Customer Reviews

Menfreya in the Morning

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I admit it -- I'm a sucker for a Victoria Holt romance. I just can't help myself and Menfrey in the Morning is definitely my favorite. I read this more than forty years ago and when I picked it up again recently, I still found myself enjoying it even though it's pretty predictable. This story has it all -- a young, intelligent but not beautiful girl;a dashing, slightly notorious older man; and a big, old, rambling house near the sea. It was a little like eating chocolate -- you know what it's going to taste like but it's delicious anyway.

I find myself agreeing completely with Amanda Miller's review; this was an intriguing book. I also did not want to put it down! From the time the story opened, narrated by 13 year old runaway Harriette Delvaney, to the time of its conclusion, the author sweeps the reader into another time & place, with a sparkling visual of the Cornish coast, the sounds of everyday living in a time removed from our own. The author allows the characters, in their own words & dialect, eloquently explain their Cornish culture & history. There is an awareness of the small details of everyday life that contribute to the atmosphere of the book. There is suspense & intrigue; the reader is not ever sure (at least this reader was not) who to trust. The exploration of the Menfreya mansion, the history & lore of the Menfrey family, the wonderful sense of time and place, and the honesty and growth of the characters add up to an enchanting read. I particularly like the devise the author uses to let the reader see the characters through other characters eyes. The way the author uses this technique definetely contributes the the reader's understanding of the narrator's character.

Harriet has grown up with so little love that when she marries Bevil, she is suspicious of his love for her. As her suspicions grow, so do her reasons for it. She soon finds her marriage - and life - in danger. Only at the climatic ending does she find the truth about everyone in her life.

An amazing plot with an amazing ending: just what to expect from the greatest gothic novelist, Victoria Holt.

I loved the entire book from the setting to the plot. Once I started reading this novel I literally could not put it down. The book had very interesting and developed characters. It is a romance and me, being a hopless romantic, found this book utterly satisfying. It also kept me in suspense. Was Bevil faithful of not? I would reccomend this book to any one who needs a little romance in their life or anyone who needs to hear a good story.