Specify Books In Favor Of Thornyhold
| Original Title: | Thornyhold |
| ISBN: | 0773672613 (ISBN13: 9780773672611) |
| Edition Language: | English URL http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thornyhold |
| Characters: | Gilly |
Mary Stewart
Hardcover | Pages: 207 pages Rating: 3.79 | 5448 Users | 508 Reviews
Chronicle During 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. 
Identify Containing Books Thornyhold
| Title | : | Thornyhold |
| Author | : | Mary Stewart |
| Book Format | : | Hardcover |
| Book Edition | : | Special Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 207 pages |
| Published | : | 1988 by William Morrow |
| Categories | : | Fiction. Mystery. Romance. Gothic. Fantasy. Historical. Historical Fiction |
Rating Containing Books Thornyhold
Ratings: 3.79 From 5448 Users | 508 ReviewsAssess Containing Books Thornyhold
A bit more mellow than the others, in terms of suspense and mystery, but still quite fun and entertaining. Loved the description of Thornyhold and its gardens.I love this book so much! I am reading it for the third time, or I should say that I'm listening to the audio version read by Jane Asher (the one who dated Paul McCartney donkey years ago). I find it very soothing to lie in bed and have someone with a British accent read me to sleep. The magical element of the book appeals to me, as does the descriptive details about the settings. All those wonderful heirloom flowers growing amid the overgrown cottage garden, etc. After listening to the YouTube
Those readers who love the vivid, lyrical prose of Stewart's novels shouldn't be disappointed in this offering, although be warned, it does differ from her earlier works. Thornyhold is a more subtle and contemplative story then you might be used to when it comes to reading Stewart. After all, she was in her 70's when she wrote this, and I imagine she was harkening back to her youth while penning Thornyhold. Generally absent is the suspense and romance so magically woven throughout in The
I loved Thornyhold every bit as much as I had expected. And maybe even a little more.Geillis was a lonely child, the only daughter of undemonstrative parents, but her godmother, a herbalist and maybe a white witch, understood and showed her the magic in the world that she had always wanted to see:Everything, suddenly, seemed outlined in light. The dog-daisies, white and gold, and taller than I was, stirred and swayed above my head as if combed through by a strong breeze. In its wake the air
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
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
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