REVIEW: The Loving Cup by Winston Graham

The Loving Cup (The Poldark Saga #10) by Winston Graham

Genre: Historical Fiction

Read: 22nd December 2017

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★★★★ 4 stars

Review to come....

REVIEW: The Miller's Dance by Winston Graham

The Miller's Dance (The Poldark Saga #9) by Winston Graham

Genre: Historical Fiction

Read: 15th December 2017

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★★★ 3 stars

It seems I forgot to review this book...lol I shall have to read it again to review it.

REVIEW: The Stranger from the Sea by Winston Graham

The Stranger from the Sea (The Poldark Saga #8) by Winston Graham

Genre: Historical Fiction

Read: 7th December 2017

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★★★ 3 stars

This book was somewhat removed from the previous 7 in the Poldark series, in that it picks up 11 years later in 1810. Jeremy and Clowance have grown; Ross and Demelza have another daughter who we don't see a whole lot of; Drake and Morwenna who we see nothing of, as well as Verity and Andrew; Geoffrey Charles is fighting in Portugal or France or somewhere and we only see him in the first few chapters with Ross; Captain Henshawe has moved on...somewhere in Wales I think; Dwight and Caroline have two daughters (whom we also don't see much of); and several characters from previous novels have died since. We enter the mind and life of George Warleggan and his quest for a wife, we see a little of Valentine and nothing of little Ursula, who would now be about 11 years old.

The children of the previous novels have grown and begin their own stories. Jeremy and Ben Carter (Jinny Carter's - now Scobie - young son of Jim Carter who died in Launceston years before) discover a floating raft with two men on it - one dead, the other barely alive. Enter Stephen Carrington, who takes a shine to Clowance, whom Ben Carter is also enamoured with.

I was sadly disappointed, after all the drama preceeding their nuptials, to find a complete absence of Drake and Morwenna who were completely adorable. Apparently they now have a daughter whom we know of simply by passing mention. They apparently now live in Looe running Ross' boat building business - a business we knew nothing of in the previous books so it must have occurred somewhere between the end of the last and the beginning of this one. And Sam, who we saw nothing of either, has replaced Drake as the local blacksmith at Pally's Shop where Drake used to live and work. Sam also fell in love and married Drake's former betrothed, Rosina Hoblyn, after pining for Emma Tregirls. But we see none of this - as it merely "mentioned" by way of conversation or in a catch-up narrative. We don't even see the beloved rouge Jud Paynter - he is just mentioned in passing.

This book is far removed from the previous ones in where it moves on to primarily the Poldark children - Jeremy and Clowance, as well as the newcomer Stephen Carrington. Ross and Demelza even appear to be background. And we see none of the old miners, which is strange considering the talk and work of re-opening Wheal Leisure! Even Dwight doesn't appear, except maybe at the beginning when Ross was in London with parliament and talks of the war and all that political nonsense. If he appears at all, it was only then and never since. It is very different, and I enjoyed some of it, but not all of it. I think this book suffers in the fact there was so large a gap between books, that we didn't get to see everyone grow and move on etc. Just one day they are there, the next they are gone. I will begin the next one shortly and hope to see some of our old favourites again. I really missed them this time round and not sure I like or trust that Stephen Carrington. How does the saying go...?

"Save a stranger from the sea
And he'll become your enemy..."

REVIEW: The Angry Tide by Winston Graham

The Angry Tide (The Poldark Saga #7) by Winston Graham

Genre: Historical Fiction

Read: 26th November 2017

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★★★★★ 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!

REVIEW: The Four Swans by Winston Graham

The Four Swans (The Poldark Saga #6) by Winston Graham

Genre: Historical Fiction

Read: 21st November 2017

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★★★★★ 5 stars

This is the sixth book in the Poldark series and named The Four Swans for the four women - Demelza, Caroline, Morwenna and Elizabeth - focused on respectively throughout. Often featured in this story are four beautiful white swans fed by Morwenna, dismissed by the hateful Osbourne and reflected on by Ross as he ponders the four swans in his life.

The story also expands on the lives of Demelza's brothers, Sam and Drake, and their loves and losses. Though it begins with George's suspicions about Valentine and of Elizabeth's virtue. And in his warped mind that, and every other doomed circumstance that came his way, was in his view orchestrated solely by Ross purely to thwart him. Oh the arrogance of that man! He and Elizabeth are well suited. I really don't like her. Declaring her love for Ross at a dinner party whilst still married to Francis some years before, all because Francis did not live up to her expectations and she, as Ross simply puts it, was merely "the tragedy of a woman who could not make up her mind".

This book is heartfelt and tragic in many ways...and for each of the swans. Only Elizabeth seemed to remain somewhat unscathed but her tragedy is the hardening of her heart. I felt sad for Caroline, who is normally larger than life and rather forward, finding life somewhat different to how she imagined. I felt a heartfelt sorrow for Demelza and yet at the same time disappointed (how could you, Demelza?). But the one I felt the most heartache for was Morwenna. Trapped in a loveless marriage to a most horrid self important man while her heart continues to yearn for another. Hers is the biggest tragedy in this story - and the saddest. And Ross? It took him all this time to realise he no longer loves Elizabeth but did he lose Demelza in the process?

A beautiful yet sad sad "chapter" in the Poldark series. And yet I cannot wait to begin the next one...

REVIEW: The Black Moon by Winston Graham

The Black Moon (The Poldark Saga #5) by Winston Graham

Genre: Historical Fiction

Read: 17th November 2017

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★★★★★ 5 stars

Brilliant as always. I am so totally in love with the Poldarks that as soon as I finish one I'm straight onto the next.

This book, written 20 years after the last one "Warleggan", did not miss a beat and merely picked up where "Warleggan" left off. We are introduced to some new characters by way of Elizabeth's cousin Morwenna and Demelza's brothers Sam and Drake - the latter finding love on the Trenwith estate in the form of young Geoffrey Charles' governess Morwenna. We also see more of Geoffrey Charles who is now 11 and coming into a personality all if his own. Another new face is one that popped up previously for a moment so brief he wasn't worth remembering. He is now for the sordid brute that he is. The ghastly Reverend Osborne Whitworth, to whom George insists Morwenna must marry. He is hateful. He is vile. He should have something equally horrid happen to him tenfold for the brutish life he has bestowed on one so lovely as Morwenna.

But the saddest of all is the final act of cruelty George bestows upon dear Aunt Agatha, who has always seen right through him. But in the wake of his cruelty Agatha has the last laugh on him...leaving him reeling.

There is good however...the birth of another daughter for the Poldarks as well as a son for Elizabeth and George. And the return of a much loved and well missed character....

REVIEW: Warleggan by Winston Graham

Warleggan (The Poldark Saga #4) by Winston Graham

Genre: Historical Fiction

Read: 3rd November 20217

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★★★★★ 5 stars

The 4th installment of the Poldark series would have to be one of the most heartbreaking. Not only dealing with the troubles of the time with the mine collapse, early death, sickness and poverty, but the turmoil of emotions and heartbreak of death, circumstance and betrayal. Although I knew what was to come having seen the series, it was still incredibly sad in parts.

This book also sees more of George Warleggan, whom we all love to hate. And while he has remained in the background for the most part, one can still feel his touch reach all the way to Nampara. Though I must admit, I find him even more hateful on screen probably due to the pompous nature that shines through his character portrayed. The actor portraying Warleggan does a wonderful job of making him hateful because I find him so much more than the books. lol

The ending of this book leaves a sort of promise of better times ahead...and again, while I have seen up to the end of the last series and know what is to come in the next 2 books, I can't wait to begin the next as I still find myself wanting to devour more and more of the Poldarks and their simple life at Nampara.