Set in Stone

Set in Stone by Linda Newbery is an atmospheric Victorian gothic novel with stirrings of family drama, love, passion, and hidden secrets. What a tantalizing novel this turned out to be! I was expecting a rather predictable light and easy turn of the century gothic romantic suspense story and was pleasantly surprised to be led down other paths I had not anticipated, which is always so much fun to encounter. This enchanting novel is about the lives of one widowed father gone mad, Ernest Farrow, two teenager daughters; Juliana and Marianne who are opposites in temperament, one somber and withdrawn, the other an untamed wild girl with a vivid imagination. They are cared for by a doting spinster governess named Charlotte who has her own show more secrets she covets, and an invited local painter, Samuel Godwin, that is brought into their magnificent mansion they call Fourwinds, to teach the girls the art of drawing and painting.

The story, taking place just outside of London in the English countryside, opens dramatically with the youngest daughter Marianne colliding with her new tutor as he opens the gates to their home in a cloud of mist and fog. Immediate mystery and mayhem draws the reader in as Samuel’s first impression of Marianne is that she is a madwoman recently escaped from an asylum. Nearly knocking him over in the street, she rambles on hysterically about needing him to help her find a certain lost Mr. Westwind, leaving Samuel to believe the girl deranged. Samuel listens to her incoherent hysteria, but thankfully is quickly rescued by Charlotte as she shepherds him and the crazed young woman into the house. Other proper introductions are immediately made to the other residents of the household. Samuel is soon swept up into what he believes is going to be a simple luxurious job of tutoring two young ladies. When the reader realizes that Samuel is basically of the same age as the two girls and even the governess, it is easy to assume that a romance with one of them is imminent. However, Samuel very quickly realizes he was manipulated into this household of mysterious occupants by Mr Farrow who dangled the carrot of advancing his art career, but had his own secret agenda for Samuel’s true purpose amongst them.

This is a riveting story that brews and bubbles slowly, giving you the initial impression of a Jane Austen novel touched by Victoria Holt or Phyllis Whitney, who were great authors of this gothic genre. Newbery creates a feel of sensual awareness between the players and soon evokes remarkable sensations and story attributes to make the reader wonder just what in the world is really going on behind closed doors and in the hallways of Fourwinds. All is not as it seems as shocking revelations are chiseled and carved into the pages offering glimpses into a family quite filled with corruption and deceit. Ample doses of horrible acts, family betrayals, and desperate actions that slowly unravel page after page, leave the reader gasping in shock and losing the ability to breathe, so absorbed they will be.

The author provides many impressions that fight for dominance in this story; love, family obligation, murder, mystery, sexually scandalous acts, and a nicely added dollop of art craftsmanship, all jockeying for position while arousing the reader for a compelling and curious read.

I have one complaint with Set in Stone. This story is marketed for young adults 9yrs old and up, and I honestly feel that due to the heavy content of this book involving sexual acts and violence, that this is more an adult novel and not for young teenagers. 14 yrs old and up would be fine, maybe, but I would certainly caution parents for younger children. There are no graphic descriptions per se, but the story details finely just what acts these characters are engaging in and leaves nothing to the imagination. Beyond that comment I loved this novel because it held so many surprises I had not anticipated, and I found Newbery’s writing skill to be of a very high quality. Wow on this one! show less

A classic Gothic mystery, simply told (well, it is a Young Adult book). A good read with the obligatory Victorian stately home, resident governess and newcomer, and a family with lots of skeletons in their past! Had a similar 'feel' to A Gathering Light.

When Samuel Godwin, a young and naive art tutor, accepts a job with the Farrow family at their majestic home, little does he expect to come across a place containing such secrets and lies. His two tutees are as different as can be--younger sister Marianne, full of flightiness and nervous imagination, and Juliana, sensible and controlled. Helped by their governess, Charlotte Agnew, Samuel begins to uncover slowly why Marianne is so emotionally fragile, and in doing so uncovers a web of intrigue. But his discoveries lead to revenge and betrayal--and lives all around are turned upside down.

Typical tale of a rambling old house with a family who have secrets. Samuel Goodwin soon finds himself wrapped up in the house and its secrets. It show more wasn’t rocket science to figure out the secret especially with there being a child involved.

The book was full of lovely descriptions which I really enjoyed, especially the descriptions of the three winds and the missing fourth. The story is told in turn by Samuel and Charlotte both giving their own points of view.

A sweet read but I felt that the ending was very sugary and was pulled together nice and neat. A book with no swearing and no sex scenes so for a change a nice cosy read on a winters afternoon.

Would I recommend this book, yes I would although there won’t be no surprises and you will probably will have read other books very similar. show less

a great summer light read. A bit of a mystery, you wind through the tale of a dark family secret, an mysterious illness - a dead mother/wife. A gruff but loving father - and one missing wind element.

I enjoyed the story told from both the painter and the governess point of view. Such an adventure - although the ending was predictable, I still enjoyed the ride.

I think I expected a bit more art and fewer skeletons in the family closet in this novel that sees a young artist hired by a rich man as a tutor to his daughters who are implied to be emotionally unstable. Of course, nothing is quite that straightforward.

This book started well, to the point I didnt realise that it was a Young Adult book. It is a story much in the vein of Jane Eyre, Northhanger Abbey and Wilkie Collins - young peniless artist joins a family as a teacher, only to find mysteries abound and it is the governess and art teacher (neither family or housefold staff) that end up investigating. [return][return]However, I got bored halfway through (any sense fo the dramatic is too laboured) and I skipped ahead, only to find topics never to be approached in even the most racy Wilkie Collins book - incest, suicide, homosexuality, murder, adultery, children out of wedlock.....on one hand it's too subtle, on the other hand the book is covering stories never covered in the very stories show more it's attempting to emulate, so fails on both counts.[return][return]Gave up halfway through, so disappointing show less

An enjoyable Hardy-esque slow burning (I only know it's that coz mum told me) mystery. Nice charcters, the build-up is achingly slow so when all the secrets start to unravel it's pretty thrilling. Vividly described (it is all about art, after all) - the three girls especially are a joy to be in the company of. And it all works out well and liberal in the end! Huzzah for the end of the Victorian era!