The Journal of Mrs. Pepys: Portrait of a Marriage

by Sara George

31st December 1659

I have resolved to keep a journal, and it will be private. I shall keep it hidden, and it will be mine alone and I shall say whatever I like. So that on days and nights like this it will be company of a sort....

So begins the journal of Elizabeth Pepys, wife of the celebrated diarist Samuel. Theirs is a love match, marred only by their failure to have a child and their struggle for advancement from a state of poverty. But Sam's star is rising and their prosperity increases, only for their relationship almost to founder because of his infidelities....

This is a story of a passionate, if pain-fraught marriage, of a gloriously rich and robust period in our history and a woman's passage through the defining years of her life in which her search to draw significance from her existence is punctuated by the everyday urgencies of living. At times jauntily acerbic, at others movingly elegiac, this is a portrait of a tumultuous relationship and era that, in its sharp-edged concerns and emotions, is utterly compelling.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elizabeth Pepys decides to keep a journal of her private thoughts as well as a record of her activities and the activities of those around her in the year 1659 in London, and this is that story.

She marries young, and theirs is a marriage of both intense love and searing pain. Her husband, Sam, is, at times, passionate and cooly indifferent, and she, a woman of that time, is subject to his whims.

It is through Elizabeth's eyes that we see the events of the day including the London Fire and the Great Plague as well as the clothing fashions and the food preferences and the scandals of the time.

I'd love to read the book author Sara George relied on in writing this book, The Diary of Samuel Pepys.

[Bachyboy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Essentially this was quite tedious and repetitive as was the nature of the subject's life. And yet I couldn't abandon it as it was strangely compelling and at times moving. This is a fictional account of the life of Samuel Pepys' wife and it was largely concerned with the daily household minutiae.

[Elizabeth Sulzby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this fictional work based on Mr. Pepys Diary delightful as well as a good review of the year of the great plague in London, the great fire, and the results of the fire in killing rats (hence fleas) and ameliorating the spread of the plague in the great urban center of London. I don't remember when i read it. I had to add this book manually. I am choosing a 1992 date as an estimate.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. 17th Century fictional accounting written by the wife of the famous Samuel Pepys who really lived and whose diary is probably the most famous accounting of the Great Fire of London (1666). Told from her perspective, she marries Pepys when only 14 and sees him became quit the influential man about town eventually becoming famous in his own time as a member of Parliament and Secretary to the Admiralty for Charles II. The author's descriptive journaling brought the Great Plague and the Great Fire alive as well as the streets of London from a woman's perspective.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being a journalkeeper myself, I enjoyed Mrs Pepys' portrait of her marriage. I know this fictional novel was based on the real diary of Samuel Pepys, so it fascinates me how some things haven't changed in over 400 years. The differences were also interesting, since we have come a long way in other respects (building standards, fire protection, cleanliness, etc). Reading about the plague and the London fire absorbed me. I now plan to read Samuel Pepys' diary (even though this book made me very angry with the man).

I strongly recommend this book.

[Kay Robart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written mostly in modern English, the novel manages a fine balancing act between understandability and the correct use of outdated terms or terms that have changed their meanings with time. Although I found the novel interesting enough, by nature of the concept, it could not follow the traditional plot structure of a series of building climaxes. There is a climax at the end, but generally the novel stays fairly level.

See my complete review here:

http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/tag/t...

[Mary Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A unique voice has Mrs. Pepys. She bears witness to many events private and worldly, domestic and international. I loved her, yet I think she speaks too well, thinks to well for having poor parents. Perhaps due to be schooled in a Catholic convent had something to do with it. The point being she grows and matures as she prospers and ages.

The world peopled by Sara George is astonishing in detail. Many mannerisms were completely new to me, such is the depth of her research. In this respect, I think the book is not to be missed.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fictional diary of Mrs. Samuel Pepys, "kept" during the 17th century in London. Samuel Pepys' journal is a very famous piece of historical literature (and is real). It is one of the only written accounts of the Great Fire in London, 1666. This is the same story, but from a woman's point of view.

[elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book about married life in restoration England. Chronicles the life of Samuel and Elisabeth Pepys and gives a fictional account of their lives together. Fascinating period, covering the Great Plague, the Dutch War and the Great Fire of London. Elisabeth voice is well crafted and emerges from the shadow of her husbands fame to give us a glimpse of 17th century life.

[Elaine Cougler · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Journal of Mrs. Pepys by Sara George, a new author to me, entertained, evoked actual history, and provoked much thought. Of course the famous diary of Samuel Pepys is the diving board for this novel which looks at Pepys through his wife's eyes. She writes a diary which she hides from him. Good story!

[Indi · Rating 2 out of 5]

A diary of a girl who got married at the age of 14. She describes the highlights of her life with his husband, sees a lot of things like Great Fire, plague, betrayal of her husband, and in the end, when everything settles down, she dies..

[Shirlyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

nothing really happens in the book, again just a very different life of a woman in the mid 1600's and her status or non status as just a plan women in Englands society. They died early and had hard lives that really for the most part were not all that happy, pain, struggles, and just surviving.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Look into the every day life of 17th century life. A lot of strife with this poor woman having to deal with her husband's infidelities, beatings and her own health issues including continually having abscessed teeth. My word, woman's liberation came to late for this poor woman.

[Autumn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is awesome! While it takes A few chapters took get into its rhythm once you do you are swept into its magic. The book is witty, humorous as well as tragic once finished you continue to be haunted by mrs Pepys and her life.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't remember much about it, even though I only read it about three months ago. I know it was okay, but I can't remember the reasons I had for not liking it much.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Couldn't finish. Didn't read like a period piece in terms of language but in terms of cultural references I was lost - needed a dictionary or wikipedia just to follow. Not my cup of tea.

[Alice Ludvigsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun book to read if you have read the diaries of Samuel Pepys! I loved it.

[CATHERINE · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting perspective from Mrs Pepys on historical events, the ups and downs of a marriage. An entertaining read but won't become one of my favourites.

[Melanie Vidrine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this, just finished "exit the actress", so I feel that I have been in restoration London for a long time. Some parts tedious, but then, so are most journals.

[Sarah Hearn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm enjoying this. I didn't think I would, for some reason, but I am pleasantly surprised.

[Peter Burton · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting imaginative treatment of life through the eyes of Mrs Pepys,closely following Pepys’diary.Quite sad at the end as she falls ill and expects to die.Good accessible social history esp on the plague and the fire

[Kerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Useful for my research

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting read telling of life throughout the time of the plague and the great fire of London 1666

[Kathryn Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this. Really interesting view of life in 17th Century England, well researched and well .written and an easy read

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having recently read Pleasing Mr Pepys I thought I might enjoy this book. Mrs Pepys decides to journal her life as wife to Samuel and at first it is an enjoyable imagining of how the young wife of the famous diarist may have filled her days. However it became repetitive and I found myself loosing interest in the minutae of Elizabeth's life. Perhaps I was "all Pepysed out" and may return to the book at a later date and give it a second chance.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I was in need of something less sombre to read — and the Journal of Mrs Pepys waved at me indignantly from the TBR (G) shelf:

'I've been waiting here since you bought me in 2008' it said, '... you fell in love with the cover art because you find still life artworks captivating, and you learned about Sam Pepys and his diary at school. But I keep getting passed over for other books. I have survived the annual TBR cull 10 times, which is pretty good for an historical novel first written in 1998, but will I survive another? What is it with you? Am I not serious enough, is that it?

Perhaps now you might condescend to liberate me from the TBR??'

Done.

The inset of Elisabeth Pepys at Wikipedia says it all. Check it out:

Born 1640
Died 1669
Cause of death: Typhoid fever
Resting place: St Olave's London, and
Known for: *Deep sigh* Husband's diary.

When you look at her portrait, it's as if she knows...

Author Sara George has done a fine job of rescuing Elisabeth* from this ignominious fate. Using Samuel Pepys' diary, (which he kept between January 1660 and 31 May 1669, famously chronicling the Restoration, the Great Plague of London, the Second Dutch War, and the Great Fire of London) George has created a vivid portrait of a lively woman in a tempestuous marriage, and living through exciting times.

Elisabeth has plenty to say about Sam: his drinking; the unfairness of the family budget over which he has total control, and his unreasonable expectations about housekeeping standards and keeping the servants in line. She is also suspicious about his frequent nights away from home; and distraught when she finally discovers his infidelity. But apart from a brief separation because of his jealousy, their quarrels resolve in what she coyly calls the usual way and she is very proud of his achievements. (Which you can read about at Wikipedia if so minded).

To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2019/03/16/t...