Year of the Virgins

by Catherine Cookson

Struggling to maintain a facade of family harmony for the sake of their religious beliefs and three grown children, Winifred and Daniel Coulson begin a legacy in which their youngest son, Donald, must choose between the values of the past and present. 30,000 first printing.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical, Novels, British Literature

272 pages, Hardcover

First published March 4, 1993

About the author

Catherine Cookson was born in Tyne Dock, the illegitimate daughter of a poverty-stricken woman, Kate, who Catherine believed was her older sister. Catherine began work in service but eventually moved south to Hastings, where she met and married Tom Cookson, a local grammar-school master.

Although she was originally acclaimed as a regional writer - her novel The Round Tower won the Winifred Holtby Award for the best regional novel of 1968 - her readership quickly spread throughout the world, and her many best-selling novels established her as one of the most popular contemporary woman novelist. She received an OBE in 1985, was created a Dame of the British Empire in 1993, and was appointed an Honorary Fellow of St Hilda's College, Oxford, in 1997.

For many years she lived near Newcastle upon Tyne.

Reviews

[Shirley Revill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book a while ago and I really enjoyed the storyline. Well worth a read.

[Shirley Dawson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite several bad reviews which, in my opinion, were quite unjustified, I really enjoyed the story. In comparison to most of Catherine Cookson's novels, it was quite a simple story but nevertheless, still enjoyable.

[Sverre · Rating 3 out of 5]

All the ingredients Cookson used to cook up her historical romantic tragedies are present in ‘The Year of the Virgins’ set in northeast England in the 1960s. There are dysfunctional families, class disparities, racial prejudices, religious liberalism versus conservatism, sickness and death, sexual promiscuity and—eventually—heartfelt romantic love. But this work is probably one of the author’s darker, more somber, stories because it involves a mother’s incestuous attraction and possessiveness for her son. Her eldest son, Stephen, whom she rejected, was born behaviorally challenged. Her husband, Daniel, thought an adopted son could give her a child to cherish but the boy, Joe, she also rejected. The second son she gave birth to, Don, became the only child who fulfilled her expectations. But as he reached maturity she would not give him the freedom to find his own happiness. By her insane jealousy she resented and interfered in his relationship with any girl he would choose to marry.

Most of Cookson’s books have a strong female character. In this case it is the mother, Winifred, who is not only strong-willed but mentally and emotionally obsessed. Sinister, in fact. The reader can be thankful that in the periphery are two caring women, her sister Flo and her hired cook Maggie. Winifred’s husband, Daniel, and adopted son Joe, are also positive and caring influences. And then there is Father Ramshaw who is Daniel’s best friend and the most open-minded and loving priest in any diocese Cookson has conjured up. Flo’s fiancé, Harvey, a highly educated black man, injects humor, tolerance and compassion into any situation.

I did not enjoy this book as well as other Cookson novels I have read. It had a lot of expectation of dread and little joy. But, to be fair, it is a well-written book with a credible plot which gives the reader food for serious thought to its very last page. Three and a half stars.

[Mary]

This was a great disappointment, after reading The Wingless Bird. It started out with vulgarity that totally turned me off, so I returned it to the library.

[Diana Sorina · Rating 4 out of 5]

O familie.
Winifred si Daniel au 3 baieti: Sthepen care are handicap mintal, Joe care este infiat si Don, minunea tarzie din viata lor.
Aparent totul frumos insa Winifred ascunde o iubire patologica pentru fiul ei Don si o obsesie bolnava pentru Dumnezeu si modul de a trai in pace cu acesta.
Daniel il impinge pe Don in bratele lui Anette si reuseste sa duca la bun sfarsit casatoria lor, insa in ziua nuntii, o intamplare nefasta le va schimba viata proaspetilor insuratei.
Actiunea se desfasoara cu nasterea copilului dintre Don si Anette, relatia dintre Daniel si Maggie, moartea lui Winifred si o ultima intorsatura de situatie.
Ii voi acorda cartii 4⭐ datorita complexitatii personajelor si firului narativ.
Daca totusi ar fi avut mai multe pagini, cu o descriere mai detaliata a evenimentelor, cartea ar fi fost mai usor de citit si mai placuta!😊

[Jane Woodcock · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book got a lot of bad reviews, but I thought it was yet another good one by Catherine Cookson. I was given a pile of her books, and although she's not one of my favourite authors, started to read them. And most of them are really enjoyable. I definitely liked this one, didn't want to put it down, couldn't wait to start it again.

[Angela Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

The residents of Wearcill House are tainted with a bitter and possessive matriarch. One son is getting married, to get away from his mother who dotes on him, Don is deeply in love with the bride who was formally his adopted brother's girlfriend. This Catholic household is bound by their faith as well as the rules it comes with. Soon things are to change with a bang.

[Pattie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although very well written, this one surprised me. It was not what I expected. I think Catherine Cookson was more than a writer. She saw into the very essence of a person. She touches on controversial subjects such as religion and mental health in a way that opens your mind to better understanding. I highly recommend this book.

[Bookish Enchantment (Katherine Quirke) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is very disturbing yet the reader can only be certain that this fictional story is a reflection of what happens in various guises in families all over the world.
Not a holiday read as it is in no way uplifting but it is a read that is well worth considering.

[Cheryll · Rating 3 out of 5]

Glad to be back reading Catherine Cookson after reading a couple of flops! Even though I think I may have read this book before, I still enjoyed it.

[Leslie Ann · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh. The worst book I've read from Catherine Cookson. Save your time and read something else.

[Fiona Humphries · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid storyline which drove me to the end. Set in the 1960s, it is not Cookson's usual yet it works. Was a little more brutal, perhaps, but an enjoyable read.

[Mark Lewis]

One of my friends also as a former coworker suggested this author to me. This book i read her first im going to read it again someday

[Sally Gemmell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book. Gripping from start to finish

[Kezia Gatens · Rating 5 out of 5]

An easy read from front to back. Nothing boring or repetitive.

[Sherene Cloete · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good story. Not as epic as some of her books but a very enjoyable read. Twice I stayed up past midnight reading and very few books have made me forfeit my sleep.

[Rowlie · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of the most boring books I have read and I am a keen Cookson reader.

[Joti Stratton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had all the twists and turns of a typical Catherine Cookson, which is why I love them.

[Sharon R · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was a little different than what you would think by the title.
A mother that had 3 sons but one was the favorite, and to her the other two didn’t get the attention they needed. Even her husband didn’t get a kind word.
Not a bad read. I would read it again.

[Lynn Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite novels by Catherine cookson. It is set in 1960. It is a very domestic saga which explores obsession of children and religion as well as hatred and duty within relationships.
SYNOPSIS:
It had never been the best of marriages and over recent years it had become effectively a marriage in name and outward appearance only. Yet, in the autumn of 1960, Winifred and Daniel Coulson presented an acceptable facade to the outside world, for Daniel had prospered sufficiently to allow them to live at Wearcill House, a mansion situated in the most favoured outskirt of the Tyneside town of Fellburn.
Of their children, it was Donald on whom Winifred doted to the point of obsession, and now he was to be married, Winifred's prime concern was whether Donald was entering wedlock with an unbesmirched purity of body and spirit, for amidst the strange workings of her mind much earlier conceptions of morality and the teachings of the Church held sway.
There was something potentially explosive just below the surface of life at Wearcill House, but when that explosion came it was in a totally unforeseeable and devastating form, plunging the Coulsons into a distressing series of crises out of which would come both good and evil, as well as the true significance of The Year of the Virgins . . .

[Barbra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Back Cover Blurb:
It had never been the best of marriages, yet in the autumn of 1960, Winifred and Daniel Coulson still presented an acceptable family facade to the outside world. There was something potentially explosive just beneath the surface of life at Wearcill House. It came in an unforseeable form.

[Lili · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read all of Catherine Cookson's books some years ago and enjoyed them immensley. I recently re-read all of them and find that on a second look I found them all so very predictable, and was rather disappointed. However I'm sure that it is my tastes that have changed not the calibre of her story telling.

[Karleene Morrow · Rating 3 out of 5]

What did I think? Well, not bad even if not so very believable. Possessive mother, kind of an old theme, but that's the core of the story. Like Catherine Cookson generally, but can't give her more than a 3 star on this one.

I didn't actually read this one, had to do some long driving so listened to it Books on CD. The readers were terrific, which really helped the story.

[Lea Patinen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jos tämän haalii lomapäivän kevyeksi hömppälukemiseksi, mitä kannetkin jo ennustaa, menee vähän vikaan! Kirjassa onkin draamaa ja jopa pelottaviakin kohtia. Tähtiä olisi ehkäpä herunut enemmän, jos kirjan loppu ei olisi palannut kansien lupaamaan hömppään.

[Tolly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting family dynamics. But it is better to take a selfie with this book, than to actually read, as the name is fun. I thought it was about longer ago than 1960, when I first started to read it. Nothing too riviting. Easy quick read.

[Vickie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had read it before and enjoyed it again. It is a quick good read with a happy ending.

[Mary Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story, but Cookson is so hard on her characters. They have to work for every little bit of happiness they eke out. Makes me wonder about Cookson as a person.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Catherine Cookson's books always have richly developed characters who have hardship in their lives. All's well that ends well, and this one ends well.

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well I thought it nice read. Don't be put off buy some of the poor reviews.

[Jackie Simons]

Read 8/99