Morning At Jalna

Jalna #2

by Mazo de la Roche

First published in 1960, in Morning at Jalna it is 1863 and the American Civil War is raging south of the border. Still in its early years, the Jalna estate seems far away from the despair and destruction. Philip, who will grow up to become the master of Jalna, has just come into the world, while Augusta, Nicholas, and Ernest are children. Life at Jalna is as peaceful as usual until the Sinclairs come to visit. They arrive with the polished manners and soft accents of Old Carolina and quickly appeal to Adelineâ s sense of hospitality. However, as the burden these distant cousins bring grows, the Whiteoaks begin to suspect that the Sinclairs have a deep and dangerous secret. This is book 2 of 16 in The Whiteoak Chronicles. It is followed by Mary Wakefield.

Genres: Fiction, Canada, Historical Fiction, Historical, Romance, Classics

496 pages, Hardcover

Published December 1, 1972

About the author

Mazo de la Roche, born Mazo Louise Roche, was the author of the Jalna novels, one of the most popular series of books of her time.

The Jalna series consists of sixteen novels that tell the story of the Canadian Whiteoak family from 1854 to 1954, although each of the novels can also be enjoyed as an independent story. In the world of the Whiteoaks, as in real life, people live and die, find success and fall to ruin. For the Whiteoaks, there remains something solid and unchanging in the midst of life's transience--the manor house and its rich surrounding farmland known as "Jalna." The author, Mazo de la Roche, gave the members of her fictitious family names from gravestones in Ontario's New Market cemetery, and the story itself balances somewhere between fact and fiction. Critics think events in the novels reflect de la Roche's dreams, moods, and life experiences. As the daughter of a traveling businessman, she may have seen the Jalna estate as the roots she never had, while the character Finch, from Finch's Fortune, is thought to be a reflection of herself.

Reviews

[Sandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

What was the nature of daily life in the colonial Province of Canada in the mid-1800s? It must have been an exciting time. Political changes were afoot from Canada West to Nova Scotia, fueled by concerns over both internal conflicts and the effects of the American Civil War which was raging to the south. What a great backdrop for a century-long family saga!

And so I embarked with glee on the journey of the immigrant Whiteoaks family. The first book of the Jalna Series (also known as The Whiteoak Chronicles), The Building of Jalna, saw the family move into a large newly-constructed home on the family farm (affectionately dubbed Jalna to honour the city in India where Captain Whiteoaks had served at a British garrison). The focus of this second book, set in 1854 (during the American Civil War), is a visit by friends who had fled the devastation of their home and property in the southern USA.

What a disappointment the story has been for this reader. A story which had the potential to encapsulate the history, politics, and family life of the time had fallen flat, in my estimation. The novel had paid no attention to the volatile political situation within the colonial provinces. Within the Whiteoaks household, there was much consternation over the black slaves who had accompanied the Southerners to Canada but minimal attention was paid to the involvement of their guests with Confederate agents who were planning to use Canada as a base of operations to free Confederate prisoners of war in Michigan. All in all, this book was not the history lesson that I had expected. Rather, as I reflect on the light-hearted (at times silly) atmosphere, the paper-doll-like characters (thin, superficial, and predictable), and the immature style of writing, I am reminded of the elementary-school storybooks typical of the 1960s. Even the cover image seems to smack of the 1960s schoolroom.

It may be that my expectations of this series were unrealistic. Perhaps I misunderstood the intention of the author. Having spent a lonely childhood wrapped up in her own fictional world, she may have intended to write a simple story for family entertainment. At any rate, she apparently did not set out to write a “series”. The author’s third novel, entitled simply Jalna, was received in 1927 with such acclaim that over the course of the next 33 years, Mazo de la Roche penned 15 additional Jalna books. The first to have been written became the seventh in the series, and the book which I have just read (the second in the series) was the author’s final novel, published in 1960 shortly before her death at the age of 82.

This leads me to wonder if this “second” book is an aberration, if it is the sentimental swan song of an aged woman approaching death and needing to put her “baby” to bed. Surely the remaining 14 books could not be “fluff”, could they? In 1972 and again in 1974, a CBC-produced miniseries based on the books was aired across Canada. The script was written by the celebrated Canadian author and playwright Timothy Findley and the miniseries was subsequently sold to the UK and France. For me, the reading of this series has become a quandary. Do I risk wasting more precious reading time on book 3, Mary Wakefield (published in 1949), or do I bail out now and risk missing out on the what might potentially be "the Canadian Forsyte Saga"?

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Self absorbed Whiteoaks (as always). Adeline is at her self-dramatizing best. Tite, the French/Indian Canadian young man is mesmerizingly, cheerfully amoral. The three oldest Whiteoak children are the real stars of this particular volume and get up to several amusing or scary high jinks. Set during the American Civil War, the Whiteoaks have an unpleasant sympathy with the South, a view that blacks are better off being "cared for" and the most unflattering black stereotypes. Also the movement back and force between the Confederacy and Canada seems surprisingly easy. Despite the unpleasant sympathies and stereotypes, I do have to admit I still find this family involving.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Episodic but entertaining; the antics and exploits of the children are a highlight. The language and attitudes that other reviewers here complain of are accurate for the period when the novel is set.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

First read 50 years ago and upon recalling my enjoyment I decided to re read the series. Lovely descriptions and have not disappointed

[Annamariah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess Morning at Jalna is really more a second prequel than a "real" book in the series. It continues the story of the first prequel Building of Jalna. It has more of a plot than the first novel, but it is still a collection of anecdotes rather than just one story.

In the first half of the book, Lucy and Curtis Sinclair come to visit Jalna indefinitely. They are plantation owners running away from the American Civil War, taking three slaves with them, which does not make the Whiteoaks' neighbours happy. In the second half, after the Sinclairs have returned home with their slaves (who apparently WANTED to stay with their owners even though in Canada they were free), most of the storytelling is about the antics of Adeline and Philip Whiteoak's three oldest children Augusta, Nicholas and Ernest. The most exciting part is when the children decide to run away.

The novel ends with the whole family boarding a ship to take them back to the old world to visit their family and send the older children to boarding school. The ending was so abrupt that I thought the next book would surely tell more about the trip, but apparently the third novel is set about 20 years after the second installation. Since the Jalna series was originally published in non-chronological order, this being the last one to come out in 1960, I wonder if Mazo de la Roche (who died in 1961) originally meant to write a third prequel set after this one.

The way de la Roche writes about slaves and the half-Indian Tite cannot be considered politically correct these days. The slaves are apparently totally happy with their lot and the fact they are legally free in Canada means nothing to them. After finding herself in a bigamous marriage, Annabelle returns to Canada to marry Tito. When Tito grows tired of her, he sells her to his old cousin. Belle is apparently completely fine with this turn of events, since as a slave she is used to being treated as a possession. From the way he is portrayed, I guess Tite is supposed to be a sympathetic character, but I find his immorality highly alarming rather than amusing.

The narration focuses almost entirely on events, and very little of the characters' inner thoughts is revealed. I noticed the same thing in the first part and wonder if it's going to be the same in all the other books as well. I guess I'll find out eventually - I have the whole series waiting on my bookshelf and I fully intend to read every single book in it.

[Mary Stagg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this is the second in the series I believe it was the last to be written, just a year before the author died. And I'm afraid it shows. One of the beauties of these books is the meandering nature of them, many inconsequential threads that often aren't resolved. It almost as though Mazo De La Roche had completely run out of ideas. The book could have ended with the Sinclairs leaving but it goes on and turns into a rather silly adventure for the children. Although the children are growing up with Augusta at 14 and the boys a couple of years younger, Mazo De La Roche seems to forget how old they are and their behaviour and speech seems very preteen. Apart from introducing the baby Philip, this book has no bearing on the rest of the series. And why doesn't James Wilmott realise that Tite is a thieving scoundrel?

[LauraT · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting the glimps of the USA Civil war from a Canadian point of view... TBC!

[Don Counts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read.. Gives insight for possible future development . All 3 kids are willing to take a risk..it'll be interesting to see how they turn out..

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed MORNING AT JALNA, despite its flaws. It's one of the weaker books in the Jalna series. In fact, a reviewer once stated that "she saw no reason why the book should have been written!" That's a rather harsh judgment, though, in my opinion. MORNING AT JALNA really does have a (sort of) interesting plot, and that's a lot to say for author Mazo de la Roche, who is not remembered as ever having been strong on plotting...

The setting is the early 1860's, just after the outbreak of the American Civil War. Adeline and Philip invite their friends the Sinclairs---a wealthy Southern couple---to stay indefinitely at Jalna. The husband, Curtis Sinclair, is a hunchback debarred from joining the Confederate army, but he has secret dealings with spies in Canada who would sabotage and undermine the Northern cause. Lucy is a pretty but "dishevelled tragedy queen," lamenting her ruined plantations but managing to charm all the men in sight. And then a local person gets wind of Curtis's plans and warns the proper authorities just in time, putting Curtis Sinclair in great personal danger...

I should also mention the black slaves---Cindy, Belle and Jerry---who accompany "Massa and Missus Sinclair" to Jalna, disrupting the entire household. I am sorry to report that Ms. de la Roche isn't overly kind in her treatment of the slaves. In fact, she descends to the use of some nasty racial stereotypes. The main dark-skinned character here is Belle, a sweet religious girl who marries Wilmott's servant, Tite Sharrow. Tite later SELLS her to his cousin----I kid you not!----and Belle is apparently okay with that, because she's "used" to being treated as chattel. Not a pleasant theme. If de la Roche were portraying this as a major injustice, I might understand. But she takes too obvious a delight in Tite's "rascality," so we see well enough where her real sympathies lie.

I did enjoy the sheningans of Adeline's children---Augusta, Nicholas and Ernest. They get into all kinds of mischief. For readers who already know these three as the elderly aunt and uncles from JALNA, it's very enlightening to see what these same characters were like as kids...

[Judith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Morning at Jalna is the second chronological book of the series. Published in 1960, shortly before the death of its author, it is the last published novel of the series. The story takes place during the American Civil War. The Whiteoaks host Curtis and Lucy Sinclair, well to do slave owners who have fled Carolina to safety in Canada with three of their slaves. The Sinclairs are in Canada to raise a Confederate army to attack North America via the Great Lakes.

This novel is full of racial stereotypes and pejoratives. There is a subplot involving the slaves and a Native America youth, Titus Sharrow, who marries one of the slave women, Belle, and then turns around and sells her to another member of his tribe. His reasoning is she has known no other life than as a slave and won’t mind being a slave again.

The novels ends with the Whiteoaks leaving Canada to take their children to Britain to be educated. It is my least favorite book in the series.

[Jean Carlton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why did de la Roche write the second in a series of sixteen novels a full fifteen years after the first? Publication dates and the recommended order in which to read the are at odds and span from 1927-1960. I can only think that she didn’t plan on doing a series and filled in as needed. I don't know but she pulled it off.
The characters are wonderful and varied, the pace, the humor, very engaging overall. Taking place in Canada during the time of the Civil War in the U.S. the prejudicial language regarding slaves is disturbing. I cringe but don’t criticize it in this story– it reflects the times. (as did the language in Gone With the Wind and many other works)
I've reserved #3 at the library.

[Carolyn Agosta · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's not easy to find this book anymore - I got it at my library but had to special-order it from another branch. The series has two different numbering systems - one by order written, one by order of events. In the order of events, this is the 2nd in events, following The Building of Jalna. I wasn't crazy about the opening, but the story really picked up after that and is a delightful mix of humor and drama. If you like family sagas, then you'll enjoy the Whiteoaks series. I especially enjoyed the children in the story (Ernest's 'my eye' comments really become comical). I plan to read the whole series.

[Elinor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started re-reading the Whiteoaks series and enjoyed the first one so much I moved on to the second. This novel is pretty dated, and not in a good way. The Whiteoaks invite a Southern couple to stay with them while the Civil War down south is raging, and the Americans arrive with three of their slaves. The neighbors in this Ontario community are divided about whether slavery is a good thing or not. I don't know whether this is historically accurate, but their tolerance of this barbaric practice did jaundice my view of the Whiteoaks somewhat. Having said that, I will go on to read the third in this 16-book series.

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the second book of this series (an old set I acquired from my grandmother's house - this one was actually missing so I had to purchase a copy so I could keep up), there is much more of a plot line to follow. Again, it seems as if the Whiteoaks kind of get off without a lot of consequences, but there is much more intrigue and interest than there was in the first book. I expected a little more to happen aside from the children's "adventure" at the end, however, it was definitely a book to give me more hope for the series to come.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second installment of the Jalna saga takes these Canadian settlers into the Civil War concerns of their neighbors to the south plus a few other adventures. None of this is very serious, analytical, or earth-shaking, but it's all extremely enjoyable. We leave the Whiteoaks on a ship to England, where their three older children are being packed off for proper schooling; this volume just suddenly ends there. But I was planning to read my way through the whole series anyway.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book #2 in the Jalna series. Morning at Jalna has two main storylines. -- mysterious visitors from the South during the Civil War and the adventures of the Whiteoak children. The former was a slow starter for me, but the scenes with the children were charming, and they were depicted in a realistic and boisterous manner. I look forward to rereading the next Jalna book! I am still enjoying this summer read challenge.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting to re-read this book, since it was my first meeting with the American Civil War as a child. I remember getting really, really interested in the war and choosing the American Civil War as the topic for a 18 pages long paper we had to write in 6th grade.

I remembered the book to include more information about the war than it really did. I also think that I enjoyed Morning at Jalna more as a child than I did now.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. One of the things I find the most charming, and this is a charming book, is that the children are children. They act like children, they speak like children and they don't have any other motivation, they are children. Written in the time of the civil war, this is a very interesting time slice, I think most honest. No causes going on here.

[Zéro Janvier · Rating 3 out of 5]

J'avais dévoré tout Jalna quand j'étais adolescent, et si je suis incapable aujourd'hui de me souvenir de chacun des tomes qui composent cette saga gigantesque, je me souviens tout de même que j'avais pris beaucoup de plaisir à découvrir cette famille et ce domaine familial que l'on suit pendant presque un siècle.

[Carolyn Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second book, chronologically, in the Whiteoak saga, this is definitely not as well written as some of the other books in the series. I am finding it tedious, the characters flat, not as fully developed as the books written earlier.

[Margaret Fast · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as good as the first book with all the same limitations and not quite as interesting. Children are fun and well portrayed. Events don't really come together too well. Some characters, eg Titus, are simply weird and not entirely believable. Nevertheless, it is an easy read.

[Anita · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had some trouble plowing through. I remember reading some of these when I was a young girl and am looking for something familiar.

[Leona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 2---it was written later and added in and that is the way that it seems--not the best...

[Michelle Lotter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant range to read. The entire Jalna Range. Do start at Building of Jalna though.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a teenager I loved these books, despite classmates laughing at this series of books.

[Cbg · Rating 2 out of 5]

boooooooring. Use of the N-word to refer to people of color.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming bit of escapism.

[Senga Time · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wojna secesyjna, stały element amerykańskich sag, tu też niesie niepokój i zmiany.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so happy with this series! And I'm thrilled that there are so many books to read! A solid five stars from me. 🙂

[Loraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful book