Rating: Summary: deserves more than five stars Review: I absolutely loved this book. It was touching and inspiring and just wonderful. It's the story of a young girl marrying a man twice her age to save her family. She is widowed and accused by the village people of murdering her husband and being a witch. She is befriended by the village priest and a deaf boy who everyone thinks is mad. It's a love story, if anyone wants to know. It's hard for me to read abook without one. But, though there is romance in it, there's compassionate love and understanding love. The witch trial and the low-tolerance level of the villagers is appalling and sadly all too true of that time period and this one if you think about it. But, it's a truly moon-good (from the book) piece of art.
Rating: Summary: The raging quiet. Review: Sherryl Jordan has written a great book here about Marnie and Raver; two totally different people but yet they are similar. Marnie is a new comer to the town and Raven is deaf. Marnie and Raven make friends and soon they are communicating with a sign language. The villagers suspect her for witchcraft and for this they label them 'the village witch and the village madman'When Marnie gets put to a trial for witch craft will she prove innocent ? Or will they simply hang her? Read this story of friendship and love, hate and betrayal. This is an awesome book! Make sure you read it!
Rating: Summary: Must-Read! Review: This is a very good book. The beginning was kind of slow, but after that i couldn't put the book down!! The part where Marnie is tried for being a witch is very intense. The author did an awesome job of describing how Marnie was feeling, I could feel it to. I strongly recommend this book!
Rating: Summary: A Great Book Review: This is truely a wonderful book. Set in or around England in (I am guessing) the early 1700s it tells a story of a strong girl and how people of that time did not deal with differneces well. Marnie, the main character, is forced to marry a lord so her family can keep their house. The man was once married with grown children and is about 40 years to her 16. They go to live in another town in a house the people of the village think is haunted. Her husband dies from falling off their roof and the villagers think that Marnie put a curse on him. She is an outcast and her only friends are a kind priest and the madman of the town. Marnie finds out that the madman is not crazy, just deaf and unable to communicate. Marnie creates a type of sign language and the two become closer friends and can communicate. Then the brother of Marnie's former husband comes and wants to take the house. He also convinces the people of the village that Marnie is a witch. She is tried and while reading that part you get very into it. Like you know what it was like for Marnie. The end of her trial is settled very abruptly for you think it would go on longer for all the trouble she endured. Its a great ending though and a fantasic book to read. I really enjoyed Marnie making the sign language.
Rating: Summary: Really good. Review: I liked this book, and my 11 year old LOVED it and read it twice. It has romance, prejudice, challenge, violence, great description, historical fact. Boys be advised: This may be a "chick book," told from a young woman's point of view.
Rating: Summary: Weak Characters and ridiculous subplots Review: Many of the other reviews have raved about Marnie, the main character, and her so-called strength or courage. Marnie was an idiot. She was raised in her society, understood its rules and mores, and when she blithely ignored them time and time again was actually SURPRISED when they tried her as a witch. Societal rules are generally strict, and a WISE and COURAGEOUS heroine would have recognized the rules and found ways around them to achieve her ends instead of flaunting them. (A great example is "A Quest for a Maid.") Also, every description of Raven made him seem like a 12 year old, or at least younger than Marnie (I realize he was supposed to be somewhere in the 18-20 range). It is hard to swallow a burgeoning romance between a 16 year old and a 12 year old. Besides, almost all descriptions of the characters became redundant quickly because the same words were used, and the same image created. The heavy reliance on sex was trite, offensive for the age group, and detracted from the main plot line.
Rating: Summary: disappointed Review: This novel started well, but ended disappointingly. Set in the Middle Ages, "The Raging Quiet" effectively brings to life much of the atmosphere of that time in its attention to details. Sixteen-year-old Marnie has married the widower second son of the lord of the estate where her large family lives, a man much older than herself, in order to save her family from destitution. Marnie and her husband Isake leave the estate for the coastal town of Torcurra, where they arrive at a crumbling cottage that Isake says is quite valuable. However, the townspeople of Torcurra think Isake's grandmother, who they burned as a witch for being a king's mistress, cursed the cottage. Her husband's drunken advances on her repel Marnie. When he is killed in an accident two days after their marriage, she is more relieved than upset. Some of her words and actions make a few villagers think Marnie murdered Isake. Marnie's only friends are the village priest, Father Brannan, and the village madman, a boy not much older than herself called Raver, who she renames Raven. The townspeople think Raven's rantings are signs he is possessed by the devil. Marnie soon discovers he is deaf, and finds a way to communicate with him with hand signals. However, when the villagers see the transformation in Raven, the puzzling hand signs, and spy on other their unusual behaviors, they accuse Marnie of witchcraft. Isake's younger brother, who now wants the cottage, eggs them on. Marnie is forced to undergo the harrowing trial by hot iron, which is described in historically authentic detail. The novel has much in its favor, particularly the portrayals of tolerance by the main characters (Marnie, Raven, and Father Brannan) and intolerance by most of the townspeople and other minor characters. However, an unnecessary premarital sex scene between Marnie and Raven near the end of the book spoiled it all for me. As the parent of two teenagers, I don't think the message needs to be sent that sex is okay as long as you are in love (even Father Brannan jokes about it!), especially to the impressionable twelve-year-olds that the book is aimed at. The book is more appropriate for more mature fifteen to eighteen year olds. Reader warning: some nudity and sex. (Yes, I know I'll get "unhelpful" ratings from all you people who just adore this book, but I have to be honest here.)
Rating: Summary: The Raging Quiet Review: The Raging Quiet is a novel set in the 1800's, a time when women were given little respect and differences were considered witchery. Marnie is a strong young woman who has to give her hand in marriage to a much older Duke in order to save her family from starvation. This man is a drinker and makes Marnie feel uneasy. He brings her to an ancestor's rundown cottage instead of the lavish surroundings she expected. He says they will not stay, and he is there only to get something. He dies from a fatal fall two days after the marriage. The town's people suspect Marnie murdered him, they believe she is a witch. Only the town priest stands up for and helps Marnie. The other oucast of the town, a boy they call Raver, is claimed to have devils in him because he doesn't listen and can't speak. Marnie finds he's not possessed at all and they create an intricate form of communication and form an everlasting bond. Despite the gossip and hate of the towspeople for Marnie and Raven , as she now calls him, their love grows. Tremendous obsticles stand in Marnie's way she must confront and concur them. This is a wonderful story of overcoming hatred and ignorance and being strong enough to find your own way.
Rating: Summary: A wonderful heroine in a great story Review: I can't write enough good things about this book. The story centers around a wonderful, thoughtful heroine named Marnie, who is sent off to marry a man she does not know. It is the first time she has went so far from home, a nice touch. The husband dies, Marnie lives in a haunted-mystery cottage and becomes friends with Raven, one of the best characters I have read in YA fiction in a while. Raven is thought mad, but he is not. I won't spoil that. These two fall in love and triumph over superstition, fear, and greed. There is a little mystery going on, but mostly this is a wonderful, tender, love story. Romance writers should read and weep at some of the YA writers who are writing true and tender romance without all the trite. Buy this novel, you won't regret it. It's a great story. Wonderful writing from the author.
Rating: Summary: It has potential to be an excellent book! Review: I enjoyed the book. The biggest reason I enjoyed "The Raging Quiet" is because it made me think about how sometimes one being must give something up that the person enjoys to save another's life. When I was reading it also made me think about how you should not give up on something you are doing and still try to accomplish it even if someone or something is hassling you. In some parts of the book I thought they were boring. For some of the parts I could sympathize and empathize for Marnie Isherwood, the main character. Like for example, when Isake died, I have had someone close to me be sick for a long time and then die. I recommend this book to readers who can appreciate the 1700's and how they had to live and people who can be patient. Erica Fawley
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