Kaethe

August 23, 2008

Still more Mary Stewart.

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We've got a couple of little mysteries going. This is a bit like Thornyhold, written forty years later. Interesting the differences between her writing right after the war, and from a nostalgic distance.

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In conclusion,this is also quite a bit like [b:The Shell Seekers|37095|The Shell Seekers|Rosamunde Pilcher|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1385213408s/37095.jpg|517040]. I love seeing the answer to "What was your war like?" for various characters. Stewart addresses the tremendous shift in class boundaries that came with the war, solves a few little mysteries with a fair bit of humor, and resolves it all well.
And I realized with this book what made Stewart such a trendsetter: her heroines break the Romance mold by achieving independence and real estate first, and then acquiring a husband and family. These women are seeking Home, not love. Although children aren't a big part of her writing, family is, and much of the heroes' appeal lies in their relations.

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July 1, 2014

Not only am I on a roll for re-reading, but I'm finding that I like those books I'm re-reading even more than I did the first time around. One reason I respect it so much is how pragmatic Kathy is. There's something odd going on, so she tries to find out what it is by asking around the folks in the village. That's it. There's no great dangerous sleuthing, just tidying up the house and having a chat with the neighbors.

There is also great sympathy with the difficulties of being an unwed mother back in the day, the tangible proof of guilt. People can be so cruel.

Library copy