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Fields of Grace
From the author of Catch the Moon, Mary comes this sweeping epic drama spanning seven decades. Set against a backdrop of war in 30s Europe, Grace Fieldergill, a starry-eyed young actress from Devon moves to London to pursue her dream of becoming a star. The lovable boarders of Wyncote House, a Lady’s Only establishment, take her under their collective wing and share her triumph when she is accepted into the brilliant young John Gielgud’s Company as Peggy Ashcroft’s understudy. When Peggy misses a show one night Grace gets her chance. Watching her performance that evening are two people who will change her life forever, London’s most famous actress, Mrs. Patrick Campbell, and a man whose love she never thought she could win.
Cover Art by Dean Michael Rochford @DigiluxEU
Cover Art by Dean Michael Rochford @DigiluxEU
- GenresHistorical Fiction
442 pages, Paperback
Published October 25, 2019
4 people are currently reading
79 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Waters
4 books109 followersWendy Waters is an award-winning author, composer, lyricist and librettist. Born in Queensland, she grew up in Sydney, lived in the USA for six years, travelled extensively, and now lives in Sydney, Australia. Waters' debut novel, CATCH THE MOON, MARY, was published in the UK in 2015. Her second novel, FIELDS OF GRACE was published in 2019 and the combined sequel to both books, PARADIS INFERNO was published in 2022. MIRIAM - La Colombe Blanche was published by APS in November 2024.
Waters also writes musicals: ALEXANDER, FRED and THE LAST TALE and WsIP currently THE LOVESONG OF RUBEN KEYES with composers/lyricists, Frank Loman and Ricardo Fernandes and THE BUTTERFLY COLLECTOR and GOLD with Donna Hewitt, John Montgomery and Frank Loman.
FRED, a four-hander book musical was produced in Australia in June 2018 by the Tweed Theatre Company. You can listen to songs from FRED on Waters’ site www.wendywaters.net
Waters also writes musicals: ALEXANDER, FRED and THE LAST TALE and WsIP currently THE LOVESONG OF RUBEN KEYES with composers/lyricists, Frank Loman and Ricardo Fernandes and THE BUTTERFLY COLLECTOR and GOLD with Donna Hewitt, John Montgomery and Frank Loman.
FRED, a four-hander book musical was produced in Australia in June 2018 by the Tweed Theatre Company. You can listen to songs from FRED on Waters’ site www.wendywaters.net
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
August 27, 2022
5 graceful and immortalising stars for a book I finally restarted and reviewed. Simply stunning Wendy.
Fields of Grace is just poetry in motion and told with the hallmark style of Wendy Waters that is graceful, beautiful and with effortless flair, despite dealing with some themes and opinions that would raise eyebrows today.
The period is 1930’s, too conservative to deal with exploration of sexuality, too moderate to give way to the voice of women, and too cautious to progress the role of women outside the domestic confines of motherhood and marriage. Yet one woman achieves that, despite living on a diet of hope and disappointment for so long.
Known as the great age of cinema, Fields of Grace is a richly observed story set in the 1930’s that recounts Grace Fieldergill’s life both on and off stage, whilst society was still struggling from the Great Depression and perilously close to war. However, as many businesses suffered, cinema did not, which provided the perfect playground that all classes could embrace.
Immersive, sentimental (in a good way) and authentic.
The Plot
Grace is a budding actress and understudy for the famous Peggy Ashcroft whose fate changes when she is given the opportunity to take the lead role as Ophelia in Hamlet. However, set in a time when women had to do more than prove themselves by whatever means possible, Grace is faced with numerous obstacles and blackmailed by those in power.
“Your virginity is no sin, but it must be remedied if I am to make you famous… because the public tire of saints but will never cease cheering the flawed heroine”
However true to her convictions and beliefs Grace often rejects the promises of wealth and fame and remains a character of principle as we are taken through the years of the depression and war. Her life takes many turns, as people come and go and Grace is left mourning her lost life, that had become empty of promise, purpose, and love.
"I felt cheated. My burning ambition was ash. My sacred fire was out, and the angels no longer sang. My life was a carbon copy of a billion other women’s lives in 1937, domesticity and a husband who came home later and later. A compromised life, but in the back of my mind was the promise of a green-eyed girl who may yet salvage my soul"
A significant part of the story focuses on the three men in her life. Christian her son, who is indifferent to his mother. Dashiell who would love her enough for both of them but could not stay faithful. While Grace’s heart was forever tied to John, her first and her only love, her soul.
Why should you read this?
Wendy Waters is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful writers I have come across. Her vivid descriptions, elegant prose and the dreamlike quality to her writing make this a story for everyone. Even the events of the day and the historical backdrop were skilfully woven and graphically depicted throughout the story.
With such elegant prose and deeply drawn characters, this book has become one of my all time favourites along with ‘Catch the Moon Mary’. I found myself so absorbed and engrossed in the writing that I forgot about everything around me to the point I even forgot to highlight some of my favourite quotes.!!!
One I did capture was saying - yes it rained!!!
"Our ferry docked on one of these finger-like trajectories and we disembarked under a coddled sky punctured with spires of medieval churches and the geometric intrusion of modern construction. Just as we set foot on land the clouds burst, dumping cold grey rain which a seaborne wind drove horizontally, drenching us"
I started this months ago and then went through an incredibly busy period of work and travel which disrupted the reading. So I had to start again but wanted to do so when I could spend the time this book deserves to savour the story and the writing.
On reflection!!!
Fields of Grace is a story told with simplicity but heart-breaking and powerful in its sentiment. A story that perfectly captures the attitudes of people at that time and told with such authenticity. A story that will pull on your heart strings but is not overly emotional.
A story from the heart, a story of loss, unrequited love, success and missed opportunities. A story that is graceful, elegant, and simply poetry in motion.
I cannot recommend this highly enough to all my fictional GR friends and all other readers, particularly those who appreciate a beautifully written story about a heroine of sorts.
"death is only a continuity of staging: the curtain rises, the play begins, we strut our parts, the curtain rings down, we bow and exit, the old set is bumped out and after a period of darkness, the spotlight snaps onto a brand-new stage. Whether we take the lead or play the fool depends entirely on timing, which is everything in theatre and in life."
Fields of Grace is just poetry in motion and told with the hallmark style of Wendy Waters that is graceful, beautiful and with effortless flair, despite dealing with some themes and opinions that would raise eyebrows today.
The period is 1930’s, too conservative to deal with exploration of sexuality, too moderate to give way to the voice of women, and too cautious to progress the role of women outside the domestic confines of motherhood and marriage. Yet one woman achieves that, despite living on a diet of hope and disappointment for so long.
Known as the great age of cinema, Fields of Grace is a richly observed story set in the 1930’s that recounts Grace Fieldergill’s life both on and off stage, whilst society was still struggling from the Great Depression and perilously close to war. However, as many businesses suffered, cinema did not, which provided the perfect playground that all classes could embrace.
Immersive, sentimental (in a good way) and authentic.
The Plot
Grace is a budding actress and understudy for the famous Peggy Ashcroft whose fate changes when she is given the opportunity to take the lead role as Ophelia in Hamlet. However, set in a time when women had to do more than prove themselves by whatever means possible, Grace is faced with numerous obstacles and blackmailed by those in power.
“Your virginity is no sin, but it must be remedied if I am to make you famous… because the public tire of saints but will never cease cheering the flawed heroine”
However true to her convictions and beliefs Grace often rejects the promises of wealth and fame and remains a character of principle as we are taken through the years of the depression and war. Her life takes many turns, as people come and go and Grace is left mourning her lost life, that had become empty of promise, purpose, and love.
"I felt cheated. My burning ambition was ash. My sacred fire was out, and the angels no longer sang. My life was a carbon copy of a billion other women’s lives in 1937, domesticity and a husband who came home later and later. A compromised life, but in the back of my mind was the promise of a green-eyed girl who may yet salvage my soul"
A significant part of the story focuses on the three men in her life. Christian her son, who is indifferent to his mother. Dashiell who would love her enough for both of them but could not stay faithful. While Grace’s heart was forever tied to John, her first and her only love, her soul.
Why should you read this?
Wendy Waters is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful writers I have come across. Her vivid descriptions, elegant prose and the dreamlike quality to her writing make this a story for everyone. Even the events of the day and the historical backdrop were skilfully woven and graphically depicted throughout the story.
With such elegant prose and deeply drawn characters, this book has become one of my all time favourites along with ‘Catch the Moon Mary’. I found myself so absorbed and engrossed in the writing that I forgot about everything around me to the point I even forgot to highlight some of my favourite quotes.!!!
One I did capture was saying - yes it rained!!!
"Our ferry docked on one of these finger-like trajectories and we disembarked under a coddled sky punctured with spires of medieval churches and the geometric intrusion of modern construction. Just as we set foot on land the clouds burst, dumping cold grey rain which a seaborne wind drove horizontally, drenching us"
I started this months ago and then went through an incredibly busy period of work and travel which disrupted the reading. So I had to start again but wanted to do so when I could spend the time this book deserves to savour the story and the writing.
On reflection!!!
Fields of Grace is a story told with simplicity but heart-breaking and powerful in its sentiment. A story that perfectly captures the attitudes of people at that time and told with such authenticity. A story that will pull on your heart strings but is not overly emotional.
A story from the heart, a story of loss, unrequited love, success and missed opportunities. A story that is graceful, elegant, and simply poetry in motion.
I cannot recommend this highly enough to all my fictional GR friends and all other readers, particularly those who appreciate a beautifully written story about a heroine of sorts.
"death is only a continuity of staging: the curtain rises, the play begins, we strut our parts, the curtain rings down, we bow and exit, the old set is bumped out and after a period of darkness, the spotlight snaps onto a brand-new stage. Whether we take the lead or play the fool depends entirely on timing, which is everything in theatre and in life."
October 11, 2021
Feu sacré
Fields of Grace is an absorbing novel, epic in its ability to build a compelling story around a leading character, and transport her life through years of adventure, drama and relationships, and arrive at a point on the final day of her life with profound secrets to reveal. Wendy Waters writes with such glorious purpose. She builds a story born from her love of theatre, music and literature, delivered through her beautifully lyrical writing. She reminds me of the Robert Frost quote, “No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.” The passion in the story is evident with such reverent love for the theatre, which prides itself on being a unique community keeping the outside world at the stage door. That’s not to say this is an obsequious account of theatre life that avows integrity and hugely talented actors, agents and producers. We are treated to the spectrum of machinations that we would expect from an environment where position feeds the ego, popularity, envy and money, and the creative, passionate and emotional side, with an affinity towards colleagues.
In the theatre world, where everything has its moment and change is inevitable, as one play and cast gives way to the next, the precarious nature of love and relationships is explored with an exquisite quality of observational insight. The array of characters is used brilliantly to provide the depth and variation that relationships embrace, from deeply emotional to frivolous, from genuine love to fleeting infatuation, and from unrequited love to feu sacré (sacred fire – the fire that burns for one true mate).
Grace Fieldergill (pseudonym Grace Fielding) comes from a farm in Devon; she is a Cimbri who believes in Druid lore and certain lights she can see lost spirits. With a youthful exuberance of becoming a theatre star, she settles in Wyncote House, London, in Miss Dixon’s boarding home for young women, although the rule is already broken for the ageing Major. Georgina, Penelope, Julie and Grace become family, protective of each other and supportive in times of need. Grace secures a position in John Gielgud’s theatre company as an understudy to Peggy Ashcroft. Grace’s moment comes when Peggy doesn’t make the show one evening, and Grace grasps her opportunity and is recognised for her natural talent by England’s leading agent, John Hopkins-Reimer. So beguiled was John that he offered her the chance of fame and opportunity to attract prestigious roles. The relationship between Grace and John is fascinating and speaks about love at so many levels.
With an opportunity for John to showcase Grace in more modern productions of plays, he plans a theatrical tour of France and Germany, being strategic with the world’s attention on Berlin for the 1936 Olympics. However, rumours about Germany’s treatment of Jews started to make the press and discussed in many circles of power and influence. The artistic ambition mixed with personal threat finds a wonderful balance in Wendy’s writing and how the change of pace for Grace and Europe continues to grow in the tumultuous period leading up to the Second World War. The attention on them in Berlin was unfortunately not only for artistic reasons.
The narrative delivers an authentic tone that brings Grace’s world to life with the adventure facing her and the stark changes in Europe. Wendy Waters creates an unforgettable story that touches on many levels of drama and intrigue. It is fascinating to meet household acting stars such as John Gielgud, Peggy Ashcroft, Alec Guinness, Laurence Olivier, and Noel Coward as they develop start their careers. An amusing moment exists when the actors say goodbye to David Niven as he risks heading to Hollywood to act in the movies. A decision they all think will backfire and have him back in London seeking work in the theatre again. I would highly recommend this book that crosses many genres, including historical fiction, literary fiction, romance, and a touch of magical realism.
Fields of Grace is an absorbing novel, epic in its ability to build a compelling story around a leading character, and transport her life through years of adventure, drama and relationships, and arrive at a point on the final day of her life with profound secrets to reveal. Wendy Waters writes with such glorious purpose. She builds a story born from her love of theatre, music and literature, delivered through her beautifully lyrical writing. She reminds me of the Robert Frost quote, “No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.” The passion in the story is evident with such reverent love for the theatre, which prides itself on being a unique community keeping the outside world at the stage door. That’s not to say this is an obsequious account of theatre life that avows integrity and hugely talented actors, agents and producers. We are treated to the spectrum of machinations that we would expect from an environment where position feeds the ego, popularity, envy and money, and the creative, passionate and emotional side, with an affinity towards colleagues.
In the theatre world, where everything has its moment and change is inevitable, as one play and cast gives way to the next, the precarious nature of love and relationships is explored with an exquisite quality of observational insight. The array of characters is used brilliantly to provide the depth and variation that relationships embrace, from deeply emotional to frivolous, from genuine love to fleeting infatuation, and from unrequited love to feu sacré (sacred fire – the fire that burns for one true mate).
Grace Fieldergill (pseudonym Grace Fielding) comes from a farm in Devon; she is a Cimbri who believes in Druid lore and certain lights she can see lost spirits. With a youthful exuberance of becoming a theatre star, she settles in Wyncote House, London, in Miss Dixon’s boarding home for young women, although the rule is already broken for the ageing Major. Georgina, Penelope, Julie and Grace become family, protective of each other and supportive in times of need. Grace secures a position in John Gielgud’s theatre company as an understudy to Peggy Ashcroft. Grace’s moment comes when Peggy doesn’t make the show one evening, and Grace grasps her opportunity and is recognised for her natural talent by England’s leading agent, John Hopkins-Reimer. So beguiled was John that he offered her the chance of fame and opportunity to attract prestigious roles. The relationship between Grace and John is fascinating and speaks about love at so many levels.
With an opportunity for John to showcase Grace in more modern productions of plays, he plans a theatrical tour of France and Germany, being strategic with the world’s attention on Berlin for the 1936 Olympics. However, rumours about Germany’s treatment of Jews started to make the press and discussed in many circles of power and influence. The artistic ambition mixed with personal threat finds a wonderful balance in Wendy’s writing and how the change of pace for Grace and Europe continues to grow in the tumultuous period leading up to the Second World War. The attention on them in Berlin was unfortunately not only for artistic reasons.
The narrative delivers an authentic tone that brings Grace’s world to life with the adventure facing her and the stark changes in Europe. Wendy Waters creates an unforgettable story that touches on many levels of drama and intrigue. It is fascinating to meet household acting stars such as John Gielgud, Peggy Ashcroft, Alec Guinness, Laurence Olivier, and Noel Coward as they develop start their careers. An amusing moment exists when the actors say goodbye to David Niven as he risks heading to Hollywood to act in the movies. A decision they all think will backfire and have him back in London seeking work in the theatre again. I would highly recommend this book that crosses many genres, including historical fiction, literary fiction, romance, and a touch of magical realism.
November 22, 2022
There are some good novels that elicit just a simple response and short critique. ‘Fields of Grace’ is one of them.
There is little to add to the detailed positive reviews already posted.
What I will add:
Wendy Waters is masterful in creating sharp, clear and witty dialogue, often with multiple characters, that allows the reader to feel they are actually party to the conversations. This is very clever.
She is also apt at descriptive text:
“The garden must have been beautiful once. An ancient walnut tree with branches knotted like philosopher’s fingers…”
Her knowledge, research and retelling of the theatre, film and music circles of pre-WWII Europe is praiseworthy. There are obvious personal connections to the themes in her novel that make it the more intriguing.
I really enjoyed this read.
There is little to add to the detailed positive reviews already posted.
What I will add:
Wendy Waters is masterful in creating sharp, clear and witty dialogue, often with multiple characters, that allows the reader to feel they are actually party to the conversations. This is very clever.
She is also apt at descriptive text:
“The garden must have been beautiful once. An ancient walnut tree with branches knotted like philosopher’s fingers…”
Her knowledge, research and retelling of the theatre, film and music circles of pre-WWII Europe is praiseworthy. There are obvious personal connections to the themes in her novel that make it the more intriguing.
I really enjoyed this read.
March 17, 2022
The last book I read by Ms. Waters was, "Catch the Moon, Mary," which in my review of the book I called it a 'little gem.' "Fields of Grace," is not a little gem, but a much 'larger, polished GEM.' It is a beautifully crafted book that covers seven decades (two in great depth), an abundance of great characters (enough for three novels), beautifully written and with multiple plots that are completely realized.
Grace Fieldergill (shortened to Grace Fielder) is a starry eyed young actress from a small town (Devon) who moves to London to pursue her dream of becoming a star on the London stage. She finds fame fairly quickly as she is hired by John Gielgud's company to be an understudy to the famous actress Peggy Ashcroft who is playing 'Ophelia' in Shakespeare's Hamlet.
Ms. Ashcroft misses a performance which gives Grace a chance to shine, and she shines like the brightest of stars, and is lucky enough to have a famous, extremely rich, actress and a well-known producer in the stands watching her performance. Needless to say, her career takes off like a rocket.
Ms. Waters' fictionalized versions of Sir John Gielgud, Peggy Ashcroft, Sir Laurence Olivier, David Nivens and a host of other stage and film legends during the thirties and forties in London makes this novel even more delightful, and the author has certainly done her homework on the life and times of these legendary performers, on the impending war in Europe with the rise of Hitler, the war itself and its devastation, the murder of millions Jews, and the sin of being a homosexual in the 1930's and 1940's in Europe and the world.
Grace Fielder and that famous producer in the stands during her first real break, John Hopkins-Reimer, who is both a homosexual and half Jewish, fall in love and it is this unusual love affair that becomes the center of the novel and where the many subplots stem from and that the reader becomes fully enthralled and mesmerized in.
It is apparent that Ms. Waters is a lady of the theater. I was able to figure that out even before reading her bio. As a former theater major myself, I can tell you that only someone who loves the theater dearly, could right a book that deals with the theater so convincingly.
At the end of each year, I make a conscious list of the most important book I read that year, the best novel I read, the best poet (which usually turns out to be Byron) and the most enjoyable novel I read that year. Last year the most enjoyable book I read was Pete Hamill's "North River." This year and, I know it is early, the most enjoyable book I have read so far is Ms. Waters' "Fields Of Grace." It is interesting to note, that I read Mr. Hamill's book very early in the year, the second week of the year to be exact.
I highly recommend this novel.
Grace Fieldergill (shortened to Grace Fielder) is a starry eyed young actress from a small town (Devon) who moves to London to pursue her dream of becoming a star on the London stage. She finds fame fairly quickly as she is hired by John Gielgud's company to be an understudy to the famous actress Peggy Ashcroft who is playing 'Ophelia' in Shakespeare's Hamlet.
Ms. Ashcroft misses a performance which gives Grace a chance to shine, and she shines like the brightest of stars, and is lucky enough to have a famous, extremely rich, actress and a well-known producer in the stands watching her performance. Needless to say, her career takes off like a rocket.
Ms. Waters' fictionalized versions of Sir John Gielgud, Peggy Ashcroft, Sir Laurence Olivier, David Nivens and a host of other stage and film legends during the thirties and forties in London makes this novel even more delightful, and the author has certainly done her homework on the life and times of these legendary performers, on the impending war in Europe with the rise of Hitler, the war itself and its devastation, the murder of millions Jews, and the sin of being a homosexual in the 1930's and 1940's in Europe and the world.
Grace Fielder and that famous producer in the stands during her first real break, John Hopkins-Reimer, who is both a homosexual and half Jewish, fall in love and it is this unusual love affair that becomes the center of the novel and where the many subplots stem from and that the reader becomes fully enthralled and mesmerized in.
It is apparent that Ms. Waters is a lady of the theater. I was able to figure that out even before reading her bio. As a former theater major myself, I can tell you that only someone who loves the theater dearly, could right a book that deals with the theater so convincingly.
At the end of each year, I make a conscious list of the most important book I read that year, the best novel I read, the best poet (which usually turns out to be Byron) and the most enjoyable novel I read that year. Last year the most enjoyable book I read was Pete Hamill's "North River." This year and, I know it is early, the most enjoyable book I have read so far is Ms. Waters' "Fields Of Grace." It is interesting to note, that I read Mr. Hamill's book very early in the year, the second week of the year to be exact.
I highly recommend this novel.
November 11, 2023
Wonderful.
I loved this book.
You can see a fuller (no spoilers) review here >> https://www.modquokka.com/single-post...
A wonderful read.
More please.
I loved this book.
You can see a fuller (no spoilers) review here >> https://www.modquokka.com/single-post...
A wonderful read.
More please.
May 10, 2020
Entertaining, engrossing, amusing, heartbreaking, this book held me enthralled. I couldn’t put it down. I highly recommend it.
September 11, 2022
A stunning book that just blew me away. Recommended by Margaret and one of the best recommendations - it was simply beautiful
June 5, 2022
A lyrical, richly coloured and delightfully mischievous novel. I loved Wendy Waters’ vividly imagined 1930s London theatreland and her vibrant cast of characters. A glittering novel with heart, style and a light sprinkling of magic.
June 24, 2020
There’s a little gentle magic of the Cimbri variety in Wendy Waters’ latest novel, Fields of Grace. If you love intriguing historical romances and the odd finely-woven protection spell, you will love this new story with a tantalising link to Ms Waters’ first novel, Catch The Moon Mary. Grace Fieldergill, budding young Devon actress recently moved to London, wins herself a place in the company of Sir John Gielgud and Dame Peggy Ashcroft, in the early days of their stellar theatrical careers. The story moves back and forth across decades and several continents, from an eerie red haze over 1990s Sydney, Australia, (“The tangerine fog that muffles the city and phantoms the neighbourhood is amberglow...”) to 1930s London and Europe against a backdrop of imminent war. If you love beautiful writing, this is the book for you...“Moonlight crept over the ledge of the window, silvering the old walnut dresser, glinting on the brass lock of the trunk that held Nana Nephi’s treasures. A powerful scent of roses drifted in through my open window. Up on the tor a cow lowed and in the distant woods, an owl hooted.” I give this book 5 out of 5 stars and eagerly await the sequel!
January 26, 2022
Wendy Waters has managed to achieve something not often found in the contemporary novel. Her marvellously entertaining book, Fields of Grace, is at once literary yet as plot-driven as a spy thriller. Some writers are quite utilitarian in their use of language, they write well, often very well, but they render in charcoal. Ms Waters does not. She is Monet with a pen, and though her colours shine, they never detract from the drawing beneath, a well-structured and gripping yarn. Gripping, not only because of the emotional investment we can’t help but make in her lovingly realised characters, but also because of the care she takes with their backstories and their various fascinating, quirky, frequently amusing, sometimes sad and, at one point, truly terrifying journeys. From the opening pages I found myself intrigued by Grace Fielders, a woman with a past as exotic, mysterious and hidden as her old trunk, locked away, unopened for so many years. This trunk serves purposes historical, romantic and magical, a capsule to another time and place, the girl who still dances within the dying flesh of this determined yet gentle, ancient lady. A former actress from mystical, rural Devon, Grace relates to her granddaughter, Sam, the untold, erstwhile secret story of her early life, the world she knew before her life became mundane. We find her in the company of an eclectic group of stoically happy, yet emotionally unfulfilled, denizens of 1930s London, boarding at Wyncote House in Gloucester Mews. It is a cozy, very English place, but Grace will not be there for long. Talented and determined she soon finds herself launched into the dazzling world of the theatre. It is here that we meet the famous personalities. Woven seamlessly into the narrative, they tumble out in affectionate and sometime hilarious detail. We find John Gielgud nibbling on cake crumbs from his plate while he sips his tea and gossips resolutely. We are party to the shenanigans of Peggy Ashcroft, the saltiness of Harry Andrews and so much more, all these characters speaking in a voice ringing with authenticity. This is a world now gone but delicious to encounter, even if we might only take a tiny peek. Ms. Waters evokes, with a keen eye, the hazardous world of the theatre in a way that might find the reader giggling, if not contorted in a belly laugh, especially if the reader has ever dared to tread the boards. However, I have barely scratched the surface; there is so much more to this woman’s life. Suffice to say, from the curtain calls of the West End to the back alleys of Nazi Berlin to enigmatic ‘amberglow’, Fields of Grace is a thought provoking, intriguing, sometimes rollicking, sometimes distressing, world-class yet, still largely, hidden treasure. Take her key and unlock Grace’s hidden dusty trunk; you won’t be disappointed.
April 10, 2021
Set mainly in the 1930s but with detours to 2009 and encompassing London, Devon, Paris, Germany and Australia, Fields of Grace is an epic saga of a novel in which we are introduced to Grace Fieldergill, a young actress who takes the London stage by storm as an understudy in John Gielgud’s Company. Life is glittering for Grace as she realises her ambitions and against all odds, finds love; but as Europe teeters of the brink of war, life will never be the same for Grace again…
Fields of Grace is a brilliant novel that I struggled to put down. Ms Waters is a writer who certainly knows her craft. There is an immediate reassuring confidence to her writing that makes it supremely comfortable to read. The words just sweep you easily up, along and into the narrative. The descriptive detail and imagery of Glyndebourne and Paris are among some of the best I have read, it was just exquisitely rendered, conjuring the world it describes with seemingly effortless yet sublimely beautiful prose. There are so many angles within the plot that within a lesser writer’s hands, it could become over-ambitious but every strand and tangent is given equal attention and depth to enable them to dovetail marvellously; I especially liked the gentle overlay of the supernatural, it was perfectly done and entirely credible.
The book opens with ninety-seven-year-old Grace, knowing she will die and be reunited with the love of her life, John. In the conversations with her Granddaughter, Sam, we are given hints of the conflicts that have plagued her life. The narrative flickers back and forth for a few chapters between 2009 and 1934 before we are plunged into the pre-war world of the London theatre. I know a little about this scene having studied the life of Vivien Leigh from quite an early age (who incidentally is mentioned a quarter of the way in and continues to be referenced). I think Ms Waters conjures up that environment and its inhabitants excellently, especially Peggy Ashcroft. However, you don’t need knowledge of those actors to enjoy this book; they are humanised as individuals rather than caricaturised making them completely accessible and their lives understood.
All of the characters portrayed are convincing; even fairly minor players are wonderfully realised with subtle, believable and distinguishing traits and the dialogue contains some deft comedic touches. From Grace’s parents in Devon to the boarders at Wyncote House, all of them are given life, interest and intrigue. Georgina Pickard was one of the standouts, her emotionally damaged and poignant portrayal is quite affecting and the relationship between her and Grace is profoundly nuanced. Ms Waters confronts some topics that were problematic and illegal during the 1930s and she does so with realism and sensitivity. John is a complex character, selfish and unlikeable at times. As is Grace; she can irritate and despite the issues with John, her life is a little too wonderful in parts but this is ably remedied in the late 1930s when the book takes a darker turn. Grace matures and the scenes with Dashiell are heart-rending. He is a pathetic figure but one, you do feel desperately sorry for, as Grace holds a slightly idealistic view of John. The nature of Grace’s relationship with her son, Christian, was an unusually brave move and it worked excellently; balancing and adding shadow to the earlier light and occasional froth.
Fields of Grace is a magnificent book, captivating the reader with a wonderfully involving story and beautifully worked prose. Highly recommended.
Fields of Grace is a brilliant novel that I struggled to put down. Ms Waters is a writer who certainly knows her craft. There is an immediate reassuring confidence to her writing that makes it supremely comfortable to read. The words just sweep you easily up, along and into the narrative. The descriptive detail and imagery of Glyndebourne and Paris are among some of the best I have read, it was just exquisitely rendered, conjuring the world it describes with seemingly effortless yet sublimely beautiful prose. There are so many angles within the plot that within a lesser writer’s hands, it could become over-ambitious but every strand and tangent is given equal attention and depth to enable them to dovetail marvellously; I especially liked the gentle overlay of the supernatural, it was perfectly done and entirely credible.
The book opens with ninety-seven-year-old Grace, knowing she will die and be reunited with the love of her life, John. In the conversations with her Granddaughter, Sam, we are given hints of the conflicts that have plagued her life. The narrative flickers back and forth for a few chapters between 2009 and 1934 before we are plunged into the pre-war world of the London theatre. I know a little about this scene having studied the life of Vivien Leigh from quite an early age (who incidentally is mentioned a quarter of the way in and continues to be referenced). I think Ms Waters conjures up that environment and its inhabitants excellently, especially Peggy Ashcroft. However, you don’t need knowledge of those actors to enjoy this book; they are humanised as individuals rather than caricaturised making them completely accessible and their lives understood.
All of the characters portrayed are convincing; even fairly minor players are wonderfully realised with subtle, believable and distinguishing traits and the dialogue contains some deft comedic touches. From Grace’s parents in Devon to the boarders at Wyncote House, all of them are given life, interest and intrigue. Georgina Pickard was one of the standouts, her emotionally damaged and poignant portrayal is quite affecting and the relationship between her and Grace is profoundly nuanced. Ms Waters confronts some topics that were problematic and illegal during the 1930s and she does so with realism and sensitivity. John is a complex character, selfish and unlikeable at times. As is Grace; she can irritate and despite the issues with John, her life is a little too wonderful in parts but this is ably remedied in the late 1930s when the book takes a darker turn. Grace matures and the scenes with Dashiell are heart-rending. He is a pathetic figure but one, you do feel desperately sorry for, as Grace holds a slightly idealistic view of John. The nature of Grace’s relationship with her son, Christian, was an unusually brave move and it worked excellently; balancing and adding shadow to the earlier light and occasional froth.
Fields of Grace is a magnificent book, captivating the reader with a wonderfully involving story and beautifully worked prose. Highly recommended.
January 12, 2022
Fields of Grace is an expansive read taking in London in the 1930s and Sydney in the 2000s. Grace Fieldergill, a Devon girl determined to be a fine actress, moves to London and bags a place in John Gielgud's theatre company as Peggy Ashcroft's understudy. It's clear Grace has a bright future ahead of her and one night she gets the chance to show it when Peggy doesn't arrive for work.
This is London with war looming large on the horizon but for the time being Grace enjoys acting and meets a man she falls deeply in love with. This is primarily a love story with Grace looking back over her life with her granddaughter in 2009.
This is an evocative read, putting me right there in the capital in the mid 1930s. Grace lodges at a boarding house with an eclectic bunch of people who are well-drawn and quite typical of the time. What I particularly enjoyed was the way real events and real life characters were introduced such as the 1936 Olympic Games, Gielgud and Ashcroft, Laurence Olivier (messily embroiled with Vivian Leigh at the time) and the Bloomsbury set. It added authenticity to the story without feeling contrived.
I found Grace's story sad but real, a mixture of heartfelt emotion and the frivolity of the performing arts. Looking back from 2009 it's all rather poignant but the ending was quite uplifting in more ways than one. The thread throughout the whole book is one of having one true love in your life but that that love rarely lasts which is quite bittersweet.
This is London with war looming large on the horizon but for the time being Grace enjoys acting and meets a man she falls deeply in love with. This is primarily a love story with Grace looking back over her life with her granddaughter in 2009.
This is an evocative read, putting me right there in the capital in the mid 1930s. Grace lodges at a boarding house with an eclectic bunch of people who are well-drawn and quite typical of the time. What I particularly enjoyed was the way real events and real life characters were introduced such as the 1936 Olympic Games, Gielgud and Ashcroft, Laurence Olivier (messily embroiled with Vivian Leigh at the time) and the Bloomsbury set. It added authenticity to the story without feeling contrived.
I found Grace's story sad but real, a mixture of heartfelt emotion and the frivolity of the performing arts. Looking back from 2009 it's all rather poignant but the ending was quite uplifting in more ways than one. The thread throughout the whole book is one of having one true love in your life but that that love rarely lasts which is quite bittersweet.
May 23, 2021
Poetic prose, compelling narrative and the intrigues are masterfully managed. Wendy Waters' Fields of Grace is a crash course in history. The seamless interlinking of the real and the surreal from the outset grapples the reader into the magical world of the Grace. This saga of ambition, love, failed dreams and resilience is evocative and connects the reader with the travesties of its characters and crystallises it into an inextricable bond.
It is impossible to read it passively, as the novel can be heard from a voice within, accentuating the suspense, drama and agony experienced by these characters.
Perhaps the masterstroke is Wendy Waters' ability to evoke the same sensations and emotions in her readers as experienced by her characters. The novel leaves you entranced long after it has been read.
I recommend it to all those who love, dare to dream, believe in the here and the heareafter.
It was an immense pleasure and honour to be able to interact with the creative genius, Wendy Waters on The Writer Talks!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RKp7...
It is impossible to read it passively, as the novel can be heard from a voice within, accentuating the suspense, drama and agony experienced by these characters.
Perhaps the masterstroke is Wendy Waters' ability to evoke the same sensations and emotions in her readers as experienced by her characters. The novel leaves you entranced long after it has been read.
I recommend it to all those who love, dare to dream, believe in the here and the heareafter.
It was an immense pleasure and honour to be able to interact with the creative genius, Wendy Waters on The Writer Talks!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RKp7...
January 17, 2021
Masterpiece!
I am speechless and in awe of this novel and the endless talent of Wendy Writers!
In my book, this author is one of the best creative imaginative writers. Wendy's writing style brings you on a delightful visual journey of multifaceted plots and well-developed characters. Fields of Grace is sure to remind you why you fell in love with tasteful and brilliant literary work in the first place. I can’t wait to see this book being adapted to a TV series or big screen movie.
Bravo Wendy Waters! <3
I am speechless and in awe of this novel and the endless talent of Wendy Writers!
In my book, this author is one of the best creative imaginative writers. Wendy's writing style brings you on a delightful visual journey of multifaceted plots and well-developed characters. Fields of Grace is sure to remind you why you fell in love with tasteful and brilliant literary work in the first place. I can’t wait to see this book being adapted to a TV series or big screen movie.
Bravo Wendy Waters! <3
October 10, 2020
Sheer poetry! Wendy writes with such passion and wisdom. I love the magic spells and Druid references. All the historical references really! This beautiful story covers seven decades!! What a grand story woven in between the lines of history! I highly recommend this exquisite story of courage, belief and extraordinary love!
March 5, 2021
A gripping story!
Fields of Grace grabs you by the lapels and doesn't let go until the last curtain call. Even then I still feel like I'm in the grip of this story. Bravo! Standing ovation!
Fields of Grace grabs you by the lapels and doesn't let go until the last curtain call. Even then I still feel like I'm in the grip of this story. Bravo! Standing ovation!
May 6, 2022
Wendy Waters does it again! Following her first book, Catch the Moon, Mary, which I absolutely fell in love with I had to read her second book Fields of Grace. Another stunning story that allowed me to lose my head within the characters. I have found Wendy's books to have their own unique edge, something I haven't found with other books and I hope to see another book in the future so I can experience it again with a new story and new characters. Thank you Wendy for another fabulous read, I have really enjoyed both of your books. Highly recommend!
December 21, 2021
We were absolutely enthralled by this book from start to end. Wendy’s writing is nearly poetic as she tells the tales of Grace’s life and love. The amount of research that this book must have required is astonishing. I found myself looking up the different characters as I read and getting lost in articles. This book has a little bit of every genre that we love (historical fiction, romance, even some magic). We cannot say enough good things about Fields of Grace. - Bookish Besties
December 20, 2019
A dam good read! Fields of Grace is powerful. Wendy Waters truly has a writing style that captivates you and immerses you into the whole story. As I mainly read Wilbur Smith and Frederick Forsyth books it was a pleasure to divert and read Fields of Grace. A highly recommended read.
March 28, 2020
Scintillating tale of pre-war London theater life. It’s a City of Girls with magic. Lovely.
May 14, 2020
Loved this book's prose - Wendy writes so beautifully, her characters were authentic - definitely highly recommend!!!!
May 12, 2022
I absolutely loved reading this book Fields of Grace. I am not an avid reader but this book I could not put down. Beautifully crafted from beginning to end, full of colour and Wendy’s writing made me feel like I was actually experiencing the story as if I was in the middle of it. Highly recommend reading this . And congratulations on writing an extraordinary book. Can’t wait to see this developed into a movie.
October 23, 2020
A stirring story of deep love and survival
Grace's journey was a page-turner for me. Set in 1930's England and in the theater-life, this is a story of finding your sacred flame and all of the elation and agony that can come with it. There is so much truth hidden in this dynamic story that it continually touched my heart, from beginning to end. I thought it couldn't get better after the first half; yet, it did with a dive into the hard truths of survival and the shifts that occur in a human being when their spirit has been squelched. Well-written with eloquent dialogue. I highly recommend!
Grace's journey was a page-turner for me. Set in 1930's England and in the theater-life, this is a story of finding your sacred flame and all of the elation and agony that can come with it. There is so much truth hidden in this dynamic story that it continually touched my heart, from beginning to end. I thought it couldn't get better after the first half; yet, it did with a dive into the hard truths of survival and the shifts that occur in a human being when their spirit has been squelched. Well-written with eloquent dialogue. I highly recommend!
September 13, 2022
Fields of Grace, the second novel by Australian author Wendy Waters, is epic. She combines fiction with history as she follows the life of Grace Fieldergill from her days as an understudy in an acting troupe, to stardom, and then to a loss so great it drives her away from acting altogether. In that sense this story is a tragedy, for actress Grace Fielders never returns to the stage, and instead of being the toast of London she becomes the wife of a man for whom she feels no love -- in Sydney, Australia.
Am I ruining the plot by telling you the story?
While it may sound like it, Ms Waters opens her story almost at the end. She herself tells you what I have just revealed in the first few chapters of her book. She wants you to meet the "grand dame" before she introduces you to the stage star wannabe. Though I do not pretend to know why, I think Ms Waters has a reason which I do not want to hazard a guess at -- I know any guess I make will be wrong.
Having said that, Ms Waters' novel is chock-full of complex scenes and historical backgrounds that make you want to know more about a host of things she takes for granted. And, I like that she does not insult anyone's intelligence by wasting her time trying to explain those scenes and backgrounds, as so many lesser authors do. Even though you may have no idea of certain things, she tells the story as if you know everything, and understand everything. She does not "talk down" to her readers, but rather "lifts them up" to feel like experts in fields they know nothing about. That is certainly how she made this writer feel, and I appreciated it greatly.
And she does this without distracting the reader from the story she is telling. And that I will not reveal to you, because she does it so much more gracefully than ever I could. And she tells that story with such an intensity it pulls you into her world to the point you do not want to leave it.
In my mind it takes a great author to do all these things well. I think Wendy Waters will become known as a great author. And if my words can entice you into reading this novel, and through it getting you to experience her greatness, then I will have done my part.
You may already know Ms Waters from her first novel, Catch the Moon, Mary. But do not let not knowing her stop you from wanting to know her. She is an amazing person, and an even more amazing storyteller.
Am I ruining the plot by telling you the story?
While it may sound like it, Ms Waters opens her story almost at the end. She herself tells you what I have just revealed in the first few chapters of her book. She wants you to meet the "grand dame" before she introduces you to the stage star wannabe. Though I do not pretend to know why, I think Ms Waters has a reason which I do not want to hazard a guess at -- I know any guess I make will be wrong.
Having said that, Ms Waters' novel is chock-full of complex scenes and historical backgrounds that make you want to know more about a host of things she takes for granted. And, I like that she does not insult anyone's intelligence by wasting her time trying to explain those scenes and backgrounds, as so many lesser authors do. Even though you may have no idea of certain things, she tells the story as if you know everything, and understand everything. She does not "talk down" to her readers, but rather "lifts them up" to feel like experts in fields they know nothing about. That is certainly how she made this writer feel, and I appreciated it greatly.
And she does this without distracting the reader from the story she is telling. And that I will not reveal to you, because she does it so much more gracefully than ever I could. And she tells that story with such an intensity it pulls you into her world to the point you do not want to leave it.
In my mind it takes a great author to do all these things well. I think Wendy Waters will become known as a great author. And if my words can entice you into reading this novel, and through it getting you to experience her greatness, then I will have done my part.
You may already know Ms Waters from her first novel, Catch the Moon, Mary. But do not let not knowing her stop you from wanting to know her. She is an amazing person, and an even more amazing storyteller.
December 15, 2024
Loved how this book takes you back in time. Not something I normally read but when I come across one and it keeps me from start to end that's a good read!
July 5, 2022
I would actually give this book 4.5/5 stars, but since half ratings aren’t a thing I rounded up. While I’m not typically a fan of historical fiction, it would be impossible not to see the beauty in this story.
The book starts out with Grace Fieldergill as an old woman who’s ready to leave this earth. As she prepares to reconnect with her “feu sacré” (sacred fire) love who’s going to take her away, she begins telling her beloved granddaughter a story that she had kept hidden all her life in order to protect her son with whom she has a strained relationship.
We find out early on that her husband wasn’t the father of her son and that she never loved him. And then we go back in time about 60 years when Grace was a young actress starting out as an understudy. She gets a chance to prove herself on stage and her acting career takes off. As her relationships with her fellow actors develop, she discovers (surprisingly) that one of them is her feu sacré.
Grace finds herself with child in a time when society puts people in boxes (i.e. “illegitimate”). She must decide what’s best for her child, even if it means living a lie.
Again, I am not a historical fiction fan and this book is very long; however, I enjoyed it and highly recommend it if you do tend to enjoy this genre.
The book starts out with Grace Fieldergill as an old woman who’s ready to leave this earth. As she prepares to reconnect with her “feu sacré” (sacred fire) love who’s going to take her away, she begins telling her beloved granddaughter a story that she had kept hidden all her life in order to protect her son with whom she has a strained relationship.
We find out early on that her husband wasn’t the father of her son and that she never loved him. And then we go back in time about 60 years when Grace was a young actress starting out as an understudy. She gets a chance to prove herself on stage and her acting career takes off. As her relationships with her fellow actors develop, she discovers (surprisingly) that one of them is her feu sacré.
Grace finds herself with child in a time when society puts people in boxes (i.e. “illegitimate”). She must decide what’s best for her child, even if it means living a lie.
Again, I am not a historical fiction fan and this book is very long; however, I enjoyed it and highly recommend it if you do tend to enjoy this genre.
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