Anya Seton, whose many novels won her world-wide acclaim, wrote, for her last book, a fast-paced novel that explores the subconscious mind of a young girl whose troubled dream life parallels that of another girl who lived over 200 years earlier. A shy high school senior, Amy Delatour is a misfit in the well-to-do community in which she lives with her widowed mother and French-Canadian grandfather. Amy's passion is for the 19th-century poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, whom she sees as a romantic and tragic figure. Her ...
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Anya Seton, whose many novels won her world-wide acclaim, wrote, for her last book, a fast-paced novel that explores the subconscious mind of a young girl whose troubled dream life parallels that of another girl who lived over 200 years earlier. A shy high school senior, Amy Delatour is a misfit in the well-to-do community in which she lives with her widowed mother and French-Canadian grandfather. Amy's passion is for the 19th-century poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, whom she sees as a romantic and tragic figure. Her immersion in the poet's life and writings is partly fueled by her grandfather's tales of his ancestors and of the injustice of "le grand derangement," when the French Acadians were expelled from their home in Nova Scotia in 1775. Amy has steeped herself in the lore of the period, and the efforts of a young English teacher to draw her out through hypnosis brings unexpected results. What begins as an unauthorized attempt to free Amy from her frightening visions of the past ends with intimations of reincarnation or, at least, genetic memory. Anya Seton's many fans will not be disappointed in this closely researched and deeply engrossing novel--nor will readers new to her finely crafted historical fiction.
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Add this copy of Smouldering Fires (Rediscovered Classics) to cart. $22.07, good condition, Sold by Bookmans rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Tucson, AZ, UNITED STATES, published 2010 by Chicago Review Press.
Add this copy of Smouldering Fires (Rediscovered Classics) to cart. $22.09, good condition, Sold by Blue Vase Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Interlochen, MI, UNITED STATES, published 2010 by Chicago Review Press.
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Seller's Description:
The item shows wear from consistent use but it remains in good condition and works perfectly. All pages and cover are intact including the dust cover if applicable. Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. May NOT include discs access code or other supplemental materials.
Add this copy of Smouldering Fires to cart. $10.86, good condition, Sold by HPB-Diamond rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1977 by Signet.
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Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of Smouldering Fires to cart. $11.30, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Baltimore rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Halethorpe, MD, UNITED STATES, published 1975 by Doubleday.
Add this copy of Smouldering Fires (Rediscovered Classics) to cart. $21.09, very good condition, Sold by Greenworld Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Arlington, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2010 by Chicago Review Press.
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Very Good condition book with a firm cover and clean pages. Shows normal use and some light wear or limited notes markings. A solid nice copy to enjoy.
Add this copy of Smouldering Fires (Rediscovered Classics) to cart. $22.06, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Atlanta rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Austell, GA, UNITED STATES, published 2010 by Chicago Review Press.
Add this copy of Smouldering Fires (Rediscovered Classics) to cart. $22.06, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Baltimore rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Halethorpe, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2010 by Chicago Review Press.
Add this copy of Smouldering Fires (Rediscovered Classics) to cart. $53.69, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Santa Clarita, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2010 by Chicago Review Press.
Add this copy of Smouldering Fires to cart. $59.20, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Santa Clarita, CA, UNITED STATES, published 1978 by Hodder & Stoughton Ltd.
Add this copy of Smouldering Fires (Rediscovered Classics) to cart. $86.20, new condition, Sold by Just one more Chapter rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Miramar, FL, UNITED STATES, published 2010 by Chicago Review Press.
The item arrived promptly and in good condition --
However I was disappointed with the story line --
This of course is not the sellers responsibility --
bookfiend311
Dec 29, 2011
Anything Anya Seton
I have collected Anya Seton's work for the last 15 years or so, and never been disappointed.
Michy822
Aug 6, 2009
Great story idea, not-so-great writing
The central idea of this book -- of a girl who has some sort of psychic connection to an ancestress of 200 years past with whom she shares a name -- is captivating, and the little bits of historical detail that Seton weaves in makes it interesting. However, this book has some big weaknesses in terms of the writing. While there are passages and scenes that are very well-written, draw the reader in, and transition smoothly to other scenes, they are interrupted by passages that are poorly written and transitions that are sudden and unexplained. For instance, the beginning of the book is very weak. It's almost as though Seton was so anxious to get into the meat of the plot that she didn't want to take the time to "set up" the story. As an example, chapter one ends with Amy running way from Martin Stone, unwilling to commit to talking with him again and afraid that he would report her to a school counselor. Chapter two starts up two weeks later, with Amy and Martin meeting in his apartment. There is no explanation given for what changed Amy's mind. Such a lack of transition seems amateurish and isn't what one would expect from a seasoned writer like Seton. Also, as other reviews have stated, the ending of the book is flat. There was so much Seton could have done with the ending of a story like this, but it's almost as though one day she decided she was through writing the story and just ended it where she was. This should have been a longer book, with the weak parts better developed.
I think the story line was creative and interesting and deserves a 4; however, the writing itself deserves a 2. So I am compromising at a 3. If you've read other Seton books then you'll understand she was not at her best here. If this is your first Seton book, don't let this one turn you off. Her others are better!
