Madam, want to talk about author Mary Stewart? discussion

CAUTION: SPOILERS AHEAD...


Oh my, what a nail biter NCW was!
I really enjoyed this one, especially the final third portion. Even though I was pretty sure of how it would turn out, Stewart still did a fantastic job of keeping me guessing about the motives of the hero. She also threw in a red herring character (the Englishman) that I wasn't sure was a baddie or good guy until the final pages.
Some details that didn't pan out as I expected:
1. When Linda gave her party dress to Berthe, I was fully expecting Berthe to turn up dead (the thought being that Linda was being marked for murder and the killer mistook Berthe for Linda)
2. When Phillipe blew up the inflatable dinghy in the boathouse, I fully expected a scene where Linda and Phillipe were met by the killer in the boathouse and needed to make a getaway by water via said dinghy.

LOL! I'm such a sucker for red herrings~~~

She had me fooled on the Englishman as well. I kept waiting for him to turn into a baddie. I loved Raoul. Sigh....

Misfit wrote: I loved Raoul. Sigh...."

Moi aussi!!
When Linda fled from him, his reaction was so crushed that I wanted to smack her upside the head. At the same time, I also understood and applauded her actions. After all, she was protecting a small boy, and maintained that her first and foremost duty lay with him.

Ok, just finished and it was just shy of a 5 star. I still don't trust Raoul and thought the Engishman was a much better choice.

Tell me, why did Bernard(the servant)say that Raoul shot the bullet into the tree? Why did he lie about it?...and who did it? It just wasn't explained clearly enough for me.

You're right Hannah, it was difficult to know who to trust or what would happen next. I even suspected Linda for a while thinking she might be some deranged maniac on the loose.

Oh, I loved Raoul but it's been too long since I've read it to recall everything. She does keep you guessing until the end, doesn't she?

Just started!

Is this going to be the discussion thread?

I just read a few pages on my lunch break but hope to read more after work. Can't wait to read more!

She starts right out with an amazing description of Paris in the early spring that positively makes me smell it!

One thing I've found myself wondering is why Linda ended up in the orphanage in England and not France. Did I miss something that explained that, other than her father being English? She must have been orphaned right at the end of the war, so perhaps her citizenship entitled her to the English orphanage rather than what I imagine must have been an over-full French one? (Although I doubt England was in much better shape)

I'm also glad that she's 24 and not barely 20, which for some reason or other I'd thought she was!

I don't know if we will use this thread or these in the buddy reads section:

Nine Coaches Waiting
Nine Coaches Waiting -- SPOILERLAND
Nine Coaches Waiting -- 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Coach
Nine Coaches Waiting -- 4th and 5th Coach
Nine Coaches Wating -- 6th Coach
Nine Coaches Wating -- 7th Coach
Nine Coaches Waiting -- 8th, and 9th Coach

I didn't even see that batch of threads!

Re Pat's comment, Mary talked about that with Raoul and it was suggested that even in his drunken state Bernard did not dare confess to Berthe that he was the one who tried to kill Phillip. I agree, the descriptions in this book are wonderful and the suggestions of sadness and loss are so evocative. I think this was what made me believe Raoul who had his own scars and losses to cope with.

I just repinned all of those NCW buddy read threads to the top of the page so they'll be easier for you all to find and comment on! Sorry I forgot to bring it with me on vacation, but I know this book so well (it's my favorite MS book) that maybe I'll enjoy it with you vicariously. :)

A favorite! Yippeee and it is brand new for me, so I get to enjoy it for the first time.

Kathy wrote: "A favorite! Yippeee and it is brand new for me, so I get to enjoy it for the first time."

Oh yea! NCW is a great read! :)

I am itching to read a Mary Stewart, maybe with fall coming on...summer was sooooo busy. I seem to have more time to read beginning now. Did yall just finish this one? Maybe I will read anyway and add some comments.

Debbie wrote: "I am itching to read a Mary Stewart, maybe with fall coming on...summer was sooooo busy. I seem to have more time to read beginning now. Did yall just finish this one? Maybe I will read anyway a..."
I've read several of her books now and my favorites are - This Rough Magic, Wildfire at Midnight and Airs Above the Ground. But, Madam Will You Talk and Nine Coaches Waiting are good too. Whichever one you choose to read, I think you'll enjoy it. :)

Debbie wrote: "I am itching to read a Mary Stewart, maybe with fall coming on...summer was sooooo busy. I seem to have more time to read beginning now. Did yall just finish this one? Maybe I will read anyway a..."

Yes, do! I'm sure you'll get some replies to your comments!

I'm halfway thru NCW. It's getting good.

"Yes and yes and yes." *happy sigh*

Hold up! pg.122; Did she just say, "You are a little ass aren't you?" No one else here caught that?

debbie~cr8zycat~ wrote: "Hold up! pg.122; Did she just say, "You are a little ass aren't you?" No one else here caught that?"

Back in those days, it pretty much just meant "You're a little silly, aren't you?" It wasn't a big negative term, but more of an endearment. My, how times do change!

OH! LOL I had no idea. How funny. Thanks for clearing that up. :-)

debbie~cr8zycat~ wrote: "OH! LOL I had no idea. How funny. Thanks for clearing that up. :-)"

I've always wanted to call the kids little asses, but I was afraid of being overheard. Or, worse yet, having them repeat it!