The Amber House

by Mabel Esther Allan

Helen takes a job as secretary to her demanding great aunt in beautiful Rye in Sussex where she has many adventures.

193 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1956

About the author

A prolific British children's author, who also wrote under the pen-names Jean Estoril, Priscilla Hagon, Anne Pilgrim, and Kathleen M. Pearcey, Mabel Esther Allan is particularly known for her school and ballet stories.

Born in 1915 at Wallasey on the Wirral Peninsula, Allan knew from an early age that she wanted to be an author, and published her first short stories in the 1930s. Her writing career was interrupted by World War II, during which time she served in the Women's Land Army and taught school in Liverpool, but the 1948 publication of The Glen Castle Mystery saw it begin to take off in earnest. Influenced by Scottish educator A.S. Neill, Allan held progressive views about education, views that often found their way into her books, particularly her school stories. She was interested in folk dance and ballet - another common subject in her work - and was a frequent traveler. She died in 1998.

Reviews

[Louise Culmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helen, who has just finished a secretarial course, is surprised to be offered a job by her great aunt, Mrs Somerton, who lives in Rye in Sussex. Mrs Somerton lives in a beautiful old house in Mermaid Street, and is planning to write the history of the house and needs an assistant. Helen accepts the job, and she loves the Amber House on sight, and is enchanted by Rye, but Mrs Somerton herself can be trying at times, she is very imperious and used to getting her own way. She is also, for some reason, very keen for Helen to make friends with an unattractive spotty youth called Basil,the son of friends of hers, though Helen has already formed a friendship with the much more attractive Peter Glynde whom she met on the train to Rye. But Mrs Somerton doesn’t like the Glyndes for some reason. Then there is Anderia, the high spirited child who is living with Mrs Somerton while her father, an archaeologist,is away. Anderida is always in trouble of some kind, another worry for Helen. Anderia’s ambition is to find the Amber cup, a valuable ancient artefact which mysteriously disappeared from the Amber House many years ago.
A very enjoyable story with a lovely setting and some agreeable characters, places as always described so well it is easy to enter into Helen’s enthusiasm for Rye, Winchelsea, and the surrounding countryside, and above all for the Amber House.

[JR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Instead of focusing on the younger more adventurous girl, Derry, this book is about Helen a girl just embarking in her adult life with her new job in Rye. We follow her as she negotiates a tricky employer, an unliked would-be suitor, a blossoming understated romance and the scrapes and dramas of the young girl, Derry. I chose this book as it featured Rye, and the descriptions of Rye and Winchelsea were just as appealing as Malcolm’s Saville’s - I half expected some of his characters to appear as cameos! This was an easy to read book and kept me interested throughout. Helen does have some qualms about how to act and react in various situations but this in in keeping with her age. However, she does make good choices and trusts her instincts and she is brave and stands up for what she believes is right. I know I could never have moved away from home at that age and been so independent as Helen so I admire that in her also!
I would recommend this if you want to sink into a simpler time, after reading something strenuous!

Further to the actual story book, in this GGB edition, there are pages of illustrations from the original printing, an ‘about the author’ chapter, as well as a bibliography. A chapter of interesting facts and details about the book, place and story is also included making this book a fascinating addition to my shelves!

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book.

I collect Mabel Esther Allan, and this is one of her typical books, young person (age 17-18) is definitely a favourite age of hers, gets the opportunity to go to a new location. There are challenges along the way, but it all comes out right in the end!

If it was just that…. The books could be rather samey! But MEA has the wonderful ability to make places live through her vivid descriptions and just enough variance of interesting characters and happenings, to make the book interesting. I am very happy to add the GGB version to my collection.

[Jane Irish Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coming of age novel with a bit of mystery and romance. Helen, having just finished secretarial school at the age of seventeen[?} is thrilled with the offer of a job as an assistance secretary at a boarding school. But the same mail brings another offer, this from her somewhat estranged great-aunt, who wants to write a book about her historic house in Rye. Somewhat reluctantly, Helen accepts, which changes her entire life.

[Jen Pritchard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming! I’d so like to visit Rye!

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too melancholy for me.

[Carys · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was great reading descriptions about an area I love. I only love the area because I am a massive malcolm Saville fan, so had gone to explore the area.