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75th out of 3,151 books
—
13,799 voters
Forever Amber
Abandoned pregnant and penniless on the teeming streets of London, 16-year-old Amber St. Clare manages, by using her wits, beauty, and courage, to climb to the highest position a woman could achieve in Restoration England-that of favorite mistress of the Merry Monarch, Charles II. From whores and highwaymen to courtiers and noblemen, from events such as the Great Plague an...more
Paperback, 972 pages
Published
July 25th 2002
by Penguin
(first published 1944)
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A little known trivia about this book. Artie Shaw wanted his beautiful young wife Ava Gardner to be well read, and so he encouraged her to read many intellectual books. He was very annoyed when he found her reading Forever Amber. He called it a 'trashy romance novel.' Years later Artie Shaw would wed the author, Kathleen Winsor.
80 likes · like · see review
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Amber takes you through one of the most interesting periods in the English history. A feisty, brave and independent heroine who is not afraid to go after what she wants!!
10 stars!!
10 stars!!
21 likes · like · see review
Like Amber’s frilly drawers, my thoughts on this book regularly went up and down.
It’s a lusty romp through Restoration England taking in Newgate prison, bawdy taverns and theatres, the plague, the great fire of London, royal courts, various bedrooms and general day to day life of the 1660s.
Amber was one hell of a character, an anti-heroine in the mould of Scarlett O’Hara. She fought hard for what she wanted at the expense of anyone who got in her way, and as with Scarlett, sometimes I was chee...more
It’s a lusty romp through Restoration England taking in Newgate prison, bawdy taverns and theatres, the plague, the great fire of London, royal courts, various bedrooms and general day to day life of the 1660s.
Amber was one hell of a character, an anti-heroine in the mould of Scarlett O’Hara. She fought hard for what she wanted at the expense of anyone who got in her way, and as with Scarlett, sometimes I was chee...more
15 likes · like · see review
I know some of you just love this book...and I'm happy for you...you are the good kind people who are able to go out into the world and make friends easily because you see the good in everyone regardless of how horrible and shallow and rotten they are.
I am not like you...I'm fussy, I'm particular, I'm very judgmental...and I could only stand to read 323 pages of this awful book!
I too am one of those people who thinks you should finish the book if you start it. I have never left a review about a...more
I am not like you...I'm fussy, I'm particular, I'm very judgmental...and I could only stand to read 323 pages of this awful book!
I too am one of those people who thinks you should finish the book if you start it. I have never left a review about a...more
24 likes · like · see review
Ugh! I thought I'd never finish this book. I have never before read so many pages about a protagonist I hated this much.
At the beginning of the book, Amber is a childish, selfish, spoiled little brat who uses her natural beauty and sexuality to get what she wants. But I thought, it's a book about a journey! Life will Happen, Amber will learn and grow and become a better person, and by the end of the book, I'll be happy when good things happen to her.
Well. Life did happen, but Amber didn't change...more
At the beginning of the book, Amber is a childish, selfish, spoiled little brat who uses her natural beauty and sexuality to get what she wants. But I thought, it's a book about a journey! Life will Happen, Amber will learn and grow and become a better person, and by the end of the book, I'll be happy when good things happen to her.
Well. Life did happen, but Amber didn't change...more
23 likes · like · see review
I first read this book in 1968 and started a life-long interest in Restoration England. This novel (the unabridged version, if you please) I smuggled away to read at night. Back then, such books were not considered suitable reading material for 12 year olds.
Amber herself reminds me now of Scarlett O'Hara in GWTW (a book I didn't read until much later). Besides, my interest was not in the heroine but in the times, the events and (naturally) King Charles II himself. Okay, I'll admit to being a bit...more
Amber herself reminds me now of Scarlett O'Hara in GWTW (a book I didn't read until much later). Besides, my interest was not in the heroine but in the times, the events and (naturally) King Charles II himself. Okay, I'll admit to being a bit...more
8 likes · like · see review
"Never again, she had promised herself a dozen times will I be such a fool." Yeah right, like we all know that's never going to happen don't we?
Amber St. Clare never felt she belonged with the poor family who raised her, and when one day a troop of cavaliers ride into her village she's swept away by Lord Bruce Carlton. Well, actually its more like the other way around - Amber won't say no and begs Bruce to take her to London and against his better judgment he agrees - although lust for the beau...more
Amber St. Clare never felt she belonged with the poor family who raised her, and when one day a troop of cavaliers ride into her village she's swept away by Lord Bruce Carlton. Well, actually its more like the other way around - Amber won't say no and begs Bruce to take her to London and against his better judgment he agrees - although lust for the beau...more
24 likes · like · see review
This book had everything you could ask for in historical fiction - court intrigue, infidelites, Newgate prison, smallpox, the plague, fire in London...It kept me going for 992 pages, yet I hated every character - there was no one with any redeeming qualities!! It was a very interesting read!
11 likes · like · see review
Fun and lusty romp through Restoration London following adventuress Amber St Clare as she claws her way from humble beginnings to success at the Royal Court as Charles II's mistress. A good blend of history and fiction with lots of intrigue, my only complaint being that some of the plot twists and turns were just a little too convenient and some were probably a little too implausible. Overall though, a thoroughly enjoyable read.
Buddy read with Anna :-).
5 likes · like · see review
Jul 23, 2012
Renae M.
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
read-in-2012,
historical-fiction
I think, but I don’t remember exactly, that Forever Amber was recommended to me because I liked Gone with the Wind. Not sure. I couldn’t tell you how I found this book, to be honest. In any case, I think it’s arguably similar to Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind, though hopefully (I haven’t done enough research into the Restoration period) it’s a bit more historically accurate. Anyway, there will be some Amber/Scarlett comparisons in this review.
The big thing about this book, and the elemen...more
The big thing about this book, and the elemen...more
This book is titled after the main character in this story Amber. She is the most selfish, self loving, not so bright, lucky, social climbing character I have ever read. I found her so awful I had to put the book down half-way through because I didn't like her. She cares for no-one but herself and on her way up the social ladder she tramples on anyone who gets in her way and shows no remorse.
And yet I came back to it. The book itself is well written and gives a somewhat historical reference of t...more
And yet I came back to it. The book itself is well written and gives a somewhat historical reference of t...more
1 like · like · see review
What a book! It felt more like an epic, with its length but fascinating read. The leading lady, Amber, was somebody that I found myself both rooting for and despiting her. She was the type of person who you wanted to succeed, to be happy, to be with her love, yet your nose crinkle in disdain about her dishonourable actions. Her discontempt for others, and her egostical attitude.
Definitely a fun read- but not by any means light! If you're looking for a book to last a few weeks on a vacation, thi...more
Definitely a fun read- but not by any means light! If you're looking for a book to last a few weeks on a vacation, thi...more
I alternate between admiring and disliking this character as I did with Scarlet O'Hara in Gone with the Wind. Either way, she is memorable. British aristocracy is painted as repulsive in those days, as in other eras also. I guess that is why it is so fascinating.
Horrible book! Not a romantic one at all! i was extremely surprised that it was ever advertised as that...very depressing...Main character is very superficail and remains so through the entire book
4.5 stars for sheer enjoyment. This book is trashy and ridiculous as all hell. Naturally, I loved it. Equal parts mintuely detailed historical description and glorious high camp, it has my name written all over it.
I read this book because of my grandfather. That sounds funny, but my grandpa Duke was in WWII and he was stationed mostly on ships. When this book came out, he the whole crew were given one copy to share. So they tore the book apart and passed the chapters around. You might get the third chapter one night and the tenth another. He read the whole book, but completely out of order. After he told me this story I went to the library and checked out the book. It was a good book especially if you lik...more
10 likes · like · see review
Feb 16, 2008
Lisa
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Women who don't read romances.
Recommended to Lisa by:
David
Absolutely the best chick-lit classic of all time. This historical romance is poorly written worthless junk, and I loved every second of it! I have never read a Harlequin Romance, anything by Barbara Cartland or Danielle Steele, or anything with Fabio on the cover. The only reason I bothered was the person who sent it to me. Not just recommended it, took the trouble to send it. This is a thoroughly enjoyable piece of fluff, entertaining in ways I can't begin to understand or describe. Heartily r...more
May 15, 2013
Virginia Myers
is currently reading it
I was exposed to book banning back in 1944 when I was a naïve 10 year old that did not yet know how babies happened. I was not backward; things were just different back then. My sister was a mature 24 year old still living at home and she was reading Forever Amber and this made me want to read it, too. When my mother who normally did not try to limit my opportunities to explore the unknown heard of my desire, she banned me from even touching it. I survived this episode in my life and I had compl...more
Worst book EVER.
If you're like me and read to imagine something beautiful, something different, something comforting. Want to feel all warm and fuzzy at the end of it.
Then this is not the book for you. Amber starts off as naive and selfish and never ceases being that. Bruce is anything but a gentleman. Spoiler alert! I mean come on. What kind of a man gets a woman with child and leaves. Definitely not the romantic hero I had in mind. Amber goes around whoring herself, clueless about life and w...more
If you're like me and read to imagine something beautiful, something different, something comforting. Want to feel all warm and fuzzy at the end of it.
Then this is not the book for you. Amber starts off as naive and selfish and never ceases being that. Bruce is anything but a gentleman. Spoiler alert! I mean come on. What kind of a man gets a woman with child and leaves. Definitely not the romantic hero I had in mind. Amber goes around whoring herself, clueless about life and w...more
Amber St. Clare uses womanly trickery, intelligence and allure to climb her way out of the slums of 17th century London to the superior place as King Charles II preferred mistress. Amber’s individual drama takes place in the middle of the political stratagem of Restoration England. Detail is not spared in this 976 page novel. Kathleen Winsor’s panicked depiction of the Great Fire of London creates such a realistic representation the reader can swear they smell smoke. In contrast, the fashion and...more
I picked up this book in large part because of all the comparisons to Gone With the Wind. The plot and character similarities are numerous, and although that classic is still the better book, Forever Amber is great fun and absolutely worth a read. Amber is an English country girl who in 1660 follows a gentleman to London to become his mistress, only to be left alone and pregnant. The result is a fascinating page-turner that takes the reader through all classes of London society over about a deca...more
Okay, Okay, I've read all the bad reviews on here, and I have to admit that this was NOT the book I would choose if I wanted a pick-me-up, light-hearted, fun read. But I would always reach for this book before picking up Gone with the Wind, and that's saying something since most of the reviewers on this site have commented about how much they like that book!
It really is along the same lines, and I don't know how you can like Scarlet O'hara without falling in love with Amber St Claire. Now, I ha...more
It really is along the same lines, and I don't know how you can like Scarlet O'hara without falling in love with Amber St Claire. Now, I ha...more
I first read this book when I was 11 and pretty sheltered in terms of sex and greed. I was floored at how Windsor made every character in this book come alive; living, breathing, fornicating, swearing---ALIVE. I certainly agree that Amber is one of the least likeable characters I've ever come across-she's bitchy, narrowminded, selfish and I believe that the term "stalker" would describe her osbession with Bruce--but can anyone say that they've never held on too long to someone they knew in their...more
This book was written by Kathleen Winsor and originally published in the early 1940's. It was actually banned in some states for its "suggestive" content. Despite its notoriety, it was the bestselling novel in the US in that decade.
Forever Amber is set in Restoration England in 17th century under the reign of King Charles II. It tells the story of orphaned Amber St. Clare, who makes her way up through the ranks of 17th century English society by sleeping with and/or marrying successively richer...more
Forever Amber is set in Restoration England in 17th century under the reign of King Charles II. It tells the story of orphaned Amber St. Clare, who makes her way up through the ranks of 17th century English society by sleeping with and/or marrying successively richer...more
Apr 19, 2011
Lisa (Harmonybites)
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Lovers of Historical Fiction with a Bitch of a Heroine
Recommended to Lisa (Harmonybites) by:
The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Ultimate Reading List
I've seen this more than once compared to Gone With the Wind as the epitome of historical romance. I'm afraid I didn't find this compared well, and given the nature of the heroine, aspects of the plot, and that this was written after Gone With the Wind, I couldn't help but feel Forever Amber was heavily influenced by it.
The style is decently written omniscient, and there's a wealth of well-rendered historical detail, giving you the sights and sounds and smells of Restoration England. That's its...more
The style is decently written omniscient, and there's a wealth of well-rendered historical detail, giving you the sights and sounds and smells of Restoration England. That's its...more
Abandoned pregnant and penniless on the teeming streets of London, 16-year-old Amber St. Clare manages, by using her wits, beauty, and courage, to climb to the highest position a woman could achieve in Restoration England-that of favorite mistress of the Merry Monarch, Charles II. From whores and highwaymen to courtiers and noblemen, from events such as the Great Plague and the Fire of London to the intimate passions of ordinary-and extraordinary-men and women, Amber experiences it all. But thro...more
Abandoned pregnant and penniless on the teeming streets of London, 16-year-old Amber St. Clare manages, by using her wits, beauty, and courage, to climb to the highest position a woman could achieve in Restoration England-that of favorite mistress of the Merry Monarch, Charles II. From whores and highwaymen to courtiers and noblemen, from events such as the Great Plague and the Fire of London to the intimate passions of ordinary-and extraordinary-men and women, Amber experiences it all. But thro...more
Many, many years ago, I had wanted to read this book. It was part of my mother's book of the month club. I was told that I was much to young to read it, and the book had also been banned in many areas. Some 60 years later, I have finally read the book, only to wonder what the problem was. I found the main character, Amber, to be not much different than Scarlett o'Hara in Gone With The Wind. They were both women who would stoop to any means to obtain what they wanted in love, money, or adulation...more
Feb 16, 2010
~M~
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
People Who Like Abnormal Psychology, People Who Like Bitches
Recommended to ~M~ by:
Belinda Brouette
This book was the number one book in the US in the 1940s. And it was banned in parts of the world at the same time. Reading it, I can see why. I was actually shocked at some of the content. As for the heroine... I hate Amber. No wait -- I HATE AMBER. For the first 50 pages I constantly wanted to throw the book across the room. For the first part of the book, Amber is the STUPIDEST book character I have ever seen or heard of. I kept picking the book back up because I just had to see how she would...more
This is the only "bodice ripper" I'll ever recommend. A historical romance based on the life of a gorgeous young peasant girl turned mistress to the king, this book is one of those "read under the covers with a flashlight late at night because you just can't stop" types of novels. Also, as it was written in the 1940s it's not too bawdy (i.e. no nauseating references to "trembling flowers" or "unsheathed sabers.")
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| was she just a heartless bitch? | 13 | 72 | May 04, 2013 06:45pm |
Winsor was raised in Berkeley, California. At the age of 18, Winsor made a list of her goals for life. Among those was her hope to write a best-selling novel. Winsor graduated in 1938 from the University of California, Berkeley. During her school years, she married a fellow student, All-American college football player Robert Herwig. In 1937, she began writing a thrice-weekly sports column for the...more
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“If you had better sense you’d have learned by now that nothing thrives so well as wickedness”
—
13 people liked it
“They had stopped now and he gave a glance up at the sky, through the trees, as though to see how much time was left. Amber, watching him, was suddenly struck with panic. Now he was going--out again into that great world with its bustle and noise and excitement--and she must stay here. She had a terrible new feeling of loneliness, as if she stood in some solitary corner at a party where she was the only stranger. Those places he had seen, she would never see; those fine things he had done, she would never do. But worst of all she would never see him again.”
—
3 people liked it
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