Poldark Saga - Winston Graham discussion

What are your favorites in book 6? We should assume this entire discussion will contain spoilers for this book!

SPOILER: Book One, Chapter Two, Page 90, 91...Ross and Dwight have jogged home together, talking of personal things, as they are really the only close friends either of them have. Ross says: "You've told me you are not unwell yourself. There is a darkness of spirit in you Dwight." Dwight said" "Sometime perhaps we can talk of it." Ross: "I have no appointment . Let us get down for a minute . Is there some way I can help?" "No..." Dwight patted his horse's neck. It can be said in a few words, if you wish it. Sarah will not live. Ross stared at him. "What?"
Have you obsered that the child has a slight bluish tinge to the lips? It is little noticible but being a surgeon as well as a father, I noticed it. SHe has been born with a congenitial defect of the heart. A mumoration. P

Do you think Dwight was right to keep Sarah's condition from Caroline?

Yes sorry the rest of my post was broken by a bored kitty jumping on my laptop. YES, Dwight knew how reluctant Caroline was to have children and would have preferred them to arrive as toddlers. But Sarah, despite Caroline's aversion had become a part of her life and quite possibly in her way Caroline loved her. See Chapter Two, Page 183-185 with tissues.
I started this post really in response to another post that there were such huge divides between the classes. Yet there were some conditions which money and station could not solve or heal and the privileged class must grieve too...

A lot happened in this book, some of which I did not like very much. One quote in particular stood out for me (in a good way).
3.3.I. Ross tells Demelza: "No man wants his wife to be a woman that other men don't desire. But every man wants his wife to be a woman that other men don't get."

TANYA REALLY? you don't think think that Ross was trying in his own slightly inept way to say he valued fidelity???OR am I not reading your quote properly? Although I have to agree that THE FOUR SWANS was not my favorite book. It was so unlike Ross to allow another man to pay attentions such as love poems to his wife. I kept wondering why he allowed HA to be a part of their lives? Of course he was grateful for HA sailing the ship from France with the precious cargo but...

Victoria wrote: "TANYA REALLY? you don't think think that Ross was trying in his own slightly inept way to say he valued fidelity??"
I edited my comment to be clearer. I LIKED the quote (this topic is "favorites" after all). I appreciated Ross' sentiment. He finally tries to tell Demelza of his deep feelings for her, and that part I like.

TANYA...sorry should have remember that this was 'FAVORITES"...this was a sweet scene...

This has been my favorite book so far, after the first book. I enjoyed all the characters, conflicts, confrontations and conversations! Is it possible that Graham was thinking "Screenplay" at this point? The entire book played out like a movie in my mind. The dialogue between the characters seemed more fleshed out. There didn't seem to be so much left between the lines to guess at.

I especially liked the exchange between Ross & Elizabeth. I'm glad that they seemed to reach something like closure. I HATED Ross when he recounts the meeting to Demelza later. He did it with way too many compliments to Elizabeth.

I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Sam and Drake better. I like that Graham draws them as authentic in their beliefs. It would be too easy to portray them as stereotypical religious zealots. Instead they garner respect for their integrity and work ethic from Ross and the villagers in general. It makes me wonder at Graham's own religious beliefs. It wasn't lost on me that the one scripture that Ross remembers is "Except the Lord build the house..."

I'm so glad that Demelza finally got to be someone's "Elizabeth". And I thought it was so strange that none of Ross's thoughts about her unfaithfulness ever caused him to reflect on his own. He never thought, "Oh, now I know what she must have felt like". I'm not glad it happened, but I'm glad he suffered.

It was good to see the tension played out in George's & Elizabeth's marriage. Ross had a very good insight on what makes George tick and it was exciting to see Elizabeth take Ross' advice and become empowered by it.

I also enjoyed Emma, the aristocracy, the politics and the history. I would love to see this book filmed. If Masterpiece continues to do 2 books a season, then this story should come around about Season 3. In the meantime I'm moving on to The Angry tide hoping that I find it as enthralling.

Mara wrote: "In the meantime I'm moving on to The Angry tide hoping that I find it as enthralling."
Oh, it will be!

AGREE WITH TANYA!! It is going to be hard to put down even to eat or shower!!

Victoria wrote: "SPOILER: Book One, Chapter Two, Page 90, 91...Ross and Dwight have jogged home together, talking of personal things, as they are really the only close friends either of them have. Ross says: "You'v..."
Hmmmm, I don't recall reading this in The Four Swans as Caroline is only pregnant and has not had her baby yet. Should this spoiler be in The Angry Tide instead or did I miss something?

I have a couple of favorite parts in this book. My absolute favorite is seeing Caroline taking control of the local politics in the area. Of course, as a woman, she will not enter politics, but she definitely has placed her mark on the machinations affecting the local electorate. Bravo, Caroline.
My second favorite part is seeing Ossie Whitworth get his comeuppance from Rowella. Hah, but that was great reading how she finagled 500 guineas/pounds, can't remember, out of him for her marriage to Arthur Solway.

SPOILER!!


The way Hugh’s death was dropped hit me like a gut punch. I’m an avid reader but NEVER in my life has a writer got me like that. I literally had a physical response to it like it was happening in real life! I was at work and reading while walking down the hall and BAM! I stopped walking and gasped. Adrenalin rush, shock, confusion.... WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?! I almost couldn’t get back to work right away. I had to text my daughter and husband and tell them something terrible just happened in my book lol

Sorry that posted twice. It said the first time there was an error and that it hadn’t posted so I hit “send” again :( now I can’t find a way to delete it

Sondra wrote: "Sorry that posted twice. It said the first time there was an error and that it hadn’t posted so I hit “send” again :( now I can’t find a way to delete it"

No worries--I have delete power. :-)