The Tangled Thread

#10: Covers 1789 to 1795: the French Revolution; wars with France; beginning of the industrial revolution

When we left the Morland Family in The Flood Tide, the French revolution was just starting. In The Tangled Thread, the Revolution is in full swing, with Henri taking sides with the revolutionaries and his daughter Heloise marrying a well-known revolutionary. In England, at Morland Place, Jemima’s children have grown, but none has married. Later, war with the French looms, as Henry looses his head during the bloodbath in Paris, and Heloise comes to England.

There are two distinct story lines going on here, and that which takes place in Paris during the Revolution is infinitely more interesting than the domestic affairs of the show more Morlands in York. Heloise is a charming young heroine, brave; and despite the adversity she faces, never let anything get her down. Jemima is a less-vibrant then many of the other characters, but maybe because the other characters’ stories are in the forefront here.

Cynthia Harrod-Eagles has an annoying habit of having her characters declaim about major events of English history (it usually starts with another character saying, “tell us the news…”), but the story of the Morland family is, as always, entertaining to read. The wars with France are just about to really get going, and I’m looking forward to reading what’s next for the Morlands. show less

The Tangled Thread,the tenth book in Cynthia Harrod-Eagles’s long-running Morland Dynasty series, finds Jemima Morland and her children living in relative peace in England. Jemima’s main worry is whether any of her unconventional children will ever find and marry a suitable spouse. With Morland Place reasonably free of high drama, this book focuses more on the unacknowledged French branch of the family tree and the events of the French Revolution.

Once again, Harrod-Eagles has made the learning of the basics of history almost completely effortless. One of the best things about this series is how it’s helping me to fill in some of the gaps of my historical knowledge. I don’t necessarily want or need to know all the names and show more understand all the details, but through these books, I’m getting a better sense of the times.

The characters in this book continue to impress me with their variety of perspectives and attitudes. True, Harrod-Eagles populates her books with more spunky independent women than you might find in a typical English family in the late eighteenth century, but they’re spunky in different ways and sometimes surprisingly conventional. This book introduces Lucy Morland, who flouts convention in quite a dramatic way. This particular twist would strain credulity, but Harrod-Eagles points out in her foreword that there is documented evidence of women doing exactly what Lucy did.

See my complete review at my blog. show less

I love this combination of history and family life in that timescale. Can't wait to hear what happens to Heloise. I'm always anxious to get to the next book. That says it all.

Very good continuation of the series- enjoying Jemima's troublesome children!