The Angry Tide (The Poldark Saga #7) by Winston Graham
Genre: Historical Fiction
Read: 26th November 2017
Purchase: Amazon
★★★★★ 5 stars
'One cannot – must not – fear a certainty. All we know is this moment, and this moment we are alive! We are. The past is over, gone. What is to come doesn’t exist yet. That’s tomorrow! It’s only now that can ever be, at any one moment. And at this moment, now, we are alive – and together. We can’t ask more. There isn’t any more to ask.’ - Demelza Poldark
These lines spoken by Demelza at the close of the book spoke to me with a bare reality of today - now. Just as it was then, it is the same throughout time. It hasn't changed. Though life was somewhat different then as it is today, these words don't. They are timeless. I guess life for the poorer classes in those days was lived more from day to day, and as Demelza was born in a poorer class she learnt the value of the the simplicities of life and what not to take for granted as the aristocratic classes so often appeared to do.
This installment, as always, does not disappoint. Whenever I am reading a Poldark novel, I find myself transported in time to 18th century Cornwall and living, breathing, feeling as they did. This book covers a multitude of tales interwoven with each other. We've seen Ross and Demelza face some storms both in their lives and marriage, and watch them work through it and grow closer together; the continuing feud with George Warleggan which never seems to lessen no matter what olive branch Ross tries to extend; the suspicion of Valentine's parentage, a seed planted in George's mind from words uttered to him upon Aunt Agatha's dying lips; Geoffrey Charles grown from a boy to a young man; the interference into Morwenna and Drake's love by George and Elizabeth, sending her off to a loveless and abusive marriage to the horrible self important vicar Osbourne Whitworth (did he not take heed of the seven deadly sins, most of which he partook in, particularly lust, pride and gluttony); and ultimately demise of two key characters in this book - one of which I knew had to come and one I knew was to come because of a family tree included in a previous book printed year the birth and death for the said character (so I was expecting it to come).
No, this book did not disappoint. It was heartbreaking in parts, but not quite to the extent of the previous one. It has both a heartbreaking as well as a happy ending. A bittersweet ending, you could say. But one that is timely, I feel. As always I am more than ever in love with Ross and Demelza, and the gorgeous Cornwall. This books ends just weeks before the end of the century 1799 with the next one I note picking up some 10 years later.
I read this book in just 3 days, rivalling the 3rd book "Jeremy Poldark" which I believe I read in 2. I shall begin the 8th installment tonight...and I can't wait!
