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The Blue Sapphire
The blue sapphire is the gem which the Ancients called the hyacinthus and which Solinus described as ‘a gem that feels the influence of the air and sympathises with the heavens and does not shine equally if the sky be cloudy or bright...’ On a beautiful spring day Julia Harburn sat on a seat in Kensington Gardens enjoying the sunshine. She was wearing a white frock and a large straw hat with a sapphire-blue ribbon which exactly matched her eyes—a strange coincidence, as it turned out, for the blue sapphire was to have a far-reaching influence upon her life. So far, her life had been somewhat dull and circumscribed; but quite suddenly her horizons were enlarged; she began to make new friends—and enemies—and she began to discover new strength and purpose in her own nature. The development of her character led her into strange adventures, some amusing, others full of sorrow and distress...
284 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1963
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401 people want to read
About the author
D.E. Stevenson
67 books628 followersThere is more than one author with this name
Dorothy Emily Stevenson was a best-selling Scottish author. She published more than 40 romantic novels over a period of more than 40 years. Her father was a cousin of Robert Louis Stevenson.
D.E. Stevenson had an enormously successful writing career: between 1923 and 1970, four million copies of her books were sold in Britain and three million in the States. Like E.F. Benson, Ann Bridge, O. Douglas or Dorothy L. Sayers (to name but a few) her books are funny, intensely readable, engaging and dependable.
Dorothy Emily Stevenson was a best-selling Scottish author. She published more than 40 romantic novels over a period of more than 40 years. Her father was a cousin of Robert Louis Stevenson.
D.E. Stevenson had an enormously successful writing career: between 1923 and 1970, four million copies of her books were sold in Britain and three million in the States. Like E.F. Benson, Ann Bridge, O. Douglas or Dorothy L. Sayers (to name but a few) her books are funny, intensely readable, engaging and dependable.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
June 9, 2019
This was a delightful story of Julia becoming an independent young woman in England and Scotland. Although written in the sixties I didn't feel as though it was taking place at that time, felt older than that time period. The characters Julia encounters along her journey really make the book special-Miss May Martineau-her landlady, Madame Claire-her employer at the hat shop, her uncle Randal, and his housekeeper Mrs. Maggie Walker, Neil-the medical student and charmingly irrepressible annoying "cousin", and of course Stephen, the mining engineer with great knowledge of blue sapphires!
May 30, 2025
4 enthusiastic stars! Even better the second and third time around.
Loved, LOVED this book! The whole investment scheme didn’t sit well with me... I can’t help it; I’m an auditor and had the same concerns as Julia.😊 In fact, I started to suspect Stephen’s motives at that point in the story.
Anyway, loved the characters, loved the storylines, and loved the mild spirituality. A pure joy to read.
Loved, LOVED this book! The whole investment scheme didn’t sit well with me... I can’t help it; I’m an auditor and had the same concerns as Julia.😊 In fact, I started to suspect Stephen’s motives at that point in the story.
Anyway, loved the characters, loved the storylines, and loved the mild spirituality. A pure joy to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 13, 2022
4.5, such good fun! I love Julia’s courageous steps into independence and her combination of common sense, competence, and naïveté. Stephen is a dear. (As was his mother!) Neil is a kick. Uncle Ran is a pet. Morland reminds me of Edward Yardley from Venetia by Georgette Heyer. 😠 The story reminds me most of The Five Windows as far as DE Stevenson’s other novels. They are both Bildungsroman with likable main characters and a mixture of funny bits and poignant bits. I really wasn’t sure how all the various pieces of the story were going to come together but they do, and beautifully. I love ending a novel and feeling like the characters are going to be happy in their future lives. And I’m sure Morland will marry that golf playing girl, so he’ll be happy. 😜
October 25, 2024
D.E. Stevenson's novels are always a little slice of life, but this one felt particularly random. Our young heroine decides she wants some independence from her emotionally distant father, so against the advice of her fiance, she moves out. She meets another young man who convinces her to engage in some insider trading, discovers a flare for selling hats, and makes friends with eccentric theater types. Then halfway through the book she learns of a sick uncle she never knew existed, moves to Scotland, and has a totally separate adventure there.
There are lots of vivid characters who I think would be more memorable if they existed as more than novel ideas (like "Peter.")
Overall I would say this was a fun read but could have used a little more tying together.
There are lots of vivid characters who I think would be more memorable if they existed as more than novel ideas (like "Peter.")
Overall I would say this was a fun read but could have used a little more tying together.
October 3, 2015
Julia Harburn lives with her emotionally distant father and young stepmother in London. She's engaged to the very suitable and proper Morland Beverley and the couple are waiting for him to get a partnership in his father's firm before marrying. When Morland is late meeting Julia in Kensington Gardens one day, she sits down on a bench to wait. A young man by the name of Stephen Brett walks by and into love. He sits down to chat up Julia for the very true reason that he knows no one in London. Recently returned from Africa, Stephen is a mining engineer from Devonshire. Stephen can't get Julia out of his head and sets out to woo her away from Morland. He was given a blue sapphire in Africa that matches Julia's eyes exactly. He feels it's fated they should be together. It's not an easy task as Julia proves elusive and stubborn. First she decides to strike out on her own while her father and stepmother are on vacation. She finds a room at a lovely boarding house for actors and finds a friend in the owner, May Martineau. Then Julia gets a job and a mysterious letter which will change her destiny.
This is a nice, pleasant sort of book. Except for a few modern references to televisions, cars and hospitals/operations, this story could have taken place at any time between the late 19th century and now. It's a little old-fashioned for the 1960s when women were beginning to have more options. D.E. Stevenson has a theme: young women finding their voices. This book is no exception. It also had a theme of forgiveness and Christian love. The first half was a little slow but the second half moved much faster and I couldn't put it down. I wanted to know what happened to Uncle Roland and which one of the three potential suitors Julia would choose, if any of them.
I really liked Julia. At first she seems too proper and Victorian but she emerges into a strong-minded young woman who knows what she wants and how to get it. She's such a sweet, kind, lovable person and doesn't ever act rude or spoiled and bratty about what she wants. She sees only the good in people and wants only the best for herself and who she loves.
Morland is a pompous, prosy, stupid bore. He's one of those suitors straight out of a Georgette Heyer novel. He doesn't care about Julia and what she wants. He's very selfish and stupid. He means well but he's just a really unlikable person by modern standards. He's not a strong alpha male romantic hero, he's just old-fashioned and obtuse. Stephen is much more fun, but he's kind of the anti-Morland. Stephen is also selfish in a way but he is really a nice guy. He has good business sense, is a kind and caring person and he's close to his mother. I just loved his relationship with his mother. It's so sweet! The story of how he got the sapphire is amazing and shows his wonderful character.
The story is rounded out with some colorful, memorable secondary characters. There's May Martineau, a widow and former actress who runs Julia's boardinghouse. She's very nosy but you can't help but love her despite her flaw. Then there's Madame Claire, a Frenchwoman who runs the shop where Julia works. She's a little effusive in her native language but like her friend May, a real dear. These two women become Julia's first friends in her new life. Then in Scotland there's Uncle Roland, Julia's estranged uncle. He seems like a lively character who has many wonderful stories to tell. He's so kind, it's hard not to love him. Then there's Maggie Walker, the devoted housekeeper/nurse to Uncle Roland. I liked trying to decipher her speech and how she kept forgetting anything that didn't concern Roland. Neil, a promising young doctor, who may be a love interest for Julia or perhaps a good friend. I'll let you read the book to find out.
This is a nice, pleasant sort of book. Except for a few modern references to televisions, cars and hospitals/operations, this story could have taken place at any time between the late 19th century and now. It's a little old-fashioned for the 1960s when women were beginning to have more options. D.E. Stevenson has a theme: young women finding their voices. This book is no exception. It also had a theme of forgiveness and Christian love. The first half was a little slow but the second half moved much faster and I couldn't put it down. I wanted to know what happened to Uncle Roland and which one of the three potential suitors Julia would choose, if any of them.
I really liked Julia. At first she seems too proper and Victorian but she emerges into a strong-minded young woman who knows what she wants and how to get it. She's such a sweet, kind, lovable person and doesn't ever act rude or spoiled and bratty about what she wants. She sees only the good in people and wants only the best for herself and who she loves.
Morland is a pompous, prosy, stupid bore. He's one of those suitors straight out of a Georgette Heyer novel. He doesn't care about Julia and what she wants. He's very selfish and stupid. He means well but he's just a really unlikable person by modern standards. He's not a strong alpha male romantic hero, he's just old-fashioned and obtuse. Stephen is much more fun, but he's kind of the anti-Morland. Stephen is also selfish in a way but he is really a nice guy. He has good business sense, is a kind and caring person and he's close to his mother. I just loved his relationship with his mother. It's so sweet! The story of how he got the sapphire is amazing and shows his wonderful character.
The story is rounded out with some colorful, memorable secondary characters. There's May Martineau, a widow and former actress who runs Julia's boardinghouse. She's very nosy but you can't help but love her despite her flaw. Then there's Madame Claire, a Frenchwoman who runs the shop where Julia works. She's a little effusive in her native language but like her friend May, a real dear. These two women become Julia's first friends in her new life. Then in Scotland there's Uncle Roland, Julia's estranged uncle. He seems like a lively character who has many wonderful stories to tell. He's so kind, it's hard not to love him. Then there's Maggie Walker, the devoted housekeeper/nurse to Uncle Roland. I liked trying to decipher her speech and how she kept forgetting anything that didn't concern Roland. Neil, a promising young doctor, who may be a love interest for Julia or perhaps a good friend. I'll let you read the book to find out.
March 20, 2015
4 1/2
Julia has grown up in a house, not a home. Her mother is dead, and now that she thinks about it, she doesn't believe she died happy. Her father is a puzzle, he stays locked up in his study, a brown blanket wrapped around him, nursing some hidden pain that Julia is never allowed to see. When she was born her father was bitterly disappointed, he wanted a son, not a girl. Because of that, for the most part he ignores her. Other than encouraging her marriage to Morland and giving her thirty pounds a mount as an allowance he chooses to keep his distance from her and nurse his own wounds in his own way; he locks them up deep inside so he won't have to feel any of the regret he has. What he doesn't realize is that he is just piling on the guilt, and leaving Julia confused.
All that changes when Julia meets Stephen, who is outgoing, determined and sweet. He is nothing like Morland who thinks that women must blindly go along with his every word, that thet must be compleatly submistive. In Morland's world woman must say "Yes Dear", his word is law, even when that law breaks every rule Julia believes in…
She breaks loose from his hold only to be caught by someone else. Someone, she doesn't mind being caught by because she lets herself be caught and she swears to never, ever let him/her go. Then there's Stephen, who works at an African Gold Mine; there's something more there than meets the eye. Closer to the surface are sapphires of the rarest size and brilliance to be found anywhere. Those sapphires, one in particular, will change Julia's life forever, just as they've changed Stephen.
(Found at http://www.atggems.com/Photos_Sapphir...)
I loved Julia, she was a sweet, timid little lady who slowly learned to stick up for herself and what she believed to be right, even if it meant losing those she held dear. Stephen was darling, had a big heart and was not afraid to fight for what he truly wanted, but he also knew when to let go. He was unusually gentle and truly sweet. Positively loved it! My favorite character was an elderly gentleman with sharp Scottish whit, he was unforgettable.
Similar to Daddy-Long-Legs, A Girl of the Limberlost, Freckles and even better than Miss Buncle's Book.
G rating, this is just a sweet, breezy read, it couldn't have been more fun!
July 19, 2016
The emancipation of a girl of the 1960's. I listened to the audiobook and it rocked me gently off to sleep each night, very pleasantly. One could, of course, point out the christian moral values, the symbolic absent father(figure), the contrivances and certain parallel situations (2 very young engaged women who suddenly see the light), but this is never underlined by the author, so one is left to build one's own personal impressions, and read the book as a simple romance... or not.
At any rate, the characters are delightfully portrayed, very interesting and often endearing. The setting, both London and the Scottish village where everyone know everything about everyone, is absolutely charming. Just as one would expect from D.E. Stevenson.
Yes, the ending did seem a little rushed, and there are many things left unsaid, but this doesn't render the tender story any less enjoyable. Perhaps when one is already an unconditional fan of the author one is quicker to forgive or overlook a weak point or two.
At any rate, the characters are delightfully portrayed, very interesting and often endearing. The setting, both London and the Scottish village where everyone know everything about everyone, is absolutely charming. Just as one would expect from D.E. Stevenson.
Yes, the ending did seem a little rushed, and there are many things left unsaid, but this doesn't render the tender story any less enjoyable. Perhaps when one is already an unconditional fan of the author one is quicker to forgive or overlook a weak point or two.
April 25, 2014
Oh, this really should be a play!
Picture, if you will, the opening scene.
On a beautiful spring day, a young woman – Julia – wearing a white dress and a large straw hat with a sapphire-blue ribbon that exactly matches her eyes, is sitting on a bench in Kensington Gardens. She is waiting for her fiancé to arrive. A handsome young man - Stephen - sits down beside her. He is a stranger but he charms her, explaining that he is there to ward off unwanted attention, and that he will absent himself the moment. And he does just that ….
Julia was waiting to make an important announcement to her fiancé - Morland. She had decided to leave home, to find lodgings, and to find a job to support herself, so that she wouldn’t be dependent on the allowance her father gave her. They weren’t close, they never had been, and though Julia’s young stepmother was bright and friendly Julia knew that a step-daughter had never been part of her plans. And so Julia’s plans made perfect sense; a little independence before matrimony, when Morland secured an essential promotion.
Morland was not impressed, but Julia held her ground. And – as you would expect in a D E Stevenson novel – things fell into place very nicely. Julia secured a lovely attic room in a boarding house run by the wonderful Miss May Martineau, a theatrical lady who usually let her rooms to theatrical folk. Miss Martineau took a shine to Julia, even finding her a job in a hat shop, where the proprietor, Madame Claire, took a shine to Julia – who had a natural aptitude for the job and who could speak French with her – too.
Such wonderful settings and characters!
Life wasn’t perfect – Julia had to deal with jealous co-workers, and with Moreland who was still not at all pleased with her – but she coped. With the help of Stephen, her new best friend ….
That was the end of the first act. The story was poised beautifully.
I would love to see it as a film, but it would also make a lovely film. A musical even – something like ‘The Umbrellas of Cherbourg’ ….
It had been delightful to meet such a fine cast of characters, to have the story play out just as I would have wanted, and to have it written with such a sure touch; I loved the mix of humour, romance and intrigue.
The intrigue revolves around a real blue sapphire, but I don’t want to say too much ….
But the start of the second act Julia left all of that behind.
A letter arrived, from her father’s estranged brother in Scotland, asking Julia visit him before he dies. Moreland told her not to go, she knew that her father wouldn’t approve, but she went anyway. She knew that it was the right thing to do.
Julia fell in love with Scotland, and with her uncle. He became the father she had never had, and she became the daughter he had never had. But, though his spirits were high, he was growing weaker. He was dying ….
The second act was nearly as lovely as the first, but I had some reservations.
It took time to adjust to the change in pace; I missed the buzz of London and, though the new characters I met were lovely, I did miss the others that were left behind.
And the contrivances became more noticeable – the speed with which Julia became part of the family and the community, the way she was able to extend her stay without having to worry about her job or her room, and one or two other things I won’t mention because I really am trying not to give away too much of the plot. I expect contrivances in D E Stevenson novels, but these were a little too much, and some of the pieces fell into place rather too quickly.
To her credit though the author didn’t try to tie up all of the loose ends. Indeed she left so many dangling that I wondered if she had planned a sequel or simply lost interest. I know Miss Martineau makes an appearance in ‘The House on the Cliff’ but that’s all I know ….
But I did get the ending I wanted – the ending that I could have predicted a long time before it happened.
Every time I read one of D E Stevenson’s books I think that she was my mother would call a ‘people person.’ That she loved people and she loved writing about them.
That makes her books so very readable.
I am so pleased that I read this one, and that I saw Julia find her own particular place in the world.
Picture, if you will, the opening scene.
On a beautiful spring day, a young woman – Julia – wearing a white dress and a large straw hat with a sapphire-blue ribbon that exactly matches her eyes, is sitting on a bench in Kensington Gardens. She is waiting for her fiancé to arrive. A handsome young man - Stephen - sits down beside her. He is a stranger but he charms her, explaining that he is there to ward off unwanted attention, and that he will absent himself the moment. And he does just that ….
Julia was waiting to make an important announcement to her fiancé - Morland. She had decided to leave home, to find lodgings, and to find a job to support herself, so that she wouldn’t be dependent on the allowance her father gave her. They weren’t close, they never had been, and though Julia’s young stepmother was bright and friendly Julia knew that a step-daughter had never been part of her plans. And so Julia’s plans made perfect sense; a little independence before matrimony, when Morland secured an essential promotion.
Morland was not impressed, but Julia held her ground. And – as you would expect in a D E Stevenson novel – things fell into place very nicely. Julia secured a lovely attic room in a boarding house run by the wonderful Miss May Martineau, a theatrical lady who usually let her rooms to theatrical folk. Miss Martineau took a shine to Julia, even finding her a job in a hat shop, where the proprietor, Madame Claire, took a shine to Julia – who had a natural aptitude for the job and who could speak French with her – too.
Such wonderful settings and characters!
Life wasn’t perfect – Julia had to deal with jealous co-workers, and with Moreland who was still not at all pleased with her – but she coped. With the help of Stephen, her new best friend ….
That was the end of the first act. The story was poised beautifully.
I would love to see it as a film, but it would also make a lovely film. A musical even – something like ‘The Umbrellas of Cherbourg’ ….
It had been delightful to meet such a fine cast of characters, to have the story play out just as I would have wanted, and to have it written with such a sure touch; I loved the mix of humour, romance and intrigue.
The intrigue revolves around a real blue sapphire, but I don’t want to say too much ….
But the start of the second act Julia left all of that behind.
A letter arrived, from her father’s estranged brother in Scotland, asking Julia visit him before he dies. Moreland told her not to go, she knew that her father wouldn’t approve, but she went anyway. She knew that it was the right thing to do.
Julia fell in love with Scotland, and with her uncle. He became the father she had never had, and she became the daughter he had never had. But, though his spirits were high, he was growing weaker. He was dying ….
The second act was nearly as lovely as the first, but I had some reservations.
It took time to adjust to the change in pace; I missed the buzz of London and, though the new characters I met were lovely, I did miss the others that were left behind.
And the contrivances became more noticeable – the speed with which Julia became part of the family and the community, the way she was able to extend her stay without having to worry about her job or her room, and one or two other things I won’t mention because I really am trying not to give away too much of the plot. I expect contrivances in D E Stevenson novels, but these were a little too much, and some of the pieces fell into place rather too quickly.
To her credit though the author didn’t try to tie up all of the loose ends. Indeed she left so many dangling that I wondered if she had planned a sequel or simply lost interest. I know Miss Martineau makes an appearance in ‘The House on the Cliff’ but that’s all I know ….
But I did get the ending I wanted – the ending that I could have predicted a long time before it happened.
Every time I read one of D E Stevenson’s books I think that she was my mother would call a ‘people person.’ That she loved people and she loved writing about them.
That makes her books so very readable.
I am so pleased that I read this one, and that I saw Julia find her own particular place in the world.
August 24, 2021
Delicious reading on a snowy day. Finished it in about a day.
One of D.E. Stevenson's best.
Julia is sitting on a park bench waiting for her fiancé (a prim, selfish dictator of a man), when along comes Stephen and sits next to her. Stephen is recently returned from diamond mines in South Africa and knows no one in London, but when he sees the beautiful Julia sitting forlorn and nervously trying to avoid the impertinence of passersby, he seizes the opportunity to make friends. He is one of D.E. Stevenson's "Nice Young Men Who Understand."
And that is just the beginning of Julia's new friendships. There's her new landlady, her new employer, and her until-now unknown uncle in Scotland. Also Stephen's mother, who is a dear. All of these new people help to change her life subtly, and the process is delightful.
Highly HIGHLY recommend.
One of D.E. Stevenson's best.
Julia is sitting on a park bench waiting for her fiancé (a prim, selfish dictator of a man), when along comes Stephen and sits next to her. Stephen is recently returned from diamond mines in South Africa and knows no one in London, but when he sees the beautiful Julia sitting forlorn and nervously trying to avoid the impertinence of passersby, he seizes the opportunity to make friends. He is one of D.E. Stevenson's "Nice Young Men Who Understand."
And that is just the beginning of Julia's new friendships. There's her new landlady, her new employer, and her until-now unknown uncle in Scotland. Also Stephen's mother, who is a dear. All of these new people help to change her life subtly, and the process is delightful.
Highly HIGHLY recommend.
January 6, 2015
Charming, light, a perfectly lovely romance with a delightful heroine. I enjoyed it so much that I was going to re-read it before posting my review but it's on hold for someone else at the library (and I know they will love it as well) so it's going to another lucky reader today.
More later....and in case I don't get a chance, be sure to read these terrific reviews from my friends:
Tweety: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Jane: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
and Bree: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
More later....and in case I don't get a chance, be sure to read these terrific reviews from my friends:
Tweety: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Jane: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
and Bree: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
March 29, 2022
As is often the case with D. E. Stevenson, the minor characters sometimes outshine the heroine, who is always pretty, plucky, and facing some kind of struggle. In this case her landlady May Martineau is the real gem. I thought the sapphire itself would have some kind of deeper meaning, but it was just the hook that carried the story along to its inevitable conclusion. Three stars because it isn't great literature, but always a satisfying distraction.
August 24, 2021
I love Stevenson for being light without being fluffy. This title was a little higher on the fluffiness scale, but I still loved every minute of it. The characters were wonderfully drawn and I couldn't help rooting for the down-on-her-luck heroine as she finds her place in the world.
September 23, 2019
Up to about 1/3 of the way I was thinking not sure I like this one as much . But that changed. Very enjoyable.
November 10, 2017
Re-read as audiobook. Hilary Neville has a good voice.
May 6, 2016
I have been reading World War 2 novels lately, and picked up Stevenson's "The Blue Sapphire" feeling that I needed a break from one of the darkest eras in history, and a gentler, cheerful read! And Stevenson always fits the bill.
Julia Harburn is engaged to Morland Beverley.
"...the engagement was entirely satisfactory. Their families had known each other for years. The Harburns lived in a pleasant old house in Manor Gardens, the Beverleys lived in a palatial modern flat in Springfield Mansions. They visited each occasionally and sometimes played bridge together. Mrs. Beverley was fond of Julia and had decided long ago, when Julia was a child, that she would do very nicely for Morland."
Since Julia's mother had died and her father remarried, Julia felt 'in the way', and decided to find another place to live and a job. She lands with May Martineau, a delightfully chatty retired actress who takes her under her wing, helps Julia earn her independence, and even finds her a job at a hat shop.
When Julia receives a letter one day, asking her to travel to Scotland to meet a desperately ill uncle she had never known, she realizes she has to go... but Morland, and Julia's emotionally distant father, have other ideas. Luckily Julia has formed a new friendship with an engaging young man, Stephen, who helps her navigate the stock market (this is where the blue sapphire ties in), and become financially solvent.
The story progresses with how Julia learns to stand on her own feet (and by doing so, stand by her own decisions also), form new friendships (whether approved by her fiance or no), and discover her family background.
"Uncle Randal, I don't believe you ever did anything bad!"
"Landsakes, Julia!" he exclaimed, laughing. "Never did anything bad! What a thing to say to a man. Is there a man on this earth who could lay his hand on his heart and make such a claim? If there is I'd like to see him. I'd like to see him, but I'm not sure I'd like him much; he'd be a queer uncanny being."
Once again D.E. Stevenson delights with a pleasant novel, down-to-earth characters, and a simple, lighthearted story that doesn't ignore the realities of life - Uncle Randal's illness had been drastically mismanaged - but that also brings satisfaction to the reader.
Julia Harburn is engaged to Morland Beverley.
"...the engagement was entirely satisfactory. Their families had known each other for years. The Harburns lived in a pleasant old house in Manor Gardens, the Beverleys lived in a palatial modern flat in Springfield Mansions. They visited each occasionally and sometimes played bridge together. Mrs. Beverley was fond of Julia and had decided long ago, when Julia was a child, that she would do very nicely for Morland."
Since Julia's mother had died and her father remarried, Julia felt 'in the way', and decided to find another place to live and a job. She lands with May Martineau, a delightfully chatty retired actress who takes her under her wing, helps Julia earn her independence, and even finds her a job at a hat shop.
When Julia receives a letter one day, asking her to travel to Scotland to meet a desperately ill uncle she had never known, she realizes she has to go... but Morland, and Julia's emotionally distant father, have other ideas. Luckily Julia has formed a new friendship with an engaging young man, Stephen, who helps her navigate the stock market (this is where the blue sapphire ties in), and become financially solvent.
The story progresses with how Julia learns to stand on her own feet (and by doing so, stand by her own decisions also), form new friendships (whether approved by her fiance or no), and discover her family background.
"Uncle Randal, I don't believe you ever did anything bad!"
"Landsakes, Julia!" he exclaimed, laughing. "Never did anything bad! What a thing to say to a man. Is there a man on this earth who could lay his hand on his heart and make such a claim? If there is I'd like to see him. I'd like to see him, but I'm not sure I'd like him much; he'd be a queer uncanny being."
Once again D.E. Stevenson delights with a pleasant novel, down-to-earth characters, and a simple, lighthearted story that doesn't ignore the realities of life - Uncle Randal's illness had been drastically mismanaged - but that also brings satisfaction to the reader.
February 12, 2013
I am a long-time fan of this author and have managed to secure a few of her books through second-hand book sources.
I enjoyed this particular book and this may well be my third or fourth reading over the years. I find her writing about the hills country in Scotland refreshing, particularly after extremely busy periods when it is nice to read a book that is relaxing and enjoyable yet not trite.
It is interesting to read them in the current politically correct era and post world wars 1 and II and discover some of the prejudices and attitudes to the position of women.
Her characters are generally quite believable, although there is a tendency to categorise manners and behaviour as attributes of 'quality' that is either 'good and acceptable' or questionable and therefore outside the acceptably genteel. There is also still the divide between the landed gentry and those who serve them or reside in cottages to assist the farming or business ventures of the landed gentry. Gradually there is the hint that things post-war are moving in different directions and these are tackled as becoming modern and many times the older generations find it a threat.
Nevertheless they are of their period and as I've said a light and easy read to relax the overworked brain.
I hope to source titles I'm missing as there is a certain nostalgia as I shared these books with both my own mother and my mother-in-law and each of us loved them in spite of being different generations.
I can't however imagine my daughters actually reading these, but you never know.
I enjoyed this particular book and this may well be my third or fourth reading over the years. I find her writing about the hills country in Scotland refreshing, particularly after extremely busy periods when it is nice to read a book that is relaxing and enjoyable yet not trite.
It is interesting to read them in the current politically correct era and post world wars 1 and II and discover some of the prejudices and attitudes to the position of women.
Her characters are generally quite believable, although there is a tendency to categorise manners and behaviour as attributes of 'quality' that is either 'good and acceptable' or questionable and therefore outside the acceptably genteel. There is also still the divide between the landed gentry and those who serve them or reside in cottages to assist the farming or business ventures of the landed gentry. Gradually there is the hint that things post-war are moving in different directions and these are tackled as becoming modern and many times the older generations find it a threat.
Nevertheless they are of their period and as I've said a light and easy read to relax the overworked brain.
I hope to source titles I'm missing as there is a certain nostalgia as I shared these books with both my own mother and my mother-in-law and each of us loved them in spite of being different generations.
I can't however imagine my daughters actually reading these, but you never know.
January 9, 2023
A gentle story of a girl who finds her independence by escaping from her controlling fiance and cold uncaring father. Along the way, she meets and falls in like, then love with a nice, interesting guy who's crazy about her, moves away from home to a boarding house, meets new friends, gets a job,makes a bit of money on the stock market, finds a long lost uncle, gains a possible new love interest, helps save her uncle's life, and becomes an heiress.
I couldn't have asked for more in her final confrontation with her jerk-wad of a fiance. I did wish that there had been more closure with her equally awful father, but the fact that she just moves on is probably more realistic. As with The House on the Cliff, I felt sorry for the sad fate of our heroines' mothers. So far D.E. Stevenson's novels have been happy but tinged with a bit of melancholy lurking in the background. That's not a bad thing.
https://rebekahsreadingsandwatchings....
I couldn't have asked for more in her final confrontation with her jerk-wad of a fiance. I did wish that there had been more closure with her equally awful father, but the fact that she just moves on is probably more realistic. As with The House on the Cliff, I felt sorry for the sad fate of our heroines' mothers. So far D.E. Stevenson's novels have been happy but tinged with a bit of melancholy lurking in the background. That's not a bad thing.
https://rebekahsreadingsandwatchings....
July 22, 2024
I just want to find another D. E. Stevenson book that I like even half as well as Miss Bunkle's Book and my life will be complete.
July 23, 2020
3 1/2 stars
I had been forewarned by my friends Sarah and Claude that the ending would be abrupt, so I was prepared for that, and it did not substantially mar my pleasure in the story. I did, however, find the idea of "Insider Trading" to be troubling.
I had been forewarned by my friends Sarah and Claude that the ending would be abrupt, so I was prepared for that, and it did not substantially mar my pleasure in the story. I did, however, find the idea of "Insider Trading" to be troubling.
September 5, 2023
Probably my favorite D.E. Stevenson book so far. Her stories are sweet romances, but the are never cloying or unbelievable. They evoke a time in England when a young woman striking out for independence was unusual and led to amusing incidents. "The Blue Sapphire" is highly recommended by many Goodreaders.
November 13, 2021
It took me a while to get into the story, partly because of the “modern” elements — a television!— since it was written in 1963. But mostly I think the slow start was the initial London setting, so far from DES’s cozy Scotland. I also wasn’t sure what to make of one of the male characters at first.
All that changed about 1/3 of the way through the book. While I wholly agree with the GR reviewer who called The Blue Sapphire one of Stevenson’s “fluffier” books, that fluff does make for some delightful humor. And, by the end, the story becomes a bit more substantive. An abrupt ending, as always, but also a warm and happy heart in this reader after finishing.
All that changed about 1/3 of the way through the book. While I wholly agree with the GR reviewer who called The Blue Sapphire one of Stevenson’s “fluffier” books, that fluff does make for some delightful humor. And, by the end, the story becomes a bit more substantive. An abrupt ending, as always, but also a warm and happy heart in this reader after finishing.
August 9, 2016
A novel about a young woman who is all set to marry the man her family wishes her to marry, when a chance encounter helps nudge her toward a more independently-minded lifestyle.
Full review at Another Look Book
Reminded me of:
- Margery Sharp (Cluny Brown)
- Daphne du Maurier (Rebecca), except in a different genre
- Victoria Holt (Mistress of Mellyn), for her female protagonists
- Anne Bronte (Agnes Grey; The Tenant of Wildfell Hall); Charlotte Bronte (the main character in this book is even reading Villette)
Full review at Another Look Book
Reminded me of:
- Margery Sharp (Cluny Brown)
- Daphne du Maurier (Rebecca), except in a different genre
- Victoria Holt (Mistress of Mellyn), for her female protagonists
- Anne Bronte (Agnes Grey; The Tenant of Wildfell Hall); Charlotte Bronte (the main character in this book is even reading Villette)
May 9, 2016
I loved this book by one of my favorite authors..it's the story of a girl who is finding her way in the world and doing what she believes is right and loving and kind, even if her own father and fiance disagree! Good for her! She's such a wonderful and sweet girl and I love the time she spends working at the hat shop, love the time she spends with her ailing uncle even more, and love the sweet ending of the book even more! D. E. Stevenson writes the kind of stories that are ideal to read before bedtime..so calming and relaxing, full of basically good and kind people meeting up with kindness and love, with the assured of a happy ending that I need in a book..
July 31, 2022
I almost really enjoyed this—it was one of Stevenson's more engaging titles—but then there was the nonsense about not wanting obey in the wedding vows, and that spoiled it. And her casual racism that so frequently pops up is always another turnoff.
Hilary Neville is a great narrator, but one of the Scots ones might have been better for this book.
Hilary Neville is a great narrator, but one of the Scots ones might have been better for this book.
January 21, 2019
I didn't remember having read this before until Julia found lodgings with May Martineau, who is unforgettable. . .
November 21, 2020
3.5 *
Made for a gentle, menial-chores, listen.
I do enjoy Stevenson's stories with time spent in Scotland.
It was nice to encounter some positive mentions of the bible and it's contents.
Does include a disliked trope
Made for a gentle, menial-chores, listen.
I do enjoy Stevenson's stories with time spent in Scotland.
It was nice to encounter some positive mentions of the bible and it's contents.
Does include a disliked trope
May 22, 2023
Really a 3.5. A good story, interesting characters, and jewels.
March 20, 2019
I enjoyed this book immensely. It was like sitting down in a cosy armchair with some tea and chocolate - in other words, pure pleasure. The lovely gentle plot somehow kept me utterly riveted. It was so satisfying to see the main character's life transformed into happiness.
This was my first D E Stevenson novel: how exciting to discover a new, good old-fashioned author!
This was my first D E Stevenson novel: how exciting to discover a new, good old-fashioned author!
December 22, 2018
I actually liked this book quite a bit on the whole; there are a lot of interesting characters, and there is definitely a happy ending. I gave it two stars for two reasons: 1. The hero does some stuff on the stock market that seems quite fishy to me, which makes him less sympathetic, and 2. The hero is pretty racist. I know people are going to say that it was a different time, but this rating is based on my enjoyment of the book, and that definitely took away from it. The writing is probably a 4, but my enjoyment was a 2, maybe 2 1/2.
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