Primrose Past: The 1848 Journal of Young Lady Primrose [Hardcover]

Caroline Rose Hunt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 26, 2000

Primrose Past recreates, with rare authenticity and engaging spirit, the diary of a young girl growing up in Victorian England -- a time of simple manners and values, when life was lived slowly and morals were passed on from generation to generation through homilies and by example. The young lady of the story -- fifteen years of age in 1848, the year of the journal -- narrates in a fresh and endearing voice a year in the life of a Victorian family, offering a window into the lifestyle of the time; along the way she even includes recipes for dishes she learns from the family cook over the course of the year (authentic 19th-century recipes the author discovered in the course of her research). But the story, deceptively simple at first, soon takes on an air of suspense, as her parents leave on a journey, and her father writes with the news that her mother has taken gravely ill; soon thereafter the little girl -- identified only by the nickname "cygnet", or young swan, in the diary -- finds a letter among her mother's belongings leading her to question her own parentage. The text of the journal is framed by a present-day narrative, in Caroline's own voice, detailing the discovery of the actual diary, and Caroline's own attempts to discover the truth behind this enigmatic story.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Hunt, famed hotelier and one of the wealthiest women in America, here tries her hand at writing fiction, with surprisingly readable results. The narrator of the story finds in a long-abandoned desk drawer a young girl's diary dating from the year 1848. Through her journal's entries, the girl reports on the day-to-day events occurring in the life of her Victorian family. The tale gets off to a slow start, but the action picks up when her parents take a trip, during which the girl, identified only by the nickname Cygnet, receives news that her mother is seriously ill. During her parent's absence she stumbles upon a letter that causes her to question her familial origin. The narrative concludes with a present-day explanation of the narrator's attempts to find out more information about Cygnet's family. Hunt does a fair job of re-creating life in Victorian England, and fans of historical fiction will likely enjoy her effort. Kathleen Hughes
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Hardcover: 250 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow; 1st edition (December 26, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060394137
• ISBN-13: 978-0060394134
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,205,099 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Rose in Full, January 29, 2001

By 

Rebecca Brumley (Fort Worth, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Primrose Past: The 1848 Journal of Young Lady Primrose (Hardcover)

Primrose Past is terrific. Caroline Hunt has conveyed fully the mind and spirit of an adolescent girl -- her struggle for identity and independence, her drive to develop and demonstrate her knowledge and skills, her emerging romantic and sexual desires, and her longing for family relationships that are mutual, intimate, and special. What a vivid portrayal of this bright, courageous, vulunerable, and likable girl! The story is replete with deft and detailed descriptions of life in England over 150 years ago -- estates (lands, buildings, furnishings, provisions, management, and operations), societal and cultural mores and expectations, and travel and experiences throughout the contemporaneous world. Primrose Past is practically a textbook wrapped in a delightful, intriguing tale. If I were teaching English in secondary school, it would be required reading along with Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice. I am eager for the sequel!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not just another pretty book., September 3, 2001

By 

KENT PERKINS (Ft Worth, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Primrose Past: The 1848 Journal of Young Lady Primrose (Hardcover)

I started reading Primrose Past on a plane from Dallas to Los Angeles. It was clever and amusing, and I took it to be an enjoyable, light read. As I got into it, and as the story unfolded more and more, I could see that it was "getting to me" in unexpected ways. The people were so real, the challenges and problems were presented boldly and beautifully. I will never casually pass an old graveyard again, and see all the aging and weathered old stones marking the graves, without remembering this book, and the fact that beneath the ground there are buried dreams, promises and love. Buy this book and see what I mean! Kent Perkins, Los Angeles

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Primose Pearl, August 1, 2005

By 

Book diva "Suellen" (Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Primrose Past: The 1848 Journal of Young Lady Primrose (Hardcover)

What began as a light read turned in to an engrossing read. I expected it to be just something to read without becoming too involved but that was not the case. The ending was a surprise but not a complete surpise because of some little hints scattered throughout the volume. It all came together very nicely. I hope Ms. Hunt continues this saga because she left me longing for more.