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Ingrid
On a lonely windswept island off the coast of Sweden, there is a place so desolate it feels abandoned by the fates. And yet, it possesses a strange beauty, which summons souls to awakening. This is the Alvar. Its very nature is a contradiction, and it is this ambiguity that calls to Ingrid, daughter to the vicar of Smedby.
A gypsy reveals to Ingrid that she will lose everything, but the cossetted vicar’s daughter is headstrong. She enters the Alvar despite every warning … and meets her fate there.
A gypsy reveals to Ingrid that she will lose everything, but the cossetted vicar’s daughter is headstrong. She enters the Alvar despite every warning … and meets her fate there.
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Published January 8, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 22, 2017
I was provided with a copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review. (Thank you, Hannah Warren and Booktasters for the copy)
It's a well written historical fiction. The pace is a bit slow at the first half of the book, but as the story develops and more hidden secrets come to light, the reader's interest increases.
I must admit that i didn't like Kalle Ljundberg and his "dark" side, nor vicar Ludvig Gunarsson. Such a strict man!
The end wasn't what I expected. It was quite subversive (That's all i can say).
I liked the vivid scenes describing the rugged terrain called the Alvar, at the end of the 19th century. Furthermore, i enjoyed the author's note at the beginning. It's worth reading this book!
"A girl with no knowledge of the world."
It's a well written historical fiction. The pace is a bit slow at the first half of the book, but as the story develops and more hidden secrets come to light, the reader's interest increases.
I must admit that i didn't like Kalle Ljundberg and his "dark" side, nor vicar Ludvig Gunarsson. Such a strict man!
The end wasn't what I expected. It was quite subversive (That's all i can say).
I liked the vivid scenes describing the rugged terrain called the Alvar, at the end of the 19th century. Furthermore, i enjoyed the author's note at the beginning. It's worth reading this book!
"A girl with no knowledge of the world."
March 9, 2017
I found myself wishing Ingrid would take more control over life, however I did have a soft spot for her nature. She tended to be rather innocent yet flighty. Being the age she is though, this can be explained and understood.
The story, much like many historical romances made a dragged progress and ended up being a bit of a slow-read for me. A nice change from the usual fast paced reads of romance, but nevertheless slow.
I loved he setting this story was based in, it was quaint and beautiful. Truly capturing and captivating my attention and having me wishing I could see it with my owns eyes.
All in all I'd definitely give this book a read, but it's a slower read. So if you're looking for something a bit more fast paced you maybe slightly disappointed. Don't let you out that off though, Ingrid was engaging, eye opening and very interesting. It's worth your time !
No HEA :(
The story, much like many historical romances made a dragged progress and ended up being a bit of a slow-read for me. A nice change from the usual fast paced reads of romance, but nevertheless slow.
I loved he setting this story was based in, it was quaint and beautiful. Truly capturing and captivating my attention and having me wishing I could see it with my owns eyes.
All in all I'd definitely give this book a read, but it's a slower read. So if you're looking for something a bit more fast paced you maybe slightly disappointed. Don't let you out that off though, Ingrid was engaging, eye opening and very interesting. It's worth your time !
No HEA :(
December 29, 2016
I was provided with an ARC in exchange for an honest review - thank you to Hannah Warren and Be My Book Boyfriend for the opportunity.
This is an historical story which was very nicely written. I hesitate to call it a romance and it doesn't finish with a HEA, having a rather poignant ending instead.
It follows the path of Ingrid, the 16 year old daughter of the vicar of Smedby who, due to her privileged upbringing is quite naive as well as willful and overly emotional. Upon hearing about and meeting Kalle, a man who has been outcast and is shunned by their local community, Ingrid sets out to help him and in doing so brings about her own downfall.
Ingrid is a difficult character to sympathise with due to her flighty nature and innocent outlook which are the root cause of all the problems that come to her, but I also think her family reacts harshly to her first real attempt to take a stand on something which is important to her.
The story makes slow yet steady progress until about 65% of the way through when other characters viewpoints and new aspects of the unfolding story - in particular the story of Kalle and why he was outcast from the small community to begin with - finally begin to tie the loose threads together and it picks up in both pace and interest.
Not what I expected and taking perhaps a little too long to get going for my preference, this book is beautifully written and does a wonderful job of describing the Alvar beside and upon which the story is set, as both a beautiful and desolate landscape.
This is an historical story which was very nicely written. I hesitate to call it a romance and it doesn't finish with a HEA, having a rather poignant ending instead.
It follows the path of Ingrid, the 16 year old daughter of the vicar of Smedby who, due to her privileged upbringing is quite naive as well as willful and overly emotional. Upon hearing about and meeting Kalle, a man who has been outcast and is shunned by their local community, Ingrid sets out to help him and in doing so brings about her own downfall.
Ingrid is a difficult character to sympathise with due to her flighty nature and innocent outlook which are the root cause of all the problems that come to her, but I also think her family reacts harshly to her first real attempt to take a stand on something which is important to her.
The story makes slow yet steady progress until about 65% of the way through when other characters viewpoints and new aspects of the unfolding story - in particular the story of Kalle and why he was outcast from the small community to begin with - finally begin to tie the loose threads together and it picks up in both pace and interest.
Not what I expected and taking perhaps a little too long to get going for my preference, this book is beautifully written and does a wonderful job of describing the Alvar beside and upon which the story is set, as both a beautiful and desolate landscape.
December 19, 2016
This is a twofold story. On the one hand it’s about Ingrid, the protected daughter of the local vicar, and on the other this is about the Alvar, a lonely sweep of land off the Swedish coast. When a man long away from their community returns (Kalle) Ingrid is intrigued. This man has a past that no one wants to talk about, everyone telling her to stay away from him. She is stubborn, though, and doesn’t listen, which leads to all kinds of trouble.
Hannah Warren really takes us into this windswept and cold land with vivid descriptions and an eye for the beauty that resides there despite the conditions. She also takes us into the lives of her characters with insight and compassion. There is the vicar himself, a good man, but so strict. There is Johan, Ingrid’s brother, studying to become a vicar himself. There’s Max, her French tutor, a man also with a past, one that makes him timid in his declarations. There’s Mrs Mags, the housekeeper who becomes the mother at the vicarage. There’s the ghostly presence of Ingrid’s actual mother, and the community at large with all their woes and joys, as well as prejudice.
I’m not giving more away; do read this. One becomes spellbound by this unfolding tale of young Ingrid, a girl who goes her own way and then cannot return to what was. An excellent read indeed!
Hannah Warren really takes us into this windswept and cold land with vivid descriptions and an eye for the beauty that resides there despite the conditions. She also takes us into the lives of her characters with insight and compassion. There is the vicar himself, a good man, but so strict. There is Johan, Ingrid’s brother, studying to become a vicar himself. There’s Max, her French tutor, a man also with a past, one that makes him timid in his declarations. There’s Mrs Mags, the housekeeper who becomes the mother at the vicarage. There’s the ghostly presence of Ingrid’s actual mother, and the community at large with all their woes and joys, as well as prejudice.
I’m not giving more away; do read this. One becomes spellbound by this unfolding tale of young Ingrid, a girl who goes her own way and then cannot return to what was. An excellent read indeed!
February 4, 2017
This book reminds me of so many books that I have loved for years. Maybe not for the story exactly, but, for the emotions it evoked. I have added it to my personal favorites wishing that I had a physical copy to set beside Jane Eyre, Anne of Green Gables, Little Women and Wuthering Heights.
The story revolves around Ingrid but actually has a few major characters with their own stories. The book is loving and hopeful, opening with Ingrid's sixteenth birthday. We get our first hint of tragedy by learning that Ingrid's had passed years before. Her and her brother were raised, lovingly, by their father, a vicar, and the housekeeper. Despite the tragic loss of her mother and the lingering sadness, Ingrid appears to have had a happy childhood. When a man, Kalle, returns to Alvar, the book takes on a melancholy air mixed with suspense. As the story goes on, I would suggest having Kleenex handy. In my opinion this book is a tragic romance in the classical way. I loved it! I'm not going further into the story as I don't want to spoil things for anyone.
I would like to suggest that if you choose to read this, please don't skip the author's note at the beginning. For me, it was a delightful surprise. There were a few errors but they were minimal and nothing that hampered my enjoyment of the book.
I would like to thank BookTasters for connecting me to the book and the offer of reading it. I did receive an electronic copy for review consideration. I wrote the review and added it to my wishlist of paper books because I loved it. I hope you do too.
The story revolves around Ingrid but actually has a few major characters with their own stories. The book is loving and hopeful, opening with Ingrid's sixteenth birthday. We get our first hint of tragedy by learning that Ingrid's had passed years before. Her and her brother were raised, lovingly, by their father, a vicar, and the housekeeper. Despite the tragic loss of her mother and the lingering sadness, Ingrid appears to have had a happy childhood. When a man, Kalle, returns to Alvar, the book takes on a melancholy air mixed with suspense. As the story goes on, I would suggest having Kleenex handy. In my opinion this book is a tragic romance in the classical way. I loved it! I'm not going further into the story as I don't want to spoil things for anyone.
I would like to suggest that if you choose to read this, please don't skip the author's note at the beginning. For me, it was a delightful surprise. There were a few errors but they were minimal and nothing that hampered my enjoyment of the book.
I would like to thank BookTasters for connecting me to the book and the offer of reading it. I did receive an electronic copy for review consideration. I wrote the review and added it to my wishlist of paper books because I loved it. I hope you do too.
January 18, 2017
I was given and advanced copy of this story for my honest review. In truth, I can describe this story in two worlds, Interesting and Intriguing. The word that does not define this story is romance, at least not to me. In this I am disappointed, because it was what I was suspecting since romance is the genre. I also found the story to have a melancholy type of feel to it. With that being said, the story historical aspect was well played and the description of the scenery and characters were extremely well written. My finial thoughts are that I enjoyed the story and finds it's wort the read just not what you would except in a romance genre.
December 17, 2016
Not what i was expecting
This book was well written, although sometimes a little hard to follow. However be warned, it treats with pretty dark themes and is on the depressing side... Not a light read, I wish I had been warned!
This book was well written, although sometimes a little hard to follow. However be warned, it treats with pretty dark themes and is on the depressing side... Not a light read, I wish I had been warned!
February 4, 2017
Booktasters gave me this book in exchange for an honest review.
The book started out on a rather high note for me. It felt chatty and fun, like a Lucy Maud Montgomery Book. It went downhill after a couple of chapters. I got very tired of the constant reminder of how fat Ingrid's kitchen maid/nanny was. Over and over again we were told of her massive girth. It added nothing to the story. Visual descriptions are important to place characters in the story, but I felt like her body was described a lot more often than others. I was also uncomfortable with the almost-incestuous relationship between the main character and her brother. I feel like the author crossed the line between what could be considered a close and loving relationship to one that was uncomfortably more so. And then the casual rape started. And then I almost stopped reading. And then I continued to read only to have the main storyline suddenly halt in order to devote several chapters to detailed backstories of various characters close to our dear Ingrid. It felt like I had suddenly put down my novel and picked up a book of short stories. It was very jarring to pull me out of the main story in such a way. Still, I kept on reading. And then I got to the part of the book where our heroine is rescued just in time to take the blame for being raped over and over again as a child. I was not at all expecting this book to be so casually sinister in so many ways. I feel like it does a terrible disservice to readers to perpetuate the culture of fat-shaming and victim-blaming in fiction. I want more from my stories.
The book started out on a rather high note for me. It felt chatty and fun, like a Lucy Maud Montgomery Book. It went downhill after a couple of chapters. I got very tired of the constant reminder of how fat Ingrid's kitchen maid/nanny was. Over and over again we were told of her massive girth. It added nothing to the story. Visual descriptions are important to place characters in the story, but I felt like her body was described a lot more often than others. I was also uncomfortable with the almost-incestuous relationship between the main character and her brother. I feel like the author crossed the line between what could be considered a close and loving relationship to one that was uncomfortably more so. And then the casual rape started. And then I almost stopped reading. And then I continued to read only to have the main storyline suddenly halt in order to devote several chapters to detailed backstories of various characters close to our dear Ingrid. It felt like I had suddenly put down my novel and picked up a book of short stories. It was very jarring to pull me out of the main story in such a way. Still, I kept on reading. And then I got to the part of the book where our heroine is rescued just in time to take the blame for being raped over and over again as a child. I was not at all expecting this book to be so casually sinister in so many ways. I feel like it does a terrible disservice to readers to perpetuate the culture of fat-shaming and victim-blaming in fiction. I want more from my stories.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 6, 2017
"Ingrid" is a story portraying hope, distress, abandonment, survival and heartache. Ingrid, the innocent, joyful, headstrong daughter of the Vicar, risks everything she has and is entitled to just to help rehabilitate the returned poacher that is shunned from their society.
I can honestly say that I was not expecting how dark the story became, so I was disappointed in this aspect since I was expecting a romance. I felt like Ingrid was rather naive since she didn't know why Kalle was being shunned by society (and if she didn't know, how can we?) and he never told her the full story. Once I wrapped my head around the dark turn of the story, I started to get used to the potential blossoming romance between Ingrid and Kalle (who is an older man). Though, I felt like the story changed scene right at the pinnacle and started to go into backstories of each of the supporting characters which is felt was unnecessary. The backstories did start to piece the puzzle together of why Kalle was shunned in the end, but I was starting to wonder if it would ever get back to Ingrid and her new relationship. I felt like the backstories could have worked better if they were worked in throughout the story in conversations or memories. Once the backstories were out of the way, the story took yet another dark and depressing turn.
Despite all this, I did find the story interesting. Hannah Warren wrote very vivid scenes describing the Alvar and I enjoyed her note before the story about the Alvar. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a story about survival that can be quite dark at times. Now that I know what to expect from Hannah Warren's writing, I would like to read more of her work.
*A big thank you to Hannah Warren and Booktasters for providing a copy of this book in exchange for a review.
I can honestly say that I was not expecting how dark the story became, so I was disappointed in this aspect since I was expecting a romance. I felt like Ingrid was rather naive since she didn't know why Kalle was being shunned by society (and if she didn't know, how can we?) and he never told her the full story. Once I wrapped my head around the dark turn of the story, I started to get used to the potential blossoming romance between Ingrid and Kalle (who is an older man). Though, I felt like the story changed scene right at the pinnacle and started to go into backstories of each of the supporting characters which is felt was unnecessary. The backstories did start to piece the puzzle together of why Kalle was shunned in the end, but I was starting to wonder if it would ever get back to Ingrid and her new relationship. I felt like the backstories could have worked better if they were worked in throughout the story in conversations or memories. Once the backstories were out of the way, the story took yet another dark and depressing turn.
Despite all this, I did find the story interesting. Hannah Warren wrote very vivid scenes describing the Alvar and I enjoyed her note before the story about the Alvar. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a story about survival that can be quite dark at times. Now that I know what to expect from Hannah Warren's writing, I would like to read more of her work.
*A big thank you to Hannah Warren and Booktasters for providing a copy of this book in exchange for a review.
February 5, 2017
I have to first mention that I love the opening note from the author about this book! So, about the actual book..
Meet Ingrid Gunarsson, daughter of Vicar Ludvig Gunarsson, in a spellbinding tale set in Södra Öland. The book opens on the eve of Ingrid's 16th birthday party, where we learn straight away that Ingrid has already lost her mother.
This book has a fairly large set of important characters that all need mentioning and add to the book in their own right;
Johan – Ingrid's brother, studying to be a vicar, like his father. This is a very special relationship, and sometimes uncomfortable, but the brother and sister are very close.
Kalle – Shunned from his own community, Ingrid ignores any warnings to her own detriment and sets out to help Kalle, even though no one will tell her anything about him and his past.
Max – Ingrid's French teacher who is so drawn to Ingrid but whose own past holds him back.
Mrs Mags – In absence of a mother, Mrs Mags is the housekeeper come mother of this household.
This enchanting story is beautifully written, the scenery is projected into your minds eye with such ease creating bleak yet gorgeous visuals. This was one of my favourite things about this book, the beautiful writing.
Delve into Ingrid's dark and intriguing life, a headstrong girl who goes against the grain and the advice given to her.
This book was a lot darker than I suspected and I don't think this comes across in the blurb of the novel. As well as this, the story is intriguing, historical, melancholic, mysterious and full of suspense.
Follow Ingrid as she enters the Alvar despite everyone’s' warnings, to a point of no return.
Thank you to Booktasters and Hannah Warren for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Meet Ingrid Gunarsson, daughter of Vicar Ludvig Gunarsson, in a spellbinding tale set in Södra Öland. The book opens on the eve of Ingrid's 16th birthday party, where we learn straight away that Ingrid has already lost her mother.
This book has a fairly large set of important characters that all need mentioning and add to the book in their own right;
Johan – Ingrid's brother, studying to be a vicar, like his father. This is a very special relationship, and sometimes uncomfortable, but the brother and sister are very close.
Kalle – Shunned from his own community, Ingrid ignores any warnings to her own detriment and sets out to help Kalle, even though no one will tell her anything about him and his past.
Max – Ingrid's French teacher who is so drawn to Ingrid but whose own past holds him back.
Mrs Mags – In absence of a mother, Mrs Mags is the housekeeper come mother of this household.
This enchanting story is beautifully written, the scenery is projected into your minds eye with such ease creating bleak yet gorgeous visuals. This was one of my favourite things about this book, the beautiful writing.
Delve into Ingrid's dark and intriguing life, a headstrong girl who goes against the grain and the advice given to her.
This book was a lot darker than I suspected and I don't think this comes across in the blurb of the novel. As well as this, the story is intriguing, historical, melancholic, mysterious and full of suspense.
Follow Ingrid as she enters the Alvar despite everyone’s' warnings, to a point of no return.
Thank you to Booktasters and Hannah Warren for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 4, 2017
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
My interest in this book piqued from how well ' The Blood Red Nails Of War: A Novella' was written. One of the main characters is Ingrid's daughter. As I read this, I was happy to find that both of the books can be read apart. There won't be a gap for anyone who hasn't read 'The Blood Red Nails Of War' and vice versa. While I do enjoy a good book series, not all of them need a cliff hanger ending.
'Ingrid (Daughter Of The Alvar: Book 1) is about more than how a young lady reacts to the people around her. There are some good life lessons in between these pages.
Oland, Sweden in the late 1800's is not as advanced as some parts of the world. Not in technology, not in medicine/education (both are better than I expected considering how solitary the community is), gossip and assumptions. Gossip and assumptions almost ruin a man's life. Years later, assumptions from a family that should know better, does the exact same thing to one of their own.
** SPOILER ALERT ** ** SPOILER ALERT **####** SPOILER ALERT ** ** SPOILER ALERT **
There are plenty of characters to grow to dislike or hate in this book. For me, that got easier and easier as the story line unfolded. At first, it was Ingrid, I'm not a fan of spoiled children who only think about themselves. When I realized that a lot of that behavior was fueled by how her father, brother, cook, and almost the entire town treated her; my opinion changed. In my opinion, Ingrid didn't have a fighting chance. Once she chose to reach out and help Kalle, she's doomed. It bothered me a lot that people expected Ingrid to know and understand what no one ever openly discussed with her. And then they proceeded to think the worst of her. Just like any small community, word traveled fast. False words went beyond the borders of the town. No matter how guilty her family felt, none of them was fully motivated to find out what really happened. Kalle was not an awful person, I had plenty of qualms with him in the latter half of the book. But, he was in a sense, better than Ingrid's family. It felt like he too took advantage of her ignorance at some point.
This is a book worth reading. It gives good insight into the family that Ingrid's daughter came from ( for those who have read 'Blood Red Nails Of War') and a good historical fiction with beautiful landscapes with a look at the damage uneducated assumptions can do.
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