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The Herries Chronicles #4
Vanessa
The fourth and final volume of the Herries Chronicles, described as 'incomparably the best' in The Daily Telegraph is a love story of 'effortless brilliance' ( Observer ) which starts with the triumph of Judith Paris's hundredth birthday in the 1870's and then moves to the tragic disillusionment of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Set, predominantly, as before, amidst the grandeur of the lake district landscape, it tells the passionate and unforgettable story of Vanessa, Judith's Granddaughter and her n'er-do-well cousin Benjie whom she had sworn in childhood never to betray.
654 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1933
3 people are currently reading
131 people want to read
About the author
Hugh Walpole
413 books85 followersSir Hugh Seymour Walpole was an English novelist. A prolific writer, he published thirty-six novels, five volumes of short stories, two plays and three volumes of memoirs. His skill at scene-setting, his vivid plots, his high profile as a lecturer and his driving ambition brought him a large readership in the United Kingdom and North America. A best-selling author in the 1920s and 1930s, his works have been neglected since his death.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 23, 2022
Oh I have loved this series of books "The Herries Chronicles" Chronicling the lives of one family from the 1700s to the 1930s. From the 'Rogue' himself to Vanessa the Great Grandaughter. The depth of language is wonderful, describing the beautiful Cumbrian countryside and the feeling that the family had towards it is so comforting somehow! They had such wonderful, adventurous and bountiful lives! (totally fictional of course, but oh so grand!
I didn't expect to enjoy this series as much as I did, as although Hugh Walpole was a highly respected writer of his day, he is probably a little outdated for todays reader, But the slightly old fashioned writing style only added to the quaintness of this work and I did not find it too antiquated at all!
I didn't expect to enjoy this series as much as I did, as although Hugh Walpole was a highly respected writer of his day, he is probably a little outdated for todays reader, But the slightly old fashioned writing style only added to the quaintness of this work and I did not find it too antiquated at all!
August 28, 2016
Free download available at Project Gutenberg Australia.
Free download available at Faded Page.
Vanessa is the fourth book of the six-volume series "The Herries Chronicles."
Even if some editors claim that this is final volume of the Herries Chronicles, the saga will continue with two more books, The Bright Pavilions and Katherine Christian.
The book begins with Judith’s 100th birthday party and we do regret her death since she was one of the most predominant and memorable character of this series, since its second volume.
During the plot, Vanessa’s father dies in tragic circumstances (no spoilers here) and the love triangle between Vanessa, Ellis and Benjie deepens.
Two new characters will show up in this book: the mid-brothers Sally and Tom. And lets hope someone will publish Judith’s memories.
As historical background, we have the Boer war, the Great War, and the period between War I and II.
This is one of the best family saga I have ever read, so far. And once you start to read this series, you won’t be able to stop reading it.
Loc 6352:
No man escapes the past, nor the fields where he was as a boy if that poison is in his blood. With some of us it is, with some of us it isn't. What do Thirty or Violet or Ellis care for this country? That's why they'll never understand us nor why we do what we do! We are the gipsies, with the smell of the ground always in our nostrils. That's our history, mixed up with the country, with Cumberland, with England.
Loc 9220:
As a family (for they had only the slenderest connection with the Scottish Herries) in 1730 they had been nothing, in 1780 a little something, in 1820 people were aware of them, in 1850 they counted, in 1900 they were prominent, and now in 1930 the were everywhere....
Herries Chronicles series:
5* Rogue Herries
5* Judith Paris
5* The Fortress
5* Vanessa
TR The Bright Pavilions
TR Katherine Christian
Rising City series:
TR The Duchess of Wrexe
TR The Green Mirror
TR The Captives
Free download available at Faded Page.
Vanessa is the fourth book of the six-volume series "The Herries Chronicles."
Even if some editors claim that this is final volume of the Herries Chronicles, the saga will continue with two more books, The Bright Pavilions and Katherine Christian.
The book begins with Judith’s 100th birthday party and we do regret her death since she was one of the most predominant and memorable character of this series, since its second volume.
During the plot, Vanessa’s father dies in tragic circumstances (no spoilers here) and the love triangle between Vanessa, Ellis and Benjie deepens.
Two new characters will show up in this book: the mid-brothers Sally and Tom. And lets hope someone will publish Judith’s memories.
As historical background, we have the Boer war, the Great War, and the period between War I and II.
This is one of the best family saga I have ever read, so far. And once you start to read this series, you won’t be able to stop reading it.
Loc 6352:
No man escapes the past, nor the fields where he was as a boy if that poison is in his blood. With some of us it is, with some of us it isn't. What do Thirty or Violet or Ellis care for this country? That's why they'll never understand us nor why we do what we do! We are the gipsies, with the smell of the ground always in our nostrils. That's our history, mixed up with the country, with Cumberland, with England.
Loc 9220:
As a family (for they had only the slenderest connection with the Scottish Herries) in 1730 they had been nothing, in 1780 a little something, in 1820 people were aware of them, in 1850 they counted, in 1900 they were prominent, and now in 1930 the were everywhere....
Herries Chronicles series:
5* Rogue Herries
5* Judith Paris
5* The Fortress
5* Vanessa
TR The Bright Pavilions
TR Katherine Christian
Rising City series:
TR The Duchess of Wrexe
TR The Green Mirror
TR The Captives
February 13, 2019
Bad on me! This is one of my favorite books but I never said why. A novel of place and of two lovers, it is set or limned by one of the world's most beautiful places, the English Lakes. Walpole's love of that country suffuses the book.. Without that setting and backdrop it would not work. It helps if one has at least visited the Lake Country and or knows Wordsworth's poetry.
Vanessa is the fourth in a tetrad. I read all the other three after Vanessa and can almost say "don't bother." Probably Walpole wanted to match or outdo Galsworthy in a family saga. I don't think he did. If I could only recommend one book out of the eleven or so in the two sagas, however, it would certainly be Vanessa. As a roman a fleuve where you will read all, I'd advise Forsyte. But if you don't know either yet, start with the darker horse, Vanessa. Walpole I believe was gay, but he loved Vanessa the way Hardy loved Tess, whose life was 100x harder than Vanessa's. When an author loves a character, the sympathetic reader usually does too.
Vanessa is the fourth in a tetrad. I read all the other three after Vanessa and can almost say "don't bother." Probably Walpole wanted to match or outdo Galsworthy in a family saga. I don't think he did. If I could only recommend one book out of the eleven or so in the two sagas, however, it would certainly be Vanessa. As a roman a fleuve where you will read all, I'd advise Forsyte. But if you don't know either yet, start with the darker horse, Vanessa. Walpole I believe was gay, but he loved Vanessa the way Hardy loved Tess, whose life was 100x harder than Vanessa's. When an author loves a character, the sympathetic reader usually does too.
December 5, 2012
I wasn't really expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did. I picked it up because of a chance inference from a webcomic I read (see http://namesakecomic.com), which caused me to search for a major work of literature whose protagonist is named Vanessa. Walpole characterizes using language I would find tiresome from most authors -- "he was the sort of XX who YY" kind of things; however, somehow he ends up portraying something subtle about century-old-English-cultural-norm YY as well as about character XX when he does this. I also suspect that I am slightly biased toward any book that requires occasional reference to the 8-generation genealogical chart in the back flyleaf.
May 7, 2020
A very comprehensive novel about the Herries family, particularly the main character Vanessa and her troublesome love life. Some of the language is beautiful and it is surprisingly easy to read considering its age. Although it has to be said that the novel is far too long for comfort or need, and the author sometimes ends important segments with a disappointing abruptness where emotion would have been much desired. Took a long time to get to the point.
October 17, 2024
Having re-read the Rogue Herries series after some 45+ years had passed since the first reading, I have to say that these four novels captivated me once again. And ‘Vanessa’ brought the series to an admirable and satisfying close.
December 16, 2022
If you love the Lake District, history and really good story telling you will enjoy these series of 4 books as much as I have. Lovely escapism when everything going on seems a bit of a muddle.
December 8, 2014
A love that lasts forty-five years until death, a story of young love going wrong and finally right, with a tremendous sense of place in Cumberland and the English Lakes. I must have read this four times in the last 50 years.
If at all possible, find an edition with maps in the endpapers. Sense of place is crucial throughout the book, even in the parts set in London. Walpole is not the writer that the authors of some of my other "favorites" are, but this book works for me as high romance in a landscape much more intrinsically beautiful than the Dales. Vanessa and Benjie are not Catherine and Heathcliff, don't have that demonic passion. They are closer to you and me.
If you like any two of the following four you will probably enjoy Vanessa a lot:Wordsworth, Wuthering Heights, Lorna Doone and The Forsyte Saga. If you like all four a lot, run out and get it.
If at all possible, find an edition with maps in the endpapers. Sense of place is crucial throughout the book, even in the parts set in London. Walpole is not the writer that the authors of some of my other "favorites" are, but this book works for me as high romance in a landscape much more intrinsically beautiful than the Dales. Vanessa and Benjie are not Catherine and Heathcliff, don't have that demonic passion. They are closer to you and me.
If you like any two of the following four you will probably enjoy Vanessa a lot:Wordsworth, Wuthering Heights, Lorna Doone and The Forsyte Saga. If you like all four a lot, run out and get it.
February 22, 2016
Another excellent addition to this series; however, the last 75 pages or so were as if the story was continued by another author - disjointed and poorly written and very uninteresting.
July 28, 2011
Fantastic concluding part to the Herries chronicle.
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March 13, 2019This review is by my grandmother, from her "Books I Have Read" diary, started in 1938. It is on page 14.
This is the life story of a very beautiful woman named Vanessa. She has a great deal of trouble in her life because she is married to one man but desperately in love with another. After living with her husband until she can no longer stand him, she goes to live with Benjie, the man she had loved all her life and who also loves her. They have a very happy time although they can't marry. The book makes you really know all the characters as though you knew them personally. Benjie is wonderfully described and so is Vanessa. After her death you feel so sorry for their daughter and especially for Benjie. The part about the War is rather tiresome, but on the whole, it is a marvelous book, a swell plot and beautifully told.
Additional Details:
Publisher: Doubleday, Doron & Co. Inc.
This is the life story of a very beautiful woman named Vanessa. She has a great deal of trouble in her life because she is married to one man but desperately in love with another. After living with her husband until she can no longer stand him, she goes to live with Benjie, the man she had loved all her life and who also loves her. They have a very happy time although they can't marry. The book makes you really know all the characters as though you knew them personally. Benjie is wonderfully described and so is Vanessa. After her death you feel so sorry for their daughter and especially for Benjie. The part about the War is rather tiresome, but on the whole, it is a marvelous book, a swell plot and beautifully told.
Additional Details:
Publisher: Doubleday, Doron & Co. Inc.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews