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browsecomp_plus_82109_68 | The Mercies They talk of signs that suggested this was going to happen, a tern, a whale swimming upside down, signs that the women should have noticed. The devil himself is blamed for the storm and the loss of their men. Then the talk inevitably turns to leaving. The women have relations and family in other towns. Serious talk and consideration bandied about of leaving to the larger cities of Varanger and Tromso. Cities a good distance away. It is finally decided that they will wait for word from Kiberg, which they expect will arrive by boat now the storm has dispersed. Diinna is of the indigenous Sami people. Charms, talking to spirits to appease the weather, vital for a fishing population, is simply their way of life. Maren's father was a noaidi, a shaman, a mystic. Many from the town would come to him for charms and trinkets, protection from the sea and foul weather. However, King Christian IV is a strict Lutheran and times have changed, and laws have been brought in by the church banning such acts, although the pastor would normally let such things pass, turning away as if not noticing. Christianity has taken hold here and there is bad blood between the Christians and the Sami, who they consider pagans that follow the old ways. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_69 | The Mercies The narrative now jumps to 1619, Bergen, which is in the southwest of Norway, almost as far away from Vardo, which is way up in the north, as you can get. Ursa has no choice in the husband she is to marry, she does not even get to see him before her father has agreed happily to the marriage. Commissioner Absalom Cornet has come all the way from Scotland and his marriage proposal is a simple sentence uttered to Ursa and her father, "I am in need of a wife". Commissioner Cornet has been sent from Scotland under the orders of Lensmann Cunningham to ostensibly stamp out all heathen presence and activity from Vardo. Ursa's father is, if not euphoric, then ecstatic, that his daughter will be marrying a man in such a prestigious position. Ursa's feelings, well they hardly matter do they. When the Commissioner leaves Ursa watches him from an upstairs window and thinks, "Absalom Cornet. It sounds less like a prayer, and more like a knell." Ursa has no idea how prescient this thought will turn out to be. Absalom and Ursa set sail for Vardo, where Lensmann Cunningham will meet up with them. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_70 | The Mercies On the long sea voyage to Vardo, Ursa comes to see her husband's true side and realises that she is trapped with no chance of escape. Upon overhearing her talking to the captain in Norwegian, Absalom becomes quite angry with her, he then asks the captain of the ship to teach him Norwegian. "Ursa feels a noose slip about her neck. Soon she will have nowhere to hide, not even her mother tongue. She excuses herself early, leaves them talking in the lamplight. She feels, once again, quite alone." When the ship finally pulls into Vardo the women are all there to witness the arrival. Maren thinks that the last time all the women were gathered here together like this was the night of the storm, the night they lost the men. It is Maren who runs back to get Ursa a coat when they make land and an instant connection is formed between the two as Ursa thanks her. There is an almost ominous feeling shrouding over this initial landing, and the weather, as if in agreement starts to rain. A little later, when Absalom publicly addresses the women, he tells them that, "Too long you have been left here without guidance. I am here to offer it, and I must ask you to be vigilant." |
browsecomp_plus_82109_71 | The Mercies A dramatic statement that has a forbidding feeling attached to it. It does not take long for Maren to realise that Ursa is floundering in this new way of life and has no idea about the things that the women of Vardo find basic and rudimental. Marlen takes it upon herself to help Ursa, and a strong bond of friendship is formed between the two. These two characters who come from the two extreme ends of their country, come from lives that are universes apart, become closer and closer as each day passes. Are their feelings passing over the line of friendship? What will happen if Absalom finds out? Then the Lensmann, who Absalom has been waiting for finally arrives, and the true, horrible purpose of Absalom's appointment to Vardo becomes painfully clear! To think that this book is based on a real event and real characters is chilling but not surprising. We have inflicted horror upon horror upon ourselves throughout our brief history. Looking at the world today, I would like to think we have moved forwards a little. We certainly don't burn "witches" at the stake anymore, but do we tolerate beliefs that are not our own? Do we persecute those who choose a different faith? A different style of life? Will we ever truly change? |
browsecomp_plus_82109_72 | The Mercies This wonderful novel will be published by Little Brown and Company in February 2020. Thankyou to them and Netgally for the ARC. Maren and the other women are not aware of the consequences that this storm is going to have on the lives of their island town. As the storm subsides, the women observe the detritus rolling in towards them on the waves. "The women of Vardo gather at the scooped-out edge of their island, and though some are still shouting, Maren's ears ring with silence. Before her, the harbour is wiped smooth as a mirror. Her Jaw is caught on the hinges of itself, her tongue dripping blood warm down her chin. Her needle is threaded in the web between her thumb and forefinger, the wound a neat circle of pink. As she watches, a final flash of lightning illuminates the hatefully still sea, and from its blackness rise oars and rudders and a full mast with gently stowed sails, like underwater forests uprooted. Of their men, there is no sign. The women of Vardo don't know it yet but every man of the fishing fleet has drowned, including Maren's father and brother. Her brother was Diinna's husband and his loss is felt by both women. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_73 | The Mercies There used to be fifty-three males living in the town, now there are thirteen. Two are merely babies, three are elders, and the rest are young boys who were too young to be out with the fleet. Superstition is rife. The women start looking for answers as to what caused this tragedy. The storm abnormally strong and swift. They talk of signs that suggested this was going to happen, a tern, a whale swimming upside down, signs that the women should have noticed. The devil himself is blamed for the storm and the loss of their men. Then the talk inevitably turns to leaving. The women have relations and family in other towns. Serious talk and consideration bandied about of leaving to the larger cities of Varanger and Tromso. Cities a good distance away. It is finally decided that they will wait for word from Kiberg, which they expect will arrive by boat now the storm has dispersed. Diinna is of the indigenous Sami people. Charms, talking to spirits to appease the weather, vital for a fishing population, is simply their way of life. Maren's father was a noaidi, a shaman, a mystic. Many from the town would come to him for charms and trinkets, protection from the sea and foul weather. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_74 | The Mercies However, King Christian IV is a strict Lutheran and times have changed, and laws have been brought in by the church banning such acts, although the pastor would normally let such things pass, turning away as if not noticing. Christianity has taken hold here and there is bad blood between the Christians and the Sami, who they consider pagans that follow the old ways. The narrative now jumps to 1619, Bergen, which is in the southwest of Norway, almost as far away from Vardo, which is way up in the north, as you can get. Ursa has no choice in the husband she is to marry, she does not even get to see him before her father has agreed happily to the marriage. Commissioner Absalom Cornet has come all the way from Scotland and his marriage proposal is a simple sentence uttered to Ursa and her father, "I am in need of a wife". Commissioner Cornet has been sent from Scotland under the orders of Lensmann Cunningham to ostensibly stamp out all heathen presence and activity from Vardo. Ursa's father is, if not euphoric, then ecstatic, that his daughter will be marrying a man in such a prestigious position. Ursa's feelings, well they hardly matter do they. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_75 | The Mercies When the Commissioner leaves Ursa watches him from an upstairs window and thinks, "Absalom Cornet. It sounds less like a prayer, and more like a knell." Ursa has no idea how prescient this thought will turn out to be. Absalom and Ursa set sail for Vardo, where Lensmann Cunningham will meet up with them. On the long sea voyage to Vardo, Ursa comes to see her husband's true side and realises that she is trapped with no chance of escape. Upon overhearing her talking to the captain in Norwegian, Absalom becomes quite angry with her, he then asks the captain of the ship to teach him Norwegian. "Ursa feels a noose slip about her neck. Soon she will have nowhere to hide, not even her mother tongue. She excuses herself early, leaves them talking in the lamplight. She feels, once again, quite alone." When the ship finally pulls into Vardo the women are all there to witness the arrival. Maren thinks that the last time all the women were gathered here together like this was the night of the storm, the night they lost the men. It is Maren who runs back to get Ursa a coat when they make land and an instant connection is formed between the two as Ursa thanks her. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_76 | The Mercies There is an almost ominous feeling shrouding over this initial landing, and the weather, as if in agreement starts to rain. A little later, when Absalom publicly addresses the women, he tells them that, "Too long you have been left here without guidance. I am here to offer it, and I must ask you to be vigilant." A dramatic statement that has a forbidding feeling attached to it. It does not take long for Maren to realise that Ursa is floundering in this new way of life and has no idea about the things that the women of Vardo find basic and rudimental. Marlen takes it upon herself to help Ursa, and a strong bond of friendship is formed between the two. These two characters who come from the two extreme ends of their country, come from lives that are universes apart, become closer and closer as each day passes. Are their feelings passing over the line of friendship? What will happen if Absalom finds out? Then the Lensmann, who Absalom has been waiting for finally arrives, and the true, horrible purpose of Absalom's appointment to Vardo becomes painfully clear! To think that this book is based on a real event and real characters is chilling but not surprising. We have inflicted horror upon horror upon ourselves throughout our brief history. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_77 | The Mercies Looking at the world today, I would like to think we have moved forwards a little. We certainly don't burn "witches" at the stake anymore, but do we tolerate beliefs that are not our own? Do we persecute those who choose a different faith? A different style of life? Will we ever truly change? This wonderful novel will be published by Little Brown and Company in February 2020. Thankyou to them and Netgally for the ARC. March 30, 2020 I read this compulsively over two or three sittings. A brief historical note gives the setting for the events that form the backbone of this book: "on 24th December 1617, just off the coast of the island of Vardo, Norway's north-easternmost point, a storm lifted so suddenly eyewitnesses said it was as if it were conjured. In a matter of minutes, forty men were drowned. In this already remote and underpopulated place, it was a catastrophic event". It would seem that the drowning of almost all the men in a village that relied heavily on fishing would have spelled doom for the entire population. But no! The women stand firm, taking upon themselves the tasks previously done by men. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_78 | The Mercies They have to face not only the inhospitable weather and the difficulties of the sea but also the prejudices amongst them, that women should not go out to sea, or that they should not wear trousers, because that is for men only. Yet, by sticking together and braving the weather, they survive until a Lensmann is commissioned to rule over them. This Lensmann, however, is not only keen to stamp down on any behaviour that challenges the established order; moreover, he is intent upon sniffing out witchcraft and extirpating it by the most extreme means possible. To help with this task he employs a commissioner with a reputation for being severe, ambitious and tough. The story is told alternately from the point of view of the two main characters, Ursa, the commissioner's wife, and Maren, a young woman from the village, who has lost both her father and bethrothed to the storm. Ursa has had a sheltered life in the city before she is given away in marriage, whereas Maren is a headstrong woman who will do her bit to help her community and family survive. They get to know each other under what are for both difficult circumstances. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_79 | The Mercies Ursa is coming to terms with her new life in the tough environment of the village and with a husband she disdains, whilst Maren is finding her steps in a new world without men. Love, companionship and loyalty will blossom, but will be countered by hatred, envy, wickedness and small-mindedness. The story is well-paced and the characters come alive. In fact, I found it difficult to put the book down, and totally recommend it to anyone with an interest in historical fiction. I do have one or two critcisms though. It would seem that the drowning of almost all the men in a village that relied heavily on fishing would have spelled doom for the entire population. But no! The women stand firm, taking upon themselves the tasks previously done by men. They have to face not only the inhospitable weather and the difficulties of the sea but also the prejudices amongst them, that women should not go out to sea, or that they should not wear trousers, because that is for men only. Yet, by sticking together and braving the weather, they survive until a Lensmann is commissioned to rule over them. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_80 | The Mercies This Lensmann, however, is not only keen to stamp down on any behaviour that challenges the established order; moreover, he is intent upon sniffing out witchcraft and extirpating it by the most extreme means possible. To help with this task he employs a commissioner with a reputation for being severe, ambitious and tough. The story is told alternately from the point of view of the two main characters, Ursa, the commissioner's wife, and Maren, a young woman from the village, who has lost both her father and bethrothed to the storm. Ursa has had a sheltered life in the city before she is given away in marriage, whereas Maren is a headstrong woman who will do her bit to help her community and family survive. They get to know each other under what are for both difficult circumstances. Ursa is coming to terms with her new life in the tough environment of the village and with a husband she disdains, whilst Maren is finding her steps in a new world without men. Love, companionship and loyalty will blossom, but will be countered by hatred, envy, wickedness and small-mindedness. The story is well-paced and the characters come alive. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_81 | The Mercies In fact, I found it difficult to put the book down, and totally recommend it to anyone with an interest in historical fiction. I do have one or two critcisms though. April 29, 2021 "Inspired by the real events of the Vardo storm and the 1621 witch trials." On Christmas Eve 1617 the Vardo storm claims forty fishermen, among them brother and father of Maren. With nearly all men dead, the women of a tiny Arctic island of Vardo must fend for themselves. The women fish, chop the wood, ready the fields, butcher reindeer, tend the livestock. A new Pastor assigned to Vardo observes the women closely and asks for a commissioner to be assigned as he sees something that may not be a godly behavior. A firmer hand is needed, "to root the Church more fully into the land." Ursa, commissioner's wife, is terrified by her newlywed husband. But she is a smart woman and she can form her own opinion. By being obedient doesn't mean she agrees with her husband. On the small island of Vardo, she sees primitive living conditions. At the same time, she notices women being independent. Commissioner's pressure and his iron hand cause a rift among kirke-women. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_82 | The Mercies Those gathering for social Wednesday meets at kirke (religious community). The women's gatherings and the friendship forged between two women, Maren and Ursa, are very heart-warming. My heart went out to those two women, especially Ursa, coming from a warm house and married to a cold, controlling husband. She carefully needs to trudge the waters with her husband. Impressively drawn characters, who are helpless against man's ruling world. Grippingly drawn time period, infused with different customs. I enjoyed the customs of Sami people, who some considered wild. What one finds comfort in or sees as gestures of remembrance, another sees as witchcraft. The time period also gives a good sense of how it was to be a passenger on a boat or to be doing fishing. The simplicity of living huts is well-presented. Enjoyable descriptions that transport readers back in time, giving enough descriptions to make that impression of the time of hard conditions and at the same time they're not overly done. Poignant and captivating story of courageous women, inspiringly crafted with flawless prose. On Christmas Eve 1617 the Vardo storm claims forty fishermen, among them brother and father of Maren. With nearly all men dead, the women of a tiny Arctic island of Vardo must fend for themselves. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_83 | The Mercies The women fish, chop the wood, ready the fields, butcher reindeer, tend the livestock. A new Pastor assigned to Vardo observes the women closely and asks for a commissioner to be assigned as he sees something that may not be a godly behavior. A firmer hand is needed, "to root the Church more fully into the land." Ursa, commissioner's wife, is terrified by her newlywed husband. But she is a smart woman and she can form her own opinion. By being obedient doesn't mean she agrees with her husband. On the small island of Vardo, she sees primitive living conditions. At the same time, she notices women being independent. Commissioner's pressure and his iron hand cause a rift among kirke-women. Those gathering for social Wednesday meets at kirke (religious community). The women's gatherings and the friendship forged between two women, Maren and Ursa, are very heart-warming. My heart went out to those two women, especially Ursa, coming from a warm house and married to a cold, controlling husband. She carefully needs to trudge the waters with her husband. Impressively drawn characters, who are helpless against man's ruling world. Grippingly drawn time period, infused with different customs. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_84 | The Mercies I enjoyed the customs of Sami people, who some considered wild. What one finds comfort in or sees as gestures of remembrance, another sees as witchcraft. The time period also gives a good sense of how it was to be a passenger on a boat or to be doing fishing. The simplicity of living huts is well-presented. Enjoyable descriptions that transport readers back in time, giving enough descriptions to make that impression of the time of hard conditions and at the same time they're not overly done. Poignant and captivating story of courageous women, inspiringly crafted with flawless prose. August 2, 2021 In the beginning I was captivated by Hargrave's vision, and by her glorious writing. As I read further I became crestfallen by the relentless brutality with which she treated her characters, and for the way she left these characters entirely bereft of hope. It might be historically accurate to write about strong women destroyed by the demands of their medieval patriarchal superstitious culture, and it might also be accurate to imagine that the women who demand the most freedom for themselves would be punished the most severely...but honestly. Tell me something I don't know. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_85 | The Mercies If you give yourself the freedom to begin your novel so imaginatively--with a passage about a dreaming young woman channeling the thoughts of a dying whale--then why not imagine your way to a different outcome for these women? Why chain yourself to a story that takes your characters down the least imaginative, most grim, most predictable and boring path, of women being systematically victimized and brutalized because of their gender? I'm disgruntled. I'm disgruntled. January 17, 2021 Christmas Eve, 1617. A sudden storm whips up just off the coast of the Arctic island of Vardø, in far eastern Norway. Forty men, the entire male population of the village, are snatched from their fishing boats and pulled deep into the sea where they had been seeking sustenance for their families. Among the dead are Maren Magnusdatter's father, her brother, and her fiancé. Maren, her mother and her pregnant sister-in-law, an indigenous Sámi named Diina, are devastated but they cannot linger in their sorrow. Diina's son is born soon after the tragic storm and everyone - all the widows and young ones remaining in the village - must come together to survive. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_86 | The Mercies Several of the women, led by the indomitable Kirsten Sorensdatter, take up their husbands' nets and boats and teach themselves to fish. Soon these women are thriving, managing and butchering reindeer herds, repairing homesteads and maintaining order in the bereft village. Yet a rift grows between the sanctimonious "kirke-women", led by Toril Knudsdatter, and the women like Kirsten and Maren, who have found their rhythm and a measure of happiness in their newfound liberty. Far to the south in the town of Bergen, Ursa, a young shipowner's daughter, is given in marriage to a man she has only just met and whose language she barely speaks. But it is a prestigious and necessary match. The shipowner is widowed and nearly broke, his sorrow having stolen his ambition. He is left with two daughters, one of whom is slowly dying from consumption. His new son-in-law, Commissioner Absalom Cornet, is a Scotsman hired by the Norwegian crown to oversee the village of women. Rumblings of nefarious activity has reached the south. Women unsupervised by any man but a meek pastor can be up to no good, and it's known that Sámi in the region call upon the evil, unchristian powers to influence even the weather. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_87 | The Mercies Cornet is dispatched to Vardø, where suspicions of the supernatural are being fomented by the villagers themselves. He is a witch hunter of some renown in his native land, where obsession with witchcraft boomed after King James VI published his treatise on sorcery, Daemonologie, in 1597. The voyage north from Bergen to Vardø is long and perilous for Ursa. Not so much for the dangers of the sea, but from her unsettling marriage. Cornet forces himself upon her nightly, takes her small savings, and isolates her from any companionship. Still, she finds a few moments of friendship with the ship's captain, a fragile bond that comes into play at the story's end. Once in Vardø, another bond is formed, this between Maren and Ursa. Their friendship becomes a tension point that balances the story between dread and delight. Ursa, intelligent but naïve, slowly awakens to her power over her husband and dances a delicate two-step between protecting Maren and her family and manipulating her husband to redirect his fervor. But there is no stopping the frenzy of hate that results in accusations of witchcraft from one set of villagers against another, with taciturn, dogmatic and cruel Commissioner Cornet reveling in the hysteria that affords him ultimate power. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_88 | The Mercies Kiran Millwood Hargrave based her astonishing, gorgeous, heartbreaking novel on the true story of witch hunters and the 91 souls they condemned to death in Vardø in 1621. She writes with vivid intensity detail of birth, death, and survival, sparing no detail, and the result is potent and mesmerizing. This is a novel about the power of lies, of mob hysteria, of men with no conscience using religious beliefs to justify heinous acts of violence. It is as revelatory of modern times and the mindset of the unquiet minds that follow demagogues as it is of its historical context. It is also a story of love, of the strength of women, of their forgotten or dismissed stories, passions, and triumphs. This is will easily be one of the finest novels I will read in 2021. It is just that good. Better. Among the dead are Maren Magnusdatter's father, her brother, and her fiancé. Maren, her mother and her pregnant sister-in-law, an indigenous Sámi named Diina, are devastated but they cannot linger in their sorrow. Diina's son is born soon after the tragic storm and everyone - all the widows and young ones remaining in the village - must come together to survive. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_89 | The Mercies Several of the women, led by the indomitable Kirsten Sorensdatter, take up their husbands' nets and boats and teach themselves to fish. Soon these women are thriving, managing and butchering reindeer herds, repairing homesteads and maintaining order in the bereft village. Yet a rift grows between the sanctimonious "kirke-women", led by Toril Knudsdatter, and the women like Kirsten and Maren, who have found their rhythm and a measure of happiness in their newfound liberty. Far to the south in the town of Bergen, Ursa, a young shipowner's daughter, is given in marriage to a man she has only just met and whose language she barely speaks. But it is a prestigious and necessary match. The shipowner is widowed and nearly broke, his sorrow having stolen his ambition. He is left with two daughters, one of whom is slowly dying from consumption. His new son-in-law, Commissioner Absalom Cornet, is a Scotsman hired by the Norwegian crown to oversee the village of women. Rumblings of nefarious activity has reached the south. Women unsupervised by any man but a meek pastor can be up to no good, and it's known that Sámi in the region call upon the evil, unchristian powers to influence even the weather. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_90 | The Mercies Cornet is dispatched to Vardø, where suspicions of the supernatural are being fomented by the villagers themselves. He is a witch hunter of some renown in his native land, where obsession with witchcraft boomed after King James VI published his treatise on sorcery, Daemonologie, in 1597. The voyage north from Bergen to Vardø is long and perilous for Ursa. Not so much for the dangers of the sea, but from her unsettling marriage. Cornet forces himself upon her nightly, takes her small savings, and isolates her from any companionship. Still, she finds a few moments of friendship with the ship's captain, a fragile bond that comes into play at the story's end. Once in Vardø, another bond is formed, this between Maren and Ursa. Their friendship becomes a tension point that balances the story between dread and delight. Ursa, intelligent but naïve, slowly awakens to her power over her husband and dances a delicate two-step between protecting Maren and her family and manipulating her husband to redirect his fervor. But there is no stopping the frenzy of hate that results in accusations of witchcraft from one set of villagers against another, with taciturn, dogmatic and cruel Commissioner Cornet reveling in the hysteria that affords him ultimate power. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_91 | The Mercies Kiran Millwood Hargrave based her astonishing, gorgeous, heartbreaking novel on the true story of witch hunters and the 91 souls they condemned to death in Vardø in 1621. She writes with vivid intensity detail of birth, death, and survival, sparing no detail, and the result is potent and mesmerizing. This is a novel about the power of lies, of mob hysteria, of men with no conscience using religious beliefs to justify heinous acts of violence. It is as revelatory of modern times and the mindset of the unquiet minds that follow demagogues as it is of its historical context. It is also a story of love, of the strength of women, of their forgotten or dismissed stories, passions, and triumphs. This is will easily be one of the finest novels I will read in 2021. It is just that good. Better. January 28, 2020 I have read a lot more historical fiction than usual lately and I've found that I like when it gives a modern spin on things or opens up something I didn't know about before. In some ways, THE MERCIES should work for me because it's looking at a slice of history I didn't know about before: the Vardø Witch Trials in the early 1600's. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_92 | The Mercies At first, I was interested and felt a lot of momentum, but it faded as this turned into the kind of story I had seen many times before, watching a community turn against itself and accuse members of witchcraft. There is still a lot of possibility here, and Hargrave has some great prose and character development so she's up to the task, ultimately though I didn't love it as much by the time I reached the very-rushed ending. When I tried to put my finger on what didn't work, it came down to a question of whose story is more interesting. We follow Maren and Ursa, and as much as they were quite different from each other and I enjoyed learning about this world through their eyes, the characters around them were much more interesting. Diinaa, Maren's sister-in-law who is from the indigenous Sámi people, viewed as suspicious pagans by the heavily Christian Norwegians, all alone with her new baby after the death of her husband. Kirsten, who responds to the death of the men of the town by taking on their roles herself, wearing pants and putting out the fish nets. Even the women who start accusing their former friends are mostly a mystery to us but there's so much to consider there. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_93 | The Mercies As lovely as Maren and Ursa are, as central as they are to the story, they are mostly observers. If you want a twist on the story you've heard from Salem, this may be just what you're looking for, since the setting is a big part of the story and vastly different. At first, I was interested and felt a lot of momentum, but it faded as this turned into the kind of story I had seen many times before, watching a community turn against itself and accuse members of witchcraft. There is still a lot of possibility here, and Hargrave has some great prose and character development so she's up to the task, ultimately though I didn't love it as much by the time I reached the very-rushed ending. When I tried to put my finger on what didn't work, it came down to a question of whose story is more interesting. We follow Maren and Ursa, and as much as they were quite different from each other and I enjoyed learning about this world through their eyes, the characters around them were much more interesting. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_94 | The Mercies Diinaa, Maren's sister-in-law who is from the indigenous Sámi people, viewed as suspicious pagans by the heavily Christian Norwegians, all alone with her new baby after the death of her husband. Kirsten, who responds to the death of the men of the town by taking on their roles herself, wearing pants and putting out the fish nets. Even the women who start accusing their former friends are mostly a mystery to us but there's so much to consider there. As lovely as Maren and Ursa are, as central as they are to the story, they are mostly observers. If you want a twist on the story you've heard from Salem, this may be just what you're looking for, since the setting is a big part of the story and vastly different. October 16, 2024 Last night Maren dreamt a whale beached itself on the rocks outside her house. It's easy to be forgiven of assuming this book will be as good as Rebecca since it borrows so heavily—for it's opening line—from one of the most atmospheric modern classics. And it does succeed in delivering ambience. The Mercies is set in 17th Century Norway, in a small area called Vardo that experiences the midnight sun and surrounded by jagged rock and angry ocean. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_95 | The Mercies Life seems idyll until a storm, as though conjured by magic, rises from the sea and swallows all forty men who worked in the village when they'd gone to fish. At first, this book tries to be ambiguous about whether it's magical realism but it soon strips you of any notions of magic because while it may be ambient and with good prose, everything else fails miserably. This book is about witch trials that happened in Vardo after King Christian decided to corall power in the far reaches of Norway. They were also motivated by xenophobia against indigenous people in Scandinavia, specifically the Sami. After the men die, the women, vaguely led by Kirsten have to take on the duties that were previously done by the husbands and sons. Things like going out fishing and slaughtering elk. This in itself is fascinating and I thought would be the catalyst for a power struggle between Kirsten, who appears pragmatic, strong, popular and an unpleasant religious fundamentalist mean girl Toril. Although, in the beginning, Toril doesn't even hate Kirsten. It seems to rise out of nowhere, a big problem with this book. The main character appears to be Maren. Although I do not understand the reason for this. She's just an empty vessel who offers vague reactions to the events happening around her. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_96 | The Mercies Maren has about as much personality as a cardboard cutout. The story starts with her betrothed to Dag, friendly with her sister in law Diinna, friends with her brother Erik and her father Pappa, and with a functional relationship with her Mamma. Beyond this there isn't much else to this woman. Sure she has a sapphic relationship with another main character but I couldn't tell you much about Maren. Is she stubborn? Is she kind? Does she have a favourite colour? No fucking idea. What Maren is, is deeply unserious. The other main character is Ursa. She contains more personality. She is the caretaker of her younger sister Agnete, sheltered and existing ploddingly until her father marries her off to Governor Ratcliffe wannabe and Count Frollo cosplayer Absalom. Together, they sail to Vardo and Absalom establishes his power, a little too quickly to make sense, and begins his campaign to prosecute witches. The thing about this book that frustrated me the most was the feeling that every new scene felt like I had missed a whole other scene. For instance, after the deaths of the men, Diinna, who is Sami, briefly leaves Vardo and Mamma has a whole breakdown claiming she has abandoned them. But Diinna returns to perform Sami rites on Erik and Pappa. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_97 | The Mercies Mamma calms down but then a few chapters later, Mamma is suddenly extremely hateful to Diinna and even wants her gone. It makes no sense. Just because it's fiction based on real events doesn't mean it has the right to skip necessary beats that show the character development or regression. Characters would also decide one thing one chapter and do something completely antithetical in the next. At one point Kirsten wears her late husband's trousers to do the slaughtering and butchering. Practical but taboo. But then she visits Absalom's house while Maren is there doing chores with Ursa. Kirsten didn't know Absalom was gone or at least it's implied that she wanted to shock Ursa. She didn't know Ursa wasn't necessarily an ally of Absalom's or even forced to reveal details about the women of Vardo. So it's safe to infer that she's defiant, rebellious. But later at a women's meeting, she tries to hide poppets from Toril, one of the bootlickers of Vardo's latest patriarch. Why would she do that? Isn't she a ballbuster who does what she wants? What happened in the pages in between that would make her decide to be more discreet about having Sami trinkets? The book won't tell us. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_98 | The Mercies Kirsten is also the best character in the book who is the most poorly treated. We barely get any scenes with her which is odd considering the large role she plays towards the end of the book. But we had to read pages dedicated to the consistency of Agnete's phlegm, Ursa's aforementioned sick sister. Maren was too inconsequential until the last few pages where she's still not the one that makes the big bad move that changes everything. The book also sometimes relies on a plot device I abhor. It switches POVs between Ursa and Maren and for whatever reason, Hargrave decided to make some scenes appear twice from the perspectives of both women. To the service of no one. We have the space for that but we can't understand why Toril went so far off the deep end? Why Mamma decided whiplash was her only contribution to the story? This book had a lot of potential that was squandered by half-baked plotting, absent character development and frustrating pacing. Seriously, at one point two years pass in two pages. Hargrave has some author chops because the prose was the only thing that made this bearable but ultimately, this felt like an adult book for YA readers who can't handle "big books". |
browsecomp_plus_82109_99 | The Mercies Which is a shame, because that cover deserves a much better story. Buddy read with Christina June 15, 2020 And I thought the Salem Witch trials were bad! Hah! Apparently Christian IV of Denmark/Norway was obsessed with witchcraft and brought in experienced witch hunters from Scotland to hunt them down. He was particularly suspicious of the Sami, the northern Indigenous people and their customs. There ended up being 140 witch trials in Vardø between 1621 and 1663, resulting in the deaths of 91 people. The Steilneset Memorial was completed in 2011 to commemorate them. Hargrave's novel highlights the 1617 destructive storm that killed 40 men, leaving their wives and families without their prowess to fish and provide food. Conspiracy theories abounded to explain the unnatural storm. Certain women within the community were also unsettled by the strength of some women as they took upon themselves the fishing duties. Enter Commissioner Absalom Cornet, a seasoned witch hunter, who followed the treatise of King James VI of Scotland to "spot, prove and execute those who practice maleficium". And how does he uncover such persons? By listening to rumor and innuendo from neighbors; and throwing in some brutal torture to obtain 'confessions'. Such theocratic demagogy created its own momentum which was difficult to stop. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_100 | The Mercies Hargrave creates a powerful cast of women characters that the reader can empathize with as they face the suspicious authorities. Recommend. Hargrave's novel highlights the 1617 destructive storm that killed 40 men, leaving their wives and families without their prowess to fish and provide food. Conspiracy theories abounded to explain the unnatural storm. Certain women within the community were also unsettled by the strength of some women as they took upon themselves the fishing duties. Enter Commissioner Absalom Cornet, a seasoned witch hunter, who followed the treatise of King James VI of Scotland to "spot, prove and execute those who practice maleficium". And how does he uncover such persons? By listening to rumor and innuendo from neighbors; and throwing in some brutal torture to obtain 'confessions'. Such theocratic demagogy created its own momentum which was difficult to stop. Hargrave creates a powerful cast of women characters that the reader can empathize with as they face the suspicious authorities. Recommend. March 30, 2020 By the reviews I'm a minority, but I couldn't find anything to like about this book. Firstly, I never settled into the writing style. It's overly descriptive and emotive, which ends up dragging out every single scene. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_101 | The Mercies The premise grabbed me, as did the opening chapters when the storm hits, but after that the plot unfolds at a snail pace, filled with inconsequential details (and some historical inaccuracies) which add nothing to the main plot. The story is then rushed into the final chapters with one of the worst conclusions I've read in a long time. The POV characters were uninteresting observers to the unfolding events, and I did not buy into their instalove story. I would not call this a feminist story either. The tale ends in tragedy. Men turn again women. Women turn again women. Innocents are put to death. Lives end in suicide. The patriarchy win. What sort of message is that? November 20, 2023 4★ "The barbarian Lapp population mixes freely with the whites. Their magicks are no small part of what we must move against. Their weather sorcery is even sought out by sailors. But I believe that with you, and a small number of other capable, God-fearing men, we can beat back the darkness even in the ever-dark of winter. Even here, at the edge of civilization, souls must be saved." Welcome to your new life, Absalom Corbet, Scottish witch-hunter. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_102 | The Mercies And on your way to this harsh, frozen land, you might like to find a wife as you travel north. There are some likely lasses in Bergen. Absalom Corbet is an ambitious, serious man who does as suggested, stops at Bergen, selects a girl, marries her in haste, and they spend their honeymoon on the ship that takes them to his new posting. This is shortly after the King's decree of 1617 that witches must be burned. On Christmas Eve of that year, a horrific storm swept up a fishing boat with forty fishermen aboard and flung it over, smashing it and its crew to bits as the women and children watched from the shore. "And then the sea rises up and the sky swings down and greenish lightning slings itself across everything, flashing the black into an instantaneous, terrible brightness. Mamma is fetched to the window by the light and the noise, the sea and sky clashing like a mountain splitting so they feel it through their soles and spines, sending Maren's teeth into her tongue and hot salt down her gullet. And then maybe both of them are screaming but there is no sound save the sea and the sky and all the boat lights swallowed and the boats flashing and the boats spinning, the boats flying, turning, gone." |
browsecomp_plus_82109_103 | The Mercies The entire tiny community lives from fishing. Fish are their food and what they trade for other goods. When Absalom and Ursa arrive, it's the women who have learned to fish and who have kept the remaining families alive. Ursa is terribly homesick, frightened of her stern husband, who can't speak Norwegian, and appalled by the raw boatshed that is to be their home. It's bare with no food. One of the women shows her their 'house'. "There is a second door at the back corner of the room. When Kirsten opened it, Ursa could have been sick. Great headless carcasses hang there, split from neck to belly and restitched. 'Enough there to last to winter,' Kirsten had said, before setting a light to the heaped moss in the grate." Kirsten would know. She is the rare woman who wears trousers so she doesn't get blood on her skirts when she butchers the meat. Ursa is completely lost. She has been a child at home, looking after her much-loved, disabled sister, and now she's been thrown into a freezing, stark society of strangers. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_104 | The Mercies She knows nothing about cooking, and when one of the women, Maren, befriends her to teach her, Ursa realises again how different she is and how much she has to learn. "They sit together at the floury table. Ursa takes her own attempt and cracks it, sending crumbs and flakes of seeds scattering into her lap. She brushes them carelessly to the floor as she chews. . . . Maren can't think what to say. She takes some more flatbrød, catching the crumbs neatly in her palm and placing them atop the flour." What Ursa sees as crumbs to be swept away, Maren sees as bits of food not to be wasted. The authorities want to eradicate the Lapps, the indigenous Sámi people to whom the villagers turn for medical help when injured or having babies. Their traditions and rituals are banned and considered dangerous threats to the church. Maren's sister-in-law, Diinna, is from a Sámi background, which attracts unwanted attention. This is from the beginning of the story, when the men were setting out on the ill-fated fishing expedition. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_105 | The Mercies "Erik only bowed his head to accept Mamma's kiss, and his wife Diinna's press of thumb to his forehead that the Sámi say will draw a thread to reel men at sea home again." Absalom was given this advice when he was offered the posting. "Many of the issues arise from a segment of the local population, endemic here in Finnmark – a transient community termed Lapps. They are somewhat akin to gypsies, but their magicks deal in wind and other weather. As mentioned, legislation against their sorcery is established, but weakly enforced." This is a horrifying and all-too-common part of history, and the author describes it so well that I was uncomfortable. The indigenous populations of all countries seems to be similar, but I'm happy to say that I've seen documentaries on the Sámi parliaments across Scandinavia now. It's good but awful and not for the faint-hearted. "The barbarian Lapp population mixes freely with the whites. Their magicks are no small part of what we must move against. Their weather sorcery is even sought out by sailors. But I believe that with you, and a small number of other capable, God-fearing men, we can beat back the darkness even in the ever-dark of winter. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_106 | The Mercies Even here, at the edge of civilization, souls must be saved." Welcome to your new life, Absalom Corbet, Scottish witch-hunter. And on your way to this harsh, frozen land, you might like to find a wife as you travel north. There are some likely lasses in Bergen. Absalom Corbet is an ambitious, serious man who does as suggested, stops at Bergen, selects a girl, marries her in haste, and they spend their honeymoon on the ship that takes them to his new posting. This is shortly after the King's decree of 1617 that witches must be burned. On Christmas Eve of that year, a horrific storm swept up a fishing boat with forty fishermen aboard and flung it over, smashing it and its crew to bits as the women and children watched from the shore. "And then the sea rises up and the sky swings down and greenish lightning slings itself across everything, flashing the black into an instantaneous, terrible brightness. Mamma is fetched to the window by the light and the noise, the sea and sky clashing like a mountain splitting so they feel it through their soles and spines, sending Maren's teeth into her tongue and hot salt down her gullet. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_107 | The Mercies And then maybe both of them are screaming but there is no sound save the sea and the sky and all the boat lights swallowed and the boats flashing and the boats spinning, the boats flying, turning, gone." The entire tiny community lives from fishing. Fish are their food and what they trade for other goods. When Absalom and Ursa arrive, it's the women who have learned to fish and who have kept the remaining families alive. Ursa is terribly homesick, frightened of her stern husband, who can't speak Norwegian, and appalled by the raw boatshed that is to be their home. It's bare with no food. One of the women shows her their 'house'. "There is a second door at the back corner of the room. When Kirsten opened it, Ursa could have been sick. Great headless carcasses hang there, split from neck to belly and restitched. 'Enough there to last to winter,' Kirsten had said, before setting a light to the heaped moss in the grate." Kirsten would know. She is the rare woman who wears trousers so she doesn't get blood on her skirts when she butchers the meat. Ursa is completely lost. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_108 | The Mercies She has been a child at home, looking after her much-loved, disabled sister, and now she's been thrown into a freezing, stark society of strangers. She knows nothing about cooking, and when one of the women, Maren, befriends her to teach her, Ursa realises again how different she is and how much she has to learn. "They sit together at the floury table. Ursa takes her own attempt and cracks it, sending crumbs and flakes of seeds scattering into her lap. She brushes them carelessly to the floor as she chews. . . . Maren can't think what to say. She takes some more flatbrød, catching the crumbs neatly in her palm and placing them atop the flour." What Ursa sees as crumbs to be swept away, Maren sees as bits of food not to be wasted. The authorities want to eradicate the Lapps, the indigenous Sámi people to whom the villagers turn for medical help when injured or having babies. Their traditions and rituals are banned and considered dangerous threats to the church. Maren's sister-in-law, Diinna, is from a Sámi background, which attracts unwanted attention. This is from the beginning of the story, when the men were setting out on the ill-fated fishing expedition. |
browsecomp_plus_82109_109 | The Mercies "Erik only bowed his head to accept Mamma's kiss, and his wife Diinna's press of thumb to his forehead that the Sámi say will draw a thread to reel men at sea home again." Absalom was given this advice when he was offered the posting. "Many of the issues arise from a segment of the local population, endemic here in Finnmark – a transient community termed Lapps. They are somewhat akin to gypsies, but their magicks deal in wind and other weather. As mentioned, legislation against their sorcery is established, but weakly enforced." This is a horrifying and all-too-common part of history, and the author describes it so well that I was uncomfortable. The indigenous populations of all countries seems to be similar, but I'm happy to say that I've seen documentaries on the Sámi parliaments across Scandinavia now. It's good but awful and not for the faint-hearted. Displaying 1 - 30 of 6,434 reviews |
browsecomp_plus_14911_1 | 25 interesting and epic facts about Gladiator Ridley Scott's Gladiator was released in 2000 and revitalised the sword-and-sandals epic. The story of a betrayed Roman general-turned-slave, it was a smash hit at the box office, left its mark on popular culture, and made a superstar of its lead, Russell Crowe. The following 25 interesting, fun facts tell the behind the scenes story of Scott's ancient epic with 25 facts about Gladiator. 1. For the opening sequence, Scott burned a forest down The film starts in northern Europe in 180 AD, where the Roman Empire go into battle with Germanian tribes. It's a huge battle sequence with hundreds of extras, explosions and fire, and Ridley Scott actually found a bit of luck here. The sequence was filmed in Bourne Woods, Surrey, in England, and the Royal Forestry Commission had slated the area for deforestation. Ridley Scott heard about it and offered them the studios services to burn the place to the ground, as long as they could film it. The opening battle sequence 2. Maximus' pets are pretty significant By the end of the first act, we've found out that Maximus has two horses back home. They're engraved on Maximus' armour breastplate and he tells us that they're called Argento and Scarto. |
browsecomp_plus_14911_2 | 25 interesting and epic facts about Gladiator Translated from latin, Argento means Silver, and Scarto means Trigger. Silver was the name of The Lone Ranger's horse, and Trigger was the name of Roy Rodgers' horse. 3. Russell Crowe improvised one of the film's most famous lines In the battle sequence, We also hear one of the film's most iconic lines of dialogue. After Maximus briefs his troops, he says, "Strength and honour," to them. That wasn't in the script, and Russell Crowe came up with it himself. Crowe also ad-libbed some dialogue in the scene where Maximus describes his home to Marcus Aurelius. That was all improvised by Crowe, and he was actually describing his own home in Australia. Maximus describes his home to Marcus Aurelius 4. Scott was convinced to take the gig by a painting Dreamworks always wanted Ridley Scott to be the man to helm Gladiator, but he wasn't certain at first. So, to convince him, the head of Dreamworks, Walter F. Parkes, and the producer, Douglas Wick, told Scott what they wanted to do with the film and, to visualise it, they showed him a painting from 1872 by a French painter called Jean Leon Gerome. |
browsecomp_plus_14911_3 | 25 interesting and epic facts about Gladiator The painting is called Pollice Verso – which means 'thumbs down' – and shows a gladiator standing over a beaten opponent. Scott loved the painting and it played a part in him signing on to direct the film. Pollice Verso, by Jean Leon Gerome 5. Scott wanted to depict ancient Rome as realistically as possible Ridley Scott was very keen on avoiding what he thought of as the swords and sandals cliches in Gladiator – things like people lounging about, eating grapes, drinking wine from goblets – he wanted his film to have a grounded realism, and he and his team went all out to achieve that. - The costume designer was called Janty Yates, and she and her team created over 10,000 costumes for the cast and extras. And almost 30,000 pieces of armor were created for the movie. - Most of the Rome-set scenes were filmed in Malta, and that included building a replica of the Colosseum. It was 52-feet tall, took seven months to build, and cost $1 million. - State of the art digital effects were created to provide establishing shots of the city, pushing the boundaries of what was possible at the time. 6 . There were other names up for the lead role The lead character is Maximus Decimus Meridius, played by Russell Crowe, of course. |
browsecomp_plus_14911_4 | 25 interesting and epic facts about Gladiator Scott cast Crowe after seeing him in Romper Stomper – a 1992 Australian drama – and said he was, "someone worth watching" but, as is often the case, there were other names up for the part before Crowe was cast. Most notably, there have been rumours Mel Gibson was offered the role, and turned it down. Gibson says he was too old to play Maximus, and Scott denies he was ever even offered the part. Also considered to play Maximus were Hugh Jackman and Antonio Banderas. 7 . Crowe was convinced to take the part by another famous filmmaker Russell Crowe said that when he was first approached to play Maximus, the script was very poor. It was so bad the producers wouldn't send it to him in case it put him off. Instead, they just asked him to meet Ridley Scott. Crowe did get his hands on the script though, and didn't like it. He was going to say no but he was working on The Insider (1999) at the time and its director, Michaeal Mann, told Crowe he should meet with Scott anyway. Crowe did and said: "Ridley's pitch was basically – 'we've got a $100m budget. It's ancient Rome. You're playing a General. |
browsecomp_plus_14911_5 | 25 interesting and epic facts about Gladiator And you're being directed by me.'" Crowe was suitably impressed, and took the part. 8. Crowe was not a fan of the script Crowe was so unhappy with the script during production that he would frequently walk off the set and inititally refused to say the famous line, "I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next." Crowe later said to the screenwriter, William Nicholson: "Your lines are garbage, but I'm the greatest actor in the world, and I can make even garbage sound good." William Nicholson modestly said later: "In Russell's defense, my lines were garbage." Russell Crowe delivering the famous line 9. Playing Maximus took its toll on Crowe Despite not being a big fan of the script, Crowe really threw himself into the role. Over the course of the action scenes, he lost all feeling in his right forefinger for two years afterwards. He also aggravated his achilles, broke his foot, cracked his hip, and popped some bicep tendons out of their sockets. Crowe in the action scenes in Gladiator 10. Joaquin Phoenix wasn't convinced by his own performance The antagonist of the movie is Emperor Commodus, played by Joaquin Phoenix. |
browsecomp_plus_14911_6 | 25 interesting and epic facts about Gladiator Phoenix was Ridley Scott's first choice, but he did have one other name in consideration in case it didn't work out – Jude Law. Joaquin Phoenix is a big name now, but at the time this film was a big step up for him, and he was nervous about playing Commodus. He felt so out of his depth that he offered to pay the producers back for his hotel and travel if they let him walk away from the movie. And before filming scenes with Crowe, he would ask Crowe to slap him about a bit to psyche himself up for the scene. Crowe said to him, "why don't you try acting, you little maggot!" and Phoenix said, "oh, that was good. Can we go now?" Phoenix was so intense in the role that, immediately after filming the scene where Commodus kills Marcus Aurelius by squeezing the life out of him, Phoenix passed out on the set. Crowe spoke to Richard Harris (who played Marcus Aurelius) about Phoenix and said "what am I gonna do with this kid – he keeps asking me to abuse him before takes!" and, Harris being Harris, said, "let's get him pissed," and they took him for a few pints of Guinness. |
browsecomp_plus_14911_7 | 25 interesting and epic facts about Gladiator Commodus kills Marcus Aurelius 11. Scott told Phoenix he had to lose some weight Midway through production, Scott was looking at the dailies and noticed Phoenix was noticeably "chunkier". He spoke to Phoenix about it and Phoenix said, "Yes, I'm a fat little hamster. Why wouldn't I be? I'm the Emperor of Rome." Scott told him to lose the weight immediately, which Phoenix did. 12. The real life Commodus may have been even more ruthless than the movie version Unlike Maximus, Commodus is based on a real life person, the former Emperor of Rome. And, it seems, the real Commodus was just as merciless. He was born to a mother who had slept with a Gladiator and then bathed in said gladiator's blood and, because of this, Commodus referred to himself as, "the Gladiator Emperor," and would fight in the Colosseum. Whenever he fought, his opponent would be stabbed in the back before the fight (which is what happens to Maximus at the end of the film before his fight with Maximus). Commodus would also take people with disabilities into the Colosseum arena, tie them together, and club them to death. |
browsecomp_plus_14911_8 | 25 interesting and epic facts about Gladiator And he was such a megalomaniac that he renamed Rome to be called Colonia Commodiana, and he began charging the state for his appearances in the Colosseum. He charged them so much that the value of Roman currency fell, and historians say this is what directly led to the fall of the Roman Empire. Commodus was eventually killed for his indiscretions. He was poisoned when in the bath and, when he vomited up the poison, he was strangled by a wrestler named Narcisssus. (Interestingly, Narcisssus was Maximus' name in the first draft of Gladiator). A bust of the real Emperor Commodus 13. Oliver Reed was typically eccentric on the set A key supporting character is Proximo – the slave trader and former gladiator who becomes a mentor-of-sorts to Maximus. He was played by Oliver Reed who, as a notorious helraiser, caused some issues on set. He said he took the role because, "he fancied a trip to London to see a couple of shows." Omid Djalili played a slave trader and shared a scene with Reed. In his scene, Proximo grabs Djalili's character by the crotch. This wasn't part of the script, Reed improvised it. |
browsecomp_plus_14911_9 | 25 interesting and epic facts about Gladiator And Djallil said: "The film got an Oscar, Russell Crowe got an Oscar, Ollie got a posthumous Oscar. I got a partial erection." Omid Djalili grabbed by the crotch by Oliver Reed 14. A bodybuilding legend could've made an appearance After Maximus successfully winns the Battle of Carthage recreation in his first appearance at the Colosseum, Commodus brings in Maximus' biggest challenge yet – he must face off against the only undefeated Gladiator in Roman history, Tigris the Gaul. Tigris the Gaul is played by Sven-Ole Thorsen – a Danish bodybuilder and former World's Strongest Man winner – but he wasn't originally cast. Initially, the role went to Lou Ferrigno – famous for playing the Incredible Hulk in the hit 1970s TV show. Maximus fights Tigris the Gaul 15. The tigers were real A memorable element of the fight between Maximus and Tigris the Gaul is that Commodus has several live tigers released into the arena. Not a movie embellishment, this ideas was based on reality, as the Romans would often throw tigers or lions into the Colosseum unannounced for the gladiators to deal with. Ridley Scott had 5 tigers on the set and, for safety reasons, they had an expert on hand with a gun loaded with tranquiliser darts should anything go wrong. |
browsecomp_plus_14911_10 | 25 interesting and epic facts about Gladiator The tigers weren't supposed to be allowed within 15ft of Russell Crowe but, due to a miscalculation, the biggest tiger, which was 11 ft long, got within two feet of him and swiped at him. That shot is in the film. 16. A key part of the Colessuem fights was (incorrectly) based on reality Something we see all the way through the film is the famous thumbs up or thumbs down that the Emperor gives when he's deciding whether a gladiator should live or die. In reality, it was actually the other way around: thumbs up meant death, and thumbs down meant mercy. This was because thumbs down represented the sheathing of a sword. The crew was aware of this while making the movie, but since "thumbs up" is considered to be a good sign nowadays, they decided not to confuse the audience. Commodus gives the thumbs down 17. The writing of the film was decades in the making Three writers are credited on Gladiator – David Franzoni, John Logan and William Nicholson – but they weren't a writing team, they worked on the movie separately. David Franzoni originally started developing the story back in the 1970s. |
browsecomp_plus_14911_11 | 25 interesting and epic facts about Gladiator He got the idea from a book about the Roman games called Those Who Are About To Die (1958) by Daniel P. Mannix. Then, in the 90s, Franzoni wrote Amistad (1997), about the North American slave trade, directed by Steven Spielberg. He told Spielberg the idea for Gladiator, and Spielberg loved it. He had three questions for Franzoni: - Is it about Roman Gladiators? - Do we see the Colosseum? - Fighting with swords and animals and stuff? When the answer to all three questions was "yes", the film was greenlit. Franzoni wrote a draft in 1997 but Ridley Scott didn't like Franzoni's dialogue much, so hired John Logan, who'd just written Any Given Sunday (1999), to rewrite Gladiator. It was Logan who made the decision to kill off Maximus' family as motivation. Those About To Die, by Daniel P. Mannix 18. There were issues with the script When filming started, despite the rewrites, the cast were still complaining about script problems. Russell Crowe said they started shooting with only 32 pages approved, so William Nicholson, who wrote First Knight (1995), was brought in. |
browsecomp_plus_14911_12 | 25 interesting and epic facts about Gladiator He made Maximus more sensitive, brought out his friendship with Juba, and added in the afterlife aspect, so Maximus wasn't just out for revenge. Connie Nielsen played Commodus' sister, Lucilla and, as a part-time historian, knew a lot about ancient Rome. She complained about the first draft of the script as it made reference to museums and the police, neither of which existed in ancient Rome. 19. Some tragedy struck the composer team The famous score for the film was composed by Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard, who also sang several of the songs. Zimmer was originally planning to use an Israeli singer called Ofra Haza, after working with her on The Prince of Egypt (1998). Tragically, though, Ofra Haza died before she was able to record, and Lisa Gerrard was chosen instead. She'd worked on The Insider (1999) with Crowe, and she and Zimmer composed the music for Gladiator together. Now We Are Free, performed by Lisa Gerrard 20. |
browsecomp_plus_14911_13 | 25 interesting and epic facts about Gladiator Some big music names had a part to play, too Before Lisa Gerrard came on board, the legendary operatic tenor Luciano Pavarotti was asked to sing a song for the soundtrack, but he said no. Also, Hans Zimmer was actually sued by the Gustav Holst Foundation, who said that parts of Zimmer's score were too similar to Holst's Mars: The Bringer Of War. Mars: The Bringer of War, by Gustav Holst 21. Sadly, Oliver Reed died midway through production Oliver Reed famously passed away during filming, three weeks before production ended. A legendary hellraiser, he died in a pub during a break in shooting after drinking eight pints of German lager, a dozen shots of rum, half a bottle of whiskey, a few shots of cognac and after beating five Royal Navy sailors at arm-wrestling. A clause in the movie's insurance contract would have let Ridley Scott re-shoot all of Reed's scenes but most of the actors and crew were exhausted, and Scott didn't want to cut Reed from the movie, so William Nicholson was flown back in to do rewrites, and a body double and CGI were used to give Reed's character a different ending. Proximo is killed, with a stand-in Oliver Reed 22. |
browsecomp_plus_14911_14 | 25 interesting and epic facts about Gladiator The Austrian Oak could've made an appearance Reed ended up being posthumously nominated for an Oscar but, when the film was first announced, Scott didn't want Ollie Reed for Proximo, he wanted somebody else – Arnold Schwarzenegger. He changed his mind to cast Reed when the character was changed to be older, with more lines of dialogue. 23. The ending was originally very different The film ends with Juba burying the figurines of Maximus' family in the Colosseum before heading back to his family in Africa. Originally though, before the death of Oliver Reed, it was supposed to be Proximo burying the figures in the sand. Also, Maximus didn't die in the original versions of the script, and Scott and Crowe changed it on the set. Crowe later said: "I remember Ridley coming up to me on set saying, 'Look, the way this is shaping up, I don't see how you live. This character is about one act of pure vengeance for his wife and child, and, once he's accomplished that, what does he do? Does he end up running a fucking pizzeria by the Colosseum?'" The ending as we see it in the movie 24. |
browsecomp_plus_14911_15 | 25 interesting and epic facts about Gladiator The film had an impact on the popularity of ancient Rome Away from Hollywood, Gladiator had a direct impact on an increased interest in Roman history – particularly in the U.S. – after it was released. The New York Times called it, "The Gladiator Effect," and books like Cicero's biography and Marcus Aurelius' meditations received massive spikes in sales after its release. 25. An iconic UK soap character is in the film Going back to the start of the movie, we find out in the first act that Maximus has a pet wolf called Kyte. In real life, Kyte wasn't a wolf, he was actually a Tervuren Belgian Shepherd – they couldn't use a real wolf because the opening was filmed in England, which had strong anti-rabies laws. Kyte also played another famous screen dog – he was Robbie Jackson's dog Wellard in UK soap, Eastenders, for a few years. Robbie Jackson and Wellard And we're at the end – 25 fascinating and fun facts about Gladiator. We will see each other again but… not yet. Firstly, please share on your social platforms, and subscribe to our YouTube channel for lots of great video content. You may also like... |
browsecomp_plus_14911_16 | 25 interesting and epic facts about Gladiator The beginning of a beautiful friendship Stay up-to-date with all things All The Right Movies by signing up for our e-newsletter. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_1 | Always Emily What do you think? Rate this book Emily and Charlotte Brontë are about as opposite as two sisters can be. Charlotte is practical and cautious; Emily is headstrong and imaginative. But they do have one thing in common: a love of writing. This shared passion will lead them to be two of the first published female novelists and authors of several enduring works of classic literature. But they're not there yet. First, they have to figure out if there is a connection between a string of local burglaries, rumors that a neighbor's death may not have been accidental, and the appearance on the moors of a mysterious and handsome stranger. The girls have a lot of knots to untangle—before someone else gets killed. 288 pages, Hardcover First published March 4, 2014 Prisoners in the Palace is my debut novel. I like to create historical fiction that has a modern appeal to teens and adults. Regency romance blends enjoyably with historical fiction, with a plucky heroine for each mode. (Kirkus) This novel is full of historical detail, vivid settings, and richly drawn characters, and themes of friendship and romance give the story teen appeal. (Booklist) MacColl offers a whip-smart, spunky protagonist and a worthy heroine to root for. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_2 | Always Emily (Publishers Weekly) Regency romance blends enjoyably with historical fiction, with a plucky heroine for each mode. (Kirkus) This novel is full of historical detail, vivid settings, and richly drawn characters, and themes of friendship and romance give the story teen appeal. (Booklist) MacColl offers a whip-smart, spunky protagonist and a worthy heroine to root for. (Publishers Weekly) Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book! Displaying 1 - 30 of 240 reviews January 8, 2014 "I have dreamt read in my life, dreams books that have stayed with me ever after, and changed my ideas; they have gone through and through me, like wine through water, and altered the colour of my mind." - Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë These days, I live some thirty minutes outside of central London and I love the city. I love the hustle and bustle. I love the history and modernity. And I love how everything you could possibly want is practically on your doorstep. But I grew up in a very different kind of setting. In a place that has had a huge impact on who I am and that I continue to think of with love and nostalgia. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_3 | Always Emily If you haven't already but someday get a chance to visit the UK, you should visit London and see all the traditional sights it has to offer: Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, the British Museum, Hyde Park, Harrods, the Tate Modern, Big Ben, Westminster and St Paul's. You should see all of those. But if you get the time, take a trip a few hours North of London and see the place where I grew up. See the cobbled side streets of York and the windy Yorkshire moors. And see if you can't understand why a place like that might inspire the daughters of a pastor to break free from the constraints placed upon them by society, time and their gender, and write some of the most influential and powerful novels ever written. Welcome to Yorkshire. Always Emily was a very pleasant surprise. I have a serious problem when it comes to the Brontes - I can't resist them. No matter how cringy that retelling sounds or how dodgy that movie trailer looks, I have to read/see/consume it. I just can't help myself. I didn't really expect this to be any good. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_4 | Always Emily But it's actually a well-researched piece of historical fiction that imagines life within the Bronte household back in the early days when the girls were experimenting with writing their own fairy tales. It focuses mainly on the relationship between Charlotte and Emily - one which I've always personally been fascinated by - and throws an interesting mystery into their lives which will influence their future work more than they can possibly know. MacColl has evidently done a lot of background reading and, in my opinion, she gets the girls' personalities just right. She portrays Charlotte as the more conservative, more grounded but ultimately more romantic sister that she was, trying to keep the peace in a household full of vibrant personalities. Then there's the wild and reckless Emily who would rather have midnight adventures on the moors than play by the rules laid out for her. The two young women are realistically balanced between sounding convincingly like girls who were raised in the nineteenth century and sounding like the rebels they would eventually become, defying the society they lived in by writing and publishing books. If you're anything like me, this novel might be a nice dose of Bronte-shaped wish fulfillment. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_5 | Always Emily I've often wondered when reading their novels and when visiting the picturesque village of Haworth (pronounced "How-Earth") just what it was that inspired these young women to write such beautiful and, at times, horrifying novels. What crazy adventures could their youth have held to inspire a dark tale such as Wuthering Heights? What led Charlotte to create a mad woman in the attic? This clever little mystery will have fans of both Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre noticing some of their favourite scenes peeking through in the events that occur. I enjoyed it a lot. - Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë These days, I live some thirty minutes outside of central London and I love the city. I love the hustle and bustle. I love the history and modernity. And I love how everything you could possibly want is practically on your doorstep. But I grew up in a very different kind of setting. In a place that has had a huge impact on who I am and that I continue to think of with love and nostalgia. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_6 | Always Emily If you haven't already but someday get a chance to visit the UK, you should visit London and see all the traditional sights it has to offer: Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, the British Museum, Hyde Park, Harrods, the Tate Modern, Big Ben, Westminster and St Paul's. You should see all of those. But if you get the time, take a trip a few hours North of London and see the place where I grew up. See the cobbled side streets of York and the windy Yorkshire moors. And see if you can't understand why a place like that might inspire the daughters of a pastor to break free from the constraints placed upon them by society, time and their gender, and write some of the most influential and powerful novels ever written. Welcome to Yorkshire. Always Emily was a very pleasant surprise. I have a serious problem when it comes to the Brontes - I can't resist them. No matter how cringy that retelling sounds or how dodgy that movie trailer looks, I have to read/see/consume it. I just can't help myself. I didn't really expect this to be any good. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_7 | Always Emily But it's actually a well-researched piece of historical fiction that imagines life within the Bronte household back in the early days when the girls were experimenting with writing their own fairy tales. It focuses mainly on the relationship between Charlotte and Emily - one which I've always personally been fascinated by - and throws an interesting mystery into their lives which will influence their future work more than they can possibly know. MacColl has evidently done a lot of background reading and, in my opinion, she gets the girls' personalities just right. She portrays Charlotte as the more conservative, more grounded but ultimately more romantic sister that she was, trying to keep the peace in a household full of vibrant personalities. Then there's the wild and reckless Emily who would rather have midnight adventures on the moors than play by the rules laid out for her. The two young women are realistically balanced between sounding convincingly like girls who were raised in the nineteenth century and sounding like the rebels they would eventually become, defying the society they lived in by writing and publishing books. If you're anything like me, this novel might be a nice dose of Bronte-shaped wish fulfillment. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_8 | Always Emily I've often wondered when reading their novels and when visiting the picturesque village of Haworth (pronounced "How-Earth") just what it was that inspired these young women to write such beautiful and, at times, horrifying novels. What crazy adventures could their youth have held to inspire a dark tale such as Wuthering Heights? What led Charlotte to create a mad woman in the attic? This clever little mystery will have fans of both Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre noticing some of their favourite scenes peeking through in the events that occur. I enjoyed it a lot. April 28, 2019 Yorkshire, United Kingdom, 1832— Emily Brontë is home from a disastrous attempt at attending school, which ended in her getting deathly ill. In her absence, her younger sister Anne has gone to Scarborough with family, her older brother Branwell is becoming a wreck, and their politically-outspoken father has made so many enemies among the local mill owners that he carries a pistol in his boot every time he leaves the house. A neighbor has died suspiciously, someone tried to break into the Brontë parsonage, and there's a handsome young man with troubled eyes rambling over the moors with a huge dog who might be a monstrous wraith. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_9 | Always Emily This is all great fun for Emily, who thinks that the death of old Mr. Heaton and the appearance of the dashing Henry would make for a jolly good story. But it's another matter entirely when the web of intrigue and deceit extends into her family. Members of the various plots start exploiting Branwell, an addict to alcohol, laudanum and gambling. Just when things are getting interesting (and alarming), who should come home but Emily's fussy older sister, Charlotte, who's on leave from her job as a schoolteacher after a higher-up discovered that she's been writing a (fetch the smelling salts) novel that features romance and fantasy elements. In her immaturity, Emily worries that Charlotte will force her to stop sleuthing, but Charlotte might prove to be just the ally she needed to solve this strange and spooky case… Content Advisory Violence: Our heroes storm a house to rescue someone who's being held hostage. Some of them suffer serious injuries. A man strikes Charlotte on the head, leaving a scar. Sex: Charlotte writes a story about the queen of a magical land meeting with her suitor, a debonair duke. They don't even kiss, but the description of the queen's strong emotions was enough to scandalize the principal at Charlotte' s school. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_10 | Always Emily Harry and Emily kiss, which makes Charlotte very fretful over her sister's reputation (and jealous, let's face it). Language: Nothing. Substance Abuse: We see Branwell, a bright and promising young man, turn into an alcoholic. He's also addicted to laudanum and gambling, the latter being a threat to the whole family's financial wellbeing. Branwell's sisters feel badly for him, since he's clearly miserable, but they are ultimately disgusted by his refusal to take even the first step toward getting well. Nightmare Fuel: Tabby is convinced that the big dog prowling around the moors is an evil spirit. Her descriptions of said dog are quite frightening. . Politics & Religion: The mill owners of Haworth are portrayed as universally spoiled and out-of-touch, although most of them . While this was certainly true of many mill owners in nineteenth-century Britain or America, it was not universal. Elizabeth Gaskell's North & South portrayed a variety of perspectives on this topic. The Freemasons are portrayed as a spooky force that neither sister understands, although the vast majority of them turn out to be decent men in the end. MacColl goes to great pains in the author's note to show that they aren't really anything to fear. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_11 | Always Emily Conclusions I remember really enjoying Michaela MacColl's Prisoners in the Palace. Always Emily isn't as good as I remember Prisoners being, but it's quite enjoyable in its own right. The central mystery isn't much of a mystery. We know from the first appearance of that he can't be a good guy, and it's easy from there to fill in the other connections. Many of the characters are similar to ones that show up in Charlotte and Emily's novels— That said, the atmosphere is impressively Brontëan. MacColl captured the personalities of her two protagonists—wild, antisocial, misanthropic, unmannered Emily; reserved, resourceful, responsible, observant Charlotte. You can see a lot of Catherine Earnshaw in the former and Jane Eyre in the latter. Harry is a bit too insubstantial to make a good love interest, but both Emily and the book seem to understand this about him, so it doesn't bother me too much. . Reverend Brontë is here reduced mostly to a "clueless parent" role, and Anne is away with family—we hear her voice through a letter but never actually see her. The only characters, aside from Charlotte and Emily, to emerge with depth, are Tabby the maid, who is clearly the basis of Nelly in Wuthering Heights, and Branwell. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_12 | Always Emily What a sad story he was, and the book never even speculates what might have turned such a brilliant child into such a pathetic young adult. Not terribly deep or complex, but a clean period drama sort of book. Definitely recommended for fans of the Brontë sisters, although it will seem very tame and safe compared to what they actually wrote. Emily Brontë is home from a disastrous attempt at attending school, which ended in her getting deathly ill. In her absence, her younger sister Anne has gone to Scarborough with family, her older brother Branwell is becoming a wreck, and their politically-outspoken father has made so many enemies among the local mill owners that he carries a pistol in his boot every time he leaves the house. A neighbor has died suspiciously, someone tried to break into the Brontë parsonage, and there's a handsome young man with troubled eyes rambling over the moors with a huge dog who might be a monstrous wraith. This is all great fun for Emily, who thinks that the death of old Mr. Heaton and the appearance of the dashing Henry would make for a jolly good story. But it's another matter entirely when the web of intrigue and deceit extends into her family. Members of the various plots start exploiting Branwell, an addict to alcohol, laudanum and gambling. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_13 | Always Emily Just when things are getting interesting (and alarming), who should come home but Emily's fussy older sister, Charlotte, who's on leave from her job as a schoolteacher after a higher-up discovered that she's been writing a (fetch the smelling salts) novel that features romance and fantasy elements. In her immaturity, Emily worries that Charlotte will force her to stop sleuthing, but Charlotte might prove to be just the ally she needed to solve this strange and spooky case… Content Advisory Violence: Our heroes storm a house to rescue someone who's being held hostage. Some of them suffer serious injuries. A man strikes Charlotte on the head, leaving a scar. Sex: Charlotte writes a story about the queen of a magical land meeting with her suitor, a debonair duke. They don't even kiss, but the description of the queen's strong emotions was enough to scandalize the principal at Charlotte' s school. Harry and Emily kiss, which makes Charlotte very fretful over her sister's reputation (and jealous, let's face it). Language: Nothing. Substance Abuse: We see Branwell, a bright and promising young man, turn into an alcoholic. He's also addicted to laudanum and gambling, the latter being a threat to the whole family's financial wellbeing. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_14 | Always Emily Branwell's sisters feel badly for him, since he's clearly miserable, but they are ultimately disgusted by his refusal to take even the first step toward getting well. Nightmare Fuel: Tabby is convinced that the big dog prowling around the moors is an evil spirit. Her descriptions of said dog are quite frightening. . Politics & Religion: The mill owners of Haworth are portrayed as universally spoiled and out-of-touch, although most of them . While this was certainly true of many mill owners in nineteenth-century Britain or America, it was not universal. Elizabeth Gaskell's North & South portrayed a variety of perspectives on this topic. The Freemasons are portrayed as a spooky force that neither sister understands, although the vast majority of them turn out to be decent men in the end. MacColl goes to great pains in the author's note to show that they aren't really anything to fear. Conclusions I remember really enjoying Michaela MacColl's Prisoners in the Palace. Always Emily isn't as good as I remember Prisoners being, but it's quite enjoyable in its own right. The central mystery isn't much of a mystery. We know from the first appearance of that he can't be a good guy, and it's easy from there to fill in the other connections. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_15 | Always Emily Many of the characters are similar to ones that show up in Charlotte and Emily's novels— That said, the atmosphere is impressively Brontëan. MacColl captured the personalities of her two protagonists—wild, antisocial, misanthropic, unmannered Emily; reserved, resourceful, responsible, observant Charlotte. You can see a lot of Catherine Earnshaw in the former and Jane Eyre in the latter. Harry is a bit too insubstantial to make a good love interest, but both Emily and the book seem to understand this about him, so it doesn't bother me too much. . Reverend Brontë is here reduced mostly to a "clueless parent" role, and Anne is away with family—we hear her voice through a letter but never actually see her. The only characters, aside from Charlotte and Emily, to emerge with depth, are Tabby the maid, who is clearly the basis of Nelly in Wuthering Heights, and Branwell. What a sad story he was, and the book never even speculates what might have turned such a brilliant child into such a pathetic young adult. Not terribly deep or complex, but a clean period drama sort of book. Definitely recommended for fans of the Brontë sisters, although it will seem very tame and safe compared to what they actually wrote. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_16 | Always Emily July 21, 2024 This has sat on my TBR pile for many years, and likely been dragged round a few houses as well, but I finally, finally picked it up this year. This is a surprisingly strong, emotional story that opens with the funeral of Emily and Charlotte's sisters, and their grief is well written. Anne doesn't make an appearance in this story, as she's elsewhere. Emily and Charlotte have a dual POV though, and I thought both of their voices were distinctive. I loved that they were a lot more similar than they thought they were, and I totally got that sister bond. The mystery in this story is cleverly interwoven with some of their biggest stories, particularly Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, and it's very obvious which sister wrote which book without being told. I thought this was a sensitive portrayal of the sisters, that didn't take liberties with their short lives. Anne doesn't make an appearance in this story, as she's elsewhere. Emily and Charlotte have a dual POV though, and I thought both of their voices were distinctive. I loved that they were a lot more similar than they thought they were, and I totally got that sister bond. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_17 | Always Emily The mystery in this story is cleverly interwoven with some of their biggest stories, particularly Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, and it's very obvious which sister wrote which book without being told. I thought this was a sensitive portrayal of the sisters, that didn't take liberties with their short lives. July 2, 2017 اینکه چطور نویسنده، شخصیت های داستان رو بر اساس افراد واقعی طراحی کرده بود، واقعا دوست داشتنی بود. طرفداران امیلی برونته با خوندن چند صفحه از این کتاب متوجه میشن که اثر کاملا با توجه به زندگی برونته ساخته شده. خواهرهای برونته در این داستان، با اینکه خواهرن، اما کاملا با هم متفاوتن. شارلوت، خواهر کوچک تر، محتاطه و ریسک کمی میکنه در حالی که امیلی، جرئت داره و بی پرواست. این دو خواهر به حل شدن جنایات، کمک میکنن. رفتارهای برادراشون واقعا عجیبه. فرد جوان عجیبی با امیلی ملاقات میکنه و قسمت های دیگه ای که این داستان رو تشکیل داده، باعث شده این کتاب به اثر خواندنی ای تبدیل بشه. نثرش ساده ست و سرعت پیشروی مناسبی داره. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_18 | Always Emily February 23, 2014 3.5-esque Always Emily was a cozy, read-in-your-pj's mystery in a totally comfortable position NOT on your computer in a wicked hard chair, but obviously the star of the book is the cast of characters: the Bronte sisters. The story is told in Emily and Charlotte Brontë's perspectives. While the title implies, along with the imbalance in the number of chapters assigned to either, that it's slightly in favor of Emily Brontë, I think equal measure of importance has been given to Charlotte as well, if not in so many words. Emily's chapters were full of her and adventures, while Charlotte's polarizing feelings towards her sister and basically, the damage control. The characterization of the sisters is actually pretty much in accordance of what one would expect from their books. To its historical validity, I don't have any comments because that would require me checking out stuff on Wikipedia and beyond. Nuh-uh. Beyond these two, the rest of the household had well thought-out personalities as well. Branwell, their brother, was a classic example of guy messing with the wrong crowd. There's a bit of romance for Emily, whose ending we can predict. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_19 | Always Emily All these little elements that make it more a story than a mystery. The mystery itself I found to be lackluster, and same goes for Emily's adventures on the moors, which end too early in the book for my tastes. However, there's all this sneaking about and lying and pretending to be an idiot girl during the book to make it worthwhile. The last part of the book-the climax- was probably the best. There are fires and traps involved, and in all, fits of spontaneous and unprovoked giggling egressed on my part. Not the 'that is so funny, I mustn't laugh' kind, or the coy type, but you know,'they're being awesome and they should do this more and heel yeah! you girls show 'em!' thingy going on. (Haha! I just realized that thingy is actually a word; there's no redline under it. That is so fucking unbelievable.) In the cover, there's this atmosphere, this fog that pervades the story for a while. And I absolutely loved it. I might not have gotten a clear picture of English moors from the writing, but the temperature and climate and mood were all very well conveyed, creating a setting that fits snugly around the mystery and, duh!, the Brontës. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_20 | Always Emily In all, it was a good book for the winters, but beyond that, with the onset of spring, not everyone might like it. Review copy provided by the publishers. Always Emily was a cozy, read-in-your-pj's mystery in a totally comfortable position NOT on your computer in a wicked hard chair, but obviously the star of the book is the cast of characters: the Bronte sisters. The story is told in Emily and Charlotte Brontë's perspectives. While the title implies, along with the imbalance in the number of chapters assigned to either, that it's slightly in favor of Emily Brontë, I think equal measure of importance has been given to Charlotte as well, if not in so many words. Emily's chapters were full of her and adventures, while Charlotte's polarizing feelings towards her sister and basically, the damage control. The characterization of the sisters is actually pretty much in accordance of what one would expect from their books. To its historical validity, I don't have any comments because that would require me checking out stuff on Wikipedia and beyond. Nuh-uh. Beyond these two, the rest of the household had well thought-out personalities as well. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_21 | Always Emily Branwell, their brother, was a classic example of guy messing with the wrong crowd. There's a bit of romance for Emily, whose ending we can predict. All these little elements that make it more a story than a mystery. The mystery itself I found to be lackluster, and same goes for Emily's adventures on the moors, which end too early in the book for my tastes. However, there's all this sneaking about and lying and pretending to be an idiot girl during the book to make it worthwhile. The last part of the book-the climax- was probably the best. There are fires and traps involved, and in all, fits of spontaneous and unprovoked giggling egressed on my part. Not the 'that is so funny, I mustn't laugh' kind, or the coy type, but you know,'they're being awesome and they should do this more and heel yeah! you girls show 'em!' thingy going on. (Haha! I just realized that thingy is actually a word; there's no redline under it. That is so fucking unbelievable.) In the cover, there's this atmosphere, this fog that pervades the story for a while. And I absolutely loved it. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_22 | Always Emily I might not have gotten a clear picture of English moors from the writing, but the temperature and climate and mood were all very well conveyed, creating a setting that fits snugly around the mystery and, duh!, the Brontës. In all, it was a good book for the winters, but beyond that, with the onset of spring, not everyone might like it. Review copy provided by the publishers. October 11, 2015 Mainly, I found this charming and cosy, and I think if I'd been 13 or so, I'd have loved this, and it does have a lovely atmosphere and makes you want to read the brontes. It is mixed in with some slightly clunky writing/plot points that link in with the novels - so Emily says stuff like 'it's wuthering out there today', and there's a Rochester type character and possibly a madwoman, and maybe a heathcliff type..... Kinda fun tho, and I liked Emily's dogs. January 13, 2020 Spooky, fast-paced, and full of fun. I would have ended it a little differently, but still, I enjoyed it. September 9, 2014 4.5 stars Perfect book for all fans of the Brontë sisters! Perfect book for all fans of the Brontë sisters! |
browsecomp_plus_32850_23 | Always Emily August 2, 2016 Ok i have a confession to make, don't judge me, I have requested this book purely because of the cover and because my daughter is called Emily. Other then that I went in there blind. Sometimes a risk like this pays off and sometimes it really doesn't. This time it was a winner. If I had looked at this closer I might not have picked it up, its not my usual genre. However this has been much better then I ever expected. This is the story of Emily and Charlotte Bronte, two sisters that could not be more different. One thing they do have in common tho is their love for writing. But before they become famous writers they return from a school at which Emily is the student and Charlotte the teacher, to discover a serious of burglaries have been happening. To add to all the mystery on one of Emily's walks she discovers a boy, one she remembers from her past. He seems to be staying outside and keeping an eye on one of their neighbours. Why is the boy really there and what is he looking for? And who is breaking into peoples homes? Filled with lots of mystery it was a rather exciting read. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_24 | Always Emily This isn't just for fans of the Bronte sisters at all, I for one don't know much about them but I still really enjoyed it. Emily has been an amazing character who clearly didn't want to be like all the other girls and women. She wanted so much more from life then just to find a husband and have a family. I rather admire this about her. But what I enjoyed the most was the relationship between the two sister. Weather they are completely the opposite and don't always get on, when one needs the other they will be there for each other no matter what. What this book has achieved is make me curious about the Bronte sisters. Its probably time I found out more about them. This was a rather pleasant surprise. I didn't see the ending coming at all and I have literally flown through this book. It was a nice quick and lovely read that I can highly recommend. Thank you to Abrams and Chronicle for my copy of Always Emily. This is the story of Emily and Charlotte Bronte, two sisters that could not be more different. One thing they do have in common tho is their love for writing. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_25 | Always Emily But before they become famous writers they return from a school at which Emily is the student and Charlotte the teacher, to discover a serious of burglaries have been happening. To add to all the mystery on one of Emily's walks she discovers a boy, one she remembers from her past. He seems to be staying outside and keeping an eye on one of their neighbours. Why is the boy really there and what is he looking for? And who is breaking into peoples homes? Filled with lots of mystery it was a rather exciting read. This isn't just for fans of the Bronte sisters at all, I for one don't know much about them but I still really enjoyed it. Emily has been an amazing character who clearly didn't want to be like all the other girls and women. She wanted so much more from life then just to find a husband and have a family. I rather admire this about her. But what I enjoyed the most was the relationship between the two sister. Weather they are completely the opposite and don't always get on, when one needs the other they will be there for each other no matter what. What this book has achieved is make me curious about the Bronte sisters. Its probably time I found out more about them. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_26 | Always Emily This was a rather pleasant surprise. I didn't see the ending coming at all and I have literally flown through this book. It was a nice quick and lovely read that I can highly recommend. Thank you to Abrams and Chronicle for my copy of Always Emily. April 17, 2014 While a lot of the plot points in this novel are fictionalized, Michaela MacColl also uses a lot of known details about Charlotte, Emily, and their family to make this book a reality, and thus, makes it more believable that a few chance meetings and overheard conversations could have create a clear for how Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre became a reality. Easy to see how their attraction to the Byronic hero Harry could possibly have translated into Heathcliff and Mr. Rochester if they had, indeed, met him. As per usual, MacColl offers an intriguing novel with a lot of mystery. Highly recommended for fans of the Victorian period, Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre, and the Brontës in general. In fact, MacColl's characterization of Emily makes me want to reread Wuthering Heights since I didn't love it the first time around like I did Jane Eyre. As per usual, MacColl offers an intriguing novel with a lot of mystery. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_27 | Always Emily Highly recommended for fans of the Victorian period, Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre, and the Brontës in general. In fact, MacColl's characterization of Emily makes me want to reread Wuthering Heights since I didn't love it the first time around like I did Jane Eyre. November 30, 2014 1.5 stars. Two things I remember: 1. It was kinda neat how the author tried to incorporate events and such that the girls' would later put in their books into this book. 2 . This was pathetic. *chokes* Two things I remember: 1. It was kinda neat how the author tried to incorporate events and such that the girls' would later put in their books into this book. 2 . This was pathetic. "I'm not sure I want to talk to a man who abuses animals and terrorizes young women." He frowned. "I've never abused an animal in my life." Emily couldn't help but nod her approval of his priorities. She, too, would have put a dog's welfare ahead of a girl's." *chokes* May 12, 2014 This review originally appeared on She's Got the Book: You know what makes me really happy? |
browsecomp_plus_32850_28 | Always Emily I mean, besides hot tea and butter pecan ice cream and the smell of fabric softener? Finishing a book on my TBR (to be read) list. "Always Emily" by Michaela MacColl was a book on aforementioned list and I just finished it, so…yay me. :) Two quick things about the book: 1) You can't tell me that's not one of the prettiest covers you've ever seen, and 2) Obviously, this Emily is digging the title. The book is a fictionalized account of a few weeks in the life of Charlotte and Emily Bronte, when they were young adults. Charlotte is the sensible, responsible one who wants to keep her job as a teacher, but can't stop writing, even when it could cost her her job. Emily is the free-spirited, reckless one who walks on the moors in the rain without a jacket and is always looking for an adventure but doesn't want to go to school or get a job. Weird things start happening around their house – strange men are on the moors, their brother Branwell is acting odder than ever, and a handful of men are getting very angry at the girls' father, a local preacher, for his politicking. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_29 | Always Emily This is a standalone book, and as far as I can tell it doesn't have a ton of hype around it, but seems to be meant more for fans of historical fiction, English Literature, and Bronte fans. I'm all three (especially the last two), so I enjoyed the book quite a bit. Seriously, I'm a lifelong Bronte fan – my all-time favorite novel is "Jane Eyre", and "Wuthering Heights" isn't far behind. The author captured what I would imagine to be Charlotte's personality, and several things that happen to the girls in the story are similar to plot points in the actual Bronte novels, so that was fun for me to notice. The book was very well-researched as far as I can tell, and I would love to read more historical fiction based on authors from MacColl. There was very little (if any) romance in this book, but there was quite a bit of suspense and sister bickering. Or what would pass for bickering at the time. I'm admittedly a complete sucker for the scenes and period of this book, which played into the Bronte books I love so much as well. Cool, rainy fields in England in the 1800s? Men riding horses and saying gentlemanly things? |
browsecomp_plus_32850_30 | Always Emily Young women that are underestimated but end up surprising everyone with their intelligence, cunning, and sharp wit? Yes please, to all of the above. You know what makes me really happy? I mean, besides hot tea and butter pecan ice cream and the smell of fabric softener? Finishing a book on my TBR (to be read) list. "Always Emily" by Michaela MacColl was a book on aforementioned list and I just finished it, so…yay me. :) Two quick things about the book: 1) You can't tell me that's not one of the prettiest covers you've ever seen, and 2) Obviously, this Emily is digging the title. The book is a fictionalized account of a few weeks in the life of Charlotte and Emily Bronte, when they were young adults. Charlotte is the sensible, responsible one who wants to keep her job as a teacher, but can't stop writing, even when it could cost her her job. Emily is the free-spirited, reckless one who walks on the moors in the rain without a jacket and is always looking for an adventure but doesn't want to go to school or get a job. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_31 | Always Emily Weird things start happening around their house – strange men are on the moors, their brother Branwell is acting odder than ever, and a handful of men are getting very angry at the girls' father, a local preacher, for his politicking. This is a standalone book, and as far as I can tell it doesn't have a ton of hype around it, but seems to be meant more for fans of historical fiction, English Literature, and Bronte fans. I'm all three (especially the last two), so I enjoyed the book quite a bit. Seriously, I'm a lifelong Bronte fan – my all-time favorite novel is "Jane Eyre", and "Wuthering Heights" isn't far behind. The author captured what I would imagine to be Charlotte's personality, and several things that happen to the girls in the story are similar to plot points in the actual Bronte novels, so that was fun for me to notice. The book was very well-researched as far as I can tell, and I would love to read more historical fiction based on authors from MacColl. There was very little (if any) romance in this book, but there was quite a bit of suspense and sister bickering. Or what would pass for bickering at the time. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_32 | Always Emily I'm admittedly a complete sucker for the scenes and period of this book, which played into the Bronte books I love so much as well. Cool, rainy fields in England in the 1800s? Men riding horses and saying gentlemanly things? Young women that are underestimated but end up surprising everyone with their intelligence, cunning, and sharp wit? Yes please, to all of the above. May 31, 2023 I've read this book 3 times now. And it still enchants me like the first time. Every read reveals new things. In the past I failed to realize the truth behind the story. It is based on the authors Charlotte, Emily, and less notably Anne Brönte. Reading the Author's Notes is my favorite part of finishing any good read. To anyone who decides to read this book is in for a beautiful journey into the lives of some truly amazing women. January 11, 2024 A nice novel, supposing Charlotte and Emily as older teenagers who are inspired by people and happenings in their town and on the moors. Branwell, their brother, is present throughout much of the story and up to not much good. Anne, the other sister who wrote novels, is not present in this novel, which kind of irritates me. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_33 | Always Emily She sends a letter, but she doesn't live at the parsonage. October 23, 2014 Really enjoyed this book. It really took me through what the main characters, emily and Charlotte were feeling. I loved the suspense and mystery that Michaela MacColl tied into her book. Also I was very fascinated in how this story was based on real people and their real adventures. February 8, 2018 An easy way into the Brontes This middle grade/YA novel should encourage younger readers to take on the Bronte Sisters novels, particularly Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. The plot of this book cleverly suggests which events in it might have inspired the classic books. There are a couple of historical inaccuracies, but they're easy to ignore as the story gallops along. This middle grade/YA novel should encourage younger readers to take on the Bronte Sisters novels, particularly Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. The plot of this book cleverly suggests which events in it might have inspired the classic books. There are a couple of historical inaccuracies, but they're easy to ignore as the story gallops along. May 21, 2025 Fun (and refreshing) characters, clever plot September 2, 2016 (From my blog: Quill Café) |
browsecomp_plus_32850_34 | Always Emily In accordance with the FTC, I would like to disclose that I received a review copy of this title through Edelweiss. The opinions expressed are mine and no monetary compensation was offered to me by the author or publisher. When Emily and Charlotte Brontë return home from Roe Head School, they are swept up in a world of intrigue. A stranger walks the moors, a burglar is rife, and one man's sudden death breeds whispers. Wild with curiosity, Emily seeks out adventure, cloaked in the mysteries and romanticisms she relishes in her writing. Her sister, Charlotte, perturbed by their brother's peculiar actions, and startled by the hushed up history of their neighbour, does some investigating of her own. The two sisters have always been so different, but they must come together to solve the mystery that plagues Haworth...before someone else meets a swift death. An insight into two young women who broke the gender barrier and wrote timeless classics was a captivating enough premise, but entwined in mystery I was hooked. 'Always Emily' transports the reader, not only to the home and school where the two women were raised, but also into their vast imaginations. The novel is written in third person, with alternating perspectives between Charlotte and Emily. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_35 | Always Emily From the start, I was shrouded in the setting of Haworth. The writing is so palpable, and I was intrigued by the history of the Brontë family, which I knew nothing of. MacColl manages to thread information about the characters throughout the story, without resorting to numerous amounts of backstory or info dumps. The Brontë sisters are strikingly different, but equally compelling. Emily is vivacious, independent and strong-willed. Charlotte is insightful and reserved. Where Charlotte is flustered, Emily is unperturbed. Charlotte can be stoic and severe, and Emily can be reckless and rude. They are both such well-rounded characters, and while they have their differences – which provide wonderful conflict between them – they are both driven by their passion for writing. Emily and Charlotte cannot help but compare the circumstances they face to the stories they write, or imagine how they would translate something onto the page. It is a sensation that any writer can relate to, and really defined their shared nature. I was absorbed by the plot of 'Always Emily.' MacColl established the mood of the story, as though the mystery were a cloak of fog on the moors, and managed the tension with such finesse. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_36 | Always Emily She had a very tactful execution of cliff-hangers, often implemented at the end of chapters, and constantly upped the stakes, thrusting the heroines into increasingly challenging situations. Being unfamiliar with the Brontë family, I was fascinated to learn more about their history. Anne is absent for the novel, but there is still some insight from her in the letter she writes to Emily. I had no idea that there had been two older sisters who had died at a young age from tuberculosis, which they both contracted from a boarding school. The novel begins with the funeral of the second child, Elizabeth, and Emily's fearless state is only amplified by the fact that she views death as but a chance to be reunited with her sisters. Branwell, the sole son of Rev. Brontë, was far more vital to the plot of the novel. He is somewhat of an infuriating character, and a troubled soul. It was interesting to see how he was spoiled for allowance by his father, and given much more freedom than his sisters, despite being an established wreck. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_37 | Always Emily It was a stark commentary on the way women were automatically devalued because of their sex, regardless of their social standing. 'Always Emily' is a riveting read, which I would recommend to anyone who loves to be swept up in a tale of adventure and intrigue. I will admit that I am utterly unfamiliar with the works of the Brontë sisters, but reading MacColl's fictional – though marvellously rooted in realism – tale of the siblings has encouraged me to seek out their work. I look forward to it, and to reading more of MacColl's writing in future. In accordance with the FTC, I would like to disclose that I received a review copy of this title through Edelweiss. The opinions expressed are mine and no monetary compensation was offered to me by the author or publisher. When Emily and Charlotte Brontë return home from Roe Head School, they are swept up in a world of intrigue. A stranger walks the moors, a burglar is rife, and one man's sudden death breeds whispers. Wild with curiosity, Emily seeks out adventure, cloaked in the mysteries and romanticisms she relishes in her writing. Her sister, Charlotte, perturbed by their brother's peculiar actions, and startled by the hushed up history of their neighbour, does some investigating of her own. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_38 | Always Emily The two sisters have always been so different, but they must come together to solve the mystery that plagues Haworth...before someone else meets a swift death. An insight into two young women who broke the gender barrier and wrote timeless classics was a captivating enough premise, but entwined in mystery I was hooked. 'Always Emily' transports the reader, not only to the home and school where the two women were raised, but also into their vast imaginations. The novel is written in third person, with alternating perspectives between Charlotte and Emily. From the start, I was shrouded in the setting of Haworth. The writing is so palpable, and I was intrigued by the history of the Brontë family, which I knew nothing of. MacColl manages to thread information about the characters throughout the story, without resorting to numerous amounts of backstory or info dumps. The Brontë sisters are strikingly different, but equally compelling. Emily is vivacious, independent and strong-willed. Charlotte is insightful and reserved. Where Charlotte is flustered, Emily is unperturbed. Charlotte can be stoic and severe, and Emily can be reckless and rude. They are both such well-rounded characters, and while they have their differences – which provide wonderful conflict between them – they are both driven by their passion for writing. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_39 | Always Emily Emily and Charlotte cannot help but compare the circumstances they face to the stories they write, or imagine how they would translate something onto the page. It is a sensation that any writer can relate to, and really defined their shared nature. I was absorbed by the plot of 'Always Emily.' MacColl established the mood of the story, as though the mystery were a cloak of fog on the moors, and managed the tension with such finesse. She had a very tactful execution of cliff-hangers, often implemented at the end of chapters, and constantly upped the stakes, thrusting the heroines into increasingly challenging situations. Being unfamiliar with the Brontë family, I was fascinated to learn more about their history. Anne is absent for the novel, but there is still some insight from her in the letter she writes to Emily. I had no idea that there had been two older sisters who had died at a young age from tuberculosis, which they both contracted from a boarding school. The novel begins with the funeral of the second child, Elizabeth, and Emily's fearless state is only amplified by the fact that she views death as but a chance to be reunited with her sisters. Branwell, the sole son of Rev. Brontë, was far more vital to the plot of the novel. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_40 | Always Emily He is somewhat of an infuriating character, and a troubled soul. It was interesting to see how he was spoiled for allowance by his father, and given much more freedom than his sisters, despite being an established wreck. It was a stark commentary on the way women were automatically devalued because of their sex, regardless of their social standing. 'Always Emily' is a riveting read, which I would recommend to anyone who loves to be swept up in a tale of adventure and intrigue. I will admit that I am utterly unfamiliar with the works of the Brontë sisters, but reading MacColl's fictional – though marvellously rooted in realism – tale of the siblings has encouraged me to seek out their work. I look forward to it, and to reading more of MacColl's writing in future. September 5, 2015 I randomly found this book one day and the cover is so inviting and interesting, that I wanted to read it immediately. MacColl does a good job and sucking the reader in. I think she really captured Charlotte and Emily as many, who study them and their lives, assume them to be. I've read several books on Charlotte and I think MacColl did a great job in bringing her to life in this book. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_41 | Always Emily Although the book is titled Emily, I think Charlotte present just as much. Also, Branwell, who seems to be forgotten in the bright lights of the two sisters, had his fair share of goings on in this book. I liked how MacColl brought out Branwell. I liked his role in the book and I liked how she didn't fade his character out. Anne is not present in this book. The mother and two older sisters have already passed. I liked how MacColl talked about death in this book. Or even just showed the reader how the family and the town dealt with death. It was a bit different back them and I appreciated that the reader was constantly reminded that Mr. Bronte was a parishioner. I think with medical technology and a better educational system than they had, we take for granted some things in life. For example, almost the entire Bronte family died due to TB and, for the most part, it doesn't exist anymore. I also think that the education on germs is just as relevant here. The book is quite predictable. If you expect a deep mystery and a windy who-done-it, then you will be disappointed. For me, I really enjoyed reading about the characters and not so much solving the mystery. |
browsecomp_plus_32850_42 | Always Emily There was a touch of romance in the book. I liked how the author just introduced this desire for the young ladies but reminded the reader of social formalities and expectations, while also reminding the reader who were we're reading about. This is a fictional book. The lives and experiences of Emily, Branwell, Charlotte and Mr. Bronte are taken and embellished. The author included an author's note. I found this fascinating. Although, she stated things in it that I already knew about, I enjoyed her explanation about why she chose to write the book and where she got her ideas from. i also liked how she reminded me about the later lives of the Bronte's. They really were remarkable people. Overall, if you are a fan of the Bronte's and their work, then I think you would enjoy this book. If you prefer to reading about the Brontes in a very factual manner, then this book isn't for you. The story is not very deep, it is rather fluffy. The book is just over 200 pages and I believe I read it in a few hours. This book would be a nice introduction of the Brontes to a younger group. Content: Kissing, some violence MacColl does a good job and sucking the reader in. |
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