Customer Reviews

Ceremony of Innocent

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

My first Taylor Caldwell book and I can't wait to read more of her works. Initially, I was reluctant to read this novel---from its outward appearance, it closely resembles a romance novel. Indeed, there is romance, but the overriding theme is the political message which the reader cannot help but relate to what is happening in (to) our country today. I intend to buy more copies and distribute them to my friends.....

especially to any young girl for more than the reading pleasure, which will keep her pressed to the pages, as she follows Ellen Watson, but for an understanding of structural American hisory, and politics. In a unique romantic novel, Taylor Caldwell, draws you intimately closer to Ellen and, therefore, America. With an affection towards her success from her youth through the developing years into maturity and her impending destruction, you will be led into a true understanding and respect for our country.

Interesting as government and politics are to me, MOST literature on the subjects are intensely boring and do not flow well. Romance novels are horrifying to me, filled with the tiniest details of someone else's limiting imagination. This book captured me WITH the romantic story and surprised me with its analogical parallel to our United States, government, and politics.

To the conspiracy addicts, it a great book. She minces no words. She comes right out with it, from the hip and, especially, from the heart. To the romance set, she is superb. Delicately bringing man and God together, where they should have been all along.

A truly fine book. One I will always cherish. She has grave concerns about our country. She has in depth insight into human nature and, above all, she places God where He belongs: in all human endeavors.

Art is in the eye of the beholder. While some may have failed to see the "message" in this book, I think that this story tells more about human nature, and its dark side, as well as giving great insight into who is really calling the shots in the destruction of America, than any book that I have ever read. The "innocence" here, as epitomized by Ellen, is also symbolic of what Americans have become as a people.....apathetic, brainwashed, and unwilling or unable to believe that there are "elites" who would like nothing more than to control every facet of our lives by destoying the middle class, and bringing Communism/Socialism to this country. With the current political climate and the manipulation of our economy, the undermining of our morals,the brainwashing of our our youth, and the very good chance that we will soon be a socialistic country, this book is very timely.

...actually isn't Ellen Porter, the main character, but is Maude Cummings, governess to Ellen's children. Always wise,composed and thoughtful, she is Ellen's unwavering ally, though she expects, and indeed receives, nothing but disdain and mistrust from Ellen in return. The fact that this only reinforces her determination to protect Ellen is proof of her her strong and generous spirit, which shines even more brightly than Ellen's innocence and beauty in the novel. I wish more of Maude had been written about.
From seeing the reviews of others who have read the book, its obvious that it's a coin toss as to whether you will treasure it or throw it in the garbage when the last page is turned. It is true that Caldwell's political conspiracy theories and harsh opinion of human nature may make some declare the novel as the paranoid ravings of a hard and bitter woman. To them, I would suggest that perhaps they depend on more than just the nightly television news programs for their knowledge of what is happening in the world. As much as it may pain them to hear it, blindly accepting this truncated version of world's events coming to them in a neat little half hour package is just the kind of complacent attitude Caldwell confronts in her novel. "Bread and circuses." Yes.
If nothing else, read the story and admire Maude Cummings-Godfrey for the wonderful woman she is.

This novel kind of drove me nuts. Ellen's complete innocence, her complete lack of self-esteem & lack of any sense of how to protect herself, made me want to kick her. Taylor Caldwell could write so well but some of her books' elements (plot twists) fall into the category of soap opera, and unfortunately this is one of her worst. It tried so hard to be serious & full of warnings, trying to hammer home the message, so that it basically imploded on itself. I couldn't feel any sadness for Ellen; I was too busy wishing she'd get a backbone. Of course if she'd had a backbone there would have been no story, but let me say it was a chore to get through this one.

A book containing some of the most lovable, hateful, complex, and narrow minded characters I have ever seen. It is the eye-opening tale of a changing country and a women named Ellen Watson - who's most beautiful characteristic is her worst and most dangerous enemy. A definite reccommend for anyone who is interested in Taylor Caldwell's books. As an avid reader, I find this story one of the most moving and memorable I've come to know -- one that will remain a favorite of mine for all time.

i encountered this book not knowing much about taylor caldwell except she wrote a lot of books and not having any background knowledge of the text except smidgens from the reviews already posted. halfway through, i had to go back and read the reviews to say "what are those people talking about?" However, I did enjoy the book from first to last page. It starts off slow, but after about 10 chapters, the plot is a bit more interesting. Its a cycle of political commentary (which overall I am in awe of, wondering, how was Ms. Caldwell so aware) that eventually makes me think, get on with the juicy stuff of the book, well the narrative rather than the historical and philosophical. However, the mixture of text concerning the characters, the main one being Ellen, and an overview of the political station of the country at that time in the 20th century was quite enlightening. There is a lot to learn from this book, a sure history lesson, an inside look at Washington, DC and other political powerhouses of the early 20th century. The story centers around Ellen Porter, however, and the main question i held throughout the book was, "WHEN is someone going to slap her and tell her what's really going on in her life!??!" However the author does a splendid job of detailing the inner thoughts and motives of all the characters: Ellen, her husband, her second husband, her children, servants, "friends" and true friends, as well as everyone that comes in contact with her from her 13 years on. There are so many facets of character in this book, so many complex ideas and events, its hard to briefly review the text but overall, without giving away the details, the text will keep you enthralled and amazed at the human qualities we possess and how people relate to each other outwardly as well as in their own heads.

I loved this book! It was a pity of how Ellen's children despised her and at the end of the story and they wanted her to die. Ellen's children were terrible. I thought her children would poison her since they wanted her to die. but, Ellen took 25 sleeping pills to kill herself. And at the end of the story she was doing so well! But did Jeremy really love her? Everyone dies in this story, Aunt May, Walter, Jeremy's parents, Cuthburt, and Jeremy. Then on the last page Ellen dies. The only people I know that didn't die were Kitty, Ellen's kids, The Godfreys and Francis. This was an excellent book with so many surprises. It does start off slow, but in chapter 5 it gets better. I will absolutely read this book again. I am 13 and I understood this book. Encourage young people to read this book, it is very educational and teaches so much. I wish this book was a movie. I also wish Ellen was real. I will always keep this book! I was informed about this book because I read a biography about my favorite singer Stevie Nicks. She said it was her favorite book, so I read it. It became my favorite also!

I think this is the worst book I have ever read to completion. The characters were all one- dimensional. The author's "politics" (as touted in the book) borders on the paranoid schizophrenic. Her use of foreshadowing is so heavy-handed, I was glad when the character finally died so Ms. Caldwell could stop foreshadowing it. None of the characters seem capable of learning from experience. A more detestable cast would be hard to imagine. I truely loathed this book.