Taken by the Hand: Scottish Novel

by O. Douglas

Beatrice is a timid, private, and restless young woman from an upper middle class Glasgow family. Her mother's death leaves her an orphan with no close relatives. In months following her mother's death, Beatrice struggles to find a new place for herself. Comes Christmas, Beatrice doesn't feel welcomed at her half-brother's family she considers snobbish, so she chooses to spend holidays with a friendly country family. Having finally found a place she can feel comfortable and be herself, Beatrice builds her confidence and makes new friends.

Genres: Fiction, Christmas

206 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1935

About the author

Born Anna Masterton Buchan, younger sister to the statesman & prolific novelist John Buchan. She began writing in 1911, and published 12 novels and a personal memoir of her brother before her death. Her novels are humorous domestic fiction, focusing on the lives of families in Scotland. Her autobiography was published posthumously, in 1960.

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

2025 Reread: Loved this all over again! It was truly the perfect book to start on Christmas Day and finish on New Year’s Eve. I had forgotten all about the fun inhabitants of Oxlip and Beatrice’s trip to India. What I would give for a sequel! I love O Douglas’s writing style. It’s so easy to read but full of clever insights into human nature and a lovely domestic goodness. Now I cannot wait to reread Penny Plain with the Cozy Reader book club.

January 2024: This is so charming! It has a very similar plot structure to Jane of Lantern Hill and The Blue Castle by LM Montgomery. Like those two books, Taken by the Hand starts off fairly grim for the heroine (grim in a cozy-ish way, haha). Beatrice’s beloved mother has died fairly young (in her 60s) and their home in Glasgow will be sold. Beatrice is well provided for materially but she is now alone in the world except for her much older half-brother and his wife and their two young adult children who live in London. Beatrice is invited to stay with them indefinitely.

Like Jane and Valancy, shy and diffident Beatrice has to put in some time being misunderstood/ignored by her self-interested and frivolous relations before her own story really starts. Beatrice has the good fortune to share a train journey from Glasgow to London with an older woman named Jane Naesmyth who listens kindly to Beatrice’s story and invites her to tea when she is settled in London. At one of these teas, Jane connects her with a young woman named Cicely Sellars. Cicely impulsively invites Beatrice to her family’s home in a village near Oxford for Christmas. Beatrice has been abandoned by her family who are off on a trip to Madeira so she accepts gladly.

The village is called Oxlip and Cicely’s family is her mother, her paternal grandmother, her older, schoolmaster brother, and her young school-age brother. Besides the rather quarrelsome (but still likable) Granny Sellars, the other members of the family make Beatrice warmly welcome and she even stays after Cicely leaves to go back to London to provide companionship to the two older women. Under the influence of the Sellars’ family life and the enthusiasm and kindness of various friends in the village, Beatrice blossoms into a confident, engaging, and tender-hearted young woman. Her transformation is truly lovely to read about. She has some adventures towards the end of the novel and how fun they are!

Definitely recommend for fans of D.E. Stevenson and cosy, insightful, gentle stories.

[Elinor · Rating 4 out of 5]

At times I felt impatient with Beatrice Dobie, a sheltered young woman who never ventured forth on her own because she was so completely overshadowed by her mother. But she grew on me, just as she grew in confidence after her mother died. Anna Buchan, writing as O. Douglas, is my fallback author when I'm between more challenging novels and want something light and entertaining. The author's Scottish settings and Gaelic characters with their homespun ways are endearing, and the time period between the two wars is also appealing. (By the way, I detest this cover with the masculine hand since it has absolutely nothing to do with the book -- at the very least, the publisher could have chosen a woman's hand).

[Gina House · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cozy and just wonderful!!

"And 'Twixt Bears, newly cleaned, smelling of beeswax and turpentine, with all its buttercup-yellow curtains hanging crisply, full of flowers and sunshine and birds' song, was a joyful place to return to."

My first introduction to O. Douglas was reading Eliza for Common. Although I did like that book, I was wondering why so many people loved O. Douglas' writing so much. Eliza for Common was interesting and appealing in many ways, but (for me), it lacked the coziness I was hoping for. It also included many parts written in the Scottish dialect, so that slowed me down a bit while reading it.

BUT...thankfully, Arpita (@bagfullofbooks) suggested a January read-along for 2025 and Taken By the Hand was the novel she chose. Yay!

I truly LOVED this book. All of the cozy details and warm glowing feeling filled my heart while reading this story. There's such a sense of community, friendship, generosity of spirit, peace and comfort found here. I adored reading about Beatrice, Cecily and the Sellars family and, especially, 'Twixt Bears in the town of Oxslip. I wish I could live there with these lovely personalities!

O. Douglas's writing style (with this book in particular) reminded me of a mixture of Molly Clavering's Scottish cozy descriptions with Rosamunde Pilcher's depth of writing about families and relationships, along with a dash of D.E. Stevenson's witty conversational style. (All, of course, are Scottish writers.)

Taken By the Hand is a book you want to read slowly, savor every moment and enjoy with a cup of tea. I was so sad to leave these characters and I wish there was a sequel (or more!) so I could continue knowing them. Highly, highly recommended!

[Alisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gloriously happy, sane, and wholesome book! Definitely recommended for fans of the DE Stevenson style.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reminiscent of D. E. Stevenson. Gentle story with a satisfyingly happy ending.

[Hope · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

A pleasant, light read from one of my favorite vintage authors.

Beatrice is a young women left alone in the world who is "taken by the hand" by several kind people. Unfortunately, the cover art depicts something more akin to a horror story.

[Tuesdayschild · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 - 4 Stars
I found a lovely old copy of this story in a thrift shop, and am so thankful now that I purchased it. Taken by the Hand is my first novel by O. Douglas, and it won't be the last. Douglas' writing reminded me of a more sentimental version of D.E. Stevenson: Stevenson is another favourite vintage era author of mine I turn to for comfort, gentle reading.

To the book....
The Beatrice we meet in the first few chapters reminds me, a little, of L.M. Montgomery's Valency from the Blue Castle, though Douglas' young woman has faith in God undergirding her initial lack of courage and dreepiness. I was pleased that Douglas crafted friends for Beatrice early on in the story: Jane Naesmyth, a single, working woman, and her co-worker, Cicely Sellars, are exactly the sort of friends Beatrice needed to help her develop some confidence; and, Cicely takes Beatrice home to the town she is from, Oxlip, where, hopefully Beatrice will blossom amongst ‘her’ people. The sense of place in this book is en pointe.
The story takes us through a few seasonal changes starting in autumn with the death of the central characters mother, the author has us watching on through winters dreariness – on all fronts in Beatrice’s life - and then Douglas gifts us with a satisfying spring time ending where courage recently gained blossoms and new beginnings are birthed.
Some of the nature writing is lovely, and I adore the character of Mrs. Sellars, she is wrought gold through n through.

A few bookish quotes:
“As Christopher had told Beatrice, Oxlip was at its best in springtime. She had thought it was perfect in drearnighted December, but now, with the greening trees, the woods starring with primroses and anemones, celandines brightening with their yellow gloss shadowy corners, and above all, the daffodils standing valiantly in great clumps, armies of then, now it was of an enchanting loveliness.” pg307

“Beatrice smiled at her schoolmaster as she said, ‘It hardly seems right to be so happy in these anxious times, when so many people are miserably anxious.’
‘Be happy,’ said Mrs. Sellars, ‘and be humble and grateful. Happiness helps every one who comes in contact with it, it keeps alive faith and hope: that is why a happy book is such a gift to the world.’” pg308

“Yes, I'll go, " Mrs. Sellars said, nodding her head in a determined manner. "I'm learning in my old age the wisdom of gathering rosebuds while we may.” pg 316

** Read for Spinster September 2024.

[Jennifer Ritchie · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Beatrice smiled at her schoolmaster as she said, ‘It hardly seems right to be so happy in these anxious times, when so many people are miserably anxious.’

‘Be happy,’ said Mrs. Sellars, ‘and be humble and grateful. Happiness helps every one who comes in contact with it, it keeps alive faith and hope: that is why a happy book is such a gift to the world.’”

[Christine McCann · Rating 4 out of 5]

There isn't a lot of plot, but in the end, A fair amount happens. O. Douglas fans will enjoy this gentle story, and the heroine's blossoming.

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beatrice is a shy, sheltered, and anxious 24-year-old from an upper middle class Glasgow family. Her mother’s death leaves her an orphan with no close relatives. The book portrays Beatrice’s life in the six months following her mother’s death as she tries to find a new place for herself. Feeling unwelcome by her half brother’s snobby family, Beatrice chances upon a friendly country family for Christmas. Having finally found a place she can be herself and feel comfortable, Beatrice builds her confidence and network of friends. By the end of the book she has been “taken by the hand” by several kind people - just as her mother wished.

O. Douglas, the pen name of Scottish author Anna Buchan, is one of my favorite British interwar novelists. I’ve read nearly all of her books, 4-5 of which were republished by Greyladies in Edinburgh. Taken By the Hand is likely out of print. I read a 1936 edition.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read again - one of my favourite O. Douglas books.

[Martyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following straight on from reading Ann and her Mother, this is a return to the O. Douglas I like and enjoy – 'like' rather than 'love'. It's nice and likeable and engaging. Not great, not outstanding, not particularly memorable. But just pleasant and innocent. I find it almost amusing that the book has the disclaimer, 'The characters in this book are entirely imaginary . . . ' when, as in all O. Douglas's books, you feel very much that her characters and their doings are based very much on her own life and people she has known. In this book there are plenty of familiar incidents or scenarios which we have met with many times before and which reappear yet again. It is always advised that authors only write about things within their own experience and O.Douglas re-hashes those same old experiences time and time again. This doesn't really read like a positive review, but it is meant to be one! It's a good book. In some ways it seemed strangely contemporary. Take the following two quotes as instances, which we tend to imagine are the words of our age and not of nearly a century ago: 'The obituary columns were full of people, eighty, ninety, even a hundred. Some one had said not so long ago that ninety now was what seventy used to be, and she had agreed and thought comfortably that she had a long way to go.' Or how about this reminiscence from an octogenarian, “In my young days the country children thought nothing of walking five miles each way to school and were all the better for it; now they're conveyed in motors. I'm told that in some schools they actually ask the children what they'd like to do! No wonder they turn out the sort of young people they do. And are the children any happier? I doubt it.” There's nothing new under the sun, whether in an O. Douglas novel or in real life!

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘It isn’t as if she was a girl with a lot of spirit and enterprise,’ says kindly Mrs Lithgow. Beatrice Dobie has plenty of money and could do anything she wanted - but when her mother dies suddenly, all she can feel is that she doesn’t have a place in the world. Will she find the right people to take her gently by the hand and bring her into a place again?

In some ways Beatrice is a bit of a wet fish, but O. Douglas shows in her how debilitating a lack of self-confidence and fear of intruding and putting a foot wrong can be, and how some gentle nurturing from the right people at the right time can help build up a sense of self that enables Beatrice by the end of the book to step out into a future filled with connections and purpose.

This book seems in some ways to be a retrospect of some of O. Douglas’s favourite fictional settings, taking in the Glasgow of the prosperous merchant class, the London of high society, a quiet English village and a short trip to India, and it’s interesting to see how her take on these places in the mid-30s differs from earlier books. The political and economic climate may be gloomier, but the different young people of the book, from bored debutante Elaine to career girl Cicely, are all alllowed moments of hope. Altogether a pleasant, delicate and quiet read, enlivened by moments of acerbic wit.

[Alana/MiaTheReader · Rating 2 out of 5]

I adored the Rutherford Trilogy by O. Douglas (The Proper Place, The Day of Small Things, Jane's Parlour), especially the first two, and I was prepared to enjoy Taken by the Hand thoroughly, too, but the story was too long for the characters this time...Beatrice was likable to me, but not loveable, the settings lacked the strong sense of place that other books by Douglas have, and overall I was glad when it was over. In the Rutherford Trilogy, I wanted more and more of those characters and places. I will still keep reading O. Douglas's novels because I also really liked Penny Plain and Pink Sugar. Perhaps I had too high expectations going into this one. Still, finding O. Douglas's books feels like a gift to this D.E. Stevenson, Elizabeth Cadell, Susan Scarlett loving reader! The noble strength of character and sensible Scottish people are my jam.

[Lady_bercilak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet old-fashioned story of a shy girl and her development into a woman confident in her ability to befriend others. The background of the depression and the looming threat of Nazi Germany are contemporary circumstances in which the characters (and the contemporary readers of the novel) have no idea what the future will bring. I found it compelling to travel with the readers and see them conducting their lives without the benefit of hindsight that we have today.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beatrice is financially comfortable, but socially very uncomfortable. She has always been at her mother's side. She was not sent away to school. Her closest relative is her step-brother. She lives in Glasgow and he lives in London. She is shy, and his family is never home. Her mother's unspoken wish for Bea, on her deathbed, was that someone would take her by the hand. Bea manages that herself. How? You will see. P.S. I found the cover to be stupid.

[Beatrice · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gentle book with great depth.
Beatrice loses her beloved mother and goes to stay with relatives, and finds them difficult to be with. Works hard at trying to cope with loss.
Then she finds friends who are nearer to her own personality and interests and goes to stay with them.
The story takes us from loss and bewilderment, to awareness, thoughtfulness and confidence.

[Catherine Bond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comfort reading

Such an enjoyable warmhearted book which kept me coming back for more as Beatrice ventured through life on her own.A glimpse into life in the 1930's with all the old courtside of the time

[Eva B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pleasant book where everything comes right in the end.

[Anne Herbison · Rating 3 out of 5]

More easy, comfort reading.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Catie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buddy read on IG hosted by Arpita (@bagfullofbooks) - January 2025

[Heather Ummel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars