Thornyhold

Mary Stewart is perhaps best known now for her Merlin trilogy, but this deals with magic of a wholly different time and kind. Geillis Ramsay inherits this ramshackle house in Wiltshire from her relative and namesake Geillis Saxon in 1948. She is not a herbalist like her cousin, but kind, good with animals and children and good at coping with the witchcraft she encounters in this rural backwater. Geillis has a charm and enchantment of her own that lends a vividness to the story. Dramatic tension is provided by the intrusive witchery of nearby Agnes Trapp, Geillis’ would-be rival for the love interest of this novel. The herbs, spells and mysterious house gives this late work (it was published in 1988) a flavour of the adventure romance show more through which Stewart originally made her name. Yet it is the romance of the house itself, drawing Geillis out of her introversion, that proved the most compelling element for me. show less

Would it seem a little too precious if I said this book is bewitching? Seriously, it is. Thornyhold itself is so charming and alluring, with hidden staircases in cupboard doors and walled gardens in varying states of disarray.

It had a mediaeval look, like the jewelled, out-of-perspective illuminations in a tale like The Romance of the Rose. Within the irregular circle of ancient walls and vegetable plot someone, a long time ago, had made a garden within a garden. At its center stood a well, ancient and canopied, and knee-deep in bushes of lavender and sage and lady’s love.”

Conjures up every lovely English garden I have ever adored, from the childhood haunts of Frances Hodgson Burnett to the other Cornwall beauties of Rosamunde show more Pilcher. I wish nothing more than to know all the plants and their uses when I visit a garden with Stewart! I can see her explosions of color and smell delicious fragrances on the gentle winds.

There is a strong theme of connections to nature that runs through this novel. Geillis Ramsey is in tune with her surroundings, including the animals that share her world. The cat, Hodge, and the dog, Rags, are central to the story and add much to how affected we are by the human characters. I am a huge believer in being able to judge a person’s true worth by how they treat animals and small children.

The undercurrent of witchcraft and that creepy, uncomfortable feeling that makes you fear for the central character but which you cannot quite get a hold on are supremely done. It is a short tale and not one that can be discussed in any depth without ruining the story for others, so I will not elaborate. I will say that if anything disappoints it is that the punishment does not, in the end, fit the crime.

Thank you so much, Mary Stewart, for all the joy you have brought to my life. I have been losing myself in your stories since I was a girl, and I always feel at home the moment I open the book and stroll into an English world that I have never seen but that fills me with familiarity and nostalgia none the less. show less

Gilly has a lonely childhood in the north of England between the two WWs, and foresees a long, lonely adulthood for herself. But then her father dies, and her godmother Geillis leaves her a house and garden in Thornyhold. Geillis always had an air of mystery and magic about her, and so does her house. Gilly begins exploring her godmother's herbologies and the woods around the cottage, but interruptions by her various neighbors leave her both unsettled and intrigued. Led by occasional messenger pigeons and flashes of memories that aren't her own, Gilly begins to piece together the puzzle her godmother left behind.

I loved this book. Gilly is a delicately painted, nuanced character who feels perfectly real and quite familiar. The plot show more dances between moments of darkness and warm bucolic romance. And the setting! I fell absolutely in love with Stewart's England, with its bramble jelly and cats falling asleep in front of the Aga. show less

I loved this. The ending seemed a bit weak (hence only 4 stars), but as always, Stewart weaves an atmospheric spell that I find quite addictive. I find her such an evocative writer, and much more interesting than the current fad of plunking a protagonist into a Pivotal Situation on page 1, with action-action-action all. the. time.

I read this during a terrible heat wave- I find I migrate to Gothic romance/mystery during the summer for some unknown reason. Maybe it reminds me of The Secret Garden in some way. Or reading that book at my Aunt's house in the summer when I was little. Anyway, I love to read books like this, while I am sitting in my air conditioned house and it is 95 degrees outside and climbing.

Stewart reminds me of Barbara Michaels; she has a similar feel, in her story lines and actual writing. Thornyhold was a perfect read the week I read it. I had been knee deep in Gillian Flynn's books, which are good but very murky and intense. It was a nice break, with its gentle story line and easy magic. The mystery and suspense were minimal. I had a hard show more time personally with a few of the things that happened, regarding animals, yet none of the parts were so bad that I had to totally skip them. (as I had to recently in another book) The end was predictable, but it was just the right time for this book for me. I needed something simple and enjoyable, and this fit the bill exactly. show less

A charming and gentle story of a young woman, Gilly, inheriting a property from her mother's cousin. The author devised this story with a delicate balance drawn between the suspicious village people, newcomer Gilly, and some darker machinations which develop later. A touch of mystery and enchantment built suspense for a lovely afternoon read.

I re-read this story (2026) and realized, it's actually quite gothic. The author cleverly built the tension and suspense from the point where the MC (the younger Geillis) moves into the Thornyhold residence. This time 'round, I felt as if the final events were a little rushed but I still found the story interesting and I liked the herbal references to natural medicines. I'm letting the 4⭐︎ show more stand, but with regard to the rapid dénouement, it's probably more of a 3½⭐︎ novel. show less

This romance takes place in England around the time of World War II. Gilly Ramsey is a preacher's daughter raised in coal towns of England. It is a dreary life brightened only by a few brief visits from her mother's cousin Geillis. Geillis teaches her about nature and magic and pays for her schooling. Geillis is a herbalist who can also see a bit into the future.

When Gilly grows up and after she nurses her parents through their last illnesses, she received word that her cousin has died leaving her a house named Thornyhold. Having no home now that her father - a minister - has died, she travels to her new home.

Thornyhold is a lovely old house with a reputation for being the home of a long line of witches. Gilly feels at home immediately show more despite her interfering neighbor Mrs. Trapp who apparently wants something from the house and keeps dropping in.

Gilly also meets a young boy named William who was used to helping her cousin with many things including tending to her garden. And through William, she meets and instantly falls in love with his widowed father John Christopher. But Mrs. Trapp has also set her eye on John Christopher and is willing to use her magic to try to claim him.

The story was filled with lush descriptions of the land and plants of that part of England. It was also infused with magic. The language was lush and lyrical. The narration by Jilly Bond was excellent. show less