Shining Windows

by Kathleen Thompson Norris

Young, beautiful Joyce Ballard always lived in great luxury. Engaged to Paul von Schwerin, she looks forward to a life of ease befitting her social position and wealth. Suddenly the Ballards lose their fortune. And Joyce begins a hard new life on a rundown ranch.

Frightened by her poverty, Joyce searches for the strength of character to make good on her own. At first her daily struggles make her yearn for her old comforts, despite help from Michael, the ranch's handyman. Soon she begins to scorn her frivolous, aimless past.

Paul pleads again to marry her. Will Joyce return to a life of money and security? Or will she stay on at the ranch, hoping to find a new purpose and meaning to her life?

Genres: Fiction

285 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1935

About the author

Educated at the University of California, Kathleen married Charles Gilman Norris, brother of the late Benjamin Franklin Norris, Junior, in 1909. She was a prolific author, producing over 80 novels in addition to numerous short stories and articles. Norris was a regular contributor to leading magazines such as Atlantic and Ladies' Home Journal. Her first novel, Lost Sunrise, appeared in 1909 and was immediately popular. By the end of her career her books had sold over ten million copies and made her the highest paid female author of her day.

Reviews

[Gina House · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.95🌟 Oh, how I loved this book!

I adored so many elements of this lovely vintage romance novel about the Ballard Family (William, Sally, Lissy, Dodo, Ben and Joyce):

❊ Endless cozy vibes
❊ Wonderful domestic, nature and clothing details
❊ Super fun house set up descriptions
❊ A family learning to get to know each other better under difficult circumstances
❊ Highly satisfying ending!

There were only two things that bothered me in this novel:

1. The mother, Sally Ballard, was not very likable (though some readers may not find a problem with that) and her selfishness and lofty social status aspirations frustrated me. Especially when it came to the happiness of her family—especially of her husband, William.

2. Joyce (my favorite character) had the strange and irritating habit of splitting (while also exaggerating) her words into two throughout the entire narrative. I've never read (or heard) anything like it. Examples of this include: fer-rightening, ter-rue, pul-lease, etc. If this wasn't so frequent throughout the story, I would have given Shining Windows 5 stars. It seems silly to feel so strongly about this, but it really got on my nerves after over 320 pages.

Many, many thanks to Andrea (@sorrynothankyou79 on Instagram) for recommending this book to me! I love that we've been budding reading Kathleen Norris books this year and this one might be my favorite! 😍

I can't wait to read more books by this author. This is the fifth Kathleen Norris book I've read this year, but it won't be my last! Highly recommended!

[Patricia Nolan Stein · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wonderful novel was published in 1935…..and it was definitely ahead of its time.
Nowadays….
decluttering, downsizing, minimalism and eliminating debt are popular themes.
But this 90-year old novel features all that….and much more.
It’s the story of a family who overspent and lived in luxury, wasting money until the “Great Depression” destroyed their carefree lifestyle.
Within this family, the wife, daughters and son squander money thoughtlessly and casually. They're self-centered and greedy.
But Dad, the hardworking "moral watchdog" of the family, puts an abrupt stop to it, as he’s the only one who realizes and admits that their wasteful ways are destroying them.
A relative dies and he inherits some money......and a decrepit old ranch house in the country.
Dad immediately pays all their debts and he packs up the family.
They move to the small and rundown “hillbilly” house, located in a part of California which is now…..ironically…..the high-tech and very wealthy Silicone Valley!
But in the 1930’s it was rural and countrified…...with cows and dirty shacks everywhere.
At first Mom and the young adult children protest, complain and despise their unglamorous new life. But they mature and grow emotionally as they learn to appreciate self-sufficiency and their beautiful little community.
There are setbacks, as Mom remains somewhat selfish and wants her spendthrift life back again. But they persevere and eventually appreciate their new existence. Wonderful things begin to happen.
The young adult children mature as they eventually acquire values and joyfulness.
The immature son becomes a newspaper reporter in San Francisco and he evolves into a better person too. And the daughters create new lives for themselves in their "downsized" existence.
The daughter named Joyce makes friends and begins to reach out and help the poverty-stricken people in her town.
I noticed that Kathleen Norris copied and included two major plot devices from a 1926 novel by
L.M. Montgomery called “The Blue Castle.”
Regardless, this is an enjoyable novel which educates us about life in the mid-1930’s…..and the character development is excellent. There is death, birth, romance and love.....and a great deal of emotional growth.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

So sweet. I'm not sure if it was the age of the story or just this particular author's style, but it was just a really nice read. A riches-to-rags scenario.

[Joannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read virtually all of Kathleen Norris's books (more than once). I have also read Tolstoy, Austen, Dickens, and all the other books you must read in order to be acclaimed "well-read". However, it is refreshing to read a simple, "woman's" book where the heroine is struggling to do the right thing in the face of obstacles which could very well defeat her - but they don't! Shining Windows is probably my favorite KN book.

[Alana/MiaTheReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was marvelous.

I picked up this beat up, 1935 hardback off a free shelf at our local library, stuck it on my bookshelf for several months, picked it up to read on a whim last weekend, and oh my goodness, it is a perfect novel in my estimation. If you like Susan Scarlett or D. E. Stevenson books, you will feel like you are reading one set in America. The story of the Ballard family happened to coincide perfectly with something my family is going through this week, so much so that it was almost like a guiding light of a book for me.

I will be looking for more Kathleen Norris books!

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! About a family, the father had invented something & had gotten some money. He owned a business (manufacturing?) but it had failed & the family had to leave their home (mansion) & move to a farm that the bank provided. I don't know that this could happen now, but possibly when in was written (1935) in the middle of the depression, it may have been an option! The father, William Ballard, had been raised on a farm & understood what needed to be done. His wife was not so happy, hoping they'd be able to move back to "civilization", but that didn't happen! The 4 children aren't all that happy either, but make do (what choice did they have?) although they were all in their late teens & early 20's, so they did have other choices, which they eventually decided to take! Surprise ending!