Nine Coaches Waiting
Apr. 19th, 2019 09:03 pmNine Coaches Waiting by Mary Stewart was a birthday present from my parents.
venta had previously lent me the first two Merlin books and bought me The Ivy Tree and I was keen to read more. So, I asked for this one from my parents (actually, both
venta and Sarah rated Touch Not The Cat more highly, but that wasn't available from Wordery which is my parents' preferred book seller).
The story is about a new governess, Linda, an English woman who grew up in Paris, and her appointment to look after Philippe the young de Valmy heir to the much loved family mansion in the French countryside. The story mixes Linda's relationships (friendships and romantic relationships) with a growing sense of danger as she lives with the de Valmy family and their servants. The whole book has a slightly Gothic feel to it as the story goes on. The story is told entirely by Linda and that works quite well. I found her likeable, as she was prepared to take action on her own - and Philippe's behalf - and was generally rooting for her to succeed across the book. There are a few, I suppose, cliches: Linda is described as a uncommonly attractive young woman, there is a mysterious handsome and impulsive lover and Linda's most useful ally (the English housekeeper) is removed from helping her at the crucial moment. However, overall, it was fun and enjoyable and I'll be reading more of Mary Stewart.
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The story is about a new governess, Linda, an English woman who grew up in Paris, and her appointment to look after Philippe the young de Valmy heir to the much loved family mansion in the French countryside. The story mixes Linda's relationships (friendships and romantic relationships) with a growing sense of danger as she lives with the de Valmy family and their servants. The whole book has a slightly Gothic feel to it as the story goes on. The story is told entirely by Linda and that works quite well. I found her likeable, as she was prepared to take action on her own - and Philippe's behalf - and was generally rooting for her to succeed across the book. There are a few, I suppose, cliches: Linda is described as a uncommonly attractive young woman, there is a mysterious handsome and impulsive lover and Linda's most useful ally (the English housekeeper) is removed from helping her at the crucial moment. However, overall, it was fun and enjoyable and I'll be reading more of Mary Stewart.