Katharine McMahonReviews

I enjoyed the story that is woven through The Rose of Sebastopol. We get a sense of what people at home heard and thought of the war, but also what it was like living and working in the war zone. It is told in dual narrative, with the primary narrative told during the Crimean War, and the secondary narrative consists of Mariella's memories of past events. If you have trouble following multiple timelines, this book may give you difficulty. Part of Mariella's tale of past events can be of her life just before she heads to Italy, from when she meets Henry, and later when she meets Rosa. Eventually the "present" timeline, and the rememberances of life just before she leaves for Italy catch up together, so there is one less time frame to keep track of. Since I had an audiobook, I missed having a printed copy that I could flip back and check at times.

One biggest problem with this audiobook how the chapters end. I would be sitting, listening happily along, and expect the chapter to continue, except it goes launching into a new one. I am not sure if the author wrote it that way, or if the narrator read it in a way where the phrasing sounded like the chapter should continue instead of stopping. This might not have bothered me much, except that I would say at least half of the chapters in the novel ended that way. The other major problem I had with the book is Mariella's voice. When she would get to thinking about how Henry is, or where Rosa was or some decision she has to make, she starts to sound whiny, weak and spoiled. I simply can't stand whiny, weak female lead characters, and this began to get to me. It may have been exaggerated, since I was listening to the book, but not seeing it in print, its hard to say how much. It may also be done to exaggerate the difference between Rosa and Mariella, since Rosa is decisive and fearless, but if this is the case, it could have been done so Mariella didn't sound so weak.

Some of the events covered in the last disk or two seemed hurried, and thrown in almost like an afterthought when compared to the long period in getting to the Crimea and looking for Rosa there. Some of these events would have made the story more interesting, in terms of the characters and their relationships with each other, but being hurried in near the end, they felt more contrived.½

An naive young scientist who has lived alone with her Father for all of her life falls in love for the first time.
Not really my type of novel.

This book was an interesting change from a lot of the fictional books on alchemy that I have read. And although it was a nice change to see real alchemists and physical alchemy being referenced instead of spiritual alchemy, I have issues with this book.
Maybe it was the lack of care which I had for all of the characters, including those ones that we are suppose to be feeling sorry for (who ever they may have been, I really do not know). Or maybe it was the unfortunate lack of surprise in the story. Most of the events that occurred were predictable, easily guessed long before they were ever actually explained. I was expecting more surprises since alchemy is such a fascinating and unpredictable science; instead I get to read about a mundane love interest and emotionally flat beings, where alchemy only enters into the story on the peripheral.
The ending was another point that bothered me, although I was happy that the main character finally got her act together I could not help feeling unsatisfied by the conclusion, in fact I skim read it because I jut got to the point where I felt that enough was enough.
It started of well and got better as it went on, it was just the conclusion that I felt dragged on. All of that said, the book was engaging enough to hold my attention long enough to get me through to the 'almost' end. Definitely a book that I would pick up a second time, even if it is only to enjoy a few select scenes and events.

What an embarrassing read for the most part. How any of the characters could be in love with each other is a mystery, and spending so much time with Mariella, the narrator, is hard-going, she's such a sop, until the Irish nurse Nora giver her the verbal 'fecking' slap she needed and she bucks up. I picked it up because of the embroidery element, but this was no fabulous Penelope or Arachne story which I was hoping for, and the speed at which Mariella sews and embroiders is frustratingly not remotely credible. Still, once she's had her 'fecking' slap,the narrative improves and it's a fair old romp to the end - albeit a soppy one. Crimea wasn't badly depicted throughout, both at the scene and at home through the Times, which was a relief! But all in all, time spent with some hopefully forgettable characters.

Poetic and evocative prose, and an interesting view into the world of early eighteenth century London, but very little otherwise. It's a mostly pointless love story involving a petulant protagonist who makes annoying decisions and has no idea what's going on around her. It does somewhat redeem itself somewhere around the 3/4 mark however, and ends strongly.

I liked the period details of this story, but the character took so long to learn anything - and she's very dour. A young woman in the early 18th century is brought up in isolation by her father, a natural philosopher. She is vulnerable to the first men she meets which eventually leads to disappointment on the part of everyone involved.

All-in-All a some what frustrating read - much potential that never actually came to fruition. Not a bad read - just disappointing.

This book sounded interesting from its description - historical fiction set in 1854 during the Crimean War.  Due to a family crisis, my listening to this audiobook was interrupted, and the library loan for it expired.  However, I found the characters so unlikeable and their predicaments so unrealistic that there was no motivation to borrow the book again to finish it.  A too-speedy reading by the narrator didn't help - it was hard to keep track of the shifts in time.½

set after WWI — London — many men, young, dead, wounded, maimed — heroes of war
children send to orphanages — sent to Canada as servants / abused

Still haunted by the death of her only brother, James, in the Great War, Evelyn Gifford is completely unprepared when a young nurse and her six-year-old son appear on the Giffords' doorstep one night. The child, the nurse claims, is James's, conceived in a battlefield hospital. The grief-stricken Giffords take them both in; but Evelyn, a struggling attorney, must now support her entire family—at a time when work for women lawyers is almost nonexistent.

Suddenly a new case falls in Evelyn's lap: Seemingly hopeless, it's been abandoned by her male coworkers. The accused—a veteran charged with murdering his young wife—is almost certain to die on the gallows.... And yet, Evelyn believes he is truly innocent, just as she suspects there may be more to the story of her "nephew" than meets the eye...

I had never heard of Mary Ward, an Englishwoman in the seventeenth century who started an order of nuns unlike any before, until I read this book. Perhaps if I was Catholic I would have heard of this woman called "a lost feminist icon, a pioneer educationalist and an energetic advocate of the rights of women". Although I have my own doubts about religious vocations it does seem that these women believed in what they were doing.

The story follows Isabel Stanhope who was an intelligent young woman raised as a Catholic in the seventeenth century by her devout mother and grandmother. This was a time in England when Catholics were forbidden to practice their religion and priests who were caught performing religious rites were killed. Isabel's father, who was not Catholic, wanted Isabel to marry a cousin, Francis Bourne, but Isabel was convinced she had a religious vocation. When Isabel's brother, Robin, was imprisoned after the failed Gunpowder Plot the marriage became even more important because Francis would inherit the Stanhope property if Robin did not swear fealty to the Crown. Practically on the eve of their marriage Isabel was spirited away to St. Omer in Belgium and joined the English Ladies as the new order of religious women started by Mary Ward was then called. Isabel wrestled with doubts about the order, her "sisters", Mary Ward and even her own duty. Years passed while Mary Ward started houses and schools in other locations and was continually short of money. Isabel stuck with her despite her doubts until Mary went to Rome to seek the sanction of the Pope. Isabel saw that the Pope and the Catholic hierarchy wanted nothing to do with these women who wouldn't stay behind closed doors praying and singing. Isabel parted from Mary Ward and made her way back to England. But then what was she to do with her life?

This is going to be another breathless, sputtering review as I literally finished this book minutes ago. I'm teary, all caught up in the emotion of the story and my love for the characters, which is the sign of a fantastic book.

I knew absolutely nothing about this book when I got it which meant I had no idea even of the plot, so it was a real delight to try to guess where the story was going. McMahon is a talented writer: she conveys the sense of the Crimean War without bogging the reader down in too much exposition or narrative about the war, and I found all the characters gripping. Her technique of flashing between the present to Mariella and Rosa's childhood years was lovely -- I found myself as in love with Mariella and Rosa as they were with each other.

The ending of the book was pitch perfect, even though I would have loved an Epilogue that neatly wrapped up the story for the characters (especially Mariella and Max). This is the kind of historical novel I adore and I can't rave about it enough.

Frustrating at times...

A bit too much romance for my taste but a good story nonetheless. Emilie is a strong willed, well educated young woman who works with her father in alchemy and natural philosophy. Her father has great plans for her but these are spoiled when Emilie falls for and then marries Robert Aislabie. As Mrs Aislabie Emilie finds life is a lot more complicated that her father prepared her for. For me, it wasn't a page turner but an enjoyable read anyway.

2.5 - 3 stars This could have been a very good book, but I like more the idea of the story than the book itself.

The lack of character development was really annoying and the story veers back and forth between historical romance and historical fiction. A lot of room is given to scientific questions and ideas and I would have loved to know if these were actual subjects of debate at the time - an author's note would have been nice, but McMahon only thanks a few people for their help and doesn't refer to any textbooks, so I must assume she's simply making it up.

Things were rather strange to begin with, but all is revealed at the end; when Emilie finally finds her father's notebooks/diaries, a lot of things finally make sense, but it's all a bit late and if we had had a fraction of all this information earlier on, it would have been a much more enjoyable read.

There are many really good ideas in this book, which makes it all the more disappointing that it hasn't been written with more attention to detail.

This story has a strong female complex character. I like how we see this historical period thru Emilie's eyes and how in the end she comes to terms with who she really is.

I was so excited about this book: it looked so cool! But I had a hard time getting into it: it lags quite a bit in the middle. & it doesn't really have an ending: it just cuts off, with acknowledgements & "about the author" where the epilogue, or a last chapter should be.

It was also a rather frustrating read, as the author consistently makes reference to "guineas", "alembics", & "retorts", as though the reader will of course know exactly what is being referred to, so keep Wikipedia handy if you wade into this. (Incidentally, the spelling in my copy was American.). Beyond that, though, there really isn't much about science or alchemy in here.

Overall, I'd have to say it had many interesting moments, the writing was good, but there were too many plot lines & none of them was ever fully developed. Sorry: can't recommend.

Emilie Selden, living in early 18th century England, grows up motherless, living somewhat secluded with her father in their rural manor house. Her father, a philosopher/alchemist, raises her to follow directly in his footsteps, neglecting to educate her in basic social skills. Thus, when one day a young stranger comes to visit, she is swept off her feet & leaves her father to follow the young man to the much more colorful, action-filled London scene. She quickly realizes she is ill-equipped for this lifestyle and yearns to return to her father's house. When she does eventually return, things have inevitably changed, and she must come to terms with that, as well as seek out her own niche in life.

This is basically a coming-of-age novel, where a young woman, initially relatively sheltered, is thrust into the reality of human nature. I was initially pulled into this story early on, really enjoying the author's beautiful and almost lyrical writing. However, somewhere along the way it seemed to lose something which I can't put my finger on. It was not a bad story by any means, but neither was it necessarily fulfilling. The ending was abrupt, which may off-put some readers & took me somewhat by surprise (especially listening on audio), but it seemed more or less fitting. As noted above, I enjoyed the author's writing style, and am curious about her other works.½

I've had to back-burner this book so many times that I'm not sure I can see it clearly anymore. At least I'm left feeling confused, because a lot of what I liked is also what I found problematic.

The first half of the book reads relatively slowly. Mariella is a pampered, sheltered girl who is a perfectly proper example of a lady in her time. She's a bit naive, she lacks a sense of adventure, and she's consumed with maintaining propriety. Although she's not a girl I'd like to hang with, she fits in her world and is sharply contrasted with her cousin, Rosa, who is strong-willed and impetuous and strains at the bonds of a proper life. The first half of the book, Mariella fits and it's Rosa who's jarring. Despite my belief, as a modern woman, that her impulses to career and education and travel were her absolute right, and despite the fact that I know that I would appreciate Rosa much more were we actually to meet, she comes across as grating and heedless. She doesn't fit this London life, while Mariella does.

Then the second half begins, and the tables are sharply turned. Rosa, who has gone to the Crimea as a nurse, disappears and Mariella goes to find her while also visiting her wounded fiancé. All of the sudden we are on the front in the Crimean War, where Rosa's independence and spirit are not only valuable, but downright necessary. And it's Mariella's focus on propriety and social position, her weakness in every respect, that's jarring. The second half of the book is not only much faster-paced, but is also the point where we get some serious character development from everyone concerned. It's sometimes uncomfortable and can be embarrassing or frustrating to read, but I also found it really satisfying.

This book, even though it exclusively follows Mariella's thoughts and movements, is about Rosa. Rosa is the lens through which we understand everything. Her family, the role of women, the horror of war. And so when she re-enters the story after her disappearance, the story ends. This is kind of a quest novel, and once we learn where Rosa went, the quest is finished. It feels abrupt, and I know a lot of people here didn't like it, but I found it strangely appropriate, and even satisfying. It fulfilled, for me, the Rosa of the first half, who always drew the attention of everyone around her, whether for good or bad. It also fulfills the Mariella of the second half, who for better or worse finally has a complete picture of her cousin. Once that's done, the rest is just details.

So, the slow first half made this book rough going for me, but I also think it's essential to the telling of the story. And the ending feels abrupt, but again... same thing. The very things that feel so unfulfilling also seem perfectly right.

Hmmm.

I mostly liked this, but I had some problems with it.
Firstly the ending was almost completely unsatisfying for me. I didn't wade my way through this book just for Rosa to be dead.
Secondly, Rosa's sexuality. Does it really need to be danced around like that? It becomes pretty clear that Rosa is in love with Mariella, but it's never actually explicitly confirmed. I like to have my non-straight characters actively confirmed rather than hinted at. Oh, and of COURSE the woman with same-sex attraction dies, because they always fucking do.

But the writing was excellent and the story compelling. I'm just a little disappointed, because I loved Rosa, and thought she could be treated a little better by the narrative.

Hmmm.

I mostly liked this, but I had some problems with it.
Firstly the ending was almost completely unsatisfying for me. I didn't wade my way through this book just for Rosa to be dead.
Secondly, Rosa's sexuality. Does it really need to be danced around like that? It becomes pretty clear that Rosa is in love with Mariella, but it's never actually explicitly confirmed. I like to have my non-straight characters actively confirmed rather than hinted at. Oh, and of COURSE the woman with same-sex attraction dies, because they always fucking do.

But the writing was excellent and the story compelling. I'm just a little disappointed, because I loved Rosa, and thought she could be treated a little better by the narrative.

Yet again with this author, I remain unconvinced. Asa Ardleigh is the youngest of 3 sisters of a gentleman squire. We first meet her in Paris (pre revolution) when she accompanies her sister & the sister's new husband. She's a bit of an idealist, and a supporter of abolition, so quickly gets swept up in the salon culture and the talk of changing the regime. She also falls for a young Frenchman who is as idealistic & wet behind the ears as she is. They become lovers and vow to marry. There's another suitor on the scene however, with a distant cousin who is due to inherit the entailed estate. Asa takes a dislike to him on the basis that the family's money is built on the slave trade, but she neglects to ask Henry what his opinion might be. Then she gets taken back to England.
Some years pass and Asa is still holding a torch for Didier & shunning Henry (much to her sister's dismay). And thus far it was going OK. Readable, believable (to an extent) but then a French companion is introduced and it all sort of goes a bit odd. The denouement is, frankly, preposterous and involves all sorts of irrational behaviour on the part of our muddle-headed heroine. Asa seems to manage to survive everything that happens to her by just that - it happens to her, little seems to touch her and she grows very little through the course of the book. Affections are transferred in a highly predictable manner and nothing much is resolved. So a promising start, but a daft ending make this a mediocre read.

I liked it...but I didn't LIKE it, like it. The characters were a bit to one dimensional to be really engaging, and the plot a bit predictable. That said, the way the author weaves the alchemy into both the surface story -- Emilie's activities, and into the psychological story -- Emilie's development, were really enjoyable. From reading other reviews, it seems that many of the people who didn't like the book were not picking up on the multiple layers of alchemical process. I think, perhaps, it was a bit too subtly done, and I say that as a neutral comment, not a compliment or a criticism.

There are some books that I would recommend to anyone standing still long enough for me to say, "You've got to read this!" This is not one of those books. I would definitely recommend it, but only to a certain sort of reader.

The Crimson Rooms by Katherine McMahon
An interesting story set in 1920s London. It is partly a murder mystery, part social commentary and part romantic drama. I found most of the characters well-rounded and believable apart from Meredith who seemed to veer wildly from incredibly flighty and irresponsible to very sensitive and wise.
On the whole I very much enjoyed this book and was captivated to the end.
The end was very harsh. I kept hoping for things to get resolved but in a way it was more true to life as it stood.
A minor irritation was the use of the word 'hung' when it should have been 'hanged'.

The women in Helena Mayrick's family have always led secretive and tragic lives, and when Helena's comfortable marriage is devastated by her husband's violent death, it seems that she, too, is locked into the cycle.
Helena is invited to research a book on her grandfather, H. Donaldson, the celebrated Edwardian photographer. At first she is reluctant to immerse herself in family history, particularly as Donaldson's relationship with her grandmother, Ruth, is shrouded in mystery and turmoil.
But gradually, as the story of enigmatic Ruth and the elusive, passionate Donaldson unfolds, Helena finds that the past, like the present, was shaped by cruel dilemmas and the demands of love...
My Thoughts:

A dual story of past and present of two women, Helena and Ruth. I enjoyed reading about Ruth and her relationship with Donaldson and her what becomes of them.

The story is nice and soft and is ideal if a reader dosen’t want anything too taxing and I felt myself getting sucked into the lives of the two women. I didn’t guess the outcome which is sometimes nice and then the story takes on the unexpected.

My only niggle is that in the beginning there were a lot to characters to know and at times I had to think well who are you !

This tale is a typical family secrets saga with rambling houses and very much in the vain of Kate Morton or Katherine Webb. A perfect read to get caught up in and I would like to see this tale perhaps as a tv drama.

Really not worth the effort. We've read a few of this author's books in our book club, with the most common reaction being the urge to slap at least one character. that trend persisted with Emily, the main character and narrator being the recipient of the slap on this occasion. Set in the early 1700s, she's the daughter of an elderly alchemist and man of science, who has made it his aim to train Emily to be the perfect natural philosopher. Only he's neglected to teach her anything what so ever about life and human beings and how to live. So she is promptly swept off her feet by the first man she has anything to do with - and he turns out to be a cad (what a surprise). Emily had been trained to observe and record her observations, making deductions from them but spends the entire book being remarkably dense about the people she has anything to do with. She's also extremely self centered and selfish throughout. Not a great read, as she was far too annoying for her own good.