the dance of death begins. Where it will end, nobody knows, for Copsi Castle never gives up its secrets...
Sounds exciting, right?
Well, it isn't. While accurate in basic plot, the blurb leads to disappointment; there's no romance, nor is there "hot perversity." Actually, there's very little anything in this book. The gothic aura is distant & dull, especially considering what should be a brooding, gloomy, & dangerous plot. The violence is so veiled it's hardly described, & the plot staggers with long passages describing one day versus weeks blurred over a single page. Meanwhile, the tone has an awkward cadence...not to mention an extreme phobia of italicized thought-bubbles, which wouldn't be nearly so irksome if the text didn't head-hop from one character to another.
...And oh, what characters. For lo, they should be romantic, grotesque, infuriating -- even all-out loathing is preferable to no connection at all. But the only semi-dynamic personages are Bolsover (the former pugilist hired to guard Magnus), Bertie (the spinster sister who disappears for long stretches), & Juliet (Magnus' mother, who died after the first twenty pages). Everyone else is bland as elevator musak...with the exception of Jerry, the sort-of hero, who is worse than elevator musak. Truly, Jerry is one of the least reactive heroes I've ever read in ANY genre. He makes Tuppy Glossop look like Iron Man. This wandering man-of-all-work is suddenly in love with Hannah after one partially-drunken kiss...promises to protect her if ever she needs it...and then does nothing else. The rest of his (blessedly few) appearances are spent mooning over her fate & drinking in the dark corner of a pub, except for the single time he bestirs himself to visit Copsi -- but not until several days after a dangerous situation has already been handled. Wow. Be still, my heart. For all his professions of hardiness, I have no doubt this fellow would have his ass kicked by anyone with a pulse -- including Tuppy Glossop.
Alas, this book deserves that most dreaded of labels: BORING.
Sir Harald would do anything to insure an heir for Copsi Castle -- even tolerate the wedding of his uncontrollably violent and insane son, Magnus, to the sixteen-year-old beauty Hannah.
Under the lash of a riding crop, the dance of death begins. Where it will end, nobody knows, for Copsi Castle never gives up its secrets...
Sounds exciting, right?
Well, it isn't. While accurate in basic plot, the blurb leads to disappointment; there's no romance, nor is there "hot perversity." Actually, there's very little anything in this book. The gothic aura is distant & dull, especially considering what should be a brooding, gloomy, & dangerous plot. The violence is so veiled it's hardly described, & the plot staggers with long passages describing one day versus weeks blurred over a single page. Meanwhile, the tone has an awkward cadence...not to mention an extreme phobia of italicized thought-bubbles, which wouldn't be nearly so irksome if the text didn't head-hop from one character to another.
...And oh, what characters. For lo, they should be romantic, grotesque, infuriating -- even all-out loathing is preferable to no connection at all. But the only semi-dynamic personages are Bolsover (the former pugilist hired to guard Magnus), Bertie (the spinster sister who disappears for long stretches), & Juliet (Magnus' mother, who died after the first twenty pages). Everyone else is bland as elevator musak...with the exception of Jerry, the sort-of hero, who is worse than elevator musak. Truly, Jerry is one of the least reactive heroes I've ever read in ANY genre. He makes Tuppy Glossop look like Iron Man. This wandering man-of-all-work is suddenly in love with Hannah after one partially-drunken kiss...promises to protect her if ever she needs it...and then does nothing else. The rest of his (blessedly few) appearances are spent mooning over her fate & drinking in the dark corner of a pub, except for the single time he bestirs himself to visit Copsi -- but not until several days after a dangerous situation has already been handled. Wow. Be still, my heart. For all his professions of hardiness, I have no doubt this fellow would have his ass kicked by anyone with a pulse -- including Tuppy Glossop.
Alas, this book deserves that most dreaded of labels: BORING.
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April 7, 2016This one I only got about 20 pages in. It's a pseudonym written novel for a reason. This is Norah Lofts doing what was considered "romance" tale writing. It was written in 1979 at the end of her life and it's not up to her standard. Not even for the marriage tale. Today it would be used for a one of those Spanish channel soap operas in which drinks get thrown in faces or whips or knives appear on a twice monthly basis. The nasty is similar to a cartoon comics baddie, like the Joker. So glad she knew enough to know NOT to use her own name.
April 27, 2009
Hmmm another Norah Lofts I am not impressed with. I have one more by her to read, and if I don't like that one, I won't check out anymore...
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews