Be Specific About Regarding Books Thornyhold
| Title | : | Thornyhold |
| Author | : | Mary Stewart |
| Book Format | : | Hardcover |
| Book Edition | : | Anniversary Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 207 pages |
| Published | : | 1988 by William Morrow |
| Categories | : | Fiction. Mystery. Romance. Gothic. Fantasy. Historical. Historical Fiction |
Mary Stewart
Hardcover | Pages: 207 pages Rating: 3.79 | 5448 Users | 508 Reviews
Description Concering Books Thornyhold
Next up group read with the Mary Stewart group, October 2019. This is maybe 3.75 stars for me, but if I'm judging it just as a comfort read, that and my general love for all things Mary Stewart push it to a solid 4 stars. Mary Stewart (perhaps inspired by her Merlin books that she'd been writing) wrote this sweet romance with a dash of magical realism, as our heroine dabbles in white magic of the hedgewitch variety, like crystal balls and potions. Thornyhold is also a charming ode to the English country life and the healing that a lovely old home can bring to your life. Thornyhold is on a slightly different wavelength than Stewart's earlier romantic suspense novels; although there are both a mystery and a romance in this book, both are somewhat understated. This book centers around a charming, soul-satisfying place where a young woman can finally find herself, and the plot is more location-driven than action-driven. In any case Mary Stewart's penchant for lengthy, lovingly detailed descriptions of scenery is in full bloom here, so to speak. The main character, Geillis (Jilly), is very sympathetic: the first three chapters relate her lonely childhood, with a distant father and harsh mother. Jilly's life is lightened only by the periodic appearances of her older cousin Geillis, who brings a breath of fresh air, love, a little white magic, and encouragement. Cousin Geillis shows young Jilly a baby insect, a nymph, that "lives at the bottom of the pond in the dark, and feeds on whatever it can get, till one day it finds it can climb out into the light, and grow its wings, and fly. ... Another nymph, another way, another day."
But these lovely stolen moments with cousin Geillis are few and far between, and by the time Jilly/Geillis reaches adulthood in the fourth chapter I was desperately hoping for her to find some happiness. Luckily for both me and Geillis, she inherits Thornyhold from her cousin, which is where she finally finds herself and discovers love. This love isn't just romantic love; it's more love for a home and a place where Geillis can truly find herself.
Thornyhold is a lovely old home, with antique furnishings:
It was a big kitchen, old-fashioned but well enough planned, and after the vicarage kitchen, a delight. Instead of our vast black Eagle range there was a cream-coloured Aga, nestling under the old mantelpiece as if it had been built with the house ... Opposite the fireplace was a tall dresser with rows of pretty plates in white and powder-blue, with cups to match hanging along the fronts of the shelves.... a still room with medicines and herbs . . .
And there's a cat named Hodge, who comes with the home ...
... not to mention a friendly young neighbor boy and his single father. Drama is supplied by a neighborhood woman who dabbles in witchcraft and hides her jealousy toward Geillis under a layer of overfriendliness.
This is a gentle, thoughtful, feel-good tale with just a little romance and a dash of (mostly) white witchcraft. In general I love Mary Stewart's earlier, more suspenseful reads more than her later books, but this one is a nice comfort read and one I'm happy to revisit every few years.
Buddy reads with the Mary Stewart group. 
Declare Books In Favor Of Thornyhold
| Original Title: | Thornyhold |
| ISBN: | 0773672613 (ISBN13: 9780773672611) |
| Edition Language: | English URL http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thornyhold |
| Characters: | Gilly |
Rating Regarding Books Thornyhold
Ratings: 3.79 From 5448 Users | 508 ReviewsCriticize Regarding Books Thornyhold
This is simple perfection in descriptive poetic writing. Not earth shattering or life-changing, just a magical ride to another time and place chock full of imagery and tactile experience. If you enjoy exploration of nature and and discovery of nooks and crannies in historical old estates, quirky mysterious characters, with a little witchery thrown in, this is for you. The characters are colorfully drawn and feel real all the way down to the animals and birds. There are many quaint phrases that II enjoyed this book, but it's a bit different than Mary Stewart's older gothics. Set in the postwar years, this follows the adventures of Gilly Ramsey as she emerges from an isolated, lonely childhood after inheriting her beloved aunt's home at Thornyhold. When she arrives at her new home, Gilly discovers a mysterious (and handsome!) neighbor as well as signs that not all is as it seems.The gothic feel of this story felt familiar to me after reading some of Stewart's earlier works. However, in
Thornyhold is a sweet little romance with just a hint of mystery and the fantastical. Nothing alarming about it -- no dead bodies buried in the back garden -- just what I suppose some people would call a "clean" romance. It was perfect for a break from my coursework. It's nothing wildly exciting: it feels soft and nostalgic round the edges. The characters aren't exactly vivid and bright: I doubt I'll remember them in a month or two. But they were comfortable, and I was glad of the happy ending
I loved this book!The setting of Thornyhold is post WWII England. Young Geillis, known as Jilly has had a quietly miserable vicarage childhood raised by a stern mother and a gentle Vicar father. Her sad childhood is occasionally relieved by visits from her mother's Cousin Geillis, a world traveler, herbalist, and Jilly's sponsor/godmother. Jilly is gentle, intelligent and lonely, and the infrequent visits from Cousin Geillis have a magical quality for the lonely child. Cousin Geillis pays her
I suppose at 208 pages Thornyhold qualifies as a novel, but in some ways it feels like a novella. Sparse and focused, yet somehow sufficient for the story it tells. It is an odd, beautiful little book. It borderlines the feeling you get when you read a classic novel because it contains many of the same elements and archetypes: the lonely, orphaned girl, the emotions that reveal the human experience, the fight between good and evil. I'm sure you could find any number of Themes or Literary Tropes
I great story about the English country-side, herbs, witches, and love.
Okay, this is literary guilty pleasure at it's best! I really liked this book, but I think it garners four stars instead of five. Thornyhold encompasses many of my favorite things - England, a black cat, magic, a house with a mysterious past, and a garden! Not quite as polished as Mary Stewart's Arthurian saga, but I still found it to be a very enchanting story! I know I have many classics on my shelf waiting to be read, but it's summer and this book is simply delicious! And, weren't novels
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