Sarah

Whitman Saga #2

by Diane Pearson

Sarah Whitman's search for her personal destiny takes her from England to India in the period between World War I and II

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction

304 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1971

About the author

Diane Margaret Pearson was born on 5 November 1931 in Croyden, London, England, daughter of Miriam Harriet Youde and William Holker. During her childhood, she often visited her grandparents in a village on the Surrey/Kent borders. She attended Secondary School in Croyden. She became in 1975, the second wife of the Irish actor Richard Leech (McClelland).

At 16, Diane started her career in publishing with Jonathan Cape Ltd, and she has been Senior Editor for Transworld Publishers for more than 35 years. In 1994 she won the British Book Award for Editor of the Year. As Diane Pearson she has published six historical romance novels and several short stories. She also was the President of the Romantic Novelists' Association from 1986 to 2011, when she retired. A widow since 2004, she lived in her native London until her death on 5 August 2017.

Reviews

[Dorcas · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Sarah Whitman" is a deceptively simple looking 339 page paperback. The blurb reads something like... A country girl turn school mistress in a hardscrabble section of London and her love for three very different men...

But this book is so much more. I hardly know where to start because so much is crammed in here its almost as epic as "Barshinsky's" or "Csardas" and not at all as placid as its predecessor "Marigold Field".
*And by the way, "Sarah Whitman" is the sequel to "The Marigold Field" but it can easily be read as a standalone.

When Sarah gets a job as schoolmistress in London it seems a welcome escape from her hateful mother and the poverty of village life. But in many ways city life was to be even more grinding, and some new personalities even more diabolical.

Aside from the daily grind and dramas surrounding her, Sarah is also torn between the love of a patient fishmonger, a Russian-Jewish Revolutionary , and a crippled Clerical Anthropologist.

Her life takes quite a turn from London into the depths of Afghanistan toward the remaining third of the book, which reminded me of both Madeleine Brent and Emma Drummond's works. So if you like those authors you will definitely want to check this out.

I gave it four stars because it is quite dark and I would have liked just a bit more sunshine for someone, anyone! but alas, grim realism took center stage here. But I will say it ends on a somewhat hopeful note so don't automatically dismiss it as a depressing read. Its a very GOOD depressing read. :)

CONTENT:
SEX: Non explicit (but quite disturbing) marital rape
VIOLENCE: See above
PROFANITY: Very mild to none
Recommended Reading Audience: New Adult and Up.

[Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer, I read the reader's digest abbreviated version.
Overall I really loved this book, which was a complete surprise. The setting of depression era London was so vivid and shocking, as it's so often glamorised and surrounded with gangsters. Thankfully this is a character driven story with some memorable characters, a strong and intelligent main character who almost seems anachronistic when read under a modern lense and some shocking sections.
The pacing is quick, but could be through the RD edit, and the ending cuts short leaving me wanting more, will definitely look out for more from Diane Pearson.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant!

[Daisy Knight · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bit of a slow read but was an interesting story. It had an uneventful ending and the storyline wasn't particularly exciting

[Satchmo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strange but wonderful story.

[Sharon Zink · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story set in England between World Wars I and II. The main character is a school teacher who works for one of the worst headmistresses in history. The plot is how she faces the odds against her, achieving some of her dearest dreams and watching others disappear, while helping other people consistently.

[Brit Columbia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book kept me turning the pages. Whenever I had to put it down, it stayed in my mind. It was very well-written, and the main character, Sarah, was sympathetic and likable. So many bad things happened to her, though, that I wondered how she could keep going.

There were a lot of side characters and everyone had problems. The problems were interesting, but occasionally stressful to read about.

This is not a satisfying book in that hardly any of the characters ever get anything they want. As a reader, I like to identify with certain characters and enter into the spirit of their desires and hopes. In this book, most of them desired and hoped in vain, and I, the reader, did so along with them. So, no, it wasn't satisfying, but it also wasn't predictable, and ultimately, I think that will make it more memorable.

Although I noticed the frequent POV changes common to older novels, they weren't jarring. The author describes settings very well. The story flows and carries you with it.

I recommend this book.

[Isabelrt · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read it in Spanish, entitled simply "Sarah Whitman"... so I´m not 100% sure whether this is actually the same book (oh yes, I guess I Could read the book details and find out the original title... maybe later!) ;)

[The Devine Ms Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've had this book on my shelf for over a decade and finally opened it. A school teacher with poverty all around. How does that make a good story. But it does when written by Diane Pearson. I love the writing style of this author, something about it kept me turning the pages.

[Iris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love books by Diane Pearson. It spans a period from the late 20s to 1939. It moves from England to India and the characters are wonderful.I only wish there was a sequel.