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Legenda o siódmej dziewicy
Kerensa Carlee to wiejska dziewczyna obdarzona nieprzeciętną urodą i inteligencją. Całe swoje życie podporządkowała spełnieniu jednego marzenia: w dniu, w którym po raz pierwszy zobaczyła St Larnston Abbas, postanowiła , że zostanie panią tej wspaniałej rezydencji, siedziby arystokratycznego rodu St Larnstonów. Jej szansą stała się przyjaźń z Mellyorą Martin, córką wiejskiego pastora. Mimo przestróg babki, Kerensa przekroczyła próg wielkiego domu. Szybko się okazało, że nie ma już odwrotu...
400 pages
First published January 1, 1964
32 people are currently reading
1235 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Holt
373 books1,378 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Eleanor Alice Burford, Mrs. George Percival Hibbert was a British author of about 200 historical novels, most of them under the pen name Jean Plaidy which had sold 14 million copies by the time of her death. She chose to use various names because of the differences in subject matter between her books; the best-known, apart from Plaidy, are Victoria Holt (56 million) and Philippa Carr (3 million). Lesser known were the novels Hibbert published under her maiden name Eleanor Burford, or the pseudonyms of Elbur Ford, Kathleen Kellow and Ellalice Tate. Many of her readers under one penname never suspected her other identities.
-Wikipedia
Eleanor Alice Burford, Mrs. George Percival Hibbert was a British author of about 200 historical novels, most of them under the pen name Jean Plaidy which had sold 14 million copies by the time of her death. She chose to use various names because of the differences in subject matter between her books; the best-known, apart from Plaidy, are Victoria Holt (56 million) and Philippa Carr (3 million). Lesser known were the novels Hibbert published under her maiden name Eleanor Burford, or the pseudonyms of Elbur Ford, Kathleen Kellow and Ellalice Tate. Many of her readers under one penname never suspected her other identities.
-Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
October 9, 2018
A pretty decent tale from Holt, this time centring around a young orphan girl, Kerensa Carlee, daughter of a fisherman who committed suicide. She rescues herself and her younger brother from starvation by travelling to her maternal grandmother's house. It is here that she makes acquaintance with "the house" of the St. Larnstons. She falls in love quite early and schemes and works her way into being irrevocably connected with it.
Kerensa befriends the local vicar's daughter, who is also destined to be connected to "the house". Other characters are Granny Bee, who is basically a wise woman of the village (but is actually quite stupid), Kerensa's brother Joe, who falls in love with animals, not with houses, the St. Larnston brothers, and a few other villagers. Kerensa is made to feel the outsider, but her pride does not cover her making her own way in life. "The house" rules over her body and mind throughout her life.
I am not fond of books where a house becomes so important to the characters. In this case, Kerensa does not even have any links to the house, so her obsession with it becomes a little tiring and over the top. One way this obsession could have been made interesting was to explore the inequalities of the system and make Kerensa do well and thumb her nose up at the St. Larnstons. But instead, she got into a loveless marriage, put her friendships in danger, and even covered up a death - all for a silly house.
The suspense part comes in stages, but frankly, I already knew what would happen and who would do it because it was quite obvious right from the beginning. I just wish someone else was the perpetrator, which would have made this book so much better. Nevertheless, I liked the setting and the St. Larnston family was interesting, as was Joe. I actually liked all the male characters very much, and they provided sufficient variety to the monotony of Kerensa's obsession with "the house".
I'm discovering that Holt's so-called "strong" heroines are not really that progressive. All they want is to marry rich men and become illusionary owners of houses, which are still owned by their husbands anyway. Kerensa was not much different, but what provided grit to the story was that she was not in love with her abusive husband. In other Holt books, appearance of abuse is often mitigated by showing how good the man was otherwise. I also liked the ending with Kerensa having an open-ending with regard to romance. Maybe, she will realise she does not need to marry a house - she can buy one!
Kerensa befriends the local vicar's daughter, who is also destined to be connected to "the house". Other characters are Granny Bee, who is basically a wise woman of the village (but is actually quite stupid), Kerensa's brother Joe, who falls in love with animals, not with houses, the St. Larnston brothers, and a few other villagers. Kerensa is made to feel the outsider, but her pride does not cover her making her own way in life. "The house" rules over her body and mind throughout her life.
I am not fond of books where a house becomes so important to the characters. In this case, Kerensa does not even have any links to the house, so her obsession with it becomes a little tiring and over the top. One way this obsession could have been made interesting was to explore the inequalities of the system and make Kerensa do well and thumb her nose up at the St. Larnstons. But instead, she got into a loveless marriage, put her friendships in danger, and even covered up a death - all for a silly house.
The suspense part comes in stages, but frankly, I already knew what would happen and who would do it because it was quite obvious right from the beginning. I just wish someone else was the perpetrator, which would have made this book so much better. Nevertheless, I liked the setting and the St. Larnston family was interesting, as was Joe. I actually liked all the male characters very much, and they provided sufficient variety to the monotony of Kerensa's obsession with "the house".
I'm discovering that Holt's so-called "strong" heroines are not really that progressive. All they want is to marry rich men and become illusionary owners of houses, which are still owned by their husbands anyway. Kerensa was not much different, but what provided grit to the story was that she was not in love with her abusive husband. In other Holt books, appearance of abuse is often mitigated by showing how good the man was otherwise. I also liked the ending with Kerensa having an open-ending with regard to romance. Maybe, she will realise she does not need to marry a house - she can buy one!
January 21, 2023
Now to be honest, I actually do not really remember all that much with regard to the specific and particular details regarding Victoria Holt's 1964 novel The Legend of the Seventh Virgin except that when I read the book, when I read The Legend of the Seventh Virgin in 1983 (as part of my Victoria Holt phase when I was a teenager) I really did not like main protagonist (and first person narrator) Kerensa Carlee all that much, that I found her frustratingly manipulative, often nasty for no reason, ridiculously proud and that yes indeed, Kerensa's obsession with the St. Larston family and their estate was often if not even usually bordering on being rather creepy and uncomfortable (and also making no common sense whatsoever to me, since Kerensa also and really had no family connection reasons etc. to be drawn to and emotionally consumed by said manor house either).
And considering my personal lack of positive reading feelings towards the main character, towards the main protagonist of The Legend of the Seventh Virgin (and that the only character in The Legend of the Seventh Virgin whom I actually found both relatable and sufficiently interesting during my 1983 perusal was Kerensa's younger brother Joe and his selfless love for all animals), I also do not really feel like meticulously rereading either, since I honestly doubt that I would find Kerensa Carlee any more likeable now and her obsessions with the St. Larston family manor any less creepy than I did in 1983.
Therefore and gleaned from my remembrances of The Legend of the Seventh Virgin from 1983 (and of course also in my humble opinion), the only positive and redeeming quality of Victoria Holt's presented text is indeed that she does feature a pretty descriptive and also quite realistic sense of historical time and place in The Legend of the Seventh Virgin, bringing 19th century England wonderfully to life on paper. But no, for me, this (while of course a positive in and of itself) is also in no way enough to mitigate and lessen my own issues with Victoria Holt's printed words and story and my despising animosity towards main protagonist Kerensa Carlee (who and how she is so negatively depicted and shown by Victoria Holt simply makes the The Legend of the Seventh Virgin not particularly readable and not all that delightful).
And considering my personal lack of positive reading feelings towards the main character, towards the main protagonist of The Legend of the Seventh Virgin (and that the only character in The Legend of the Seventh Virgin whom I actually found both relatable and sufficiently interesting during my 1983 perusal was Kerensa's younger brother Joe and his selfless love for all animals), I also do not really feel like meticulously rereading either, since I honestly doubt that I would find Kerensa Carlee any more likeable now and her obsessions with the St. Larston family manor any less creepy than I did in 1983.
Therefore and gleaned from my remembrances of The Legend of the Seventh Virgin from 1983 (and of course also in my humble opinion), the only positive and redeeming quality of Victoria Holt's presented text is indeed that she does feature a pretty descriptive and also quite realistic sense of historical time and place in The Legend of the Seventh Virgin, bringing 19th century England wonderfully to life on paper. But no, for me, this (while of course a positive in and of itself) is also in no way enough to mitigate and lessen my own issues with Victoria Holt's printed words and story and my despising animosity towards main protagonist Kerensa Carlee (who and how she is so negatively depicted and shown by Victoria Holt simply makes the The Legend of the Seventh Virgin not particularly readable and not all that delightful).
October 6, 2017
This is one of Victoria Holt's earlier books, and I really liked it because it's somewhat different in tone from many 1960s gothics. The heroine, Karensa Carlee, is a bit of an antiheroine. Early on, we learn that she grew up poor in the cottages surrounding a grand estate in Cornwall. The gulf between her social station and that of the St. Larnston family owning the estate looms large in her life.
Through a series of chance circumstances, Karensa ends up being befriended by Mellyora, daughter of the local vicar. Her life then starts to become more deeply intertwined with that of the St. Larnstons. And of course, there is the local legend speculating that their great house, a former convent, may in fact be haunted.
In a genre where the heroines are often sweet, wide-eyed and innocent, I found Karensa both frustrating and refreshing. Instead of being docile and pliable, she burns with ambition and has an edge of ruthlessness that many heroines lack (or at least hide.) The Cornwall setting vividly written and if you like books involving homes burdened by troublesome histories, this one would definitely fit the bill.
Through a series of chance circumstances, Karensa ends up being befriended by Mellyora, daughter of the local vicar. Her life then starts to become more deeply intertwined with that of the St. Larnstons. And of course, there is the local legend speculating that their great house, a former convent, may in fact be haunted.
In a genre where the heroines are often sweet, wide-eyed and innocent, I found Karensa both frustrating and refreshing. Instead of being docile and pliable, she burns with ambition and has an edge of ruthlessness that many heroines lack (or at least hide.) The Cornwall setting vividly written and if you like books involving homes burdened by troublesome histories, this one would definitely fit the bill.
August 23, 2010
Oddly enough, this is actually one of my favorite books. There were many times throughout reading it when I wanted to slap one or more of the characters... But let's face it, not every book should be about some incredibly wonderful person that triumphs over character faults to move on and live happily ever after. It is a great book and does an amazing job of pointing out that having what you wish for is not necessarily a dream come true.
February 26, 2021
legend of the seventh virgin,despite its rather simple story,is written most beautifully,the characters nd the storyline alligns perfectly,therefore composes wht can truely be recognized as an enjoyable and thrilling read,so much can be contemplated,a biriliant young woman strives not to take life for wht it is and embarks on a hard path,strong willed nd determinded she takes each step..every character seems real enough,the enchantment of the storyline is strong and continuous along the way...striding toward the invitable end..
i remember the day i found this book,dusted nd forgotten,destined not to be read ever again,in my hand the 7th virgin found life again out of her stone wall grave,for one last dance..
i remember the day i found this book,dusted nd forgotten,destined not to be read ever again,in my hand the 7th virgin found life again out of her stone wall grave,for one last dance..
January 18, 2015
I loved this book - both now and when I first read it almost 30 years ago. I loved Mellyora and Karensa so much that I actually wanted to name my kids by those two names (of course my husband said "no"). There is something in this book that lends to learning life's lessons and growing up that you don't find in many books being written today. The characters are strong - whether they have good or bad qualities - the strength in those qualities is well defined and clearly fits into the story. I love how there is always a new twist or turn in the story that is almost unexpected. The continuous turns kept me engaged and interested and I had a hard time putting down the book. This one is definitely one of my favorites.
March 19, 2016
Way back when, my mother and I were reading the same gothic romances. It was a nice break from all that high school required reading like "Hamlet" and "All the King's Men" and "Pride and Prejudice", etc. And I still today read an occasional gothic. But this one, "Seventh Virgin", I remember as being particularly good (along with the Christmas decorations and roaring fireplace and winter vacation from school) , almost on par with "Rebecca". True, this is a genre often overlooked by "serious" readers. But I like to read a little bit of everything. Cause I believe one should.
December 13, 2013
To be perfectly honest I was steadily becoming less interested in this book as the story progressed. The main character having, as one had put it, no redeemable traits, I tired of her "ambitions" and thought about just shelving the book. However when I had time to kill at a laundry mat, I decided to read the last few chapters just to see how it ends. I had heard that it didn't have a happy ending but I couldn't disagree more. The last few chapters make the whole book. I don't like spoilers, but if you start to read this I would just say push through the whole book. A lot of what happens throughout comes up in the end in surprising ways and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's a story of the importance of compromise and true happiness.
March 11, 2009
This is one of my favorite books of all-time. It's not a sappy romance novel at all and like Gone with the Wind, the heroine is strong and couldn't care less about getting a man, until later when she's met the rest of her goals. Just a really interesting story set back-when.
February 16, 2021
Unlikable narrator in this untypical Holt novel. Surprising, better than expected ending. Not sure whether the overall story annoyed me or if it was actually well done. Bravo on the metaphor.
July 1, 2016
Já li muitos livros de Victoria Holt e este foi um dos que mais desgostei. O clima gótico está
lá, mas é apenas isto: clima. Nada realmente acontece além das maquinações da
protagonista e relata sua vida desde os doze anos, voltando um pouco no tempo para
relatar o que lhe havia acontecido antes de chegar a Cornualha, onde vivia com a avó e o
irmão. Holt tem o hábito de relatar as vidas de suas protagonistas desde a infância, mas
geralmente é um processo muito agradável de ler, já que favorece a inteiração com os
personagens e ela não se prende a narração ano a ano, mas sim de fatos importantes para
o desenvolvimento da trama. O que muito me desgostou neste livro e, ao mesmo tempo o
tornou interessante, foi a protagonista; ela é exatamente o tipo de personagem que
normalmente faz o papel de vilã nos livros de Holt: egoísta, arrogante, fria e calculista e
assim por diante. E o mais interessante ainda é que tem por amiga a moça que
normalmente faz o papel de protagonista de Holt, a jovem forte, romântica, decidida, justa
e assim por diante. Na maior parte dos livros de Holt sempre temos duas mulheres
importantes na trama, a mocinha e alguém importante para ela que na verdade lhe deseja
o mal ou lhe fara o mal por consequência de seus atos egoístas. Aqui Kerenza é a
protagonista, mas é exatamente como as amigas, irmãs, etc que traem a protagonista
comum e Mellyora é a sua amiga forte e bondosa, que é traída e usada e que normalmente
faz o papel de protagonista.
SOBRE A TRAMA (Com Spoiler):
Kerenza é uma garota de doze anos que mora em uma casinha de sapé com o irmão mais
novo e a avó. Sua mãe havia morrido anos atrás e seu pai, pescador, certo dia saíra para o
mar e não voltara. Kerenza então pegara o irmão e o levara consigo numa longa viagem a
pé até a casa da avó, numa cidade mineira da Cornualha. A menina era orgulhosa e
arrogante e extremamente ambiciosa. Odiava e invejava a todos os que tinham mais que
ela e tinha planos de grandeza para si e para o irmão. Logo no inicio do livro ela invade a
propriedade dos St. Larnston para espiar o local onde haviam encontrado os ossos de uma
mulher, confirmando em parte a teoria das 7 virgens. É daí que conhecemos personagens
que vão ser muito importantes ao longo dos anos: Justin e John St. Larnston (o filho mais
velho e o mais novo da família da Larnston), Kim (filho de um militar e colega de Justin
na universidade) e Mellyora (a filha do reverendo). É triste, de inicio, acompanhar
Kerenza em seu ódio, especialmente por Mellyora, porque esta tem belas roupas, sapatos e
comida em casa. Sua descrição da moça como uma tola de cabelos loiros e olhos azuis vem
por terra com o tempo. Mellyora é uma pessoa de vontade firme e bom coração. Numa
virada de acontecimentos as duas se tornam próximas e íntimas e isso é mais trágico ainda.
A filha do reverendo é apaixonada a muito tempo por Justin, mas era mais jovem que o
rapaz (quase uma criança) e então ele se casa com a ultima filha de uma rica família com
um vasto histórico de loucura. Kerenza, vivendo na casa do pastor, de criada passa a
acompanhante de Mellyora, com quem aprende a ler e escrever e então passa a ter aulas
com a professora da amiga. De menina sem sapatos a moça bela e estudada, cheia de classe
de forma que, se não lhe conhecessem a história, jamais suspeitariam de suas origens.
Então, o que Kerenza faz? Ela trai repetidas vezes a amiga que mudou sua vida para
melhor e sempre apoiou e protegeu. Casa-se com o irmão mais novo dos Larnston após
muito trabalho (ele era uma pessoa desprezível, mulherengo, maldoso, arrogante, etc),
fica grávida e passa a cuidar para que Justin jamais tenha filhos com a esposa, Judith e
também que jamais a abandone por Mellyora porque apenas seu filho poderia herdar a
propriedade e as terras da família. É repugnante sua inveja cada vez mais crescente e todos
os demais sentimentos que lhe vão no coração. Casada com um homem que detesta,
cobiçando tudo o que não lhe pertence, ela vai contribuindo para a tristeza de algumas
pessoas, o que me fez detestá-la cada vez mais ( de certa forma ajudou na decadência de
Judith, esposa de Justin, depois da morte da mulher ocultou fatos que impediriam que o
povo suspeitasse de Justin ter matado a esposa e com isso conseguiu separar de vez a
amiga dele; Justin partiu e jamais voltou a sua casa). O final foi perfeito, na minha opinião.
Eu percebi logo de cara o que aconteceria e não me enganei. Depois de tudo o que havia
feito, Kerenza ainda acalentava o desejo de casar-se com Kim, que quando jovem salvara
seu irmão da morte. O marido de kerenza morre (aí há uma história interessante que
deveria ter sido mais explorada) e ela sente-se realizada, pois poderia ficar com Kim e com
a propriedade mas.... o marido dela havia dissipado a fortuna da família com jogo e ela se
viu obrigada a vender a casa para Kim... só que tudo ficaria bem, uma vez que eles se
amavam e casariam. Acontece que Kim nunca amou Kerenza, hahahaha. Ele amava
Mellyora, então, comprou a propriedade para ajudar Kerenza e o filho e casou com
Mellyora, que acabou sendo a senhora da casa que Kerenza tanto desejara. Castigo divino.
Eu gostei muito desta parte. Mellyora foi finalmente feliz e Kerenza ficou sem seu amor.
Eu resumi bastante a história. Muita coisa acontece e ao ler você se vê realmente
participando das vidas daquelas pessoas. Gostei de Mellyora e fiquei triste por não poder
acompanhar os pensamentos dela, a sua história por completo, ao invés da maldosa
Kerenza. De longe é um dos piores livros de Victoria Holt que já tive nas mãos, mas, como
sou fã dela, foi uma boa experiência, mesmo que só por ver a outra face de uma história,
com a malvada sendo protagonista :-)
lá, mas é apenas isto: clima. Nada realmente acontece além das maquinações da
protagonista e relata sua vida desde os doze anos, voltando um pouco no tempo para
relatar o que lhe havia acontecido antes de chegar a Cornualha, onde vivia com a avó e o
irmão. Holt tem o hábito de relatar as vidas de suas protagonistas desde a infância, mas
geralmente é um processo muito agradável de ler, já que favorece a inteiração com os
personagens e ela não se prende a narração ano a ano, mas sim de fatos importantes para
o desenvolvimento da trama. O que muito me desgostou neste livro e, ao mesmo tempo o
tornou interessante, foi a protagonista; ela é exatamente o tipo de personagem que
normalmente faz o papel de vilã nos livros de Holt: egoísta, arrogante, fria e calculista e
assim por diante. E o mais interessante ainda é que tem por amiga a moça que
normalmente faz o papel de protagonista de Holt, a jovem forte, romântica, decidida, justa
e assim por diante. Na maior parte dos livros de Holt sempre temos duas mulheres
importantes na trama, a mocinha e alguém importante para ela que na verdade lhe deseja
o mal ou lhe fara o mal por consequência de seus atos egoístas. Aqui Kerenza é a
protagonista, mas é exatamente como as amigas, irmãs, etc que traem a protagonista
comum e Mellyora é a sua amiga forte e bondosa, que é traída e usada e que normalmente
faz o papel de protagonista.
SOBRE A TRAMA (Com Spoiler):
Kerenza é uma garota de doze anos que mora em uma casinha de sapé com o irmão mais
novo e a avó. Sua mãe havia morrido anos atrás e seu pai, pescador, certo dia saíra para o
mar e não voltara. Kerenza então pegara o irmão e o levara consigo numa longa viagem a
pé até a casa da avó, numa cidade mineira da Cornualha. A menina era orgulhosa e
arrogante e extremamente ambiciosa. Odiava e invejava a todos os que tinham mais que
ela e tinha planos de grandeza para si e para o irmão. Logo no inicio do livro ela invade a
propriedade dos St. Larnston para espiar o local onde haviam encontrado os ossos de uma
mulher, confirmando em parte a teoria das 7 virgens. É daí que conhecemos personagens
que vão ser muito importantes ao longo dos anos: Justin e John St. Larnston (o filho mais
velho e o mais novo da família da Larnston), Kim (filho de um militar e colega de Justin
na universidade) e Mellyora (a filha do reverendo). É triste, de inicio, acompanhar
Kerenza em seu ódio, especialmente por Mellyora, porque esta tem belas roupas, sapatos e
comida em casa. Sua descrição da moça como uma tola de cabelos loiros e olhos azuis vem
por terra com o tempo. Mellyora é uma pessoa de vontade firme e bom coração. Numa
virada de acontecimentos as duas se tornam próximas e íntimas e isso é mais trágico ainda.
A filha do reverendo é apaixonada a muito tempo por Justin, mas era mais jovem que o
rapaz (quase uma criança) e então ele se casa com a ultima filha de uma rica família com
um vasto histórico de loucura. Kerenza, vivendo na casa do pastor, de criada passa a
acompanhante de Mellyora, com quem aprende a ler e escrever e então passa a ter aulas
com a professora da amiga. De menina sem sapatos a moça bela e estudada, cheia de classe
de forma que, se não lhe conhecessem a história, jamais suspeitariam de suas origens.
Então, o que Kerenza faz? Ela trai repetidas vezes a amiga que mudou sua vida para
melhor e sempre apoiou e protegeu. Casa-se com o irmão mais novo dos Larnston após
muito trabalho (ele era uma pessoa desprezível, mulherengo, maldoso, arrogante, etc),
fica grávida e passa a cuidar para que Justin jamais tenha filhos com a esposa, Judith e
também que jamais a abandone por Mellyora porque apenas seu filho poderia herdar a
propriedade e as terras da família. É repugnante sua inveja cada vez mais crescente e todos
os demais sentimentos que lhe vão no coração. Casada com um homem que detesta,
cobiçando tudo o que não lhe pertence, ela vai contribuindo para a tristeza de algumas
pessoas, o que me fez detestá-la cada vez mais ( de certa forma ajudou na decadência de
Judith, esposa de Justin, depois da morte da mulher ocultou fatos que impediriam que o
povo suspeitasse de Justin ter matado a esposa e com isso conseguiu separar de vez a
amiga dele; Justin partiu e jamais voltou a sua casa). O final foi perfeito, na minha opinião.
Eu percebi logo de cara o que aconteceria e não me enganei. Depois de tudo o que havia
feito, Kerenza ainda acalentava o desejo de casar-se com Kim, que quando jovem salvara
seu irmão da morte. O marido de kerenza morre (aí há uma história interessante que
deveria ter sido mais explorada) e ela sente-se realizada, pois poderia ficar com Kim e com
a propriedade mas.... o marido dela havia dissipado a fortuna da família com jogo e ela se
viu obrigada a vender a casa para Kim... só que tudo ficaria bem, uma vez que eles se
amavam e casariam. Acontece que Kim nunca amou Kerenza, hahahaha. Ele amava
Mellyora, então, comprou a propriedade para ajudar Kerenza e o filho e casou com
Mellyora, que acabou sendo a senhora da casa que Kerenza tanto desejara. Castigo divino.
Eu gostei muito desta parte. Mellyora foi finalmente feliz e Kerenza ficou sem seu amor.
Eu resumi bastante a história. Muita coisa acontece e ao ler você se vê realmente
participando das vidas daquelas pessoas. Gostei de Mellyora e fiquei triste por não poder
acompanhar os pensamentos dela, a sua história por completo, ao invés da maldosa
Kerenza. De longe é um dos piores livros de Victoria Holt que já tive nas mãos, mas, como
sou fã dela, foi uma boa experiência, mesmo que só por ver a outra face de uma história,
com a malvada sendo protagonista :-)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 1, 2017
I'm pretty sure that when I read this back in the seventies I hated it. What kind of a gothic romance doesn't have a happy ending? But reading it now, I can appreciate the fitness of it a little more. I suspect the author wants us to agree that Kerensa hasn't grown enough to warrant any more than a hopeful ending. But really, I think there were people who behaved a lot worse than she did. Her husband for one, who knocked up a village girl and then assisted her to her death. Not to mention Kerensa's grandmother who witnessed the event, knew that Johnny only married Kerensa because of it, but didn't tell her about it until years later. (Seriously, that wasn't worth a mention? "BTWs, your husband only married you because he thinks you saw him killing a girl. Anyhoo, have fun storming the castle!") Compared to that, Kerensa's machinations seem pretty tame. Oh well, I guess it's enough that things worked out for Mellyora. Mostly I appreciated the details of Cornish life which gave a rather preposterous story a layer of authenticity.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 24, 2014
This is one of my favourites, don't know why but just was at the time of me reading it, of course if I were to read it now it probably would not get as many stars but I am going from memory here.
Sorry - I should point out that I read this book over 22 years ago. I remember reading some of it on the train on my way home from school and being so intrigued with it I almost missed my stop.
Sorry - I should point out that I read this book over 22 years ago. I remember reading some of it on the train on my way home from school and being so intrigued with it I almost missed my stop.
January 4, 2012
Re-read this after 30 years.
My least favorite Holt because the narrator Kerensa is actually the villainess.
My least favorite Holt because the narrator Kerensa is actually the villainess.
Read
April 10, 2014This is the first Victoria Holy book that I ever read - back in 1977 - I was hooked from the beginning!
October 20, 2025
This was a great story! don’t think I’ve ever finished a book where I didn’t like the main character. It was a new experience for me.
January 5, 2018
Perhaps it's just me. I came across this book by accident. Gave it a try. It's not poorly written, but it doesn't work for me.
The Legend of the Seventh Virgin is a story about a social-climbing heroin, or anti-heroin, if you may. Kerensa Carlee will do whatever it takes to get what she desires, which, in the story, is mostly about the fear of being looked down. I'm not particularly into reading damsel in distress, and I can say I always prefer heroins with strong characters, but Kerensa is very difficult to relate. All her choices seem very weird to me. She's emotional and judgemental. She doesn't care about people when it's against her benefits. She only find others lovely when she's been helped in some way. Yes, I'm saying she's shallow. I'm not even sure if the author likes her at all. You can write about flawed characters, but you have to love them. I love Nick Hornby so much because he cares deeply about his shallow characters. And I love them, too.
It certainly doesn't help that the story is told in first person narrative, because there isn't much about the story that you can't predict. And as I grew less attached about Kerenza as the story goes, reading a story following how she feels and thinks is not much fun. I remember thinking, at some point of my reading, I really don't want to get into her mind. It's not a beautiful place.
It reminds me greatly of Wuthering Heights, and slightly of Jane Eyre. I read both as a child and did not understand why people like them. Especially Wuthering Heights, not a single character is understandable or likeable. They spend most of their lives hating people, hurting people they hate and hurting people they love. I just don't get it AT ALL.
I think Gothic novels are just not my cup of tea. All my experience with Gothic novels makes me think people at that time are unbelievable, and unbelievably simple-minded.
The Legend of the Seventh Virgin is a story about a social-climbing heroin, or anti-heroin, if you may. Kerensa Carlee will do whatever it takes to get what she desires, which, in the story, is mostly about the fear of being looked down. I'm not particularly into reading damsel in distress, and I can say I always prefer heroins with strong characters, but Kerensa is very difficult to relate. All her choices seem very weird to me. She's emotional and judgemental. She doesn't care about people when it's against her benefits. She only find others lovely when she's been helped in some way. Yes, I'm saying she's shallow. I'm not even sure if the author likes her at all. You can write about flawed characters, but you have to love them. I love Nick Hornby so much because he cares deeply about his shallow characters. And I love them, too.
It certainly doesn't help that the story is told in first person narrative, because there isn't much about the story that you can't predict. And as I grew less attached about Kerenza as the story goes, reading a story following how she feels and thinks is not much fun. I remember thinking, at some point of my reading, I really don't want to get into her mind. It's not a beautiful place.
It reminds me greatly of Wuthering Heights, and slightly of Jane Eyre. I read both as a child and did not understand why people like them. Especially Wuthering Heights, not a single character is understandable or likeable. They spend most of their lives hating people, hurting people they hate and hurting people they love. I just don't get it AT ALL.
I think Gothic novels are just not my cup of tea. All my experience with Gothic novels makes me think people at that time are unbelievable, and unbelievably simple-minded.
February 14, 2020
I´m a huge fan of Victoria Holt, I read most of her books (in icelandic) when I was 12-14. This one always stood out to me and I´ve thought of it as one of my top 3. Now for some reason I have never re-read it, but I always planned to, and so recently I chose it as "a book with a number in the title" for a reading challenge I´m doing. I finished it in two days and I must say that it holds up completely. Better than I had dared to hope since it´s been such a long time. The story is perfectly paced, the interwoven legend is massively cool, and most if not all the "stock" characters VH loves to use are present and accounted for, and there´s even a witchy grandma who helps the heroine along. I like Kerensa Carlee. Some have said she is a little like Scarlet O´ Hara, but I´m not sure I could go that far. I happened to love the bitchy-ness of Scarlet so I didn´t get bothered by Kerensa at all. I found it interesting how she´s basically using "the secret" to further her ambitions, and it´s a lot sweeter and not as ruthless when it´s happening to a poor girl who loves her friends in the english country side. The murder plot is one of VH´s scariest and best, but I wonder how easy it would have been to figure out now, 25 years later, if I was reading it for the first time, than it was when I was 12... I remember it being such a surprise but now I could see huge signs, but I can´t be sure since I never forgot that part.
September 9, 2010
I have to admit myself rather unimpressed by this book. It was a good story, but rather too much of one of those wandering romances than what it should've been. The main character is a narcissist with a god-complex and just plain irritating to boot (and there's a funny expression - my dictionary of idioms gives an explanation but no etymology unfortunately). What I think was meant to be a twist at the end was blazingly obvious and the final couple of chapters were just plain anticlimatic.
Frankly, the book would've been far better if the nutcase had managed to wall her up and we'd been able to witness her last suffocating moments. Possibly that's not very nice, but it would've made for a better book!
Anyway, this is one that I don't regret reading, but won't bother to recommend because it's just not that good.
Frankly, the book would've been far better if the nutcase had managed to wall her up and we'd been able to witness her last suffocating moments. Possibly that's not very nice, but it would've made for a better book!
Anyway, this is one that I don't regret reading, but won't bother to recommend because it's just not that good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2010
I picked a pretty decent Holt to start with. I had been interested in reading the author since Lauren Willig (whose Pink Carnation books I adore) mentioned that a Holt book was an influence on her Night Jasmine installment in the Pink series. The Legend of the Seventh Virgin is always engaging and has a nice tone of melodrama throughout. The lead character is a bit problematic, though she has a great name: Kerensa Carlee. Appropriately soap opera-ish, no? She is complex but not likeable enough in the end to really feel sorry for her. The Cornish setting here is fantastic, and the style of Holt's writing is good. I might try more Holt sometime soon, so four stars overall.
April 3, 2016
Books written by Victoria Holt are so cheesy, but sometimes that's exactly what you need. I've read a loooot of her books when I was 14/15 years old..that was the last time I've read them. I absolutely loved them at the time. I'm thinking of reading one of her books just for the old times sake! =)
June 24, 2014
This was a great story. Didn't end like the other Victoria Holt books I have read so far but it made me love it more for that reason.
May 30, 2021
𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: The Legend of the Seventh Virgin
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: Victoria Holt
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Historical Fiction, Gothic Romance
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Set during the Victorian era, the book “The Legend of the Seventh Virgin” by Victoria Holt belongs to the genre of historic fiction and gothic romance. The story is told in the first-person narrative through the perspective of an orphan girl Kerensa Carlee who happens to be the protagonist cum antagonist of the story and lives in the small cottage in a Cornish village with her younger brother and grandmother in extreme poverty. Kerensa is obsessed with the idea of becoming the mistress of St. Larnston’s Abbas, a huge mansion belonging to the St. Larnstons’ family for a long time. This fascination of her for the house and St. Larnston’s estate is mainly because of the story of the seven virgins who rebelled against the church by breaking their vows and losing their virginity for which they were punished. Six of them were turned into the stone (present in the Abbass) while the seventh one was walled up in St. Larnston Abbas, and whose bones are found centuries later from there. Kerensa identifies herself with the seventh virgin because she believes herself to be as rebellious, powerful, and different from the rest of the people around her as was the nun. Hence, for her, this dream of becoming the mistress of the Abbass is above everything, even above her best friend Mellyora, the daughter of a Parson who is much higher in rank to Kerensa, and who considers her as a sister.
I found this book quite different from Holt’s other works and so far the best out of the ones I have read. Usually, Holt’s books are narrated from the perspective of a female protagonist who is a saintly figure yet a powerful and empowered woman, however, this book is quite opposite to her usual storyline as it is told through the perspective of the protagonist who is a grey character. In fact, she is much towards the darker side to the extent that she can be considered as the antagonist of the story. Her dream is fulfilled as a result of some stroke of luck, chance, and fate, however, she believes it is because she is some special being and thus uses her gifts in a wrong way. In short, she is a narcissist, who wants not only to control her life but also of those around her. She is quite manipulative and wants the world to revolve around her. I found her somewhat like a tragic heroine whose hamartia was her hubris and belief that power can be a substitute for love. She only recognizes one sort of love and that is her love for her position as the lady of the St. Larnstons Abbas. In order to maintain that position, she commits all sorts of wrongs even marries the wrong person whom she does not even love.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was like reading from the perspective of the villain while she manipulates the lives of so many people around her including her best friend Mellyora who could have been the heroine of the story due to her angelic character. I found Mellyora to be a foil to Kerensa’s character as although they are of the same age yet she is loving, selfless, and innocent while Kerensa is her complete opposite as she is a selfish, self-centered, cunning, and manipulative girl. All she cares or thinks about is herself. However, Kerensa’s character is quite dynamic and undergoes many changes from first being kind and loyal, to selfish and cunning, and then finally accepting her fate and moving on with her life.
It was a great read with a satisfying ending. I find this book to be the best-written work of Holt out of the ones I have read so far. It has all the elements of gothic, mystery, horror, and a touch of romance. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and was up till 4:00 AM in the morning to finish it. So, you can guess how much I loved this book. Also, reading Holt's books is always refreshing. I love her writing style. I would recommend this book to all those who enjoy reading historic fiction. For me, this book deserves five stars 😁
𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: The Legend of the Seventh Virgin
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: Victoria Holt
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Historical Fiction, Gothic Romance
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Set during the Victorian era, the book “The Legend of the Seventh Virgin” by Victoria Holt belongs to the genre of historic fiction and gothic romance. The story is told in the first-person narrative through the perspective of an orphan girl Kerensa Carlee who happens to be the protagonist cum antagonist of the story and lives in the small cottage in a Cornish village with her younger brother and grandmother in extreme poverty. Kerensa is obsessed with the idea of becoming the mistress of St. Larnston’s Abbas, a huge mansion belonging to the St. Larnstons’ family for a long time. This fascination of her for the house and St. Larnston’s estate is mainly because of the story of the seven virgins who rebelled against the church by breaking their vows and losing their virginity for which they were punished. Six of them were turned into the stone (present in the Abbass) while the seventh one was walled up in St. Larnston Abbas, and whose bones are found centuries later from there. Kerensa identifies herself with the seventh virgin because she believes herself to be as rebellious, powerful, and different from the rest of the people around her as was the nun. Hence, for her, this dream of becoming the mistress of the Abbass is above everything, even above her best friend Mellyora, the daughter of a Parson who is much higher in rank to Kerensa, and who considers her as a sister.
I found this book quite different from Holt’s other works and so far the best out of the ones I have read. Usually, Holt’s books are narrated from the perspective of a female protagonist who is a saintly figure yet a powerful and empowered woman, however, this book is quite opposite to her usual storyline as it is told through the perspective of the protagonist who is a grey character. In fact, she is much towards the darker side to the extent that she can be considered as the antagonist of the story. Her dream is fulfilled as a result of some stroke of luck, chance, and fate, however, she believes it is because she is some special being and thus uses her gifts in a wrong way. In short, she is a narcissist, who wants not only to control her life but also of those around her. She is quite manipulative and wants the world to revolve around her. I found her somewhat like a tragic heroine whose hamartia was her hubris and belief that power can be a substitute for love. She only recognizes one sort of love and that is her love for her position as the lady of the St. Larnstons Abbas. In order to maintain that position, she commits all sorts of wrongs even marries the wrong person whom she does not even love.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was like reading from the perspective of the villain while she manipulates the lives of so many people around her including her best friend Mellyora who could have been the heroine of the story due to her angelic character. I found Mellyora to be a foil to Kerensa’s character as although they are of the same age yet she is loving, selfless, and innocent while Kerensa is her complete opposite as she is a selfish, self-centered, cunning, and manipulative girl. All she cares or thinks about is herself. However, Kerensa’s character is quite dynamic and undergoes many changes from first being kind and loyal, to selfish and cunning, and then finally accepting her fate and moving on with her life.
It was a great read with a satisfying ending. I find this book to be the best-written work of Holt out of the ones I have read so far. It has all the elements of gothic, mystery, horror, and a touch of romance. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and was up till 4:00 AM in the morning to finish it. So, you can guess how much I loved this book. Also, reading Holt's books is always refreshing. I love her writing style. I would recommend this book to all those who enjoy reading historic fiction. For me, this book deserves five stars 😁
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2025
Kerensa Carlee, es la hija de un pescador que después de perder a su padre en el mar decide irse a vivir junto con su hermano, Joe, con su abuela, la anciana Be, ellas viven humildemente en una cabaña de barro, en la región existe una mansión de la familia más adinerada, los St. Larnston en esta casa existe una leyenda, de que en un tiempo había sido habitado por 7 monjas, que un día cometieron cada una un pecado imperdonable, salieron a bailar en medio de la noche y 6 de ellas fueron convertidas en piedras, pero una de ellas, a lo que las creencias hablan, recibió un castigo peor por sus actos, siendo emparedada en una de las habitaciones de la mansión, años después una de las pardes fue removida y según los criados uno de ellos alcanzo a ver el cuerpo de la 7ma virgen antes de que se convirtiera en polvo, diciendo así que este ahora fue tocado por duendes y perdiendo un poco su cordura.
Kerensa escucha esto y siendo una niña con mucha decisión y orgullo se metió en la mansión pues quería ver con sus ojos las estatuas de las vírgenes y aquella pared, en donde se mete y se siente como una de ellas, lamentablemente al mismo tiempo pasaban por ahí, Justin, el hijo mayor de los St. Larnston, Jhonny el hijo menor, Kim, un amigo de ellos y Mellyora, la hija del vicario, de quien Kerensa siente celos por su linda ropa y su acomodada figura, Kerensa es descubierta y recibe burlas de los muchachos, pero lo que mas lastimo su orgullo fue la mirada de preocupación de Mellyora.
La abuela Be es vista como una bruja del pueblo al que acuden la gente de bajos recursos por ayuda y medicinas, pero debido a que ha empezado a escasear el dinero, y después de que Joe, quien ama los animales, caiga en una trampa para animales, siendo rescatado por Kerensa y Kim, queda lisiado, como esto paso en los jardines de los St. Larnston decidieron decir que se cayo de un árbol, por lo cual la gente comenzó a perder la fe en la abuela Be, pues decían que si no podía curar a su nieto, quien quedo tullido, de una simple caída a lo mejor iba perdiendo su poder, razón por la cual dejaron de recibir ayuda de los aldeanos, esto lleva a Kerensa a tragarse su orgullo y subirse a las tarimas para ofrecerse como criada, su abuela contándole un poco de su vida, le dice que el abuelo de Justin y Jhonny se había encaprichado con ella, y que tuviera cuidado de esa familia, estando en la tarima se da cuenta que los criados de los St. Larnston están buscando cocineras y cuando están cerca de ella Mellyora la ve y le ofrece ir con ella a la vicaría, sellando así el destino de cada una, pues comenzaran una linda amistad donde Mellyora ayudara a Kerensa a superarse como persona, pero Kerensa siempre ambicionara más, entre más va creciendo su deseo y obsesión por la mansión y las vírgenes ira en aumento dispuesta a moldear su destino dependiendo de sus intereses.
Tengo sentimientos encontrados con este libro, por un lado siento que falto un poco mas de historia referente a las vírgenes, si bien varios sucesos importantes pasaron ahí, siento que la historia no fue tan entorno a esto, por otra parte Kerensa pasa a ser una antagonista, un tanto orgullosa y ambiciosa, Mellyora también a ratos me desesperaba, pues la hacían ver tan santa junto con Justin, pero ya me esperaba los sucesos del final, así que no hubo un giro como tal en la trama, además sentí que era muy largo y muchas cosas, mas del final, las sentí como relleno, o había demasiados sucesos que al final no sentí que los necesitaba, lo bueno es que cierra todos los giros en las tramas que había
Kerensa escucha esto y siendo una niña con mucha decisión y orgullo se metió en la mansión pues quería ver con sus ojos las estatuas de las vírgenes y aquella pared, en donde se mete y se siente como una de ellas, lamentablemente al mismo tiempo pasaban por ahí, Justin, el hijo mayor de los St. Larnston, Jhonny el hijo menor, Kim, un amigo de ellos y Mellyora, la hija del vicario, de quien Kerensa siente celos por su linda ropa y su acomodada figura, Kerensa es descubierta y recibe burlas de los muchachos, pero lo que mas lastimo su orgullo fue la mirada de preocupación de Mellyora.
La abuela Be es vista como una bruja del pueblo al que acuden la gente de bajos recursos por ayuda y medicinas, pero debido a que ha empezado a escasear el dinero, y después de que Joe, quien ama los animales, caiga en una trampa para animales, siendo rescatado por Kerensa y Kim, queda lisiado, como esto paso en los jardines de los St. Larnston decidieron decir que se cayo de un árbol, por lo cual la gente comenzó a perder la fe en la abuela Be, pues decían que si no podía curar a su nieto, quien quedo tullido, de una simple caída a lo mejor iba perdiendo su poder, razón por la cual dejaron de recibir ayuda de los aldeanos, esto lleva a Kerensa a tragarse su orgullo y subirse a las tarimas para ofrecerse como criada, su abuela contándole un poco de su vida, le dice que el abuelo de Justin y Jhonny se había encaprichado con ella, y que tuviera cuidado de esa familia, estando en la tarima se da cuenta que los criados de los St. Larnston están buscando cocineras y cuando están cerca de ella Mellyora la ve y le ofrece ir con ella a la vicaría, sellando así el destino de cada una, pues comenzaran una linda amistad donde Mellyora ayudara a Kerensa a superarse como persona, pero Kerensa siempre ambicionara más, entre más va creciendo su deseo y obsesión por la mansión y las vírgenes ira en aumento dispuesta a moldear su destino dependiendo de sus intereses.
Tengo sentimientos encontrados con este libro, por un lado siento que falto un poco mas de historia referente a las vírgenes, si bien varios sucesos importantes pasaron ahí, siento que la historia no fue tan entorno a esto, por otra parte Kerensa pasa a ser una antagonista, un tanto orgullosa y ambiciosa, Mellyora también a ratos me desesperaba, pues la hacían ver tan santa junto con Justin, pero ya me esperaba los sucesos del final, así que no hubo un giro como tal en la trama, además sentí que era muy largo y muchas cosas, mas del final, las sentí como relleno, o había demasiados sucesos que al final no sentí que los necesitaba, lo bueno es que cierra todos los giros en las tramas que había
November 20, 2022
In my mind the Victoria Holt book I read as a teenager were all gothic romances. In Reality, this isn’t exactly true. In some of the stories romance serves as an idealized thing that doesn’t quite touch the truth of the story at all. This book is one of those, and might be better described as a gothic retelling of Icarus than a romance at all.
Karenza is a young peasant girl, raised by her grandmother, alongside her young brother she is early on in her life ambitious and obsessed with living in the St. Larnston house. This ambition shapes the entire story, taking her into a friendship with the parson’s daughter, through living in the house as a ladies maid to the wife of the heir, and to ultimately marrying the youngest of the sons. This ambition continues to be at the forefront of her decision throughout the novel, leading to consequences for herself, and ultimately her son.
This continues my trend of generally liking Victoria Holt’s early novels the best. I liked that this one wasn’t a romance actually, and that with the ambition towards betterment being such a prominent part of this story, it highlights the tension between personal happiness and successfully achieving position, something that is seen not just in Kerensa’s actions but in her grandmothers story, her brother’s life, her friend’s life, and ultimately her son’s choices.
Karenza is a young peasant girl, raised by her grandmother, alongside her young brother she is early on in her life ambitious and obsessed with living in the St. Larnston house. This ambition shapes the entire story, taking her into a friendship with the parson’s daughter, through living in the house as a ladies maid to the wife of the heir, and to ultimately marrying the youngest of the sons. This ambition continues to be at the forefront of her decision throughout the novel, leading to consequences for herself, and ultimately her son.
This continues my trend of generally liking Victoria Holt’s early novels the best. I liked that this one wasn’t a romance actually, and that with the ambition towards betterment being such a prominent part of this story, it highlights the tension between personal happiness and successfully achieving position, something that is seen not just in Kerensa’s actions but in her grandmothers story, her brother’s life, her friend’s life, and ultimately her son’s choices.
June 23, 2019
Es la historia q menos me ha gustado de esta autora. Siempre me ha parecido que Victoria Holt tiene un estilo un tanto desapasionado al narrar sus historias, pero siempre han sido muy interesantes y con buen suspense. Con esta novela el problema es q no empaticé con la heroína y ninguno de los personajes masculinos me pareció ni pikito seductor.
Kerense no me dijo nada como heroína y en lo personal creo q tiene más de anti heroína. Es una chica pobre y tiene mucha ambición, pero no hace gran cosa salvo casarse con un segundón, tener un hijo con él y ser muy altanera. Si vas a ser la intrigosa de la historia, se supone q tienes como mínimo q cargarte a alguien. Pero esta chica no hace ni eso. Sí, escondió el juguetito causante del accidente pero por lo menos a mí, no me alcanza para intriga especialmente xq resulta q termina haciéndole un favor a la pobre Mellyora (con quien resultó ser encima de lo más desagradecida) aunq no fue esa su intención original.
Cuestión q después recibe su merecido y todo por lo poco malita q fue, pero la mujer nunca deja de ser soberbia. Me cayó muy mal.
No se pierden de nada si no lo leen.
Kerense no me dijo nada como heroína y en lo personal creo q tiene más de anti heroína. Es una chica pobre y tiene mucha ambición, pero no hace gran cosa salvo casarse con un segundón, tener un hijo con él y ser muy altanera. Si vas a ser la intrigosa de la historia, se supone q tienes como mínimo q cargarte a alguien. Pero esta chica no hace ni eso. Sí, escondió el juguetito causante del accidente pero por lo menos a mí, no me alcanza para intriga especialmente xq resulta q termina haciéndole un favor a la pobre Mellyora (con quien resultó ser encima de lo más desagradecida) aunq no fue esa su intención original.
Cuestión q después recibe su merecido y todo por lo poco malita q fue, pero la mujer nunca deja de ser soberbia. Me cayó muy mal.
No se pierden de nada si no lo leen.
October 25, 2024
Готичний роман у найкращих традиціях жанру і найкращих традиціях Вікторії Голт.
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У нас є легенда про дів (точніше дівчат, які втратили цноту і були покарані за це), шестеро з яких перетворилися на кам'яні брили, а сьому заживо замурували у стінах монастиря. Ця легенда викликає неабиякий інтерес у корнуельської молоді і довкола неї розгортаються основні події твору.
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А подій тут чимало і усі вони переповнені різнобарвними почуттями та емоціями: любов'ю, ненавистю, вірністю, зрадою, щастям, стражданнями, радістю, смутком. Кожен з персонажів прикладає чималих зусиль задля здійснення найзаповітніших мрій. Втім, доля вправно тасує карти, не даючи нікому приховати туз в рукаві — тож кожен отримує те, на що заслуговує.
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Фінал мене потішив, адже і Керенза, і Міллісент засвоїли свої життєві уроки і зуміли зберегти дружбу.
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У нас є легенда про дів (точніше дівчат, які втратили цноту і були покарані за це), шестеро з яких перетворилися на кам'яні брили, а сьому заживо замурували у стінах монастиря. Ця легенда викликає неабиякий інтерес у корнуельської молоді і довкола неї розгортаються основні події твору.
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А подій тут чимало і усі вони переповнені різнобарвними почуттями та емоціями: любов'ю, ненавистю, вірністю, зрадою, щастям, стражданнями, радістю, смутком. Кожен з персонажів прикладає чималих зусиль задля здійснення найзаповітніших мрій. Втім, доля вправно тасує карти, не даючи нікому приховати туз в рукаві — тож кожен отримує те, на що заслуговує.
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Фінал мене потішив, адже і Керенза, і Міллісент засвоїли свої життєві уроки і зуміли зберегти дружбу.
November 28, 2023
Excellent gothic novel: perfectly weighted writing, historically rich setting, psychologically sublte details, complex but seemingly natural and inextricably knotted plot, and most importantly, Holt's great achievement, a first-person protagonist who is not quite an unreliable narrator, and not quite a sympathetic heroine, but somewhere in between.
Somewhat spoiler alert: It's also this last bit that has it four stars, because reading such a novel took a lot of time and investment, and it wasn't a fully satisfying experience at the end! I'm not sure there could have been a different ending, and I'm not saying I'm only happy with perfectly happy endings, but perhaps I would have enjoyed something a little more bittersweet.
Somewhat spoiler alert: It's also this last bit that has it four stars, because reading such a novel took a lot of time and investment, and it wasn't a fully satisfying experience at the end! I'm not sure there could have been a different ending, and I'm not saying I'm only happy with perfectly happy endings, but perhaps I would have enjoyed something a little more bittersweet.
July 5, 2019
I read this about 30 something years ago. I'm not sure what I thought about it at the time, but I was not overly impressed with it with my re-read. In my opinion, this was different from her other books. I guess my biggest problem was the main character. I like for the main character to be likable, or at least to be able to see that there is the possibility that maybe they are just misunderstood. I didn't really pick up on it until the end of the book, but she kind of reminded me of Scarlett O'Hara, while Mellyora was a lot like Melanie. We all knew that Scarlett was selfish, but she was at least likable. Maybe it's just me. The book wasn't bad, it just wasn't one of Holt's better ones.
November 21, 2017
Set in Cornwall, probably mid-to-late 1800's, and narrated by beautiful Kerensa as she spins her rags-to-riches story. She is driven by pride and ambition for those she holds dear, skillfully bending others to her will. She is championed by her wise grandmother and her charitable friend, Mellyora.
As the story winds to a conclusion Kerensa comes to see that perhaps she has not been the spider spinning her web so much as being caught up in a web of which she was unaware.
She reminded me of Scarlet O'Hara in GONE WITH THE WIND, with a more satisfying conclusion.
As the story winds to a conclusion Kerensa comes to see that perhaps she has not been the spider spinning her web so much as being caught up in a web of which she was unaware.
She reminded me of Scarlet O'Hara in GONE WITH THE WIND, with a more satisfying conclusion.
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