KLASSEN, JULIE
THE SILENT GOVERNESS
Olivia Keene is fleeing her own secret. She never intended to overhear his.
But now that she has, what is Lord Bradley to do with her? He cannot let her go, for were the truth to get out, he would lose everything -- his reputation, his inheritance, his very home.
He gives Miss Keene little choice but to accept a post at Brightwell Court, where he can make certain she does not spread what she heard. Keeping an eye on the young woman as she cares for the children, he finds himself drawn to her, even as he struggles against the growing attraction. The clever Miss Keene is definitely hiding something.
Moving, mysterious, and romantic, The Silent Governess takes readers inside the intriguing life of a nineteenth-century governess in an English manor house where all is not as it appears.
My Review:
Stunning! I get breathless just thinking about how good this is! I grieved when it was over.
Klassen has an exquisite command of the English language and she isn't afraid to use it. Rich descriptions paint a vivid picture and carry the reader away into an Austen-like setting. "The autumn air was crisp, the wood a colorful fresco of flaming brown and orange beechwood trees..." (p.96) Doesn't that conjure up a reaction in all your senses? I can smell the musty scent of decaying leaves, hear them rustling under the children's feet, see the brilliant colours in contrast to the blue sky...It's passages like these that elevate Klassen's writing into the sublime.
In case you haven't guessed by now -- I LOVED this book, as I have every other one this author has written. Her characters are richly developed, the plot is complex and full of surprises and the romance --- be still my heart! How can you resist a man such as this:
"She stretched her legs out before her, and Edward glimpsed a sliver of stocking and tapered ankle. He averted his gaze. He was not a man to sneak a look at a woman's leg." (p.177)
But the course to true-love is never straight and Klassen sends her hero and heroine along a very crooked, perilous road indeed! And every moment of their romance is to be savored and copious scenes to be read over for the sheer thrill of it!
Klassen's bio says that she loves "all things -- Jane -- Jane Eyre and Jane Austen" and I certainly got a feel for that and yet her own distinctive voice is not lost in similarities. Rather she has crafted a unique epic of her own that will be cherished by fans for years to come.
Love your review, Kav! :)
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I got When All My Dreams Come True yesterday!! Thank you so much!!
~Amber
This is definitely a book I loved! It was very big and that is one thing I enjoy in a book:) Julie has a different way of writing and I felt very much like I was in that time period. Good research!
ReplyDeleteI also received LFY in PEI and I am itching to read it. Have to finish a review book first though:D
Hey Amber and Charity, glad your books arrived. Happy reading!
ReplyDeleteI loved this book, too! (I know. Now, there's a surprise.) And I agree, the writing is simply beautiful. I haven't ead "Girl in the Gatehouse" yet, but I can't wait.
ReplyDeleteHey Lorna,
ReplyDeleteI read Girl in the Gatehouse and I think I liked it better than this one! Very well written:)
I absolutely loved this one when I read it last year. One of my favorites of the entire year. I'll have to say I liked The Silent Governess better than Girl in the Gatehouse.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I can pick a favourite between Girl in the Gatehouse and The Silent Governess. They both have a bit of a different feel to them. Gatehouse is almost Gothic in the classical sense while Governess is more Austenish. But I have to say that the subplots in this one are incredibly intricate and surprising in places and I loved the romantic need.
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ReplyDeleteI love this book!
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