Forever Amber

by Kathleen Winsor

book data

1,219 ratings, 3.87 average rating, 221 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		33%
4		32%
3		24%
2		7%
1		2%

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published

July 25th 2002 by Penguin Books Ltd (first published 1944)

details

Paperback, 992 pages

isbn

0141009829 (isbn13: 9780141009827)

description

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 cli…more

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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 2,185)

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Aug 17, 2007

Robyn Ellis rated it:

bookshelves: old-stuff

Read in January, 2003

A little known trivia about this book. Artie Shaw wanted his beautiful young wife Eva Gardner to be well read, and so he encouraged her to read many intellectual books, and 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 Windsor.

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May 19, 2008

Barb added it

bookshelves: gave-it-a-try-and-then-gave-up, read-in-2008

Read in August, 2008

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 n...more

Like this review? yes (7 people liked it)

1 comment

Apr 03, 2008

Veronica Bailey rated it:

bookshelves: historicalfiction

Read in December, 2008

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 d...more

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Aug 22, 2007

Jennifer (JC-S) rated it:

Read in January, 1968

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 admi...more

Like this review? yes (3 people liked it)

2 comments

Aug 20, 2008

Misfit rated it:

bookshelves: fiction-historical, read-and-keep-for-a-reread, romance-historical

Read in January, 2006

"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 - alth...more "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 beauteous Amber might have something to do with it. Nah. Bruce makes it perfectly clear he'll never marry her and when his privateering ships are ready to sail she's on her own. Amber accepts Bruce's terms and they're off to London as Charles II is crowned and his bawdy court and courtiers are in full swing. As he warned, Bruce soon has to leave and it doesn't take long for a pregnant Amber to get herself royally swindled (what a fool) out of every farthing Bruce left her and thrown into Newgate prison for debt. Not one to be down and out for long, Amber soon hooks up with a notorious highway man and he breaks them out and the game is on......

Until of course Black Jack Mallard is caught and hanged and finding herself in another pickle she goes for the stage - but she still needs to find man to keep her in the style in which she wants to become accustomed to - and handsome Captain Rex Morgan will fit the bill quite nicely. That is, as soon as she can take him away from his current mistress. Of course, once Bruce is back Amber manages to screw things up nicely (what a fool) and fresh out of likely prospects (young men with money) in London Amber finds herself an older one to protect her from life's little problems. But then older men don't live forever and when their family doesn't like you well, then she's off on the hunt yet again....

Amber's story takes her through all walks of Restoration England, from prison to theatre to the decadent, conniving court of Charles II (loved Castlemaine and Buckingham's antics), from the plague (A.W.E.S.O.M.E.) to the Great Fire and from man to man and bed to bed. Amber is most definitely one of fiction's most flawed heroines and despite the many lessons life dishes out do you think she ever learns from them? Not on your life, nor does she ever figure out that Bruce is never ever going to marry her - sleep with her, yes. Don't worry though, as busy as Amber is in the bed chamber and despite the fact that when published in the 40's this was so scandalous it was banned in Boston, the sex is pretty tame and left to the reader's imagination (how refreshing). Watching Amber is like watching a train wreck - you can't take your eyes away for fear of missing what's going to happen next. As for the ending? Kathleen Winsor dishes up the most delectable bit of Just Desserts at the end - I can't recall ever seeing better . A grand and glorious romp through the court of Charles II, don't miss it. (less)

Like this review? yes (5 people liked it)

17 comments

Nov 06, 2008

Lisa rated it:

Read in November, 2008

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!

Like this review? yes (3 people liked it)

1 comment

Jun 12, 2009

Juliette rated it:

bookshelves: historical-fiction

Read in July, 2009

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 refe...more

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4 comments

Aug 25, 2007

Dru rated it:

(review of isbn 1556524048)

bookshelves: chick-lit

Read in August, 2008

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 v...more

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Dec 03, 2008

Jessica rated it:

recommends it for: NO ONE!

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

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Jun 15, 2008

SarahKate rated 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

Like this review? yes (2 people liked it)

2 comments

Feb 16, 2008

Lisa rated it:

(review of isbn 055299023X)

bookshelves: chick-lit-guilty-pleasures

Read in January, 2005

recommended to Lisa by: David
recommends it for: Women who don't read romances.

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

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Feb 20, 2010

♥ Bella ♥ Foxx rated it:

Synopsis
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 ...more

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Jan 30, 2010

Stephen Smarr rated it:

Read in December, 2009

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. ...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 have to admit, if I met her or someone like her in real life, I would hate her. The wonderful thing about this book, though, is you get an insider view on what's going on in her mind, the struggles she went thru, and the difficulty of being Amber St Claire. It shows you a side of her personality that I would never care to see in a real person I knew. I would automatically be obligated to hate someone like this, yet I sympathize with her, feel her pain, and understand that the one thing she really wanted, the one thing she dreamed of more than anything else in the world (Bruce), is the ONLY thing in life permanently denied to her.
I think people are being way too harsh on Amber though. No, she wasn't a MORAL character. There is NO redeeming moral to this story; but I challenge a reviewer to write a story about THEIR OWN life that is any better than this book--I doubt they will come up with any dribble worth reading, and the point of this story is not a divine moral or some reason for living that's universal--it's the personal life and struggle of a young girl thrust into society and forced to make something of her life or die trying. Amber is an entity that will live on long after her author is dead. She's like a force of nature--really--you can't stop her, and she dares you to try! Her life wasn't easy, and in a time when life for women in general wasn't easy, her courage and force of life is admirable! If anyone had a reason to just sit down and cry about how life was treating them, it would be Amber--but she's much too strong a person to do that. I doubt you could say the same if you were in her place, and I know that not many would go anywhere near as far as she did, even if she was a fictional character.
It amazes me that in a modern-day culture where women are supposed to be equal with men, and understand how far we've come from the primitive days where men could kill their wives and move on to the next pretty unsuspecting farm girl, wear her out, then kill her too,(which is not the plot of this story, but they do discuss just how bad things were for women back then and not one of these reviewers can honestly say they understand what life for them would have been like back then) a girl like Amber, who refuses to be used, and uses the only resources left to her to climb to a social and power status far beyond that which any mere man could have done in that day is worthy of respect.
(less)

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Jan 18, 2010

Keoetter rated it:

Read in July, 2009

recommended to Keoetter by: Those with little time to read.
recommends it for: Those with great interest in history and patience for a slow story.

This book would be receiving five stars had it been about 500 pages shorter.

I do not mind large books - not at all. My favorite book ever is Gone With the Wind, followed by Les Miserables. But Forever Amber was like soup with water added to make it stretch farther. The amount of filling between the good parts just made the whole thing thin and loose.

Don't get me wrong, the good parts were great. I couldn't put it down during the Plague - stayed up until three in the mor...more

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Dec 07, 2009

Gingerduchess rated it:

Read in April, 1992

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 k...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 heart they'd never end up with? It is certainly an interesting journey for Amber, a sexually vibrant but unexperienced, illiterate country girl who believes that sex and love are one and the same, and watch her become the vicious, backstabbing, adulterous titled skank she became. I disagree that Amber did not change--she most certainly did. Almsbury himself said as much, "I wonder what happened to her--the innocent pretty countrymaid?" indicating that Amber was no longer the girl he once knew and loved. Windsor also points this out on no less than two separate occassions, having Amber muse what Uncle John would say if he could see her in her new role, with as much money, titles and lovers as she could stomach.
I absolutely adore this book, and not merely because it was banned by the Catholic Church in the 40's for its "shocking" depiction of sex. It's positively G rated by today's standards! The most risque' word Windsor uses is "breasts".
While Amber St Claire is most certainly the bitchiest, skankiest woman I've ever read about, I love Windsor's depiction of her struggle to make something of herself--to not fall victim to being married to a country bumpkin, or stay in jail because her husband skipped out on 500 pounds of debt. I love how she weaves real and fictional characters together so you don't know who's who--and you definitely feel like if you were to step in King Charles' court, you might get swept up into a devious scheme, take a lover, start a new fashion, make an enemy, or take London by storm. (less)

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Feb 16, 2010

~M~ rated it:

bookshelves: absolute-favorites, historical-fiction

recommended to ~M~ by: Belinda Brouette
recommends it for: People Who Like Abnormal Psychology, People Who Like Bitches

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

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Feb 21, 2008

Kathryn rated it:

Read in June, 2007

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.")

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Dec 23, 2008

becky rated it:

Read in April, 2009

this aptly titled book did go on forever. amber is a rather disagreeable woman who i wished would be poisoned before i would read, yet again, about how she absolutely must see bruce one more time. this book is a historical tribute to how a super bitch can get everything she wants with a small amount of wit and great beauty- well almost everything she wants.

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Oct 22, 2009

Laura rated it:

bookshelves: my-own-library

I absolutely loved this book. I bought it in Chicago on vacation knowing I needed something long to start on the train ride home, and I just finished it months later (taking many breaks to read library books that had to go back soon.) Amber is despicable and never becomes a character I could like, yet I was compelled to keep reading. Parts of it reminded me of Gone With the Wind, particularly how the main character is a jerk that doesn't ever really grow up. It was mindless enough that I cou...more

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Jun 30, 2009

Kellyreaderofbooks rated it:

Read in July, 2009

Set in the mid to late 1600s, Forever Amber follows the ambitions of a young girl. Born in the countryside and raised by a yeoman farmer and his wife, Amber believes she is destined for better things. When a handsome Lord Carlton visits her small hamlet, she takes the oppurtunity to leave town with him. From there she becomes everything from a mistress to an actress to a countess, living a very full---but not very rewarding--life.

I loved this book. It's long, but so filled with an in...more

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