What do You think about The Ivy Tree (2001)?
I’ve been kind of putting off writing a review for this. I guess it’s because I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as the other Stewart books I’ve read. There was no exciting car chases or exotic locations. The hero was a real dud for me. I always felt like the author was holding information back, which always sends out lots of flags. You can always see that there is going be a big twist at the end when information is being withheld, especially when it’s in first person.That’s not to say it was bad. As always, Mary Stewart writes wonderfully. The ending was exciting and the book had a nice gothy atmosphere to it.I’m giving The Ivy Tree ***½ stars. After all, most Mary Stewart books are better than your average mystery. I just wasn’t as captivated by any of the characters. I was kind of disappointed. I guess I'm longing for the fifties movie type feel I got with Madam Will You Talk. James Mason wasn't in this and I missed him. :( *sigh*
—Willow
Re-read in January 2015 with the Madam, Want to talk about author Mary Stewart GroupBrooding from a perch on Hadrian's wall, our heroine is surprised by a handsome stranger, who threatens her and calls her Annabel. When she informs him, none too sweetly, that she's a Canadian named Mary Grey, the guy turns friendly, telling her she's a dead ringer for his cousin Annabel, who ran away from home eight years ago--the girl he was going to marry. Con (aptly named, as it turns out) isn't a fellow to let opportunity pass him by, and so he bullies/convinces Mary into passing herself off as Annabel Winslow, so that she (and therefore he) can secure the lands and money when Annabel's ailing grandfather passes. Mary (at loose ends and financial straits) resists, but not too hard. Enter Adam Forest, the neighbour, Annabel's secret lover from long ago (he was married, but has since been widowed) and Mary finds herself trapped in layers of deceit, lying to everyone: the irrasicble grandfather, Annabel's beautiful young cousin, her boyfriend (my favorite character!) Adam, and the mercurial Con. This isn't my favorite Mary Stewart, but I enjoyed it more the second time around. (view spoiler)[ Because I knew from the get go (this time) that Mary really is Annabel Winslow, I appreciated the subtleties of writing and the ambiguities that lead like a trail of breadcrumbs to the truth. (Like at the beginning, when she thinks to herself "Eve dreaming of Adam..." I did not catch that clue the first time, but now, of course it makes perfect sense) However, I have a constitutional dislike of unreliable narrarators, and it is hard for me to get over that. It feels like cheating. Also, there's a few places in the story that are just stretched a little thin for me to believe. Why, WHY wouldn't Mary/Annabel go with the rescuers from Nether Field, or at least ride back to the collapsed building where Adam is lying, waiting to be rescued? Well, the despite the offered excuse (mustn't neglect an expensive horse--really?) the only good reason is that Ms. Stewart has planned a wonderful confrontation between Annabel and Con in the stable, so she just needs to be put there. Unfortunately, this kind of doll house maneuvering pulls away from some pretty gripping suspense. (hide spoiler)]
—Jaima
I have been thinking about this book this morning & my star rating veered all over the place until I finally settled on a four.There is a lot to love about this book, especially the descriptions of scenery & mystery. & it was a page turner, that kept me interested until the end. While I wasn't sure who the heroine really was till near the finish, I also wasn't sure who the love interest was - the romance was sparse, even by Stewart's standards. In fact, two of the secondary characters have a more interesting romance & I was more interested in it's outcome.As always with Stewart there is another character in the book. Fortunately he didn't appear as much later in the book. At one stage I was wondering how Mary/Anabel could even see where she was going through the constant haze of smoke!& (view spoiler)[ another book is referenced. While Brat Farrar is a wonderful book, all of Tey's works are very difficult to get hold of in my country if you don't have an ereader. This book is still very readable but knowledge of Bratt Farrar does enhance it. (hide spoiler)]
—☆ Ｃａｒｏｌ ☆
