Mariana

This was very, very good. I was surprised by the level of my reaction to this: I was invested near immediately never wanted to put it down and was sad to finish reading the last page. I don't read a lot of "time slip" historical fiction (read: any before this), but if they're like Mariana that rule might need to change. ASAP. First up on that list: every other such book by this author. I was very impressed with both parts of the narrative and the strength of the voice shown throughout the novel. Though Mariana is a bit lengthy at near 375 pages, this suspenseful and affecting tale never bores. For a detailed, immersive read but not one that is exactly an action-packed historical, that is saying something indeed. The strength of the book largely lies in the eponymous character Mariana - both in her 1660's body/life of Mariana and as more modern Julia Beckett. That's not to say that the rest of the characters aren't interesting and diverse; they are but it is Mariana herself who makes the novel special. Though the two POV's present are both first-person and both largely the same in tone and voice despite the centuries between them, both Julia and Mariana are fully dimensional, rounded characters who provide a rich, full narrative to dive into. She's charming and detailed as a narrator: Exbury, both past and present versions, definitely carried the feel of an old, full-of-history English village. Though there is quite a lot of focus on the romance angle of the novel, I wasn't turned off or frustrated; Mariana's and Richard's courtship is actually quite charming and I found myself rooting for de Mornay and the spirited commoner. This paragraph might get a bit SPOILERy so be warned and stay away if you don't want to know! Seriously, people. There's a mystery at the heart of the novel, but it's not the most involving or mystifying. Even the secondary subplot of treason lacks the emotional pull of the characters themselves; this is truly a character-driven novel. Even some of the surprises lacked the oomph that could be expected -(Johnnie! D: John?!) </SPOILER> because I was so keyed in on the main characters of Mariana/Julia and Richard/?? themselves. I have to side with Julia in that the past has a lot of allure here in this version, and her attraction to Richard it is very understandable. Love, destiny and fate all play a key parts in the meanderig plot, and the characters but it doesn't feel forced or hackneyed. Mariana comes off with a sweet but not saccharine aftertaste. I did think the camouflaging of Richard's soul was well done - only the hints of Shakespeare really made me sure. Mariana is an engrossing and rewarding, lengthy read - fans of time-slip historicals will love and even new-to-the-subgrenre people will find a lot to enjoy about this alternate 1660's and modern of reincarnated love. Susanna Kearsley is an impressive and detailed storyteller - I look forward to reading more of her books very soon. This is one that went above and beyond any and all expectations I had before starting.

Spoiler alert: My review contains a minor spoiler if you haven't yet read the book. Read at your own risk. Reading a Susanna Kearsley book is like curling up with a cup of warm tea on a cool day. I know that sounds kind of silly, but it's the only way I can describe how her books make me feel by the time I've finished them. I instantly liked Mariana and was hooked easily. I took it to work with me to read on my lunch break, woke up early to squeeze in a chapter or two, and stayed up late into the night to finish it. I really love when a story can take hold of me like that. The basic story is this: Julia Beckett is inexplicably drawn to an old house in England and eventually comes to buy the home. Shortly after, she begins having flashbacks, experiencing the life of a young woman named Mariana who lived there in the 1600s. The following is only a minor spoiler, but read at your own risk...Julia eventually comes to realize that she is Mariana, reincarnated. This is explained fairly early on, so I don't really see it as much of a spoiler. Everything you love about Susanna Kearsley's books is here: the paranormal element linking past/present, mystery, romance, interesting secondary characters and of course, plenty of fun twists. The balance of past/present was perfect and I found both storylines equally interesting. Although there didn't seem to be enough time for the romances to develop fully, Julia's journey and discoveries were most interesting to me and I loved how things came together at the end. The ending could have been done better and more clues could have been included throughout the story, but I still really enjoyed the surprise. This is one of Susanna Kearsley's first books, and at times it does show. Her signature writing style and plot elements are there, but some characters are left hanging and not all plot lines are resolved by the end. Mariana is also noticeably shorter than Kearsley's other books, lending less time for character and romance development. The ending didn't pack quite the emotional punch for me that it could (and should) have. However, having read most of the author's more recent works, it's apparent how much she has grown as an author and really honed her skills. This book is 100% worth reading. Best enjoyed in your favorite reading chair with a warm cup of tea. :)

Once again, Susanna's rich writing captured my heart and would not let go. Just one more page, I kept telling my burning eyes. Although it does begin a bit slowly, it needs the time to introduce and get to know the characters. I enjoyed the way the main character seamlessly moved from past to present in a way I could easily follow. The main character's relationship with her brother was a real treat, and he was nicely rewarded in the story. Although I couldn't wait to finish, I wanted to have it go on a little longer. Once everything / everyone was in its spot, it just stopped. i cried when the story ended, for several reasons. We never know what happened to one of the main characters, and I felt sad for him. Also, Mariana's life was full of hardship and heartache, with a small but breathless love affair in the middle. As always with one of Susanna's books, I will go back and read favorite passages, savoring each delicious bite of text. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a bit of paranormal, a bit of history, a lot of feeling and internal struggle, and a nice dose of romance. The end brings a few surprises, which as I said earlier, I wish would have gone on just a but longer. I felt something was missing when it ended. That made me want to rate it a 4-1/2, but the 5-star rating won out. After all, the book is wonderful. Just because I was sobbing at the end is no reason to punish the rating. I loved The Winter Sea more, but this is also a great read.

I read this book many years ago and ended up purging this book out of my collection when I needed to downsize. Then I remembered it and kicked myself for having gotten rid of it so purchased it again...just to do it again! Argh. So happy to have found this digital copy. The story itself may be considered the typical past life romance reconnects in modern time. However I liked the refreshing tone the author took of not focusing on "mushy" but rather of the person reliving past events and the consequences of those past events as well as what is happening to the person as they are acting out past events during regular modern time.

L'article : Livraison le lendemain, en excellent état. Beau livre. Un peu cher quand même. Le contenu : J'avais lu ce livre il y a longtemps traduit dans ma langue maternelle. J'avais trouvé l'idée fascinante, mais l'histoire dans l'ensemble un peu kitsch. L'ayant retrouvé par hazard sur Amazon, j'avais envie de voir ce que ça donne dans la version originale en anglais. Et pareil. L'idée est bonne, les caractères sont bien décrits, l'histoire pousse à continuer à lire. Malgré des moments trop stéréotypes et des passages limite kitsch. En somme, cela reste un livre assez plaisant à lire sans que ce soit de la grande literature. Je dirais entre 3 et 4 etoiles.

I absolutely loved this story!!! This is my 5th book by Susanna Kearsley, and I have yet to be disappointed! Her books are always well-written, and "Mariana" is no exception. Ms. Kearsley manages to effortlessly interweave the past and present, and she has once again succeeded in creating characters you can't help but care about. "Mariana" is a truly wonderful book, and one which I pretty much devoured within 24 hours --- once I started I just could not put it down anymore! I just had to know what would happen next, and how the story would end

Absolutely loved this book from the moment I started. Gripping storyline, well written. I agree with some of the other reviews where the ending is noted as abrupt. From my viewpoint the ending actually was just not at all what I had anticipated, and although this was a positive in some ways it made me wish I had concentrated just a little more on some of the detail. Due to the fact the story was so good I read it a little too quickly in my excitement! Definitely one I shall read again though. Highly recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction.

What a treasure this book was! I don't normally like books that are set in the modern time and then reverts back to the past (centuries before) and let alone ghosts, but this was brilliant and I loved it from start to finish. Very well written, can't wait to read more of her books! Excellent choice!