In common with other readers I first read this book towards the end of my childhood. I bought it in 1977 secondhand in a bookshop attic in St. Ives, Cambridgeshire. I still have it although it is much loved and so very battered. It is wonderful. Lyrical and magical it enchants. It's hero Sebastian is gentle and yet so very courageous. This book deserves to be re-published.

I too read this book when I was about 11. The story kept me riveted and I could not put the book down. Unfortunately, the moment I finished reading it I promptly forgot both the title of the book and the name of the author and it was only last week that by pure coincidence I was telling a friend about it and it turned out that she too has been searching for this book for over ten years. Therefore I have an appeal to make to any publisher who may read this - PLEASE reprint the book!!!! I'd recommend it to any reader, young or old!

The Winter of Enchantment was the first book I can recall reading, and that was 20 years ago - the book has had me captivated for that long. It is a book that all children, and adults, should read at least twice!

Victoria Holt truly lived up to her reputation as the queen of romantic suspense. This story combines nicely a romance with political intrigues and murders. What i like about a VH book is that the setting is always done so well i can even feel the real world in the book.
Some complaints about the story, though.(1) Conrad professes to love Philippa, yet never shows any hint of trust in her in the matter of her sister's marriage. (2)Only after seducing her does he let her know he can only keep her as his mistress and never even ask how she feels about it. That looks like cheating to me.(3)The story gets very redundant and repetitive halfway through. Whenever they meet, Conrad is forever whining that he loves Philippa, that he can't live without her; and Philippa is always busy thinking of how she is affected by him and whether she should stay with him or not.
Despite those problems, overall this book is still very enjoyable.

"Lord of the Far Island" is deffinatly the most suscpencful novel by Victoria Holt. She doesn't give away the ending at all. Just when you think you have the mystery solved, she'll prove you wrong. This is a must read book!

Victoria Holt is my Favorite Author. This book is my favorite. I have read all her and philippa Carrs books! Philippa Ewell's siter runs away with a Baron to his land. Phillipa gets 2 letters and then they stop. SHe finds an old new-paper clipping from the year before talking about the Baron and her sister. They had been murdered. She goes off to find the truth about her sisters death and falls in love, almost gets killed and finds the truth.

THE BOOK IS AS GREAT AS THE REVIEWS! I am happy to say that it was a pleasure to read a romance that fulfills everything I look for in a novel.... Characters you care about who have a depth and intelligence...A good story line ... interesting conversations...realistic feelings ... pleasently descriptive ....a sound ending! This book was my first by this author but I will by all means be looking for more!

A strong, intelligent, independent-minded, scandal-touched, reformist heroine needs to avoid some seriously skanky suitors being pressed upon her by her stingy, selfish uncle. Her chosen candidate for a husband: A fire-scarred hunk of a peer, a previous rake, a bit of a snob, but a man in need of a good woman, a man whose fiance dumped him for the hero's best friend after the hero nearly lost his life--and a good portion of his epidermis-- in a fatal blaze. The who-done-it is great fun and the romance certainly satisfies. I only have minor quibbles with some story details, which I won't even bother to list. Trust me: A fun read for lovers of romance, and CERTAINLY for lovers of the Beauty/Beast type story (which *I* am).This is the only book of Ms. Lynne's that I've read, but based on my enjoyment of this romance novel, I shall surely seek more.*Mir*

All summer long, I have read one disappointing romance read after another, but when I read With This Kiss, I was pleasantly surprised. I had never heard of this author. Well, I couldn't put the book down. I read every single word, and loved every moment. What really touched my heart was the relationship between the hero and heroine. Their conversations were wonderful, talky, fresh, and yes, romantic -- Not the normal yeah-yeah you find in many romances. There were also other elements of interest -- a generous subplot, nice prose, and intelligent writing all around. Check it out. You won't be sorry. The only thing you will hate about this story is that it had to end.

Despite the criticisms levelled at Trollope for his "authorial intrusions" (see Henry James for example) this novel is always a pleasure to read. The characters take precedence over the plot, as in any Trollopian fiction and this is what makes a novel like BARCHESTER more palatable to the modern reader, as compared to any of Dickens's. Some readers may find the ecclesiastical terms confusing at first but with a little help (see the Penguin introduction for example), all becomes clear. What is important, however, is the interaction between the all-too-human characters and in this novel there are plenty of situations to keep you, the reader, amused.

Do yourself a favour and take a trip back into Nineteenth century where technology is just a blink in everyone's eye. What you will discover, however, is that human beings have not really changed, just the conventions have.

I rushed home every day after work to read a little more of this Trollope comedy. The book starts out with the death of a bishop during a change in political power. The new bishop is a puppet to his wife Mrs. Proudie and her protégé Mr. Slope. Along the way we meet outrageous clergymen, a seductive invalid from Italy, and a whole host of delightfully ridiculous characters. Trollope has designed most of these characters to be "over the top". I kept wondering what a film version starring the Monty Python characters would look like. He wrote an equivalent of a soap opera, only it doesn't take place at the "hospital", it takes place with the bishops. Some of the characters you love, some of the characters you hate, and then there are those you love to hate. Trollope speaks to the reader throughout the novel using the mimetic voice, so we feel like we are at a cocktail party and these 19th century characters are our friends (or at least the people we're avoiding at the party!). The themes and characters are timeless. The book deals with power, especially power struggles between the sexes. We encounter greed, love, desperation, seductive sirens, and generosity. Like many books of this time period however, the modern reader has to give it a chance. No one is murdered on the first page, and it takes quite a few chapters for the action to pick up. But pick up it does by page 70, and accelerates into a raucously funny novel from there. Although I didn't read the Warden, I didn't feel lost and I'm curious to read the rest of this series after finishing this book. Enjoy!

This is the second of the six Barsetshire novels, and the first great novel in that series. THE WARDEN, while pleasant, primarily serves as a prequel to this novel. To be honest, if Trollope had not gone on to write BARCHESTER TOWERS, there would not be any real reason to read THE WARDEN. But because it introduces us to characters and situations that are crucial to BARCHESTER TOWERS, one really ought to have read THE WARDEN before reading this novel.

Trollope presents a dilemma for most readers. On the one hand, he wrote an enormous number of very good novels. On the other hand, he wrote no masterpieces. None of Trollope's books can stand comparison with the best work of Jane Austen, Flaubert, Dickens, George Eliot, Tolstoy, or Dostoevsky. On the other hand, none of those writers wrote anywhere near as many excellent as Trollope did. He may not have been a very great writer, but he was a very good one, and perhaps the most prolific good novelist who ever lived. Conservatively assessing his output, Trollope wrote at least 20 good novels. Trollope may not have been a genius, but he did possess a genius for consistency.

So, what to read? Trollope's wrote two very good series, two other novels that could be considered minor classics, and several other first rate novels. I recommend to friends that they try the Barsetshire novels, and then, if they find themselves hooked, to go on to read the Political series of novels (sometimes called the Palliser novels, which I feel uncomfortable with, since it exaggerates the role of that family in most of the novels). The two "minor classics" are THE WAY WE LIVE NOW and HE KNEW HE WAS RIGHT. The former is a marvelous portrait of Victorian social life, and the latter is perhaps the finest study of human jealousy since Shakespeare's OTHELLO. BARSETSHIRE TOWERS is, therefore, coupled with THE WARDEN, a magnificent place, and perhaps the best place to enter Trollope's world.

There are many, many reasons to read Trollope. He probably is the great spokesperson for the Victorian Mind. Like most Victorians, he is a bit parochial, with no interest in Europe, and very little interest in the rest of the world. Despite THE AMERICAN SENATOR, he has few American's or colonials in his novels, and close to no foreigners of any type. He is politically liberal in a conservative way, and is focussed almost exclusively on the upper middle class and gentry. He writes a good deal about young men and women needing and hoping to marry, but with a far more complex approach than we find in Jane Austen. His characters are often compelling, with very human problems, subject to morally complex situations that we would not find unfamiliar. Trollope is especially good with female characters, and in his sympathy for and liking of very independent, strong females he is somewhat an exception of the Victorian stereotype.

Anyone wanting to read Trollope, and I heartily believe that anyone who loves Dickens, Austen, Eliot, Hardy, and Thackery will want to, could find no better place to start than with reading the first two books in the Barsetshire Chronicles, beginning first with the rather short THE WARDEN and then progressing to this very, very fun and enjoyable novel.

This was an easy read. Well written and worth the time.I passed it on and will continue to recommend it.

I couldn't put this book down. The story line was easy to follow, yet interesting. There was encouragement and hope throughout the entire book for those that need reminding that God's timing is not always our timing.

Flowers for Victoria is wonderful! I finished the book in a couple of days because I just couldn't put it down. The characters are developed well, and you feel yourself cheering them on as you read. The plot is impressive with twists and turns that you never see coming. It is the perfect book for a cold, winter day. You will not be dissapointed. I'm a definite fan after reading this one!

Me Ra Koh

If you are intersted in the French Revolution, Marie Antoinette, or just want a good read, this book is the one to read. If you like this book and become interested in royalty, or you already are, Victoria holt wrote tons of other books on British and some Spanish, French, and Italian royalty under the pseudonym Jean Plaidy, so try those.
This book is a fictional memoir written by Marie Antoinette between 1789 and her death in 1793. It covers her whole life (sympathetically) and dispells the rumor that she said "Let them eat cake". Read this!

Victoria Holt was one of my favorite authors when I was younger. A master storyteller, she would consistently weave a story that would have the reader turning the pages. This work of historical fiction is one of her best. Riveting from beginning to end, this fictional autobiographical account of the life of Marie Antoinette is superb. Written in the first person, with little dialogue, it is the rumination of a life that was to end tragically. Pampered, spoiled, and fun loving, the beautiful Maria Antonia of Austria metamorphosed into Marie Antoinette of France upon her marriage to the Dauphin, who would eventually become King of France, the ineffectual, but benign, Louis XVI.

This is her story, grounded in historical fact and set within the framework of history. This work of fiction about the life of Marie Antoinette, as seen through her own eyes, is fascinating, as it captures the flavor of those uncertain times and the events that led to the French Revolution and the end of the monarchy in France. It is a reflection on how Marie Antoinette's own behavior influenced the fate of France. Indulging in the excesses of the day, she initially gave little thought as to how her actions might affect the people of France or the monarchy. By the time she realized that her actions and excesses had wide spread political ramifications, it was too late, and the fate of her and her husband was sealed. No amount of personal regret could change it.

This book will be enjoyed by those who enjoy good, well written historical fiction. It is little wonder that this book spent two months on the New York Times Best Seller List. It is simply historical fiction at its best.

I read this book in 1973!? It was so wonderful that I planned my trip to Paris around Marie Antoinette's homes - the Grand and Petit Trianon at Versailles for one stop. The author writes historical fiction so beautifully that you can't help wishing to run to Europe and experience the lives of the queens you've read about!! I'll never orget this book - and others by Victoria Holt!

We thing Spike In The City is a very good book for kids because all kids like adventures and this book is one big one. Ms. Bogan put a lot of detail in to this book and she put a lot of time into her pictures. Spike In The City is written so well that it makes you want to read on and on. So, check out your local library and read this and the rest of the series.

while reading this book. My Niece and i love to spot the pigeons in this book. Check on every page! It's a great story activity. I adore the funny situations that spike gets himself into on all his adventures, and the illustrations are clever and humorous. I love Spike's face when he get's stuck in a big mob of dogs being walked by a "city dog walker". Spike in the City is a great bed time book-it's just the right length. If you like this book, you're sure to like the first book: "Spike".

The sequel to "Spike" is just as wonderful as the author's first book. This time Spike goes to the city with Shannon for a look see. He is experiencing new sights and new sounds and even a few new smells. He is not quite sure if he likes the city. A skateboarder zooming past him, a car splashing mud on him, and even an uppity city dog confuse Spike. Only when he and Shannon go to play in the park does he realize how happy he is to be doing what he loves. The books allows readers rto realize that they can be at home anywhere where there is love. again I loved it. My kids love Spike because he is as curious as they are, and can relate to his innocence and his unconditional love for Shannon. I hope Ms. Bogan continues to enchant readers with her Spike books for many years to come.

I began reading "On the Night of the Seventh Moon" when I was 12 years old. My sister, 2 years old at the time, tore out the last few chapters of the book. I searched for 15 years before finally finding a hard cover copy in a used book store almost 8 years ago. I have kept it in a safe place ever since and have re-read it several times. Very well written, the characters come to life and evoke a wide range of emotion in the reader. The content is appropriate for young readers without seeming "adolescent" to adults. It is without a doubt the most romantic story I've ever read and one of my most cherished possesions. I'm glad to see it back in print...just in case.

This is a wonderful story, told by a masterful writer. The mystery of the forest, and the question of wether you can dream up a perfect relationship, is what makes this book good. One of my favorite characters was Maximillian's old nanny! Isn't she sweet! This book takes you through the whole spectrum of human emotions. It is a must read for anyone who likes Victoria Holt!

I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THIS BOOK IS WONDERFUL. SO WONDERFUL THAT I REMEMBERED IT FROM READING IT SEVEN YEARS AGO. I MOVED AND THE LIBRARY NEAR ME DID NOT HAVE IT. I AM SO HAPPY TO FIND IT AGAIN. I WOULD STRONGLY RECOMMEND IT FOR YOUNG WOMEN/TEENAGERS TO READ IF THEY LIKE ROMANCE AND MYSTERY WITHOUT THE PROFANITY AND DETAILED LOVE SCENES SO PREVALENT TODAY.

Goldsmith has done a real service with this book. It is more or less the history of the 19th-century women's suffrage movement, with special emphasis on the influence of Spiritualism and on the life of Victoria Woodhull (of whom I had never before heard, even though I regard myself as fairly well-versed in American history).

The book is full of fascinating characters and events, most of which are given unconscionably short shrift in our educational system. Goldsmith fleshes out the stories and personalities of many people who were previously just vague images in my mind, such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Henry Ward Beecher. It seems from this book that female suffrage could have occurred as much as 50 years earlier than it did, if it hadn't been for a couple of missteps on the part of the supporters of suffrage. For one thing, there was a bitter division among the suffragettes about whether the female right to vote should be part of the movement for enfranchising the recently freed slaves. Sadly, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, despite her many wonderful and even heroic contributions to the movement, comes across as an out-and-out racist on this issue, and probably damaged the very cause to which she devoted her life. Secondly, some of the foremost spokespeople for female suffrage got caught up in unrelated, controversial issues, and even in personal sexual scandals.

If you have an interest in American history, you may very well have the same reaction I did while reading this book. Almost every other page, I found myself exclaiming, "Hey, I didn't know that! How come that's not in any of the history books?"

The only reason I gave this book four stars instead of five is that I think the organization and focus could be a little better. The book isn't organized strictly chronologically, and it jumps from one character to another without apparent reason.

But there's just too much really good stuff here to give anything less than four stars, and I have no quarrel with those who have given it five. You won't often pick up a book written for a general audience and learn so many interesting facts that you probably didn't know.

What an absolute joy of a book. Goldsmith seems to have found the perfect centerof the femininist storm in Victoria Woodhull, an outspoken advocate of women's rights, free love, and spiritualism. The telling of her tale (and this book reads like a plotted novel) involves the inclusion of tales and talk from Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Henry Ward Beecher, President Ulysses S. Grant, Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, and cameo appearances from a host of others (including the prudish New York City "in"fighter, Anthony Comstock). Much of the telling involves the infamous Tilton-Beecher scandal, a story whose recitation touches on much of the post-Civil War atmosphere of spiritualism,financial skullduggery, the new religious practices of revised Calvinism, and, of course, equal rights for women. This is a fascinating read and wonderfully written. You don't need to be a history buff to pick this up.

This book was first recommended to me by a Church of Christ pastor who was into history. He said,"You've got to read this book! You'll love it!" He was right! As a Spiritualist, I had heard of Victoria Woodhull, but that was about it. This is a complete, researched biography that goes beyond biography. It gives a picture of an age of searching, inquiry and intellectual activity that most Americans are not aware of. Victoria Woodhull is a fascinating character, emerging from very poor beginnings to become involved in the feminist movement, being a spiritual medium, a part-time hooker and eventually becoming involved in politics. She ends up being in a very conventional marriage to an Englishman and leading a very respectable life. No, she never won the presidency, but the reader will learn a lot about the cultural development of America in the 19th century from reading this book.

I'm not usually a great devotee of black and white decks, finding the lack of colour dulls intuition and inspiration, but this deck is an exception. The cards truly are not only stunningly beautiful but very, very easy to read, as well as being one of the most wildly original sets it has ever been my privilege to work with. The cards consist of images collaged together from original Victorian illustrations, very cleverly reworked. Pens have replaced wands, Victorian kilner type jars are cups, guns are swords and watches are coins, giving a further flavour of the Victorian era. I find the cards extremely easy to work with- they seem to speak to the reader despite the unusualness of the images. Particularly powerful is the Eight of Wands, which seems to leap out of the edges of the card, giving an impression of unstoppable movement. Famous people of the time decorate the court cards - I love Oscar Wilde as the Prince of Wands, and Queen Victoria as the Queen in all four suits (how could anyone else compete with the ruler of the then known world?!). The accompanying book cleverly explains the way the cards have been designed to reflect the ethos of the time, when technology and industry were drastically changing the way people viewed the world and lived their lives. I particularly love the irony of using pocket watches to demonstrate the slow, steady quality of earth/pentacles. The deck is opulent and gorgeous, and beautifully presented with its black velvet storage pouch with tasselled blue drawstring cord. I love it!
Elen Hawke author of In the Circle, The Sacred Round, Praise to the Moon

I am amazed at how beautiful this black & white deck is...the collage pictures on each card are very well done and quite thought-provoking. My favorite is the Moon card with the lovely lady in Victorian dress sitting in the crook of a crescent moon. The suits are Mason Jars (cups), Pens (wands), Guns (swords) and Watches (coins/pentacles), each of these items having been invented during the Victorian era...a bit of history to add to your tarot knowledge. The black velvet bag with a blue silk lining is a nice added bonus.

I'd seen pictures of this deck on-line before I bought it. It intrigued me, since I love collage and I love tarot. The line engraving-based montages reminded me a bit of Max Ernst. I wasn't sure about the pens for wands, the clocks for disks, etc, though. I'd planned to buy this mostly out of curiosity as an addition to my collection.

But when it arrived...WOW!! The pens and clocks made perfect sense, and this was the first time I'd ever gotten a deck that looked better in my hands than on the web. (I've been so disappointed by so many decks before!) This is easily the best contemporary deck I've ever seen. The aesthetic standard of so many decks is so low, it was wonderful to get one in which the pictures on the cards were truly Art in their own right. But, that is not all! The whole package is beautiful. For once I got something that felt like better value than what I'd paid for. There is the nice velvet bag, and the book is substantial--well researched and informative. As well as providing little historical tidbits about Victorian society, it gives background for some of the sources of the images on some of the cards. It also has a very nice essay about collage and making your own collage deck in the back. It is obvious that the creator(s) has genuine love and passion for the medium as well as for tarot, and wants others to experience the same joy. I can't say enough good things about this one. It is intelligent and raises the level of tarot artwork to a new standard. It should become a modern classic.