although not my favorite Anya Seton, you can't go wrong with any of her books-this one goes between the past and present day(past life)-I read it many yrs. ago but think it's definitely worth it!

Mary,

Yes, I think it's worth it. Touches on reincarnation. And she's always good on Love. She does tend to write in cliches - of both language and characterization - but somehow she manages to transcend this tendency, unlike many writers, perhaps because her actual stories are so strong and original. All are different: Katherine, The Winthrop Woman, Green Darkness - nothing like each other. There are others but they're not so strong as those 3.

Dido

I love this book. It's my favorite Seton--just so different from others. You may recall in other posts from me that I also like Mary Luke's The Nonsuch Lure which reminds me of GD.

Katherine is my favorite Seton book although I love Green Darkness. It's just a book...read them! Libraries tend to have her books too...

Mary I read it years ago, although enjoyable, it did seem to have a few holes in the plot that bothered me at the time, but I don't remember now what they were, just that something sounded improbable!

Pat

Oh, yes, it's improbable. I don't believe in reincarnation at all. It's just a good read.

Katherine is my favorite of her books. I read most of them, liking some better than others. For me Green Darkness fell somewhere in the middle.

Dragonwyck gave me a lasting horror of oleander long before I ever saw any.

Rosefolly

Mary, this is a 'good read' although may be not quite deep enough for you. Seton does manages for the most part to keep an 'English' feel to the story, not always easy for Americans and something, we over here, always pick up on.
The house in the story is based on Ightham Mote a really ancient house in Kent, that is undergoing extenive renovations at the moment. I don't think they have found any walled-up bodies yet.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ightham Mote

Thanks, friends, for your input. I think I will have to check this one out. What is "Katherine" about?

Mary, Katherine is the best of them all, in most people's opinions.

Set at the court of the Plantagenet King Edward 111 in the 14th century, it's the 'true' story Katherine, a herald's daughter and a great beauty (a monk described her as 'eximia pulchritudine femina') who was (probably) sister-in-law to Geoffrey Chaucer.

She becomes the mistress of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster; she lived through the time of the Great Plague (The Black Death), the Peasant's revolt, the death of Edward 111 and the ascent to the throne of the weak Richard 11 etc. etc. It's a huge tapestry set at one of the most vibrant times in English history. I don't want to tell you more for fear of Spoilers - though you may well know where this leads.

Rather cliche in its writing, as I said, nevertheless Seton brings it to life and I have always found it irresistible.

Dido

I loved Green Darkness although I will admit it is dated and cliched. There is something about Seton's writing that I find very appealing. Katherine was my favorite by far, though. I love the idea of bringing attention to female historical figures that would otherwise be forgotten.

I tried Green Darkness a few months ago, and ended up ditching it right around page 60. It was just a little to "light" for my tastes. I also thought it was quite dated.
I've read three other Seton's as well. Katherine I really enjoyed; it's a great historical novel. I also liked Dragonwyk. The other one I no longer remember the name of; it's about a young woman kidnapped by Vikings. It was okay; but again I felt the writing was so dated.

Kelly

Maybe that is why I like Seton--I'm dated, too. Also, it has been many years since I've read her books. Might be time for a re-read. I think I have all of them.

I am so glad I asked about Seton. I found "Green Darkness" at my library and am currently engrossed in the story. I could not find "Katharine", so may read "Dragonwyck" next.

As for the style being "dated" --- yes, it is; however, to me, this adds to its charm. I find it amazing that this is written by an American, as she knows the culture of the English so well.

The one about the girl kidnapped by Vikings is Avalon. This was the first Seton book I read when I was about 12 or 13. I just re-read it a few months ago. It is my second favorite, next to Katherine. Denise

Thanks for telling me about these. I think I am "hooked". I love the wealth of historical detail and the fact that actual historical personnages are part of the action.

I just dug out my old copy of Avalon to read. Thanks for reminding me of an old favorite.

Rosefolly

How did I miss this thread! Anya Seton is one of my favorite old-style writers. What some call "dated" is right up my alley because I like good old storytelling without all the larding of postmodern notions and devices.

Mary, if you get the chance, try The Winthrop Woman. I think it has replaced Katherine as my favorite -- though Katherine will always be special because it and I have so much history together.

My first Seton was actually The Mistletoe and the Sword, and I loved it so much that I was tempted to steal it from my local library. I didn't, but I checked it out so often that the librarian told me I needed to give it a rest for a few weeks. That was hard! Every time I was in the library I would check the shelf to see if it was still there and still all right. The setting is Roman Britain, First Century A.D. I've been in love with the main character, Quintus Tullius Pertinax, for forty-plus years. He's a young soldier who falls in love with a British girl who just happens to be the granddaughter of the Archdruid and the foster daughter of Queen Boadicea (Boudicca or Boudica or however it's spelt nowadays). I like how Seton wove the story of Boudicca's revolt and the slaughter of the Ninth Legion with a bit of real mystery: why did the commander of the Twentieth Legion act the way he did? Seton's explanation is a good one and entirely plausible.

In regard to Green Darkness, I like it a lot but it probably comes in fourth behind the others I've mentioned. Dragonwyck is pure Gothic -- the mansions on the Hudson River are a natural for that kind of story.

In fact, the only Seton book that I have never really liked is Foxfire which is set during the Great Depression in the American Southwest (Arizona, I think, but I'm not positive). She wrote much better about earlier centuries.

Somehow I missed The Mistletoe and The Sword-never heard of it in fact. Thanks for the reminder about Avalon too.

Having finished "Green Darkness", I've now begun Seton's "Devil Water", set in 18th century England and in the Virginia colony. Again, impeccable historical research! I've since learned that Anya Seton was born in England, later moved to Connecticut, where she lived until her death in 1990. Her work certainly has a "British sensibility", in my view. Unfortunately, our local libraries do not seem to have many of her more acclaimed books.