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Set in Stone Set in Stone
When Samuel Godwin, a young and naive art tutor, accepts a job with the Farrow family at their majestic home, little does he expect to come across a place containing such secrets and lies. His two tutees are asdifferent as can be--younger sister Marianne, full of flightiness and nervous imagination, and Juliana, sensible and controlled. Helped by their governess, Charlotte...more
ebook, 368 pages
Published
February 11th 2009
by Random House Children's Books
(first published May 4th 2006)
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Community Reviews
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Jul 14, 2012
LH Johnson
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical,
young-adult
Set in Stone is a big book. Astutely written with a fine eye for period detail (it's set on the edge of the twentieth century), it's a complex and exhausting page turner full of emotion, turmoil and psychological revelations.
Written very much in a style reminiscent of Wilkie Collins, it is the tale of Samuel Godwin, an artist on his way to accept a new position. He is to be the tutor to Juliana and Marianne, daughters of a wealthy man, Ernest Farrow, and live with the family in their fine home F...more
Written very much in a style reminiscent of Wilkie Collins, it is the tale of Samuel Godwin, an artist on his way to accept a new position. He is to be the tutor to Juliana and Marianne, daughters of a wealthy man, Ernest Farrow, and live with the family in their fine home F...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
This book was an interesting idea, but for me it didn't work.
One of the reasons was how the narrative changed between characters, with only small (easily missed) print at the top of the page pointing this out. There were a few instances in the story where one character found things out before the other, and explanations of events were repeated. It would have read so much better in third-person. The characters were also lacking in personality and I found it difficult to empathise with them.
I also...more
One of the reasons was how the narrative changed between characters, with only small (easily missed) print at the top of the page pointing this out. There were a few instances in the story where one character found things out before the other, and explanations of events were repeated. It would have read so much better in third-person. The characters were also lacking in personality and I found it difficult to empathise with them.
I also...more
Set in Stone is a gothic page-turner, full of dark secrets. It's well written, with a complex and twisting plot. I like historical fiction, and the author had certainly done a good job researching the late 1800s.
The chapters switch between Samuel and Charlotte, which confused me a little at first until I realised that each page was headed by either Samuel or Charlotte's name. It was interesting when one character knew something that the other didn't, I felt it added to the mystery of the story....more
The chapters switch between Samuel and Charlotte, which confused me a little at first until I realised that each page was headed by either Samuel or Charlotte's name. It was interesting when one character knew something that the other didn't, I felt it added to the mystery of the story....more
This book started well, to the point I didnt realise that it was a Young Adult book. It is a story much in the vein of Jane Eyre, Northhanger Abbey and Wilkie Collins - young peniless artist joins a family as a teacher, only to find mysteries abound and it is the governess and art teacher (neither family or housefold staff) that end up investigating. [return][return]However, I got bored halfway through (any sense fo the dramatic is too laboured) and I skipped ahead, only to find topics never to...more
What an enchanting, beguiling read. From the start to the finish!
Artist Samuel Godwin has recently acquired a job as a tutor with the prestigious Ernest Farrow at a house named Fourwinds, due to the stone sculptures on the walls. Farrow's daughters are polar opposites, one, Juliana, is inwardly drawn, sad and mysterious, while the other, Marianne, flings into odd mood swings and runs off frequently.
After the death of the girls' mother, Ernest Farrow hired a governess named Charlotte Agnew, a s...more
Artist Samuel Godwin has recently acquired a job as a tutor with the prestigious Ernest Farrow at a house named Fourwinds, due to the stone sculptures on the walls. Farrow's daughters are polar opposites, one, Juliana, is inwardly drawn, sad and mysterious, while the other, Marianne, flings into odd mood swings and runs off frequently.
After the death of the girls' mother, Ernest Farrow hired a governess named Charlotte Agnew, a s...more
Set in Stone is an amazing book.
Written in a beautiful and enchanting prose, it weaves together events, plot-twists, and ideas to ultimately come to a conclusion that nobody would've expected.
The narrators are Samuel Godwin, a young artist who is working as an art tutor at a country mansion named Fourwinds, and Charlotte Agnew, the governess of the two girls who live there. The girls are sisters, Juliana and Marianne, and through them, a fascinating and dark mystery is woven.
I can often predi...more
Written in a beautiful and enchanting prose, it weaves together events, plot-twists, and ideas to ultimately come to a conclusion that nobody would've expected.
The narrators are Samuel Godwin, a young artist who is working as an art tutor at a country mansion named Fourwinds, and Charlotte Agnew, the governess of the two girls who live there. The girls are sisters, Juliana and Marianne, and through them, a fascinating and dark mystery is woven.
I can often predi...more
Here's my library's blurb on the book: The alternating narratives of art tutor Samuel Godwin and governess Charlotte Agnew, who work for the wealthy Farrow family in 1898 England, reveal the secrets that almost everyone in the household is hiding.
I enjoyed this book, and the style and themes reminded me a bit of the classic "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier. The same somber tone, the same misconceptions and keeping up appearances of members of the household. Several rather scandalous things happen...more
I enjoyed this book, and the style and themes reminded me a bit of the classic "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier. The same somber tone, the same misconceptions and keeping up appearances of members of the household. Several rather scandalous things happen...more
*REVIEWED FOR PUBLISHER*
Set in Stone is incredibly intense and deals with some very adult themes (which are dealt with tactfully and sympathetically) therefore it’s aimed more at the young adult market rather than younger teens. Very well-written and told from the viewpoint of two characters looking in at the family on the brink of madness that employs them. It’s incredibly heady stuff! Love and possession; art and immortality; convention and defiance; ambition and desire: There’s mystery and dr...more
Set in Stone is incredibly intense and deals with some very adult themes (which are dealt with tactfully and sympathetically) therefore it’s aimed more at the young adult market rather than younger teens. Very well-written and told from the viewpoint of two characters looking in at the family on the brink of madness that employs them. It’s incredibly heady stuff! Love and possession; art and immortality; convention and defiance; ambition and desire: There’s mystery and dr...more
I thought this was a fantasy, but just a pretty predictable book with no fantasy elements.
This was a frustrating book. What started out as a fine pastiche to Victorian sensation fiction (i.e., threads of insanity, improper sexual conduct, & gothic innocence-in-peril) slid downhill under the weight of an extremely long-winded -- and unnecessary -- final act.
The book opens with a brief prologue, wherein the hero (Samuel) is attending a gallery of his artwork. The year is just after WWI; he's been disillusioned by the contrast of death & frivolous artistic culture, & when on...more
The book opens with a brief prologue, wherein the hero (Samuel) is attending a gallery of his artwork. The year is just after WWI; he's been disillusioned by the contrast of death & frivolous artistic culture, & when on...more
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Make yourself a mug of hot chocolate. Build a roaring fire and pull up a comfy chair. Grab your cat, settle her in your lap, and read this book (by candlelight, if possible). Anne Radcliffe meets Charlotte Brontë. This was a really fun read. It borrows a bit too heavily, at times, from "Jane Eyre," but that can be forgiven. This would be a great book to suggest for teens who are interested in Gothic historical fiction, but who aren't ready or willing to tackle the Brontës.
I really enjoyed this book, but I found it in my library's MG section, which it is not. Neither is it YA. The themes and structure make this book very adult -- the main characters are both in their 20s, and the book has a framework with middle-aged perspectives. That is not to say this book is explicit -- the sexual content and gothic elements have Victorian obliqueness-- but I think grownups would enjoy the language and introspection more than teens.
Written in an old-fashioned, almost archaic style, this book has everything that I love in fiction: memorable, intricate characters, a striking and fascinating setting, and a compelling plot. The story has a lot of depth that most young adult fiction written today lacks, and Newberry is certainly a talented author.
This book is about a young painter who gets caught up in a dark family secret surrounding the manor he is staying at.
You will be surprised by how the mystery ends, because the author p...more
This book is about a young painter who gets caught up in a dark family secret surrounding the manor he is staying at.
You will be surprised by how the mystery ends, because the author p...more
3.5 stars at least here. Linda Newberry's writing always flows brilliantly. She produces smart, layered, emotional, reflective writing -- aimed at young people, but very transcendent. Set in Stone has a historical setting and focuses on family issues and and individual choices. A young artist encounters an interesting, affluent family who pose a mystery and a romantic conflict that he may not be equipped to handle.
This is an old fashioned gothic novel with a rather horrifying plot development that involves an incestuous relationship between a father and daughter. It has the atmosphere of one of Victoria Holt's gothic novels. Set in Victorian England, the story is told in alternating points of view by the daughter's governess and by her tutor. There is a most satisfying and horrifying retribution in store for the incestuous father.
a great summer light read. A bit of a mystery, you wind through the tale of a dark family secret, an mysterious illness - a dead mother/wife. A gruff but loving father - and one missing wind element.
I enjoyed the story told from both the painter and the governess point of view. Such an adventure - although the ending was predictable, I still enjoyed the ride.
I enjoyed the story told from both the painter and the governess point of view. Such an adventure - although the ending was predictable, I still enjoyed the ride.
Oh, Set In Stone you are one shocking read aren't you?
So don't be fooled by the boring start because once you read a good third of the book it traps you in a web of lies, deceit and material that will leave you cringing in amazement.
For some people (e.g. Me) you might start reading this book because a pushy friend insists it’s great (you know who you are) but in reality you find the book to be a complete bore and you’re already a hundred pages through. At this point you MUST persevere and read...more
So don't be fooled by the boring start because once you read a good third of the book it traps you in a web of lies, deceit and material that will leave you cringing in amazement.
For some people (e.g. Me) you might start reading this book because a pushy friend insists it’s great (you know who you are) but in reality you find the book to be a complete bore and you’re already a hundred pages through. At this point you MUST persevere and read...more
I LOVED this. It was extremely well written from two different points of view. The characters were well developed and Sam was a very lovable MC as was Charlotte. And the winds were spectacular. Newbery manages to describe everything so well it jumps out of the page at the reader. And the setting is catching too. It is really worth reading. <3
Very good pageturner. I read it in three sessions. The writer creates an excellent atmosphere and sense of place. It's set in a secluded country house called 'FourWinds' at the turn of the century. Samuel Godwin, a young painting tutor, newly arrived at the house, finds himself embroiled in dark family secrets. It all feels quite 'Jane Eyre' and 'Turn of the Screw'ish.
this book kept me intrigued from the very beginning as i found out the mystery i was shocked to what i found out and it also made me angry with the artist because he didn't marry the woman i thought he would but a very interesting story indeed and intriguing
I the the gothic era and this had the bones to be a really good book. The ending was just very generic and I'm not a fan of when authors put all the good stuff at the end. I wish the rest of the book was not as boring. it was also pretty predictable.
Very competent baby-Gothic. While I'm quite sure no nice governess would use the word 'conceived' in a conversation with a young man, the tell-don't-show is probably needed.
The book does beg the question however - just why is incest such a popular theme in YA novels?
The book does beg the question however - just why is incest such a popular theme in YA novels?
I liked the story. I hadn't realized it was a historical fiction until after I had it home. It was strange reading historical fiction from a male's point of view since a lot are of queens, princesses, maids, etc.
The only thing was that I found it a bit predictable. I had never heard of the ,an so I didn't know the history. It was written a bit like a mystery. Still enjoyable though.
The only thing was that I found it a bit predictable. I had never heard of the ,an so I didn't know the history. It was written a bit like a mystery. Still enjoyable though.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Un bel hommage aux auteurs victoriens et au peintre Samuel Godwin, un bon suspens et une réflexion sur la condition féminine dans l'Angleterre de la fin du XIXe.
The book that I found in the school library and really liked, and I started reading more since. I liked the alternate switch of perspective for each chapter.
This was a lovely cosy Charlotte Bronte style book until the last few chapters where it became really sickening. A good read but didn't like the ending........
I was shocked by how quickly this sucked me in and how surprised I was by some (but not all) of the twists and turns. Romance, mystery, suspense=lots of fun!
Easy reading, not too challenging. A good book, though some unresolved points and lack of continuity.
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| What's The Name o...: Modern gothic about an artist and wind staues [s] | 4 | 40 | Aug 10, 2012 02:59pm |
