Nine Coaches Waiting [Hardcover]

Mary Stewart (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 317 pages
• Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton; Uniform edition (1963)
• ASIN: B00144LR58
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (48 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Mart Stewart, one of the most popular novelists writing today, was born in Sunderland, County Durham, England. After boarding-school, she recieved a B.A. with first class honors in English Language and Literature from Durham University and went on for her M.A. Later she returned to her own University as a Lecturer in English. She married in 1945. Her husband is Sir Frederick Stewart, who is Chairman of the Geology Department at Edinburgh University, and a Fellow of the Royal Society.Mary Stewart's career as a novelist began in 1954 with the publication of Madam, Will You Talk? Since then she has published fifteen successful novels, including The Last Enchantment, the third book of the magical trilogy about the legendary enchanter Merlin and young Arthur. Her books for young readers, The Little Broomstick (1971) and Ludo and the Star Horse (1974), quickly met with the same success as her other novels. In 1968, she was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts. In 1971, the Scottish Chapter of the International PEN Association awarded her the Frederick Niven prize for the The Crystal Cave. In 1974, the Scottish Arts Council Award went to Ludo and the Star Horse.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A page-turner for all lovers of romance and suspense!, April 29, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Nine Coaches Waiting (Mass Market Paperback)

Like most of Mary Stewart's novels, this one also centers around a beautiful and brave heroine. However, each and every one of these novels are different in content as well as in plot, so that even though you think you know what the outcome is going to be, in reality you don't! I read most of Mary Stewart's novels when I was a teenager (when I used to borrow them), but 15 years down the road, I find myself rummaging through bookstores for them - to be able to reread them, but more because I want to own my own copies (so that I can reread them yet again in a few year's time)! (Hint: London bookstores carry many of them, esp. Dillon's and Books Etc..) 'Nine Coaches Waiting' is great in the sense that it transports the reader into the rustic countryside of France, which Mary Stewart describes, as always, with so much pleasurable detail. The sense of mystery is heightened as the heroine searches for the truth behind the troubled family for whom she works; and the romance is made more even more romantic with the notions of 'unrequited love' and 'forbidden love'. I think that with most Mary Stewart's novels, there is never a huge emphasis on romantic love in terms of action or words, but better still, she concentrates on the inner feelings of longing and sacrifice (esp. before the official 'start' of a relationship) which serve to enhance the romantic atmosphere of her books.

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best by Mary Stewart, November 30, 1999

By 

Sam G "sam-80" (The Valley, CA USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Nine Coaches Waiting (Mass Market Paperback)

I have read quite a few of Mary Stewart's books and for anyone who is interested "This Rough Magic" ties with "Nine Coaches". "The Moon-Spinners" is very good, so is "My Brother Michael" and "Airs Above the Ground". These are more along the romance line as opposed to fantasy as in "The Crystal Cave" which was very good but a different style of story.

I first found Mary Stewart when I was rather young The Wonderful World of Disney did "The Moon-Spinners" with Haley Mills. I was hooked and I still enjoy her books as true mystery romances with the covers falling off and all.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Flawless Classic Romantic Suspense, November 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Nine Coaches Waiting (Mass Market Paperback)

They don't write books like this anymore. Sadly, even the author didn't write books like this for long. Her writing has deteriorated since the Merlin books (which I also disliked), but her 1950s and 1960s romantic suspense were superb. What do we need to do to get more of Stewart's works reissued in paperback? If there's a petition, I want to sign it.