She Walks in Beauty [Kindle Edition]

Siri Mitchell (Author)

Book Description

For a young society woman seeking a favorable marriage in the late 1890s, so much depends on her social season debut. Clara Carter has been given one goal: secure the affections of the city's most eligible bachelor. Debuting means plenty of work--there are corsets to be fitted, dances to master, manners to perfect. Her training soon pays off, however, as celebrity's spotlight turns Clara into a society-page darling.

Yet Clara wonders if this is the life she really wants, especially when she learns her best friend has also set her sights on Franklin De Vries. When a man appears who seems to love her simply for who she is, and gossip backlash turns ugly, Clara realizes it's not just her heart at stake--the future of her family depends on how she plays the game.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Mitchell (Love's Pursuit) sets her newest historical in Gilded Age New York, an opulent time and place when marrow spoons and exceedingly tight corsets were in vogue among the moneyed. The motherless Clara Carter is making her debut in society, and her aunt and her physician father expect her to win the hand of Franklin DeVries, the wealthiest catch of the season. Clara's best friend Lizzie is also aiming for DeVries, and Clara is caught between duty, friendship, and her own desires, which tend more toward Byron's poetry than bombazine hats. Mitchell's story is well researched, with fascinating details, and Clara is a complex character. The plot machinery creaks loudly at points: three overheard conversations is at least one too many. A social consciousness plot thread dealing with New York's slums is weak. But those who love historicals can have their fill as well as any debutante supping on oysters and clutching her filled dance card; Mitchell delivers the historical goods. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From School Library Journal

Grade 8 Up—The Gilded Age, in all its opulence, comes to life through Clara's eyes as she makes her debut into New York society in the 1890s. Molded primarily by her aunt, the 17-year-old begins her debutante preparation with much trepidation. The more rigorous the process becomes, the more disillusioned she becomes. She sees through the ambition of her fellow debs and their parents and witnesses the hypocrisy of her own wealthy family. They attend church every Sunday, but only to see and be seen. Mitchell ably transports readers to late-19th-century society, a place of extravagance and poverty. Clara's frustrations with her position are well realized. Clara does find an equal in a young man who actually listens to the sermon on Sunday, and he tells her that God loves her just as she is. The story itself plods along, getting mired down in the myriad parties and dress discussions. Despite these criticisms, teens will probably enjoy Clara's glittery world of romance. References to Christianity, such as hymns and traditions, are sprinkled throughout. For readers seeking an alternative to "The Clique" and "Gossip Girl" titles or those who enjoyed "The Luxe," this novel satisfies.—Hilary Writt, Sullivan University, Lexington, KY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 2574 KB
• Print Length: 400 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (April 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ASIN: B003BIFC0G
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Not Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #208,203 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

79 of 79 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Bravo, Siri! April 3, 2010

By KJ Coffee

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

After reading a HOST of mediocre Christian Fiction, Siri Mitchell has once again given me hope in the genre. After a litter of amish and pioneer subjects - Siri does not disappoint when it comes to historical fiction. And once more, her characters are multi-dimensional and interesting! They are not boring and predictable. Oh, Siri I could just HUG you for this book! Thank you!

Clara is a bright, intelligent woman who dreams of going to Vassar College. She lives with her wealthy, but distant and somewhat mysterious father and prickly aunt - an ambitious and socially-driven woman who is determined to help her niece marry the "catch of the ton" - Franklin de Vries. Clara is socially-anxious and is constantly concerned with what she should do and say. A welcome relief to her circle is Harold de Vries, the congenial younger brother. Her lifelong friend, Lizzie, is also a lifeline to her in this foreign land of intrigues and alterior motives.

The supporting characters are just as interesting! How did her father really earn his fortune? Were the de Vries really responsible for ruining the Carter fortune decades ago? Is a marriage between Franklin and Clara for revenge?

My ONLY regret is that I finished this book in one day and now there is no more! Siri Mitchell is a breath of fresh air in Christian Fiction. These characters are fresh, the storyline is unique and ingenuitive. And Siri is a genius. Do yourself a favor. Buy DON'T BORROW this book. You'll want to read it again.

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars 5++++ April 4, 2010

By d burns

Format:Paperback

I'm not a big fan of historical fiction, but I LOVED this book. Normally, I prefer Siri Mitchell's contemporary stories over the historical, but this grabbed me from the first page. The historical facts are blended nicely, giving an accurate lesson of what women and young girls went through to catch a husband. I really would love to see more of Clara - she's now one of my favorite book characters. Highly recommended, even for those readers that care little for historical fiction. Truthfully, I will read She Walks in Beauty a second time, something I rarely do.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars All That Glitters. . . April 1, 2010

By Wendy Lawton

Format:Paperback

She Walks in Beauty is the compelling story of one girl as she faces the pressures of late Victorian mores and family expectations. This book is for anyone who's looked at the exquisite fashion, decadent parties, lavish balls and gentile manners of the Gilded Age and said, "I should have lived back then." It's eye-opening to discover how the fashion of the day molded society, both figuratively and literally. As an amateur fashion historian I have to say Mitchell gets it right. Her research is flawless. The juxtaposition of the glittering social season against the tenements of the Bowery and the political corruption of Tammany Hall gives the book depth. But more than that, it's a satisfying love story-- a story about discovering that we can be loved just as we are.

More About the Author

When I'm listening to a speaker and I'm taking notes, chances are, I've just had a great idea for a plot or a dialogue. If I'm nodding my head in response to a really profound statement, I'm probably thinking, 'Yes. Right. That's exactly what my character needs to hear.'

When I'm editing my manuscripts, I laugh at the funny parts. And I cry at the sad parts.

Sometimes I even talk to my characters. 'Okay, Joe. Talk to me. Tell me what you're thinking here.' And yes, the characters answer me. I actually hear them talking in my head.

Half the time, I think I'm an okay writer. The other half, I'm tempted to take a magnet to the hard drive.

The easy part is writing. The hardest part is editing. The worst part is wondering if the books are going to sell.

I have plenty of ideas for books; the thing I lack is the time to write them. I write by the word. Other writers write by the page. However you want to tally it, 85,000 words is a lot of pages.

In the world of writing I have done nothing right. I wrote 4 books and accumulated 153 rejections before I signed with a publisher. And then I had to write a fifth book so that they could publish it. In the process, I saw the bottoms of more pints of Ben & Jerry's than I care to admit. I vowed never to write another word again. Ever. I went on writing strikes and I even stooped to threatening my manuscripts with the shredder.

However. Here I am, over a dozen books into the process!

Learn more about me on the web at http://sirimitchell.com

**author photo by Tim Coburn