Poldark Group Read: The Four Swans (June)

Sorry for the late thread posting, all! I was out of town last week and didn't have internet access. But let's talk about The Four Swans! We're at the halfway point of the series now, so what do y'all think so far? Who are your favorite and least favorite characters? (Demelza doesn't count, as I assume she is everyone's favorite.) Any predictions about what's going to happen in the future? Do you think the Poldarks and Warleggans will ever reconcile, or will they keep feuding until one family emerges victorious (or, more likely, they destroy each other)? All thoughts on this particular book or the series as a whole are welcome below!

I'll be getting into this one soon, just hope something good happens for Morwenna.

Just got the book from the library. Whoo Hoo!!

>2 avatiakh: Same!

Already reading and enjoying it!

My book's cover:


Whitworth is the one we love to hate in this book. George is still being his usual boorish self. Ross is a little less hair-trigger, though the sparks do fly when he and George are in close proximity.

Copied from my post in the main Shared Read thread:

While reading The Four Swans today, I laughed out loud at some of the dialogue, and thought I'd share:

(Note: this conversation is chiefly between Ross and Caroline)

'Whitworth,' Ross said. 'Do you find him an agreeable fellow?'
'He's seldom about when I call.'
'I have always wanted to throw him in some stinking pond.'
Caroline said: 'I admire you for your subtlety, Ross. What has the poor man done to deserve such dislike?'
'Except that he used at one time to come sniffing round Demelza, very little to me personally, but--'
'Well, I trust you don't dislike every man who takes a fancy to Demelza, or you would be hard pressed to find a friend!'
'Sniffing,' said Demelza. 'I don't recollect him sniffing. It was the way his tail wagged I didn't greatly care for.'

Oh, how much I enjoy Winston Graham's writing!

Almost done with my reading of The Four Swans, less than 100 pages to go.

So far I have found this to be a worthy entry into the Poldark saga. We continue to see the main characters grow, make possibly unwise choices/decisions, and interact with others.

As always, the dialogue is real, the players are genuine, the situations plausible. There is enough politics and history to add authenticity to the novel without dragging it to a crawl with unnecessary descriptions.

Yes, I like it, very much!

I'm about 300 pages in and have yet to comment. So I have to add comments.

I nearly cheered on the bus when Morwenna told Osborne where he could get off (not in her company). So glad she decided to stand up to him like that.

Really creeped out by Osborne's behaviour toward Rowella. He does, however, richly deserve being defrauded as a result.

My skin is also crawling at Hugh Armitage. Seriously dude, what part of "worship from AFAR" do you not understand?

I liked the comic relief scene where Jud got bitten by the dogs in the graveyard. I totally picture him as the actor who plays him in the new adaptation.

George is AWFUL. The fact that he is perfectly OK with his gamekeepers beating up people he doesn't like shows that he is much more like Uncle Cary than he might wish to admit.

I miss Verity!

Overall, Osborne aside, this book has been easier to handle than I was expecting, given how dark things got at the end of the last book. Maybe I just had really low expectations.

Hoping to finish sometime next week (and then read the recaps for Season 3, which is airing in the UK right now).

>7 rabbitprincess: I enjoyed your comments!

I am about halfway through. I cannot stand Ossie!! And I love how open Demelza is with Ross about the Lt.

>7 rabbitprincess: I enjoyed those comments, too! I also miss Verity.

Ossie isn't really a caricature, but he sure is a great character to hate.

Get out the rotten fruit...

Oooh, I can't read spoilers till I get further in. I've decided to pick it up again in the last week of Jun so I can go straight onto book 7.

>11 fuzzi: OMG that is spot-on casting! The face is perfect.

>13 rabbitprincess: I agree. Give the actor, Christopher Biggins, full credit. He does a fantastic job with Ossie, and even makes me want to take a hot shower after seeing him in the series, he's that...EW.

>9 VictoriaPL: and then I have to go back and eat my words about Demelza’s honesty with Ross

Just finished and thoroughly enjoyed. Can't wait to see what happens to Ossie in the next book, really hoping for a fall.
Loved that Graham introduced a girl for Sam Carne.

I'm still in the middle of The Four Swans but hoping to finish tonight if possible! I'm enjoying it, although I really hope Osborne Whitworth dies!

Meanwhile, since I'm going to be on vacation this weekend, I thought I'd post the thread for The Angry Tide a day early: http://www.librarything.com/topic/260731.

I finally finished the book, and I've enjoyed reading everyone's comments here! I am a bit annoyed that the question of Valentine's paternity wasn't actually resolved in this book...I really want to know! But I hope that secret will come out eventually. Also, I'm intrigued by the character of Rowella; in the end I'm not sure whether she was consciously manipulating Ossie the whole time, or whether Ossie simply refused to believe in her innocence because she "made" him do such despicable things. Looking forward to The Angry Tide!

>18 christina_reads: I'm SO glad you're enjoying the books, and the commentary.

And thank you all for using spoilers. I hate it when someone ruins the plot of a good book by revealing too much.