Wise Child [Hardcover]

Jessica Stirling (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1990

Both Kirsty and Craig Nicholson sacrifice lovers to hold their marriage together for the sake of their crippled son. For a time all seems well until Kirsty seizes an opportunity to buy a small shop and makes a roaring success of her new career.

Lonely and rejected, Craig seeks ways to gain the upper hand on his wife and her partners until only a brittle band of conscience stands between them and ruin.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Despite the success of the first two installments of Stirling's Glasgow saga ( The Good Provider ; The Asking Price ), the third volume is heavy and uneven. Kirsty Nicholson has chosen to remain in a common-law marriage with policeman Craig Nicholson, ostensibly for the sake of their young son, Bobby. Craig is indifferent to wife and son, and Kirsty eventually learns of his affair with Greta Taylor, who has a small daughter. Setting up a shop with the help of her brother-in-law, Kirsty strives for independence and also finds an opportunity to revenge herself on Craig by hiring Greta. While the women find a common ground in their desire for security, Craig's many relatives pursue their various--mainly selfish--ends. Almost no one in this epic has any feeling for anyone else, and it is difficult to find a locus of sympathy when the point of view shifts erratically. The narrative concludes in a manner that assumes a sequel, without adequately resolving several story threads.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

'Powerful Victorian drama' --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 313 pages
• Publisher: St Martins Pr; 1St Edition edition (August 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312051824
• ISBN-13: 978-0312051822
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,753,618 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Very moving, July 7, 2010

By 

Karen V. Wasylowski "Mrs. Bennet" (Florida) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Wise Child (Hardcover)

I am enjoying these books very much. The writing is so like Catherine Cookson but edgier, more modern. I love the Adairs, most of them anyway and Gordon is such a real character. I find this series very moving - can't wait till the next.

3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing Compared to Stirling's Other Works., May 5, 2006

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Reviews No More - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wise Child (The Nicholson Quartet) (Paperback)

There isn't enough action here in this book until too late, and even then it's sparse. The Adairs are boring people, and Kirsty Nicholson, while being an admirable character, isn't nearly as fascinating as Clare Kelso from Lantern for the Dark. Not every author can write a great novel all the time so, while this one isn't all that spellbinding, there are far worse novels to read--like the godawful Stephanie Laurens, for instance. Everyone has different tastes, so you may get more out of The Wise Child than I did; at least now you know she writes better stories should this be your first one.