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Het familiegeheim van Florence Grace
Florence Buckley woont bij haar oma op de uitgestrekte heidevelden van Cornwall. Ze leiden een simpel maar gelukkig bestaan. Totdat Florence' oma overlijdt, en er een lang verborgen geheim aan de oppervlakte komt: Florence blijkt familie te zijn van de rijke en beruchte familie Grace.
Halsoverkop verhuist Florence van het ruige platteland naar de sprankelende grote stad, waar ze wordt ondergedompeld in overvloedige rijkdom. Al snel blijkt echter dat dit leven een keerzijde heeft, want Florence raakt het contact kwijt met de mensen van wie ze houdt. Nieuwe regels en normen vliegen haar om de oren, en dan is er ook nog de aantrekkingskracht tot de mysterieuze Turlington Grace, die duistere geheimen lijkt te koesteren...
Halsoverkop verhuist Florence van het ruige platteland naar de sprankelende grote stad, waar ze wordt ondergedompeld in overvloedige rijkdom. Al snel blijkt echter dat dit leven een keerzijde heeft, want Florence raakt het contact kwijt met de mensen van wie ze houdt. Nieuwe regels en normen vliegen haar om de oren, en dan is er ook nog de aantrekkingskracht tot de mysterieuze Turlington Grace, die duistere geheimen lijkt te koesteren...
431 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2016
233 people are currently reading
1519 people want to read
About the author
Tracy Rees
11 books560 followersTracy Rees is a Cambridge graduate with a degree in Modern and Medieval Languages. After an eight-year career in nonfiction publishing, she worked as a counselor for people with cancer and their families. Amy Snow is her first novel. She lives in Swansea, Wales.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 243 reviews
May 4, 2016
Tracy Rees has certainly not suffered from the Second Novel Syndrome that has cursed many a writer. I think I might have enjoyed this one even more than Amy Snow. I would read a hundred pages in a sitting before I barely realised I had. (In a good way) The setting is the harsh but beautiful Cornish landscape in Victorian England. I have visited Cornwall several times on holiday and loved it for its scenery which was brought to life in this book.
Florence is a headstrong and spirited young girl in touch with the magic of the moors and her inner voice. (She has a sense of people and flashes of the future) Her life is hard with her Nan, both her parents are dead by the time the story begins with thirteen-year-old Florence. Florence is content but stifled at the same time by her harsh existence. When she goes to help out at a grand house party in the Village her life and destiny are changed forever only a few short years later, when totally alone she is reclaimed by the family who rejected her mother's choice as a husband.
Florence is reluctantly transplanted to London to live with the Graces, not everyone is kind to her or tolerant of her cultural differences. She makes mistakes, but at least she learns from them as well as finding true friends along the way. As much as she becomes accustomed (tolerates) London there is still a strong longing in her heart for Cornwall, the harshness of the city has dulled her gifts and her guiding voice is muted by it.
A satisfying read with a hopeful conclusion.
Florence is a headstrong and spirited young girl in touch with the magic of the moors and her inner voice. (She has a sense of people and flashes of the future) Her life is hard with her Nan, both her parents are dead by the time the story begins with thirteen-year-old Florence. Florence is content but stifled at the same time by her harsh existence. When she goes to help out at a grand house party in the Village her life and destiny are changed forever only a few short years later, when totally alone she is reclaimed by the family who rejected her mother's choice as a husband.
Florence is reluctantly transplanted to London to live with the Graces, not everyone is kind to her or tolerant of her cultural differences. She makes mistakes, but at least she learns from them as well as finding true friends along the way. As much as she becomes accustomed (tolerates) London there is still a strong longing in her heart for Cornwall, the harshness of the city has dulled her gifts and her guiding voice is muted by it.
A satisfying read with a hopeful conclusion.
August 25, 2016
Booktrail map of locations! link: Florence Grace
I love reading Tracy Rees. What a different novel to her first but equally as compelled and with the same charm and wit in her writing. Florrie is very charming and honest - the whole book is in first person so you really get inside her head and live her journey with her. The only way her story could have been told really. She is Cornwall and Cornwall is her and the strength of her will and her perseverance in life is to be admired. She is so in tune with her surroundings that I really felt her pain when she headed to London. Come back to Cornwall I wanted to shout!
There is so much to this novel and it’s a slow but meaty read. Where is Florrie really happy and how does she make sense of the world around her particularly her new world? I did laugh at some of her mistakes in her new role -a bit like when you go to a posh dinner and use the wrong fork but I didn’t laugh at her but with her at the reactions of others and the class lines that existed at the time. Such a disheartening experience it must have been!
Money doesn’t buy true happiness is true in this novel as is another phrase my granny used to say ‘ fur coat and no knickers’. Bit like Old Rilla, who tells it like it is, and Florrie, now florence navigates such pitfalls as only she can.
The trials and tribulations in her life were fascinating to read bout.Those brothers and what Turlington Grace became...well that was the best part of the novel as the ending was nicely unexpected.
I really feel as if I’ve been in a bit of a time travelling journey with Florrie. I really got to know and like her and was really sad to see her go
I love reading Tracy Rees. What a different novel to her first but equally as compelled and with the same charm and wit in her writing. Florrie is very charming and honest - the whole book is in first person so you really get inside her head and live her journey with her. The only way her story could have been told really. She is Cornwall and Cornwall is her and the strength of her will and her perseverance in life is to be admired. She is so in tune with her surroundings that I really felt her pain when she headed to London. Come back to Cornwall I wanted to shout!
There is so much to this novel and it’s a slow but meaty read. Where is Florrie really happy and how does she make sense of the world around her particularly her new world? I did laugh at some of her mistakes in her new role -a bit like when you go to a posh dinner and use the wrong fork but I didn’t laugh at her but with her at the reactions of others and the class lines that existed at the time. Such a disheartening experience it must have been!
Money doesn’t buy true happiness is true in this novel as is another phrase my granny used to say ‘ fur coat and no knickers’. Bit like Old Rilla, who tells it like it is, and Florrie, now florence navigates such pitfalls as only she can.
The trials and tribulations in her life were fascinating to read bout.Those brothers and what Turlington Grace became...well that was the best part of the novel as the ending was nicely unexpected.
I really feel as if I’ve been in a bit of a time travelling journey with Florrie. I really got to know and like her and was really sad to see her go
July 5, 2016
Last year Tracy Rees published her debut novel, the absolutely incredible Amy Snow which was the winner of the Richard and Judy search for a bestseller competition. With such high profile names attached to a book you might be tempted to say sure that was going to sell well anyway and get plenty of attention (which it did) but regardless of any endorsements Tracy’s first read would have been successful anyway as it was a brilliant piece of storytelling hooking you in from the first page until the very last. I remember writing in my review for that book that the author had lots of potential and that Amy Snow was only a teaser of what was to come and with this new book Florence Grace for me the author has confirmed the above statement. The comparisons to my favourite authors Lucinda Riley and Dinah Jefferies, both authors whom if you haven’t read before should definitely be on your radar, are not mentioned for the sake of it they are easily justifiable.
Again like last year’s book the cover for Florence Grace is perfect for the genre and evokes a haunting atmosphere of a girl roaming the moors of Cornwall at one with nature and the surrounding land as she contemplates her future and all that has passed. What follows is a story of transformation and discovery and above all else courage and sheer determination. The reader is taken from the brooding moors of Cornwall to the bustling crowded streets of London and for Florrie Buckley a new name, family and life await. She jumps from poverty to wealth but is that what she really wants or needs? Will this new dramatic world be everything it is cracked up to be or will it prove too much for the country girl so in tune to the landscape around her? Dark secrets are about to be exposed which will test the inner strength possessed by Florence and reading of her journey proved to be exhilarating and intriguing and certainly moved Tracy Rees into my top five favourite authors which is a spot difficult to reach as I can be a harsh judge.
The landscape plays a huge role in this novel and though it may be a cliché to say it, it does almost become a character in itself. Young Florrie Buckley is at one with the moors, the bog, mud, sea mists and the countryside surrounding the tiny hamlet of Braggenstones. Having lost her mother at birth she was raised by her Nan and father and allowed to roam free with her friends Hesta and Stephen. Times were tough in the isolated rural village (if you could even call a tiny cluster of cottages a village) but the people did their best with the land and always worked together. Tragedy seems to follow Florrie around as her father dies and it is just herself and Nan left. Again she turns to what she knows best the wild, craggy moors ‘I had been walking the moors all my life. They had been my refuge through every trial and tragedy’. Florrie’s affinity with the land is evident from the beginning ‘The moors were my soul home, the place I could never be lost’. The wise woman Old Rilla encourages this side of Florrie and teaches her all manner of healing methods using natural resources. Old Rilla is a source of comfort and support to Florrie along with Lacey Spencer who offers lessons to children from her front room. These two women see something in Florrie and wish to nurture it. When Florrie is asked to serve at a party in Truro she meets the other side of the coin to everything she has known the rich and powerful people so vastly different from everything she has ever experienced. There a brief chance meeting with Turlington Grace sparks a feeling/premonition in Florrie. Yes there is a romantic spark but this is something else and her intuition has never left her down before. Then at aged 15 everything changes for Florrie with the death of her Nan and what she had been told all her life is turned on its head as what should have been revealed many years ago finally comes to light. Florrie is actually Florence and related to a wealthy London family and her second name just happens to be Grace. What follows is a story of a girl taken from the world she is so connected to and transported to a life of rituals and rules and conventions which for such a free spirited girl it will prove to be challenging to acclimatise to.
Tracy Rees did a magnificent job of setting the scene for the overall plot, some may think too much time was devoted to Florrie’s early life but I felt it was perfect as we needed to fully understand her background and childhood and the deeply held connection to the people and landscape around her. It also served to show the stark contrast between her old life in the country and the strange yet exciting times that Florence would experience in London. Whilst Cornwall might have been calm and tranquil, London is the complete opposite and a place of wonder for Florence. Yet the house and the relations she finds herself living with seem to be dark and troubled ‘I knew for a certainty that I was never going to be happy in that house’.
There are numerous characters to get to know and to be honest none of them especially appealed to me apart from Sanderson and Calantha as I had such sympathy and understanding for Florence it may well have clouded my judgement of others. Hawker is Florrie’s grandfather who seems offhand and always out to secure the Grace family future, Aunt Dinah with her daughters Judith and Annis treats Florence with sheer abhorrence and more or less views her as an intruder to her cushy life she presumed she had all secure. The manner in which attempts to show Florence the new customs, rituals and ways of speaking was disheartening to read of so I can only imagine how Florence herself felt. Sanderson, brother of Turlington, seemed the most sympathetic to the situation Florence found herself in but he was a man and men at the time had their own role and he couldn’t overrule the way in which Aunt Dinah was forcing the life of the upper class on the free spirited Florence who until this point in time had roamed free to her hearts content. Calantha was a beautiful young girl living in the Grace household but treated like a pariah. Yes she may have been slightly different but her character was written with such compassion that she almost became a kindred spirit to Florence.
Florence feels confined in all senses of the word - the house is like a prison, the freedom of the moors is but a distant memory as Aunt Dinah enforces her way of life upon a girl who should be allowed to be herself. ‘She is a danger to our family, she will tear us apart, mark my words. She has been tainted and it can never be undone’. I felt such sympathy for Florence at the sheer hatred emanating from Aunt Dinah, she was up against a force who wanted nothing but her downfall but she had to make the best of the situation as she could not return to Cornwall. This is where Florence’s strength of character shone through and against all the unkindness shown to her she tries her utmost to make the best of a bad situation and through this she grows in many ways.
In the blurb Turlington Grace was described as enigmatic and to all intents and purposes he was that. He was confrontational yet kept things hidden and seemed to have a connection with Florence for reasons apart from a hint of romance ’Like him, I was set outside the mould not only here but in Cornwall too I had been different’. They appear to be kindred spirits for reasons that became apparent later on but on the other hand I felt Turlington was extremely selfish. He was the one who could have been there for Florence when she needed someone but through circumstances of his own creation he dips in and out of the Grace home in London. As he made brief appearances powerful although they may have been I felt he flitted in and out of the story too much and therefore the reader barely got to know him and understand his way of thinking. We could see how Florence felt about everything but I was never fully convinced of his intentions.
Often the second book following a hugely successful debut can prove to be difficult to write considering the pressure heaped upon the author. It can also mean the reader is left waiting endlessly for the book to be released. Well on both counts Tracy Rees hasn’t fallen foul of these statements, Florence Grace is just as good as Amy Snow even if my only slight issue was that it fell a little bit flat in the middle before picking up the pace and plot to provide an ending that leaves one full of hope and happiness. I loved how the conclusion didn’t go with convention and that everything didn’t follow the path one might have expected. There were twists and turns that kept my interest which was needed after elements of the middle section became slightly repetitive. Some may think did Tracy Rees rush to get this second book out to capitalise on the success of book one? I don’t think this is the case, Tracy clearly has a deep love for writing and just wants to share her characters and stories with as many people as possible.
Florence Grace makes you feel like you have travelled back in time and that you believe Florence really could have existed all those years ago. The story of her transition and growth is compelling and intriguing and she is a character that has you rooting for a positive outcome. Florence Grace is definitely recommended for lovers of historical fiction like myself but also through Quercus’ Summer Reading Challenge I’m sure Tracy Rees will find plenty of new readers who will be equally enthralled as I was.
Again like last year’s book the cover for Florence Grace is perfect for the genre and evokes a haunting atmosphere of a girl roaming the moors of Cornwall at one with nature and the surrounding land as she contemplates her future and all that has passed. What follows is a story of transformation and discovery and above all else courage and sheer determination. The reader is taken from the brooding moors of Cornwall to the bustling crowded streets of London and for Florrie Buckley a new name, family and life await. She jumps from poverty to wealth but is that what she really wants or needs? Will this new dramatic world be everything it is cracked up to be or will it prove too much for the country girl so in tune to the landscape around her? Dark secrets are about to be exposed which will test the inner strength possessed by Florence and reading of her journey proved to be exhilarating and intriguing and certainly moved Tracy Rees into my top five favourite authors which is a spot difficult to reach as I can be a harsh judge.
The landscape plays a huge role in this novel and though it may be a cliché to say it, it does almost become a character in itself. Young Florrie Buckley is at one with the moors, the bog, mud, sea mists and the countryside surrounding the tiny hamlet of Braggenstones. Having lost her mother at birth she was raised by her Nan and father and allowed to roam free with her friends Hesta and Stephen. Times were tough in the isolated rural village (if you could even call a tiny cluster of cottages a village) but the people did their best with the land and always worked together. Tragedy seems to follow Florrie around as her father dies and it is just herself and Nan left. Again she turns to what she knows best the wild, craggy moors ‘I had been walking the moors all my life. They had been my refuge through every trial and tragedy’. Florrie’s affinity with the land is evident from the beginning ‘The moors were my soul home, the place I could never be lost’. The wise woman Old Rilla encourages this side of Florrie and teaches her all manner of healing methods using natural resources. Old Rilla is a source of comfort and support to Florrie along with Lacey Spencer who offers lessons to children from her front room. These two women see something in Florrie and wish to nurture it. When Florrie is asked to serve at a party in Truro she meets the other side of the coin to everything she has known the rich and powerful people so vastly different from everything she has ever experienced. There a brief chance meeting with Turlington Grace sparks a feeling/premonition in Florrie. Yes there is a romantic spark but this is something else and her intuition has never left her down before. Then at aged 15 everything changes for Florrie with the death of her Nan and what she had been told all her life is turned on its head as what should have been revealed many years ago finally comes to light. Florrie is actually Florence and related to a wealthy London family and her second name just happens to be Grace. What follows is a story of a girl taken from the world she is so connected to and transported to a life of rituals and rules and conventions which for such a free spirited girl it will prove to be challenging to acclimatise to.
Tracy Rees did a magnificent job of setting the scene for the overall plot, some may think too much time was devoted to Florrie’s early life but I felt it was perfect as we needed to fully understand her background and childhood and the deeply held connection to the people and landscape around her. It also served to show the stark contrast between her old life in the country and the strange yet exciting times that Florence would experience in London. Whilst Cornwall might have been calm and tranquil, London is the complete opposite and a place of wonder for Florence. Yet the house and the relations she finds herself living with seem to be dark and troubled ‘I knew for a certainty that I was never going to be happy in that house’.
There are numerous characters to get to know and to be honest none of them especially appealed to me apart from Sanderson and Calantha as I had such sympathy and understanding for Florence it may well have clouded my judgement of others. Hawker is Florrie’s grandfather who seems offhand and always out to secure the Grace family future, Aunt Dinah with her daughters Judith and Annis treats Florence with sheer abhorrence and more or less views her as an intruder to her cushy life she presumed she had all secure. The manner in which attempts to show Florence the new customs, rituals and ways of speaking was disheartening to read of so I can only imagine how Florence herself felt. Sanderson, brother of Turlington, seemed the most sympathetic to the situation Florence found herself in but he was a man and men at the time had their own role and he couldn’t overrule the way in which Aunt Dinah was forcing the life of the upper class on the free spirited Florence who until this point in time had roamed free to her hearts content. Calantha was a beautiful young girl living in the Grace household but treated like a pariah. Yes she may have been slightly different but her character was written with such compassion that she almost became a kindred spirit to Florence.
Florence feels confined in all senses of the word - the house is like a prison, the freedom of the moors is but a distant memory as Aunt Dinah enforces her way of life upon a girl who should be allowed to be herself. ‘She is a danger to our family, she will tear us apart, mark my words. She has been tainted and it can never be undone’. I felt such sympathy for Florence at the sheer hatred emanating from Aunt Dinah, she was up against a force who wanted nothing but her downfall but she had to make the best of the situation as she could not return to Cornwall. This is where Florence’s strength of character shone through and against all the unkindness shown to her she tries her utmost to make the best of a bad situation and through this she grows in many ways.
In the blurb Turlington Grace was described as enigmatic and to all intents and purposes he was that. He was confrontational yet kept things hidden and seemed to have a connection with Florence for reasons apart from a hint of romance ’Like him, I was set outside the mould not only here but in Cornwall too I had been different’. They appear to be kindred spirits for reasons that became apparent later on but on the other hand I felt Turlington was extremely selfish. He was the one who could have been there for Florence when she needed someone but through circumstances of his own creation he dips in and out of the Grace home in London. As he made brief appearances powerful although they may have been I felt he flitted in and out of the story too much and therefore the reader barely got to know him and understand his way of thinking. We could see how Florence felt about everything but I was never fully convinced of his intentions.
Often the second book following a hugely successful debut can prove to be difficult to write considering the pressure heaped upon the author. It can also mean the reader is left waiting endlessly for the book to be released. Well on both counts Tracy Rees hasn’t fallen foul of these statements, Florence Grace is just as good as Amy Snow even if my only slight issue was that it fell a little bit flat in the middle before picking up the pace and plot to provide an ending that leaves one full of hope and happiness. I loved how the conclusion didn’t go with convention and that everything didn’t follow the path one might have expected. There were twists and turns that kept my interest which was needed after elements of the middle section became slightly repetitive. Some may think did Tracy Rees rush to get this second book out to capitalise on the success of book one? I don’t think this is the case, Tracy clearly has a deep love for writing and just wants to share her characters and stories with as many people as possible.
Florence Grace makes you feel like you have travelled back in time and that you believe Florence really could have existed all those years ago. The story of her transition and growth is compelling and intriguing and she is a character that has you rooting for a positive outcome. Florence Grace is definitely recommended for lovers of historical fiction like myself but also through Quercus’ Summer Reading Challenge I’m sure Tracy Rees will find plenty of new readers who will be equally enthralled as I was.
March 12, 2017
**3.5**
Considering how little "action" this had in it, it's a testament to the writing that I was never bored. I think it could have been a little shorter, but that might have just been me failing to finish the audiobook during my commute and then only listening to snatches over the weekend when I could.
Considering how little "action" this had in it, it's a testament to the writing that I was never bored. I think it could have been a little shorter, but that might have just been me failing to finish the audiobook during my commute and then only listening to snatches over the weekend when I could.
January 10, 2022
Cornwall, halverwege de 19e eeuw. Florence – Florrie – Buckley is opgegroeid op de uitgestrekte heide van Braggenstones en leidt daar een eenvoudig, eerlijk, gelukkig en vrij leven. Ze heeft in haar jonge leven al veel verlies gekend, maar ze heeft het goed bij haar oma, ze is intelligent en leergierig, ze werkt hard en houdt van de ruige natuur, haar vrienden en het leven op het platteland. Wanneer ze 15 is, krijgt ze een grote schok te verwerken. Haar oma zal binnenkort overlijden en vertrouwt haar een lang bewaard familiegeheim toe: Florence heeft meer familie dan ze altijd heeft gedacht.
Deze onthullingen slaan in als een bom en al snel is Florence onderweg naar Londen om haar intrek te nemen in de grote villa Helicon, bij haar nieuwe, rijke en beruchte familieleden. De familie wil een opstap maken naar de hogere kringen en Florence krijgt direct veel lessen in etiquette, haar vrijheid wordt ingeperkt, ze wordt opgesloten wanneer ze haar tante tegenspreekt, ze moet leren hoe de familie in elkaar zit en ze krijgt te maken met heel wat vijandigheid. Het contrast met haar oude leven is groot en door alle aanpassingsmoeilijkheden worstelt ze met haar identiteit, met de vormgeving van haar nieuwe bestaan. Haar leven neemt opnieuw een wending wanneer ze denkt dat ze haar zielsverwant heeft gevonden. Al heeft hij zijn eigen geheimen…
Florence wordt als personage goed uitgewerkt en haar ontwikkeling wordt erg mooi neergezet. Ze maakt fouten en stort zich soms te snel in situaties of relaties die niet goed voor haar zijn, maar daar leert ze van en ze probeert altijd naar haar hart en haar intuïtie te blijven luisteren. Ze vergeet nooit waar ze vandaan komt, ze heeft weinig vooroordelen, is bereid om zich aan te passen en staat open voor nieuwe ervaringen, ze kent de kracht van vergeving en maakt echte vrienden. Ze groeit uit tot een zelfbewuste, sterke vrouw die weet wat ze wil.
Tracy Rees heeft een prettige, beschrijvende schrijfstijl en schetst de omgeving, het tijdsbeeld en de (dramatische) verwikkelingen binnen een rijke familie Hoewel ik de opbouw van de romance vrij mager vond, ik misschien wat meer actie of verrassingen had verwacht en het familiegeheim wel heel vroeg in het boek is opgehelderd, gebeurt er genoeg om door te willen lezen en is dit een fijne historische roman waarin familieperikelen, vriendschap, liefde, conflicten en persoonlijke groei centraal staan.
3-3.5⭐️
Deze onthullingen slaan in als een bom en al snel is Florence onderweg naar Londen om haar intrek te nemen in de grote villa Helicon, bij haar nieuwe, rijke en beruchte familieleden. De familie wil een opstap maken naar de hogere kringen en Florence krijgt direct veel lessen in etiquette, haar vrijheid wordt ingeperkt, ze wordt opgesloten wanneer ze haar tante tegenspreekt, ze moet leren hoe de familie in elkaar zit en ze krijgt te maken met heel wat vijandigheid. Het contrast met haar oude leven is groot en door alle aanpassingsmoeilijkheden worstelt ze met haar identiteit, met de vormgeving van haar nieuwe bestaan. Haar leven neemt opnieuw een wending wanneer ze denkt dat ze haar zielsverwant heeft gevonden. Al heeft hij zijn eigen geheimen…
Florence wordt als personage goed uitgewerkt en haar ontwikkeling wordt erg mooi neergezet. Ze maakt fouten en stort zich soms te snel in situaties of relaties die niet goed voor haar zijn, maar daar leert ze van en ze probeert altijd naar haar hart en haar intuïtie te blijven luisteren. Ze vergeet nooit waar ze vandaan komt, ze heeft weinig vooroordelen, is bereid om zich aan te passen en staat open voor nieuwe ervaringen, ze kent de kracht van vergeving en maakt echte vrienden. Ze groeit uit tot een zelfbewuste, sterke vrouw die weet wat ze wil.
Tracy Rees heeft een prettige, beschrijvende schrijfstijl en schetst de omgeving, het tijdsbeeld en de (dramatische) verwikkelingen binnen een rijke familie Hoewel ik de opbouw van de romance vrij mager vond, ik misschien wat meer actie of verrassingen had verwacht en het familiegeheim wel heel vroeg in het boek is opgehelderd, gebeurt er genoeg om door te willen lezen en is dit een fijne historische roman waarin familieperikelen, vriendschap, liefde, conflicten en persoonlijke groei centraal staan.
3-3.5⭐️
December 1, 2022
Voor mij was de schrijfstijl net iets te beschrijvend, heel veel details, beschrijving na beschrijving. Ik kan niet zeggen dat het erg vlot leest. Gelukkig is er veel actie en gebeurt er veel om toch door te lezen. Al vond ik het jammer dat het familiegeheim al heel vroeg in het verhaal kenbaar werd gemaakt. Het mocht best wat langr duren om de spanning wat meer op te drijven.
December 31, 2016
This was a great book that I have devoured from the first page,tho it was rather staid and sluggish in the beginning while Florrie lived on the moors but it picked up once she moved to London and became a Grace.
Once Florrie moved to London she had to completely change her ways and everything about who she was to fit in with her new wealthy family. For a long while she rebelled as she was only fifteen and this was a new and strange world. She wanted to go back to Cornwall and the moors.
But gradually over time she becomes a Grace and falls in love with Turlington who is her cousin but isn't.
A lot of the story is left out when u think about it,we never got know this new Florence outside of the Grace family,at balls and with possible suitors. She briefly tells us how she met her fiancé Aubrey after she has told us she is now engaged,bit late telling us now.
There is every little detail in the beginning and then it just starts to skip chunks and months and in places years and only tells us things in brief.
Coming up to the ending everything changes and it's so disappointing. Yes Florence/Florrie always had a keenness to go back to live on the moors but Florrie had changed as a person,she had grown up and she even said herself she couldn't go back to a life with nothing. Life had moved on and changed in places and the story had moved on and evolved,away from the doom and gloom of the moors but just like that she gives it all up to go back to a life on the moors where she can be at one again with the wind and rain.
At times it was was too airy fairy and all tree huggy,I get that Florrie was special and different but for her to embrace a new part of herself and have this new awakening to then have us believe that she has now shed that part of herself and it was all for nothing.
It feels like it was all pointless really,what did she achieve from it,what did she learn from it,what did she gain..obviously nothing if she has ended up right back where she started.
Don't even get me started on the whole Turlington business,kindred spirits from the second they met and for them to end like that was utterly hopeless. What was the point of it all again!
As if the ending wasn't bad enough but to add that utter bollocks epilogue,just makes me ask the question a million more times...what was the point of the whole bloody story in the first place then?!!!
I did enjoy it partially and I really liked Florence partially and there were a lot of great characters that were entertaining so that's why I can give it 3 stars.
Once Florrie moved to London she had to completely change her ways and everything about who she was to fit in with her new wealthy family. For a long while she rebelled as she was only fifteen and this was a new and strange world. She wanted to go back to Cornwall and the moors.
But gradually over time she becomes a Grace and falls in love with Turlington who is her cousin but isn't.
A lot of the story is left out when u think about it,we never got know this new Florence outside of the Grace family,at balls and with possible suitors. She briefly tells us how she met her fiancé Aubrey after she has told us she is now engaged,bit late telling us now.
There is every little detail in the beginning and then it just starts to skip chunks and months and in places years and only tells us things in brief.
Coming up to the ending everything changes and it's so disappointing. Yes Florence/Florrie always had a keenness to go back to live on the moors but Florrie had changed as a person,she had grown up and she even said herself she couldn't go back to a life with nothing. Life had moved on and changed in places and the story had moved on and evolved,away from the doom and gloom of the moors but just like that she gives it all up to go back to a life on the moors where she can be at one again with the wind and rain.
At times it was was too airy fairy and all tree huggy,I get that Florrie was special and different but for her to embrace a new part of herself and have this new awakening to then have us believe that she has now shed that part of herself and it was all for nothing.
It feels like it was all pointless really,what did she achieve from it,what did she learn from it,what did she gain..obviously nothing if she has ended up right back where she started.
Don't even get me started on the whole Turlington business,kindred spirits from the second they met and for them to end like that was utterly hopeless. What was the point of it all again!
As if the ending wasn't bad enough but to add that utter bollocks epilogue,just makes me ask the question a million more times...what was the point of the whole bloody story in the first place then?!!!
I did enjoy it partially and I really liked Florence partially and there were a lot of great characters that were entertaining so that's why I can give it 3 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 6, 2017
After reading The Hourglass and loving it, I wanted to read more from this author and Florence Grace, her second novel, has been another fabulously enjoyable read !
We follow Florence from her life in Cornwall where she has a very simple life and feels totally at home, through her time in London with her new family where she feels like a fish out of water and her only comfort is the friendships she builds up within her new family and the problems that causes.
Family secrets come to the fore and the bitterness from the past is never far away and Florence struggles with her feelings and doesn't seem to know what to do for the best. She is forced to grow up quite quickly and it is fascinating to see her progress from a young child to a confident young woman, but still carries on being such a caring person despite the situations she finds herself in.
I loved the parts of the story set in Cornwall as it was here that you see the content Florrie and you understand why she is so reluctant to move to London as it is completely alien to her.
We follow Florence from her life in Cornwall where she has a very simple life and feels totally at home, through her time in London with her new family where she feels like a fish out of water and her only comfort is the friendships she builds up within her new family and the problems that causes.
Family secrets come to the fore and the bitterness from the past is never far away and Florence struggles with her feelings and doesn't seem to know what to do for the best. She is forced to grow up quite quickly and it is fascinating to see her progress from a young child to a confident young woman, but still carries on being such a caring person despite the situations she finds herself in.
I loved the parts of the story set in Cornwall as it was here that you see the content Florrie and you understand why she is so reluctant to move to London as it is completely alien to her.
July 15, 2016
I listened to this in audio, and five stars to the narrator.
As for the story, I listened to this book after reading Amy Snow (I enjoyed that story). Three stars isn't a negative review. I enjoyed the story, but I wasn't engrossed in it.
Turlington annoyed the daylights out of me-- and I suppose that is what he was supposed to do.
I admired Florie's courage, and how outspoken she was. She was just plain stupid when it came to Turlington.
I see that I am in the minority with reviews that earned four and five stars. I just got a little bored about the middle of the book-- but the very end had an "interesting" ending. I'll leave it at that.
As for the story, I listened to this book after reading Amy Snow (I enjoyed that story). Three stars isn't a negative review. I enjoyed the story, but I wasn't engrossed in it.
Turlington annoyed the daylights out of me-- and I suppose that is what he was supposed to do.
I admired Florie's courage, and how outspoken she was. She was just plain stupid when it came to Turlington.
I see that I am in the minority with reviews that earned four and five stars. I just got a little bored about the middle of the book-- but the very end had an "interesting" ending. I'll leave it at that.
June 27, 2016
"Florence Grace" is Tracy Rees's second novel. Last year I read her debut "Amy Snow" ( I can see a pattern coming here!) and I was totally delighted with this book, and I was so looking forward to the new release. It is always exciting to see how the author manage with the success of the first book and how is the "dreaded" second novel, but no worries here, and even though I think that "Amy Snow" is as yet going to stay the author's biggest success and my favourite of hers, "Florence Grace" is also a piece of a brilliant historical fiction.
"Florence Grace" is set in the beautiful Cornwall and London of Victorian England and the author really brings the times to life, with descriptions of the places, harsh landscapes, difficult times, clothes and lives of the characters - she has incredible, evocative way with words and everything she writes about is vivid and feels like jumping out of the pages at any moment.
There are many characters in this novel, and the author introduces us to new ones throughout the story but as there is a bunch of the main characters it doesn't feel confusing - I didn't feel confused to know who is who, even if the names were mentioned after some time of absence. As in the first book, also here the main character, Florence, is a strong and very spirited young girl. She's intelligent, clever and she knows what she wants. She doesn't care about appearances, which is mostly very clear when she's in London, but she also realises that to survive she must fall into line. There is also a touch of magic to her - she sees flashes of the future and she can sense people, but it doesn't overwhelm her personality and descriptions of her. It felt as if she is a step ahead of all the other people, as if she knows much more than people of the times. Brave, with open heart, I really enjoyed how she settled in to a new life, even though the people - her long - lost family - that were supposed to help her were not so keen on this and were not so tolerant of the differences.
In fact, all the other characters were really brilliantly drawn and it didn't take long for me to start to love or hate them. The author took her time to introduce them to us and I really felt as if I know them all inside out, and I really liked it. There was a depth to them all and all of them had their own complicated personalities and had their own stories and I really appreciate that Tracy Rees hasn't made their lives too easy - they had problems, they made mistakes, they acted and reacted like real people, and all in a way that was so absolutely suitable to the Victorian times.
Tracy Rees has also in a great way captured the differences between the wild, wild moors and the hard and harsh life there, with men working in the mines and women trying to nourish their families, and London, where life at first could seem so much easier and for sure more glamorous, but wasn't it in fact much more difficult than in Cornwall? With all the lies, secrets and keeping appearances? And Florence has seen it immediately, she didn't need any special gift to see this, and as much as she hated to live in lie she's also seen the need to conform. But she's never stopped dreaming about coming back to her roots.
The book started very promising and interesting though there were passages that dragged a bit, but after Florrie found herself in London it went a little downhill. There was one moment that made me laugh out loud when Florrie and her cousin went for an argument but other than that it was kept on a very steady level. I'm not saying the pace was not right because it was, I just had a feeling that we are going in circles about the same things and it spoiled the reading a little for me.
I truly admired the writing style. It is historical fiction, but written in a very accessible, not too pompous way, and I loved when Florence unconsciously switched into her Cornish accent. There are many twists and turns in the story - they must be when you take length of this book into consideration! - though nothing so very life - changing or too dramatic, which is a good thing, as the story flows really smoothly and it keeps the air of realism and possibility - it just sounds genuine. I only have some problems with the ending, which sounded... I don't know, a little weird? Different? Not suitable for this story? I'm not sure, I can't keep my finger on the thing, but it just didn't sit with me and I'm afraid it can confuse some readers. But altogether, I really enjoyed "Florence Grace". It was not as brilliant as the previous book but Tracy Rees kept to her standards and delivered a wonderful, detailed, very well thought through book. There was lots and more in this story. The author is a great story - teller and in Florrie she created a brilliant narrator. We have challenges in this novel, changes with all their ups and downs, searching for your own true self, following dreams, friends and foes, love and hate, hope and despair, wealth and poverty, truth and lies and staying true. Tracy Rees is growing in strength and she has found her own, lovely and distinctive voice and she is for sure the one to watch - I am already waiting for her third book.
Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for a review.
December 26, 2024
4.5 stars.
Following on the heels of last year's Amy Snow, Tracy Rees has written Florence Grace. I really enjoyed Amy Snow, although given a choice I do believe this is the one I would want to reread in the future. Florence - the heroine of the story is a spirited young woman, she takes the knocks that come her way and remains standing - in herself.
We first meet her in Cornwall, the place she loves. Already she has learned about love and friendship from her Nan, her teacher and the wise old woman Rilla. When she is scooped up and taken to London she is totally out of her depth. Isn't it a dream to finally find you belong to a rich family? Well, it depends on what they are like! This one - ruled by an iron fist of a wily old patriarch, it is rather a dark place. And the city is so foreign to Florence with her love of being outdoors and in nature.
She is treated quite cruelly really and yet... is not broken. She makes a friend with a young woman - Rebecca who while being a great friend has some wisdom that Florence thinks about and acts on. She also befriends one of the family who is totally disregarded by the rest of the family, relates well to Sanderson one of her cousins and falls in love with Turlington her other cousin. However Turlington is a dark character, deeply wounded by his past and perhaps in spite of loving and being loved is somehow incapable of redemption. Together they befriend a young boy - Jacob, someone who has a wounded past as well. What will become of him?
The story underlined the importance of life and that it is what we make of it. Each of us is important, yet we have that amazing ability to choose how we live it. We can be dragged down or ... we can stand with spirit and live this amazing life fully. Each character makes those choices and many of them were heart warming. Kindness never goes amiss.
I loved the descriptions of nature, Tracy Rees has a gift for bringing the countryside alive and as well taking me away to Victorian England with the riches and poverty of that time. It was totally worth reading and I know one day I will want to return and pick it up again.
Following on the heels of last year's Amy Snow, Tracy Rees has written Florence Grace. I really enjoyed Amy Snow, although given a choice I do believe this is the one I would want to reread in the future. Florence - the heroine of the story is a spirited young woman, she takes the knocks that come her way and remains standing - in herself.
We first meet her in Cornwall, the place she loves. Already she has learned about love and friendship from her Nan, her teacher and the wise old woman Rilla. When she is scooped up and taken to London she is totally out of her depth. Isn't it a dream to finally find you belong to a rich family? Well, it depends on what they are like! This one - ruled by an iron fist of a wily old patriarch, it is rather a dark place. And the city is so foreign to Florence with her love of being outdoors and in nature.
She is treated quite cruelly really and yet... is not broken. She makes a friend with a young woman - Rebecca who while being a great friend has some wisdom that Florence thinks about and acts on. She also befriends one of the family who is totally disregarded by the rest of the family, relates well to Sanderson one of her cousins and falls in love with Turlington her other cousin. However Turlington is a dark character, deeply wounded by his past and perhaps in spite of loving and being loved is somehow incapable of redemption. Together they befriend a young boy - Jacob, someone who has a wounded past as well. What will become of him?
The story underlined the importance of life and that it is what we make of it. Each of us is important, yet we have that amazing ability to choose how we live it. We can be dragged down or ... we can stand with spirit and live this amazing life fully. Each character makes those choices and many of them were heart warming. Kindness never goes amiss.
I loved the descriptions of nature, Tracy Rees has a gift for bringing the countryside alive and as well taking me away to Victorian England with the riches and poverty of that time. It was totally worth reading and I know one day I will want to return and pick it up again.
November 26, 2016
"...I have come to believe that we can only really save ourselves - though if we are wise we will accept help where it is offered."
This is just one of many of the passages in Tracy Rees second novel that I bookmarked, so strong is the subtle wisdom of her words. I really enjoyed following the fortunes of the protagonist of this book, from wild, windswept Cornish Florrie Buckley, to refined London heiress Florence Grace. Tracy Rees is a very gifted writer and her research into the period placed me right there, helping me to immerse myself deeply into Victorian life and customs. But more than that, I was moved by how Rees points to so many universal truths in her story, several of which I am sure will stay with me. For example, how you don't have to like people to feel empathy for them.
I found that the pace faltered half way through the novel, slowing down the action a little and I felt that it may have benefited some tighter editing. That being said, the pace did pick up once more and I was won over again. I loved how the novel ended. Her descriptions of Cornwall I found particularly strong and I loved her characters from there, particularly Old Rilla.
Well done Tracy, I look forward to the next novel!
This is just one of many of the passages in Tracy Rees second novel that I bookmarked, so strong is the subtle wisdom of her words. I really enjoyed following the fortunes of the protagonist of this book, from wild, windswept Cornish Florrie Buckley, to refined London heiress Florence Grace. Tracy Rees is a very gifted writer and her research into the period placed me right there, helping me to immerse myself deeply into Victorian life and customs. But more than that, I was moved by how Rees points to so many universal truths in her story, several of which I am sure will stay with me. For example, how you don't have to like people to feel empathy for them.
I found that the pace faltered half way through the novel, slowing down the action a little and I felt that it may have benefited some tighter editing. That being said, the pace did pick up once more and I was won over again. I loved how the novel ended. Her descriptions of Cornwall I found particularly strong and I loved her characters from there, particularly Old Rilla.
Well done Tracy, I look forward to the next novel!
September 12, 2017
Una lettura un po' deludente, soprattutto la parte centrale in cui Florence va a vivere dai Grace, con qualche personaggio non proprio empatico (Tarlington), situazioni e dinamiche poco convincenti. Eppure aveva un grosso potenziale che, secondo me, è stato un po' vanificato.
October 22, 2018
I wholeheartedly agree with one of the other readers, Renita D'Silva who says "Beautiful book, brilliantly written." This book will stay with me for a long time to come.
January 23, 2019
Lo scruto negli occhi e vedo costellazioni.
Non è una delle cose più belle al mondo?
January 2, 2022
Wat een prachtige roman!
September 26, 2021
Schreiben kann die Autorin, aber es war trotzdem zu langatmig und die Cathy und Heathcliff-Vibes aus Sturmhöhe waren mir einfach too much. Teile des Buchs haben mir echt gut gefallen, so ist es nicht. Aber ich habe mich die meiste Zeit nur durchgequält und war genervt und hätte lieber was anderes gelesen, daher nur ein Okay-Buch für mich.
August 16, 2018
The main problem with this book is that it has almost no plot. Briefly summarised: girl moves from Cornwall to London, learns to be a 'lady', then moves back to Cornwall. Sometimes this is OK if the ideas and characters are extremely well-written, but sadly that wasn't the case for me here.
It started so well, with lots of great possibilities for plot development being woven in - Florrie's 'fey' ability to know things about people, the dark warnings about her younger female cousin being dangerous despite seeming just silly, Old Rilla's prophecies about Florrie's involvement with the Graces, the beautiful and slightly mysterious Calantha, Florrie and Turlington's Cathy-and-Heathcliff-like 'immortal' love... absolutely none of these were developed and I really had to force myself to finish listening to this book (on Audible) about half way through.
I found myself wishing this had been structured more as a dual-time novel so that someone in the present day was finding out about Florrie in the past, as this might have added more interest. I just didn't understand the purpose of Florrie telling her story, and didn't feel she had much agency in the plot until deciding to move back to Cornwall at the end. Actually I think Calantha's perspective would have been much more interesting to hear as it just kind of randomly got resolved at the end. Also in terms of plot, it ended about 5 times, each time more vague and wistful than the last.
Florrie herself I found quite irritating; she had 'the gift' of some sort, believed she and Turlington had known each other in previous lives, then seemed to have no compunction about leaving him to get on with it and have the EXACT same instant falling-in-love experience with a random dude right at the end. Also, she was constantly being described as 'beautiful' with little explanation of why, or of her other characteristics, and I just thought this was irritating (perhaps because I generally prefer a more Jane Eyre-type character; much more realistic!).
Overall, I was disappointed, as I quite liked 'Amy Snow'. Imogen Church's excellent narration kept me going and brought the characters to life.
It started so well, with lots of great possibilities for plot development being woven in - Florrie's 'fey' ability to know things about people, the dark warnings about her younger female cousin being dangerous despite seeming just silly, Old Rilla's prophecies about Florrie's involvement with the Graces, the beautiful and slightly mysterious Calantha, Florrie and Turlington's Cathy-and-Heathcliff-like 'immortal' love... absolutely none of these were developed and I really had to force myself to finish listening to this book (on Audible) about half way through.
I found myself wishing this had been structured more as a dual-time novel so that someone in the present day was finding out about Florrie in the past, as this might have added more interest. I just didn't understand the purpose of Florrie telling her story, and didn't feel she had much agency in the plot until deciding to move back to Cornwall at the end. Actually I think Calantha's perspective would have been much more interesting to hear as it just kind of randomly got resolved at the end. Also in terms of plot, it ended about 5 times, each time more vague and wistful than the last.
Florrie herself I found quite irritating; she had 'the gift' of some sort, believed she and Turlington had known each other in previous lives, then seemed to have no compunction about leaving him to get on with it and have the EXACT same instant falling-in-love experience with a random dude right at the end. Also, she was constantly being described as 'beautiful' with little explanation of why, or of her other characteristics, and I just thought this was irritating (perhaps because I generally prefer a more Jane Eyre-type character; much more realistic!).
Overall, I was disappointed, as I quite liked 'Amy Snow'. Imogen Church's excellent narration kept me going and brought the characters to life.
August 9, 2016
The way Florrie talked about the moors sure made me want to visit them. And I loved her connection to them, and nature in general. How she longed for it all when she was stuck inside. She was not a city girl, and that never changed. But I am getting ahead of things.
The book was told through first person and it worked so well, it was also as if she told the story looking back at things. The story flowed and it was hard to put down, I really needed to know how Florrie's life would turn out.
Because we all know there will be sadness. She is an orphan living with her gran. Then she finds out she is related to the mighty Grace family and they want her back. A notorious family, and not a kind one. Well there were a few kind ones, but still those years will not be easy. From rich to poor. From her beloved countryside to stiff London where you can not go out. But there will also be love, but this is not a romance, I will leave you with that.
There are sure some interesting characters in this one, good ones, bad ones, rotten ones, strange ones. And as for Florrie, she stays true to herself, and I liked that. Through good and bad, and at last, finding her own destiny.
This would make a great tv-series btw, I'd watch it. Do you hear me Britain?
A story you can not put down.
The book was told through first person and it worked so well, it was also as if she told the story looking back at things. The story flowed and it was hard to put down, I really needed to know how Florrie's life would turn out.
Because we all know there will be sadness. She is an orphan living with her gran. Then she finds out she is related to the mighty Grace family and they want her back. A notorious family, and not a kind one. Well there were a few kind ones, but still those years will not be easy. From rich to poor. From her beloved countryside to stiff London where you can not go out. But there will also be love, but this is not a romance, I will leave you with that.
There are sure some interesting characters in this one, good ones, bad ones, rotten ones, strange ones. And as for Florrie, she stays true to herself, and I liked that. Through good and bad, and at last, finding her own destiny.
This would make a great tv-series btw, I'd watch it. Do you hear me Britain?
A story you can not put down.
May 10, 2024
I absolutely love Tracey Rees books. They are everything I loved about reading when I was a child and teenager mixed with what I love most about reading now. Wonderfully detailed characters, atmospheric settings and stories of striving, surviving and thriving.
June 21, 2022
Wishing a terrible death on her horse already on the second page doesn't make the protagonist very likeable
April 27, 2017
Die kleine Waise Florrie wächst bei ihrer Großmutter in Cornwall in einfachen, aber liebevollen Verhältnissen auf.
Doch als Florrie etwa elf Jahre alt ist, erkrankt auch ihre Großmutter schwer. Kurz vor ihrem Tod klärt sie ihre Enkelin über deren Herkunft auf. Florries Mutter entstammt einer vornehmen Familie, die das Mädchen nun zu sich nach London nehmen wird.
Aus Florrie Buckley wird nun Florence Grace.
Das junge, ungestüme Mädchen hat viel zu lernen und nicht alle der neuen Verwandten sind ihr wohl gesonnen. Doch zum Glück gibt es auch Turlington, Florries Cousin, Enfant terrible und Erbe der Familie Grace....
Meine Meinung: Schon auf den ersten Seiten fühlt sich der Leser ins historische England zurück versetzt, so bildhaft beschreibt Tracy Reeves die zwar ärmliche, doch glückliche Kindheit der aufgeweckten kleinen Florrie.
Das erste Drittel des Buches hat mir nicht nur besonders gut gefallen, es hat mich regelrecht verzaubert und ich konnte Florence' spätere jahrelange Sehnsucht nach der komischen Landschaft gut nachvollziehen.
Auch ihre erste Zeit in London und ihre Entwicklung zu einer jungen Dame war interessant und glaubwürdig beschrieben.
Etwas anstrengend fand ich jedoch die Liebesgeschichte zwischen Florence und Turlington. Hier war mir es irgendwann zu viel des Guten. Unterstrichen wurde das durch den phasenweise übertrieben blumigen Sprachstil der Autorin.
Den Seufzer: "O, Turlington!" mochte ich nach der x-ten Wiederholung einfach nicht mehr lesen. (Leserinnen mit einer ausgeprägten romantischen Ader wird es aber möglicherweise gar nicht so sehr stören…)
Insgesamt passt aber der Sprachstil in die damalige Zeit und auch zur Geschichte.
Die Weiterentwicklung von Florence zu einer selbstbestimmten Frau, die schließlich ihre Erfüllung findet, hat mich dann wieder mit der Geschichte versöhnt, so dass ich mit gutem Gewissen für vier von fünf Sternen vergeben kann.
August 26, 2017
Questo è l'incipit del bellissimo libro che ho finito di leggere ieri sera.
Tracy Rees si rivela ancora una volta un'eccelsa narratrice.
"Cornovaglia, 1850. Florrie Buckley è una giovane orfana di tredici anni che vive con la nonna materna, Nan, a Braggenstone, sperduto villaggio negli angoli più remoti della Cornovaglia. A tredici anni, lavorando come cameriera a una festa in una sfarzosa villa, Florrie incontra per la prima volta Sanderson e Turlington Grace, un incontro che la ragazzina considera in qualche modo collegato alla sua vita. Confidandosi con la nonna, Florrie apprende una sconvolgente verità: sua madre Elizabeth era una Grace. Preoccupata per il futuro di Florrie, Nan, a cui non resta molto da vivere, scrive a Hawker Grace, il nonno, che accetta di prendersi cura della nipote. Tutto è destinato a cambiare molto rapidamente per Florrie, che deve lasciare la sua amata Cornovaglia per raggiungere i Grace a Londra. L'accoglienza a Helicon, la dimora dei Grace, è piuttosto fredda e ben presto iniziano gli screzi con l'austera e severa famiglia Grace. L'unico con cui Florrie, ora divenuta Florence, sembra entrare in sintonia è Turlington, il quale tuttavia nasconde lati oscuri e un'anima inquieta, che lo portano a dileguarsi senza preavviso...
Tracy Rees si rivela ancora una volta un'eccelsa narratrice.
"Cornovaglia, 1850. Florrie Buckley è una giovane orfana di tredici anni che vive con la nonna materna, Nan, a Braggenstone, sperduto villaggio negli angoli più remoti della Cornovaglia. A tredici anni, lavorando come cameriera a una festa in una sfarzosa villa, Florrie incontra per la prima volta Sanderson e Turlington Grace, un incontro che la ragazzina considera in qualche modo collegato alla sua vita. Confidandosi con la nonna, Florrie apprende una sconvolgente verità: sua madre Elizabeth era una Grace. Preoccupata per il futuro di Florrie, Nan, a cui non resta molto da vivere, scrive a Hawker Grace, il nonno, che accetta di prendersi cura della nipote. Tutto è destinato a cambiare molto rapidamente per Florrie, che deve lasciare la sua amata Cornovaglia per raggiungere i Grace a Londra. L'accoglienza a Helicon, la dimora dei Grace, è piuttosto fredda e ben presto iniziano gli screzi con l'austera e severa famiglia Grace. L'unico con cui Florrie, ora divenuta Florence, sembra entrare in sintonia è Turlington, il quale tuttavia nasconde lati oscuri e un'anima inquieta, che lo portano a dileguarsi senza preavviso...
July 5, 2017
Die zwei Leben der Florence Grace ist das erste Buch von Tracy Rees, was ich gelesen habe, und es hat mir ganz gut gefallen.
Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist flüssig, das Buch hat ein angenehmes Tempo und es gibt viele schöne Beschreibungen der Landschaft des Cornwalls.
Das Buch hat gewisse Parallele zu Mansfield Park von Jane Austen: in beiden Büchern geht es um eine arme junge Frau, die plötzlich aus ihrem Leben gerissen wird und zu den reichen Verwandten umzieht, in beiden Büchern fühlen sich die Protagonistinnen in ihrem neuen Zuhause nicht wohl und in beiden Büchern gibt es eine unerträgliche Tante. Woran sich die beiden Bücher sehr stark unterscheiden, sind die Protagonistinnen selbst. Florence Grace ist viel selbstsicherer und aktiver als Fanny Price, sie nimmt ihr Leben selbst in die Hand und versucht, ihr eigenes Ich nicht zu verlieren. Ich muss zugeben, ich mag Fanny Price nicht sehr, umso mehr war ich von Florence Grace begeistert. Sie ist eine sehr starke und sympathische Protagonistin.
Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist flüssig, das Buch hat ein angenehmes Tempo und es gibt viele schöne Beschreibungen der Landschaft des Cornwalls.
Das Buch hat gewisse Parallele zu Mansfield Park von Jane Austen: in beiden Büchern geht es um eine arme junge Frau, die plötzlich aus ihrem Leben gerissen wird und zu den reichen Verwandten umzieht, in beiden Büchern fühlen sich die Protagonistinnen in ihrem neuen Zuhause nicht wohl und in beiden Büchern gibt es eine unerträgliche Tante. Woran sich die beiden Bücher sehr stark unterscheiden, sind die Protagonistinnen selbst. Florence Grace ist viel selbstsicherer und aktiver als Fanny Price, sie nimmt ihr Leben selbst in die Hand und versucht, ihr eigenes Ich nicht zu verlieren. Ich muss zugeben, ich mag Fanny Price nicht sehr, umso mehr war ich von Florence Grace begeistert. Sie ist eine sehr starke und sympathische Protagonistin.
April 15, 2022
Fijn boek voor een paar mooie dagen lezen in het zonnetje in de tuin. Het boek beschrijft het leven van Florence Buckley, die na het overlijden van haar ouders in Cornwall woont bij haar oma. Als ook die overlijdt ontdekt ze dat ze familie blijkt te zijn van een rijke en beruchte Londense familie.
Die laten haar overkomen als ook Nan overlijdt en Florence ongeveer 14 jaar is.
Florrie is gehecht aan de uitgestrekte heidevelden dicht bij haar huis. Ze kan daar uren blootvoets ronddwalen en verdwaalt er nooit.
Londen is angstaanjagend maar haar grootvader Hawker nog meer. Haar twee nichtjes zijn onvriendelijk en ook haar tante vind haar maar een blok aan haar been. En dan zijn er nog de halfbroers Sanderson en Turlington.
Langzaam vindt ze haar plek in de familie, maar er zijn ook daar familiegeheimen.
Die laten haar overkomen als ook Nan overlijdt en Florence ongeveer 14 jaar is.
Florrie is gehecht aan de uitgestrekte heidevelden dicht bij haar huis. Ze kan daar uren blootvoets ronddwalen en verdwaalt er nooit.
Londen is angstaanjagend maar haar grootvader Hawker nog meer. Haar twee nichtjes zijn onvriendelijk en ook haar tante vind haar maar een blok aan haar been. En dan zijn er nog de halfbroers Sanderson en Turlington.
Langzaam vindt ze haar plek in de familie, maar er zijn ook daar familiegeheimen.
March 27, 2020
I really enjoyed this novel that follows a young impoverished woman from Cornwall to a new but unpleasant privileged life in London. Her ability to infiltrate a new family of intimating and complicated members, her strength and her resilience is tested again and again and many difficult challenges bring her to adulthood. Tracy Rees creates memorable and nuanced characters I always enjoy meeting.
August 24, 2020
I liked this better than Amy Snow! It's not super amazing, it's kind of a coming-of-age story where we follow all the (often tragic) happenings in Florence's life. It's written like she is telling the story herself years after, but it doesn't always feel that way, sometimes it's like it's the present. I'm not completely satisfied by the ending, mainly because I feel there isn't closure for a certain person. Still not bad, though!
May 1, 2018
From the moors of Cornwall to the parlors of London, Florence finds her world uprooted and enters a place she never imagined. The demands of society and family pull her in many directions. I enjoyed the journey with Florence Grace.
June 11, 2020
I listened to this on audiobook. It was fine but not as good as I was hoping it would be, and it was a letdown after reading Amy Snow . The narrator, Imogen Church, was fantastic though.
September 22, 2023
Ik moest er even inkomen, vond het wat langdradig in het begin. Maar verder lezend, begon het boek me steeds meer te boeien. Uiteindelijk heel snel uitgelezen. Een mooi geschreven historische roman over het leven in Cornwall en Londen in de jaren rond 1850.
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