this is a great book for those that love mystrey novels. When I first started reading it I wasn't too interested and a couple years later read it again and thought that it was the best book. It isn't really serious, in fact very funny. The characters in the book seem very real and after reading the book I would like to see this part of England for myself. The book is not what you would expect and niether are the chartactersin it. This book would be good for those between 13 and 90. It doesn't have much of an age catagorie, but the book might be hard to follow for younger readers. The story is about a muder 25 years old and the detective thats whats to do it gets sent on a first class cruise with an 80year old widow who seems and acts at least half her age. on the cruise ship with them is a jewelthief, a murderer, some newly weds, a pair of odd 2nd honeymooners, a murdermystery writer and a funeral parlor owner. The characters are some that you wouldn't expect. This is a very good book to buy and also read.

I have never seen this book in Canada and am delighted to find it at Amazon. Great photos, beautifully presented, interesting reading and very well researched. A must have for anyone with a strong interest in beautiful hats.

This book was read in four days, I absolutely devoured it! I found it extremely moving at times and also quite terrifying at others. It is soberly written, unsentimental in its portrayal of human relationships and Mary is an unforgettable character in all her devotion, humility and pride. All that lacked, perhaps, was a deeper description of Mary`s relationship with Edward Hyde. In that aspect, the movie beats the novel.

This is a first of Mary Reilly's that I've read and if she has more, I definitely want to read it. This is the first "tour de force" novel that I've gotten my hands on and I'm very happy that it built its story around such a cannonical text: Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. Going along with what literary critics of intertextual texts opine, I did feel very "smart" knowing generally what the storyline was, even while being exposed to the fresh perspective of a marginalized character: Mary. The thematic use of verbal irony really made the novel interesting when she would refer to Hyde not knowing that he is part of Jekyll. I did feel that the book is a long read, even though it is a fairly clear and easy one. I would recommend this novel to those who enjoy Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde because, just as the title suggests, it offers another looks at our infamous Jekyll and Hyde tale, and it does a VERY good job of it. If you're big on intertextual texts, this is a must-read. One cannot say that this is an "original" text, simply because it somewhat leaches off of the J&H tale, but what text it really "original" anyhow? I did like the book even if it was assigned reading. It was a pretty good pleasure read. I especially liked how the novel was "adjusted" for the comtemporary reader, with the supplementary storyline of Mary's relationship with her father as one who also consumes a "drink." The afterword (whoever wrote it) was a nice touch.

'Mary Reilly' is a truly well-written novel. It is always consistent with the original Robert Louis Stevenson novella, and yet it offers an exciting new twist to the old tale. Though it seems impossible for there to be mystery in a story which we have all heard countless times, the reader still finds himself on the edge of his seat, wondering what will happen next. Valerie Martin makes you feel as though you ARE Mary, as though you're witnessing the transformation of Dr. Jekyll into Mr. Hyde firsthand. It is an incredible book, and a Must-Read for all Jekyll & Hyde fans.

I had to read this book for school and boy what a drag it was! This book is so focused on symbolism that it made me want to puke! If your like good literature stick to the classics.

I wonder this now that I have finished this book. Was this book formed from actual diaries of a poor housemaid secretly in love with her employer, or is this just a creative approach at writing? Don't be misled by the movie - the book is actually fascinating! Some scenes in the movie made absolutely no sense to me, so I had to check out the book. They are almost completely different. There are objects that make them bear resemblance with each other, but you will be very surprised at the difference. The movie was very exaggerated. Be prepared for some very boring chapters as well. For example: when Mary plants the herb garden. It goes on for pages and pages it seems! And her somewhat paranoid mind that actually makes you pause, feeling a little paranoid as well, and wonder "Was Dr. Jekyll's boot really there? Is it a senseless trick of Hyde's?" Umm...what does it matter??? Who on earth would move a shoe...just to be moving it??? Be patient, it gets better. Once it gets going, you can't put it down. You'll wish for more after you've finished. It ends so suddenly that it feels incomplete. A hard to find book, but worth the search. If you wouldn't mind a used copy, try http://www.half.com where I purchased mine. They always have it in stock.

I read this so long after it first came out that it was hard to get the image of Julia Roberts and John Malkovich from the film out of my head (two actors I loathe). But it is a great tribute to Valerie Martin's crisp writing that you soon forget it was ever a film, much less who starred in it, and are caught up in the quietly creepy spell she weaves as a housemaid in Victorian London slowly discovers the truth about her Master, Mr. Jekyll, and his strange, brutish assistant, Mr. Hyde. Martin wisely allows the story to unfold slowly, and she brilliantly ups the ante with the threat of impending violence and its ultimate tragic ending. Her portrait of Mary Reilly, an abused housemaid who finds solace and kinship in her strange master, is poignant, richly detailed, and gorgeously written. Forget the film, read this remarkable book and treat yourself to first-rate story telling and writing.

Studying women's studies was, for me, a very attractive option when I first went to college and was exposed to feminist ideas for the first time in my life. But I believe that it remains the case that women's studies is a complex area of study which can dramatically affect a young woman's life and career, depending upon how she studies it, where she studies it, and what she does with it. This book, because it contains the experiences of women's studies graduates in their own words (including yours truly), is of great use to women considering minoring or majoring in women's studies. It is not a path to be chosen lightly. The stories in this book will enlighten you as to its unusually personal nature as a field of inquiry and its impact on the lives and careers of its majors. Read this book!

This book gives a clear and informative approach to how society and the world has developed through breakthroughs in ecology, technology, science, and politics. It is an easy but boring read.

This book is about the highly controversial Molly Maguires and the labor troubles in the anthracite coal region of Pennsylvania. It's written for school-age children. The blurbs on the cover claim this book is historically accurate, and the author claims everything is based on historical records. Yet, at this story's climax, one of the main characters (Red, who is based on the historical figure of detective James McParlan) is depicted as a liar who commits perjury in court to convict an innocent coal miner. There is no historical proof that it happened this way. Yet, it happens to coincide nicely with the conspiracy theories that Molly Maguire apologists have been pushing for years, trying to defend the perpetrators of murder and violence in the anthracite coal fields. In other words, this book misrepresents itself and misleads impressionable young readers with a one-sided and inaccurate version of the Molly Maguires. This book is ideological propaganda masquerading as history. Not Recommended.

This book follows an Irish family mining in the hills of Pennsylvania and their involvement with the Molly Maguires, a secret society fighting-- and killing-- for miners' rights. This is not a book I would have sought out to read, but I'm glad that I happened upon it. I've actually found myself looking around for people like the two strongest male characters-- Captain Mike and Red. And this book does an excellent job of relating the real life troubles and joys of the mining communities that fueled our country's industrial booms. Something is lacking in this book, but its intentions are honorable and the combination of fact and fiction does make it enjoyable to read. I'd give it two and three-quarter stars or a B+.