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The Captive
Rosetta Knows Little of Life Beyond the Schoolroom...
Until she finds herself shipwrecked off the African coast. Saved from the raging seas by the ship's handsome, mysterious deckhand, she soon discovers her hero is fellow-Londoner Simon Perrivale, an infamous fugitive accused of murder.
Her hopes of rescue are dashed when they are abducted by pirates...and the lovely fiar-haired Rosetta is sold to a Turkish Pasha. Locked away in his harem, she will risk her life to save her virtue - and to unravel the mystery that has wrongfully imprisoned Simon.
But through she plots her escape from the exotic Middle East to the elegant mansions of London, Rosetta is still bound by a consuming passion that will forever make her love's captive....
Until she finds herself shipwrecked off the African coast. Saved from the raging seas by the ship's handsome, mysterious deckhand, she soon discovers her hero is fellow-Londoner Simon Perrivale, an infamous fugitive accused of murder.
Her hopes of rescue are dashed when they are abducted by pirates...and the lovely fiar-haired Rosetta is sold to a Turkish Pasha. Locked away in his harem, she will risk her life to save her virtue - and to unravel the mystery that has wrongfully imprisoned Simon.
But through she plots her escape from the exotic Middle East to the elegant mansions of London, Rosetta is still bound by a consuming passion that will forever make her love's captive....
341 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
41 people are currently reading
949 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Holt
373 books1,379 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Eleanor Alice Burford, Mrs. George Percival Hibbert was a British author of about 200 historical novels, most of them under the pen name Jean Plaidy which had sold 14 million copies by the time of her death. She chose to use various names because of the differences in subject matter between her books; the best-known, apart from Plaidy, are Victoria Holt (56 million) and Philippa Carr (3 million). Lesser known were the novels Hibbert published under her maiden name Eleanor Burford, or the pseudonyms of Elbur Ford, Kathleen Kellow and Ellalice Tate. Many of her readers under one penname never suspected her other identities.
-Wikipedia
Eleanor Alice Burford, Mrs. George Percival Hibbert was a British author of about 200 historical novels, most of them under the pen name Jean Plaidy which had sold 14 million copies by the time of her death. She chose to use various names because of the differences in subject matter between her books; the best-known, apart from Plaidy, are Victoria Holt (56 million) and Philippa Carr (3 million). Lesser known were the novels Hibbert published under her maiden name Eleanor Burford, or the pseudonyms of Elbur Ford, Kathleen Kellow and Ellalice Tate. Many of her readers under one penname never suspected her other identities.
-Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
August 19, 2013
Originally published in 1989, the year after THE INDIA FAN, this is the story of Rosetta Cranleigh, named after the Rosetta Stone by her parents who were Egyptologists and “lived in a remote atmosphere of scholarship, apart from the mundane ménage of a household.” Thus, Rosetta lived among the family’s servants (a wonderful group of characters!) was content to because she felt safe and loved. Holt is at her best when describing the heroine’s life in the early stages.
As Rosetta grows up, her parents begin to notice her when her active mind takes an interest in the antiquities of Egypt. So they invite her to their dinner parties where she meets Lucas Lorimer, a delightful younger son of a wealthy family who is traveling with her parents to Cape Town to give a talk about an old stone he found. Rosetta’s parents decide to take her with them when the three leave on the voyage. On the trip, Rosetta meets another man, Simon Perrivale, who is fleeing a false charge of murdering his half brother. Of course, there is a shipwreck and Rosetta, Lucas and Simon are thrust upon the shores of a small island, where thanks to Simon’s efforts they survive.
Captured by pirates, Rosetta ends up in the harem of a Pasha in Constantinople where her blonde hair and blue eyes set her apart. But she is determined to avoid the Pasha’s bed and find her friends Simon and Lucas and return to London. She worries her parents, ever oblivious of what is going on around them, may have drowned in the shipwreck.
Told from the first person, we see the unfolding drama from Rosetta’s perspective, and her growing affection for Simon and her passionate resolve to find the real killer of Simon’s half brother. (I should add this story is without love scenes and has virtually no sexual tension.)
Holt has a way of capturing your interest by the smallest of details in ordinary life. It’s the way she tells it, like each little thread is significant in some way or other. And so there is suspense in small things. Her dialog is brisk and the pace moves along. In this case, Rosetta becomes the detective solving a crime that occurred in the past but which has implications for the future. And Holt does a great job of withholding the ending till the last moment.
As Rosetta grows up, her parents begin to notice her when her active mind takes an interest in the antiquities of Egypt. So they invite her to their dinner parties where she meets Lucas Lorimer, a delightful younger son of a wealthy family who is traveling with her parents to Cape Town to give a talk about an old stone he found. Rosetta’s parents decide to take her with them when the three leave on the voyage. On the trip, Rosetta meets another man, Simon Perrivale, who is fleeing a false charge of murdering his half brother. Of course, there is a shipwreck and Rosetta, Lucas and Simon are thrust upon the shores of a small island, where thanks to Simon’s efforts they survive.
Captured by pirates, Rosetta ends up in the harem of a Pasha in Constantinople where her blonde hair and blue eyes set her apart. But she is determined to avoid the Pasha’s bed and find her friends Simon and Lucas and return to London. She worries her parents, ever oblivious of what is going on around them, may have drowned in the shipwreck.
Told from the first person, we see the unfolding drama from Rosetta’s perspective, and her growing affection for Simon and her passionate resolve to find the real killer of Simon’s half brother. (I should add this story is without love scenes and has virtually no sexual tension.)
Holt has a way of capturing your interest by the smallest of details in ordinary life. It’s the way she tells it, like each little thread is significant in some way or other. And so there is suspense in small things. Her dialog is brisk and the pace moves along. In this case, Rosetta becomes the detective solving a crime that occurred in the past but which has implications for the future. And Holt does a great job of withholding the ending till the last moment.
May 24, 2023
A bizarre combination of a swashbuckling adventure on the high seas, complete with pirates, slaves and a harem, and an old fashioned, Victorian, gothicky murder mystery. The two halves did not mesh together for me and by the conclusion, I had lost interest.
March 30, 2023
This is the second time I read this book and I enjoyed it more this time. I have virtually no memory of reading it before. Rosetta’s parents work at the British museum and she is left to hang out with her governess. She develops an amazing bond with the household staff. After Rosetta gets older, her parents take notice of her and decide to go on a trip to South Africa. The ship sinks and Rosetta must try to survive.
The book has romance and mystery. Victoria Holt definitely has a pattern to the way she writes but I enjoyed this book.
The book has romance and mystery. Victoria Holt definitely has a pattern to the way she writes but I enjoyed this book.
December 5, 2017
Rosetta is the daughter of academics who are obsessed with the study of ancient Egypt (hence her name). Rosetta was brought up by the servants in her household, as her parents were always too distracted to spend much time with her.
So when the chance to travel to South Africa with her parents arises, she jumps at the chance, travelling with a fellow academic who seems to have his eye on her. But then everything goes wrong, and the ship sinks, causing Rosetta to be separated from her parents and stranded with two men on a deserted island.
The story holds elements which sound like they could make for an exciting story: shipwrecks, slave traders, a Turkish harem, a gothic style murder mystery...but somehow all of these elements were executed in such a boring way. The story, especially at the end, just dragged on and on and felt so long.
A bit disappointed, as it started off so well.
So when the chance to travel to South Africa with her parents arises, she jumps at the chance, travelling with a fellow academic who seems to have his eye on her. But then everything goes wrong, and the ship sinks, causing Rosetta to be separated from her parents and stranded with two men on a deserted island.
The story holds elements which sound like they could make for an exciting story: shipwrecks, slave traders, a Turkish harem, a gothic style murder mystery...but somehow all of these elements were executed in such a boring way. The story, especially at the end, just dragged on and on and felt so long.
A bit disappointed, as it started off so well.
January 29, 2010
This book was very different from what the synopsis promised, not in the events but in how interesting those events really are. One would think being ship wrecked, taken by pirates, sold into slavery, escaping and solving a murder would be exciting stuff. The author, however, wrote this story as one would write in a diary years later, just explaining the events instead of creating an exciting story out of them. At its best its mildly interesting at its worst, down right dull. The murder mystery proved to be the only real diversion.
April 7, 2013
When I first picked up this book, I (like many others) was very skeptical. The cover looked a bit cheesy and I read a bunch of reviews on it. But to my pleasant surprise, this book was VERY good! Was it the best book I have ever read? No. Here is a list of the pros and cons of this book.
PROS:
~Very suspenseful
~Great flow/clarity
~Easy to understand
~This book could appeal to many ages.
CONS:
~Got a little slow in some parts.
~Ending was a bit slow.
PROS:
~Very suspenseful
~Great flow/clarity
~Easy to understand
~This book could appeal to many ages.
CONS:
~Got a little slow in some parts.
~Ending was a bit slow.
October 19, 2022
Ladies and gentlemen, the first thing is to apologize, because this review was prepared to be written on Friday, but we had a power outage in the place where he worked, and we could not even start so my efforts were devoted to expanding my readings of Goodreads. If Providence proves propitious. My intention is to write two reviews. "The Captive" by Victoria Holt, and "Planet Narnia" by priest Michael Ward https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1..., and we will try to review "Theatre", or Meeting Julia by W. Somerset Maugham https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... later, it is already known that Maugham is one of our favorite writers, and the readings of the semester are reunified with those of the holiday period. Besides, I'm waiting for the end of the voting of The Catholic Book Club's book, which in this case is red hot (title that in Spain was given to the gangster film by James Cagney). Of the readings that took place between Friday and Tuesday, I would like to say that there have been two that have interested me, and at least one deserves to be talked about, because it is not a book that is widely read. In fact, it seems almost relegated to three, or four readers, and I hope to write a review, and in fact when I finished the review of "The theatre" I would like to write the review of that book. Specifically the two books that I liked the most in these five days (I write this to open my mouth, and stimulate the reading appetite of Goodreads users), if we ignore some passages of "Los sueños" by Francisco de Quevedo (the least, since reading has become incredibly heavy for me) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6... specifically "Las zahúrdas de Pluto" , and some passages from "The time of all, and fortune with brain" (I do not understand how these two parts of dreams are not found in Goodereads, and if instead "The bailiff", or demonized. In fact, I studied Pluto's Zahurdas in literature as independents.) But apart from these pieces the two most interesting readings have been "Disdain with disdain" by Agustín Moreto https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1..., https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... it is true that it provokes conflicting opinions, and that the ideologues of our time would not like it very much, nor do I think it will like much as both Carlos de Urgell, as the funny Moth They get the hand of the lady, but I think, precisely because it goes so against the spirit of this time I liked this work so much. Much more interesting than "La doma de la bravía" "The taming of the Shrew" (the original title) by William Shakespeare https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4..., or the tales of Count Lucanor del Infante Don Juan Manuel https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6... (who is not my beloved teacher precisely). https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... . But truly the book that is worth talking about, because I did not expect anything from him, and it has moved me, and it has made me tear up, causing what Professor Manuel Alfonseca would tell https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... that has made me cry like a samurai. It has been a work that does not have much diffusion in Goodreads, and I would like to rediscover it to the users of Goodreads. I am referring to "The Siberian Girl" by Xavier de Maistre https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... that it is not even the best known work of the author, which would be the almost pre-Proustian "Journey around my room" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3..., but it is a touching story "The Siberian Girl" the story of a very religious girl, and very brave who travels all over Russia, to ask the Tsar for a pardon for her father, and who shows us what eighteenth-century Russia was like. Outside of jokes I will not say that it has been a long time since we read a book as good as this, because this year could almost be baptized as an annus mirabilis for the number of good books (especially fiction) that have been read, which almost remind me of that dream 2018 in which there were four champions. But I did not expect anything from The Siberian Girl" was a tiny book, which a priori was going to serve to fatten my reading list in the reading challenge in Goodreads, and I found myself as they would say in Aladdin by Walt Disney (when I was not yet so corrupted, although there was already something) "A diamond in the rough". It really did not exaggerate you, if I say that it reminded me of Victor Hugo's "Les Misérables", https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... the novels of Charles Dickens, https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... even Dostoyevsky. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7... . I can not tell you, if it will sneak into my top ten, because it is very cvomplicado, but one advice is worth taking a look at this little gem.
For the rest, and returning to the book that corresponds. This was the second book I have read to Victoria Holt, and I was very pleasantly surprised, and some modern writers read Ali Hazelwood https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., or Tricia Levenseller https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... who have already been reviewed two books should learn from Victoria Holt, and how to write a romantic novel in conditions without accepting all ideological impositions of the current zeitgesia established by the globalist plutocracy, and that are being the cause of the ruin of the current arts by linking them with power. Suffice it to say that Soros, Bill Gates, or Bezos, who has shown off with the adaptations of The Wheel of Time, https://www.goodreads.com/series/4152... and "The Rings of Power" (by the way I would like to write an annex to this, when I write a review of the "Lord of the Rings" https://www.goodreads.com/series/6617... in Goodreads promises to be one of the politically incorrect reviews I write, and it will surely get me into trouble) they do not have the taste that Renaissance patrons had, nor the aesthetic taste of classic Hollywood.
This work gives a thousand turns to the works mentioned above perhaps for millennials, generation z, or tik tookers, perhaps it is too classic for their taste, but what is a fact is that this novel is superbly well written, and read with pleasure. At a time when I was stuck, and I had a hard time reading. In this novel, perhaps this is its defect many things happen, and there are many subplots, but all of interest, and magnificently well resolved I must say.
It is true that it is not a very original book, but it is very well written (as I said before), and the characters are very well developed, paying homage to other Victorian authors. This story tells the story of Rosetta (the author continues her love affair with Egyptology which is one of her passions) who is the daughter of some very famous Egyptologists, but who do not pay attention to her, due to her academic commitments so she lives with the servitude Nanny (the nanny), Pollock, Dolland, Dot, Harlow, but with whom she will develop a great relationship will be with her governess Felicity Wills (who will play a role very similar to the mentor of the protagonist is sometimes governess of the protagonist as it was for Emma with Mrs. Taylor https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6... (in Emma ), or that of "Jane Eyre" with Mary Temple . https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... In fact, there is a reference to the work of Charlotte Brontë https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., and also Felicity will marry. The important thing about the beginning is that this is where we have news of the crime that Rosetta will investigate the murder of Cosmo (allegedly) at the hands of his half-brother Simon Perrivale, and that it is less clear than it seems. Also very interesting is Rosetta's relationship with Hell or Hadrian Edward Lucas Lorimer an academic friend of his parents. The three characters will coincide in a shipwreck, and will form a love triangle, which will be key to the subsequent subplots of the novel. There is a denunciation of white slaves (I recommend reading Crespo's book about slavery carried out by Muslims, and some Protestants, because England also enslaved whites, tell the Irish for example, and this is what Mr. Ken Follet is not going to tell you in "Pillar of Fire" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... and it must be recognized that the West has made many mistakes, but slavery on the part of Islam has been greater than the Christian one, and it has lasted longer, and it is convenient for people to know that there was the route of the Sudan, and that many of those who sold these slaves were Muslims, or African Tribal Chiefs, and that these people enslaved Christians). Like Our Lady of Tortosa by Pierre Benoit https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... describes the struggles in the harem from which the protagonist helped by Nicole (a French odalisque), the eunuch, and Simon escaped, but it is tremendous what tells us the situation of women in the Islamic world, how their life becomes a battlefield against a rival to please the male, and this is silenced by Western feminists, and it happens both with Schism and with Sunnism, although it is true that what Benoit told the twilight of the undead in the Ottoman Empire is not told. Benoit told us what happened to a Christian woman in the court of the last Turkish Caliph before, and after, World War I. On the other hand, Victoria Holt tells us this on a smaller scale only for a Baja. By the way, the Turkish Empire could have ended earlier as Gilbert Sinoué's The Daughter of the Nile tells us https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... (apart from that this novel by Gilbert Sinoué does not leave well to utopian socialism that seems a sect, and its relationship with the Gnostic heresy is emphasized so this novel will not please the left) but the great powers were not interested above all in England, Mehmet Ali's attempt to wipe out Turkey failed, and Russia was prevented in the Crimean War from ending Turkish tyranny, because England and France were afraid that Russia, which had done many things wrong, such as the partition of Poland, would become the European power. However, it can be said that in the end it was England who ended the Turkish Empire thanks to Gladstone, who began to realize the persecutions suffered by Christians in Turkish territory (by the way there has been no condemnation by Islam of slavery, and the condition of the human being is negative in those countries as seen with the actions of DAESH, and with the Qatar World Cup of Blood in which so many workers died in undignified conditions building those stadiums, and with rare exceptions it has looked the other way).
But it is the English part that is the most interesting when it must prove the innocence of Simon Perrivale with clear tributes to Brontë, Du Maurier https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., Robert Louis Stevenson. https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., or Herman Melville https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., also has something of Anya Seton https://www.goodreads.com/author/show.... It's a shame that it didn't delve deeper into Lucas Lorimer's brother (Carleton, who also has a sad, but gripping plot). The introduction into the Perrivale mansion is very well done. The suspects Tristan, Mirabel (witchcraft does not appear, although it is very present. In fact, it works better than in the novel "Rough Magic" or "Thornyhold" both by Mary Stewart https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... ), the story of Lady Perrivale, and Lord Edward. The relationship between Rosetta and Kate more interesting than that of Jane Eyre, and Adele Varens (this girl is more mischievous, and more complicated than the excessively naïve French, and has a more complicated family history, and it is a pity that Kate's plot is not closed. In fact it is one of the negative points of the novel). The police and romantic part work (in spite of Dorothy Sayers https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... who was always against mixing both genres). Rosetta matures, and becomes a more interesting character, and unravels a mystery in which everyone has to overcome their skepticism, especially Lucas Lorimer. At the same time, Rosetta will have to rely more on its friends. I like its classicism, and a female character not hackneyed by current ideologies which makes it very attractive. Not expecting much from this novel I liked more than the https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6... Leopard (whose review I hope to write someday, although there are others more priority), although the notes are identical.
For the rest, and returning to the book that corresponds. This was the second book I have read to Victoria Holt, and I was very pleasantly surprised, and some modern writers read Ali Hazelwood https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., or Tricia Levenseller https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... who have already been reviewed two books should learn from Victoria Holt, and how to write a romantic novel in conditions without accepting all ideological impositions of the current zeitgesia established by the globalist plutocracy, and that are being the cause of the ruin of the current arts by linking them with power. Suffice it to say that Soros, Bill Gates, or Bezos, who has shown off with the adaptations of The Wheel of Time, https://www.goodreads.com/series/4152... and "The Rings of Power" (by the way I would like to write an annex to this, when I write a review of the "Lord of the Rings" https://www.goodreads.com/series/6617... in Goodreads promises to be one of the politically incorrect reviews I write, and it will surely get me into trouble) they do not have the taste that Renaissance patrons had, nor the aesthetic taste of classic Hollywood.
This work gives a thousand turns to the works mentioned above perhaps for millennials, generation z, or tik tookers, perhaps it is too classic for their taste, but what is a fact is that this novel is superbly well written, and read with pleasure. At a time when I was stuck, and I had a hard time reading. In this novel, perhaps this is its defect many things happen, and there are many subplots, but all of interest, and magnificently well resolved I must say.
It is true that it is not a very original book, but it is very well written (as I said before), and the characters are very well developed, paying homage to other Victorian authors. This story tells the story of Rosetta (the author continues her love affair with Egyptology which is one of her passions) who is the daughter of some very famous Egyptologists, but who do not pay attention to her, due to her academic commitments so she lives with the servitude Nanny (the nanny), Pollock, Dolland, Dot, Harlow, but with whom she will develop a great relationship will be with her governess Felicity Wills (who will play a role very similar to the mentor of the protagonist is sometimes governess of the protagonist as it was for Emma with Mrs. Taylor https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6... (in Emma ), or that of "Jane Eyre" with Mary Temple . https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... In fact, there is a reference to the work of Charlotte Brontë https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., and also Felicity will marry. The important thing about the beginning is that this is where we have news of the crime that Rosetta will investigate the murder of Cosmo (allegedly) at the hands of his half-brother Simon Perrivale, and that it is less clear than it seems. Also very interesting is Rosetta's relationship with Hell or Hadrian Edward Lucas Lorimer an academic friend of his parents. The three characters will coincide in a shipwreck, and will form a love triangle, which will be key to the subsequent subplots of the novel. There is a denunciation of white slaves (I recommend reading Crespo's book about slavery carried out by Muslims, and some Protestants, because England also enslaved whites, tell the Irish for example, and this is what Mr. Ken Follet is not going to tell you in "Pillar of Fire" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... and it must be recognized that the West has made many mistakes, but slavery on the part of Islam has been greater than the Christian one, and it has lasted longer, and it is convenient for people to know that there was the route of the Sudan, and that many of those who sold these slaves were Muslims, or African Tribal Chiefs, and that these people enslaved Christians). Like Our Lady of Tortosa by Pierre Benoit https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... describes the struggles in the harem from which the protagonist helped by Nicole (a French odalisque), the eunuch, and Simon escaped, but it is tremendous what tells us the situation of women in the Islamic world, how their life becomes a battlefield against a rival to please the male, and this is silenced by Western feminists, and it happens both with Schism and with Sunnism, although it is true that what Benoit told the twilight of the undead in the Ottoman Empire is not told. Benoit told us what happened to a Christian woman in the court of the last Turkish Caliph before, and after, World War I. On the other hand, Victoria Holt tells us this on a smaller scale only for a Baja. By the way, the Turkish Empire could have ended earlier as Gilbert Sinoué's The Daughter of the Nile tells us https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... (apart from that this novel by Gilbert Sinoué does not leave well to utopian socialism that seems a sect, and its relationship with the Gnostic heresy is emphasized so this novel will not please the left) but the great powers were not interested above all in England, Mehmet Ali's attempt to wipe out Turkey failed, and Russia was prevented in the Crimean War from ending Turkish tyranny, because England and France were afraid that Russia, which had done many things wrong, such as the partition of Poland, would become the European power. However, it can be said that in the end it was England who ended the Turkish Empire thanks to Gladstone, who began to realize the persecutions suffered by Christians in Turkish territory (by the way there has been no condemnation by Islam of slavery, and the condition of the human being is negative in those countries as seen with the actions of DAESH, and with the Qatar World Cup of Blood in which so many workers died in undignified conditions building those stadiums, and with rare exceptions it has looked the other way).
But it is the English part that is the most interesting when it must prove the innocence of Simon Perrivale with clear tributes to Brontë, Du Maurier https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., Robert Louis Stevenson. https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., or Herman Melville https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., also has something of Anya Seton https://www.goodreads.com/author/show.... It's a shame that it didn't delve deeper into Lucas Lorimer's brother (Carleton, who also has a sad, but gripping plot). The introduction into the Perrivale mansion is very well done. The suspects Tristan, Mirabel (witchcraft does not appear, although it is very present. In fact, it works better than in the novel "Rough Magic" or "Thornyhold" both by Mary Stewart https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... ), the story of Lady Perrivale, and Lord Edward. The relationship between Rosetta and Kate more interesting than that of Jane Eyre, and Adele Varens (this girl is more mischievous, and more complicated than the excessively naïve French, and has a more complicated family history, and it is a pity that Kate's plot is not closed. In fact it is one of the negative points of the novel). The police and romantic part work (in spite of Dorothy Sayers https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... who was always against mixing both genres). Rosetta matures, and becomes a more interesting character, and unravels a mystery in which everyone has to overcome their skepticism, especially Lucas Lorimer. At the same time, Rosetta will have to rely more on its friends. I like its classicism, and a female character not hackneyed by current ideologies which makes it very attractive. Not expecting much from this novel I liked more than the https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6... Leopard (whose review I hope to write someday, although there are others more priority), although the notes are identical.
August 12, 2016
Before I start, I must be clear that I actually LIKE many romance novels. I have read all kinds, and I have been a fan of Victoria Holt's for some time. Sadly, The Captive is not the best of Victoria Holt's work. As I said, I usually enjoy her books--the heroines are generally more along the lines of "Jane Eyre" than "Weeping Victim" in that they often are bold, intelligent women who have to find their ways in the world alone, and can't necessarily rely on their looks or charms. Some of the heroines in her books have unconventional occupations (art restorer, for example) despite the Victorian era settings, and most don't go into their situations looking for love. However, they always find love, and generally find a fairly interesting mystery as well. This book showed a lot of promise at first, but then let me down.
Rosetta Cranleigh comes from a family of academics--parents so wound up in their research they barely realize she exists. She grows up relying on the family's servants and a young governess. Then one day her parents decide that she might in fact not be a waste of their time, and decide to take her with them to the Middle East on a research trip. During the voyage, Rosetta meets some boys, and then is shipwrecked with those very same boys (what a coincidence!). The three of them are rescued by corsairs, who sell Rosetta to a harem. The book sort of sells itself as being mostly about her escape from the harem, but as it turns out, that's only about 25 pages in the first third of the book, and then there's a whole laborious murder mystery after that.
Frankly, the book seemed like three different stories (early family life / harem / murder mystery) uncomfortably shoehorned together. I will admit that despite the downfalls, I did greatly enjoy many of the characters in the book, and found them amusing and somewhat interesting.
I would probably not recommend this book, but instead one of Holt's other works like Mistress of Mellyn or The King of the Castle.
Rosetta Cranleigh comes from a family of academics--parents so wound up in their research they barely realize she exists. She grows up relying on the family's servants and a young governess. Then one day her parents decide that she might in fact not be a waste of their time, and decide to take her with them to the Middle East on a research trip. During the voyage, Rosetta meets some boys, and then is shipwrecked with those very same boys (what a coincidence!). The three of them are rescued by corsairs, who sell Rosetta to a harem. The book sort of sells itself as being mostly about her escape from the harem, but as it turns out, that's only about 25 pages in the first third of the book, and then there's a whole laborious murder mystery after that.
Frankly, the book seemed like three different stories (early family life / harem / murder mystery) uncomfortably shoehorned together. I will admit that despite the downfalls, I did greatly enjoy many of the characters in the book, and found them amusing and somewhat interesting.
I would probably not recommend this book, but instead one of Holt's other works like Mistress of Mellyn or The King of the Castle.
May 28, 2021
Another lovely Victoria Holt novel to bring mystery to romance or perhaps romance to history. Though not as sultry or heart stopping as The Demon Lover, The Captive thoroughly intrigued me and I found it a very relaxing and engaging read. I appreciated that Rosseta ended up with the "right" suitor at the end, or at least the man I found to be more suitable for her, and also that the love triangle wasn't angst or fraught with anxiety. Though the book changed drastically from a sea faring adventure in far off, foreign lands to a very English, close to home murder mystery, it only added more interest to the plot. I highly recommend this book for readers who enjoy a good mystery, heartfelt romance, and a splash of good old talk around the English table.
November 6, 2007
I think the Captive was a really good read. It really got me thinking even though it’s a simple story that has a lot going on. Every time something good happens to the main character, Rosetta, another adventure begins for her. A lot of those adventures are the ones we dream could be ours, but in the story, such dreams turn into nightmares.
The title, the Captive is simply perfect for the story. It describes when Rosetta is held captive by a Pasha, but also when she is held captive by her own obsession with solving a murder and her infatuation to a murder suspect.
The story itself was pretty easy to follow but it’s the type of book that you’d have to stop and think about at times. The words were not at all hard to understand but the writing style made you want to think, not only about the story, but also the way Victoria Holt used words. She describes every scene with a lot of detail, helping you to visualize what she was imagining.
As I read, the mood changed frequently throughout the Captive. In the beginning, it gives you the sense of heartwarming, but also some loneliness. There are some parts that just make you feel daring but later, speculative when the heroine tries to solve a murder mystery. Most of the story is based on romance and those parts just made me swoon.
The title, the Captive is simply perfect for the story. It describes when Rosetta is held captive by a Pasha, but also when she is held captive by her own obsession with solving a murder and her infatuation to a murder suspect.
The story itself was pretty easy to follow but it’s the type of book that you’d have to stop and think about at times. The words were not at all hard to understand but the writing style made you want to think, not only about the story, but also the way Victoria Holt used words. She describes every scene with a lot of detail, helping you to visualize what she was imagining.
As I read, the mood changed frequently throughout the Captive. In the beginning, it gives you the sense of heartwarming, but also some loneliness. There are some parts that just make you feel daring but later, speculative when the heroine tries to solve a murder mystery. Most of the story is based on romance and those parts just made me swoon.
January 28, 2018
Its been a while since I read this so I might be a bit fuzzy.
I really liked how the book jumped from situation to situation, it really mixed things up. It was almost like reading three different books. I loved the time she spent in the harem. I loved how she first met Lucas and then how he got hurt during the shipwreck. I thought for sure he was going to die, especially with how high society and primpy he was. Her love for Simon was understandable given he saved them from the shipwreck and from there out she was obsessed. I loved Rosettas love of people...and her awareness of her parents lack of interest in her. Though her parents viewed her as an object, she grew to accept it and still looked to others for love and friendship. I think the shipwreck itself was very sad because thats where she saw how much her parents valued their career over her.
It touched a lot on dysfunctional famlies, and how the children are effected. The best part of it all was when she discovered that her obsession Simon, had no feelings for her at all, and realized the real loving relationship she had was with Lucas the whole time. Lucas' depression over his injury was also very moving and very human. Simon was a fantasy, but Lucas...he was real. Its the morals of this story I love...
I really liked how the book jumped from situation to situation, it really mixed things up. It was almost like reading three different books. I loved the time she spent in the harem. I loved how she first met Lucas and then how he got hurt during the shipwreck. I thought for sure he was going to die, especially with how high society and primpy he was. Her love for Simon was understandable given he saved them from the shipwreck and from there out she was obsessed. I loved Rosettas love of people...and her awareness of her parents lack of interest in her. Though her parents viewed her as an object, she grew to accept it and still looked to others for love and friendship. I think the shipwreck itself was very sad because thats where she saw how much her parents valued their career over her.
It touched a lot on dysfunctional famlies, and how the children are effected. The best part of it all was when she discovered that her obsession Simon, had no feelings for her at all, and realized the real loving relationship she had was with Lucas the whole time. Lucas' depression over his injury was also very moving and very human. Simon was a fantasy, but Lucas...he was real. Its the morals of this story I love...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2011
Loved, loved, loved it! This was one of the first romances I ever read. I found it on my much-older sister's shelf (she was a massive Victoria Holt fan as a teenager) and enjoyed reading it secretly, probably because I was quite young to be getting involved with romances.
This was a lovely story and included so many different interesting elements that it will stay a favorite for a long time.
Not only did it include elements of Ancient Egypt (the heroine being named after the Rosetta Stone as her parents are archeologists) but also the middle east with its silks, sands and eunachs!
Trying to help Simon, trying to get out of the Harem and then finally getting her own happy ending was one great adventure rolled into one.
This was a lovely story and included so many different interesting elements that it will stay a favorite for a long time.
Not only did it include elements of Ancient Egypt (the heroine being named after the Rosetta Stone as her parents are archeologists) but also the middle east with its silks, sands and eunachs!
Trying to help Simon, trying to get out of the Harem and then finally getting her own happy ending was one great adventure rolled into one.
April 20, 2009
Victoria Holt is always a good read when you want the bad guys to lose and the good guys to win and romance to overcome. But first, you have to figure out who the bad guys and who the good gus are Her stories are not terribly complicated, but always engrossing.
This story concerns a young woman brought up with her parents absent-mindedly ignoring her while she socializes with the servants. Then her life starts to speed up as she comes of age. She takes a sea journey with her parents, meets two young men, is ship-wrecked, kidnapped, and so on. There is a mystery about a murder, of course there is , this is Victoria Holt after all. A really enjoyable book.
This story concerns a young woman brought up with her parents absent-mindedly ignoring her while she socializes with the servants. Then her life starts to speed up as she comes of age. She takes a sea journey with her parents, meets two young men, is ship-wrecked, kidnapped, and so on. There is a mystery about a murder, of course there is , this is Victoria Holt after all. A really enjoyable book.
August 10, 2018
Story of a teenager girl growing up her life changing starting with a shipwreck, found by pirates, sold by a sultan, escaping, but the story is about a murder, her new found friend has not commited, she desperately wants to prove his innocence.
Very good book, it is a thicker book than I'm usually used to but I still finished it fast!! Very adventurous, I could not stop reading it :)
Very good book, it is a thicker book than I'm usually used to but I still finished it fast!! Very adventurous, I could not stop reading it :)
November 24, 2021
I will admit I really liked this story!!
Full review:
3.5/5
Victoria Holt's name is one that is often found on the shelves of used book stores. Having looked into the author's profile Eleanor Alice Burford was an absolutely prolific writer of romance, historical fiction, mysteries... I think I picked up this book, used, and it sat on my shelf for many years until I was craving a soft, cozy, clean (which I did not expect) romance.
I was perfectly satisfied by the end of this book, but looking back, The Captive is ultimately a disjointed novel that is incredibly unrealistic and fantastic. The story goes that a young girl (17) neglected (although not unfairly) by her parents and raised by a governess that she loved, goes on a trip with her parents only to survive a shipwreck, being stranded on an island, and sold into sexual slavery (without a hair on her head touched!). She then returns to England where she solves a murder. How realistic is that? I suppose Holt/Burford needed a reason for her character, Rosetta to meet the two other main characters, Simon and Lucas and she could think of nothing better than a shipwreck?
I wavered on whether or not I enjoyed this book, mainly because of Holt's writing style. It is very repetitive (statements are literally repeated several times verbatim within a few pages of each other) and told from a "retelling" kind of perspective, often plainly, disjointedly and without much detail. At first I thought it was a style choice since Rosetta is young and telling her story from the present, but I peeked into a few of Holt's other books I had marked as TBR and found it's just how she writes.
What made this most satisfying for me over all is the comradery between Rosetta and Kate, that the other characters weren't all evil (truly evil, I mean. Even the murderer wasn't!) and the romance played itself out well and realistically.
I am on the fence if I will read anything more by Holt, but right now, this is what I needed.
Full review:
3.5/5
Victoria Holt's name is one that is often found on the shelves of used book stores. Having looked into the author's profile Eleanor Alice Burford was an absolutely prolific writer of romance, historical fiction, mysteries... I think I picked up this book, used, and it sat on my shelf for many years until I was craving a soft, cozy, clean (which I did not expect) romance.
I was perfectly satisfied by the end of this book, but looking back, The Captive is ultimately a disjointed novel that is incredibly unrealistic and fantastic. The story goes that a young girl (17) neglected (although not unfairly) by her parents and raised by a governess that she loved, goes on a trip with her parents only to survive a shipwreck, being stranded on an island, and sold into sexual slavery (without a hair on her head touched!). She then returns to England where she solves a murder. How realistic is that? I suppose Holt/Burford needed a reason for her character, Rosetta to meet the two other main characters, Simon and Lucas and she could think of nothing better than a shipwreck?
I wavered on whether or not I enjoyed this book, mainly because of Holt's writing style. It is very repetitive (statements are literally repeated several times verbatim within a few pages of each other) and told from a "retelling" kind of perspective, often plainly, disjointedly and without much detail. At first I thought it was a style choice since Rosetta is young and telling her story from the present, but I peeked into a few of Holt's other books I had marked as TBR and found it's just how she writes.
What made this most satisfying for me over all is the comradery between Rosetta and Kate, that the other characters weren't all evil (truly evil, I mean. Even the murderer wasn't!) and the romance played itself out well and realistically.
I am on the fence if I will read anything more by Holt, but right now, this is what I needed.
August 4, 2023
I read this book on the recommendation of a friend who really enjoyed it, and I also came out of it having enjoyed it quite a bit! The first third of it is definitely...different and it feels a bit all over the place, but once we were back in England and the mystery really properly kicked off, I got more into it. The mystery was definitely a slow burn, but you got to know Rosetta better as it developed and met some of her loveable characters as well. Everything comes down to the last thirty to fourty pages, but it was really exciting and I didn't see the reveal/plot twist coming! The taglines on my copy of the book that posed it as a romance are definitely misleading; I would not call this a romance at all. There is mention of a character's feelings for another, but it only comes up a couple of times and does not play a big part whatsoever, so do not go in expecting that. Overall, this was definitely different compared to what I usually read, but I had fun!
March 4, 2023
Rosetta is the daughter of a professor and his wife who are very involved in their work. Rosetta doesn't really know them, since she has been raised by a nanny and educated by a governess whom she loves dearly. When she is older, her parents take her on a long boat trip from England to South Africa. They encounter a vicious storm and the ship sinks. She is floating in a small row boat with her injured friend, Lucas and a deckhand. They finally arrive on a deserted island and hope to be rescued. Unfortunately they are rescued by pirates. She is sold into a harem of a Turkish Pasha. You must read this to find the rest of the story and see if she gets back to England.
April 28, 2024
All over the place like many of Holts novels and honestly I enjoy it. It’s like she wants to see how many themes she can shove into one novel. I borrowed my copy from the library and there were some grains of sand stuck in the plastic covering, which, I was so delighted to see someone used this as a beach read. It would make an absolutely perfect book to read while lazing by the ocean!
November 21, 2025
3.25 ⭐️
June 15, 2022
Half adventure, half mystery The Captive is the raciest Victoria Holt novel I've read - it all happens off the page of course, but there are references to sex, promiscuity, there's an abortion, and of course what the pirates almost do to our heroine (before selling her off to a harem that is).
As usual with Victoria Holt, the book opens with Rosetta describing her childhood with her absent-minded parents, who are Egyptologists employed by the British Museum. As she gets older, she becomes more interesting to her parents; when they go on tour to give lectures in Cape Town, Philadelphia and New York, they decide to bring Rosetta with them. On the ship with them are Lucas Lorimer, the second son of a wealthy family who is also lecturing, and a mysterious deckhand who we later find out is Simon Perrivale, a man recently accused of murdering his half-brother. Rosetta strikes up a friendship with Lucas and they become close, but she is also drawn to the mysterious deckhand. Lucas of course is from the same area where the murder happened, and thinks he recognizes the deckhand.
One night the ship goes down in a terrible storm; Rosetta is separated from her parents in the chaos, but saved from the wreck when Simon forces her into a lifeboat; they also pick up Lucas, who has a broken leg. They're lost at sea for several days, but eventually wash up on a desert island where Rosetta and Simon become close, and Simon eventually reveals to her who he really is. Fortunately, a ship comes to their rescue; unfortunately, they are pirates and sell Simon and Rosetta into slavery at a harem in Constantinople (we don't know what happens to poor Lucas at this point) - Simon because he is strong and will make a good worker, and Rosetta because she has striking golden hair, bright blue eyes and an air of independence, but apparently is just what the jaded pasha needs. However, Rosetta needs to fatten up and lose her tan before she can be presented to the pasha, so she has a bit of a respite to plan her escape, which she eventually does with Simon, who drops her off at the British embassy while he departs for Australia.
Back in London, Rosetta discovers that her mother was lost at sea, though her father is still alive. She also resumes her friendship with Lucas, who was able to ransom himself from the pirates as he was no use to them with his injury anyways. Rosetta thinks she is in love with Simon, and becomes obsessed with proving his innocence so he can return to England. She manages to insinuate herself into the Perrivale household by becoming the governess of the unruly daughter of the house, nine-year-old Kate. The mystery was captivating, probably one of Holt's better ones, but eventually the constant rehashing of small details and speculation on motive with Felicity (Rosetta's former governess and friend) and Lucas became too repetitive.
While still formulaic, this was the most surprising Victoria Holt book I've read. I enjoyed both the adventure and the mystery, and I was more than satisfied when .
As usual with Victoria Holt, the book opens with Rosetta describing her childhood with her absent-minded parents, who are Egyptologists employed by the British Museum. As she gets older, she becomes more interesting to her parents; when they go on tour to give lectures in Cape Town, Philadelphia and New York, they decide to bring Rosetta with them. On the ship with them are Lucas Lorimer, the second son of a wealthy family who is also lecturing, and a mysterious deckhand who we later find out is Simon Perrivale, a man recently accused of murdering his half-brother. Rosetta strikes up a friendship with Lucas and they become close, but she is also drawn to the mysterious deckhand. Lucas of course is from the same area where the murder happened, and thinks he recognizes the deckhand.
One night the ship goes down in a terrible storm; Rosetta is separated from her parents in the chaos, but saved from the wreck when Simon forces her into a lifeboat; they also pick up Lucas, who has a broken leg. They're lost at sea for several days, but eventually wash up on a desert island where Rosetta and Simon become close, and Simon eventually reveals to her who he really is. Fortunately, a ship comes to their rescue; unfortunately, they are pirates and sell Simon and Rosetta into slavery at a harem in Constantinople (we don't know what happens to poor Lucas at this point) - Simon because he is strong and will make a good worker, and Rosetta because she has striking golden hair, bright blue eyes and an air of independence, but apparently is just what the jaded pasha needs. However, Rosetta needs to fatten up and lose her tan before she can be presented to the pasha, so she has a bit of a respite to plan her escape, which she eventually does with Simon, who drops her off at the British embassy while he departs for Australia.
Back in London, Rosetta discovers that her mother was lost at sea, though her father is still alive. She also resumes her friendship with Lucas, who was able to ransom himself from the pirates as he was no use to them with his injury anyways. Rosetta thinks she is in love with Simon, and becomes obsessed with proving his innocence so he can return to England. She manages to insinuate herself into the Perrivale household by becoming the governess of the unruly daughter of the house, nine-year-old Kate. The mystery was captivating, probably one of Holt's better ones, but eventually the constant rehashing of small details and speculation on motive with Felicity (Rosetta's former governess and friend) and Lucas became too repetitive.
While still formulaic, this was the most surprising Victoria Holt book I've read. I enjoyed both the adventure and the mystery, and I was more than satisfied when .
July 22, 2014
Eleanor Hibbert is a name that is not that familiar to many readers and yet she was one of the most prolific authors of the 20th century. She wrote in a variety of genres with several different pseudonyms. Most historical fiction fans will know her as Jean Plaidy; romance novel aficionados will recognize her as Victoria Holt. She used other pen names, some anagrams or portions of her real name, but these two are probably the best known.
This summer I read Holt's historical romance, The Captive. A first-person narrative, the story features Rosetta, named after the Rosetta Stone by her professor father, an authority on all things ancient Egypt and author of The Significance of the Rosetta Stone and other works to do with archaeology. He is an aloof and mysterious figure, as is her mother who assists him in his work. Rosetta's early life was the downstairs world of the butler, Mr. Dolland, the cook, Mrs. Harlow, the maids, and Nanny Pollock until the arrival of the most influential person in her life, her governess, Miss Felicity Wills.
However, Rosetta's life is one of many changes. Felicity weds, Rosetta heads off to school, and then comes the most incredible change of all: Rosetta's father is to go on a lecture tour to Cape Town, Baltimore, and New York City and Rosetta is to accompany him and her mother. There is an infamous and mysterious murder just before they leave England and onboard ship Rosetta recognizes a friend she has met through Felicity, the charming but cynical Lucas Lorimer and develops a passing acquaintance with someone who turns out to be Simon Perrivale, the accused in the recent murder who, disguised as a deckhand, proclaims his innocence and is fleeing from the justice of the hangman's noose.
The true adventure begins when the ship is wrecked in a furious storm off the Cape and Rosetta, Lucas, and Simon, are cast up on a deserted island. Then pirates come, the castaways are separated, visit exotic locations, survive harrowing experiences, and Rosetta and Lucas reunite in England where she is determined to prove Simon innocent. In doing so, Rosetta faces threats as serious as those she faced abroad with the courage and intelligence while maintaining the two friendships of her early experiences.
A fast read as the suspense woven throughout the story continues to build right to the end. A great tale, full of amazing detail of life below stairs, dangers in a Turkish harem, and deadly intrigue amidst the country gentry of Victorian England. And finally, the choice between two men who are equally in love with her. Enjoy!
This summer I read Holt's historical romance, The Captive. A first-person narrative, the story features Rosetta, named after the Rosetta Stone by her professor father, an authority on all things ancient Egypt and author of The Significance of the Rosetta Stone and other works to do with archaeology. He is an aloof and mysterious figure, as is her mother who assists him in his work. Rosetta's early life was the downstairs world of the butler, Mr. Dolland, the cook, Mrs. Harlow, the maids, and Nanny Pollock until the arrival of the most influential person in her life, her governess, Miss Felicity Wills.
However, Rosetta's life is one of many changes. Felicity weds, Rosetta heads off to school, and then comes the most incredible change of all: Rosetta's father is to go on a lecture tour to Cape Town, Baltimore, and New York City and Rosetta is to accompany him and her mother. There is an infamous and mysterious murder just before they leave England and onboard ship Rosetta recognizes a friend she has met through Felicity, the charming but cynical Lucas Lorimer and develops a passing acquaintance with someone who turns out to be Simon Perrivale, the accused in the recent murder who, disguised as a deckhand, proclaims his innocence and is fleeing from the justice of the hangman's noose.
The true adventure begins when the ship is wrecked in a furious storm off the Cape and Rosetta, Lucas, and Simon, are cast up on a deserted island. Then pirates come, the castaways are separated, visit exotic locations, survive harrowing experiences, and Rosetta and Lucas reunite in England where she is determined to prove Simon innocent. In doing so, Rosetta faces threats as serious as those she faced abroad with the courage and intelligence while maintaining the two friendships of her early experiences.
A fast read as the suspense woven throughout the story continues to build right to the end. A great tale, full of amazing detail of life below stairs, dangers in a Turkish harem, and deadly intrigue amidst the country gentry of Victorian England. And finally, the choice between two men who are equally in love with her. Enjoy!
August 8, 2016
I remember cringing a bit when I bought this novel shortly after its first printing. In those days the bodice-rippers often had their heroines enjoy stints in a harem, but I'd never imagined Victoria Holt to use this as well. I pictured her saying to her publisher "They want harems? I can give them harems, shipwrecks, pirates, deserted islands, just wait and see!" So she did, but it felt odd. Clinical. There was nothing sensuous about this harem life. Many Holt heroines aren't very sensual, but in this case she seemed totally devoid of hormones. She's stranded on an uninhabitated island with two young men, but there's nothing romantic about it. Nonetheless, and perhaps because they endured these hardships together she feels one of them is the man she wants to spend the rest of her life with. Unfortunately, he's on the run from the law and won't return to England with her. She sets herself the task of exonerating him. This explains the title of the book. In the first part she was a captive in the pasha's harem, but in the second part she was a prisoner of her own obsession.
Apart from the uncomfortable harem adventure, the book was good. A bit different from the usual Holt formula in that now the heroine acts as a regular sleuth, enlisting the help of several other people. She goes undercover as a governess at the manor where both the murder victim and the accused lived. Coming to know the family and the family's history, she uncovers one secret after another, putting herself in mortal danger, which brings us back on familiar terrain again.
Apart from the uncomfortable harem adventure, the book was good. A bit different from the usual Holt formula in that now the heroine acts as a regular sleuth, enlisting the help of several other people. She goes undercover as a governess at the manor where both the murder victim and the accused lived. Coming to know the family and the family's history, she uncovers one secret after another, putting herself in mortal danger, which brings us back on familiar terrain again.
February 5, 2012
This is yet another reminiscence of something I read oh so long ago. I remember I liked this book very much for the things it made me feel for the protagonist, Rosetta, and her relationship with Lucas. Whom I hated very much since the beginning but as the book continued, I discovered he wasn't as bad as I originally thought and prayed that he and Rosetta would end up together. I liked Simon in the beginning, then hated him toward the middle of the story, and despised him in the end. I'm so glad nothing happened to Rosetta and Lucas rescued her just in time.
I also like Rosetta's last name, Cranleigh. Her last name and Lucas are the only two things that I remember clearly from this book. The style of writing was descriptive, direct, and powerful. It was a very enjoyable read, but not the best I've had.
But then again, I barely remember the plot. I can remember what I felt when I read it and some of the things I liked. I can barely remember the characters and the plot.
LOL, I remember I was obsessed with Victoria Holt's book at some point in my life. But that ended as fast as it started. :P
I also like Rosetta's last name, Cranleigh. Her last name and Lucas are the only two things that I remember clearly from this book. The style of writing was descriptive, direct, and powerful. It was a very enjoyable read, but not the best I've had.
But then again, I barely remember the plot. I can remember what I felt when I read it and some of the things I liked. I can barely remember the characters and the plot.
LOL, I remember I was obsessed with Victoria Holt's book at some point in my life. But that ended as fast as it started. :P
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2011
I have read most of Victoria Holt's novels, and after reading just a few, it became apparent that her novels are centered around plot and action, versus flowery prose, description or character. Holt excels at creating a mysterious tale of danger and intrigue, in which the mystery isn't solved until the last possible moment. That's what keeps me reading (and re-reading because I had forgotten what happened) Holt's books. They are light, fun and easy reads that don't disappoint--as long as you aren't expecting something heavy or deep. The Captive was a diverting tale that takes the reader to the streets of London, a harem in India and the coasts of Cornwall all for the sake of proving a man's innocence. I also thought the ending was sweet and took a slight twist from what might first be expected.
August 14, 2011
First book I have read from Virginia Holt. It's very good. Takes you from an upper class house in London, to a shipwreck, which leads the main characters to being trapped in a harem. They finally escape and then Rosetta ends up as a governess, trying to prove the innocence of one of the men she was shipwrecked with, who was running away because he was accused of murder. Many twists and turns. Keeps you reading.
May 19, 2008
A seraglio, a shipwreck and a murder! This story was too formulaic and there were no real character conflicts. The plot had lots of possibility but the read left me largely unfulfilled. I have tried to read her other newer books but have lost interest. Her older titles are still worth reading when you just want to escape.
May 14, 2017
It is my mother's favourite, so I actually read it to check it out. But i found it quite interesting ( I really liked Lucas, he is my favourite character after Rosetta and I was pleased to find out that in the end she stayed with him). Nice plot and exciting mystery, even though it wasn't a strong romance( whict is fine by me.) Nice work by Holt.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 20, 2011
I don't really gravitate towards Christian/Mystery/Romance. They all tend to have the same plots, the same characters, the same more-scene-than-summary. And there is no deep thought behind them—nothing that stirs you and makes you want to live life.
I think I'll go read some Tolstoy now.
I think I'll go read some Tolstoy now.
April 3, 2016
Books written by Victoria Holt are so cheesy, but sometimes that's exactly what you need. I've read a loooot of her books when I was 14/15 years old..that was the last time I've read them. I absolutely loved them at the time. I'm thinking of reading one of her books just for the old times sake! =)
September 27, 2017
The cover of this book and the description make it sound like a steamy romance, but it is more of a gothic mystery. It was well written but dragged a bit waiting for the reveal.
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