Customer Reviews

Primrose Past: The 1848 Journal of Young Lady Primrose

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

 

 

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!

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

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.

For her fifteenth birthday in 1848, a young girl living on an estate in Victorian England is giving a diary in which to record her thoughts. She describes her idyllic life in the beautiful English countryside, where her biggest problem is dealing with her annoying little brother. When her parents travel to London, she expresses her disappointment at not being able to join them. Although this girl lived 150 years ago, her feelings and relationships were not all that different from those today. This book seemed almost like a real diary, even though it was fiction. Although this is an adult novel, teenage girls who enjoy historical fiction, such as myself, will enjoy it too. I highly reccomend this book.

I read "Primrose Past" in one continuous session. The characters grow as the story flows.

"Primrose Past", beautifully bound, not only provides reading pleasure but also a vivid description of the lifestyles, customs, and traditions of l800 England. A diary, lost for over a century, opens doors to the England of years gone by and the deepest secrets of the girl who wrote it. A truly unique and revealing book.