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Imagining Violet
On her own in Germany, 16 year old Violet Courtenaye prepares to audition at the prestigious Leipzig Conservatory. If she succeeds, she will be one step closer to her dream of becoming a concert violinist. But it's 1891, and women violinists rarely perform in public. But Violet is one determined young lady who chafes at convention while reveling in the new found freedom of student life in the old city. There she faces the challenges of fickle but handsome tutors, quirky landladies, and demanding teachers. She falls in love with a young Canadian pianist but her proper Victorian parents deem the match unsuitable.
- GenresHistorical
254 pages, Paperback
Published November 9, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
March 22, 2019
Imagining Violet was a good read for a change of pace. The book begins and Violet is just 16 in the late 1800's traveling to Leipzig, Germany to continue her musical education in the violin at the Conservatory. The entire novel, written in the form of letters to her parents, friends and later her fiance, chronicles her life. Violet shares her frustrations not only with tutors, peers, and life in a foreign country, but also with social conventions at the time such as various limitations put on women, like not being able to go anywhere as a young girl without a chaperone, the inability of talking to a stranger of the opposite sex without being properly introduced first, etc. She also shares her hopes for the future for all women: the hope of one day being able to vote, the possiblility of women being able to tour with ease as musicians and be excepted without prejudice, and longs for a day when people will not be judged solely based on the social class they were born into and have class not dictate who could be friends. I enjoyed this book thoroughly and liked reading the author's interpretation of Violet, the author's grandmother, and based upon what facts she knew of Violet's life. The novel spans her years at Conservatory, to her engangement and marriage. I received this book in exchange for an honest review-- thank you!
March 6, 2022
Rating: 3.5/5.0
“Imagining Violet” is a bright, creative, historical tale! Ms. Hughes has put in a great many small details that make the world she’s created vibrant and full of life.
Read full review in the 2022 March issue of InD'tale Magazine.
“Imagining Violet” is a bright, creative, historical tale! Ms. Hughes has put in a great many small details that make the world she’s created vibrant and full of life.
Read full review in the 2022 March issue of InD'tale Magazine.
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March 11, 2019This was amazing and fantastic and I really enjoyed it! More at 8!
When Violet is 16, she travels to Leipzig to study music there. She will spend the next four years there and return home eventually. But even then, she still corresponds with the friends she met in Leipzig.
This is a work of historical fiction which draws a lot of inspiration from actual events. We follow Violet on her adventures in Leipzig, her return to England and end the book with Violet getting married. Her story is told through letters Violet writes to her friends and family.
Although the story is set in the 19th century, it feels natural, in a sense. Fortunately, this was very easy to read as well as really enjoyable. I have found it to be quite difficult to read books set in the past if the author just overdoes it with the writing, but this book walked the very fine line between being unrealistic and just plain overdone.
Another great thing about this book is that unlike with other “letter novels”, you actually understand the plot. Even though you only get to read one side of the story, namely Violet’s, it is still incredibly easy to imagine what all the other characters are feeling and their distinct personalities.
On that note, allow me to freak out for a short while.
OOOOOOHHHHHHH MYYYYYYYYY GOOOOOOODDDDD!!!!!! THIS BOOK INVENTED SLOW BURN!!!!!! (and yes this calls for all caps)
The year of Violet and Frank writing letters to each other while Violet was unsure of his feelings for her???? Absolutely killed me.
Now, back to being a #professional lmao.
Minor spoiler alert: I found it very refreshing to read about someone figuring out that maybe they don’t really have an exceptional talent and that’s okay! Violet starts out wanting to be a performer but comes to realize that, compared with others’ , her talent just isn’t that extraordinary. She tries her hand at a couple other things and comes to the conclusion that even though she does not have a grand undiscovered talent, she may still have a life she enjoys.
This is one of the many themes that are as relevant back then as they are now. Going to live in a new city (and a new country!), making a life for yourself and just finding yourself are things pretty much everyone has to deal with today and I find it reassuring that even people 130 years ago had the same struggles.
Overall, this is definitely a book worth reading in any case and I would recommend it to everyone, even if they don’t particularly enjoy historical fiction as this book really is one of a kind!
When Violet is 16, she travels to Leipzig to study music there. She will spend the next four years there and return home eventually. But even then, she still corresponds with the friends she met in Leipzig.
This is a work of historical fiction which draws a lot of inspiration from actual events. We follow Violet on her adventures in Leipzig, her return to England and end the book with Violet getting married. Her story is told through letters Violet writes to her friends and family.
Although the story is set in the 19th century, it feels natural, in a sense. Fortunately, this was very easy to read as well as really enjoyable. I have found it to be quite difficult to read books set in the past if the author just overdoes it with the writing, but this book walked the very fine line between being unrealistic and just plain overdone.
Another great thing about this book is that unlike with other “letter novels”, you actually understand the plot. Even though you only get to read one side of the story, namely Violet’s, it is still incredibly easy to imagine what all the other characters are feeling and their distinct personalities.
On that note, allow me to freak out for a short while.
OOOOOOHHHHHHH MYYYYYYYYY GOOOOOOODDDDD!!!!!! THIS BOOK INVENTED SLOW BURN!!!!!! (and yes this calls for all caps)
The year of Violet and Frank writing letters to each other while Violet was unsure of his feelings for her???? Absolutely killed me.
Now, back to being a #professional lmao.
Minor spoiler alert: I found it very refreshing to read about someone figuring out that maybe they don’t really have an exceptional talent and that’s okay! Violet starts out wanting to be a performer but comes to realize that, compared with others’ , her talent just isn’t that extraordinary. She tries her hand at a couple other things and comes to the conclusion that even though she does not have a grand undiscovered talent, she may still have a life she enjoys.
This is one of the many themes that are as relevant back then as they are now. Going to live in a new city (and a new country!), making a life for yourself and just finding yourself are things pretty much everyone has to deal with today and I find it reassuring that even people 130 years ago had the same struggles.
Overall, this is definitely a book worth reading in any case and I would recommend it to everyone, even if they don’t particularly enjoy historical fiction as this book really is one of a kind!
January 25, 2022
Based on the life of an actual person, this novel was informative and well written. I was able to visualize Violet through the growth of her character from a teen to a young adult. With deft strokes, locations were brought into focus. I could practically hear the instruments tuning in the concert hall and practice rooms.
November 17, 2023
What a stunning exploration of a young woman's experiences in the late 1800's. Travelling in Germany as a 16 year old music student, Violet faces the challenges that a female during that time period would expect to face.
The entire story is told through letters Violet writes to friends and family.
The entire story is told through letters Violet writes to friends and family.
July 16, 2019
In Imagining Violet Mary E Hughes has set herself a difficult task. This is an historical novel which tells its tale in letter or epistolary form and from the standpoint of a single correspondent – young Violet Courtenaye, the author’s grandmother, no less. In a format of this kind it would be hard enough to create the tension and conflict required to sustain interest in the narrative using a range of contrasting voices, whereas here we are restricted to a single perspective. What is more, Hughes scrupulously presents that one voice in a way that is true to the limiting conventions of late-Victorian polite society. As Violet tells her soon-to-be husband, the expression of her thoughts and feelings have always had to be “carefully composed.” If this was a journal, there would be more scope for the exploration of intimate truths. But it isn’t. It is not that Violet is stuffy or prudish. In terms of the manners and mores of her society, she is quite daring and adventurous. At sixteen she goes off to study the violin in Germany. Ideas about female emancipation in the guise of the “new woman” of the 1890s bubble up in places, as does the consistent desire for a more independent life. Still, Violet is no Ibsenite rebel. Hughes can’t permit herself the luxury of family confrontation, or anything of the kind; having set herself a difficult fictional task, she must paint her portrait of Violet in the mostly subdued colours her palette allows.
For all that, the novel works remarkably well. We are told that the author knows a “few things about” Violet’s life but had to “imagine the rest.” A great deal of historical research has also gone into the making of this book, into the social norms of the period and its cultural life. We have therefore a portrait of time and place, as seen through the eyes of a young woman who starts out with ambitions of becoming a concert violinist. We track the development of Violet as she learns to trim her dreams to suit the reality of her talent. Her independent student life in Germany is followed by the limitations of family life back in Britain. There are obstacles and frustrations, desires hinted at, to be understood between the lines. There is, in short, a real person to be found in these letters, likeable, pushing gently but firmly against the confines of Victorian society, ready for the new century. The same can be said of the story, which for the most part also moves gently but firmly along.
Imagining Violet is a subtly clever piece of writing. However, I did find my interest waning in parts, for example towards the end of Violet’s time in Germany when the round of concert going and the like became a little repetitive. Another issue for me was that the thoughts and experiences of those Violet is corresponding with are not so thoroughly realised. There is some give and take in ideas, but not much. It is Violet that is imagined.
For all that, the novel works remarkably well. We are told that the author knows a “few things about” Violet’s life but had to “imagine the rest.” A great deal of historical research has also gone into the making of this book, into the social norms of the period and its cultural life. We have therefore a portrait of time and place, as seen through the eyes of a young woman who starts out with ambitions of becoming a concert violinist. We track the development of Violet as she learns to trim her dreams to suit the reality of her talent. Her independent student life in Germany is followed by the limitations of family life back in Britain. There are obstacles and frustrations, desires hinted at, to be understood between the lines. There is, in short, a real person to be found in these letters, likeable, pushing gently but firmly against the confines of Victorian society, ready for the new century. The same can be said of the story, which for the most part also moves gently but firmly along.
Imagining Violet is a subtly clever piece of writing. However, I did find my interest waning in parts, for example towards the end of Violet’s time in Germany when the round of concert going and the like became a little repetitive. Another issue for me was that the thoughts and experiences of those Violet is corresponding with are not so thoroughly realised. There is some give and take in ideas, but not much. It is Violet that is imagined.
May 2, 2022
There’s no one way to tell a story. Some like to use flashbacks, some prefer a chronological account, and some opt for an epistolary retelling. Author Mary Hughes opted for the former and it makes Imagining Violet feel like a primary account rather than a historical novel.
For readers interest in the era, I think they will find much to enjoy in the novel. The author’s research is impeccable and she clearly has a great deal of passion for the subject matter. However, I am not one much for classical music and the particular time period, Northern Europe in the late 1800s, is not one I had much organic interest in. Therefore, the book was a bit of a miss for me.
Having said that, I think the book will be of great interest to readers interested in the subject matter. When I read historical novels, I often times get frustrated by authors who attempt to spice up the story with unnecessary love triangles or unrealistic plot developments. Mary Hughes studiously avoided doing so, and I think her work is more accurate for it and a better read all around. Additionally, she does a good job of straining out modern sentiments, a difficult task for many historical novelists. The tradeoff, however, is that creating a book that feels so much like a diary of the times is that it feels very much like a diary of the times. Some people like this, but I generally only gravitate toward primary accounts if they relate to a particular research interest of mine or they relate to a specific historical event. For example, a diary that recounts the final weeks of British rule in India would be very much of interest to me or a diary that recounts the final weeks of the Manhattan project. Reading a large collection of letters from a long, and mostly quiet era, is less interesting for me because I like having concrete events to latch on to. However, I think many readers feel differently than myself so I can only speak for my own reading experience. In any case, I think Mary Hughes did some fantastic research to put the series together and her prose is both engaging and concise. I recommend the book to anyone interested in music history, period romance, or epistolary novels.
For readers interest in the era, I think they will find much to enjoy in the novel. The author’s research is impeccable and she clearly has a great deal of passion for the subject matter. However, I am not one much for classical music and the particular time period, Northern Europe in the late 1800s, is not one I had much organic interest in. Therefore, the book was a bit of a miss for me.
Having said that, I think the book will be of great interest to readers interested in the subject matter. When I read historical novels, I often times get frustrated by authors who attempt to spice up the story with unnecessary love triangles or unrealistic plot developments. Mary Hughes studiously avoided doing so, and I think her work is more accurate for it and a better read all around. Additionally, she does a good job of straining out modern sentiments, a difficult task for many historical novelists. The tradeoff, however, is that creating a book that feels so much like a diary of the times is that it feels very much like a diary of the times. Some people like this, but I generally only gravitate toward primary accounts if they relate to a particular research interest of mine or they relate to a specific historical event. For example, a diary that recounts the final weeks of British rule in India would be very much of interest to me or a diary that recounts the final weeks of the Manhattan project. Reading a large collection of letters from a long, and mostly quiet era, is less interesting for me because I like having concrete events to latch on to. However, I think many readers feel differently than myself so I can only speak for my own reading experience. In any case, I think Mary Hughes did some fantastic research to put the series together and her prose is both engaging and concise. I recommend the book to anyone interested in music history, period romance, or epistolary novels.
April 21, 2019
I enjoyed this novel, set in the late nineteenth century, which takes the reader on a journey via a series of letters written by Violet, a talented 16-year-old music student, born in Ireland and raised in Edinburgh, who travels to Germany to further her studies with the support of her family back in Scotland.
This interesting story-telling technique is very effective in personalising Violet’s progress and I was soon drawn in to her life in Leipzig. Her character leaps off the page and I felt as though I was seeing everything through Violet’s eyes.
My one criticism was that I felt the repetitive correspondence format became a little tedious after a while, but overall this was a well-crafted and interesting read.
This interesting story-telling technique is very effective in personalising Violet’s progress and I was soon drawn in to her life in Leipzig. Her character leaps off the page and I felt as though I was seeing everything through Violet’s eyes.
My one criticism was that I felt the repetitive correspondence format became a little tedious after a while, but overall this was a well-crafted and interesting read.
July 20, 2019
This is the story of Violet, a young violin student, as she finds love - first with music, then with her life partner. It's written as a series of letters, which is a different experience, and works extemely well while the author was focused on events that were new and different for Violet. The first half of this book, while Violet is away from home, is simply wonderful. The letters express the awe and wonder of new experiencees, new challenges, and hold a sense of suspense as we follow Violets challenges, obstacles, and hope along with her that she will do well in her exams and performances.
Sadly, the second half of the book slows to a standstill when Violet returns home from. The author treats this period of Violet's life as "back in the same rut, nothing interesting happening here," and so the reader is just as bored. This story would have been much better servved with the approach "having coming back home, everything seems to different to me know." We follow along as Violet does nothing new, travels to routine vacation spots with family, meets no one new, and waits for her life to begin.
There's an interesting story here, told by an undeniably talented writer, but it could definitely benefit from tighter attention to drama and structure.
Sadly, the second half of the book slows to a standstill when Violet returns home from. The author treats this period of Violet's life as "back in the same rut, nothing interesting happening here," and so the reader is just as bored. This story would have been much better servved with the approach "having coming back home, everything seems to different to me know." We follow along as Violet does nothing new, travels to routine vacation spots with family, meets no one new, and waits for her life to begin.
There's an interesting story here, told by an undeniably talented writer, but it could definitely benefit from tighter attention to drama and structure.
February 5, 2019
Imagining Violet is a fascinating look into a young woman’s life in the 19th century as she learns about herself and the world around her. The reader joins Violet as she takes the plunge into the new and exciting world of studying in Europe. Mary E. Hughes takes an interesting approach when showcasing the life of Violet, by using personal letters to family and friends. With the element of historical truth to the narrative, the reader truly feels like they have travelled back in time and are experiencing everything with Violet.
This novel has a true coming of age narrative that will certainly appeal to the modern young adult who may be going through similar trials in their lives. Even though the characters live in the 1800’s, the emotions and often the situations Violet faces are quiet relatable. For example, leaving home for the first time to study for years in a strange town/country is something most young adults go through by attending university. Therefore the reader cannot help but see part of themselves in the character and leave them wondering just how they would deal with their situations over two centuries ago.
While in some letter or diary constructed novels the reader will only be able to get one side of the story, leaving aspects of circumstances with huge holes this doesn’t happen in Imagining Violet. Of course the reader only sees the letters that Violet writes but due to the comprehensive nature of the correspondence there is nothing missing from the overall story. In fact because Mary E. Hughes chose to showcase not only Violet’s communications with her family but also with the friends, and even her romantic interest, that she made during her years studying in Europe, the reader gets to experience every aspect of the experiences that she lived through. This makes the novel a truly unique and interesting read as the character of Violet develops and begins to speak candidly about her emotions with her friends while she is unable to do so with her parents; thus creating a multifaceted story and experience for the reader.
Through the use of letters Mary E. Hughes coveys a wealth of emotions that the reader has no doubt experienced in their life. Everyone at some point in their lives have thought that they were destined for greatness, had dreams that they were truly focused on achieving, only to see life throw them a curve ball and they have to find a new way in life. This is no different in Violet’s life as her dreams of being on the stage are dashed and she has to find a new way to find happiness; this journey of self-discovery is truly inspiring not only to witness but will no doubt also impact the reader’s life.
While the author’s work is relatable to a modern audience she has not lost the historical element throughout the narrative. This attribute works two-fold; it casts a light on the society for a woman in 1800’s while also showing that people can still face the same complications and emotions today in their lives. Mary E. Hughes has carefully entwined the 19th century life into her story allowing the reader to step back into the past and become completely immersed in the fictional world. She leaves no little detail out when she mentions a whole host of historical information, such as the conservatory, where she studies, being founded and even the specific operas that were attended.
Overall, this novel allows the reader to experience a time and a society in a way that the history books don’t. Mary E. Hughes has created a truly wonderful and insightful piece of historical fiction, which will no doubt be enjoyed for years to come by all ages.
This novel has a true coming of age narrative that will certainly appeal to the modern young adult who may be going through similar trials in their lives. Even though the characters live in the 1800’s, the emotions and often the situations Violet faces are quiet relatable. For example, leaving home for the first time to study for years in a strange town/country is something most young adults go through by attending university. Therefore the reader cannot help but see part of themselves in the character and leave them wondering just how they would deal with their situations over two centuries ago.
While in some letter or diary constructed novels the reader will only be able to get one side of the story, leaving aspects of circumstances with huge holes this doesn’t happen in Imagining Violet. Of course the reader only sees the letters that Violet writes but due to the comprehensive nature of the correspondence there is nothing missing from the overall story. In fact because Mary E. Hughes chose to showcase not only Violet’s communications with her family but also with the friends, and even her romantic interest, that she made during her years studying in Europe, the reader gets to experience every aspect of the experiences that she lived through. This makes the novel a truly unique and interesting read as the character of Violet develops and begins to speak candidly about her emotions with her friends while she is unable to do so with her parents; thus creating a multifaceted story and experience for the reader.
Through the use of letters Mary E. Hughes coveys a wealth of emotions that the reader has no doubt experienced in their life. Everyone at some point in their lives have thought that they were destined for greatness, had dreams that they were truly focused on achieving, only to see life throw them a curve ball and they have to find a new way in life. This is no different in Violet’s life as her dreams of being on the stage are dashed and she has to find a new way to find happiness; this journey of self-discovery is truly inspiring not only to witness but will no doubt also impact the reader’s life.
While the author’s work is relatable to a modern audience she has not lost the historical element throughout the narrative. This attribute works two-fold; it casts a light on the society for a woman in 1800’s while also showing that people can still face the same complications and emotions today in their lives. Mary E. Hughes has carefully entwined the 19th century life into her story allowing the reader to step back into the past and become completely immersed in the fictional world. She leaves no little detail out when she mentions a whole host of historical information, such as the conservatory, where she studies, being founded and even the specific operas that were attended.
Overall, this novel allows the reader to experience a time and a society in a way that the history books don’t. Mary E. Hughes has created a truly wonderful and insightful piece of historical fiction, which will no doubt be enjoyed for years to come by all ages.
July 14, 2019
A Review from Entrada Publishing January 2019
Imagining Violet is a fascinating look into a young woman’s life in the 19th century as she learns about herself and the world around her. The reader joins Violet as she takes the plunge into the new and exciting world of studying music in Europe. Mary E. Hughes takes an interesting approach when showcasing the life of Violet, by using personal letters to family and friends. With the element of historical truth to the narrative, the reader truly feels like they have travelled back in time and are experiencing everything with Violet.
This novel has a true coming of age narrative that will certainly appeal to the modern young adult who may be going through similar trials in their lives. Even though the characters live in the late 1800’s, the emotions and often the situations Violet faces are quite relatable. For example, leaving home for the first time to study for years in a strange town/country is something most young adults go through by attending university. Therefore the reader cannot help but see part of themselves in the character and leave them wondering just how they would deal with their situations over a century ago.
While in some letter or diary constructed novels the reader will only be able to get one side of the story, leaving aspects of circumstances with huge holes, this doesn’t happen in Imagining Violet. Of course the reader only sees the letters that Violet writes but due to the comprehensive nature of the correspondence there is nothing missing from the overall story. In fact, because Hughes chose to showcase not only Violet’s communications with her family but also with the friends, and even her romantic interest that she made during her years studying in Europe, the reader gets to experience every aspect of the experiences that she lived through. This makes the novel a truly unique and interesting read as the character of Violet develops and begins to speak candidly about her emotions with her friends while she is unable to do so with her parents; thus creating a multifaceted story and experience for the reader.
Imagining Violet is a fascinating look into a young woman’s life in the 19th century as she learns about herself and the world around her. The reader joins Violet as she takes the plunge into the new and exciting world of studying music in Europe. Mary E. Hughes takes an interesting approach when showcasing the life of Violet, by using personal letters to family and friends. With the element of historical truth to the narrative, the reader truly feels like they have travelled back in time and are experiencing everything with Violet.
This novel has a true coming of age narrative that will certainly appeal to the modern young adult who may be going through similar trials in their lives. Even though the characters live in the late 1800’s, the emotions and often the situations Violet faces are quite relatable. For example, leaving home for the first time to study for years in a strange town/country is something most young adults go through by attending university. Therefore the reader cannot help but see part of themselves in the character and leave them wondering just how they would deal with their situations over a century ago.
While in some letter or diary constructed novels the reader will only be able to get one side of the story, leaving aspects of circumstances with huge holes, this doesn’t happen in Imagining Violet. Of course the reader only sees the letters that Violet writes but due to the comprehensive nature of the correspondence there is nothing missing from the overall story. In fact, because Hughes chose to showcase not only Violet’s communications with her family but also with the friends, and even her romantic interest that she made during her years studying in Europe, the reader gets to experience every aspect of the experiences that she lived through. This makes the novel a truly unique and interesting read as the character of Violet develops and begins to speak candidly about her emotions with her friends while she is unable to do so with her parents; thus creating a multifaceted story and experience for the reader.
February 28, 2021
Imagining Violet is an epistolary tale, which is something I usually have a cordial dislike for. Telling a story through a series of letters is very different from telling it as a straight narrative. It has a different rhythm. People include things in letters, everyday details that wouldn’t make it into a typical three-act tale.
However, as an epistolary tale it was exceptionally well done. The world may have had a great deal of non-narrative related detail, but it was all vivid and felt incredibly real and authentic. Judging it as the type of story it is, I would say it’s very successful. The line editing is flawless. The main character feels three-dimensional and her personality leaps off the page.
Violet is a young woman in 1892. She describes herself as born in Ireland, living in Scotland, but really an Englishwoman. She takes up studying music along with other liberal arts in Germany, a very demanding course of study that has her relying on tutors for months to get up to speed.
We see pre-Weimar Germany through Violet’s eyes, and it’s a fascinating glimpse, with the education of a young violinist, social experiences of upper-class young women, ice skating on the canals, celebrating holidays—all filled with youthful exuberance, and eventually disappointments. Should appeal to historical fiction fans who enjoy the Victorian period. Or possibly Jane Austen fans who like epistolary formats. For these groups, I would highly recommend this book.
However, as an epistolary tale it was exceptionally well done. The world may have had a great deal of non-narrative related detail, but it was all vivid and felt incredibly real and authentic. Judging it as the type of story it is, I would say it’s very successful. The line editing is flawless. The main character feels three-dimensional and her personality leaps off the page.
Violet is a young woman in 1892. She describes herself as born in Ireland, living in Scotland, but really an Englishwoman. She takes up studying music along with other liberal arts in Germany, a very demanding course of study that has her relying on tutors for months to get up to speed.
We see pre-Weimar Germany through Violet’s eyes, and it’s a fascinating glimpse, with the education of a young violinist, social experiences of upper-class young women, ice skating on the canals, celebrating holidays—all filled with youthful exuberance, and eventually disappointments. Should appeal to historical fiction fans who enjoy the Victorian period. Or possibly Jane Austen fans who like epistolary formats. For these groups, I would highly recommend this book.
May 23, 2019
What a beautifully written and clever way of documenting family history through an easy-read fiction story. The author imagines what her grandmother’s life was like and includes pictures that I assume are old family photos throughout the book. The entire book is compiled of letters that Violet writes to her family and friends. When I first started reading, I wondered if the letters would be tedious after awhile but they are so well-written that they capture your interest through the entire book. It was such a unique and interesting way to share Violet’s story. I found her life relatable even across generations because she traveled to a different country to study at the age of 16 which is something that I also did. This book inspired me to want to write about my experiences and my family’s history too. There are sequels to this story go into Violet’s later years after marriage and I hope to read those as well. Very fascinating reading. Well done Mary Hughes!
December 12, 2019
A charming read I recommend to historical fiction fans and classical musicians.
I've read several books where the story is told via a series of diary entries, but I think this is the first book I've read where the story is told through one character's letters to her family, friends and the man she hopes to marry. The letters felt authentic to the times and although more restrained than private diary entries still gave a great insight into the character's personality, fears and dreams. I started to enjoy spotting the different way Violet writes to her parents and Aunts and her closest friends.
The letters cover Violet's trip to Germany to study the violin as a sixteen-year-old up to her marriage and honeymoon. As well as telling Violet's personal history the letters shine a light on the political and social mores of the day.
I especially liked the inclusion of postcard images that accompanied some of the letters.
Enjoyable.
I've read several books where the story is told via a series of diary entries, but I think this is the first book I've read where the story is told through one character's letters to her family, friends and the man she hopes to marry. The letters felt authentic to the times and although more restrained than private diary entries still gave a great insight into the character's personality, fears and dreams. I started to enjoy spotting the different way Violet writes to her parents and Aunts and her closest friends.
The letters cover Violet's trip to Germany to study the violin as a sixteen-year-old up to her marriage and honeymoon. As well as telling Violet's personal history the letters shine a light on the political and social mores of the day.
I especially liked the inclusion of postcard images that accompanied some of the letters.
Enjoyable.
January 24, 2019
Elegantly written, Imagining Violet is a well crafted novel. We join Violet on her adventures away from home, and through her letters, get a sense of being right there with her on her travels. Set in the 1800s, the detail in Violet's letters brings us into the lives of Mary's characters and we get to know each one. It's a fascinating peek into nineteenth century Europe.
August 3, 2019
This is a delightful story told through a series of letters from Violet, the main character, to her mother, sister, friends and later, to her fiance. I have only read one other book told in this way and that was Bram Stoker's Dracula and I enjoyed this style of writing then too.
Violet's story fascinated me as it tells of her of her life in Leipsic, Germany, studying the famous music school called the Conservatorium. Violet's instrument of choice is the violin and I found her descriptions of the hours of practice, music teachers, recitals and concerts interesting and relatable as I had a best friend in primary school who played the violin exceptionally well and I remember all the hard work she put in with daily practicing and I also attended a few of her concerts. She was a bit of a child protegee.
Violet's years as a student include accounts of the enduring friendships she makes and portrays her lifestyle as a English girl in Germany adjusting to learning a new language, although a lot of her friends speak English, she studies in German, and all sorts of different foods, methods of heating, ice skating and even a German Christmas. The book also tells a bit of her sister, Birdie's story, and the reader gets to know her as a frail girl who decides against marriage, potentially due to her understanding of her own frailty.
At sixteen years old, Violet is a mere girl when she arrives at the school but she matures quickly as she exposed to a much wider range of experiences and social situations than she would have had at home where the class structures are much more rigid and inflexible. Violet mixes with students from Canada and America as well as from other parts of Europe and this broadens her mind as well as her artistic abilities. The first half of the book which tells of her life as a music student also explains the emotional adjustment Violet must undergo upon gradually realising that she only has a small talent as a violinist and how she must adjust her aspirations accordingly.
The second part of the book tells of Violet's return to her home in Edinburgh and how she adjusts back into her life as a regular English girl. She does have the distraction of teaching some music students and writing to her friend, Mr Welsman, who eventually becomes her fiance. The removal of her family from Scotland to London is enjoyable to read and I liked reading about her life in the suburbs of London.
I found this book to be a most enjoyable read and initially thought it was a biography of the author's grandmother's life before learning that it was a fictionalised account of how the author pictured her grandmother's life to have been based on the basic facts she came across as part of her family history.
Violet's story fascinated me as it tells of her of her life in Leipsic, Germany, studying the famous music school called the Conservatorium. Violet's instrument of choice is the violin and I found her descriptions of the hours of practice, music teachers, recitals and concerts interesting and relatable as I had a best friend in primary school who played the violin exceptionally well and I remember all the hard work she put in with daily practicing and I also attended a few of her concerts. She was a bit of a child protegee.
Violet's years as a student include accounts of the enduring friendships she makes and portrays her lifestyle as a English girl in Germany adjusting to learning a new language, although a lot of her friends speak English, she studies in German, and all sorts of different foods, methods of heating, ice skating and even a German Christmas. The book also tells a bit of her sister, Birdie's story, and the reader gets to know her as a frail girl who decides against marriage, potentially due to her understanding of her own frailty.
At sixteen years old, Violet is a mere girl when she arrives at the school but she matures quickly as she exposed to a much wider range of experiences and social situations than she would have had at home where the class structures are much more rigid and inflexible. Violet mixes with students from Canada and America as well as from other parts of Europe and this broadens her mind as well as her artistic abilities. The first half of the book which tells of her life as a music student also explains the emotional adjustment Violet must undergo upon gradually realising that she only has a small talent as a violinist and how she must adjust her aspirations accordingly.
The second part of the book tells of Violet's return to her home in Edinburgh and how she adjusts back into her life as a regular English girl. She does have the distraction of teaching some music students and writing to her friend, Mr Welsman, who eventually becomes her fiance. The removal of her family from Scotland to London is enjoyable to read and I liked reading about her life in the suburbs of London.
I found this book to be a most enjoyable read and initially thought it was a biography of the author's grandmother's life before learning that it was a fictionalised account of how the author pictured her grandmother's life to have been based on the basic facts she came across as part of her family history.
July 15, 2020
Imagining Violet, by Mary E. Hughes, is a lovely epistolary novel set in in the 19th century. Fans of historical fiction, travel literature and classical music will be drawn it, as its protagonist is an aspiring violinist who travels to Germany to follow her dream of playing professionally.
As a classically trained singer and fan of historicals, particularly those set in Europe, I was not surprised to find myself intrigued by a novel that brings the story of a young woman's pursuit of music to life. To follow the path of an artistic life, at any time in history it seems (and even today), the road is fraught with challenges. But for a woman in the 1800s, the cultural and political roadblocks to such a pursuit are mind-boggling, maddening...and therefore must play a part in this novel if it is to be believable.
Despite being faced with a society that doesn't allow women the limelight in the musical arena -(save for a select few whose utter brilliance and excellence demand it, and even then these women aren't given the space they're due) - Violet's spirits soar while she is in Leipzig. Readers are treated to an intimacy of her feelings and passion for not only music but the world through letters. Such intimacies were few in a time where passions had to be publicly hidden, but perhaps it is because of the epistolary style that we are given a window into Violet's soul.
The latter part of the novel, while met with a spirit of content and reconciliation, does not meet the passionate feelings of Violet's musical journey. While her story doesn't end as I'd hoped, it does play its final notes with positivism, hope and a sense of moving forward through life's phrases as best she can. And for many fans of historical stories that are a looking-glass into a life, one that touches on both dreams and reality, that will likely be enough.
As a classically trained singer and fan of historicals, particularly those set in Europe, I was not surprised to find myself intrigued by a novel that brings the story of a young woman's pursuit of music to life. To follow the path of an artistic life, at any time in history it seems (and even today), the road is fraught with challenges. But for a woman in the 1800s, the cultural and political roadblocks to such a pursuit are mind-boggling, maddening...and therefore must play a part in this novel if it is to be believable.
Despite being faced with a society that doesn't allow women the limelight in the musical arena -(save for a select few whose utter brilliance and excellence demand it, and even then these women aren't given the space they're due) - Violet's spirits soar while she is in Leipzig. Readers are treated to an intimacy of her feelings and passion for not only music but the world through letters. Such intimacies were few in a time where passions had to be publicly hidden, but perhaps it is because of the epistolary style that we are given a window into Violet's soul.
The latter part of the novel, while met with a spirit of content and reconciliation, does not meet the passionate feelings of Violet's musical journey. While her story doesn't end as I'd hoped, it does play its final notes with positivism, hope and a sense of moving forward through life's phrases as best she can. And for many fans of historical stories that are a looking-glass into a life, one that touches on both dreams and reality, that will likely be enough.
January 8, 2020
Imagining Violet is an epistolary novel about the life of the author's grandmother Violet Courtenaye, as imagined by her granddaughter. It covers the period from 1891 to 1898, during which Violet studied music at the Leipzig Conservatory in Germany, and then returned to her parents in Scotland and England prior to her marriage. The detail is stunning - Violet's letters to her family and friends don't seem imaginary at all, but as a faithful account of the life of a young woman away from home for the first time. The portrayal of the Leipzig years is particularly vivid - I was actually envious of Violet's opportunities to attend performances by Brahms, Richard Strauss and others conducting their own works. Her frustration with the limited opportunities that women enjoyed in that era was also particularly impactful, as was her gradual acceptance that she was likely to become a wife rather than a concert violinist. The social customs of the times were also fascinating - restrictive, to be sure, but also oddly comforting, as one knew exactly what was expected. Her long-distance relationship with her eventual husband was also poignant, and her simultaneous apprehension and eagerness for her coming marriage. Imagining Violet is not a work meant to be read from cover-to-cover in a single sitting I think, but rather a book to be periodically visited, as one would a journal. It is a book to enjoyed on a rainy day with a cup of tea.
February 23, 2020
In Imagining Violet, the author imagines the life her grandmother, Violet, experienced when she left home as a teenager to attend a prestigious music school in Germany during the late 1800s. Told through a series of letters to her mother, sister, friends and later, to her fiancé, the first half of the book is surprisingly engrossing. Violet describes her aspirations to become a concert violinist, and the frustration as she slowly comes to terms with her limited talent and the limited opportunities for women in that era. She gradually accepts her reality; her future is marriage and motherhood, and she really isn’t as special as she thought she was.
Violet is full of youthful naivety and adventure, and her excitement propels the story forward as she matures. There’s a poignant sadness in the author’s voice as Violet’s dreams dim and she resigns to adulthood, and society’s expectations of her and women of that era.
Violet returns home and reunites with her family and prepares for marriage. And the letters continue. However, I think the story actually ended with her leaving Germany. The second half of the book is missing the youthful enthusiasm that makes her experiences in Germany so charming.
I highly recommend the first half of this book. It’s brilliant and funny and sad, and an amazing statement about growing up and letting go.
Violet is full of youthful naivety and adventure, and her excitement propels the story forward as she matures. There’s a poignant sadness in the author’s voice as Violet’s dreams dim and she resigns to adulthood, and society’s expectations of her and women of that era.
Violet returns home and reunites with her family and prepares for marriage. And the letters continue. However, I think the story actually ended with her leaving Germany. The second half of the book is missing the youthful enthusiasm that makes her experiences in Germany so charming.
I highly recommend the first half of this book. It’s brilliant and funny and sad, and an amazing statement about growing up and letting go.
December 27, 2021
I am thrilled with this Audible edition of Imagining Violet, narrated and produced by the very imaginative and talented Jacqueline de Boer, the British Voice Over Lady. She's given a superb performance as Violet, beginning as an almost breathless 16 year old and maturing into a grown-up 23 year old bride. It's so much fun for me to hear my character come alive. It's an inspired creation of a book that, as a series of letters, is tailor-made for Audible. (In my humble opinion)
January 4, 2022
I'm extremely pleased with the Audible version of Imagining Violet narrated and produced by the very talented Jacqueline de Boer, the British Voice Over Lady. She has created young Violet has the enthusiastic 16 year old violin student I imagined her to be, a young woman willing to take chances, to try anything that comes her way. But Violet's voice matures over time as she grows into early adulthood. Great job, in my humble opinion.
July 2, 2021
Creative non-fiction or epistolary biography
I have read the complete series of the Imagining Violet books and I have enjoyed the journey (pun intended) greatly. As the author herself states, this book is (and the others in the series are equally) a kind of creative non-fiction. From the details the author knows of her grandmother’s life, she has researched and created the outer detail that enhances the known sketched outline.
I would recommend making a pot of tea, settling down in your comfy chair and immersing yourself in Violet’s world. The book is told through Violet’s POV through letters that (the author imagines that she) sends to various family and friends. I enjoyed getting lost in that world and the amount of research and detailed world building in the book (and series) is impressive and highly enjoyable. The author’s passion shows through every page.
Lovely book. Great series.
I have read the complete series of the Imagining Violet books and I have enjoyed the journey (pun intended) greatly. As the author herself states, this book is (and the others in the series are equally) a kind of creative non-fiction. From the details the author knows of her grandmother’s life, she has researched and created the outer detail that enhances the known sketched outline.
I would recommend making a pot of tea, settling down in your comfy chair and immersing yourself in Violet’s world. The book is told through Violet’s POV through letters that (the author imagines that she) sends to various family and friends. I enjoyed getting lost in that world and the amount of research and detailed world building in the book (and series) is impressive and highly enjoyable. The author’s passion shows through every page.
Lovely book. Great series.
June 26, 2020
As a teen, Violet is allowed to leave Ireland and attend music school in Germany. There she meets other musicians and together they practice, perform, attend concerts, and explore the musically rich city of Leipzig. Professors, landladies, and mentors guide the youngsters and we watch them grow in talent, maturity, and love through the eyes of Violet as she writes to family and friends.
The story is delivered to us solely through Violet’s letters. Each letter shapes the characters and their descriptions are spoon-fed to us as Violet chooses what to reveal to which recipient, whether mother, sister, good friend, or casual acquaintance. At times it is tedious as observations are repeated, but that can be expected from someone writing letters to different people. “What can I write about that I have not written a thousand times,” she reveals in one letter.
The setting is drawn out by descriptions of walks, visits to museums, and watching musical masters perform. Cafés and dining are meticulously described and you appreciate the narrator’s youthful curiosity – “I should like to know how you make bread black,” makes the reader wonder the same thing.
Finally, when Violet meets Frank Welsman, the intrigue begins as the reader frets along with Violet, as to whether anything will come of the relationship.
The letters are written by an English girl during the Victorian Era and is true to the propriety of the day, somewhat limiting to the reader who must read between lines to discern what is truly in the mind of this progressive teen. That adds to the intrigue and mystery and makes this novel a success.
Five stars because I believe Hughes put her heart and soul in the research and it appears she had little to go on initially. I had to check back to be sure this is truly a piece of historical fiction. I recommend this book.
The story is delivered to us solely through Violet’s letters. Each letter shapes the characters and their descriptions are spoon-fed to us as Violet chooses what to reveal to which recipient, whether mother, sister, good friend, or casual acquaintance. At times it is tedious as observations are repeated, but that can be expected from someone writing letters to different people. “What can I write about that I have not written a thousand times,” she reveals in one letter.
The setting is drawn out by descriptions of walks, visits to museums, and watching musical masters perform. Cafés and dining are meticulously described and you appreciate the narrator’s youthful curiosity – “I should like to know how you make bread black,” makes the reader wonder the same thing.
Finally, when Violet meets Frank Welsman, the intrigue begins as the reader frets along with Violet, as to whether anything will come of the relationship.
The letters are written by an English girl during the Victorian Era and is true to the propriety of the day, somewhat limiting to the reader who must read between lines to discern what is truly in the mind of this progressive teen. That adds to the intrigue and mystery and makes this novel a success.
Five stars because I believe Hughes put her heart and soul in the research and it appears she had little to go on initially. I had to check back to be sure this is truly a piece of historical fiction. I recommend this book.
April 24, 2019
Imagining Violet had a mighty task in front of it as I was certain I wasn’t going to enjoy an epistolary novel. Those I’ve read in the past have left me frustrated, yearning for some real interaction between the characters, and wishing the novel would break form and give me some. I was both surprised and pleased to find that I loved Imagining Violet.
The storyline drew me in…set in the late 1800s, sixteen-year-old Violet leaves her home and her family to move to Germany where she will study at a prestigious music school in hopes of becoming a successful violinist. The sights, sounds, and smells of Leipzig, Germany came alive for me as I read a series of letters from Violet to her family and friends back home. I learned of her struggles and her successes, of her friendships and her frustrations. I was there when she learned to ice skate, when she performed at her first concert, and when she met a man that became more than a friend. I watched Violet grow from a somewhat timid teenager to a confident woman. And when she realized she wasn’t cut out for a life as a performing musician, I watched her return home and forge a new path, all the while hoping her beloved Frank, once he finished with his musical schooling, would ask for her hand in marriage.
Violet’s letters were full of mini history lessons and a wealth of information on life in the late 1800s. I particularly enjoyed her descriptions of life in Germany, a country I’ve visited several times, as well as her use of German phrases which let me practice my German!
This was a delightful read and I highly recommend it. I’m looking forward to seeing what’s next for Violet.
The storyline drew me in…set in the late 1800s, sixteen-year-old Violet leaves her home and her family to move to Germany where she will study at a prestigious music school in hopes of becoming a successful violinist. The sights, sounds, and smells of Leipzig, Germany came alive for me as I read a series of letters from Violet to her family and friends back home. I learned of her struggles and her successes, of her friendships and her frustrations. I was there when she learned to ice skate, when she performed at her first concert, and when she met a man that became more than a friend. I watched Violet grow from a somewhat timid teenager to a confident woman. And when she realized she wasn’t cut out for a life as a performing musician, I watched her return home and forge a new path, all the while hoping her beloved Frank, once he finished with his musical schooling, would ask for her hand in marriage.
Violet’s letters were full of mini history lessons and a wealth of information on life in the late 1800s. I particularly enjoyed her descriptions of life in Germany, a country I’ve visited several times, as well as her use of German phrases which let me practice my German!
This was a delightful read and I highly recommend it. I’m looking forward to seeing what’s next for Violet.
June 28, 2020
I haven’t read a book so well written, based on purely letters from the main character.
I was immediately drawn to the story, such a brave move for a young girl to move abroad to follow her dreams and eventually finds her true self in this new life she has built for herself.
Even though the story takes place in the 18th century I can totally relate with her, based on the letters to her mama and papa you can tell she has a very special relationship with them. It is such a pleasure to find a story that keeps you in it. I couldn’t stop reading!
I was immediately drawn to the story, such a brave move for a young girl to move abroad to follow her dreams and eventually finds her true self in this new life she has built for herself.
Even though the story takes place in the 18th century I can totally relate with her, based on the letters to her mama and papa you can tell she has a very special relationship with them. It is such a pleasure to find a story that keeps you in it. I couldn’t stop reading!
April 16, 2020
Wonderful book- very enjoyable . With lots of interesting anecdotes. The tone is lovely- you really do get to know Violet.
Can't wait to read the next installments!
Can't wait to read the next installments!
January 10, 2019
Did they even have “teenagers” back in the 1880s? Whatever, imagining Violet is an intriguing, engaging enterprise: so proper, so curious, so spirited. And subtly and inevitably a love story.
July 6, 2019
This was not the kind of book that I like to read. A succession of letters without some real interaction between characters seems unexciting and lacking in intrigue. But “Imagining Violet” was both surprising and full of incident with a main character who was engaging and beautifully written; a mark of the talented author. Violet’s charming approach to life, together with her undoubted ambition to become a concert violinist, in an age of Victorian expected “proper behaviour” led to this reader rooting for her from the beginning. We see her burgeoning growth from a mild mannered, young English rose into a sophisticated woman.
The author has imagined the late-Victorian life of her own grandmother, with family photographs throughout the book, and with a collection of letters written by Violet to her family and friends. There are charming descriptions of Violet learning to ice skate, and when she plays at her first concert. There is the hoped-for romance, both suspected and real, with holidays filled with friends and acquaintances, and the smells, sights and sounds of Germany before the Weimar Republican era. This series of letters, written by Violet, who was born in Ireland and raised in Edinburgh, and who travels to Germany to advance her studies, are a fine example of the epistolary novel. It will appeal to anyone who enjoys historical novels with a difference and as I will in future.
The author has imagined the late-Victorian life of her own grandmother, with family photographs throughout the book, and with a collection of letters written by Violet to her family and friends. There are charming descriptions of Violet learning to ice skate, and when she plays at her first concert. There is the hoped-for romance, both suspected and real, with holidays filled with friends and acquaintances, and the smells, sights and sounds of Germany before the Weimar Republican era. This series of letters, written by Violet, who was born in Ireland and raised in Edinburgh, and who travels to Germany to advance her studies, are a fine example of the epistolary novel. It will appeal to anyone who enjoys historical novels with a difference and as I will in future.
December 30, 2019
A labor of love.
Imagining Violet is the author’s re-creation of the life of her grandmother. Her grandmother was not famous, nor was her life wildly exceptional. She was a talented musician and pursued her talent more assiduously than many girls of her era, but she was not a rebel. So why would anyone be interested in her life?
I enjoyed this book because it such a well done re-creation of an era. The language (the story is told in the form of letters from Violet to various people) is old-fashioned without seeming forced or contrived and consistently maintains the tone of nineteenth century literature. Violet comes across as a wide-eyed and adventurous—within the boundaries of her gender and class. Through her eyes the author provides a time-travel experience to Europe in the days of steam engines, corsets, and top hats. The text is illustrated with period post cards—a lovely touch. All in all, the author has done a marvelous job of recreating the tone and feel of an Edith Wharton novel, though without the angst. It’s a feel good novel and a period piece, written as a labor of love.
Imagining Violet is the author’s re-creation of the life of her grandmother. Her grandmother was not famous, nor was her life wildly exceptional. She was a talented musician and pursued her talent more assiduously than many girls of her era, but she was not a rebel. So why would anyone be interested in her life?
I enjoyed this book because it such a well done re-creation of an era. The language (the story is told in the form of letters from Violet to various people) is old-fashioned without seeming forced or contrived and consistently maintains the tone of nineteenth century literature. Violet comes across as a wide-eyed and adventurous—within the boundaries of her gender and class. Through her eyes the author provides a time-travel experience to Europe in the days of steam engines, corsets, and top hats. The text is illustrated with period post cards—a lovely touch. All in all, the author has done a marvelous job of recreating the tone and feel of an Edith Wharton novel, though without the angst. It’s a feel good novel and a period piece, written as a labor of love.
September 14, 2020
Imagining Violet by Mary E. Hughes tracks Violet Courtenaye, an aspiring musician in the late 19th century, via a series of correspondents. These letters, natural, use a journal format - one that is notoriously difficult to execute. Sadly, I found that the attempt was out of tune.
The obvious negative to this stylistic choice is its difficulty in creating and holding tension. Everything is most definitely in the past, and one sided. Therefore it takes a deft hand to keep a reader's attention without succumbing to cliff-hanger after cliff-hanger. Here I think Hughes stumbles, and unlike other formats where dialogue, characterization, setting and theme can pull a muck-up of tone out of the doldrums, the stereotypical journal does not have this luxury. In the end I found it difficult to maintain my attention, and not well-researched enough to switch me over and peak my inner history nerd, instead.
It takes more than good-editing and clean writing to pull most historical novels along - add in this sort of format, and you are in trouble. And while I believe that Imagining Violet will definitely have it's audience, sadly for me, it did not strike a chord.
The obvious negative to this stylistic choice is its difficulty in creating and holding tension. Everything is most definitely in the past, and one sided. Therefore it takes a deft hand to keep a reader's attention without succumbing to cliff-hanger after cliff-hanger. Here I think Hughes stumbles, and unlike other formats where dialogue, characterization, setting and theme can pull a muck-up of tone out of the doldrums, the stereotypical journal does not have this luxury. In the end I found it difficult to maintain my attention, and not well-researched enough to switch me over and peak my inner history nerd, instead.
It takes more than good-editing and clean writing to pull most historical novels along - add in this sort of format, and you are in trouble. And while I believe that Imagining Violet will definitely have it's audience, sadly for me, it did not strike a chord.
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