Wonderful book... But not genre historical romance

books:


	• Through a Glass Darkly Karleen Koen Sourcebooks Landmark, 2003 - 768 pages average customer review:based on 110 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Spectacular book, I flew through every page;

Though I love long books and historical fiction, I must say at first I was a little intimidated by this books 741 pages. Even the first 100 pages were ordinary, and I almost put it down and did not pick it back up.

For some reason, though, I kept on going, because I despretely wanted to see Babara married to Roger. I am so glad I did because I soon found myself flying through at least a hundred pages a day, until I finished the book this morning. What an amazing book!

England, circa 1715. Fifteen-year old Barbara Alderley has lived a simple life at her grandmother's rich estate in Tamworth. She spends her time playing with her brothers and sisters and pulling pranks- until her mother, Diana- a beauty who will sleep with anyone for money- comes to visit. Since Barbara's father is a traitor to the king, Diana is petitioning for a divorce. She sees an ally in weathy Roger Montgeoffry, whom she decides to marry Barbara off to. Despite a large age difference, Barbara has been in love with Roger since childhood, and she is more than happy to marry him. She is sure that she can make him love her. And Roger is a good man- except that he has a few "particular" tastes, tastes that he cannot control, no matter how hard he tries. Barbara soon finds herself having to face scandal and heartbreak- will she prevail?

I loved this book, and I loved both Barbara and Roger. The sideplots about the Duchess of Tamworth (Barbara's grandmother) and Jane were fascinating as well. This book was such a treat that I wish it could have been even longer! (P.S. I hated Charles. Didn't you?) At the beginning of the book I feared it would turn out like a lot of historical fiction, when everybody upon everybody seems to be obbsessed with the main chracter (Barbara, obviously) and you can only tell if someone is bad if they don't like her.

(Plus- SPOILER! it was annoying at first how it seemed all her siblings died calling to her- she wasn't their whole world, in my opinion. I was glad that farther on into the book people who liked her weren't nessessarily good. (Like Charles.)

Overall, a wonderful book and worth every minute I spent reading it.

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Wonderful book... But not genre historical romance

One of my pet peeves is when romance readers (of which I am) criticize a book by saying "this is not a romance!" As if the book is somehow less because of it.

Well, TAGD is not a romance. It has a marriage at the center of its plot, but the theme, the meaning, the depth is not about finding HEA. Not at all.

In a nutshell TAGD is about a 15 year old girl with a spine of steel who decides she wants to marry a 42 year old licentious earl and make him fall in love with her. The first 200 pages contain her struggles to make the marriage happen. In all honesty, I had to force myself through them. They are rather boring and the characters unlikeable and cardboard. I am SO glad I kept going though.

Once Babs and Roger are married, the story becomes vibrant and painful and lovely. Many of the things I previously assumed about the characters are only superficial characteristics. I thought this was especially well done with Diana and Tony.

Babs must face the truth of getting what she asked for. That Roger both is and is not the person she thought (on meeting him only a handful of times). In fact, the world is far more complicated than she could ever have imagined. She makes some monumental errors in judgment as does Roger and pretty much every other character. I ached for them. One of the characters (I can't remember who) says that personal suffering generates empathy for others. I disliked the characters at first, but as they suffered I grew to love them.

TAGD is beautiful journey that ends with God giving Babs what she wants by ending things in a way that neither she nor Roger could ever mess it up again. (hard to spit it all out in a way that is coherent without giving away the details of the ending!!!) There are huge spiritual undertones throughout the book. They are handled with grace and great subtlety though, so I enjoyed them rather than feeling beat over the head.

As much as the theme of the the book is seeing 'through a glass darkly,' it is also 'Ask and you shall receive.'

This book touched me deeply.

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judge a book by its cover

i was at the thrift store compiling summer pleasure reading...i do not waste time with "romance novels," mind you...but i liked the cover of this book and was drawn to it...i flipped to the middle and read a few paragraphs...i did that twice...and i decided to give it a chance...

my expecatations were not high for this novel...but the author is a superb writer...she uses words that i had to look up (which i LOVE to do)...her character development is enthralling...and i was quickly swept up in the time period and woulnd into the lives of the characters...several hundred pages in,i did have to admit that it was a "trashy romance" novel, after all...but, i was hooked and loved everry minute of my wellinvested time...

i look forward, with great zeal to the sequel "Now Face to Face"

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

A magnificent tapestry of
a grand and glorious era

As opulent and passionate as the 18th century it celebrates.Through a glass darkly kill sweep you away tothe splendors of a lost era. Like gone with the wind,it is richwith characters so vivid -- from aristocrats toscoundrels--they create their own immortality Here is thestory of a great family ruled by a dowager of extraordinarypower: of a young woman seeking low in a world of Englishluxury and French intrigue" and of a man haunted by asecret that could turn all their dreams to ashes...

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