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The Talbot Saga #3
Tall Chimneys
Winner of the prestigious One Stop Fiction Five Star Book Award, Tall Chimneys is the new novel by Amazon #1 best-selling author Allie Cresswell.
Considered a troublesome burden, Evelyn Talbot is banished by her family to their remote country house. Tall Chimneys is hidden in a damp and gloomy hollow. It is outmoded and inconvenient but Evelyn is determined to save it from the fate of so many stately homes at the time - abandonment or demolition.
Occasional echoes of tumult in the wider world reach their sequestered backwater - the strident cries of political extremists, a furore of royal scandal, rumblings of the European war machine. But their isolated spot seems largely untouched. At times life is hard - little more than survival. At times it feels enchanted, almost outside of time itself. The woman and the house shore each other up - until love comes calling, threatening to pull them asunder.
Her desertion will spell its demise, but saving Tall Chimneys could mean sacrificing her hope for happiness, even sacrificing herself.
A century later, a distant relative crosses the globe to find the house of his ancestors. What he finds in the strange depression of the moor could change the course of his life forever.
One woman, one house, one hundred years.
Considered a troublesome burden, Evelyn Talbot is banished by her family to their remote country house. Tall Chimneys is hidden in a damp and gloomy hollow. It is outmoded and inconvenient but Evelyn is determined to save it from the fate of so many stately homes at the time - abandonment or demolition.
Occasional echoes of tumult in the wider world reach their sequestered backwater - the strident cries of political extremists, a furore of royal scandal, rumblings of the European war machine. But their isolated spot seems largely untouched. At times life is hard - little more than survival. At times it feels enchanted, almost outside of time itself. The woman and the house shore each other up - until love comes calling, threatening to pull them asunder.
Her desertion will spell its demise, but saving Tall Chimneys could mean sacrificing her hope for happiness, even sacrificing herself.
A century later, a distant relative crosses the globe to find the house of his ancestors. What he finds in the strange depression of the moor could change the course of his life forever.
One woman, one house, one hundred years.
417 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 12, 2017
1944 people are currently reading
422 people want to read
About the author
Allie Cresswell
32 books103 followersI have been writing stories since I could hold a pencil and by the time I was in Junior School I was writing copiously and sometimes almost legibly.
It was at this time that I had the difference between fiction and lies forcefully impressed upon me, after penning a long and entirely spurious account of my grandfather’s death and funeral.....
The teacher had permitted it as being good therapy for bereavement whereas in fact it was only a good excuse to get out of learning my multiplication tables (something I have never achieved).
Clearly I was forgiven. For for my next birthday I asked for a stack of writing paper and my parents obliged, it being more easily obtained and wrapped than a pony.
A BA in English and Drama at Birmingham University was followed by an MA in English at Queen Mary College but marriage and motherhood put my writing career on hold for some years until 1992 when I began work on Game Show.
In the meantime I worked as a production manager for an educational publishing company, an educational resources copywriter, a bookkeeper for a small printing firm, and was the landlady of a country pub in Yorkshire, a small guest house in Cheshire and the proprietor of a group of boutique holiday cottages in Cumbria.
I am currently teaching literature in the community alongside full time writing.
I have two grown-up children, Tom and Abby, and am married to Tim.
I live in Cheshire.
It was at this time that I had the difference between fiction and lies forcefully impressed upon me, after penning a long and entirely spurious account of my grandfather’s death and funeral.....
The teacher had permitted it as being good therapy for bereavement whereas in fact it was only a good excuse to get out of learning my multiplication tables (something I have never achieved).
Clearly I was forgiven. For for my next birthday I asked for a stack of writing paper and my parents obliged, it being more easily obtained and wrapped than a pony.
A BA in English and Drama at Birmingham University was followed by an MA in English at Queen Mary College but marriage and motherhood put my writing career on hold for some years until 1992 when I began work on Game Show.
In the meantime I worked as a production manager for an educational publishing company, an educational resources copywriter, a bookkeeper for a small printing firm, and was the landlady of a country pub in Yorkshire, a small guest house in Cheshire and the proprietor of a group of boutique holiday cottages in Cumbria.
I am currently teaching literature in the community alongside full time writing.
I have two grown-up children, Tom and Abby, and am married to Tim.
I live in Cheshire.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 235 reviews
December 14, 2017
5☆ Beautifully Captivating!
Tall Chimneys is a beautiful story capturing the essence of the life of Evelyn and her life within Tall Chimneys her family home.
All of the intricate details surrounding Tall Chimneys has been perfectly described.
The rooms, the period furniture, All the secret hidden hallways, the staff.
It reminds me a little of Downton Abbey, but Tall Chimneys seems to have an air of sadness surrounding it. It's not as homely as Downton.
Evelyn is the youngest of 7.
Her Father and Brother gets killed through the war.
Her mother soon after passes away.
Leaving Evelyn to be raised with her strict oldest sister & her two daughters.
However at the age of 18 Evelyn is left to return to Tall Chimneys to live with her brother & Sister -in -law.
However they don't really care about her and only return home to party!
Fighting off unwanted attention from Mr Ratton the renovation manager. He is a complete sleze ball. Made my skin crawl.
In doing so Evelyn decides to create a hideaway within the enchanting Gatehouse, where she spent many A happy childhood memory, learning to sew and bake.
She makes the Gatehouse her secret a Place she can let her creative juices flow!
After a while unknown to her the gorgeous artist John Cressing moves in to her hideaway and they soon strike up a beautiful/ romantic friendship.
I found Evelyn to be very endearing. All through her life she has never felt she really belonged and always felt unwanted.
She has had a tough start, her siblings don't really care about her, failed relationships and plenty of tragedy!
Tall Chimneys is an Enchanting captivating and endearing read, it's a story of Love, tragedy, Triumph, relationships, Family Drama, Social Class.
It is a long book but one that is well worth the read. Once you start reading you are quickly Swept away with the beautiful writing. The words simply jump off the page capturing your attention the whole way through!
I love historical fiction but this one has a saga feel to it that I'm sure would make for a great tv series.
I would like to thank Rachel Random Resources for this gorgeous Gem of a book in which I voluntarily reviewed.
My Review is also on my blog website:
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2017/1...
Tall Chimneys is a beautiful story capturing the essence of the life of Evelyn and her life within Tall Chimneys her family home.
All of the intricate details surrounding Tall Chimneys has been perfectly described.
The rooms, the period furniture, All the secret hidden hallways, the staff.
It reminds me a little of Downton Abbey, but Tall Chimneys seems to have an air of sadness surrounding it. It's not as homely as Downton.
Evelyn is the youngest of 7.
Her Father and Brother gets killed through the war.
Her mother soon after passes away.
Leaving Evelyn to be raised with her strict oldest sister & her two daughters.
However at the age of 18 Evelyn is left to return to Tall Chimneys to live with her brother & Sister -in -law.
However they don't really care about her and only return home to party!
Fighting off unwanted attention from Mr Ratton the renovation manager. He is a complete sleze ball. Made my skin crawl.
In doing so Evelyn decides to create a hideaway within the enchanting Gatehouse, where she spent many A happy childhood memory, learning to sew and bake.
She makes the Gatehouse her secret a Place she can let her creative juices flow!
After a while unknown to her the gorgeous artist John Cressing moves in to her hideaway and they soon strike up a beautiful/ romantic friendship.
I found Evelyn to be very endearing. All through her life she has never felt she really belonged and always felt unwanted.
She has had a tough start, her siblings don't really care about her, failed relationships and plenty of tragedy!
Tall Chimneys is an Enchanting captivating and endearing read, it's a story of Love, tragedy, Triumph, relationships, Family Drama, Social Class.
It is a long book but one that is well worth the read. Once you start reading you are quickly Swept away with the beautiful writing. The words simply jump off the page capturing your attention the whole way through!
I love historical fiction but this one has a saga feel to it that I'm sure would make for a great tv series.
I would like to thank Rachel Random Resources for this gorgeous Gem of a book in which I voluntarily reviewed.
My Review is also on my blog website:
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2017/1...
December 12, 2017
Tall Chimneys is the name of a big country house in Yorkshire. Our tale is narrated by Evelyn, youngest child of the family, born in the early part of the 20th century. She loses both parents when young and is brought up by an older sister for the most part. She then returns to the family home and ends up effectively as housekeeper and caretaker. She’s reluctant to leave and go out into the world, partly because she has no skills other than those of looking after a crumbling mansion, and partly because her irregular relationship and illegitimate child cause her to feel ashamed to face the wider world.
This is a tour de force of a novel. It’s an epic which brings in a great deal of the history of the last century. The story arc sweeps from the first world war, though the second and into present times, meeting with many a historic figure on the way, the King and Mrs Simpson, Mosely, Diana Mitford and others. There are some hugely sympathetic figures, one particular monstrous character, and we see all of it through the eyes of one woman. Some of what she sees, she misinterprets, which enriches the story, for me. This was a gripping read which I heartily recommend.
This is a tour de force of a novel. It’s an epic which brings in a great deal of the history of the last century. The story arc sweeps from the first world war, though the second and into present times, meeting with many a historic figure on the way, the King and Mrs Simpson, Mosely, Diana Mitford and others. There are some hugely sympathetic figures, one particular monstrous character, and we see all of it through the eyes of one woman. Some of what she sees, she misinterprets, which enriches the story, for me. This was a gripping read which I heartily recommend.
December 13, 2017
Set amidst the moors of Yorkshire, spanning a hundred years, this is the story of Tall Chimneys and its inhabitants told through the eyes of Evelyn, daughter of the house.
I enjoy books which have a house as a character and this is a good example of such. It definitely didn't disappoint! Tall Chimneys seemed to have a life of its own. The descriptions are very vivid and so easy to picture in my mind. The writing is very lyrical, it's beautifully crafted. Evelyn is such a strong character, too. She did remind me of a cross between the princess in the tower in a fairytale and a praying mantis! Beware any handsome man who comes her way!😊 Her trials and tribulations are amazing. I felt her loneliness and isolation, having nowhere to run to other than the gatehouse where she found a form of peace and comfort . There is a great villain in the form of Sylvester Ratton, Evelyn’s brother’s sidekick. I cringed every time he appeared!
I very much enjoyed this engaging family saga and was totally absorbed and captivated by Evelyn's life. A lovely read.
I enjoy books which have a house as a character and this is a good example of such. It definitely didn't disappoint! Tall Chimneys seemed to have a life of its own. The descriptions are very vivid and so easy to picture in my mind. The writing is very lyrical, it's beautifully crafted. Evelyn is such a strong character, too. She did remind me of a cross between the princess in the tower in a fairytale and a praying mantis! Beware any handsome man who comes her way!😊 Her trials and tribulations are amazing. I felt her loneliness and isolation, having nowhere to run to other than the gatehouse where she found a form of peace and comfort . There is a great villain in the form of Sylvester Ratton, Evelyn’s brother’s sidekick. I cringed every time he appeared!
I very much enjoyed this engaging family saga and was totally absorbed and captivated by Evelyn's life. A lovely read.
December 5, 2017
I finished this book still feeling very conflicted. I love the writing style, and the flow of the story but I really didn't like Evelyn Talbot. I found her self centred and really lacking in any sense of empathy for those around her, although at least she was consistent.
I can't fault the telling though. The sense of Tall Chimneys, it's oppressiveness, it's pull, the history and the obligation are very well realised. It is a house and estate, but it is also another character in this family saga and a very central one. As time passes and change happens and Evelyn goes from child to adult from innocent to complicated. Wars happen, and peace, family relationships are strengthened and divided. There is finagling, and wrangling, arguments and sacrifices love, lies and secrets, and the people- painters and politicians, mothers and children. A book full of colour and shades of grey and an emotional ride. I expect others won't feel like I do about Evelyn and will be less judgemental. I recognise though that she has aroused emotion and that is something I want to find in a story.
A good read even if sometimes frustrating and irritating.
I can't fault the telling though. The sense of Tall Chimneys, it's oppressiveness, it's pull, the history and the obligation are very well realised. It is a house and estate, but it is also another character in this family saga and a very central one. As time passes and change happens and Evelyn goes from child to adult from innocent to complicated. Wars happen, and peace, family relationships are strengthened and divided. There is finagling, and wrangling, arguments and sacrifices love, lies and secrets, and the people- painters and politicians, mothers and children. A book full of colour and shades of grey and an emotional ride. I expect others won't feel like I do about Evelyn and will be less judgemental. I recognise though that she has aroused emotion and that is something I want to find in a story.
A good read even if sometimes frustrating and irritating.
April 22, 2018
I must admit I’m surprised by the massive amount of five star reviews for Tall Chimneys. While I enjoyed this novel on the whole, and it kept me turning the pages, there are a number of aspects to it that never settled with me, hence the three stars.
The protagonist, Evelyn Talbot, is hard to like. The first person narration makes it hard to get to know her. The idea that she secluded herself on an old fashioned notion of shame felt too forced for me. The various circumstances that always aligned to leave her helpless felt overdone and, frankly, a bit implausible. No character is ever described as much as the villain, which is tiresome. The rest are somewhat vaguely drawn, referenced with the same few characteristic phrases again and again. Evelyn’s actions also bother me, and I disagreed with many of her choices (few though they were).
Additionally, I don’t consider this a family saga. It’s overwhelmingly the story of one woman, not her entire family, as they have all inconveniently died to leave Evelyn in such a state.
The concept of Tall Chimneys was good and I was excited to start it, but the execution left me lukewarm. There are some nice passages, but those several sticking points leave this at three stars for me.
The protagonist, Evelyn Talbot, is hard to like. The first person narration makes it hard to get to know her. The idea that she secluded herself on an old fashioned notion of shame felt too forced for me. The various circumstances that always aligned to leave her helpless felt overdone and, frankly, a bit implausible. No character is ever described as much as the villain, which is tiresome. The rest are somewhat vaguely drawn, referenced with the same few characteristic phrases again and again. Evelyn’s actions also bother me, and I disagreed with many of her choices (few though they were).
Additionally, I don’t consider this a family saga. It’s overwhelmingly the story of one woman, not her entire family, as they have all inconveniently died to leave Evelyn in such a state.
The concept of Tall Chimneys was good and I was excited to start it, but the execution left me lukewarm. There are some nice passages, but those several sticking points leave this at three stars for me.
December 5, 2017
Tall Chimneys is an epic timeline of one family's huge house and the youngest child who lives there, Evelyn. I felt so many emotions while reading this, by the end I was sad to have finished the book and to have in turn left Tall Chimneys behind.
Allie Cresswell has weaved a beautiful story filled with a lot of detail about the house and the people who visit it. Evelyn was an incredible woman - she was the youngest of her family by quite some years and she went to live at Tall Chimneys. Evelyn manages to keep the house running with little or no money, she entertains politicians and hosts US soldiers during WWII. She's a recluse and lonely but I felt as if I had become a friend to her by reading her story. Over the years and decades, her world is opened up - she falls in love, meets new people and contemplates what life is like outside of Tall Chimneys.
I found this book was not one to be rushed, it needs to be savoured over. There's so much detail between the pages that it needs to be read carefully. The emotions that I encountered were so varied - I was heartbroken at times, laughing along with the children's antics and felt the pain of what Evelyn was experiencing.
I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Tall Chimneys - as I was reading it I thought it'd make a perfect TV drama, I would definitely love to see Evelyn on screen! I highly recommend it if you love family sagas or historical reads, you won't be disappointed!
Allie Cresswell has weaved a beautiful story filled with a lot of detail about the house and the people who visit it. Evelyn was an incredible woman - she was the youngest of her family by quite some years and she went to live at Tall Chimneys. Evelyn manages to keep the house running with little or no money, she entertains politicians and hosts US soldiers during WWII. She's a recluse and lonely but I felt as if I had become a friend to her by reading her story. Over the years and decades, her world is opened up - she falls in love, meets new people and contemplates what life is like outside of Tall Chimneys.
I found this book was not one to be rushed, it needs to be savoured over. There's so much detail between the pages that it needs to be read carefully. The emotions that I encountered were so varied - I was heartbroken at times, laughing along with the children's antics and felt the pain of what Evelyn was experiencing.
I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Tall Chimneys - as I was reading it I thought it'd make a perfect TV drama, I would definitely love to see Evelyn on screen! I highly recommend it if you love family sagas or historical reads, you won't be disappointed!
March 11, 2018
This was a difficult review for me to write because although I finished the book a few weeks ago, I am still in two minds as to what I thought about it. On the positive, the writing was very lyrical, almost poetic. On the negative, the story was very very slow, perhaps because of the amount of detail, I also found there was too much repetition, if I'm told about something once or twice, that is enough for me. Again, on the positive side, the story once I got to it was interesting. I really wouldn't, however, call it a 'family saga' it is about the main protagonist Evelyn's life. I struggled with Evelyn. I neither liked her not felt I ever understood her, which was a problem for me as she never became 'real'. Some of her decisions were 'questionable' to say the least. There was a part in the book where Evelyn's daughter finds out who her father is and runs out, now instead of going after her Evelyn just sits there and then hours later it occurs to her that her daughter may have run off - really? Just not believable to me. So I have a dilemma... I liked the writing style to a point and I liked the story to a point... I think I'll leave it there.
December 18, 2017
This is stunningly beautiful book. Tall Chimneys is a Jacobean house set in a dip alongside the Yorkshire Moors. The story that unfolds is one that shows the relationship the Talbot family have with the house over a hundred years. It is told from the perspective of Evelyn, the youngest family member at the time. As she tells her story she also includes things going on in the world, providing reference dates through history. The house has a hold over Evelyn, it has always been there for her, it has been her home as she has watched it pass through the family. It has been a place that at witnessed and seen many things along with Evelyn. It has hosted parties and soiree’s, held secret wartime meetings, met famous people and also American servicemen, seen births and deaths and has remained just a little out of time, not really modernised properly at any point. It holds a whisper of times gone past.
This is such a beautiful story to read. It dips into family dynamics and social class structure of the times, looking at the differences and expectations of those “above stairs” and also those “below stairs”. There is a wonderful array of characters, some you will love, other despise, odd one will probably infuriate and then there are the loathsome, they share different personalities, outlooks, opinions and expectations on life, love, death and loss.
As Evelyn led me through her story I could not help but feel for her, she has stayed true to Tall Chimneys, has been caught up in the time bubble that has surrounded it, in doing this she has used the house as a security blanket, it is her home, safe haven and refuge. The detailing that Allie has added to this book regarding the house, the interior, gardens and surrounding area built up a wonderful image for me. All this was given as Evelyn made her way through the story. Then at the end of the book we are brought up to present day as a distant relative shows an interest in discovering his roots, it is a very good way to bring an end to the story, this I found quite emotional as I knew I was also coming towards the end of this book.
For me the pacing is perfect for this book, from the first few lines of the prologue to the final line in the epilogue. As I read of the pull that the house had over Evelyn, I found a similar pull keeping me held with in the story, so much so that I stayed up to finish this book until 2:45am, that was how much of a hold it had on me.
I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book, stunning, beautiful, wonderfully written and totally captivating. Ideal for readers of Literary Historical Fiction, General Fiction and Women’s Fiction.
This is such a beautiful story to read. It dips into family dynamics and social class structure of the times, looking at the differences and expectations of those “above stairs” and also those “below stairs”. There is a wonderful array of characters, some you will love, other despise, odd one will probably infuriate and then there are the loathsome, they share different personalities, outlooks, opinions and expectations on life, love, death and loss.
As Evelyn led me through her story I could not help but feel for her, she has stayed true to Tall Chimneys, has been caught up in the time bubble that has surrounded it, in doing this she has used the house as a security blanket, it is her home, safe haven and refuge. The detailing that Allie has added to this book regarding the house, the interior, gardens and surrounding area built up a wonderful image for me. All this was given as Evelyn made her way through the story. Then at the end of the book we are brought up to present day as a distant relative shows an interest in discovering his roots, it is a very good way to bring an end to the story, this I found quite emotional as I knew I was also coming towards the end of this book.
For me the pacing is perfect for this book, from the first few lines of the prologue to the final line in the epilogue. As I read of the pull that the house had over Evelyn, I found a similar pull keeping me held with in the story, so much so that I stayed up to finish this book until 2:45am, that was how much of a hold it had on me.
I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book, stunning, beautiful, wonderfully written and totally captivating. Ideal for readers of Literary Historical Fiction, General Fiction and Women’s Fiction.
December 17, 2017
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This is a beautiful book to read, I loved the writing style, it really helped bring this captivating story to life. The characters in the book are spot on and they work so well with the story, there are some you will love, one you'll quite possibly hate!
The book took me through a lot of emotions and it is a very powerful story that will really engage you - I thought that the whole thing overall was stunning and I am delighted that I was able to read the book and hope that my review reaches others and encourages them to also pick up a copy - 5 stars!!
This is a beautiful book to read, I loved the writing style, it really helped bring this captivating story to life. The characters in the book are spot on and they work so well with the story, there are some you will love, one you'll quite possibly hate!
The book took me through a lot of emotions and it is a very powerful story that will really engage you - I thought that the whole thing overall was stunning and I am delighted that I was able to read the book and hope that my review reaches others and encourages them to also pick up a copy - 5 stars!!
December 11, 2017
A roller-coaster about the struggle of a timid-but-gutsy woman from the north. Despite having a privileged background, a harsh childhood, mean siblings, disastrous lovers and bad luck conspire to bring the heroine own as she battles to keep her beloved home from disappearing and her life from floundering.
The author is best known for her superb prose and her ability to describe the human condition, so a Barbara Taylor Bradford story such as this this doesn’t give her much opportunity to flourish her true talent. That said, the book is a rattling read, with a plot given impetus by being centred round well-drawn characters.
Like with the heroines of Bronte and Austen, our heroine is in the long line of British ‘wee cowering beasty’ type women, who show considerable grit despite their timidity, as they battle against the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. The story also benefits by being cleverly woven into the fabric of 20Th century history, which gives the reader a hint of the fortunes of England at the time.
The author is best known for her superb prose and her ability to describe the human condition, so a Barbara Taylor Bradford story such as this this doesn’t give her much opportunity to flourish her true talent. That said, the book is a rattling read, with a plot given impetus by being centred round well-drawn characters.
Like with the heroines of Bronte and Austen, our heroine is in the long line of British ‘wee cowering beasty’ type women, who show considerable grit despite their timidity, as they battle against the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. The story also benefits by being cleverly woven into the fabric of 20Th century history, which gives the reader a hint of the fortunes of England at the time.
December 15, 2017
Tall chimneys by Allie cresswell.
Considered a
Occasional echoes of tumult in the wider world reach their sequestered backwater - the strident cries of political extremists, a furore of royal scandal, rumblings of the European war machine. But their isolated spot seems largely untouched. At times life is hard - little more than survival. At times it feels enchanted, almost outside of time itself. The woman and the house shore each other up - until love comes calling, threatening to pull asunder.
Her desertion will spell its demise, but saving Tall Chimneys could mean sacrificing her hope for happiness, even sacrificing herself.
A very enjoyable read with great characters although I didn't like evelyn at all. 4*.
Considered a
Occasional echoes of tumult in the wider world reach their sequestered backwater - the strident cries of political extremists, a furore of royal scandal, rumblings of the European war machine. But their isolated spot seems largely untouched. At times life is hard - little more than survival. At times it feels enchanted, almost outside of time itself. The woman and the house shore each other up - until love comes calling, threatening to pull asunder.
Her desertion will spell its demise, but saving Tall Chimneys could mean sacrificing her hope for happiness, even sacrificing herself.
A very enjoyable read with great characters although I didn't like evelyn at all. 4*.
December 12, 2017
Sometimes its good to leave the 21st Century for a while and to travel back in time with an epic historical saga.
Tall Chimneys is most definitely a novel you can really get your teeth into. Rich, nostalgic, multi-layered and totally Gothic, it is classic British fiction.
Tall Chimneys is a book that you possibly have to be in the right frame of mind to read, but stick with it and you won't be disappointed.
Tall Chimneys is most definitely a novel you can really get your teeth into. Rich, nostalgic, multi-layered and totally Gothic, it is classic British fiction.
Tall Chimneys is a book that you possibly have to be in the right frame of mind to read, but stick with it and you won't be disappointed.
December 11, 2017
Gripping, compelling, a real page turner, this is one of the best books I have ever read. It is such a refreshing change to read a book where the author has such a superb command of the English Language and uses it to its full advantage.The writing is so descriptive I lived every moment of this wonderful story.
December 14, 2017
I enjoyed this book immensely, I love historical fiction and this one fit the bill. It tells the story of Evelyn and her life at the old family house Tall Trees.
I loved the writing style in this book and even though it was a long story I really enjoyed it. I would definitely read more of Allies books after reading this and enjoying it so much.
I loved the writing style in this book and even though it was a long story I really enjoyed it. I would definitely read more of Allies books after reading this and enjoying it so much.
March 18, 2018
Rating: 3.5 stars
April 16, 2018
This book beautifully and hauntingly describes a woman who is deeply flawed but with reserves of character you can’t help but admire. How she is both constrained and created by circumstances over which she had little control. How she attaches herself a place when she learns early on in her life that she cannot rely on people, yet how even within the confines of her self-imposed exile, it is the people who come into her life that most fully influence who she is. The sense of place is powerfully written, a great house being overtaken by time and history and the people who inhabit it are no less vividly described. As a reader I was personally invested in her life and her experiences, feeling compassion for the difficult circumstances that affected her ability to make moral choices, and rejoicing in the fact that she finds love, not just once in her lifetime but different kinds of love reflecting the characters of the men who love and accept her for who she is, while pushing her to be more.
January 11, 2018
Spanning a 100 years this book tells the story of Evelyn Talbot, her family and the remote country family home known as Tall Chimneys.
Evelyn has several siblings and to the family she appears to be somewhat of a burden, it's felt that one way of dealing with her is to send her to Tall Chimneys and so belongs a long and at times frustrating love affair with the house.
The Author has given the house life, it's got a character all of it's own. As Evelyn gets older, she appears to become more and more attached to the house, not wanting to leave the safety that the house gives her. Despite several opportunities along the way, some which she'd rather forget about and put to the back of her mind.
The Author has a way with words and can paint a picture in the readers mind of what the house looks like and the state of repair of it as the years take their toll on it. This is a very well written story that offers the reader so much. The characters are well developed and some you will learn to love, while others you will hate with a passion.
I gave this a very well deserved 5 stars or 10/10 and I am sure this story will make it in to my Best of 2018 reads. I look forward to reading more books by this Author in due course.
Evelyn has several siblings and to the family she appears to be somewhat of a burden, it's felt that one way of dealing with her is to send her to Tall Chimneys and so belongs a long and at times frustrating love affair with the house.
The Author has given the house life, it's got a character all of it's own. As Evelyn gets older, she appears to become more and more attached to the house, not wanting to leave the safety that the house gives her. Despite several opportunities along the way, some which she'd rather forget about and put to the back of her mind.
The Author has a way with words and can paint a picture in the readers mind of what the house looks like and the state of repair of it as the years take their toll on it. This is a very well written story that offers the reader so much. The characters are well developed and some you will learn to love, while others you will hate with a passion.
I gave this a very well deserved 5 stars or 10/10 and I am sure this story will make it in to my Best of 2018 reads. I look forward to reading more books by this Author in due course.
December 5, 2017
Beautifully written. This historical romance, cum family saga, is descriptive, compelling and on a par with the best of the classics. Evelyn’s fate and that of the Yorkshire manor house, Tall Chimneys, in which she is born, are intertwined. As the outside world changes dramatically, Evelyn’s world remains relatively unaltered until her worldly brother gate-crashes her peace with his social weekend visits, when drunken friends or political meetings take over the premises. With them, comes glimpses of a world she has not experienced, the unwanted attention of the predatory estate manager and the chance to live and love.
I loved this book and its captivating descriptions. I can only recommend that you read it for yourself - you will not be disappointed.
I loved this book and its captivating descriptions. I can only recommend that you read it for yourself - you will not be disappointed.
August 20, 2022
Incredibly moving.
A brilliantly written and very moving story of a woman's total devotion to her family home, Tall Chimneys in Yorkshire, through devastating loss and times of pure happiness.
The characters are diverse, some I loved others I detested.
Although fiction, the story reads like a memoir of Evelyn's life spanning a whole century.
I thoroughly enjoyed this fabulous book, and although I found it impossible to put down, I didn't want it to end.
Allie Cresswell is a new author to me, and I very much look forward to reading more - I love her style!
A brilliantly written and very moving story of a woman's total devotion to her family home, Tall Chimneys in Yorkshire, through devastating loss and times of pure happiness.
The characters are diverse, some I loved others I detested.
Although fiction, the story reads like a memoir of Evelyn's life spanning a whole century.
I thoroughly enjoyed this fabulous book, and although I found it impossible to put down, I didn't want it to end.
Allie Cresswell is a new author to me, and I very much look forward to reading more - I love her style!
December 18, 2017
This is the story of one woman and one house over the course of one hundred years. Like so many country houses, the time after the First World War was very difficult and sometimes led to the complete collapse of a way of life. That and death duties effectively crippled the families. The protagonist in Tall Chimneys is a woman trying to avoid this almost inevitable collapse and what we are reading is her memoir.
This book immediately appealed to me as it's right up my street. I love books where houses are as much of a character as any person and I like books that give some social history. However, I'll be honest here and say I wasn't sure I was going to like it when I started it. I wasn't sure I could engage with the characters, it started off with rather a strange, unsettling storyline and I had a bit of trouble getting into it.
But the more I read the more engrossed I became in the life of Evelyn Talbot who has an unbreakable connection with her family home. As the youngest child she has no real right to it but yet she is the one who is indelibly bound to stay there. I loved Evelyn. She's so strong and yet so naive in her remote country home away from all that is modern and changing the world in the 1930s and '40s.
And yet, Tall Chimneys does have the world outside brought to it as the abdication crisis in 1936, the Second World War, rationing and more all have their impact on Evelyn and the house. The inclusion of these important events really added to the social history feel of the story.
Evelyn was born in 1910 and the story comes to a close in 2010 but the whole of that time is not covered as I was initially expecting. But it does cover the most eventful years in her life. It reminded me a bit of Diary of an Ordinary Woman by Margaret Forster in that it takes in the life of a woman with all its trials and tribulations, sometimes mundane and sometimes amazing.
Tall Chimneys is not a book to be rushed. At 417 pages it's quite detailed and involved and I was sad when it came to an end. I found myself thinking about it afterwards, still caught up with the lives of these characters and the house that, whilst increasingly rundown, still captured my imagination and made me wish I could visit it in real life. The descriptions of it were such that I could absolutely imagine how it looked, in its own valley, the kitchen that Evelyn spent most of her time in, and the gatehouse which was so important to her.
Allie Cresswell's writing is so descriptive, so moving, so involving. She writes a wonderful love story and a truly rotten villain. It's a sweeping epic of a book and I ended up loving it.
This book immediately appealed to me as it's right up my street. I love books where houses are as much of a character as any person and I like books that give some social history. However, I'll be honest here and say I wasn't sure I was going to like it when I started it. I wasn't sure I could engage with the characters, it started off with rather a strange, unsettling storyline and I had a bit of trouble getting into it.
But the more I read the more engrossed I became in the life of Evelyn Talbot who has an unbreakable connection with her family home. As the youngest child she has no real right to it but yet she is the one who is indelibly bound to stay there. I loved Evelyn. She's so strong and yet so naive in her remote country home away from all that is modern and changing the world in the 1930s and '40s.
And yet, Tall Chimneys does have the world outside brought to it as the abdication crisis in 1936, the Second World War, rationing and more all have their impact on Evelyn and the house. The inclusion of these important events really added to the social history feel of the story.
Evelyn was born in 1910 and the story comes to a close in 2010 but the whole of that time is not covered as I was initially expecting. But it does cover the most eventful years in her life. It reminded me a bit of Diary of an Ordinary Woman by Margaret Forster in that it takes in the life of a woman with all its trials and tribulations, sometimes mundane and sometimes amazing.
Tall Chimneys is not a book to be rushed. At 417 pages it's quite detailed and involved and I was sad when it came to an end. I found myself thinking about it afterwards, still caught up with the lives of these characters and the house that, whilst increasingly rundown, still captured my imagination and made me wish I could visit it in real life. The descriptions of it were such that I could absolutely imagine how it looked, in its own valley, the kitchen that Evelyn spent most of her time in, and the gatehouse which was so important to her.
Allie Cresswell's writing is so descriptive, so moving, so involving. She writes a wonderful love story and a truly rotten villain. It's a sweeping epic of a book and I ended up loving it.
March 20, 2021
I love the concept of a family saga tied to a decrepit, old mansion with over a century of history. However, the plot lagged often and the composition of the story and the way it unraveled felt unoriginal at best. To be honest I almost regretted the time spent reading this until the end when I came upon a lovely quote that sums up my own obsession with abandoned and neglected homes: "I place a tentative hand on the oozing wall, and close my eyes, partly to support myself while I try to get a foothold and partly in the vain hope I can kindle some connection. What am I expecting to hear, to feel? Some tremor of a long-dead forebear’s ghost, a whisper from beyond the grave? Or something even less tangible? I wait for something; a reciprocal throb, the house answering back the hammer of my heart, some telepathic communication of flesh and ancestral stone. And what I feel is an overwhelming sense of sadness, of neglect and abandonment, and it does reflect so uncannily my own mental state it brings an odd kind of comfort and, almost, of empathy."
April 22, 2018
I enjoyed this book. Often I prefer dialog to descriptive text, but this author did a good enough job with the text that I read it all. She made the main character believable, by providing her background and giving the reader insight into how she was the way she was.
It almost seems that every romantic twist that could exist has been written, but this book provided some new romantic elements, in which the character didn't only have one soul mate. That's not to say she was promiscuous, but different men in her life at different times fulfilled different needs. I find that realistic and refreshing.
I enjoy a long epic tale, and this was a good one.
It almost seems that every romantic twist that could exist has been written, but this book provided some new romantic elements, in which the character didn't only have one soul mate. That's not to say she was promiscuous, but different men in her life at different times fulfilled different needs. I find that realistic and refreshing.
I enjoy a long epic tale, and this was a good one.
December 14, 2017
Tall Chimneys is the story of Evelyn Talbot, whose life spanned a century and was interwoven with the house in which she was born.
The Prologue, written in lyrical prose reminiscent of Daphne du Maurier's 'Rebecca', drew me into the story immediately. Allie Cresswell's strong, consistent writing and straightforward telling of a complex story held my attention from start to finish. This book has it all: love and loss, triumph and tragedy.
If you enjoy stories set mostly in the first half of the 20th Century, give yourself a treat. Read Tall Chimneys.
The Prologue, written in lyrical prose reminiscent of Daphne du Maurier's 'Rebecca', drew me into the story immediately. Allie Cresswell's strong, consistent writing and straightforward telling of a complex story held my attention from start to finish. This book has it all: love and loss, triumph and tragedy.
If you enjoy stories set mostly in the first half of the 20th Century, give yourself a treat. Read Tall Chimneys.
December 20, 2017
Just LOVED this book!
I love saving 5 star reviews for the books that I can really dig deep into, that stay with me afterwards, that have brilliant endings that I could never have expected, and this is one of them! I just loved it! A bit of history, a bit of drama and passion, and a whole lot of making the most of life as it is handed to you! An epic read!
I love saving 5 star reviews for the books that I can really dig deep into, that stay with me afterwards, that have brilliant endings that I could never have expected, and this is one of them! I just loved it! A bit of history, a bit of drama and passion, and a whole lot of making the most of life as it is handed to you! An epic read!
November 10, 2018
An absolutely wonderful read
The characters ring true. I cared about them. The descriptions are detailed, evocative, but not overdone. I loved this book and will look for more of the author's works.
The characters ring true. I cared about them. The descriptions are detailed, evocative, but not overdone. I loved this book and will look for more of the author's works.
February 20, 2019
The story was good, it had the potential to be great. It was just in need of some major editing! The last chapter was useless to the story and took away from it completely and was also unbelievable. Too much repetitiveness in the story and though it’s listed as a family saga, it really is a memoir/bio of one particular woman.
April 17, 2018
Well written, I fell in love with the house!
The house comes to life in this book. Couldn't stop reading until I finished. Really enjoyed going through the 1900s with this house and characters in the book.
The house comes to life in this book. Couldn't stop reading until I finished. Really enjoyed going through the 1900s with this house and characters in the book.
September 10, 2022
I couldn’t stop reading this and was all set to give it 4 stars but the ending made me reduce it to three, not a bad ending just not great.
December 13, 2017
A very English story stretching across the twentieth century to show the life of one woman in one house. Allie Cresswell writes intelligently with a delicate touch and mostly subdued emotions, which makes the sudden dramatic incidents stand out in high relief.
At times I felt some irritation at the main character living her life with few real decisions and seemingly little courage but I gradually saw that this was a woman from another era with different problems and few expectations of herself. It showed me many subtle ways in which I have benefitted from enormous changes in the role of women in Britain. The story will probably stay in my mind for weeks.
At times I felt some irritation at the main character living her life with few real decisions and seemingly little courage but I gradually saw that this was a woman from another era with different problems and few expectations of herself. It showed me many subtle ways in which I have benefitted from enormous changes in the role of women in Britain. The story will probably stay in my mind for weeks.
April 29, 2018
Put this on your to read list
I ordered a free sample first as I wasn't too sure I would enjoy this book. As you can see I gave it 5 stars. Great story. Author's descriptions of characters locations etc were in my view couldn't have been better. I always skim thru wordy paragraphs. Not this story. The author also included footnotes which were interesting to review. Loved this historical fiction book. Will search out other books by this author.
I ordered a free sample first as I wasn't too sure I would enjoy this book. As you can see I gave it 5 stars. Great story. Author's descriptions of characters locations etc were in my view couldn't have been better. I always skim thru wordy paragraphs. Not this story. The author also included footnotes which were interesting to review. Loved this historical fiction book. Will search out other books by this author.
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