Rating: 
Summary: As classic as Jane Eyre!
Review: "Grange House" is a good, solid gothic novel, worthy of comparison to "Wuthering Heights", "Jane Eyre", etc. The author, Sarah Blake, deals with identity of the individual. What makes us who we really are? Are we defined by the history we inherit or by the history we choose and create? Perhaps it is our environment? The central character, Maisie Thomas, is a young, intelligent and independent thinker somewhat hedged in by Victorian mores. But is she who she thinks she is? Is anyone who they appear to be? The famous line by Emily Dickinson -- "Tell all the truth, but tell it slant" popped into my head and stayed as I read this book. In "Grange House" the truth is "slant", subjective and unique to each individual. A novel of power, manipulation and guilt, it is classically gothic, offering chilling apparitions, deep forests, a cold, unrelenting ocean, madness and ill-fated love. Truth and reality are entangled with deceit and illusion. Past, present and future bleed into each other for a truly wild, entertaining tale.
Rating: 
Summary: Grange House: A New Voice for the Victorian Novel
Review: A beautifully written, Victorian-style novel set in turn-of-the-century Maine, Sarah Blake's "Grange House" is a very evocative coming of age novel with a nod to the great women writers of the 19th century. Maisie, a well-born and intelligent seventeen-year old girl, finds tragedy, intrigue and love on the craggy coast of Maine while summering with her family. The Victorian sensibilities, language and details will ring true to any Austen or Bronte fan, yet Blake finds her own voice, and it is an eloquent one. I would highly recommend this first novel to lovers of the classics. It will be time well spent.
Rating:
Summary: Mysterious Grange House - what are its secrets?
Review: Grange House is a beautifully written, almost haunting tale of a young girl's coming of age summer. It takes place during the time when families of means spent summers at resorts on the coasts of Maine and other northern states. It unfolds slowly, deliciously, and keeps you guessing even after you've finished the book. Miss Grange, a somewhat mysterious woman thought to be a poor relation who lives in the attics of Grange House, is advancing in years and has a great need to have the family stories told. She wants the young "heroine" to be the teller of those stories. The reader is drawn into the stories, and at times it can be difficult to tell what is story and what is present reality. As the stories are passed on, there is also a friendship and understanding developing between these two women, one young and one old. At the same time, suitors are vying for the heroine's attentions. There are suspenseful moments and ones where the reader will heave a sigh of relief. This book is filled with imagery which will take you back to a past time. It's well worth the trip.
Rating:
Summary: Incredible first novel!
Review: Grange House is entrancing. Blake has captured to perfection the mannerisms and language of the Victorian age. I was loathe to set it down each night and sad when the last page turned. Reading this book was like being at Grange House itself; I had a clear sense of the rhythm of life there, the pampered luxury and profound disquiet that so delicately balanced against each other. The characters are well drawn and consistent. Maisie is truly likeable and I found myself as breathless as she as the story progressed. Blake is a gifted writer and I hope for more from her in the future.
Rating: 
Summary: haunting story
Review: I did what you're never supposed to do and picked this book up based on its cover. I'm not a literary buff, i'm just a reader and i wasn't looking for any relationships between this book and other books written IN the Victorian Era, i was just wanting a good read, and this book did deliver. It kept me wanting to know what happend next and how it would end up. BUT, in the middle of the book there was this big, long sequence, and i was sooo bored! I actually skipped a few pages, because i just didn't care abut what was going on. The plot was pretty good though, i personally was shocked about what ended. Obviously this book did something to me enough to make me want to take me time to write a review, so i definatly think, that whether you liked the book or not, itwould be worth your time to read it.I gave it only three stars becuase it got a little boreing like i said, and i didn't like the way the author ended it, i was left wishing the "afterward" part was longer adn said more.But thats just me of course.
Rating:
Summary: I love this book!
Review: I found this book to be so refreshing after the many books full of just conversation and minimal plots. Maisie Thomas, the lead character, is amazingly believable, and full of spunk and compassion. This book blends just the right amounts of history, romance, action, and mystery to create a wonderful read for teenagers on up. This is probably one of my favorite books I have read in a long time, and I highly recomend it to anyone. I'm sorry if this review is cliche, but that is the truth.
Rating:
Summary: Jane Eyre with a more modern sensibility
Review: I have loved reading this book, which was recommended to me by the staff of an excellent, erudite and selective bookstore in DC. The story is intriguing without being overdone (a concern with gothic fiction) and is extraordinarily well written. There's a touch of Henry James to the story. Something not mentioned by other readers: Grange House is one of the few books I've read in years that have given me such vivid imagery that I truly savored reading each passage slowly. This isn't just a Victorian-style thriller; there are several social and interpersonal issues brought out concerning women, marriage, social status, tradition, and family as well. You care what decisions the narrator makes.
Rating:
Summary: A spooky, romantic, well-studied Victorian tale
Review: I initially picked this book up because it was written by the wife of one of my professors. However, I was happy to find that it was very skillfully written and researched. Also, it is a fascinating, sometimes spooky, sometimes heart-wrenching, and sometimes romantic tale of families, ghosts (of the mental and chain-clanking kind), growing up, and love. Be warned: there are a lot of names and information in this book, and some of them are little tidbits that sort of dwindle into nothing as the book goes on. And some are brought up randomly so you have to leaf back to find the connection. But overall, a great read.
Rating:
Summary: An eerie coming of age novel with fun plot surprises....
Review: I picked up this novel to read during October, feeling in the mood for a little ghost tale. I didn't expect the fun bit of romance, the touching family story line, and good plot developement. While I was hoping for a good ghost story, this isn't exactly that. It has 'ghosts' and other strange things which Maisie is 'gifted' enough to see, but it is not exactly scary. If you know this going in to it, you will make a better choice. Like I said earlier, it is touched with romance, eerie plot routes, sad deaths, and family issues as well, so it is much more then a simple 'spooky novel'. Sarah Blake studied victorian literature, and to me this is the strong point of the book. Her writing is true to a style long forgotten, and she does it well. She takes you to the grange house, to the graveyard and hillsides, and weaves her story in a beautiful way. If you enjoy classic books this one is a modern version that will not let you down. If you like those coming of age tales where a young woman looks for love but really finds herself, with a twist of a haunting tale, this will be a great journey for you.
Rating:
Summary: An eerie coming of age novel with fun plot surprises....
Review: I picked up this novel to read during October, feeling in the mood for a little ghost tale. I didn't expect the fun bit of romance, the touching family story line, and good plot developement. While I was hoping for a good ghost story, this isn't exactly that. It has 'ghosts' and other strange things which Maisie is 'gifted' enough to see, but it is not exactly scary. If you know this going in to it, you will make a better choice. Like I said earlier, it is touched with romance, eerie plot routes, sad deaths, and family issues as well, so it is much more then a simple 'spooky novel'. Sarah Blake studied victorian literature, and to me this is the strong point of the book. Her writing is true to a style long forgotten, and she does it well. She takes you to the grange house, to the graveyard and hillsides, and weaves her story in a beautiful way. If you enjoy classic books this one is a modern version that will not let you down. If you like those coming of age tales where a young woman looks for love but really finds herself, with a twist of a haunting tale, this will be a great journey for you.
|
