Madam, want to talk about author Mary Stewart? discussion

OK, as this is my favorite Stewart, I'm gonna start the ball rolling by mandating that every last one of you needs to put down whatever you're reading and pick this one up, read it, and come back here and post that you adore it as much as I do.

But seriously, I read this one back in January of this year and I was so totally enchanted by it that I was desperately searching for an old wiccan auntie to die and leave me an English cottage! I'm not quite sure why I adore books that feature houses as an integral part of the story. Perhaps living in an college town apartment makes me yearn for my very own quiet place. I'm a real throwback kind of woman. If I had my way, I'd be tending my flower, herb and vegetable garden with 3 cats and a Westie at my heels instead of working in an advertising agency! This book is so warm and comforting to me and my dreams of that kind of life. It's definitely a departure from Stewart's more suspenseful novels, in that there is very little true danger, intrigue or romance. But it's a soothing and lovely addition to the Stewart collection.

Hannahr wrote: "OK, as this is my favorite Stewart, I'm gonna start the ball rolling by mandating that every last one of you needs to put down whatever you're reading and pick this one up, read it, and come back h..."

Hi Hannah: While it's not my favourite of MS' books, I love it too. To be able to inherit and house and live there without going to work - sounds like heaven.

Hi Lorraine! I have a special GoodReads shelf for books I label "Houses as Characters". I first read Thornyhold about this time last year and it totally captivated me. I think because I live in a small apartment with noisy, college-age neighbors around me, that the thought of a beautiful old house complete with cats, dogs, herb gardens, a possible friendly paranormal presence and the handsome, enigmatic neighbor enthrall me. I can't get enough of them!

I agree - I would quit my job in a heartbeat to live in one. I'd stay plenty busy there :)

You were right, Hannahr. I did love this book and also want to live at Thornyhold. Mary Stewart has such an amazing way of writing descriptions. You feel you are there with the characters experiencing all the sights, sounds and emotions that surround them.

I liked their day trip to Stonehenge. Do you know what the other circle of rocks are that they referred to at Avebury? I need to google.


Edit: ok, here we go.

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/en...

I must read this book.

It's short and sweet, Misfit. Only 188 pages, but you know how Mary can write a great story without a lot of uninteresting filler parts.

Pat wrote: "It's short and sweet, Misfit. Only 188 pages, but you know how Mary can write a great story without a lot of uninteresting filler parts."

Oh I agree. I recall looking at Wildfire at Midnight and thinking what a tiny book it was but she can still pull out an excellent story. Wish some of today's authors could learn from that.

Pat wrote: "You were right, Hannahr. I did love this book and also want to live at Thornyhold. Mary Stewart has such an amazing way of writing descriptions..."

I'm so happy you loved it, Pat. I agree that Stewart did have a descriptive flare for writing the reader into a scene.

There's something just so sweet (without being sappy) and comforting about this book. I wrote in my review that IMO, I think Stewart was really harkening back to her past when she wrote this one. After all, it was published in the 1980's, and she would have been in her 70's at that time. Since the book takes place soon after WWII, it's my belief that she was really just writing a little love story; not about 2 people, but a love story about a time period that she has wonderful memories of. At least that's my take. I have nothing to substantiate it with :)

Pat -- thanks for that link.

Hannahr -- I will have to revisit the cottage trilogy due to your enthusiasm. I remember liking them but not wildly loving them as I do earlier Stewart works -- but maybe they are just exactly what I need at this moment so -- library here I come.

Hi Dottie! Hope you'll enjoy them more the second time around.
:)

Dottie, I'm with you. I liked the cottage books, but if I'm on MS kick, they are the last ones I'd read. But I also have to agree with everyone that wanted to live in one! There's just something so cozy and comforting about those books.

And to HannahR: You said you like books with Houses as characters. Have you read Green Darkness? I think that's what it was called--and I think I've lost the author's name, too. I believe it was Susan Howatch. She did a lot of ghost stories where the house was the main character and the people were just the catalysts. Oh, and Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House! When I read it as a teenager it was just a spooky ghost story, but then I re-read it 20 years later and it scared the crud out of me!

Well, that was a little off-topic wasn't it?

Hi Annie!
I've never read Green Darkness, but will now add to my TBR pile since you mentioned the "houses as character" angle - thanks!

Regarding The Haunting of Hill House, that was one I picked up last year that ended up being a "did not finish". I had such high hopes for it, but something about Jackson's writing style just didn't click with me, and I couldn't complete it. I really wanted to enjoy it and be scared like you were.

Bummer :(

EDIT: Just looked up Green Darkness and found it was written by Anya Seton and I had read it after all :)

Annie, you go OT as much as you want :)

I've read Howatch's *Plantagenet* books, but I have'nt got around to reading her romantic suspense/mysteries yet but I plan to. She really rocked in Penmarric, Cashelmara and Wheel of Fortune.

Hannahr wrote: "Hi Annie!
I've never read Green Darkness, but will now add to my TBR pile since you mentioned the "houses as character" angle - thanks!

Regarding The Haunting of Hill House, that was one I pick..."

Oh, Dang! I knew it was either Susan Howatch or Anya Seton! I guessed wrong! They both wrote a lot of books like that -- I just finished one a month or so ago called the Hearth and the Eagle, also Anya Seton, I think. It was very good, too. I think she was fascinated by the history of a place, because she wrote a lot of books like that. Susan Howatch's tend be more spooky. There's one about an inn in England that started out as a roman stopping point/commissary basically and over the years turned into a bustling coach house on the London road type of thing. I really enjoyed that one and recently re-read it. Can't remember the name of it though or the author. I'll have to see if I can find it for you.

Found it!~ Its called "A Wayside Tavern", and it is by Norah Lofts.

Misfit wrote: "Annie, you go OT as much as you want :)

I've read Howatch's *Plantagenet* books, but I have'nt got around to reading her romantic suspense/mysteries yet but I plan to. She really rocked in Penma..."

I remember reading Penmarric and Cashelmara--many, many moons ago. Wheel of Fortune doesn't sound familiar, nor do the Plantagenet books. When I was in high school I used to go through the library systematically and just read every book they had by my favorite authors. So, I've basically read everything by Susan Howatch, Anya Seton, Victoria Holt, Mary Stewart, Phyllis Whitney and Norah Lofts that I could find by the time I was 20. I'm going to have to do that again and see if the library here in Salt Lake has anything I missed back in the days! Thanks for the tip!

Hannahr wrote: "Hi Annie!
I've never read Green Darkness, but will now add to my TBR pile since you mentioned the "houses as character" angle - thanks!

Regarding The Haunting of Hill House, that was one I pick..."

And about Jackson's writing style--I noticed that recently also. When I was in high school I read "Hill House" and a couple of funny books she wrote about her children "Life Among the Savages." I remembered how much I enjoyed those and decided to re-read them. Couldn't do it. They were just too dry. I guess my tastes have changed over the years.

I haven't thought o Green Darkness in years. I read it when I was maybe thwelve and was horrified at the whole tragedy (especially when I learned that stuff like this actually happened)... Another book from that era, Dinner at (for?) Eight. It was sort of murder mystery but very much in the MM Kaye line. But back to Thornyhold. This was a charming story. I don't usually picture myself as the herooine of a novel, but this time I could totally imagine it.

Melanie,
I have to agree with you about Thornyhold. Even though it's a short little book, and not alot happens, it's become one of my favorite books of all time because of the feelings of warmth and comfort it generates in me. Gilly's life after her childhood is total wish-fulfillment for me. A beautiful house, a solid and gentlemanly husband, a sweet little stepson, a good dog, and a herb garden - what's not to love there??

Okay-- I remembered the correct title. Dinner at Antoine's by (I think) Francis Keyes. Phew-- hate the memory goes walkabout.... Thornyhold feels almost like a children's story, or maybe YA :-). A lot of her other books were darker and more gothic.

It's been a while since I read Thornyhold, but since I found a lot of my Mary Stewart's in a box in the dining room awaiting reshelving, I might just have to read some - and reacquaint myself with this one.

Carol wrote: "It's been a while since I read Thornyhold, but since I found a lot of my Mary Stewart's in a box in the dining room awaiting reshelving, I might just have to read some - and reacquaint myself with..."

Ooh, a big box full of Mary Stewart books. That sounds wonderful. I've been buying my copies up at library book sales and secondhand book stores when I can find them. I used to just read them from the library, but I want my own copies now.

Enjoy, Carol!

I have most of them now, bought over the years from 2nd hand shops etc., and it is good to have your own copy:-)

I moved last month and in my unpacking, found my copy of Thornyhold. I reread it for the first time, probably since I bought it about 20 years ago. This is not the story I remembered as Thornyhold! I did enjoy it a great deal. I think the story I was thinking of must have been Stormy Petrel, though I'm not sure. I'm going to have to start rereading the cottage books, I guess!

Annie wrote: "I moved last month and in my unpacking, found my copy of Thornyhold. I reread it for the first time, probably since I bought it about 20 years ago. This is not the story I remembered as Thornyhol..."

Yea, Annie! So glad you found Thornyhold to your liking on re-read.

About the "magic" in this story. I've always imagined that the story contained Magic - she really did fly in the night, and there really was a love potion, and there really was a crystal ball.
But someone once said that a differing opinion would be that the "magic" is a combination of drugs and the power of suggestion.

Thoughts anyone?

I think the first time I read this, I had the same vision of the magic as you, but this last time it was more of the second opinion. I think the witch in the lodge house (whose name I've forgotten already) was mostly a fake and used psychology and the power of suggestion and and probably drugs to get what she wanted.

Laura wrote: "About the "magic" in this story. I've always imagined that the story contained Magic - she really did fly in the night, and there really was a love potion, and there really was a crystal ball.
Bu..."

That's a good question, Laura.

I think my first impressions were very like Annie's. It seemed as though on first reading it that the magic was more "real", but upon re-reading, I attributed her night-time flight to a drug induced experience brought on by eating her neighbor's soup. Looks like I need to re-read yet again to look for more clues!

Oh, to be thus disillusioned!
I recall noticing during my last read that even the heroine seemed a bit confused about whether the magic was real or not and I never could decide whether she believed or not. That scene with the chocolates and the sheep farmer guy always had me convinced that the magic was real - but maybe he just loved chocolate!

Or maybe she did know a viable potion or two that really worked. You know, like herbal remedies can be just as effective as manufactured medicines at times.

She just got lucky with the chocolates!

"Trefoil, John's-wort, Vervain, Dill, Hinder witches of their will"

Just finished reading Thornyhold for the 3rd or 4th time. It's one of the most homey books I've ever read. Makes me want to "wise-woman". The magic in this book is totally believable. This book makes magic seem commonplace.

"The only luck you have in this life is the talent you're born with. The rest is up to you."

Just finished this and absolutely loved it. I also love the "house as a character theme." That is what had motivated me to make the list
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/7...
Thanks for your votes Hannah. I need to revisit it and read more form that list.

MomToKippy wrote: "Just finished this and absolutely loved it. I also love the "house as a character theme." That is what had motivated me to make the list
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/7......"

Thanks MomToKippy! I love books with a strong "house" presence. Hope you find some winners from the list :)

I have a special fondness for Thornyhold. While it isn't the "best" of her books it is one of my favorites. I have a house that is just like me so I completely understand belonging to a house the way Gilly does to Thornyhold.

I see some talk about the "Cottage Trilogy" what does that mean?

Sewingdervish wrote: "I see some talk about the "Cottage Trilogy" what does that mean?..."

Hi Sewingdervish!
Stewart's "Cottage Trilogy" consists of:
Thornyhold
The Stormy Petrel
and Rose Cottage

They are a bit different from her regular romantic suspense books in that they feature less suspense/action. They were also some of the last books Dame Stewart penned, and are, IMO, more nostalgic and "gentle" in nature. Thornyhold happens to be my personal favorite of all of Stewart's books - it's such a wish-fulfillment book :)