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The Poldark Saga #1
Ross Poldark
As Seen on Masterpiece™ on PBS®: Book 1 of the beloved Poldark series
In the first novel in Winston Graham's hit series, a weary Ross Poldark returns to England from war, looking forward to a joyful homecoming with his beloved Elizabeth. But instead he discovers his father has died, his home is overrun by livestock and drunken servants, and Elizabeth—believing Ross to be dead—is now engaged to his cousin. Ross has no choice but to start his life anew.
Thus begins the Poldark series, a heartwarming, gripping saga set in the windswept landscape of Cornwall. With an unforgettable cast of characters that spans loves, lives, and generations, this extraordinary masterwork from Winston Graham is a story you will never forget.
In the first novel in Winston Graham's hit series, a weary Ross Poldark returns to England from war, looking forward to a joyful homecoming with his beloved Elizabeth. But instead he discovers his father has died, his home is overrun by livestock and drunken servants, and Elizabeth—believing Ross to be dead—is now engaged to his cousin. Ross has no choice but to start his life anew.
Thus begins the Poldark series, a heartwarming, gripping saga set in the windswept landscape of Cornwall. With an unforgettable cast of characters that spans loves, lives, and generations, this extraordinary masterwork from Winston Graham is a story you will never forget.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1945
5145 people are currently reading
32363 people want to read
About the author
Winston Graham
215 books1,150 followersWinston Graham was an English novelist best known for the Poldark series of historical novels set in Cornwall, though he also wrote contemporary thrillers, period novels, short stories, non-fiction, and plays. Born in Victoria Park, Manchester, he moved to Perranporth, Cornwall in 1925 and lived there for 34 years. Graham published his first novel, The House with the Stained Glass Windows, in 1934 and married Jean Williamson in 1939, who inspired the character Demelza in Poldark. During World War II, he joined the Auxiliary Coastguard Service. Graham became a member of the Society of Authors in 1945, serving as chairman from 1967 to 1969, and was a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, receiving an OBE in 1983. His Poldark series began with Ross Poldark in 1945 and concluded with Bella Poldark in 2002. He wrote 30 additional novels, short stories, and non-fiction works, including the acclaimed thriller Marnie, adapted by Alfred Hitchcock in 1964. Several other novels, including The Walking Stick and Fortune Is a Woman, were adapted for film. Graham also wrote plays, some adapted from his novels. His works have been translated into 31 languages, and his autobiography, Memoirs of a Private Man, was published posthumously in 2003.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,553 reviews
August 2, 2017
Some of my friends in two different groups I'm in started reading this series so I thought, let me watch a little bit of the show on Amazon Prime. Um, yeah, then I decided I needed all of the books even though there is something going to happen that I didn't like but let the pictures do the talking =)
*******LET ME JUST SAY THERE WILL BE SPOILERS*******
Okay, so we have the beautiful Ross Poldark going off off to war thinking he would be coming home to his wonderful Elizabeth that he had fell in love with.....
Uh, no. Ross comes back 2 years later to his cousin, Francis, marrying his wonderful Elizabeth. Happy day to you dear, Ross. All is fair in love and war, right? < --- I can't believe I just said that!
Moving on. So Ross then has to work himself to the bone to get Nampara back to rights. His father died not long ago and the keepers, Jud and Prudie, let it go to hell in a handbasket!
I loved these two though, they are so freaking funny!
And then Ross happens to be in town one day with Jud buying some livestock for the home when he spies some street urchin fighting with some boys over a dog. They were going to do bad things. The only thing I don't like about these books is a few bad things they do to animals. They can kiss my arse! And Demelza feels the same, so there.
And we have the beautiful, Demelza, playing a boy but is really a beautiful warm soul underneath. Her and her dog Garrick. Okay, so she can hold her own in a brawl as best she can and says whatever she feels but that's the way it should be!
Ross is starting to looking into going into partnership in a mine. He doesn't really want to bother with his own for reasons. But, we get the beginning of what could be something started with the Wheel Leisure mine.
There are a lot of different things going on in the book but I believe I have rambled forever and a day!
Let me just add that some things turn around for Ross and Demelza. He starts to notice her among other things.
And then they get married, yes married. And I love Ross cousin, Verity. She is so sweet and she tries to help tame Demelza and becomes a most cherished of friends.
I love this book, I love the tv show and I do believe I will love the rest with the exception of one thing I know that's going to happen and will make me want to beat the living you know what out of Ross. That's all I'm saying.
Team Demelza all the way! ♥
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
*******LET ME JUST SAY THERE WILL BE SPOILERS*******
Okay, so we have the beautiful Ross Poldark going off off to war thinking he would be coming home to his wonderful Elizabeth that he had fell in love with.....
Uh, no. Ross comes back 2 years later to his cousin, Francis, marrying his wonderful Elizabeth. Happy day to you dear, Ross. All is fair in love and war, right? < --- I can't believe I just said that!
Moving on. So Ross then has to work himself to the bone to get Nampara back to rights. His father died not long ago and the keepers, Jud and Prudie, let it go to hell in a handbasket!
I loved these two though, they are so freaking funny!
And then Ross happens to be in town one day with Jud buying some livestock for the home when he spies some street urchin fighting with some boys over a dog. They were going to do bad things. The only thing I don't like about these books is a few bad things they do to animals. They can kiss my arse! And Demelza feels the same, so there.
And we have the beautiful, Demelza, playing a boy but is really a beautiful warm soul underneath. Her and her dog Garrick. Okay, so she can hold her own in a brawl as best she can and says whatever she feels but that's the way it should be!
Ross is starting to looking into going into partnership in a mine. He doesn't really want to bother with his own for reasons. But, we get the beginning of what could be something started with the Wheel Leisure mine.
There are a lot of different things going on in the book but I believe I have rambled forever and a day!
Let me just add that some things turn around for Ross and Demelza. He starts to notice her among other things.
And then they get married, yes married. And I love Ross cousin, Verity. She is so sweet and she tries to help tame Demelza and becomes a most cherished of friends.
I love this book, I love the tv show and I do believe I will love the rest with the exception of one thing I know that's going to happen and will make me want to beat the living you know what out of Ross. That's all I'm saying.
Team Demelza all the way! ♥
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
January 18, 2019
There are so many outstanding qualities within this first novel in a series of twelve. Thank you to Goodreads friend Candi for first introducing me to this series with her wonderful reviews. Thank you, too, for the inspiration from Goodreads friend Diane, who decided last year to read this series at the rate of one per month and whose reviews were a monthly reminder to finally start reading this series. I loved the idea of one per month for the entire year, and it became one of my first personal reading goals for 2019.
This novel was first published in 1945 and the last novel of this series was published in 2002. I did not know that this series began so many years ago: it is as fresh and feels as new as if it had been written yesterday. The writing is outstanding in all ways: rich in historical fact, dynamic characters, beautifully descriptive and atmospheric, and rich in its storyline of family, culture, ventures, and adventures.
The novel covers the period of time in Cornwall from 1783 to 1787. It is the time when copper mines and tin mines accounted for a large proportion of the wealth for those in the upper social classes, while fishing, working in the mines, and servitude were the primary occupations of the lower classes. Both classes have a dark side to their ‘occupations’, too. The wealthy indulged themselves in excesses of food and drink (to the detriment of their health) as well as gambling and affairs. The poorer folks’ dark side is more desperate: largely poaching and petty theft to feed hungry bodies.
There is a huge cast of characters in this novel, yet they are introduced so smoothly and with such a strong imprint of their personalities that I ‘knew’ them immediately and intimately from the beginning.
The Poldark family has two branches: (1) Elder brother Charles, the inheritor and caretaker of the ancient family’s lands and mines, his children Francis and Verity, and (2) Younger brother Joshua who dies early, leaving his son Ross the small farm and holdings that Ross returns to after his service in the War of Independence in America. This novel traces the time of transition when control and responsibility pass from the older generation to the younger.
I was especially fascinated with Cornwall as the setting for this novel because it was a part of England that I was particularly drawn to many years ago when I spent a month exploring the English southwest. This book contains a richness of information about the Cornish countryside, its people, and its even more ancient history - all liberally sprinkled throughout the story.
As a family saga, this first of the series sets a tone of time and place that finds me eagerly looking forward to the second novel next month.
This novel was first published in 1945 and the last novel of this series was published in 2002. I did not know that this series began so many years ago: it is as fresh and feels as new as if it had been written yesterday. The writing is outstanding in all ways: rich in historical fact, dynamic characters, beautifully descriptive and atmospheric, and rich in its storyline of family, culture, ventures, and adventures.
The novel covers the period of time in Cornwall from 1783 to 1787. It is the time when copper mines and tin mines accounted for a large proportion of the wealth for those in the upper social classes, while fishing, working in the mines, and servitude were the primary occupations of the lower classes. Both classes have a dark side to their ‘occupations’, too. The wealthy indulged themselves in excesses of food and drink (to the detriment of their health) as well as gambling and affairs. The poorer folks’ dark side is more desperate: largely poaching and petty theft to feed hungry bodies.
There is a huge cast of characters in this novel, yet they are introduced so smoothly and with such a strong imprint of their personalities that I ‘knew’ them immediately and intimately from the beginning.
The Poldark family has two branches: (1) Elder brother Charles, the inheritor and caretaker of the ancient family’s lands and mines, his children Francis and Verity, and (2) Younger brother Joshua who dies early, leaving his son Ross the small farm and holdings that Ross returns to after his service in the War of Independence in America. This novel traces the time of transition when control and responsibility pass from the older generation to the younger.
I was especially fascinated with Cornwall as the setting for this novel because it was a part of England that I was particularly drawn to many years ago when I spent a month exploring the English southwest. This book contains a richness of information about the Cornish countryside, its people, and its even more ancient history - all liberally sprinkled throughout the story.
As a family saga, this first of the series sets a tone of time and place that finds me eagerly looking forward to the second novel next month.
November 30, 2019
Ross Poldark, published in 1945, tells the story of Ross, a British man in his twenties, from the time he returns from the war in America in 1783 until about four years later. It's the first of a series of a dozen Poldark books that has spawned a couple of BBC miniseries, one in 1975 and a remake in 2015:
I think it's safe to say that Ross v. 2.0 was a serious upgrade. Even though someone at Cosmopolitan magazine disagrees:
Ross is landed gentry, but not particularly wealthy. In fact, he's skirting the edge of poverty, and his father had let their home and land fall to pieces in his later years, especially in his final illness. When Ross returns from the war, with some lingering physical injuries, he's further injured when he finds out that his childhood sweetheart Elizabeth, with whom he had an "understanding," is about to marry his cousin Francis. If this were a historical romance his love would prevail in the end, but this isn't that kind of book. Elizabeth says sorry, she's really going to marry Francis, and Francis is so in love that he doesn't see how deeply he's hurt Ross. The wedding goes on as planned, and Ross is left to pick up the pieces and try to put his life and his estate back together.
This is the story of how that happens.
It's told in a very leisurely manner, and more than one reader has foundered on the slow pace. I almost did myself. But it's well-told, if you don't mind the pacing, and it gives you a real feel for living in the area of Cornwall, England in the late 1700s. Winston Graham really did his research. This is a warts and all type of tale; bad stuff happens and it's not always made right. But this volume, at least, has an ultimately hopeful feel to it.
A soft 4 stars for me. Even if the plot is rather slow and meandering (and leaves a few plot threads hanging for resolution in later books), Ross Poldark has some lovely moments and great, detailed characters and settings that suck you in. I don't regret the time I spent with it. It wasn't entirely my cuppa tea so I probably won't read the sequels, but I paged through some of them in the library to see what happened with a couple of those loose plot threads. :)
I think it's safe to say that Ross v. 2.0 was a serious upgrade. Even though someone at Cosmopolitan magazine disagrees:
Ross is landed gentry, but not particularly wealthy. In fact, he's skirting the edge of poverty, and his father had let their home and land fall to pieces in his later years, especially in his final illness. When Ross returns from the war, with some lingering physical injuries, he's further injured when he finds out that his childhood sweetheart Elizabeth, with whom he had an "understanding," is about to marry his cousin Francis. If this were a historical romance his love would prevail in the end, but this isn't that kind of book. Elizabeth says sorry, she's really going to marry Francis, and Francis is so in love that he doesn't see how deeply he's hurt Ross. The wedding goes on as planned, and Ross is left to pick up the pieces and try to put his life and his estate back together.
This is the story of how that happens.
It's told in a very leisurely manner, and more than one reader has foundered on the slow pace. I almost did myself. But it's well-told, if you don't mind the pacing, and it gives you a real feel for living in the area of Cornwall, England in the late 1700s. Winston Graham really did his research. This is a warts and all type of tale; bad stuff happens and it's not always made right. But this volume, at least, has an ultimately hopeful feel to it.
A soft 4 stars for me. Even if the plot is rather slow and meandering (and leaves a few plot threads hanging for resolution in later books), Ross Poldark has some lovely moments and great, detailed characters and settings that suck you in. I don't regret the time I spent with it. It wasn't entirely my cuppa tea so I probably won't read the sequels, but I paged through some of them in the library to see what happened with a couple of those loose plot threads. :)
July 17, 2018
3/5 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️
This was a very charming book with very charming characters. I had watched the show before I started with this series so I knew the characters and the plot pretty well. I have to admit, this is literally the first time I like the show more than the book. It took me by surprise.
This book is about a man called Ross Poldark who after a grim war in America comes back to his home to find his father dead, the girl he loves engaged to his cousin and his estate derelict. Then a girl named Demelza comes into his life and changes everything.
I believe this book being old as fuck had a different writing style than I prefer. Too many characters who had no point in being mentioned, too many difficult words, the narrator being changed right in the middle of the chapter with no warning, sometimes it made me confused. But I have to admit, it didn't get me bored at all. Probably the pace was a tiny bit slower than I like, but it didn't get me bored at all.
The relationship of Ross and Demelza was the best part of the book, it made my ship heart die. They were literally adorable and they kept this beautiful aspect in this show.
I think the show did a better job of gripping my interest with the mine and copper affairs. The book didn't really succeed in that. Also, the show made some characters more likable and hatable than the book did.
Also, where is the George I like to hate? Where is this son of a bitch? WHERE IS HE? The show did an amazing job with making me feel strong things about the characters. Love and hate. There was no middle ground. I need to feel the hate for George in these books! I need to hate a character in these books!!!
My opinion about this book has been conflicting but I have ordered the next one and I want to get into it. I'll certainly rewatch the show in the summer. One of my favorites of its kind I have to say. I hope I will like the next book best and give it a better rating.
Also.... DEMELZA GO GIRL WE'RE ALL WITH YA!
SO... TILL THE NEXT ONE K BYE!
“The greatest thing is to have someone who loves you and—and to love in return.”
This was a very charming book with very charming characters. I had watched the show before I started with this series so I knew the characters and the plot pretty well. I have to admit, this is literally the first time I like the show more than the book. It took me by surprise.
This book is about a man called Ross Poldark who after a grim war in America comes back to his home to find his father dead, the girl he loves engaged to his cousin and his estate derelict. Then a girl named Demelza comes into his life and changes everything.
I believe this book being old as fuck had a different writing style than I prefer. Too many characters who had no point in being mentioned, too many difficult words, the narrator being changed right in the middle of the chapter with no warning, sometimes it made me confused. But I have to admit, it didn't get me bored at all. Probably the pace was a tiny bit slower than I like, but it didn't get me bored at all.
The relationship of Ross and Demelza was the best part of the book, it made my ship heart die. They were literally adorable and they kept this beautiful aspect in this show.
I think the show did a better job of gripping my interest with the mine and copper affairs. The book didn't really succeed in that. Also, the show made some characters more likable and hatable than the book did.
Also, where is the George I like to hate? Where is this son of a bitch? WHERE IS HE? The show did an amazing job with making me feel strong things about the characters. Love and hate. There was no middle ground. I need to feel the hate for George in these books! I need to hate a character in these books!!!
My opinion about this book has been conflicting but I have ordered the next one and I want to get into it. I'll certainly rewatch the show in the summer. One of my favorites of its kind I have to say. I hope I will like the next book best and give it a better rating.
Also.... DEMELZA GO GIRL WE'RE ALL WITH YA!
SO... TILL THE NEXT ONE K BYE!
March 7, 2020
4.5 stars rounded up
"A wet October evening is depressing, but it drapes some soft shadows on the rough edges of ruin and decay. Not so the light of morning."
Captain Ross Poldark is eager to return to his land and his love after fighting for the British in the Revolutionary War. He is jolted into reality when he finds that with the death of his father, his property has been neglected and ruined, and that his beloved is now engaged to his cousin. It will require much hard work and determination if he is to save his estate and rebuild all that has been precious to his family. Regarding the girl, well that will take a different sort of resolve to face this reversal in his fortune.
It’s been quite some time since I’ve immersed myself in a saga such as this, and I am ready to see this one through to the end! If the first book is any indication, then this series is going to be excellent and well worth the commitment! The Cornwall landscape is somehow so very alluring to my travel-hungry imagination, and the descriptions here are beautiful. The characters are developed skillfully and the differing social classes from the gentry to the mineworkers are well-drawn. I love Ross’s interactions with the people that earn their living by working his land or by submerging themselves in the depths of the earth in order to bring copper ore to the surface. He’s not above sitting and having a drink with these rougher sorts of men and is bold enough to stand up for those that cannot defend themselves, despite the risk of gossip that such acts inevitably attract. "He wondered if the real world was that one in which men fought for policies and principles and died or lived gloriously – or more often miserably – for the sake of an abstract word like patriotism or independence, or if reality belonged to the humble people and the common land."
I was thoroughly entertained with my introduction to Ross Poldark and all the other wonderful people I have met during my excursion to late eighteenth century Cornwall. I look forward to spending more time with loyal cousin Verity, carefree Demelza, unpredictable Aunt Agatha, and of course the unconventional (and yes, somewhat irresistible!) Ross - and a host of others as well. Am I a fan of the television series? Well, having just finished episode one of the first season, I am happy to say yes indeed! I have a bit of catching up to do, and it is safe to say that I am hooked! I highly recommend the book (and most likely the series) for lovers of historical fiction and engaging family sagas.
"A wet October evening is depressing, but it drapes some soft shadows on the rough edges of ruin and decay. Not so the light of morning."
Captain Ross Poldark is eager to return to his land and his love after fighting for the British in the Revolutionary War. He is jolted into reality when he finds that with the death of his father, his property has been neglected and ruined, and that his beloved is now engaged to his cousin. It will require much hard work and determination if he is to save his estate and rebuild all that has been precious to his family. Regarding the girl, well that will take a different sort of resolve to face this reversal in his fortune.
It’s been quite some time since I’ve immersed myself in a saga such as this, and I am ready to see this one through to the end! If the first book is any indication, then this series is going to be excellent and well worth the commitment! The Cornwall landscape is somehow so very alluring to my travel-hungry imagination, and the descriptions here are beautiful. The characters are developed skillfully and the differing social classes from the gentry to the mineworkers are well-drawn. I love Ross’s interactions with the people that earn their living by working his land or by submerging themselves in the depths of the earth in order to bring copper ore to the surface. He’s not above sitting and having a drink with these rougher sorts of men and is bold enough to stand up for those that cannot defend themselves, despite the risk of gossip that such acts inevitably attract. "He wondered if the real world was that one in which men fought for policies and principles and died or lived gloriously – or more often miserably – for the sake of an abstract word like patriotism or independence, or if reality belonged to the humble people and the common land."
I was thoroughly entertained with my introduction to Ross Poldark and all the other wonderful people I have met during my excursion to late eighteenth century Cornwall. I look forward to spending more time with loyal cousin Verity, carefree Demelza, unpredictable Aunt Agatha, and of course the unconventional (and yes, somewhat irresistible!) Ross - and a host of others as well. Am I a fan of the television series? Well, having just finished episode one of the first season, I am happy to say yes indeed! I have a bit of catching up to do, and it is safe to say that I am hooked! I highly recommend the book (and most likely the series) for lovers of historical fiction and engaging family sagas.
March 9, 2018
This was another audiobook with my wife. I love having the alternative to TV and it is cool that we have some similar interests in books so that it easy to find ones we both want to listen to.
3.5 to 4 Stars
A couple years ago, my wife’s parents got the 1970s version of the Poldark mini-series. This was in response to the popularity of Downton Abbey and they remembered watching it and enjoying it back in the day. I just thought it was a funny name and didn’t give it much thought. Then I found out it was a book series and they were remaking the TV series! Well, if it is good enough to be remade and it comes in a book format, I figured I need to check it out.
The book is very much a soap opera – and that is a good thing. I feel like I am sneaking a peek into the scandalous lives of Ross Poldark and his family, co-workers, and enemies at the end of the 1700s. The drama that they get themselves into, while it does have the flair of the time period, it is very similar to the TV dramas you see today – especially the ones with people of different social and financial status co-mingling. The story is very entertaining and I found myself frequently saying “Oh no he didn’t!”
I think the only thing that affected my enjoyment of the book a bit was the conclusion of the book. The first two thirds of the book were a lot of shorter scenes with lots of action and drama, while the last third of the book was one long party scene where the action and development was kind of slow. While it all come to an interesting conclusion, the change of pace that far into the in the book kind of threw me a bit.
We will continue in the series because, whether or not I enjoyed the first book or will continue to enjoy the series, I love spending time listening to books with my wife!
3.5 to 4 Stars
A couple years ago, my wife’s parents got the 1970s version of the Poldark mini-series. This was in response to the popularity of Downton Abbey and they remembered watching it and enjoying it back in the day. I just thought it was a funny name and didn’t give it much thought. Then I found out it was a book series and they were remaking the TV series! Well, if it is good enough to be remade and it comes in a book format, I figured I need to check it out.
The book is very much a soap opera – and that is a good thing. I feel like I am sneaking a peek into the scandalous lives of Ross Poldark and his family, co-workers, and enemies at the end of the 1700s. The drama that they get themselves into, while it does have the flair of the time period, it is very similar to the TV dramas you see today – especially the ones with people of different social and financial status co-mingling. The story is very entertaining and I found myself frequently saying “Oh no he didn’t!”
I think the only thing that affected my enjoyment of the book a bit was the conclusion of the book. The first two thirds of the book were a lot of shorter scenes with lots of action and drama, while the last third of the book was one long party scene where the action and development was kind of slow. While it all come to an interesting conclusion, the change of pace that far into the in the book kind of threw me a bit.
We will continue in the series because, whether or not I enjoyed the first book or will continue to enjoy the series, I love spending time listening to books with my wife!
September 24, 2017
This book is featured on this week's Shabby Sunday @ https://readrantrockandroll.com/2017/...
It’s 1783, and Ross Poldark is returning home after fighting in the American Revolutionary War. When he arrives he learns that his father is dead, his copper mine is failing, and his sweetheart Elizabeth, whom he loves, is engaged to his cousin Francis. Not only that, but the servants haven’t been keeping up with the estate, and it’s in shambles. His joyful homecoming is crushed and everything is a mess with chickens scattered around in his living room.
Ross plans to get back on his feet again, but his finances are a mess and he struggles to fit back into society. The future is looking fairly grim. He meets a fourteen-year-old girl named Demelza, rescues her from her abusive father, and gives her a job as a kitchen maid at Nampara where he resides. As time moves on, Demelza grows up into a beautiful young woman, their relationship changes, and they get married against everyone’s wishes. There’s hardly a single soul who approves of their marriage and Demelza will have to prove that she’s a worthy wife. Not only does she struggle with society, she struggles with herself because she knows Ross still loves Elizabeth and Demelza is the one who wants to be number one in Ross’s life.
The book is full of memorable characters with Demelza being my favorite. Winston Graham has a way of making the wind, sea, weather, and landscape connect to the feelings of the characters and the imagery of Cornwall pulls you in with all the vivid details.
“He felt he would like one more look at the sea, which even now was licking at the rocks behind the house. He had no sentimental notions about the sea; he had no regard for its dangers or its beauties; to him it was a close acquaintance whose every virtue and failing, every smile and tantrum he had come to understand.”
The book started off slow for me, but once I got into the story I loved it and couldn’t wait to read the other books in the series. I ended up reading every single book in The Poldark Saga and highly recommend it to all that enjoy reading historical fiction.
My rating on this is 5*****
It’s 1783, and Ross Poldark is returning home after fighting in the American Revolutionary War. When he arrives he learns that his father is dead, his copper mine is failing, and his sweetheart Elizabeth, whom he loves, is engaged to his cousin Francis. Not only that, but the servants haven’t been keeping up with the estate, and it’s in shambles. His joyful homecoming is crushed and everything is a mess with chickens scattered around in his living room.
Ross plans to get back on his feet again, but his finances are a mess and he struggles to fit back into society. The future is looking fairly grim. He meets a fourteen-year-old girl named Demelza, rescues her from her abusive father, and gives her a job as a kitchen maid at Nampara where he resides. As time moves on, Demelza grows up into a beautiful young woman, their relationship changes, and they get married against everyone’s wishes. There’s hardly a single soul who approves of their marriage and Demelza will have to prove that she’s a worthy wife. Not only does she struggle with society, she struggles with herself because she knows Ross still loves Elizabeth and Demelza is the one who wants to be number one in Ross’s life.
The book is full of memorable characters with Demelza being my favorite. Winston Graham has a way of making the wind, sea, weather, and landscape connect to the feelings of the characters and the imagery of Cornwall pulls you in with all the vivid details.
“He felt he would like one more look at the sea, which even now was licking at the rocks behind the house. He had no sentimental notions about the sea; he had no regard for its dangers or its beauties; to him it was a close acquaintance whose every virtue and failing, every smile and tantrum he had come to understand.”
The book started off slow for me, but once I got into the story I loved it and couldn’t wait to read the other books in the series. I ended up reading every single book in The Poldark Saga and highly recommend it to all that enjoy reading historical fiction.
My rating on this is 5*****
September 9, 2016
"But in the depths of horror and despair one comes to a new steadiness. There is no farther to fall."
And I've fallen into the depths of this historical fiction series by Winston Graham. PBS has taken it to new heights in their offering which will debut Season 2 later in September.
Ross Poldark is a returning British soldier having served in America during the uprise of the Revolutionary War. March of 1783 brings news of his father's death. Setting foot upon this once beloved estate, Ross is confronted with a wide array of discouraging upheaval battles. The house and adjoining buildings have been left to decay and abandonment. The former prosperous mine is no longer functioning. Money and a source of credit is not even within reach.
And then the heart suffers even more rebuke. Elizabeth, the love of his life and beyond, is marrying his questionable cousin, Francis. Elizabeth had believed that Ross was dead. Fickleness runs in this girl's veins as frigid as ice water as she still has time to turn the tide before the ceremony. Marbles must be rolling in this girl's head as she willfully chooses Francis over the dashing, but broke, Ross. Oh, clueless Liz will regret that move most certainly.
Winston Graham presents this story set in Cornwall through a currently rendered trilogy. I'm already into the second book of this series, Demelza. I find the characters, and there are many of them, to be well-drawn and painfully human. The theme throughout seems to be of Ross' rising from the ashes breaking through the mire of heartbreak, family treachery, injustice, and despair. All the goodies that make for an intriguing work of historical fiction.
I believe that once you pick up the first book in this series you will be drawn in as well. And there's also the PBS version that adheres quite well to the book series. It's the perfect answer to shoring up a depleted, dry book craving. And who couldn't use a dashing figure riding a dark horse galloping across the fields of your mind about now?
And I've fallen into the depths of this historical fiction series by Winston Graham. PBS has taken it to new heights in their offering which will debut Season 2 later in September.
Ross Poldark is a returning British soldier having served in America during the uprise of the Revolutionary War. March of 1783 brings news of his father's death. Setting foot upon this once beloved estate, Ross is confronted with a wide array of discouraging upheaval battles. The house and adjoining buildings have been left to decay and abandonment. The former prosperous mine is no longer functioning. Money and a source of credit is not even within reach.
And then the heart suffers even more rebuke. Elizabeth, the love of his life and beyond, is marrying his questionable cousin, Francis. Elizabeth had believed that Ross was dead. Fickleness runs in this girl's veins as frigid as ice water as she still has time to turn the tide before the ceremony. Marbles must be rolling in this girl's head as she willfully chooses Francis over the dashing, but broke, Ross. Oh, clueless Liz will regret that move most certainly.
Winston Graham presents this story set in Cornwall through a currently rendered trilogy. I'm already into the second book of this series, Demelza. I find the characters, and there are many of them, to be well-drawn and painfully human. The theme throughout seems to be of Ross' rising from the ashes breaking through the mire of heartbreak, family treachery, injustice, and despair. All the goodies that make for an intriguing work of historical fiction.
I believe that once you pick up the first book in this series you will be drawn in as well. And there's also the PBS version that adheres quite well to the book series. It's the perfect answer to shoring up a depleted, dry book craving. And who couldn't use a dashing figure riding a dark horse galloping across the fields of your mind about now?
August 29, 2025
"The greatest thing is to have someone who loves you and—and to love in return. People who haven’t got it—or had it—don't believe that, but it’s the truth."
Ross Poldark rides back into Cornwall, fresh from fighting in the American Revolutionary War, expecting warm hugs, a cozy hearth, and maybe a kiss or two from his beloved Elizabeth.
Instead, his father is dead, Elizabeth is engaged to his cousin, and his estate is being run by two perpetually pickled servants. Chickens, without a responsible human to keep them in check, have taken over the parlor. Not exactly the welcome-home party he had in mind!
But Ross isn't one to wallow (at least not outwardly). With grit in his soul and nothing left to lose, he rolls up his sleeves and sets out to rebuild his life. What follows is a deliciously dramatic tale of resilience, romance and reinvention, all set against the wild, windswept beauty of Cornwall.
Winston Graham serves up an 18th-century saga brimming with a brooding hero, sharp-tongued locals, and fortunes that hinge on copper mines and card games. Ross is the kind of character who makes you want to cheer, sigh, and occasionally shake him by the collar.
So go ahead—step into the late 1700s, where the wigs are powdered, the stakes are high, and emotions run deep. You’ll be glad you made the trip!
Ross Poldark rides back into Cornwall, fresh from fighting in the American Revolutionary War, expecting warm hugs, a cozy hearth, and maybe a kiss or two from his beloved Elizabeth.
Instead, his father is dead, Elizabeth is engaged to his cousin, and his estate is being run by two perpetually pickled servants. Chickens, without a responsible human to keep them in check, have taken over the parlor. Not exactly the welcome-home party he had in mind!
But Ross isn't one to wallow (at least not outwardly). With grit in his soul and nothing left to lose, he rolls up his sleeves and sets out to rebuild his life. What follows is a deliciously dramatic tale of resilience, romance and reinvention, all set against the wild, windswept beauty of Cornwall.
Winston Graham serves up an 18th-century saga brimming with a brooding hero, sharp-tongued locals, and fortunes that hinge on copper mines and card games. Ross is the kind of character who makes you want to cheer, sigh, and occasionally shake him by the collar.
So go ahead—step into the late 1700s, where the wigs are powdered, the stakes are high, and emotions run deep. You’ll be glad you made the trip!
January 7, 2017
4.5 rounded up.
I couldn’t resist this book...it has a picture of Aidan Turner on its cover. Seriously, I have loved watching the Poldark series on PBS and I find the book it is based on to be just as interesting and fulfilling. I will be reading the entire book series, although at what pace I am not sure.
Book 1 deals with Ross Poldark, who comes home to England (Cornwall, no less) from the American Revolution to find that his father has died, his land is in complete disrepair, and his love is about to marry his cousin, Francis. Ross appears to have picked up some ideas about freedom and equality while across the Atlantic and he finds himself outside the normal bounds of his class in his thinking. We are set up for a tale of class struggle and moral choices in the heart and hands of a very independent and atypical man.
The characters are developed beautifully, there is enough of romance and intrigue to keep you guessing and the writing is well-paced, even though you can sense this is going to be a long story. I am in for the full ride and expect it to be delightful.
I couldn’t resist this book...it has a picture of Aidan Turner on its cover. Seriously, I have loved watching the Poldark series on PBS and I find the book it is based on to be just as interesting and fulfilling. I will be reading the entire book series, although at what pace I am not sure.
Book 1 deals with Ross Poldark, who comes home to England (Cornwall, no less) from the American Revolution to find that his father has died, his land is in complete disrepair, and his love is about to marry his cousin, Francis. Ross appears to have picked up some ideas about freedom and equality while across the Atlantic and he finds himself outside the normal bounds of his class in his thinking. We are set up for a tale of class struggle and moral choices in the heart and hands of a very independent and atypical man.
The characters are developed beautifully, there is enough of romance and intrigue to keep you guessing and the writing is well-paced, even though you can sense this is going to be a long story. I am in for the full ride and expect it to be delightful.
June 28, 2014
I've been hearing a lot about the new Poldark TV-series that's being filmed for the BBC and thought the multi-generational saga sounded like something I'd enjoy, so I decided to give the first book a read. I'm so glad I did! I was instantly drawn into the story of Ross Poldark, the young officer who returns to Cornwall after fighting in the Revolutionary War, sporting a scar on his face and a limp, to find that his father is dead, his family home is in ruins, and his love, the beautiful and genteel Elizabeth, is now engaged to his cousin. The latter is the most difficult cross for Ross to bear, and he must throw himself into the restoration of his property and the Poldarks' mining business in order to distract himself from his loss. As you can imagine, family gatherings, which force Ross to break bread and exchange polite conversation with his cousin, Francis, and Elizabeth are both awkward and torturous.
But Ross is a strong man and he discovers new purpose in rebuilding his family's small empire and in providing counsel to the tenants on his land. He's helped along the way by several very entertaining and well-drawn supporting characters, including Jud and Prudie, the comically lazy and foul-mouthed couple who are caretakers of the Poldark estate, his cousin Verity who provides moral support, and a feisty ragamuffin named Demelza whom Ross rescues from a street brawl and brings home to work in his kitchen.
Winston Graham did such a wonderful job in describing the Cornish land and its people; I was so transported by his words that I could almost feel the sea spray on my face while I was reading! And I loved the complexities of all the relationships in this book. How conflicted Ross continues to be over his feelings for Elizabeth, how there are so many different levels to his interactions with Demelza, how kindhearted Verity falls in love with a man who has a dark past which leads to discord in her family. It's all great, soapy stuff, and I stayed up late several nights in a row because I couldn't put the book down!
The story ended with several storylines left up in the air, so I had to immediately download the next book. I can't wait to see what happens next in the lives of Ross & Co. and I highly recommend this read to anyone who loves Historical Fiction. You won't find a more compelling protagonist than Ross Poldark.
But Ross is a strong man and he discovers new purpose in rebuilding his family's small empire and in providing counsel to the tenants on his land. He's helped along the way by several very entertaining and well-drawn supporting characters, including Jud and Prudie, the comically lazy and foul-mouthed couple who are caretakers of the Poldark estate, his cousin Verity who provides moral support, and a feisty ragamuffin named Demelza whom Ross rescues from a street brawl and brings home to work in his kitchen.
Winston Graham did such a wonderful job in describing the Cornish land and its people; I was so transported by his words that I could almost feel the sea spray on my face while I was reading! And I loved the complexities of all the relationships in this book. How conflicted Ross continues to be over his feelings for Elizabeth, how there are so many different levels to his interactions with Demelza, how kindhearted Verity falls in love with a man who has a dark past which leads to discord in her family. It's all great, soapy stuff, and I stayed up late several nights in a row because I couldn't put the book down!
The story ended with several storylines left up in the air, so I had to immediately download the next book. I can't wait to see what happens next in the lives of Ross & Co. and I highly recommend this read to anyone who loves Historical Fiction. You won't find a more compelling protagonist than Ross Poldark.
September 19, 2007
These books are totally under-rated. Although they may be slightly trashy Pre-Victorian love stories, so was Jane Eyre when it was written. Graham is a very good writer and these books are full of powerful and descriptive pros which ignite the imagination - even if said imagination is that of a hopeless romantic who watches too much Masterpiece Theater and too many Lifetime movies. As the title suggests, it is a saga - melodramatic like 'Gone with the Wind,' but like 'Gone with the Wind' it is good history. Although written in the 1950's, Graham paints a rather accurate picture of life in Cornwall in the late 18th century, and I love this part of the part of the books as well.
These may be written off as trashy love stories set in period, but I think they are very well written and very inciteful. Graham sees into the hearts of very clearly defined characters, which all have their own inner thoughts and fears which are completely believeable and relatable. These books really suck you in, and I plan to read all 10.
These may be written off as trashy love stories set in period, but I think they are very well written and very inciteful. Graham sees into the hearts of very clearly defined characters, which all have their own inner thoughts and fears which are completely believeable and relatable. These books really suck you in, and I plan to read all 10.
January 7, 2012
This site is called Goodreads and this book, together with the eleven other Poldark novels which follow it, is one of the best reads you could possibly find. Winston Graham is not just a good writer - he is in in my view a great writer. He has all the gifts and skills you could possibly want in a novelist: he creates wonderful, well-drawn characters, he has a brilliant, accurate ear for dialogue, he writes beautiful, concise description, he creates dramatic, page-turning plots - what more could you want? The plots of these novels are wonderfully crafted; he is the master of setting a little time-bomb which will tick away in the back of your mind for hundreds of pages before it explodes. His plots are very dramatic - these believable, very real characters do things of quite breath-taking audacity which the author has the skill to develop thoroughly so that all the consequences are quite fully worked out. The villains are truly evil but in human terms thoroughly understandable, and the good characters sympathetic but satisfyingly flawed. He has a great gift for comedy too - particularly in the early books where the antics of Jud and Judie Paynter had me laughing out loud. The historical research should not be forgotten either - he paints a wholly believable picture of nineteenth century Cornwall during the Napoleonic Wars and the early Industrial Revolution, which brings a bygone world to life.
Like many people of my age, I first knew of these books through the TV series which was a great hit at the time. I think I read the first two books then, before university, work and family took over. But coming back to them in later life I realise what an enormous achievement they really are. I started with this book about two months ago and I have just finished book ten, with two more to go. After that I think I shall explore Winston Graham's other books - he wrote about 40 novels all told, many made into films. If I could write half as well as him I would be proud. If you are looking for a long, well-written, fully realised series of historical novels to sink into and enjoy, these are the books for you!
Tim Vicary. www.timvicary.com
Like many people of my age, I first knew of these books through the TV series which was a great hit at the time. I think I read the first two books then, before university, work and family took over. But coming back to them in later life I realise what an enormous achievement they really are. I started with this book about two months ago and I have just finished book ten, with two more to go. After that I think I shall explore Winston Graham's other books - he wrote about 40 novels all told, many made into films. If I could write half as well as him I would be proud. If you are looking for a long, well-written, fully realised series of historical novels to sink into and enjoy, these are the books for you!
Tim Vicary. www.timvicary.com
no
August 6, 2015fuck this book.
fuck this show
fuck the day this story shat on my life
i don't care how hot this character is
or wossiname from being human
who always kinda looked like a concussed goat to me anyway
all i know is
this one time this fictional person was more important than
anything i am or could ever be or
could ever have lost
so
this shit
right here
can die in a dumpster fire
surrounded by solemn hobos
and like four confused hipsters who think they're at bonnaroo
the end
fuck this show
fuck the day this story shat on my life
i don't care how hot this character is
or wossiname from being human
who always kinda looked like a concussed goat to me anyway
all i know is
this one time this fictional person was more important than
anything i am or could ever be or
could ever have lost
so
this shit
right here
can die in a dumpster fire
surrounded by solemn hobos
and like four confused hipsters who think they're at bonnaroo
the end
June 1, 2018
Me ha encantado! Sobre todo la voz del narrador, que me ha recordado el estilo de Jane Austen; aunque ya aviso, la historia no tiene nada que ver con esta escritora. Y tampoco hay mucho romance, más bien, ofrece una visión de la Inglaterra de finales de 17... Eso sí, marvillosa!
January 15, 2018
Long story short, this book and the next five in the series have been on my shelves for 13 years. I remember when and where I bought them, but not why. This was way before the recent PBS series, and way before I joined GR, but I must have heard about them in some way. Despite being mass market paperbacks, I have lugged them around with me from house to house, from NC to SC, intending to read them at some point.
Last year I resolved to read any 2017 book purchase before year's end, and was fairly successful at that, so this year I added the requirement that I make a dent in my physical shelves. Enter GR reviews, the Poldark Series that everyone is talking about, and my resolution. I decided to start the first book, dnf if I didn't like it, then get the others off my shelves by purging.
Well, the purging is not going to happen. I fell into this novel of eighteenth century Cornwall, and stayed there happily for a while, living life with Ross Poldark and his existing and cobbled together family. He returned to Cornwall in 1787 after going to America to fight in the Revolutionary War, finding his father was dead, the woman he loved married to his cousin, his estate in disrepair, and his reputation in tatters. One of the best things about the novel is that there are 11 more in the series, so I could turn the last page without feeling that I would lose the characters that I had grown to love. And I get to read 5 more from my shelves, although now I need to find all the rest of them. And I can now watch the series, having the books as background.
But the very best thing is that I now have a new literary crush. Ross Poldark is a kind and principled man, who can be tough when he needs to be. He has a sense of humor, is intelligent, loves to read, does not care what people think of him, and always tried to do the right thing. How can I resist that?
Last year I resolved to read any 2017 book purchase before year's end, and was fairly successful at that, so this year I added the requirement that I make a dent in my physical shelves. Enter GR reviews, the Poldark Series that everyone is talking about, and my resolution. I decided to start the first book, dnf if I didn't like it, then get the others off my shelves by purging.
Well, the purging is not going to happen. I fell into this novel of eighteenth century Cornwall, and stayed there happily for a while, living life with Ross Poldark and his existing and cobbled together family. He returned to Cornwall in 1787 after going to America to fight in the Revolutionary War, finding his father was dead, the woman he loved married to his cousin, his estate in disrepair, and his reputation in tatters. One of the best things about the novel is that there are 11 more in the series, so I could turn the last page without feeling that I would lose the characters that I had grown to love. And I get to read 5 more from my shelves, although now I need to find all the rest of them. And I can now watch the series, having the books as background.
But the very best thing is that I now have a new literary crush. Ross Poldark is a kind and principled man, who can be tough when he needs to be. He has a sense of humor, is intelligent, loves to read, does not care what people think of him, and always tried to do the right thing. How can I resist that?
October 14, 2021
I absolutely loved this book.
All the characters were so alive, so three dimensional. I had no trouble keeping even quite minor characters sorted out. After (part) reading The Mirror & the Light finding that my aging memory can still keep track of large character casts if the book is compelling enough is quite a relief! The book contains everything - major setbacks, romance, tragedy, family life and humour. It is not surprising that two different TV series have been made from the Poldark saga.
The three main female characters Demelza, Verity & Elizabeth were what I particularly loved. They are all nice people but none of them are saints. I particularly like the joy that Demelza brings to the page, skipping around with huge bunches of wild flowers, yet also working so hard.
As well as giving us compelling characters, Graham does some of the best writing of a blighted romance I have ever read.
So beautiful and tender. & unlike many male writers, Graham doesn't disdain to give us clothing descriptions. It is a criticism often levelled at Georgette Heyer, but I enjoy it as part of the historical novel experience.
I now also own parts 2-6 in this series. I can't wait to read Demelza i hope that all of these books hold my interest - I think it will depend how much detail there is about
https://wordpress.com/view/carolshess...
All the characters were so alive, so three dimensional. I had no trouble keeping even quite minor characters sorted out. After (part) reading The Mirror & the Light finding that my aging memory can still keep track of large character casts if the book is compelling enough is quite a relief! The book contains everything - major setbacks, romance, tragedy, family life and humour. It is not surprising that two different TV series have been made from the Poldark saga.
The three main female characters Demelza, Verity & Elizabeth were what I particularly loved. They are all nice people but none of them are saints. I particularly like the joy that Demelza brings to the page, skipping around with huge bunches of wild flowers, yet also working so hard.
As well as giving us compelling characters, Graham does some of the best writing of a blighted romance I have ever read.
She pushed the bolt across the door and sat abruptly in the first chair. Her romance was over; even though she rebelled against the fact, she knew that it was so. She felt faint and sick and desperately tired of being alive. If death could come quietly and peacefully she would accept it, would sink into it as one sank into a bed wanting only sleep and self-forgetfulness.
So beautiful and tender. & unlike many male writers, Graham doesn't disdain to give us clothing descriptions. It is a criticism often levelled at Georgette Heyer, but I enjoy it as part of the historical novel experience.
I now also own parts 2-6 in this series. I can't wait to read Demelza i hope that all of these books hold my interest - I think it will depend how much detail there is about
https://wordpress.com/view/carolshess...
August 2, 2015
Rating 3.5 stars
The BBC recently aired their new version of Poldark, and whilst I and a nation of women went gaga for the brooding and shirtless Aidan Turner (oh dear God *drool*), I also adored the beautiful Eleanor Tomlinson and the sizzling chemistry they had together. When Ross and Demelza fell first in passion (the dress scene *swoon*) and then in love (the singing scene *sigh*), so did I with them. Just gorgeous.
Away from the TV show, the first book in the series, Ross Poldark, took a while to get going for me, probably because I was waiting impatiently for them to notice each other so I could re-live my favourite moments; Demelza's devotion and Ross's realisation are as much a joy to read as they are to watch.
It's not all sighing and swooning though as Ross can be a self-righteous pain in the arse at times, and I'm simply not buying his pining for Elizabeth; why would such a practical and passionate man be so hung up on that insipid cold-fish? Yeah yeah yeah, first love n' all that, but c'mon, a choice between sitting around looking pretty and taking tea, or having funny, feisty, adorable Demelza getting stuck into village life and looking after you in both the kitchen and the bedroom - it's no contest. Ross and Elizabeth don't have a single drop of chemistry, whereas Ross and Demelza crackle with it on every level.
As for the rest of the plot, when Ross and Demelza aren't centre stage, my attention begins to wander; with the exception of Ross's cousin, Verity, I'm nowhere near as interested in the other characters or storylines, which may not bode too well for the future books in the series. However, I'll be reading Demelza next as her story with Ross has completely captivated me. I'm also hoping that knowing the TV series became more engrossing as it progressed, so too will the books.
The BBC recently aired their new version of Poldark, and whilst I and a nation of women went gaga for the brooding and shirtless Aidan Turner (oh dear God *drool*), I also adored the beautiful Eleanor Tomlinson and the sizzling chemistry they had together. When Ross and Demelza fell first in passion (the dress scene *swoon*) and then in love (the singing scene *sigh*), so did I with them. Just gorgeous.
Away from the TV show, the first book in the series, Ross Poldark, took a while to get going for me, probably because I was waiting impatiently for them to notice each other so I could re-live my favourite moments; Demelza's devotion and Ross's realisation are as much a joy to read as they are to watch.
It's not all sighing and swooning though as Ross can be a self-righteous pain in the arse at times, and I'm simply not buying his pining for Elizabeth; why would such a practical and passionate man be so hung up on that insipid cold-fish? Yeah yeah yeah, first love n' all that, but c'mon, a choice between sitting around looking pretty and taking tea, or having funny, feisty, adorable Demelza getting stuck into village life and looking after you in both the kitchen and the bedroom - it's no contest. Ross and Elizabeth don't have a single drop of chemistry, whereas Ross and Demelza crackle with it on every level.
As for the rest of the plot, when Ross and Demelza aren't centre stage, my attention begins to wander; with the exception of Ross's cousin, Verity, I'm nowhere near as interested in the other characters or storylines, which may not bode too well for the future books in the series. However, I'll be reading Demelza next as her story with Ross has completely captivated me. I'm also hoping that knowing the TV series became more engrossing as it progressed, so too will the books.
May 27, 2025
A sweeping saga set in one of my favourite places- Cornwall. Cornwall, with its wild and rugged countryside and coastline is a perfect complement to Ross Poldark, the hero of this book.
We meet Ross in 1783 after his return to Cornwall from the Americas, where he has been fighting in the American Revolution. He comes home ready to take over his property, as his father has died, and reclaim the woman he loves, Elizabeth. But he has been gone a few years and things have changed. Elizabeth is promised to his cousin, Francis. Ross moves on from this disappointment and begins to reclaim his life in Cornwall.
Ross is definitely a man to admire- he comes from gentry but empathizes with the lower class. He can see that they are being treated unfairly. Of course, others of his class do not agree with him.
In this first book in the Poldark series, Winston Graham begins the saga of Ross Poldark and the many colourful characters that surround him. We meet Jud and Prudie, his faithful but complaining servants. We meet Verity, his loyal, understanding cousin, and we meet Demelza, the runaway, who will burrow a spot in his life. I became totally immersed in this story and look forward to continuing the series. With so much acclaim from my trusted GR friends, I’m not sure why I waited so long!
Published: 1945
We meet Ross in 1783 after his return to Cornwall from the Americas, where he has been fighting in the American Revolution. He comes home ready to take over his property, as his father has died, and reclaim the woman he loves, Elizabeth. But he has been gone a few years and things have changed. Elizabeth is promised to his cousin, Francis. Ross moves on from this disappointment and begins to reclaim his life in Cornwall.
Ross is definitely a man to admire- he comes from gentry but empathizes with the lower class. He can see that they are being treated unfairly. Of course, others of his class do not agree with him.
In this first book in the Poldark series, Winston Graham begins the saga of Ross Poldark and the many colourful characters that surround him. We meet Jud and Prudie, his faithful but complaining servants. We meet Verity, his loyal, understanding cousin, and we meet Demelza, the runaway, who will burrow a spot in his life. I became totally immersed in this story and look forward to continuing the series. With so much acclaim from my trusted GR friends, I’m not sure why I waited so long!
Published: 1945
July 31, 2015
I have a shameful confession. Other than a few notable exceptions (Tolstoy, Anthony Trollope, Jasper Fforde) I rarely enjoy fiction written by men. I can’t even discuss it without resorting to stereotypes I would resent if it was women being lumped together, but if I was forced to say something it would be that even when I’m intrigued by the stories male authors have to tell, their characterizations, particularly of women, tend to make my skin crawl.
So while I’ve been eagerly awaiting each TV episode of BBC’s Poldark, I remained hesitant to try the books by Winston Graham that the series is based on. Hesitant, that is, until I read the opening pages of this first book and got hooked.
The prose is beautiful, even graceful, without being ornate or fussy and Graham writes his characters, female and male, with clear-eyed but sympathetic insight that reminds me of George Eliot. There are touches of history (the doings of mad King George, the unrest in France, etc.) and humor, but the heart of the story centers on the families--noble and not--of Cornwall. We see their courtships, their marriages, and their home lives, and we travel to the mines, farm fields, and ocean waters where they earn their livings. It’s a credit to Graham’s skill as a writer that I was actually interested in the sections on copper mining.
In the first chapter of the book--and first episode of the TV series--Ross Poldark returns to Cornwall after fighting with the British in the American Revolution, only to find his father dead, his property in ruins, and his girlfriend engaged to his cousin. Ross is the son of a younger son, and not much interested in the niceties of class and society, making him an appealing character for modern sensibilities. His quick to learn but almost feral kitchen maid Demelza also plays a major role in the story, and so does Elizabeth, his former girlfriend, and his cousins Verity and Francis.
The book and the TV show complement each other wonderfully. The gorgeous scenery of the BBC production made my reading pleasure all the more vivid, and the book fills in details that the show has to skim over. The novel also gave me a chance to dwell in the story a little longer--an addictive pleasure. Immediately after finishing the first book I started the second volume in the series.
So while I’ve been eagerly awaiting each TV episode of BBC’s Poldark, I remained hesitant to try the books by Winston Graham that the series is based on. Hesitant, that is, until I read the opening pages of this first book and got hooked.
The prose is beautiful, even graceful, without being ornate or fussy and Graham writes his characters, female and male, with clear-eyed but sympathetic insight that reminds me of George Eliot. There are touches of history (the doings of mad King George, the unrest in France, etc.) and humor, but the heart of the story centers on the families--noble and not--of Cornwall. We see their courtships, their marriages, and their home lives, and we travel to the mines, farm fields, and ocean waters where they earn their livings. It’s a credit to Graham’s skill as a writer that I was actually interested in the sections on copper mining.
In the first chapter of the book--and first episode of the TV series--Ross Poldark returns to Cornwall after fighting with the British in the American Revolution, only to find his father dead, his property in ruins, and his girlfriend engaged to his cousin. Ross is the son of a younger son, and not much interested in the niceties of class and society, making him an appealing character for modern sensibilities. His quick to learn but almost feral kitchen maid Demelza also plays a major role in the story, and so does Elizabeth, his former girlfriend, and his cousins Verity and Francis.
The book and the TV show complement each other wonderfully. The gorgeous scenery of the BBC production made my reading pleasure all the more vivid, and the book fills in details that the show has to skim over. The novel also gave me a chance to dwell in the story a little longer--an addictive pleasure. Immediately after finishing the first book I started the second volume in the series.
December 6, 2025
“Powerful forces of revolution and reaction are at large in the world”
‘Twas ever the way. Soldiers go to war on behalf of their fellow citizens but their return to the country for which they were willing to lay down their lives is anything but the joyful homecoming they might reasonably have anticipated. Ross Poldark's return to Cornwall in the 1780s as a hardened, wounded and dispirited veteran of the battle to retain possession of the American colonies is anything but welcoming. His father is dead, his estate is run down, and the girl he loved and with whom he thought he had an “understanding” is engaged to marry his cousin. Welcome home, Ross … yeah, right!
Ross Poldark’s story, his political opinions and concerns for the miners and the farmers of the district which today might have been characterized as far left “woke commie”, and his rescue of a young urchin girl from a fairground brawl and the regular beatings of her father, are interesting and entertaining but they never reach the level of compelling. ROSS POLDARK doesn’t break any new literary ground and it is only marginally informative insofar as the actually history of the late 18th century in England is concerned. In short, to call it AS THE WORLD TURNS in 18th century Cornwall would not be an inaccurate characterization.
An interesting aside: Winston Graham, a British author born in Lancashire and writing ROSS POLDARK in 1945, thought to put the following words in the mouth of his protagonist speaking less than a decade after the crafting of the Declaration of Independence,
“The United States had so far been united only in a dislike for overlordship; and with that gone and all the after-war problems in train they seemed on the point of breaking up into local self-governing republics quarrelling endlessly among themselves like the cities of medieval Italy.”
The aphorism “Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose” seems to pop up time and time again.
ROSS POLDARK can be recommended for fans of historical fiction but to be completely honest, I don’t think that I’ll be proceeding any deeper into the series.
Paul Weiss
‘Twas ever the way. Soldiers go to war on behalf of their fellow citizens but their return to the country for which they were willing to lay down their lives is anything but the joyful homecoming they might reasonably have anticipated. Ross Poldark's return to Cornwall in the 1780s as a hardened, wounded and dispirited veteran of the battle to retain possession of the American colonies is anything but welcoming. His father is dead, his estate is run down, and the girl he loved and with whom he thought he had an “understanding” is engaged to marry his cousin. Welcome home, Ross … yeah, right!
Ross Poldark’s story, his political opinions and concerns for the miners and the farmers of the district which today might have been characterized as far left “woke commie”, and his rescue of a young urchin girl from a fairground brawl and the regular beatings of her father, are interesting and entertaining but they never reach the level of compelling. ROSS POLDARK doesn’t break any new literary ground and it is only marginally informative insofar as the actually history of the late 18th century in England is concerned. In short, to call it AS THE WORLD TURNS in 18th century Cornwall would not be an inaccurate characterization.
An interesting aside: Winston Graham, a British author born in Lancashire and writing ROSS POLDARK in 1945, thought to put the following words in the mouth of his protagonist speaking less than a decade after the crafting of the Declaration of Independence,
“The United States had so far been united only in a dislike for overlordship; and with that gone and all the after-war problems in train they seemed on the point of breaking up into local self-governing republics quarrelling endlessly among themselves like the cities of medieval Italy.”
The aphorism “Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose” seems to pop up time and time again.
ROSS POLDARK can be recommended for fans of historical fiction but to be completely honest, I don’t think that I’ll be proceeding any deeper into the series.
Paul Weiss
May 1, 2024
This was an odd sort of novel, with some major plot points resolved around the halfway point, and others not really resolved at all. I know this is the first in a series of novels, but even then, I expected it to have a more complete story arc of its own. This isn't to say it was bad - in fact, I'm already looking forward to book 2 in the series. But still, it was strange, in a way.
July 1, 2007
I used to think I hated historical fiction; I've since realized that what I hate is bad historical fiction. In a lot of the historical fiction books I've read, it seemed as if the author hated to waste the hours spent researching the period and instead, chose to incorporate what they'd read in lengthy text-book style asides about contextual events which really detracted from the novel itself. However, since forming that impression I've read some excellent historical fiction (e.g., "Year of Wonders" by Geraldine Brooks) where the book is clearly well-researched in that it remains true to the period, but the focus is on the story itself. I feel that this book is another example of great historical fiction. I would never have noticed it or picked it up except that I saw some later books in its series were highly rated on Tamar's list (thanks, Tamar!). Now, I want to read the whole series. I really enjoyed the writing style, which I would describe as literary but not inaccessible. I would definitely place this book above a "page-turner," but the events in the book held my interest the way a page-turner would. I also thought that the characters and particularly their relationships were well-developed and depicted; I liked the fact that relationships went through a perceptible transition as opposed to conveniently becoming what the author wanted them to be. For example, even once Ross and Demelza were married, they didn't instantly fall in love, or even into this grand passion. Demelza's relationship with Verity also went through a realistic transition, even though Verity was clearly a character who was meant to be unusually open-minded and able to rise above her class, and the author could have copped out and given them this instaneous rapport. I'm really looking forward to getting into this series.
May 1, 2019
I am a big fan of British mysteries, comedies and dramas so it is no surprise that I am a fan of Masterpiece Theater. I recorded Poldark when it appeared on PBS and enjoyed the series, but did find it a bit on the slow side. I heard that there was also another “mini-series” done in the 1970s. I knew that both were based on a book so I looked it up and saw that the first book was published in 1945 (post-world war II) and the last book was published in 2002. I was really curious in reading Ross Poldark and suggested it for my online reading group. It won the poll so I was motivated in reading it.
RATING: 4.5 STARS
1945 (Reissued: 2015); Pan/Sourcebook Landmark
"Cornwall, 1783-1787
Tired from a grim war in America, Ross Poldark returns to his land and family, only to find his father has died, his estate is derelict, and the girl he loved is engaged to another. But then he rescues a half-starved urchin girl and takes her home; an act which, it turns out, will alter his life." (From Publisher)
I started this book thinking it would an okay family saga, but was really surprised on how much I loved this book. For me it was a bit like the first moment I read Outlander. I could reread this book a few time like I did with Outlander. it is because I really connected with this novel. The character development throughout the book was so well-written. You were given more than just a snippet of the person and their life. Throughout the book we would visit key characters and learn more about them this way. Ross is what I would call a "Bronte/Austen" hero in that he is brooding, flawed but also wants redemption. I liked him as a character and a hero. I was always rooting for him, but also had a bit of a crush on how he wants to help others.
Graham is also great with the dialogue and interactions between the characters. It is through different characters that we also get the whole of who Ross is. His genuine affection for his cousin Verity shows his sensitive caring ways. You see the vulnerability and yet strength when he interacts with Elizabeth. I also liked that Graham did not turn characters in caricatures or one dimensional. Even the "villains" and "quirky" characters have all sides. I wanted to have constant hate-on with Elizabeth but you do see how she gets the way she does and I end up feeling pity for her.
Books defined as "sagas" can either be angsty dramas, sex and gossip or really gripping portraits. Or it is for me. This one worked for me because it was well-researched in the historical time it took place. You didn't just get the sense of the time, but what was going on in those days - politics, social norms, courtships, war, etc. Ross Poldark has a great mix of drama, action, romance and history. It balances out perfectly so that you just really are entertained by a well-written book. I highly recommend you just try this book as it may be better than you think it will.
My Novelesque Life
RATING: 4.5 STARS
1945 (Reissued: 2015); Pan/Sourcebook Landmark
"Cornwall, 1783-1787
Tired from a grim war in America, Ross Poldark returns to his land and family, only to find his father has died, his estate is derelict, and the girl he loved is engaged to another. But then he rescues a half-starved urchin girl and takes her home; an act which, it turns out, will alter his life." (From Publisher)
I started this book thinking it would an okay family saga, but was really surprised on how much I loved this book. For me it was a bit like the first moment I read Outlander. I could reread this book a few time like I did with Outlander. it is because I really connected with this novel. The character development throughout the book was so well-written. You were given more than just a snippet of the person and their life. Throughout the book we would visit key characters and learn more about them this way. Ross is what I would call a "Bronte/Austen" hero in that he is brooding, flawed but also wants redemption. I liked him as a character and a hero. I was always rooting for him, but also had a bit of a crush on how he wants to help others.
Graham is also great with the dialogue and interactions between the characters. It is through different characters that we also get the whole of who Ross is. His genuine affection for his cousin Verity shows his sensitive caring ways. You see the vulnerability and yet strength when he interacts with Elizabeth. I also liked that Graham did not turn characters in caricatures or one dimensional. Even the "villains" and "quirky" characters have all sides. I wanted to have constant hate-on with Elizabeth but you do see how she gets the way she does and I end up feeling pity for her.
Books defined as "sagas" can either be angsty dramas, sex and gossip or really gripping portraits. Or it is for me. This one worked for me because it was well-researched in the historical time it took place. You didn't just get the sense of the time, but what was going on in those days - politics, social norms, courtships, war, etc. Ross Poldark has a great mix of drama, action, romance and history. It balances out perfectly so that you just really are entertained by a well-written book. I highly recommend you just try this book as it may be better than you think it will.
My Novelesque Life
April 27, 2015
KERMIT FLAIL: re-visit 2015 via new BBC series
Episode 1 of 8: Cornwall, 1783. Ross Poldark returns from the battlefield to find his father dead, the estate in ruins and his sweetheart Elizabeth engaged to his cousin. On impulse, Ross rescues young urchin Demelza and resolves to forge a new life in the face of hostile forces.
Episode 2 of 8:Ross resolves to reopen his family mine with Francis. Demelza struggles to fit in at Nampara, and Verity makes an unsuitable match.
Episode 3/8: Ross celebrates the opening of Wheal Leisure as rumours spread of a scandalous relationship between him and Demelza. Francis and Elizabeth celebrate the birth of their new son. Ross must fight to save his friend Jim, sparring in court with Reverend Halse.
4/8: News of Ross and Demelza's marriage spreads through the community, damaging Wheal Leisure's prospects. Demelza is filled with anxiety when Francis and Elizabeth invite the newlyweds to spend Christmas at Trenwith.
Demelza gives birth and resolves to help Verity reconcile with Captain Blamey. Ross welcomes old friend Dr Dwight Enys to Cornwall, and Francis's persistent gambling threatens the security of all he holds dear.
6/8: With Jim gravely ill in Bodmin jail, Ross and Dwight launch a desperate mission to save him. Demelza is excited to attend a grand ball held by George, who is determined to ruin Ross and his smelting company.
Aidan Turner as Captain Ross Poldark
Eleanor Tomlinson as Demelza
Jack Farthing as George Warleggan
Kyle Soller as Francis Poldark
Warren Clarke as Charles Poldark
Phil Davis as Jud
Beatie Edney as Prudie
Alex Arnold as Jim Carter
Robert Daws as Dr Choake
Robin Ellis as Reverend Mr Halse
Heida Reed as Elizabeth
Ruby Bentall as Verity
Richard Harrington as Captain Andrew Blamey
Tristan Sturrock as Zacky Martin
John Hollingworth as Captain Henshawe
Gracee O'Brien as Jinny Martin
Harriet Ballard as Ruth Teague
Jenny Coverack as Connie Carter
I know, I know - no-one can replace Angharad Rees, especially not this scrawny tall piece of womenwork - but hey! let's give the lass a chance, think you? I'm all for getting behind her because she has a tough act to follow. ETA-Eleanor Tomlinson had won me over by the end of episode 2 - what a pushover I am!
But for those, like me, who whallow in the past here is some Rees/Demelza footage
Bwhahaha - good spot by dear M - Robin Ellis the original Poldark is playing Rev Halse in this new edition.
There are 347 pages in this edition.
phthisis = tuberculosis
A Novel of Cornwall 1783 - 1787.
Joshua Poldark died in March 1783. In February of that year, feeling that his tenure was coming short, he sent for his brother from Trenwith.
Charles came lolloping over on his great roan horse one cold grey afternoon, and Prudie Paynter, lank-haired and dark-faced and fat, showed him straight into the bedroom where Joshua lay possed up with his pillows and cushions in the big box bed. Charles looked askance round the room with his small watery blue eyes, at the disorder and the dirt, then lifted his coattails and subsided upon a wicker chair which creaked under his weight.
Episode 1 of 8: Cornwall, 1783. Ross Poldark returns from the battlefield to find his father dead, the estate in ruins and his sweetheart Elizabeth engaged to his cousin. On impulse, Ross rescues young urchin Demelza and resolves to forge a new life in the face of hostile forces.Episode 2 of 8:Ross resolves to reopen his family mine with Francis. Demelza struggles to fit in at Nampara, and Verity makes an unsuitable match.Episode 3/8: Ross celebrates the opening of Wheal Leisure as rumours spread of a scandalous relationship between him and Demelza. Francis and Elizabeth celebrate the birth of their new son. Ross must fight to save his friend Jim, sparring in court with Reverend Halse.4/8: News of Ross and Demelza's marriage spreads through the community, damaging Wheal Leisure's prospects. Demelza is filled with anxiety when Francis and Elizabeth invite the newlyweds to spend Christmas at Trenwith. Demelza gives birth and resolves to help Verity reconcile with Captain Blamey. Ross welcomes old friend Dr Dwight Enys to Cornwall, and Francis's persistent gambling threatens the security of all he holds dear. 6/8: With Jim gravely ill in Bodmin jail, Ross and Dwight launch a desperate mission to save him. Demelza is excited to attend a grand ball held by George, who is determined to ruin Ross and his smelting company.Aidan Turner as Captain Ross Poldark
Eleanor Tomlinson as Demelza
Jack Farthing as George Warleggan
Kyle Soller as Francis Poldark
Warren Clarke as Charles Poldark
Phil Davis as Jud
Beatie Edney as Prudie
Alex Arnold as Jim Carter
Robert Daws as Dr Choake
Robin Ellis as Reverend Mr Halse
Heida Reed as Elizabeth
Ruby Bentall as Verity
Richard Harrington as Captain Andrew Blamey
Tristan Sturrock as Zacky Martin
John Hollingworth as Captain Henshawe
Gracee O'Brien as Jinny Martin
Harriet Ballard as Ruth Teague
Jenny Coverack as Connie Carter
I know, I know - no-one can replace Angharad Rees, especially not this scrawny tall piece of womenwork - but hey! let's give the lass a chance, think you? I'm all for getting behind her because she has a tough act to follow. ETA-Eleanor Tomlinson had won me over by the end of episode 2 - what a pushover I am!
But for those, like me, who whallow in the past here is some Rees/Demelza footage
Bwhahaha - good spot by dear M - Robin Ellis the original Poldark is playing Rev Halse in this new edition.
There are 347 pages in this edition.
phthisis = tuberculosis
A Novel of Cornwall 1783 - 1787.
Joshua Poldark died in March 1783. In February of that year, feeling that his tenure was coming short, he sent for his brother from Trenwith.
Charles came lolloping over on his great roan horse one cold grey afternoon, and Prudie Paynter, lank-haired and dark-faced and fat, showed him straight into the bedroom where Joshua lay possed up with his pillows and cushions in the big box bed. Charles looked askance round the room with his small watery blue eyes, at the disorder and the dirt, then lifted his coattails and subsided upon a wicker chair which creaked under his weight.
March 16, 2019
I started my adventure with Poldark with the BBC TV series, which, with its sumptuous scenery, gorgeous costuming and all the period drama stuff, had a very easy job in pleasing me. But as the show went on, I found myself bored and I wasn't quite following why everybody was making such a fuss about this Poldark fellow. It was like the whole of Cornwall lived and breathed Ross Poldark. The women wanted him, the men were envious of him or, if they were poor, adored him. And I was like...meh?
I figured there must have been something lost in translation between book and tv show, as so often happens, and so decided to read the novel before continuing with the show. Well, it turns out that actually the show is a huge improvement on the novel.
Rarely have I seen a novel fall so flat on a basic technical writing mistake. But here it is: the first lesson you'll learn in any creative writing workshop or class about constructing a story is the one where they tell you to be very strict with yourself and focus on two things 1) what is the central character's driving motivation? and 2) what is the central conflict? And the reason this is important is that when it's not there, you quickly find yourself writing/reading a series of events that lead nowhere, that are there for no reason, that further nothing. You essentially have a story that goes like: and then... and then... and then... a chain of meaningless happenings. And that's Poldark in a nutshell.
The story starts well. Ross Poldark is a soldier just returned from a stint in America, who comes back to take over his recently deceased fathers estate. He finds the household in disarray and the woman he loves engaged to his cousin. Excellent beginning. Couldn't ask for a better. Unfortunately, this is where Graham's inspiration deserted him. What follows is essentially a historical soap opera set in Cornwall. Things just happen around the area, loosely connected to Ross. That's it. There isn't anything he wants or drives towards. He just deals with minor problems as they occur. And not in a funny, swashbuckling or in any other way entertaining manner. He just sort of does.
What sort of hero is Ross Poldark? Well, he sort of means well, I guess. That's all I can say.
There is a vague theme of social inequality, but it goes largely unexplored, since Poldark, being excellent, is loved and envied by absolutely everybody regardless of class or station in life; gets away with marrying a street urchin turned kitchen maid without being shunned by society or laughed at or anything; and these inequalities seem to mean nothing beyond one guy going to prison.
In the TV series, at least, Ross was sort of brooding and driven by mastering his house, his own poverty, his land and setting everything to rights. In the book? Not really. He just drinks and deals with problems as they come up until half way through the book he decides to open the tin mine. Even that lacks any sort of spark or drive, and leads nowhere. Is it successful? I don't know. Did it change anything? Not that I could tell. What was the point then?
The thing I liked in the TV series and was looking forward to in the book was Demelza and the romance. But unfortunately in the book Ross meets her when she's a child and so considering that she's his maid for several years and grows up from a child in his presence by the time we get to a developing attraction I really strongly wished it wouldn't happen.
I did like Demelza, though. Hers was certainly the strongest and best characterisation. Her motivations were clear and her way of attaining her goals were unique to her and spoke of her character. She would have made a far better MC for this novel.
But aside from her the other characters lacked any purpose, arc, drive or even reason for you to care they existed or did stuff.
For example, Elizabeth was engaged or in some form promised to Ross Poldark before he went off to war. Everybody thought he was dead, so she engaged herself to his cousin. He came back, and there was an awkward dinner and then... nothing. She has Francis' baby, is a little ill, loves her baby and that's that. Francis is a bit of a dick. And that's it there too. What was the point of the set up then? It serves nothing but to give Demelza some anxiety by the very end. Why does Ross love Elizabeth? She's beautiful, yes, but other than that she has absolutely nothing going for her. Is she clever? Funny? Good company? What? Does she love Francis? Was she motivated by money? Does she still love Ross? Did she ever love Ross? I have no fucking clue. The story starts by setting out this big conflict and then it just sort of peters out and nothing happens.
Either way, I was disappointed with this book. I know lots of people love it, but for me it felt flat and pointless, lacked narrative drive and any central or clear motivation. The writing style was ok. Not pretty or anything like that but serviceable and clear. There are places where it's overwritten but that's a minor problem, which pales in comparison to the big one.
On the plus side it does have Demelza, and it's fairly well researched.
The show, I realise now, must have been produced by someone who read the original material and thought that a good story lay beneath the meandering soap opera. And they did a decent enough job, since the TV series abounds in intrigue and urgency, which the novel lacks entirely. But in doing so, it has exposed a fatal flaw in the original, which nothing could fix, safe for a complete rewrite: Ross Poldark himself. Once the narrative problems are fixed, you're left with a good story centring on a character who is, in fact, unappealing. This would have been a better story by far if it had been Demelza's.
I figured there must have been something lost in translation between book and tv show, as so often happens, and so decided to read the novel before continuing with the show. Well, it turns out that actually the show is a huge improvement on the novel.
Rarely have I seen a novel fall so flat on a basic technical writing mistake. But here it is: the first lesson you'll learn in any creative writing workshop or class about constructing a story is the one where they tell you to be very strict with yourself and focus on two things 1) what is the central character's driving motivation? and 2) what is the central conflict? And the reason this is important is that when it's not there, you quickly find yourself writing/reading a series of events that lead nowhere, that are there for no reason, that further nothing. You essentially have a story that goes like: and then... and then... and then... a chain of meaningless happenings. And that's Poldark in a nutshell.
The story starts well. Ross Poldark is a soldier just returned from a stint in America, who comes back to take over his recently deceased fathers estate. He finds the household in disarray and the woman he loves engaged to his cousin. Excellent beginning. Couldn't ask for a better. Unfortunately, this is where Graham's inspiration deserted him. What follows is essentially a historical soap opera set in Cornwall. Things just happen around the area, loosely connected to Ross. That's it. There isn't anything he wants or drives towards. He just deals with minor problems as they occur. And not in a funny, swashbuckling or in any other way entertaining manner. He just sort of does.
What sort of hero is Ross Poldark? Well, he sort of means well, I guess. That's all I can say.
There is a vague theme of social inequality, but it goes largely unexplored, since Poldark, being excellent, is loved and envied by absolutely everybody regardless of class or station in life; gets away with marrying a street urchin turned kitchen maid without being shunned by society or laughed at or anything; and these inequalities seem to mean nothing beyond one guy going to prison.
In the TV series, at least, Ross was sort of brooding and driven by mastering his house, his own poverty, his land and setting everything to rights. In the book? Not really. He just drinks and deals with problems as they come up until half way through the book he decides to open the tin mine. Even that lacks any sort of spark or drive, and leads nowhere. Is it successful? I don't know. Did it change anything? Not that I could tell. What was the point then?
The thing I liked in the TV series and was looking forward to in the book was Demelza and the romance. But unfortunately in the book Ross meets her when she's a child and so considering that she's his maid for several years and grows up from a child in his presence by the time we get to a developing attraction I really strongly wished it wouldn't happen.
I did like Demelza, though. Hers was certainly the strongest and best characterisation. Her motivations were clear and her way of attaining her goals were unique to her and spoke of her character. She would have made a far better MC for this novel.
But aside from her the other characters lacked any purpose, arc, drive or even reason for you to care they existed or did stuff.
For example, Elizabeth was engaged or in some form promised to Ross Poldark before he went off to war. Everybody thought he was dead, so she engaged herself to his cousin. He came back, and there was an awkward dinner and then... nothing. She has Francis' baby, is a little ill, loves her baby and that's that. Francis is a bit of a dick. And that's it there too. What was the point of the set up then? It serves nothing but to give Demelza some anxiety by the very end. Why does Ross love Elizabeth? She's beautiful, yes, but other than that she has absolutely nothing going for her. Is she clever? Funny? Good company? What? Does she love Francis? Was she motivated by money? Does she still love Ross? Did she ever love Ross? I have no fucking clue. The story starts by setting out this big conflict and then it just sort of peters out and nothing happens.
Either way, I was disappointed with this book. I know lots of people love it, but for me it felt flat and pointless, lacked narrative drive and any central or clear motivation. The writing style was ok. Not pretty or anything like that but serviceable and clear. There are places where it's overwritten but that's a minor problem, which pales in comparison to the big one.
On the plus side it does have Demelza, and it's fairly well researched.
The show, I realise now, must have been produced by someone who read the original material and thought that a good story lay beneath the meandering soap opera. And they did a decent enough job, since the TV series abounds in intrigue and urgency, which the novel lacks entirely. But in doing so, it has exposed a fatal flaw in the original, which nothing could fix, safe for a complete rewrite: Ross Poldark himself. Once the narrative problems are fixed, you're left with a good story centring on a character who is, in fact, unappealing. This would have been a better story by far if it had been Demelza's.
January 28, 2022
This is my second reading of the first in the series based on Ross Poldark by Winston Graham. I read this years ago when the PBS series was gaining in popularity. I had good intentions to continue reading the books but no real reason as to why I stopped. Now I plan to fix that!
Coming back to the story of Ross Poldark was like returning home. Ross has come home to Cornwall after 2 years of fighting for the British in the Revolutionary war in America with his homestead in shambles and the tin mine closed after his father’s passing. On top of this, his true love has chosen to marry his cousin making Ross’ return that much more difficult. Faced with having to get his home in order and to find his way, Ross is reluctant to accept his new lot. However, his determination and dignity bear him up in order to face his new ventures in opening up a copper mine and finding financial backers to help him. Ross may be a gentleman, but he is humble and compassionate and mingles with the common folks that work for him. He can’t abide injustice or unnecessary suffering and thus often finds himself on the side of the laborers rather than championing the interests of the genteel. Ross’ moral compass is evident and endearing.
I have already seen the entire PBS series so now the faces of the many characters will be in the back of my mind as I read the rest of the series of books. I will do my best to not be critical of the differences or try to compare which one is better because I just can’t help it sometimes. I love the visuals of the PBS show but Winston Graham really does a wonderful job in his descriptions of the vivid Cornwall setting. I look forward to many more hours of enjoyment as I take my time immersing myself in the world of Ross Poldark.
Coming back to the story of Ross Poldark was like returning home. Ross has come home to Cornwall after 2 years of fighting for the British in the Revolutionary war in America with his homestead in shambles and the tin mine closed after his father’s passing. On top of this, his true love has chosen to marry his cousin making Ross’ return that much more difficult. Faced with having to get his home in order and to find his way, Ross is reluctant to accept his new lot. However, his determination and dignity bear him up in order to face his new ventures in opening up a copper mine and finding financial backers to help him. Ross may be a gentleman, but he is humble and compassionate and mingles with the common folks that work for him. He can’t abide injustice or unnecessary suffering and thus often finds himself on the side of the laborers rather than championing the interests of the genteel. Ross’ moral compass is evident and endearing.
I have already seen the entire PBS series so now the faces of the many characters will be in the back of my mind as I read the rest of the series of books. I will do my best to not be critical of the differences or try to compare which one is better because I just can’t help it sometimes. I love the visuals of the PBS show but Winston Graham really does a wonderful job in his descriptions of the vivid Cornwall setting. I look forward to many more hours of enjoyment as I take my time immersing myself in the world of Ross Poldark.
October 4, 2018
4.5 I really enjoyed this, it was such a great escape! I have already ordered the 2nd book in the series.
August 1, 2016
Brilliant!!!
June 10, 2017
Ross Poldark, how do I love thee, let me count the ways.
I had become enamored with the BBC series of Poldark. It is what spurred my desire to read the books that the series has been based upon. I have not been in the least disappointed with this the first book in the series written by Winston Graham.
In this novel, we encounter Ross Poldark newly returned from the war in the American colonies to find the love of his life, Elizabeth, engaged to his cousin, Frances, his father dead, and his estate in ruins. Ross takes on these challenges in a steadfast manner and faces what life has dealt him in a headstrong way. He attempts to overcome his love for Elizabeth while taking on the running of his estate as well as the mine that were part and parcel of the life and community of which he is a part. As time progresses he meets and hires Demelza a young girl so mistreated by her own father that she immediately finds happiness and solace as Ross's kitchen maid.
Time moves forward for all the Poldarks and eventually Ross, because of a growing liking for Demelza marries her and takes on the job of raising Demelza up to his station. She provides for Ross a sense of solace and creates for him a felling of love and acceptance.
Demelza, raised in such poverty and at a lower social standing than Ross starts to develop into a woman of character, intelligence, and most importantly of all, makes Ross become enamored of her.
I am anxiously looking forward to the next book in this series Demelza and the continuing story of Ross and Demelza and their love for one another, their land, and the people who are within their life's circle.
I had become enamored with the BBC series of Poldark. It is what spurred my desire to read the books that the series has been based upon. I have not been in the least disappointed with this the first book in the series written by Winston Graham.
In this novel, we encounter Ross Poldark newly returned from the war in the American colonies to find the love of his life, Elizabeth, engaged to his cousin, Frances, his father dead, and his estate in ruins. Ross takes on these challenges in a steadfast manner and faces what life has dealt him in a headstrong way. He attempts to overcome his love for Elizabeth while taking on the running of his estate as well as the mine that were part and parcel of the life and community of which he is a part. As time progresses he meets and hires Demelza a young girl so mistreated by her own father that she immediately finds happiness and solace as Ross's kitchen maid.
Time moves forward for all the Poldarks and eventually Ross, because of a growing liking for Demelza marries her and takes on the job of raising Demelza up to his station. She provides for Ross a sense of solace and creates for him a felling of love and acceptance.
Demelza, raised in such poverty and at a lower social standing than Ross starts to develop into a woman of character, intelligence, and most importantly of all, makes Ross become enamored of her.
I am anxiously looking forward to the next book in this series Demelza and the continuing story of Ross and Demelza and their love for one another, their land, and the people who are within their life's circle.
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