i would like to say that for all her faults elsie is a Christian
but the endless talk of her devoted faith leaves you with the impression that elsie is a angel that somehow ended up on earth.
also she cries way to much, a baby cries less then elsie does! and her father borders on abusive,heck,he is abusive! i dislike
these books intensly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I enjoyed this book, as I have all of the books in the Elsie Dinsmore series. However, it is written in an old-fashioned, somewhat syrupy style. I also found the anti-Catholic bias of the book somewhat disturbing.

"Elsie's Holidays at Roselands" is a good, old fashioned book. I like it very much, but I notice in all the Elsie books, including this one, her father is very possesive and authoritative. I also notice that Elsie is very much against Catholics, which I don't think as true Christian spirit. But this is a good book, and I like to read it.

I usually love long family sagas and had great expectations for Nashborough. This novel started out well enough, but I just skimmed the final third...

My main problem was that none of the principal characters were likable or even that interesting. The sister, jasmine, who sleeps with her brother-in-law (all the while emphasizing the value of family!) critisizes her sister's wedding. The family is rather cold amongst each other, yet places themselves above all others. To them anyone else is an outider. When an alcoholic brother leaves his young bride and their children they assume the wife must have been boring!? What kind of family is this!?

Other than such meanness (clannishness they call it). Not a lot happens. This is surprising since the novel spans much of the turbulent twentieth century. Major events such as WWII and the Depression are mentioned, but really do not impact these selfish people.

I wish this had been better. By the way, Rona Jaffe's The Road Takes is a much more pleasant family saga!

This was simple mean spirited & tedious.

I love family sagas, and for the most part for me the longer the book the better. I love the way that the characters develop and interact with each other, and in a truly well written family saga there is the added attraction of major world historical events to put their lives into perspective. Alas, this book has very little of this.

The interesting characters are there, sure enough, but we learn almost nothing of them. They have joys and terrible tragedies, and these are all glossed over as we march through the years. There is no true development of the lives of the families - they are all entirely superficial. Even when one of the main characters goes to war and becomes famous for his heroics, this is dealt with in one or two paragraphs.

The author certainly has talent, and I'm sure it will develop, but this is a very disappointing effort, and I struggled to finish it. Even then I got the impression that she was in a hurry to finish the book. There are far superior family sagas on the market.

I have an inexplicable fascination with the South, so I'm often drawn to books that are set there. And this book does give a detailed depiction of upper-class Southern life (how accurate, I don't know). But it's soooooo slow! And there are so many characters you'll be glad that there's a glossary listing them in the back of the book.

Because of the large cast of characters, there is very little character development. It's hard to feel connected with any of them as they fritter about, having babies and drinking endless pitchers of martinis.

While the newlyweds Rosie and Will enjoy their honeymoon, Evelyn invites the rest of the family to join her at Crag Cottage, which overlooks the Hudson River. En route to the cottage aboard the Dolphin, the Travillas, Lelands, and Raymonds visit many historic sites and learn about the Revolutionary War and its heroes and villains. Meanwhile, Grandma Elsie and Annis visit relatives in Pleasant Plains, Ohio.
When the burglar whom Lulu captured escapes from prison, he seeks revenge. Chester Dinsmore, however, saves her life, and Captain Raymond is so grateful that he hives Chester permission to seek Lulu's hand marriage.
That just about sums up the whole book. I can read these books in 30 mn. flat because they are sooooo boring.
Books 1-14 are ok, but after that it is entirely boring. They even have Cp. Raymond reading out of a history book! Penned in the mid-nineteenth century, the original Elsie books were written by Martha Finley as a means to support herself after she suffered a serious injury. Finley wrote twenty-eight Elsie books before her death in 1909.

(...)I know why- the books before Mr. Raymound buys the yacht I might give 1-2 star ratings but once they start going on trips my ratings go down to minus. Martha Finly has her characters telling the young ones storys from history, if it hadn't for the frequent exclamations of "Oh my" "Thats terrible" "Yes indeed" ect. you might mistaken them for history books-she even has them READING history books aloud-and its all written in the books. I havent even bothered to read the last book because there is only about 3 pages of things cocerning Elsie in it.

I read reviews for the first 5 books and almost every said they were great books and they wanted to but them all, but then I skip ahed a couple of books and what do I find nothing not even an editorial! and I know why- the books before Mr. Raymound buys the yacht I might give 1-2 star ratings but once they start going on trips my ratings go down to minus. Martha Finly has her characters telling the young ones storys from history, if it hadn't for the frequent exclamations of "Oh my" "Thats terrible" "Yes indeed" ect. you might mistaken them for history books-she even has them READING history books aloud-and its all written in the books. I havent even bothered to read the last book because there is only about 3 pages of things cocerning Elsie in it.

A fictionalized account of events surrounding Toussaints revolution.

While the flavor of the times is depicted, the characters are two dimensional, and the prose is ordinary, at best. Read All Souls Rising, by Bell. It is greatly superior to this novel.

Following a winter's stay at Viamede in Louisiana, Elsie and her family travel over the Rocky Mountains to California. There they visit sites of interest from San Fransisco to San Diego.
Returning to her childhood home, Crag Cottage, on the Hudson River, Evelyn gives birth to a daughter, and Grandma Elsie is now great-grandmother to little Mary Raymond.
Following a round of family gatherings in honor of the new baby and her proud parents, Max and Evelyn, Ned Raymond becomes very ill. Dr. Harold Travilla saves his life, and Harold and Gracie's wedding date is finally set for New Year's Day.
That just about sums up the whole book. I can read these books in 30 mn. flat because they are sooooo boring.
Books 1-14 are ok, but after that it is entirely boring. They even have Cp. Raymond reading out of a history book! Penned in the mid-nineteenth century, the original Elsie books were written by Martha Finley as a means to support herself after she suffered a serious injury. Finley wrote twenty-eight Elsie books before her death in 1909.

Still the image of maternal beauty and grace, Elsie celebrates her fiftieth birthday as family and friends from far and near gather to express their love. Edward and Zoe Travilla contribute two special girts for the birthday festivities. The sweet twins, Lily and Laurie, add to Elsie's burgeoning brood of grandchildren.
Max and Lulu accompany Captain Raymond on a business trip to the West, where they commemorate the Fourth of July with a grand party, complete with fireworks! Their business accomplished, the Raymonds travel by train to join the rest of the family at the summer cottages by the shore.
That justs about sums up the whole book. I can read these books in 30 mn. flat because they are sooooo boring.
Books 1-14 is ok, but after that it is entierly boring. They even have Cp. Raymond reading out of a history book!

Penned in the mid-nineteenth century, the original Elise books were written by Martha Finley as a means to supprot herself after she suffered a serious injury. Finley wrote twenty-eight Elsie books before her death in 1909.
Books 1-14 is ok, but after that it is entierly boring. They even have Cp. Raymond reading out of a history book!

Elsie and Cousin Ronald discover a long-lost cousin, Marian McAlpine, and Harold and Herbert Travilla graduate from Princeton and begin their mefical apprenticeships with Cousin Arthur. Edward, Zoe, and their twins narrowly escape being crushed by a falling tree and learn more about trusting in God's protective care. Lone-time bachelors Calhoun and Arthur Conly both find brides.
After Max Raymond's visit home from the Naval Academy, the family enjoys another get together at the shore. And Cousin Arthur sames a family friend from drowning.
That justs about sums up the whole book. I can read these books in 30 mn. flat because they are sooooo boring.
Books 1-14 is ok, but after that it is entierly boring. They even have Cp. Raymond reading out of a history book!

A docter prescribes a winter's rest in the South for Chester so he can fully recover from the injuries he incurred while protecting Lucilla.(Read all about it in the book before this. saves her my foot!) So after Max's graduation from the Naval Academy, Grandmother Elsie and teh Raymonds travel on the Dolphin to Florida and on to Viamede, Elsie's beloved Louisianan home.
Max and Evelyn become engaged, and Bob Johnson and Sydney Dinsmore wed. When Evelyn and Lucilla catch the bridal bouquet together at the wedding, teh family wonders who will be the next to wed. Following a pleasant winter(and boring)at Viamede, the families travel to Atlantic City and to the Mane coast for a pleasant summer holiday.
That just about summs up the whole book. I can read through these books in 30 mn. flat because they are soooo boring and unrealistic.

Following thier honeymoons, Jucilla and Evelyn set up housekeeping with their husbands, Chester and Max ,in a new shared home, Sunnyside. The family enjoys a round of parties held in honor of the newlyweds.
WHEn Max returns to the navy, the rest of the family travels with Grandma Elise during the cold months on board the Dolphin to several Caribbean islands and the shores of South America.
Elsie and Ned Raymond acquire pet monkeys ,and Ned takes an unforunate tumble overboard but is saved by a quick-thinking sailor.
That justs about sums up the whole book. I can read these books in 30 mn. flat because they are sooooo boring.
Books 1-14 is ok, but after that it is entierly boring. They even have Cp. Raymond reading out of a history book!