Strands of Bronze and Gold (Strands of Bronze and Gold, #1) by Jane Nickerson

Feb 25, 2013 ♥Rachel♥ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley-e-book

4.5 Stars

I’m not usually drawn to historical romances, but I’m so glad I picked this one up because it was an exciting ride! Strands of Bronze and Gold was filled with mystery and opulence, and oozed suspense. I was on the edge of my seat for much of this read!

Sophie is a girl “genteel, but only in a theoretical way.” As she goes on to explain, theoretically she knows how to live a fancy life but in practice can’t afford it. This is all about to change when her father dies unexpectedly and her g...more

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Mar 04, 2013 Wendy Darling rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: march, 2013-publication, rh, young-adult, gothic, retellings, mythic-and-fairy-tale-ish, read-2013

I was fully prepared to love this book, but alas, I ended up with more of a mild liking instead. The idea of the Bluebeard fairy tale retold tugged at my imagination, and it's true that the writing is quite lovely in parts, as well as a bit startling in others once the story finally got going in the second half.

But overall, I was disappointed to find that this ended up being a more gentle fairy tale than I would have liked. The dark story of Bluebeard is full of seductive promise, danger, and h...more

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Mar 29, 2013 Misty rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: juvenile-ya, wishlist, historical, sci_fi-fantasy, folklore-myth-fable-fairy-tall-tale, 2013-debuts_lucky-13s, horror-mystery-suspense-thriller, own, arc-or-galley, read-in-2013, retelling, review-copy-solicited

I'm always on the lookout for fairy tale retellings that take on lesser-known and lesser-used tales, so of course when I heard there was a Bluebeard retelling, I was all over that. Fortunately for me, Strands of Bronze and Golddidn't disappoint. Jane Nickerson has placed the "Bluebeard" tale in antebellum South, using a Southern Gothic style to create a retelling that is gorgeously atmospheric and lush. I thought it was such a great idea for Nickerson to place the retelling on a plantation in th...more

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Mar 25, 2013 Mitch rated it 2 of 5 stars

What if Bluebeard were a wealthy plantation owner in the Antebellum South? I’ve never pondered that question before reading Strands of Bronze and Gold, but now that I have, it seems to me like Jane Nickerson picked the least interesting way of going about an adaptation. Rather than expanding on or exploring the source material as a good retelling should, hers is a version that does nothing but overembellish the original to the point the result is a book that’s extremely poorly paced.

I suppose so...more What if Bluebeard were a wealthy plantation owner in the Antebellum South? I’ve never pondered that question before reading Strands of Bronze and Gold, but now that I have, it seems to me like Jane Nickerson picked the least interesting way of going about an adaptation. Rather than expanding on or exploring the source material as a good retelling should, hers is a version that does nothing but overembellish the original to the point the result is a book that’s extremely poorly paced.

I suppose some people might call chapter after chapter of ostentatious prose describing architecture, decorations, and *shudders* lots and lots of clothing and jewelry atmospheric, but I’m going to go with tedious, dull, and incredibly boring. A few paragraphs here and there wouldn’t have bother me, and I wasn’t too bored at first, I’m well aware of how to create a haunting atmosphere with just the right details, but Strands of Bronze and Gold just goes on and on and on. By the time a quarter of the book passes and Nickerson’s still creating the mood, setting up the atmosphere with her descriptions of Wyndriven Abbey - yes, yes, it takes place in a creepy English monastery transplanted to the Mississippi countryside, can we please move on? When will Sophia discover the dead wives? Who’ll rescue her? How and why does Bernard become a homicidal maniac? I think knowing this is a Bluebeard adaptation built up a lot of anticipation and expectation that the plot would move quickly, except, even as I’m asking those questions, I’m approaching the halfway point, and I’m still no closer to any answers. In a word, the beginning drags. Hard.

If that wasn’t bad enough, all the characters are pretty much failures for me, even after the story picks up in the second half. Bernard, obviously, is a psychopathic wife killer, but even still I didn’t like the way Nickerson approached his character. The original Bluebeard is sort of an object lesson in idle curiosity (don’t peek in that locked door!), but his descent into homicidal madness actually makes very little sense if you think about it (he couldn’t possibly have killed the first wife for discovering the dead bodies of his previous wives, she is after all, his first wife); Nickerson does include a sort of justification for Bernard’s murderous ways but it just felt really flimsy, like a third rate look at a psychotic creep. (view spoiler) And Sophia, Sophia’s reasons for marrying Bernard left a bitter taste in my mouth - after an unbelievable emotional back and forth of feelings towards her guardian, turns out for a person who knows how creepy her godfather is, a person who knows how inappropriate it is for a ward to marry her guardian, the fact she willingly submits to the marriage so she could get money to pay off her brother Harry’s gambling debts just didn’t sit right with me. Especially with the way Harry concealed the extent of his losses the first time she gave him money and then asked for more, forcing her into the wedding - I hate how she puts her own safety behind that of a compulsive gambler who’ll probably burn off whatever extra cash she gets him anyway.

If I’m kind of rambling, it’s because the book is kind of rambling, but there are two other things that pop up in the rambling that I want to point out before the rushed ending. The first is a matter of personal taste, but my favorite part of the original Bluebeard is after the wife is discovered, she’s locked in the tower and trying to buy time before Bluebeard kills her, and she keeps asking her sister whether the sister sees her brothers arriving - I read the Perrault years ago and that was the once scene that still sticks in my memory and I’m sorely disappointed of all things Nickerson had to cut from her adaptation (basically nothing), that was the scene that had to go, and with it, all the suspense. Now, it's just a one and done confrontation. The other is that the plantation setting is completely misused; frankly I would've been satisfied had there been a clearer connection between Bernard's role as a slave owner with the treatment of his wives, but for me it’s as if Nickerson picked the setting for the romanticism of the Antebellum South Gone with the Wind style, then thought better of it because slavery is of course wrong and added some shallow nods to abolitionism to make things right, but of course that for me only makes things worse, like acknowledging a bad situation without really getting why it’s wrong.

Anyway, I don’t think Strand of Bronze and Gold is a very good Bluebeard adaptation - it drags at the beginning and is terribly rushed at the end. I didn’t like the characters and the setting was problematic to put it politely, so I can’t say I liked this.(less)

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Feb 14, 2013 Evie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, loved-it

It was amazing. It was breathtaking. Intense. Beautiful. Dark and gothic. Thrilling. Scary. Heart-pounding (the last 1/3rd of the story). And then.. it ended. Very abruptly. I loved the entire book but was a bit let down by the ending :( But overall a fantastic retelling of the "Bluebeard" fairy tale!

Full review to come closer to the release date!

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Apr 10, 2013 Cassie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-that-i-ll-remember

This book actually lived up to my expectations! Which, were high indeed.

I shall take the time to write a proper review soon...

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May 18, 2013 JennRenee rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: release-feb-hardcover, netgalley-and-arc-tbr, challenge-2013-spring-read

Review:
This is one of the few books this year I wanted right away. I was so happy to see it on audio and WOW is all I can say. I didn’t go into this book with any expectations because I really wasn’t familiar with the Bluebeard folktale. I started the book without any inkling what was to come. Part way through the book I did get curious and looked up the folk tale and it only excited me more for the book. If you don’t know the folktale you will need to look it up. It’s just creepy very creepy an...more

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Nov 05, 2012 Bethany rated it 5 of 5 stars

I got my hands on an advance copy of this novel and LOVED it! Well written with beautiful descriptive detail, it was an intelligent but easy read. The captivating villain (Bluebeard!) hooked me in the beginning and the well-paced plot kept me turning pages all the way to the dramatic ending. Set in Mississippi before the Civil War, I enjoyed all of the period details as well as the touch of the supernatural. As a reader of dozens of fiction books every year, I would highly recommend this as a mu...more

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Apr 18, 2013 Kim (Book Swoon) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-debut-author-challege, 2013-reading-challege

Strands of Bronze and Gold is an inspired retelling of the classic Fairy Tale Bluebeard. Jane Nickerson has put a creative twist to the traditional story by changing the setting to historic Mississippi in the late 1800’s, at the Wyndriven Abbey. It combines elements of romance, suspense and Gothicism with lush descriptions and imagery.

My Summary:

After the death of her father, seventeen year old Sophia Petheram receives a mysterious letter from her godfather, the dark and mysterious Monsieur Bern...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Ashley (Nose Graze) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, e-arc

Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson - He wanted me to have only him

BookNook — Young Adult book reviews

2.5 Stars

Strands of Bronze and Gold was written well and certainly had interesting elements, but unfortunately the majority of the book was boring. The problem is that once Sophia arrives at the Abbey, Bernard doesn't let her go anywhere or do anything. As such, 95% of the book takes place in the Abbey. Sophia wanders around, has dinner with Bernard, and explores a little. And 352 pages of that just gets uninteresting really quickly. There are long, drawn out...more

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Jan 07, 2013 Dodie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Nickerson does a great job in creating the world that young Sophia Petheram enters when she agrees to join Monsieur Bernard de Cressac, at his Wyndriven Abbey estate in Mississippi. This retelling of the Bluebeard fairy tale stays true to the original precept, but with decidedly Southern twists and attitudes. Readers will already be suspicious of Bernard's intentions, and will be rooting for Sophia to take matters into her own hands as she also starts to wonder about the true nature of the demis...more

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Nov 22, 2012 KT marked it as to-read

Shelves: 2013, historical-fiction, mystery-thriller, retellings, series, young-adult

High expectations for this :). Retellings are always iffy, but when done right, its brilliant.

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May 18, 2013 Lis rated it 4 of 5 stars

I liked the particular setting chosen for the backdrop of this retelling. It gave it more depth and breadth than the secluded single room of gore the original tale provides. The secondary characters were fleshed out enough to make me care for their well-being as much as Sophie's. Unlikely as it seems, this retelling is not focused solely on Sophie; there is more that we see than just the fairytale's storyline, and the setting works beautifully to that effect.

There is a low haunting terror here -...more

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Apr 23, 2013 Whitney rated it 3 of 5 stars

Strands of Bronze and Gold has a slow simmering suspense that is successful--I think that because you already know how the story goes so you can enjoy the ride, looking for small hints and manifestations of the macabre in the characters and plot. This book also has a dark undercurrent--enough that it could go from picturesque and fascinating to suddenly chilling.

The pre-Civil War South and Wyndriven Abbey were so atmospheric and while they aren't the typical settings for the Bluebeard story, the...more

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Apr 16, 2013 Natalie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Natalie by: RandomBuzzers

Shelves: favorites, own

This book is utterly bewitching. The author weaves a tapestry of magic and madness that is irresistible. Reading this book, I came to really admire her subtlety. Very little actually happens during the first third of the book, yet I was never bored and I kept getting this shivery sense of anticipation that something awful was drawing near.

The story starts with Sophie. She's a trusting girl, full of excitement about going to live with her mysterious godfather. When she first arrives, it is like s...more

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Apr 10, 2013 Elizabeth rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 01, 2013 Amy Lignor rated it 5 of 5 stars

Talk about Jane Austen with a twist! In fact, this is one of those novels that offers the historical and romantic beauty of Austen, yet also provides enough spine-tingling chills for the most modern-day paranormal and suspense lover to jump on board.

Our main character is Sophia. A good girl, she has lived a wonderful life thus far, although money has been extremely tight. She’s only ever seen ‘riches’ when her godfather - an old friend of her father’s - would send gifts to her on birthdays, holi...more Talk about Jane Austen with a twist! In fact, this is one of those novels that offers the historical and romantic beauty of Austen, yet also provides enough spine-tingling chills for the most modern-day paranormal and suspense lover to jump on board.

Our main character is Sophia. A good girl, she has lived a wonderful life thus far, although money has been extremely tight. She’s only ever seen ‘riches’ when her godfather - an old friend of her father’s - would send gifts to her on birthdays, holidays, etc. He was always doting on her, and now the time has come for Sophia to meet him face-to-face.

When her father dies suddenly, Sophia knows she must find a way to support her siblings and accepts an invitation from her godfather to come stay with him at his stunning Louisiana estate called, Wyndriven Abbey.

This is 1855, and slaves are a part of life at the Abbey, but the most uncomfortable thing for Sophia becomes her guardian’s slightly overzealous feelings for her. Bernard de Cressac certainly doesn’t lack when it comes to charm; however, as his secrets are revealed one by one, Sophia soon learns that he has buried many wives who suffered various ‘accidents,’ as well as one who committed suicide. As Bernard goes off on his various business trips, Sophia uncovers even more information that makes her wonder if there is any chance whatsoever of her breaking free from the frightening ‘castle’ alive.

Meeting up with a Reverend Gideon, Sophia soon understands that he is the only one she can count on to get out of the situation that’s growing more strange by the second. From a war hero to a literal monster, Sophia must use her wits to get out of the clutches of this man.

This author is so good at her job that the reader can immediately feel their own skin start to melt as she explains the heat that’s felt in a carriage ride through the Deep South, and they can almost see the weight of the humidity upon the oppressed willow trees. From the explanations of the mythological paintings gracing the Abbey’s walls to the stunning grounds that hold a medieval, gated chapel that’s locked in order to keep prying eyes away, each page of this book feels like a literal dream.

Until Next Time, Everybody,
Amy

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Apr 01, 2013 Liz rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-lit, twisted-retold-fairytales

Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson is an engrossing and Gothic retelling of the Bluebeard folktale by Charles Perrault. The novel follows seventeen-year-old Sophia Petheram as she becomes the ward to her mysterious godfather, Bernard de Cressac at Wyndriven Abbey in 1850's Mississippi. Wyndriven Abbey holds many secrets, not the least of which is her godfather himself. Sophia must unravel the secrets the Abbey and its master hold in order to survive.

The Gothic style of this retelling...more

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Mar 30, 2013 Magda rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, young-adult, paranormal, mystery, historical, fantasy

This book is Criminal Minds [victim’s perspective] meets the Grimm brothers. As a fairy tale lover, I was expecting a bit more out of Strands of Bronze and Gold. As a reader, I enjoyed the way that the author took liberties with the story.

My first impression of Sophia Petheram was – boring. Sophia is supposed to have this insatiable curiosity that moves the story forward - and Bernard even calls her out on it - but I really did not find her all that inquisitive. She spends the first third of the...more This book is Criminal Minds [victim’s perspective] meets the Grimm brothers. As a fairy tale lover, I was expecting a bit more out of Strands of Bronze and Gold. As a reader, I enjoyed the way that the author took liberties with the story.

My first impression of Sophia Petheram was – boring. Sophia is supposed to have this insatiable curiosity that moves the story forward - and Bernard even calls her out on it - but I really did not find her all that inquisitive. She spends the first third of the book languishing in obsession, the second third just hanging around, and it wasn’t till the end that she really came through. As this novel is a Bluebeard retelling, I feel like the author could have added more action to Sophie’s everyday life. (Hello, there's a serial killer in the house! I want to see some sense of urgency.) There were qualities I admired such as her compassionate attitude with the enslaved servitude and the fact that she did evaluate what she was chose to do and did not act upon sheer stupidity.

Monsieur Bernard de Cressac was a creep. At the same time, he’s probably my favorite character in this book. Out of all the characters, it is Bernard that is the most fleshed out. In this retelling of Bluebeard, Bernard was a hottie. People did not avoid him because of a hideous beard; no, his good looks encouraged his air of mystery around town. What really tore me up was Sophia’s infatuation with him. I thought it was oogie that even though he was her father’s age and, of all relationships, her godfather, he still dared to hit on her. That was a very disturbing angle. A godfather is to take the place of a father that for whatever reason has been removed out of a child’s life. I felt that this added twist showed the extent of Bernard’s sick mind. I’ve never thought of the story of Bluebeard as merely one of a serial killer.

To my surprise, the author introduced another more romantic counterpart to Sophia. I thought it a very good choice, because it helped set up a background story to Sophia’s future marriage. In the original tale, I always found it lacking that the girl lived happily ever after because she now had money. The end. Gideon was refreshing, and he gave Sophia something to do while she dealt with the creep of her godfather. Another twist the author added was the plainness of Gideon’s looks. In most of the books I’ve read the guy that gets the girls is usually good looking. At one point in the story, in order to calm Bernard down, Sophia even actually blasts on how ugly Gideon is. I really respect Gideon, especially since he cherished her despite her disregard for her personal reputation. The one phrase that comes to mind when I think of Gideon is “aww, you tender-hearted fool.”

In retellings, authors may bend off of the original story line, which can either go well or not. I was pleasantly surprised with the direction that Nickerson decided to take with the ending. She did somewhat incorporate the rescue-by-brother, but it was not a central part of the story. Though the one-dimensional Sophie in the first third lowered the reading experience for me, the characters are more real and believable and the plot intriguing.
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Mar 23, 2013 Donna The Happy Booker rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairy-tale, ghosts, read-in-2013, southern-fiction

Books like this make me face uncomfortable truths about myself, such as, maybe I'm just not a very nice person. The reason I come to this conclusion is that, when faced with a foolishly naive character, I usually root for the "villain" to kill her off. I find myself losing patience with characters who are so painfully oblivious that I think it is only fair that the much more interesting and complex "bad guy" character get the pleasure of torturing and murdering her for my entertainment. And I'm...more

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Mar 14, 2013 Liviania rated it 4 of 5 stars

Sophia Petheram grew up poor but happy with her three siblings. When their father dies, she is invited to live with her wealthy godfather Monsieur Bernard de Cressac. Thus she goes to live in Mississippi, far from her home in the North, to live with a man she only knew through his extravagant gifts.

Sophie is initially charmed by Monsieur Bernard, who offers her a life of luxury and indolence. She loves the pretty dresses and excellent food. However, there is a darkness lurking in Wyndriven Abbey...more Sophia Petheram grew up poor but happy with her three siblings. When their father dies, she is invited to live with her wealthy godfather Monsieur Bernard de Cressac. Thus she goes to live in Mississippi, far from her home in the North, to live with a man she only knew through his extravagant gifts.

Sophie is initially charmed by Monsieur Bernard, who offers her a life of luxury and indolence. She loves the pretty dresses and excellent food. However, there is a darkness lurking in Wyndriven Abbey. There are Monsieur Bernard's many former wives - all redheads like Sophie. There's his need for control and his temper. There are the slaves, something the daughter of an abolitionist finds intolerable. Eventually, Sophie cannot ignore her instincts and she begins to investigate Monsieur Bernard's secrets and assert her own personality.

At first, STRANDS OF BRONZE AND GOLD didn't have much to interest me aside from the setting. I love the fairytale "Bluebeard," but it seemed like the novel was moving so slow. I loved the descriptions of Sophie's new world and how well Jan Nickerson's prose evoked the oppressive heat of Mississippi, but it felt like nothing was happening. When a visitor comes to town and helps Sophie find her resolve, STRANDS OF BRONZE AND GOLD clicked into place for me. Suddenly, the novel was working. Shortly after that moment, I fell completely in love with STRANDS OF BRONZE AND GOLD when something happens to make Sophie realize the difference between idly crushing on Monsieur Bernard and having him return her affections. It's a creepy, quiet evil in a novel full of more theatric, Gothic evils.

I cannot praise the setting enough. Nickerson manages to make the pre-Civil War South fairytale romantic and dreamy, but the sort of romance that has edges and dreams that turn to nightmares. Fitting, since "Bluebeard" is one of the most menacing fairytales I've ever heard. Nickerson does not pave over history to make the story work, but instead weaves the two together. Sophie would free all the slaves escape if she could, but she's mostly ineffectual. She's unfamiliar with the area, has no real power at Wyndriven Abbey, and there's no reason for anyone to trust her when she claims to want to help. And her efforts for one individual often make things worse for others.

For those familiar with "Bluebeard," STRANDS OF BRONZE AND GOLD will hold few surprises. Yet it's a story that always has the power to startle because it's so macabre. And Nickerson does a wonderful job of bringing something new to the tale. Sophie is not innocently curious, but haunted by her glimpses of Monsieur Bernard's evil and her strange kinship with his wives.

I'm eager to see Nickerson complete her trilogy and transform more fairytales. STRANDS OF BRONZE AND GOLD will appeal to fans of Sarah Rees Brennan's UNSPOKEN and Donna Jo Napoli's BREATH. (less)

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Mar 12, 2013 Beccaz rated it 4 of 5 stars

Strands of Bronze and Gold is a retelling of the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale “Bluebeard,” set in Mississippi in 1855. Recently orphaned Sophia Pethram is sent to live at Wyndriven Abbey with her godfather, the rich and mysterious Monsieur Bernard de Cressac. Confronted with his fluctuating moods, controlling personality, and mysterious past wives (all with hair as red as her own), Sophia tries to control her feelings for him as she begins to discover the truth about M. Bernard and his mysterious,...more Strands of Bronze and Gold is a retelling of the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale “Bluebeard,” set in Mississippi in 1855. Recently orphaned Sophia Pethram is sent to live at Wyndriven Abbey with her godfather, the rich and mysterious Monsieur Bernard de Cressac. Confronted with his fluctuating moods, controlling personality, and mysterious past wives (all with hair as red as her own), Sophia tries to control her feelings for him as she begins to discover the truth about M. Bernard and his mysterious, terrible past. She hunts down his secrets, and his hold on her tightens. Eventually, something has to break.

First of all, I’d like to thank Randombuzzers.com (a.k.a. Random House) for giving me this opportunity and awesome ARC through their Ambuzzadors program. I apologize that it’s taken me so long to write my review.

So, when I first started Strands of Bronze and Gold, I wasn’t too impressed. I felt that the writing style wasn’t quite as polished or mature as it could have been, Sophie was bland and overly naïve, and M. Bernard’s actions were just completely over the top. There were also a few details/references that I felt were completely unnecessary: M. Bernard’s beard having a “bluish” cast to it, Sophia’s copy of Grimm’s Fairy Tales, and maybe the constant going on and on and on about her red hair and M. Bernard’s admiration of it. To simplify, it was moving pretty slowly.

As I went on, I started to like it a bit more: the writing improved a lot (or maybe I just adjusted, I’m not sure), but M. Bernard’s flirting and overly controlling attitude and Sophia’s continued naivety still had me banging my head in frustration. I wanted to scream at her for being such an idiot for not seeing the signs that this was an abusive relationship.

Then of course, she finally figured out that something was up. That was when I actually started liking the story, because things were starting to finally move. From there on, things were pretty awesome: Sophia starts listening to her eyes and using her brains, M. Bernard’s nasty side has come out, etc. I was still yelling at Sophia for being an idiot, of course, but it was out of concern for her safety now (that’s always a sign of a good book). When everything finally ended, I was very pleased.

One of things I did like consistently throughout the book, though, was the setting; Jane Nickerson did a great job creating and maintaining the southern, pre-civil war atmosphere. She populated it with a wonderful variety of characters, and while there were one or two times where I questioned the authenticity of clothing choices, everything else was absolutely wonderful.

Overall, I thought it was a pretty decent book. It may have started out really slow, but it ended up being really great, and Jane Nickerson did a great job making me love and hate the characters.

Recommend: yes
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Mar 11, 2013 Mariah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, arc, ebook, march-13, series

I love historical novels so when I heard that Strands of Bronze and Gold was both a historical novel and a retelling I knew I had to read it!

I had never read the story of Bluebeard before reading this book so when I started reading it all I knew was that Bernard was creepy as all get out. I could see how Sophia could find him alluring but I was screaming at her to get away, from the first couple chapters.

I think the pre-civil war setting really fit the story. It made Bernard's actions not seem s...more

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Mar 07, 2013 Annette rated it 4 of 5 stars

Strands of Bronze and Gold is a retelling of the Bluebeard fairy tale. So, let me just say, I knew nothing about this fairy tale before reading this book. And, I don't think it mattered.

When Sophia Petheram's father dies, she is invited to live with her godfather, Monsieur Bernard de Cressac in his mansion, Wyndriven Abbey, in Mississippi. She's always been spoiled by her godfather, and doesn't hesitate to accept his offer, and leave her brothers and sister in Boston.

She is initially charmed by...more Strands of Bronze and Gold is a retelling of the Bluebeard fairy tale. So, let me just say, I knew nothing about this fairy tale before reading this book. And, I don't think it mattered.

When Sophia Petheram's father dies, she is invited to live with her godfather, Monsieur Bernard de Cressac in his mansion, Wyndriven Abbey, in Mississippi. She's always been spoiled by her godfather, and doesn't hesitate to accept his offer, and leave her brothers and sister in Boston.

She is initially charmed by M de Cressac, and he lavishes her with gifts. She is surprised that his wife has died, but she enjoys exploring the mansion and grounds. Slowly Sophia realizes that there's more to M de Cressac than she realizes. First of all, he's moody and can have a very hot temper. He restricts Sophie's movements so that she has no one to talk to. And, Sophie discovers disturbing things about his marital history.

What all seems like the greatest bit of fortune that Sophie has ever dreamed of slowly (very, very slowly) turns into what basically amounts to a prison. Any attempt Sophie makes to procure more freedom is met with more and more walls being set before her.

There are several secondary characters that are important, but this is essentially Sophie's story. I have mixed feelings about the pacing of Strands of Bronze and Gold. I felt the build up was too slow. After Sophie arrives at Wyndriven Abbey, there is a lot of set up before anything sinister even remotely begins to happen. I'm just afraid that some readers will give up too soon -- and really, you shouldn't. It's a small complaint about what turns out to be a fiendishly macabre story. I loved the impression of the noose getting tighter and tighter around Sophie's neck. The slow and deliberate pace was perfect, even if the reader really knows what's going on before Sophie does.

I felt sorry for Sophie, but in the end appreciated her strength. There's a great deal of growth in her character, as there needs to be in order for her to overcome the great obstacles that M de Cressac sets before her.

All in all, Strands of Bronze and Gold is a satisfying story that I will happily recommend to teens who enjoy a twisted, sinister tale.(less)

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Mar 07, 2013 Patty rated it 5 of 5 stars

Strands Of Bronze And Gold
By
Jane Nickerson

My "in a nutshell" summary...

Sophia goes to live with her "godfather" who may just be Bluebeard the Pirate.

My thoughts after reading this book...

I read most of this book rather breathlessly. It just could not be helped. It involved a sort of evil diabolical older man...a quite wealthy older man...and his red haired goddaughter. Bernard has a "thing" shall we say for lovely red haired women. He marries them and invariably they seem to have miserable lives...more

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Mar 02, 2013 Kathy Martin rated it 4 of 5 stars

STRANDS OF BRONZE AND GOLD moves the Bluebeard fairy tale to the pre-Civil War South where it meshes nicely with the plantation lifestyle. The story is filled with gothic creepiness and a strong sense of foreboding—and ghosts.

Seventeen-year-old Sophia is first pleased to be moving to rural Mississippi to live with her godfather. Her family life in Boston is uncomfortable. After the death of their father, she and her older sister and brothers are living in very reduced circumstances.

When Sophia...more STRANDS OF BRONZE AND GOLD moves the Bluebeard fairy tale to the pre-Civil War South where it meshes nicely with the plantation lifestyle. The story is filled with gothic creepiness and a strong sense of foreboding—and ghosts.

Seventeen-year-old Sophia is first pleased to be moving to rural Mississippi to live with her godfather. Her family life in Boston is uncomfortable. After the death of their father, she and her older sister and brothers are living in very reduced circumstances.

When Sophia arrives in Mississippi at Wyndriven Abbey, she is dazzled by her dashing new guardian and by the lavish gifts he showers on her. It doesn't take too long though for cracks to appear in the glittery surface. Sophia doesn't like that she is cut off from all contact with anyone outside the plantation. She doesn't like how the slaves are treated. She doesn't like the number of secrets that are being kept from her. Just how many wives has Bernard de Cressac had? She doesn't like Bernard's volatile temper and the accommodations she must make to keep from setting it off.

When she meets a young minister in the woods by her home, she falls in love with him. However, she fears for his safety if de Cressac learns of his existence. After all, a slave who treated her kindly was taken from the house and sent it work in the fields of the plantation. De Cressac treats the slaves like animals while Sophia sees them as human beings.

When Bernard first proposes to Sophia, she declines but he doesn't take her no for an answer. It isn't until he allows her family to visit and she sees the potential he has to ruin their lives that she agrees to marry the man she has come to fear and loathe. Sophia is much more than de Cressac every supposes though. Beneath her young, naive appearance is a practical and courageous young woman who will fight for her safety and happiness.

This story will appeal to those who like romances, those who like ghost stories, and those who like some creepiness in their fiction. I loved the language in this one which swept me into the story.(less)

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Feb 16, 2013 Ophelia Mercy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Bluebeard, yeah you don't know it either? Thats fine niether did I. Jane Nickerson(awesome last name) has "retold" the tale in her debut book "Starands of Bronze and Gold". I have made a list of what I believe to be the books high and low points. I hope that ot helps you(faithful readers) out just a bit.

Pros+
+The south with rise again! S.B.G takes place in one of the southern most states, though I can't think of it just noow. The atmoshpere in the book, as well as historic tie-ins help make this...more Bluebeard, yeah you don't know it either? Thats fine niether did I. Jane Nickerson(awesome last name) has "retold" the tale in her debut book "Starands of Bronze and Gold". I have made a list of what I believe to be the books high and low points. I hope that ot helps you(faithful readers) out just a bit.

Pros+
+The south with rise again! S.B.G takes place in one of the southern most states, though I can't think of it just noow. The atmoshpere in the book, as well as historic tie-ins help make this more then a typical Y-A tale.
+Our herione is well written and dimensinal as can be. Sophia shows a true amount of caring for the slaves, her godfather(Bluebeard) and even her distant family.
+Bluebeard himself is a sympithetic villian. He has so much personality that it is almost to much(see cons list)
+The side characters are sparse but acceptable enough.
+By the end of the book we get the shock of our lives(not quite).

Cons-
-Bluebeard is such a strong character that poor Sophia is all but lost amongst the pages.
-The handling of historic facts isn't exactly good. Not really bad, but not great either.
-Not a single character will stay with you an hour after finishing the book.
-I kept noticing the disjointment of the ideas. An example of this would be, the brides; they slipped into the back-ground forgotten almost. The jerked back into the book. Or for that matter Ducky, the maid; Ducky is one of the biggest side characters in the book. However she gets dropped off the faced of the earth in seconds, is forgotten and the randomly re-appears.
-The romance betwixt Sophia and the young priest(right?)is jsut not really there. One second its like he is just another weak side character then, BAMMMM! She is in love with him.

All in all the book is good enough, and for the most part well written. I am basing this review off of the ARC copy so it may change, but still. I would like to read another one of Nirckersons(YES!) novels. Why did the book get three stars? Easy, the cons were a bit easier to pick out for me. I hope I have helped in any sort of way!(less)

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Feb 02, 2013 Val rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-books, netgalley-books, ya-lit-class-books

Strands of Bronze and Gold is a re-imagined tale of Bluebeard and his doomed wives. It is set in the Civil War period in Mississippi. This is a very sinister tale filled with horror, romance, hard choices, and a coming of age plot that is realistic and satisfying to the reader.

Young Sophia who longs for a better life is sent to live with her godfather Monsieur Bernard de Cressac at his Abby home in Mississippi after the death of her father. Her family is now penniless and her future is bleak. W...more Strands of Bronze and Gold is a re-imagined tale of Bluebeard and his doomed wives. It is set in the Civil War period in Mississippi. This is a very sinister tale filled with horror, romance, hard choices, and a coming of age plot that is realistic and satisfying to the reader.

Young Sophia who longs for a better life is sent to live with her godfather Monsieur Bernard de Cressac at his Abby home in Mississippi after the death of her father. Her family is now penniless and her future is bleak. With no other option she accepts her godfather's invitation to live with him at his Abby. There she is spoiled and pampered beyond her wildest dreams after she arrives. While Monsieur Bernard is a doting father figure, his wild tastes and lavish almost deprived lifestyle start to wear down Sophia's defenses. As he encourages her to abandon her strict beliefs and embrace a wilder existence she begins to unravel the story behind his many tragic marriages. But as she pieces together her godfathers mysterious past she begins to realize that she is trapped in a a dangerous net that might end her life.

This story is filled with passion, mystery, horror and intrigue. It took me a bit to really enjoy the story. At first I feared that it would slip into the more romantically deprived story line that some other versions have ventured. However, while there are some innuendos and devious behavior on the part of Bernard and other characters it doesn't cross the line. As the story picks up and Sophia discovers more about Bernard's past I could hardly put the book down. It was a good read and one that I would recommend.

The good-
I liked that it had a very complex plot with difficult choices for the main character. She wasn't just blindsided by the villains deception. The escalating abuse was realistic and well written. It didn't just pop up out of no where. Bernard's madness was triggered by events in his earlier life.
I also liked the additional slavery element and how Sophia discovers her morality and revulsion for the practice and her godfathers treatment of his servants. The underground railroad addition was a nice touch and did not detract from the main story.

The bad-
It took me a while to like Sophia. The fact that she was portrayed as very sheltered was a bit over the top at first. At least the author fixed that aspect further along in the book. Lastly, the ending came rather quickly for me. It wasn't horrible but I felt that another chapter would have fleshed it out better.

Rating- I give this 4 out of 5 stars. It is a very creative and imaginative story. The horror is not overdone or too graphic for more sensitive readers. The only reason it doesn't get a five is because the main character is hard to like for the first quarter of the book and the ending is rather short. Other than that I would definitely recommend this to teens looking for a fairy tale book without all the princess fluff. (less)

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Jan 14, 2013 Marian Adducci rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-read, fantasy, historical-fiction, ya

It's a relief to come across a young adult novel that doesn't romanticize the handsome-but-controlling lead. I'll be honest, Bernard's early treatment of Sophia--undermining her independence and agency, manipulating her view of herself and of him--struck me as more horrifying than his later behavior, simply because it was easy to see just why Sophia wound up convincing herself to ignore his issues for so long. And Sophia herself is quite likable and sympathetic, with moments of impressive courag...more

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Dec 28, 2012 Dianne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-fiction, arc-read, dark-fantasy, historical-fiction, netgalley, murder-mystery, survival

Young Sophie goes to live with her godfather in the South on his plantation after the death of her own father in Boston. Bernard has always been generous and kind to Sophie and has offered to be her guardian until she reaches adulthood, thus easing the burden on her older siblings. It is the nineteenth century and slavery is still a part of life.

At first, completely enthralled by Bernard's kindness and generosity, Sophie is living a life she could only dream of before. Soon she realizes she has...more

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Crazy for Young A...: Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson → Start Date: June 17, 2013	7	9	May 13, 2013 07:50pm
Shut Up & Read: Giveaway	1	18	Feb 24, 2013 12:43pm

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