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316th out of 3,368 books
—
7,793 voters
The Moonspinners
by
Mary Stewart
Young, beautiful, and adventurous Nicola Ferris loves her life as a secretary at the British Embassy on the lush island of Crete. Then on her day off, she links up with two hiking companions who have inadvertently stumbled upon a scene of blood vengeance.
And suddenly the life Nicola adores is in danger of coming to an abrupt, brutal, and terrifying end . . .
And suddenly the life Nicola adores is in danger of coming to an abrupt, brutal, and terrifying end . . .
Paperback, 400 pages
Published
November 25th 2003
by HarperTorch
(first published 1962)
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When I was in high school, I discovered these Gothic romances, and they sustained me for several years. After plowing through the ones that were already published, I watched for each new book to arrive. My 5 stars reflect how much I loved them when I was 15! Eventually, Mary Stewart turned to the Arthur saga, about which she wrote some captivating (and captivatingly long) novels, but they couldn't capture my soul like the romances did.
I thought this book would be old-fashioned and staid, but it couldn't be further. The heroine is plucky and smart, easy to relate to as she adventures in Greece and meets handsome rogues and benighted heroes. A fantastic read, best with iced tea or lemonade and a nice warm spot in the sun.
Love this book! A great mystery. Found it in my grandma's collection years ago.
I don't know if my review of this book would be the same if I was just reading it for the first time. This is one of my favorites from when I was younger, so I don't know if that's skewed my perception of it. It does have a few slow parts and it may be a bit old-fashioned, but it's just a fun read. I think I originally read it after seeing the Disney movie version with Hayley Mills that was made in the 60s. I generally liked Hayley Mills movies as a kid and I liked this movie okay, but frankly t...more
Aug 29, 2008
Amanda
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
mystery lovers, and all girls
Recommended to Amanda by:
my sister, Lisa
I've read this book at least four times since I was about 12 (which is alot for me) because I love it. I'm a big fan of Mary Stewart. She writes mysteries that also have great romance in them. This particular book gets you interested very quickly. I'd recommend this to anyone who likes mysteries, but particularly for girls since it is written in the first person. I warn you that there is a semi-slow section in the middle, but it is worth it to get to the exciting ending. If you have seen the Dis...more
I loved this book and fortunately read it before the movie was made with a younger heroine and a different ending.
This is one of my favorite books of all time. I read everything by Mary Stewart and love them all, but this book is the one I reach for every summer. It is set in Greece, and it always makes me desire to hop on a plane and fly to Greece, even though the setting adds to the fearfulness in this book.
By the way, the old movie has absolutely nothing to do with the book, even though it says it does. If I were Mary Stewart, I would have been appalled at what the movie makers did to her wonderful stor...more
By the way, the old movie has absolutely nothing to do with the book, even though it says it does. If I were Mary Stewart, I would have been appalled at what the movie makers did to her wonderful stor...more
Continuing my Mary-Stewart-athon of the summer, I whipped through The Moonspinners in pretty short order, and have to say that of all the things I've read by her to date, I liked this one almost as much as I liked Touch Not the Cat. I mean, you've got everything here. Exotic locale, check. Wounded, handsome stranger with whom heroine must spend harrowing early night as she is introduced into the action, check. Initially benign and charming but increasingly suspect place where heroine is staying,...more
This was published in the US in 1963 and I think I discovered it not long afterward, which I mention only because that's how long I've loved it. If you've never seen the dreadful movie supposedly based on this book, I beg that you run quickly in the other direction. (No disrespect to star Hayley Mills, but she was terribly miscast). This is a really delightful novel which combines romance with intrigue - the plucky heroine, the handsome leading man and his charming younger brother, the swarthy v...more
This was a re-read but I don't think I've read it in 40 years. It has held up VERY well. The re-read was inspired by my recent trip to Greece. One of the places we stayed was Mykonos which is dotted with windmills. The windmills immediately reminded me of the 60's Disney classic -The Moon-spinners, starring Hailey Mills. I "adored" that movie to borrow a HM phrase. So, the movie is now in my Netflix queue and the book upon which the movie is loosely based, came home from the library with me.
Mem...more
Mem...more
This book was a bit of a chore to get through. I read it after seeing the old disney movie, and to preview it for my daughter. First of all it was written in a very old style, that made it difficult to wade through, lots of scenery descriptions, etc. Plus the voice of the book, Niccola, was a weak narrator. The mystery itself was interesting, but not gripping. Definitely a book that you can put down and leave for a few days then finish.
My second favorite Mary Stewart book. The heroine is smart and interesting, and is able to laugh at herself. The adventure itself starts off from page one, since we are actually following Nicola's own adventure. There is no need for build-up. The characters are all great, and the description of the island and Greek island life is very good. Good romance, if subtle.
DO NOT WATCH THE MOVIE WITH HAYLEY MILLS!!!!! WHAT A WASTE.
DO NOT WATCH THE MOVIE WITH HAYLEY MILLS!!!!! WHAT A WASTE.
Most modern mysteries, often featuring psychopathic killers and terrifying action sequences, don’t appeal much to me. Stewart’s tale was unexpected; an enjoyable character portrayal in a beautiful setting, with enough glamour and romance to take pleasure in but not so much that it felt cheap, as well as enough suspense and fear to keep me turning pages, but not enough to make me want to hide under the bedclothes.
Protagonist Nicola is likable, adventurous, and believable, and easy to sympathize w...more
Protagonist Nicola is likable, adventurous, and believable, and easy to sympathize w...more
I know it seems silly to give these romantic mystery-type novels a puffed up score on the star scale, but Mary Stewart holds a nostalgic place in my heart. Her novels marked my transition from Sweet Valley High and the Babysitter's Club, to more "respectable" genres. I loved reading these in my early teenage years, and I still love to pick them up for a nice beach read every now and again. Three Cheers for Mary Stewart!
A fun and easy read, popular fiction from the 1960's. I really liked the heroine, Nicola, a British girl traveling in Greece. She innocently gets caught up in a mystery and can't manage to detach herself from it until everything is resolved. Not especially memorable and not great literature but perfect if you're looking for a quick, clean, enjoyable book. I will definitely try more from this author.
I saw the movie of this, which was decent fun, and thought it might be interesting to read the book. I loved the setting of Greece, and liked the setup of the book a lot. I didn't much care for the romance though, but that's typical for me. In the end, I didn't love it, but it was entertaining.
(FYI, there is some language, and the romance got a little too "romancy" for me once in a while.)
(FYI, there is some language, and the romance got a little too "romancy" for me once in a while.)
I'd probably give it 3 and 1/2 stars if that were possible, but it's a very fun book of its kind. What kind is that? Romantic suspense, I guess you'd call it. Classier than a romance novel, not as hard-edged as your usual mystery novel... just a plucky girl running around Crete, meeting attractive men and trying to prevent a few murders. Set in the 50s, I think. Very enjoyable read.
The story is in the details. Mary Stewart's painstakingly descriptive elements paint a vivid picture and create the suspense. It's a light, enjoyable read, originally published in the 1960s and soon after made into a Disney movie.
I adore the dozen or so romantic thrillers that Mary Stewart wrote though I could never get into the Arthurian ones. I found them in my early teens and reread them often. I was at the end of the umpteenth read of this when I realized that there isn't as much as a kiss between the heroine and hero and yet there's masses of heat. That takes some doing. I also smiled at the fact that they met and fell in love over about three days or so. I've seen books criticized for this (heck, I've written some...more
This is by far my favourite Mary Stewart, I must have read it 10 times since I was about 14, but I still remember the suspense of the first time. Of all Stewart's books I've read, this one has the most likeable characters, the most well-thought-out plot, and the best balance of romance and mystery. A favourite, even after all these years.
This has to be one of Mary Stewart's better books, which says a lot because I love her books. I found it to be just the right mixture of mystery and her usual description of the land. This story takes place on the island of Crete as as usual, Ms. Stewart's descriptions help you feel like you're there. But she didn't spend too much time on it, as I felt in some of her other books, because as she was describing what her main character (Nicola) saw, she also explained how she felt at the time. It h...more
This book was a a great mystery/suspense novel. It began immediately with a dangerous plot and kept my interested from beginning to end. The plot contained several layers of story that flowed easily from one part to the next. I recommend it as a quick easy ready that will interest and entertain through out.
Oct 04, 2008
Laurie
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
suspense and old movie lovers
Shelves:
suspense
Another great book by Stewart! I can't wait to rent the old Disney movie of this that was done in the 60's. These books totally remind me of old movies: suspense, suspense, suspense right up until the last page, then resolve, and maybe a kiss, and if not, you know "they" will end up together. loved it!!!
Nicola is all set to have a peaceful holiday in a tiny Cretan village, but on her first day out she stumbles upon a terrible situation; a young man called Mark, injured from a bullet wound, delirious with fear and worry and trying to stay hidden--he and his 15 year old brother, also on holiday, have accidentally witnessed a murder, and are seen, and shot at. Colin is abducted and Mark, left for dead, crawls away to hide. Nicola knows she has to help, somehow, but carefully--it appears that the m...more
I watched the Disney movie years ago as a kid. Mary Stewart shines with her descriptions - the best part of the book was near the beginning, where she beautifully tells the tale of the moonspinners in Greece. Otherwise, a fairly ordinary tale, probably more intriguing for a younger audience.
In this Mary Stewart thriller, the exotic location is Crete (before mass tourism); the young heroine works at the British embassy in Athens, and is taking a holiday with the older cousin who brought her up - at least in her teens - when she comes across a man in the middle of the countryside who has been shot.
In many ways, The Moon-Spinners is too much a rewrite of My Brother Michael to be really successful; it ends up being one of Stewart's most lacklustre novels. The Greek background is gorgeo...more
It's been ages since I read a Mary Stewart novel. I read a few of her books in my teens, enjoyed some and couldn't get into others. I'm glad I decided to try again (and many thanks to my GR friends for the encouragement).
Nicola is an engaging heroine. I appreciated her spunk, courage, and love of nature and beauty, yet in some ways she was also very much a young lady of the '60s. Still, she really held her own against the men in this novel, not just intellectually but physically, too. I also rea...more
Nicola is an engaging heroine. I appreciated her spunk, courage, and love of nature and beauty, yet in some ways she was also very much a young lady of the '60s. Still, she really held her own against the men in this novel, not just intellectually but physically, too. I also rea...more
I like all of Mary Stewart's suspense-romance books, and this one especially catches my imagination every time I read it, making me want to go to that specific place in Greece, see and smell those lemon trees and herbs and flowers on the hillsides, see the brilliant blue of the Mediterranean against whitewashed stone buildings and tan-dusty streets, and experience an adventure or two, though without gunfire, thank you very much. A friend of mine and I started to write a movie script based closel...more
I'm not a huge thriller fan, but I did expect to be more entertained than I was by this book. It was pretty tame.
The writing was very descriptive in parts, but then lacked in the action scenes. Overall it was kind of cute, but dated.
The writing was very descriptive in parts, but then lacked in the action scenes. Overall it was kind of cute, but dated.
Would likely be considered old fashioned these days, but this is a fine book. Highly recommended for young adult readers who like mystery and adventure, but need a break from in-your-face fantasy or high school drama.
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Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Lady Mary Stewart is a popular English novelist, and taught at the school of John Norquay elementary for 30 to 35 years, but has now retired.
She is one of the most widely read fiction writers of our time. The author of twenty novels, a volume of poetry, and three books for...more
More about Mary Stewart...
Lady Mary Stewart is a popular English novelist, and taught at the school of John Norquay elementary for 30 to 35 years, but has now retired.
She is one of the most widely read fiction writers of our time. The author of twenty novels, a volume of poetry, and three books for...more
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“Sometimes, when you're deep in the countryside, you meet three girls, walking along the hill tracks in the dusk, spinning. They each have a spindle, and on to these they are spinning their wool, milk-white, like the moonlight. In fact, it is the moonlight, the moon itself, which is why they don't carry a distaff. They're not Fates, or anything terrible; they don't affect the lives of men; all they have to do is to see that the world gets its hours of darkness, and they do this by spinning the moon down out of the sky. Night after night, you can see the moon getting less and less, the ball of light waning, while it grown on the spindles of the maidens. Then, at length, the moon is gone, and the world has darkness, and rest.....
...on the darkest night, the maidens take their spindles down to the sea, to wash their wool. And the wool slips from the spindles into the water, and unravels in long ripples of light from the shore to the horizon, and there is the moon again, rising above the sea....Only when all the wool is washed, and wound again into a white ball in the sky, can the moon-spinners start their work once more....”
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...on the darkest night, the maidens take their spindles down to the sea, to wash their wool. And the wool slips from the spindles into the water, and unravels in long ripples of light from the shore to the horizon, and there is the moon again, rising above the sea....Only when all the wool is washed, and wound again into a white ball in the sky, can the moon-spinners start their work once more....”
“But the Easter sacrifice in their own homes - well, think it over. I used to think the same as you, and I still hate to see the lambs and calves going home to their deaths on Good Friday. But isn't it a million times better than the way we do it at home, however 'humane' we try to be? Here, the lamb's petted, unsuspicious, happy - you see it trotting along with the children like a little dog. Till the knife's in its throat, it has no idea it's going to die. Isn't that better than those dreadful lorries at home, packed full of animals, lumbering on Mondays and Thursdays to the slaughterhouses, where, be as humane as you like, they can smell the blood and the fear, and have to wait their turn in a place just reeking of death?”
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updated Sep 17, 2010 02:08pm
Sep 08, 2012 07:54pm
Apr 16, 2013 03:39am