The Twisted Sword (The Poldark Saga) [Paperback]

Winston Graham (Author)

Book Description

Series: The Poldark Saga | Publication Date: June 1996

In Cornwall in 1815, Demelza sees a horseman riding down the valley and senses disruption to the domestic contentment she has fought so hard to achieve. Ross has little option but to accept the summons—and travel to Paris with his family, as an "observer" of the French armed forces. Parisian life begins well, but the return of Napoleon brings separation, distrust, and danger to the Poldarks—and always for Demelza there is the shadow of the secret she does not even share with Ross.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this 11th and concluding novel of the Poldark saga--a bestseller in England--Graham once again follows the fortunes of the Cornwall family. Series readers will not be surprised at the the centrality here of Ross Poldark and his wife, Demelza, who have matured from youthful emotional turbulence to become people of substance. His American war experience behind him, Ross is now a titled MP, called to England's secret service on the Continent during the Napoleonic wars. The Poldark children are also involved in the war, with tragic consequences. Old feuds and frustrated romances shadow the domestic scene, as Ross undertakes the role of patriarch, reflecting on the three decades that have elapsed since his meeting in 1783 with the incomparable Demelza. With customary grace, Graham handles a busy story, deftly conveying a stormy period in England and France while managing to provide helpful recaps of prior Poldark history.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"From the incomparable Winston Graham...who has everything anyone else has, then a whole lot more."

Product Details

• Paperback: 656 pages
• Publisher: Macmillan UK (June 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0330317490
• ISBN-13: 978-0330317498
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #979,867 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 1815, October 23, 2006

By 

Notnadia (Currently upstairs.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Twisted Sword (The Poldark Saga) (Paperback)

The eleventh Poldark novel takes place entirely within the tumultuous year of 1815, and while not all of it concerns war, the conflict on the continent is certainly central to the telling of the tale in this penultimate book in the series. While the apparent surrender of Bonaparte is celebrated across Europe, the French tyrant plots to break his word and return from exile on the island of Elba. Unaware of the imminent re-appearance of this foe, the Poldarks, like their countrymen, mark the coming of peace with parties and gladness of heart. Geoffrey Charles reflects on his years in the army and speaks of his pride in having seen the war through to its conclusion. Even Jeremy, stationed across in the Low Countries, returns home to Cornwall and at last is married to his great love, Cuby Trevanion. Ross and Demelza are overjoyed for their son and wish him and his bride the deepest of happiness. All seems too well, and it does not last, of course. As England rejoices, Bonaparte sneaks back into France and reignites his adopted nation in vicious anti-British militancy. At the head of an army bent on revenge, he marches north, and now the English scramble to again field a force to meet him. The newlywed Jeremy abruptly leaves a shocked Cuby behind, and is accompanied to the front lines by his veteran cousin Geoffrey Charles, as they begin a hasty journey toward destiny at a Belgian town called Waterloo.