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The Hearth and Eagle
"A substantial and well-told story that makes real one of the longest and most vigorous strands in the making of our country." (New York Herald Tribune)
In the mid-1940s, the great historical novelist Anya Seton embarked on a fervent search for her forebears that led her to Marblehead, Massachusetts, a "sea-girdled town of rocks and winding lanes and clustered old houses". There she found not only an ancestor, but also the setting for this, her fourth novel. It is not only the story of Marblehead, from its earliest settlement to Seton's present, and of a family who settled and stayed there in the Hearth and Eagle Inn; it is also the story of Hesper Honeywood, a passionate young woman whose long and dramatic life, full of triumph and tragedy, contained the history of both. In one of her most ambitious novels, Anya Seton here created one of her most memorable heroines and one of her most varied tales.
In the mid-1940s, the great historical novelist Anya Seton embarked on a fervent search for her forebears that led her to Marblehead, Massachusetts, a "sea-girdled town of rocks and winding lanes and clustered old houses". There she found not only an ancestor, but also the setting for this, her fourth novel. It is not only the story of Marblehead, from its earliest settlement to Seton's present, and of a family who settled and stayed there in the Hearth and Eagle Inn; it is also the story of Hesper Honeywood, a passionate young woman whose long and dramatic life, full of triumph and tragedy, contained the history of both. In one of her most ambitious novels, Anya Seton here created one of her most memorable heroines and one of her most varied tales.
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First published January 1, 1948
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About the author
Anya Seton
38 books943 followersAnya Seton (January 23, 1904 (although the year is often misstated to be 1906 or 1916) - November 8, 1990) was the pen name of the American author of historical romances, Ann Seton.
Ann Seton was born in New York, and died in Old Greenwich, Connecticut. She was the daughter of English-born naturalist and pioneer of the Boy Scouts of America, Ernest Thompson Seton and Grace Gallatin Seton-Thompson. She is interred at Putnam Cemetery in Greenwich.
Her historical novels were noted for how extensively she researched the historical facts, and some of them were best-sellers.[citation needed] Dragonwyck (1941) and Foxfire (1950) were both made into Hollywood films. Two of her books are classics in their genre and continue in their popularity to the present; Katherine, the story of Katherine Swynford, the mistress and eventual wife of John of Gaunt, and their children, who eventually became the basis for the Tudor and Stuart families of England, and Green Darkness, the story of a modern couple plagued by their past life incarnations. Most of her novels have been recently republished, several with forewords by Philippa Gregory.
Her novel Devil Water concerns James, the luckless Earl of Derwentwater and his involvement with the Jacobite rising of 1715. She also narrates the story of his brother Charles, beheaded after the 1745 rebellion, the last man to die for the cause. The action of the novel moves back and forth between Northumberland, Tyneside, London and America.
Anya Seton stated that the book developed out of her love for Northumberland. Anya certainly visited her Snowdon cousins at Felton. Billy Pigg, the celebrated Northumbrian piper played 'Derwentwater's Farewell' especially for her. The novel shows her typical thorough research of events and places, though the accents are a little wayward. Anya Seton said that her greatest debt of all was to Miss Amy Flagg of Westoe Village in South Shields, her father's birthplace.
Ann Seton was born in New York, and died in Old Greenwich, Connecticut. She was the daughter of English-born naturalist and pioneer of the Boy Scouts of America, Ernest Thompson Seton and Grace Gallatin Seton-Thompson. She is interred at Putnam Cemetery in Greenwich.
Her historical novels were noted for how extensively she researched the historical facts, and some of them were best-sellers.[citation needed] Dragonwyck (1941) and Foxfire (1950) were both made into Hollywood films. Two of her books are classics in their genre and continue in their popularity to the present; Katherine, the story of Katherine Swynford, the mistress and eventual wife of John of Gaunt, and their children, who eventually became the basis for the Tudor and Stuart families of England, and Green Darkness, the story of a modern couple plagued by their past life incarnations. Most of her novels have been recently republished, several with forewords by Philippa Gregory.
Her novel Devil Water concerns James, the luckless Earl of Derwentwater and his involvement with the Jacobite rising of 1715. She also narrates the story of his brother Charles, beheaded after the 1745 rebellion, the last man to die for the cause. The action of the novel moves back and forth between Northumberland, Tyneside, London and America.
Anya Seton stated that the book developed out of her love for Northumberland. Anya certainly visited her Snowdon cousins at Felton. Billy Pigg, the celebrated Northumbrian piper played 'Derwentwater's Farewell' especially for her. The novel shows her typical thorough research of events and places, though the accents are a little wayward. Anya Seton said that her greatest debt of all was to Miss Amy Flagg of Westoe Village in South Shields, her father's birthplace.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
February 19, 2018
History preserved through fiction
Marblehead today is a yuppie heaven; shiny SUVs ply the tree-lined streets, and over-ample pseudo-colonial mansions crowd their small lots. North of Boston, "Marblehead" has become a synonym for "posh" and "snotty". This is ironic, for I remember it in my childhood, half a century ago, a rough town of drinkers, cursers, and womanizers who didn't give a damn for any outsider's opinion. Marbleheaders could be recognized anywhere by their accent and by certain `code' words. I still think of it in my imagination, strong as the New England rocks that line the shores, the rain dripping into the narrow lanes off the now long-gone elms, mournful seagull cries over the shingled roofs of odd wooden houses by the harbor. That was the Marblehead I knew, full of fields, woods, ponds, and small farms; wildflowers and butterflies; pale red starfish in the tidal pools. Yeah, it's gone now. It's just a shadow of that raffish self.
But if you want to know what it was, if you want to capture the flavor of this, my beloved home, be sure to read THE HEARTH AND EAGLE, which takes you from early colonial days, when Marblehead was a rowdy offshoot of serious Salem, to the 1920s. I won't advise you that this is the best novel you'll ever read, but for sure it is the best one ever written about this town. If you've read it, you'll practically be able to find your way around the winding streets that always lead down to the sea. The author did her research while living at 30 Franklin Street, which her imagination turned into an inn by the name of the title. She may not have been a local, but she certainly captured the flavor of town and depicted a long stretch of Marblehead history through the lives of her characters. If my description grabs you, get hold of this book. Then come visit the town and see how it's changed.
Marblehead today is a yuppie heaven; shiny SUVs ply the tree-lined streets, and over-ample pseudo-colonial mansions crowd their small lots. North of Boston, "Marblehead" has become a synonym for "posh" and "snotty". This is ironic, for I remember it in my childhood, half a century ago, a rough town of drinkers, cursers, and womanizers who didn't give a damn for any outsider's opinion. Marbleheaders could be recognized anywhere by their accent and by certain `code' words. I still think of it in my imagination, strong as the New England rocks that line the shores, the rain dripping into the narrow lanes off the now long-gone elms, mournful seagull cries over the shingled roofs of odd wooden houses by the harbor. That was the Marblehead I knew, full of fields, woods, ponds, and small farms; wildflowers and butterflies; pale red starfish in the tidal pools. Yeah, it's gone now. It's just a shadow of that raffish self.
But if you want to know what it was, if you want to capture the flavor of this, my beloved home, be sure to read THE HEARTH AND EAGLE, which takes you from early colonial days, when Marblehead was a rowdy offshoot of serious Salem, to the 1920s. I won't advise you that this is the best novel you'll ever read, but for sure it is the best one ever written about this town. If you've read it, you'll practically be able to find your way around the winding streets that always lead down to the sea. The author did her research while living at 30 Franklin Street, which her imagination turned into an inn by the name of the title. She may not have been a local, but she certainly captured the flavor of town and depicted a long stretch of Marblehead history through the lives of her characters. If my description grabs you, get hold of this book. Then come visit the town and see how it's changed.
May 31, 2011
Beware the crypto-feminist agenda!
Anya Seton is an author who gets a lot of respect as one of the foremothers of the romance genre. But if you actually haul one of her gigantic, dusty old tomes down from the highest shelf in the back room of the library, you find her real slant on love and romance is frequently either petulant, resentful, or just downright depressing.
This book is a perfect example. The Hearth And Eagle (note the name is a clash of values -- male freedom vs. a woman's hearth and home) is an inn owned by the Honeywood family. And the whole 250 year saga merely serves to illustrate, over and over, how the women are tough enough to survive everything while the men are either bumbling, selfish, stupid, or absent.
Back in the 1630's you have the story of the first Honeywood family -- they would never have come to America at all if the childish, foolish, boyish husband hadn't dragged his gentle, sensitive, decent wife all that way into the howling wilderness! But no worries, he meets a very nasty little accident and she becomes the unquestioned head of the household -- while wearing her martyrdom proudly as the "dutiful wife."
And that sets the pattern for the next 200 years, down to Hesper Honeywood. She has a passionate nature and the body of a goddess, so men are always interested and she has an exciting life. But oh, so sorry, the men are all a bunch of saps!
JOHNNY PEACH -- the boy next door, the rugged sailor lad, seems to dote on Hesper when they are teens. But just as young love is blooming, he insists on going off to the Civil War -- and dies like a chump.
EVAN REDLAKE -- the artistic genius, the hot-blooded painter who pushes all of Hesper's buttons and rushes her into an impulsive first marriage. It soon turns out he can't really support her, though, so he allows her to basically throw herself into the arms of the richest man in town.
AMOS PORTERMAN -- the rich, dull husband who adores Hesper and happily pays her bills for years. But oh, so sorry, he goes broke at the end --- all men are so weak, you see -- and Hester has to take over running everything just like her distant ancestor.
Those Honeywood women -- they just keep on overcoming the flaws and defects of the worthless male sex!
Anya Seton is an author who gets a lot of respect as one of the foremothers of the romance genre. But if you actually haul one of her gigantic, dusty old tomes down from the highest shelf in the back room of the library, you find her real slant on love and romance is frequently either petulant, resentful, or just downright depressing.
This book is a perfect example. The Hearth And Eagle (note the name is a clash of values -- male freedom vs. a woman's hearth and home) is an inn owned by the Honeywood family. And the whole 250 year saga merely serves to illustrate, over and over, how the women are tough enough to survive everything while the men are either bumbling, selfish, stupid, or absent.
Back in the 1630's you have the story of the first Honeywood family -- they would never have come to America at all if the childish, foolish, boyish husband hadn't dragged his gentle, sensitive, decent wife all that way into the howling wilderness! But no worries, he meets a very nasty little accident and she becomes the unquestioned head of the household -- while wearing her martyrdom proudly as the "dutiful wife."
And that sets the pattern for the next 200 years, down to Hesper Honeywood. She has a passionate nature and the body of a goddess, so men are always interested and she has an exciting life. But oh, so sorry, the men are all a bunch of saps!
JOHNNY PEACH -- the boy next door, the rugged sailor lad, seems to dote on Hesper when they are teens. But just as young love is blooming, he insists on going off to the Civil War -- and dies like a chump.
EVAN REDLAKE -- the artistic genius, the hot-blooded painter who pushes all of Hesper's buttons and rushes her into an impulsive first marriage. It soon turns out he can't really support her, though, so he allows her to basically throw herself into the arms of the richest man in town.
AMOS PORTERMAN -- the rich, dull husband who adores Hesper and happily pays her bills for years. But oh, so sorry, he goes broke at the end --- all men are so weak, you see -- and Hester has to take over running everything just like her distant ancestor.
Those Honeywood women -- they just keep on overcoming the flaws and defects of the worthless male sex!
August 20, 2008
Only for Die Hard Seton fans (and I am one). This book is the story of the Honeyman family of Marblehead, Massachusetts. It follows them from their original trip to Marblehead from England with the Winthrop ships in the 17th century to the early 20th century and their inn, The Hearth and Eagle. I have to admit being confused at first as to whom the story was about, as the book started in the mid 19th century, then flashed back to the 17th century and back again. There were so many references to other Honeymans, that I wasn't sure if there were going to be more flashbacks to tell those stories. There weren't, the main focus of the story is Hesper from her childhood through her marriages and her children, and most importantly about the town of Marblehead and its quirky characters and history.
While Seton's research and writing are impeccable as always, I would only recommend this for die-hard Seton fans or for those interested in reading about the history and characters of Marblehead. Honestly, I just couldn't get that enthralled with Hesper's story; it just wasn't that interesting for me. I recommend you get this from the library first, and then if you love it, buy it. Three stars, but a gorgeous new cover,
While Seton's research and writing are impeccable as always, I would only recommend this for die-hard Seton fans or for those interested in reading about the history and characters of Marblehead. Honestly, I just couldn't get that enthralled with Hesper's story; it just wasn't that interesting for me. I recommend you get this from the library first, and then if you love it, buy it. Three stars, but a gorgeous new cover,
July 3, 2016
Catching up on Anya Seton this weekend, her "Katherine" is the best historical romance ever. I liked the New England flavor of this.
November 11, 2022
Ok, it is true, it wasn't a masterpiece of genre like Katherine (here my review) or The Winthrop Woman (here my review). I wasn't so gripped like with those two. But, one can easily see Seton's pen in 'The Hearth and Eagle'.
Deep and wide historical research, an understanding of those times, no prejudice - all I appreciated so much in her other read (by me) books. And of course a brilliant study of human nature. You can read my other reviews of Seton's novels and pretty much of them I could copy here.
But there was something lacking. I think that Seton missed a story. The beginning, first (I think) about one third of the book was really good. I hoped then it would be another 5 stars historical fiction. But with time, something happened, something went wrong. The pace was too much chaotic. At the beginning I thought I would learn about many generations of the Honeywood family, but I learned a bit about first settlers and then some episodic facts about other generations. So, it turned out the story of Hesper. And at the end, through the last dozens pages I thought that Seton should have ended the novel sooner. Those last dozens pages (although there was a wise message) spoiled also the impression. I can only guess but I think that Seton should have taken more time and re-think the story, how to tell it. Because the message of this novel was great and interesting, only the way of telling it was far from perfect.
So, you see, there were many great moments in the book. Besides, I heard her message despite of shortcomings in the storytelling. I agree with Carol Storm about a pattern in the lives of the Honeywood family [be careful, there are big spoilers in Carol review], but to me, it was one of the messages of this novel. Perhaps a little depressing or annoying but so often true.
If you haven't read any other Seton's novel you shouldn't start with this one. But if you are a fan of Seton (like me) I think you will enjoy it despite its flaws.
[By the by, I can't understand why publishers seem sometimes so lazy that they don't even bother to learn the novel. A cover of my copy has a girl with dark hair but Hesper had red hair and it was quite significant in her life.]
Deep and wide historical research, an understanding of those times, no prejudice - all I appreciated so much in her other read (by me) books. And of course a brilliant study of human nature. You can read my other reviews of Seton's novels and pretty much of them I could copy here.
But there was something lacking. I think that Seton missed a story. The beginning, first (I think) about one third of the book was really good. I hoped then it would be another 5 stars historical fiction. But with time, something happened, something went wrong. The pace was too much chaotic. At the beginning I thought I would learn about many generations of the Honeywood family, but I learned a bit about first settlers and then some episodic facts about other generations. So, it turned out the story of Hesper. And at the end, through the last dozens pages I thought that Seton should have ended the novel sooner. Those last dozens pages (although there was a wise message) spoiled also the impression. I can only guess but I think that Seton should have taken more time and re-think the story, how to tell it. Because the message of this novel was great and interesting, only the way of telling it was far from perfect.
And it seemed to her in the mood of depression into which she drifted after that her whole life had been punctuated by stupidities and errors of judgment.
But people didn't change much inside while their bodies did.
So, you see, there were many great moments in the book. Besides, I heard her message despite of shortcomings in the storytelling. I agree with Carol Storm about a pattern in the lives of the Honeywood family [be careful, there are big spoilers in Carol review], but to me, it was one of the messages of this novel. Perhaps a little depressing or annoying but so often true.
If you haven't read any other Seton's novel you shouldn't start with this one. But if you are a fan of Seton (like me) I think you will enjoy it despite its flaws.
[By the by, I can't understand why publishers seem sometimes so lazy that they don't even bother to learn the novel. A cover of my copy has a girl with dark hair but Hesper had red hair and it was quite significant in her life.]
July 30, 2014
Anya Seton has a knack for getting sympathy for her characters in her book, although not necessarily initially. She begins the book briefly with Hester in the first chapter, but I didn't know her well enough by the ending of the first chapter to have formed much of an impression. Then we are immediately with a much earlier character, Phoebe, who first brings with her to the new world, a pair of andirons for the hearth, in her new home in the new world. I began to bond with this character so strongly, that I found myself wanting to read more of her when Seton takes us back to Hester. At the beginning of the transition, I found myself not liking Hester so very much. However, that feeling is short-lived. The more I read of Hester, the more I sympathized with her, in fact, so much so that by at the end when I was finished with the book, I knew that I would miss Hester profoundly--almost as much as I would miss a good friend who was suddenly gone from my life.
May 13, 2020
I have just recently discovered Anya Seton, first with The Winthrop Woman, and now this wonderful story of the settling of Marblehead Massachusetts. I have really enjoyed reading about the early settling of Massachusetts as it is my adopted state. Highly recommend if you like historical fiction.
October 19, 2015
Hesper Honeywood is a passionate, authentic, gutsy heroine searching for fulfillment away from her childhood home of Marblehead Massachusetts. Disaster seems to stalk her as she suffers grief and loss during the Civil War, poverty and hardship and desertion. When she does eventually land a husband we are dismayed to find him self-absorbed and are shocked by the level of selfishness he exhibits. However, Evan redeems himself when Hesper falls ill and he steps up to the mark, caring for her in spite of his own desires and personal inclinations.
One of the things I wondered as I read this book was, will Hesper ever really find true happiness and contentment? The author does such a thorough job of foreshadowing that it seems the reader has plenty of warning that all will not be well in Hester's life. Some vague unspecified disaster is often just around the corner or lurking in the shadows to discourage Hester or interfere with her dreams.
"...as she led the slave-catcher from the buttery, through the larder and into the borning room, pausing in each for him to poke and pray and open cupboards, she was puzzled by a question. Why did the olden times seem so romantic - while the present never did? She had a vague realization that this night's work would also seem romantic someday, but it didn't now. That's because I don't know the ending - she thought. Things you hear of from the past, you know what's happened, you don't have to worry. Yet at the moment, she wasn't worried. She felt contempt, mastery, inner excitement, not worry, as she led the slave-catcher through the rambling house, even pointing out cupboards and crannies he might overlook."
Compare this scene fraught with tension with the sentimental writing Seton intersperses in this Marblehead historical novel and one realizes that this book is one of distinct and diverse contrasts.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that many of the events described in this novel were true. The tragic loss of 65 men and boys at sea during the storm of September of 1846 really did happen. Marblehead truly was settled by a Dolliber, and likewise, the men from Marblehead Massachusetts did aid George Washington at the battle of Trenton, ferrying the men across the Delaware River. The community that began as a small fishing village did eventually grow and their economy was greatly helped by the shoe factories where Hesper finds work.
Certainly this area is rich in history and characters, and there is enough material for more than just one novel like Seton's "The Hearth and the Eagle".
At times the novel is almost maudlin and over-sentimental (one can get a bit weary of the too-oft-doom-and-gloom warning of approaching misfortune). But as with all of Seton's writing, the story sweeps the reader into a time period and setting that is often tragic and never simplistic. The theme of this novel seems to be endurance.
"The girl was silent a minute; then she burst out. "But why? It doesn't seem fair. You can see she was a wonderful person. Why couldn't she be happy too? Why can't we all stay happy!"
Ah, I forget how young she is, thought Hesper. Why do we all have to start with rebellion, and frantic strivings? How long it takes to get over the sentimental delusion of "fairness."
Hesper finds to her surprise as she looks back, that her life was not so bad after all. Her heritage was uniquely significant and to be valued, not disdained. Hearth and home were to be prized not solely because they were always there, but also (and this is a light-bulb moment of revelation for Hesper), ultimately where she found contentment and satisfaction. Home in the small coastal village of Marblehead is where Hesper eventually finds she truly wants to be.
According to this article, Anya Seton did not classify her novels as historical romance. Describing the typical genre, she writes, "It is sufficient to pick a congenial period, then read a couple of books in order to properly clothe and feed the characters, who are invented by the author. And since love and conflict are common to all ages, the historical background can be negligible. My own works are very, very different in approach. I have a passion for facts, for dates, for places. I love to recreate the past and to do so with all the accuracy possible. This means an enormous amount of research, which is no hardship because I love it."
The article also mentions that she influenced writers such as Gabaldon (who wrote the popular "Outlander" series) and Sharon Kay Penman.
After I finished this book (not her best writing; reviewers seem to agree that distinction belongs to her novel "Katherine"), I came to one conclusion. The more I read of Seton, the more I want to read her. And perhaps that is the best one can say of any author.
This biography explores Seton's home and family.
According to some reviewers, "The Hearth and the Eagle" is about Seton's own ancestors from Marblehead.
One of the things I wondered as I read this book was, will Hesper ever really find true happiness and contentment? The author does such a thorough job of foreshadowing that it seems the reader has plenty of warning that all will not be well in Hester's life. Some vague unspecified disaster is often just around the corner or lurking in the shadows to discourage Hester or interfere with her dreams.
"...as she led the slave-catcher from the buttery, through the larder and into the borning room, pausing in each for him to poke and pray and open cupboards, she was puzzled by a question. Why did the olden times seem so romantic - while the present never did? She had a vague realization that this night's work would also seem romantic someday, but it didn't now. That's because I don't know the ending - she thought. Things you hear of from the past, you know what's happened, you don't have to worry. Yet at the moment, she wasn't worried. She felt contempt, mastery, inner excitement, not worry, as she led the slave-catcher through the rambling house, even pointing out cupboards and crannies he might overlook."
Compare this scene fraught with tension with the sentimental writing Seton intersperses in this Marblehead historical novel and one realizes that this book is one of distinct and diverse contrasts.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that many of the events described in this novel were true. The tragic loss of 65 men and boys at sea during the storm of September of 1846 really did happen. Marblehead truly was settled by a Dolliber, and likewise, the men from Marblehead Massachusetts did aid George Washington at the battle of Trenton, ferrying the men across the Delaware River. The community that began as a small fishing village did eventually grow and their economy was greatly helped by the shoe factories where Hesper finds work.
Certainly this area is rich in history and characters, and there is enough material for more than just one novel like Seton's "The Hearth and the Eagle".
At times the novel is almost maudlin and over-sentimental (one can get a bit weary of the too-oft-doom-and-gloom warning of approaching misfortune). But as with all of Seton's writing, the story sweeps the reader into a time period and setting that is often tragic and never simplistic. The theme of this novel seems to be endurance.
"The girl was silent a minute; then she burst out. "But why? It doesn't seem fair. You can see she was a wonderful person. Why couldn't she be happy too? Why can't we all stay happy!"
Ah, I forget how young she is, thought Hesper. Why do we all have to start with rebellion, and frantic strivings? How long it takes to get over the sentimental delusion of "fairness."
Hesper finds to her surprise as she looks back, that her life was not so bad after all. Her heritage was uniquely significant and to be valued, not disdained. Hearth and home were to be prized not solely because they were always there, but also (and this is a light-bulb moment of revelation for Hesper), ultimately where she found contentment and satisfaction. Home in the small coastal village of Marblehead is where Hesper eventually finds she truly wants to be.
According to this article, Anya Seton did not classify her novels as historical romance. Describing the typical genre, she writes, "It is sufficient to pick a congenial period, then read a couple of books in order to properly clothe and feed the characters, who are invented by the author. And since love and conflict are common to all ages, the historical background can be negligible. My own works are very, very different in approach. I have a passion for facts, for dates, for places. I love to recreate the past and to do so with all the accuracy possible. This means an enormous amount of research, which is no hardship because I love it."
The article also mentions that she influenced writers such as Gabaldon (who wrote the popular "Outlander" series) and Sharon Kay Penman.
After I finished this book (not her best writing; reviewers seem to agree that distinction belongs to her novel "Katherine"), I came to one conclusion. The more I read of Seton, the more I want to read her. And perhaps that is the best one can say of any author.
This biography explores Seton's home and family.
According to some reviewers, "The Hearth and the Eagle" is about Seton's own ancestors from Marblehead.
May 28, 2024
A sweeping historical novel about a Marblehead Inn and the family that depended on it.
Set in Marblehead, Massachusetts, this epic tale by Anya Seton artfully tells the story of an Inn that started as little more than one room in Colonial America in 1630, but which became the home for generations of one family that endured the challenges of the next 300 years. The little house became a tavern, then an Inn, and the strong women of the family depended on the shelter and livelihood of the Hearth and Eagle while too many of their men were lost to the tragedies of history. The Inn tells the stories of hurricanes, sheltering runaway slaves, seeing the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812 and the Civil War. The descriptions of the Inn and the sea are both as real and enduring to the reader in this story as are the human characters. Written in 1948, I found this to be a fascinating and enjoyable way to structure a novel.
Set in Marblehead, Massachusetts, this epic tale by Anya Seton artfully tells the story of an Inn that started as little more than one room in Colonial America in 1630, but which became the home for generations of one family that endured the challenges of the next 300 years. The little house became a tavern, then an Inn, and the strong women of the family depended on the shelter and livelihood of the Hearth and Eagle while too many of their men were lost to the tragedies of history. The Inn tells the stories of hurricanes, sheltering runaway slaves, seeing the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812 and the Civil War. The descriptions of the Inn and the sea are both as real and enduring to the reader in this story as are the human characters. Written in 1948, I found this to be a fascinating and enjoyable way to structure a novel.
July 10, 2012
I sometimes like these older books and so when I looked at the I found it was about Marblehead, MA and had some history in it about it's founding. My ancestors landed about the same time as the characters in the story, so I thought it would be interesting. Unfortunately there wasn't a whole lot about that period, although what was there was good. The rest of the book was about a family living through the second half of the 19th century, good enough to continue on, but certainly not one which I would have chosen otherwise. I'd never read Anya Seton before and she is a good writer, so that was some consolation.
January 21, 2023
As I had lived in Marblehead, MA for a couple of years and still do live on the North Shore, this felt almost nostalgic to me as I recognized all these places and streets in the book. This was a great historical fiction, albeit very character driven and therefore a bit slow so not something to pick up if you want to fly through a book. It follows one woman’s life in the 1800’s but for being “historical” there was a lot to relate to in this book regarding family, relationships and home.
May 30, 2008
Anya Seton's books are well researched and this one is no exception. Who knew that life in a New England fishing compunity could be that interesting
November 21, 2021
The story of Hesper, and her ancestors, from Marblehead, MA. Covers the time period from 1630's to early 1900's. Fascinating!
January 8, 2022
Another great one by Anya Seton. I love her writing style; she's proficient at weaving an engaging story into real history. I really enjoyed this one as well as the others I've read by Seton.
The focus on different generations of the same family reminded me a little of Michener. At the beginning it's unclear if the story is about Phoebe Honeywood or her (many times) great-grandaughter, Hesper Honeywood (and what a great name!). Hesper's life is filled with heartache but, as in many of Seton's other novels, she remains strong despite many trials, including divorce, abandonment, death of loved ones, fires and other losses. The example of her ancestors inspire her courage. Strong female characters are my favorite!
The house--The Hearth and Eagle--becomes a much loved character in itself. And it too endures many difficulties throughout the years.
This is one I'll be thinking about for a long while after finishing. I love this author!
Content review: Pretty clean...some minor violence--a woman commits suicide, a man is tied up and left to die in a burning building. It was originally published in 1948 and this, my friends, is why I love the classics. You can enjoy an engaging story without concern that you'll stumble into unsolicited language or scenes of graphic sex/violence.
The focus on different generations of the same family reminded me a little of Michener. At the beginning it's unclear if the story is about Phoebe Honeywood or her (many times) great-grandaughter, Hesper Honeywood (and what a great name!). Hesper's life is filled with heartache but, as in many of Seton's other novels, she remains strong despite many trials, including divorce, abandonment, death of loved ones, fires and other losses. The example of her ancestors inspire her courage. Strong female characters are my favorite!
The house--The Hearth and Eagle--becomes a much loved character in itself. And it too endures many difficulties throughout the years.
This is one I'll be thinking about for a long while after finishing. I love this author!
Content review: Pretty clean...some minor violence--a woman commits suicide, a man is tied up and left to die in a burning building. It was originally published in 1948 and this, my friends, is why I love the classics. You can enjoy an engaging story without concern that you'll stumble into unsolicited language or scenes of graphic sex/violence.
May 12, 2020
If you are looking for a romance novel, this is not your book. If you are looking for a novel showing the strength of women you’ve made a wise selection!
This novel spans more than 200 years and shares the trials of the Honeywood family. Despite the decisions made by those around them, the women showed resilience and strength. Other reviews have reflected on the way men and women are portrayed in this book. By today’s standards the men are bumbling and the women the always forgiving voice of reason. I don’t think you can use that lens. You have to use a lens from the time period. Men were adventurous to a fault, there was money to be made and they were going to find it. Women were expected to raise the children, smile and keep the home...or the servants.
Using this perspective the reader doesn’t have to get caught up in the treatment of either party. The book is historically accurate in that and many other ways. It is through this book we see the hardships and the strength it took to live in a new country and to keep a family functioning over 2 centuries.
I always enjoy a book about strong women. They don’t have to be controlling or hateful to be strong. They can be like the women in this novel- loving, caring, understanding, faulty and forgiving.
This novel spans more than 200 years and shares the trials of the Honeywood family. Despite the decisions made by those around them, the women showed resilience and strength. Other reviews have reflected on the way men and women are portrayed in this book. By today’s standards the men are bumbling and the women the always forgiving voice of reason. I don’t think you can use that lens. You have to use a lens from the time period. Men were adventurous to a fault, there was money to be made and they were going to find it. Women were expected to raise the children, smile and keep the home...or the servants.
Using this perspective the reader doesn’t have to get caught up in the treatment of either party. The book is historically accurate in that and many other ways. It is through this book we see the hardships and the strength it took to live in a new country and to keep a family functioning over 2 centuries.
I always enjoy a book about strong women. They don’t have to be controlling or hateful to be strong. They can be like the women in this novel- loving, caring, understanding, faulty and forgiving.
June 7, 2025
Anya Seton is one of my favorite authors. I would have given this book a 3.75 if I could have. I learned some about the Marblehead, MA early settlers, their way of life and culture. Although some of her books are better than others Anya has a way of drawing you into the story, you can't ho wrong by reading any of her great work. Always a pleasure to pick one at to read when looking for an accurate period piece.
September 23, 2018
A Happy Revisiting
I first read this book many years ago , I think I was still at school. I had forgotten the details of. the story , but I remembered how much I enjoyed it .
Coming to it , so many years later and understanding so much now , the pleasure has been magnified .
Thank you for making this reencounter possible.
I first read this book many years ago , I think I was still at school. I had forgotten the details of. the story , but I remembered how much I enjoyed it .
Coming to it , so many years later and understanding so much now , the pleasure has been magnified .
Thank you for making this reencounter possible.
March 5, 2019
Seyton tells a good yarn with historical richness and lively characters. The novel provided some new (for me, at least) details and insights to the colonial era. The plot covers several generations of a New England family and the drama of trying to survive alongside a ruthless ocean and a growing community.
July 7, 2016
Anya Seton's books are always entertaining and well researched. I enjoyed this story although it does suffer a bit from predictability and a rather mushy ending. It was a pity she didn't continue the theme of alternating historical periods, which would have given the book more depth.
September 27, 2011
I like other books by Seton better, but I enjoyed this one as well.
November 1, 2013
Marblehead, Massachusetts in the 1600's and mid 19th century. Strong female characters, quite readable.
July 4, 2017
This book hurt my heart.
April 26, 2021
Excellent historical!
This book captures original settling of the coastal area of New England! I chose it because I have visited the area often over the years and love it!!
I enjoyed the whole historical aspect as told through the lives of the fictional family's lives over hundreds of years. Held my interest with the first years throughout with descriptive feeling of the unsettled area and the capture of the people who struggled on to remain there. The characters come alive throughout years with very interesting characters that you'll grow to understand and love. The story has many new characters who enter and add twists and turns in the original extended family's lives. Totally believable in each time period!I The author's words flow and never let you down and always keep developing old and new characters lives which have kept me interested throughout. I recommend to all fictional readers whether interested in historical or not. May make them into historical book lovers.The fictional aspects will keep all readers entranced throughout.
This book captures original settling of the coastal area of New England! I chose it because I have visited the area often over the years and love it!!
I enjoyed the whole historical aspect as told through the lives of the fictional family's lives over hundreds of years. Held my interest with the first years throughout with descriptive feeling of the unsettled area and the capture of the people who struggled on to remain there. The characters come alive throughout years with very interesting characters that you'll grow to understand and love. The story has many new characters who enter and add twists and turns in the original extended family's lives. Totally believable in each time period!I The author's words flow and never let you down and always keep developing old and new characters lives which have kept me interested throughout. I recommend to all fictional readers whether interested in historical or not. May make them into historical book lovers.The fictional aspects will keep all readers entranced throughout.
September 3, 2024
The story revolves around the Hearth and Eagle, an inn built by the Honeywood family's first Marblehead, MA immigrants in the 1650s. The inn serves as an anchor of the Honeywood women's fortitude through the centuries and a metaphor for the inevitable hardship and changes.
The world of late 19th-early 20th century Marblehead is expertly evoked with Hesper Honeywood as the protagonist. There's a brief flashback to Fiona Honeywood, the ancestor who started the inn. The flashback was interesting and I expected there'd be more Honeywoods-through-the-years flashbacks woven throughout, but there was just the Fiona diversion. There's a fair amount of "head hopping" in the omniscient POV, which was sometimes distracting. But Seton is so masterful in immersing the reader in a historical time and place, that the missteps are forgivable.
Hesper has a life full of false starts and tragic setbacks but she's led back time and again to the Hearth and Eagle and her family's deep roots in Marblehead. It's not a flawless book, but it was enjoyable.
The world of late 19th-early 20th century Marblehead is expertly evoked with Hesper Honeywood as the protagonist. There's a brief flashback to Fiona Honeywood, the ancestor who started the inn. The flashback was interesting and I expected there'd be more Honeywoods-through-the-years flashbacks woven throughout, but there was just the Fiona diversion. There's a fair amount of "head hopping" in the omniscient POV, which was sometimes distracting. But Seton is so masterful in immersing the reader in a historical time and place, that the missteps are forgivable.
Hesper has a life full of false starts and tragic setbacks but she's led back time and again to the Hearth and Eagle and her family's deep roots in Marblehead. It's not a flawless book, but it was enjoyable.
April 28, 2022
A 1948 hardcover copy of this Anya Seton novel passed my way and I grabbed it. I had always meant to read one of her novels.
This was an engaging historical novel with interesting characters in several time periods in the same setting. The generational lines blurred giving over to the permanence of place.
I liked it and was engaged by the characters as well as the terrific sense of place in Marblehead near Boston. There are a few problematic attitudes, very prevalent in the author’s lifetime, that are a disconnect these days. (Thus my rating of 3 rather than 4).
This was an engaging historical novel with interesting characters in several time periods in the same setting. The generational lines blurred giving over to the permanence of place.
I liked it and was engaged by the characters as well as the terrific sense of place in Marblehead near Boston. There are a few problematic attitudes, very prevalent in the author’s lifetime, that are a disconnect these days. (Thus my rating of 3 rather than 4).
November 21, 2025
Compared to Seton's other books I've read, this one felt more aspirational - think Great American Novel. I found it on the whole rather depressing. The most interesting part was a lengthy chapter that jumps back in time to focus on Hesper's ancestor Phebe who crosses the Atlantic to America in the 1600s with her husband. I found the novel's structure strange after that interlude because I kept anticipating more flashbacks to Hesper's family. Instead, the novel faithfully follows Hesper's own depressing plodding and striving to the bitter end.
July 13, 2021
I really enjoyed the first 3/4 of the book or so, but the last part really dragged the book down in my estimation. I don't think it should have gone into her granddaughter's life although I do see why she was wanting to showcase the Honeywood female characteristics continuing down the familial line. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed the history of Marblehead and trust Seton's research in the details.
February 17, 2019
Love re-reading all of Anya Seton's books! So glad I have a Fairfax County, Va library card since someone in collection development in Montgomery County, Md (my home county) had a much too enthusiastic hand while weeding and Seton's books are mostly gone. Such a joy to go to a library with a whole shelf full of Seton books! Although Katherine is still my favorite I love them all!
November 7, 2020
Wonderful.No one writes books like anya seton. I have read all her books several times.I am so happy for the opportunity
To read them again. The I you Amazon
This book is like an old friend.
I am 86 and i live
............. in these char
acters I recommend to anyone who loves to read all anya setons. books
To read them again. The I you Amazon
This book is like an old friend.
I am 86 and i live
............. in these char
acters I recommend to anyone who loves to read all anya setons. books
Read
November 26, 2021i thoroughly enjoyed the book until the last 50 pages when i jumps from hesper's husband amos dies, they had 2 young children. then the story jumps to those children being adults, one of which is married and has children of his own.
if she had written this as a series of novels and filled in all those mssing years would have made for a much better story.
if she had written this as a series of novels and filled in all those mssing years would have made for a much better story.
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