Journal Entry 1 by nikkilovesbooks from Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory Australia on Tuesday, October 06, 2009

This book was sent to me as part of a book 'chain letter'. I read Girl with a Pearl Earring years ago & loved it. Hope I like this one too. 

Journal Entry 2 by nikkilovesbooks at Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory Australia on Tuesday, June 07, 2011

Beautiful book, very enjoyable read. It has been on my self for a while waiting to be read, and is now off as part of a bookswap down south. 

Journal Entry 3 by Elddau1 at Yass, New South Wales Australia on Monday, June 27, 2011

Thanks so much nikki for all these wonderful books! I'm going to have such a wonderful reading time in the coming months.
I read Girl With A Pearl Earring also and enjoyed it very much so I'm looking forward to reading this. Chevalier's subject here is one of great interest to me too. I'm a family history and history / historical fiction nut so always love reading 'in the past'.

 

Journal Entry 4 by Elddau1 at Yass, New South Wales Australia on Friday, October 14, 2011

(Finished 14/7/2011. sorry didn't upload the journal entry then.)

Rating: 8minus
I was interested to read another Chevalier. (I liked ‘Girl With A Pearl Earring’ and thought it was very clever in the way it explored a possible story for the painting.) I was also interested to read about Victorian families and their lives.
I learned a lot and I enjoyed it. It was slow to start though and took 100 or so pages before it got interesting. And I found the repeated focus on the cemetery hard to take after a while. Not good memories.
The book was rewarding and enjoyable when the story moved along. I did question that so many important events and issues were woven into the story, and especially for only a 10 year span. But I decided that since they were the most important events of the time they were important to be included. I guess it comes down to that I’m not sure what the focus of the book was meant to be. Was it about the relationships of the three children and the adult love triangle? (then some of the current events felt a little contrived and too coincidental) Or was it about the changing times at the beginning of the new century, including the Suffragette movement, and showing its effect on the life of an ‘Every Woman’ and her family?
It was still a better read than your average book and the ending gripped me.
 

Journal Entry 5 by Elddau1 at Yass, New South Wales Australia on Friday, November 25, 2011

I will take this to the 2011 Canberra Christmas Lunch at the National Library
for the
CHRISTMAS CAROL RELEASE CHALLENGE!

Carol: 'ANGELS We Have Heard On High'

*<|8-)} 

Journal Entry 6 by Elddau1 at Yass, New South Wales Australia on Friday, March 09, 2012

Released 2 mos ago (3/12/2012 UTC) at Yass, New South Wales Australia

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Sending to Carole888 who has chosen it from the OZ Virtual BookBox.

Cheers and Happy Reading!
 

Journal Entry 7 by Carole888 at Perth, Western Australia Australia on Saturday, March 24, 2012

Thank you for sending this across the land, Elddau1. I do enjoy Tracy Chevaliar's writing. She certainly does a lot of research for her books. Will let you know how this one goes :)