I generally try and space books by the same author out a bit, as they can get rather samey. But having started one Winston Graham book, I found them so intriguing that I have kept reading. I have just completed the fourth in the 'Poldark' series, set in Cornwall in the 19th century.
In 'Warleggan', Dwight Emp falls in love with Caroline. In addition, George Warleggan proposes to the widowed Elizabeth. Ross is rescued from bankruptcy again, and finally discovers some hope in his new mine.
Ross and Demelza are estranged when Ross commits adultery, and she is tempted to revenge.
This novel contains more realistic and exciting chapters in the Poldark series. Perhaps there's a bit too much business/finance for my tastes, but it's well-written and makes oddly compulsive reading.
Unfortunately I don't yet have the fifth in the series though I shall be looking out for it.
It took me a while to get round to reading Winston Graham's books. They've been sitting our shelves for a while. But having started, they're becoming compulsive reading. I've just finished the third of the 'Poldark' series, set in Cornwall in the 19th century.
'Jeremy Poldark' takes place almost immediately after the end of 'Demelza', second in the series. Ross is on trial for his life, after encouraging his friends to plunder a wrecked ship. Demelza does what she can to help.
Eventually - not surprisingly - he is acquitted, but their relationship suffers, partly due to the terrible time he had while in custody.
Bankruptcy threatens as war is declared in France, and Ross comes up against the Warleggan family whom he has never liked.
Very fast-paced and exciting. Not my normal style of book, but well worth reading - ideally after the first two in the series.
I had barely heard of Winston Graham. But I recently acquired several of his 'Poldark' series books. And now I've started reading them, I am finding him an interesting author.
'Demelza' is the second of the series which began with 'Ross Poldark'. In this story, Demelza - who was first adopted as a waif, taken from her cruel father - finds her feet as Ross's wife. She also befriends her cousin Verity.
Drama ensues when Ross tries to rescue a miner from a terrible jail, and helps the local community plunder a wrecked ship.
Fever comes to the district. Demelza risks her health to begin to bridge the rift between Ross and his cousin Francis and Francis' wife Elizabeth.
I thought the book was fast-paced, well-written, and somehow compulsive despite it not being a genre I would normally read. This book stands alone, but it makes considerably more sense having already read the first book.
I hadn't really come across Winston Graham before, but my grandfather had a series of his books. I'd heard of 'Poldark' as a TV series, though I had never watched it. When my grandfather died, I took the books as nobody else wanted them, and finally got around to reading some of them.
'Ross Poldark' is the first in the series, set in the 18th century. It features Ross, who returns to his family home in Cornwall to take over his inheritance, after being involved in wars in America.
To his horror, he learns that his beloved Elizabeth had thought he was dead, and is planning to marry his cousin Francis.
Ross immerses himself in his land and mines, and rescues Demelza, an unhappy waif, from her cruel father. He brings her home to train as a kitchenmaid.
However, Demelza grows up, and her adoration for her rescuer and master turns to love.
I thought this novel was realistically written, if a bit long-winded at times. There's rather more about business, mining and farming than interested me. But I enjoyed it sufficiently to decide to continue reading further in the series afterwards.
'Ross Poldark' was re-printed when the TV series came out in the 1970s, but is not always in print. It can frequently be found second-hand, however.
Recommended.
