≫ [PDF] The Midnight Rose A Novel Lucinda Riley 9781476703572 Books

The Midnight Rose A Novel Lucinda Riley 9781476703572 Books

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The Midnight Rose A Novel Lucinda Riley 9781476703572 Books

** This book review, as well as many more, can also be found on my blog, The Baking Bookworm (www.thebakingbookworm.blogspot.ca). **

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with a complimentary e-book copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

My Review: This sweeping saga follows Anahita's life, from her days as a young girl in India in the early 1900's until present day. The reader is taken from the exotic maharajas of India to the aristocracy in England as it follows the twists and turns, the passions and the losses of Anahita.

This is definitely a large book (the paper version is upwards of 500 pages for the paperback). It had a lot of wonderful historical detail but didn't fall into the trap of being bogged down in too many descriptions. We're talking about piecing together the life of a one hundred year old woman so there are many places, eras and people involved and yet Ms Riley does an excellent job of keeping the reader on track. The protagonists as well as the secondary cast of characters (for the most part anyway) were colourful, intriguing and I quickly got to know them. It was a totally absorbing read that I had a hard time putting down.

The main reason why I loved this book is due to Anahita's character. I was thoroughly engaged by the writing and riveted to Anahita's story from the beginning. Seeing several periods in her life, from a young girl to a very elderly woman, helped to make her a very genuine character for me and one that I could easily root for. Being given the knowledge that Anahita lives to be an old woman didn't detract from me being utterly captivated by her story either. If anything it made me wonder how Anahita became the woman she was in her final years.

Rebecca's side of the story was interesting too but I found her story to be a little more superficial and I tended to look forward to getting back to Anahita's viewpoint as I was reading Rebecca's side of things. I think a lot of this issue had to do with Rebecca's love life. Her boyfriend came off as a stereotypical cad, bully and manipulator and it was fairly obvious where their relationship was heading.

Lucinda Riley is a 'new to me' author and I am very eager to pick up some of her earlier works. She definitely has a passion and skill for storytelling as well as a knack for being able to keep the reader's attention on two main characters in two very distinct eras and cultures. These are no small feats by any measure and I applaud her.

While this is a big book it is also the perfect escapist read and so easy to get wrapped up in. It has romantic elements and a dark mystery. It also deals with enduring friendships, the importance of family, has interesting characters and a dual narrative which kept the pace high at all times. Anahita's story will pull you in as the mystery surrounding her son begins to unfold and the pieces of her life begin to fit together.

Highly recommended.

My Rating: 4.5/5 stars


Tags : The Midnight Rose: A Novel [Lucinda Riley] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. From the #1 international bestselling author of <I>The Orchid House</I>—an epic saga of two remarkable women and two love stories spanning the years from 1920s India to modern-day England.<BR><BR><B >Spanning four generations,Lucinda Riley,The Midnight Rose: A Novel,Atria Books,1476703574,Historical,Literary,Country homes - England,Country homes;England;Fiction.,England,Epic fiction,FICTION Historical,Family secrets,Family secrets;Fiction.,India,India;Fiction.,Love stories,Country homes,Downtown Abbey; Hothouse Flower; Kate Morton; House at Riverton; Forgotten Garden; Secret Keeper; Distant Hours; Regency; Women's Fiction; Historical; New York Times; bestseller; international; lavender garden; girl on the cliff; historical; world war; light between oceans; ml stedman; lucinda rily; light behind the window; still of the night,FICTION General,FICTION Historical General,FICTION Historical.,FICTION Literary,Fiction,Fiction - Historical,Fiction-Historical,FictionLiterary,GENERAL,General Adult,Historical - General,Historical fiction,bisacsh

The Midnight Rose A Novel Lucinda Riley 9781476703572 Books Reviews

I have read several of Lucinda's books! And I have to say, I have really loved them all. That being said, this particular one has moved up to my favorite one of her's! I just can'r say enough about this book. I loved books that cover several generations. And this one took place in India and England. they way see describes these countries are wonderful And the character's in this one will stay with me for a long time. . I just might some day, re-read this one.
I read so many books that I don't usually do reviews, but this was an exceptionally wonderful book. I could not put it down. The writing, the situations, and the characters will be with me forever. The story toggled between two eras, but there was never confusion because of the switches from then and now. And at the end all the pieces fell into place and the story became complete. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and
I know that it will not disappoint a reader who appreciates an author weaving a story so that it leaves you wanting more.
I was soooo excited to get this book as I have read 3 other novels by Lucinda Riley and absolutely loved them. This one, however, wasn't even close to the same writing style or character development. Again, I love the concept of different time periods and the thread connecting the two but this read like a soap opera. It was quite predictable (which isn't necessarily a bad thing) and not a great mystery. Did not seem at all like her previous writings and even through jumping ahead to see if it would get better , couldn't finish it. Maybe try another one of hers but not sure at this point.
For Christmas this year, my children gave me a KINDLE and so I got started on ordering books. I had read several books that really didn't have much to grap me and so I thought well I will wait awile. i had read one of Ms. Riley's previous books so when allerted me her book was coming out I thought well what do I have to lose. ANYWAY, I can honestly say I just loved this story. it started out slow which was a good thing because once in a while I like to read slow, but then I got to the middle, well like around 29 percent via my page,and that is when I couldn't put the book down. Why did I like it? The characters I could relate too, they seemed real. I didn't blame one of the characters for putting people thru hell, that seemed logical. Usually when a story skips around, I get lost, but not this one. I can't wait to read Ms. Riley's books again, and so I've ordered one of her old ones and waiting for any new ones. Thanks for allowing me to voice my opinion.
I've read a couple of other books by Riley, and they are all enjoyable. This one, and The Orchid House, however, are really good. This is a multi generational saga moving back and forth between England and India and what I appreciated most was the fact that the story kept pace and style in both the present tense and the past. It has secrets, romance (but not overly sexual, another quality of Riley's books I appreciate) and a darn good story. All along you learn a bit about life in Rajastan and you meet well drawn and interesting characters. Yes, the bad guy (gal in this case) is really awful, but it's a minor faux pas in a story that is overall a terrifically entertaining read.
This is a superb read -- truly top-notch. The plot, which spans time periods and continents, is intricate with many twists and turns, holding the reader in its thrall right to the end. Having spent some time in India, it is clear that the author has, too, for her writing took me back there with all its beauty, squalor and complexities. Riley's characters also bring some of the realities of Britain's social relationship with India to life in a way that is both sensitive and accurate. There is star-crossed romance, there are English and Indian castles, there are mysteries, and there is a storyline which grabs and then grips the reader, drawing you into a world whose echo we still experience on some levels. This novel is a page-turner. It sometimes is tragic, but always magical. I highly recommend this spellbinding novel to you.
** This book review, as well as many more, can also be found on my blog, The Baking Bookworm (www.thebakingbookworm.blogspot.ca). **

Disclaimer My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with a complimentary e-book copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

My Review This sweeping saga follows Anahita's life, from her days as a young girl in India in the early 1900's until present day. The reader is taken from the exotic maharajas of India to the aristocracy in England as it follows the twists and turns, the passions and the losses of Anahita.

This is definitely a large book (the paper version is upwards of 500 pages for the paperback). It had a lot of wonderful historical detail but didn't fall into the trap of being bogged down in too many descriptions. We're talking about piecing together the life of a one hundred year old woman so there are many places, eras and people involved and yet Ms Riley does an excellent job of keeping the reader on track. The protagonists as well as the secondary cast of characters (for the most part anyway) were colourful, intriguing and I quickly got to know them. It was a totally absorbing read that I had a hard time putting down.

The main reason why I loved this book is due to Anahita's character. I was thoroughly engaged by the writing and riveted to Anahita's story from the beginning. Seeing several periods in her life, from a young girl to a very elderly woman, helped to make her a very genuine character for me and one that I could easily root for. Being given the knowledge that Anahita lives to be an old woman didn't detract from me being utterly captivated by her story either. If anything it made me wonder how Anahita became the woman she was in her final years.

Rebecca's side of the story was interesting too but I found her story to be a little more superficial and I tended to look forward to getting back to Anahita's viewpoint as I was reading Rebecca's side of things. I think a lot of this issue had to do with Rebecca's love life. Her boyfriend came off as a stereotypical cad, bully and manipulator and it was fairly obvious where their relationship was heading.

Lucinda Riley is a 'new to me' author and I am very eager to pick up some of her earlier works. She definitely has a passion and skill for storytelling as well as a knack for being able to keep the reader's attention on two main characters in two very distinct eras and cultures. These are no small feats by any measure and I applaud her.

While this is a big book it is also the perfect escapist read and so easy to get wrapped up in. It has romantic elements and a dark mystery. It also deals with enduring friendships, the importance of family, has interesting characters and a dual narrative which kept the pace high at all times. Anahita's story will pull you in as the mystery surrounding her son begins to unfold and the pieces of her life begin to fit together.

Highly recommended.

My Rating 4.5/5 stars