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158th out of 371 books
—
198 voters
Annette Vallon: A Novel of the French Revolution
by
James Tipton
For fans of Tracy Chevalier and Sarah Dunant comes this vibrant, alluring debut novel of a compelling, independent woman who would inspire one of the world's greatest poets and survive a nation's bloody transformation.
Set amid the terror and excitement of the French Revolution, James Tipton's evocative novel is the story of a woman who has for too long been relegated to th...more
Set amid the terror and excitement of the French Revolution, James Tipton's evocative novel is the story of a woman who has for too long been relegated to th...more
Hardcover, 496 pages
Published
November 6th 2007
by Harper
(first published 2007)
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Apr 16, 2009
Christina
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2009-reads,
library-book
One of the problems with Annette Vallon is you care more about what’s going on around her rather than to her. The French Revolution was an interestingly volatile time, but Annette Vallon is written so that it’s hard to distinguish whether it’s just historical fiction or a romance novel placed in historical times. Whenever Wordsworth reappears, the true historical aspect of this novel, that is the action and details of the French Revolution, dry up. One must also have quite a bit of patience as t...more
Annette Vallon by James Tipton is thoroughly delightful--start to finish. The story of Annette Vallon is one already wrapped in mystery and intrigue. One country wants to honor her efforts for the crown while the another wants to deny her very existance. She is the beautiful mistress of William Wordsworth, and an activist. And then James Tipton puts all of it into context. He fleshes out the heroine wonderfully, giving her a spirit that jumps off the pages.
The story takes place during the Revol...more
The story takes place during the Revol...more
This historical fiction is about the relationship of William Wordsworth and Annette Vallon, the French woman he met on a stay there during the French Revolution and had a child with. I had always known her as a romantic footnote to this august poet's life. I am a big Wordsworth fan and enjoy reading the young Wordsworth. It was slow going at first, but I am now absorbed and eager to return to its pages tonight.
This book is really 3.5 stars for me. I liked it, but it didn't grab me. Annette is a very strong woman for her time period. She's captivating and fun to read about. But although the summary of the book might make you believe this is a love story with the poet William Wordsworth, it's really not- it's merely one part of Annette's adventurous and passionate life (although it actually did make me want to go read some Wordsworth poems). However, this might be a benefit and not a disadvantage- Annet...more
Sep 25, 2011
Carole C
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
historical fiction fans, and those with an interest in the English Romantic poets
Recommended to Carole by:
read a review
Now that I am finished with the book, I would certainly recommend it for several reasons. Even though I found some of the historical details to be a bit too involved and tedious, it is well written and perhaps finally gives a very courageous woman her moment. William Wordsworth's Victorian biographers understandably had difficulty with his affair and illegitimate child by the aristocratic French woman Annette Vallon, and she is not treated kindly by them, if she is even mentioned at all. As a p...more
Annette Vallon was the daughter of a physician. Her siblings were Marguerite, Etienne, and Angelique. The novel begins in 1785. Annette was sixteen and had just finished convent school. Her mother is in negotiations of arraigning a marriage. A music and dance instructor is hired for Annette. He is a rogue and Annette becomes a casualty. In 1789 Annette made a statement of belief that "the French Revolution began over bread". Rioting begins, uprisings, murders, looting, civil unrest. There are th...more
Jan 15, 2012
Heather
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommended to Heather by:
My mom
Shelves:
french-revolution,
historical-fiction
I read this book on my epic plane rides to and from Carlsbad, NM this last week. Sometimes the right book happens to fall into your hands at the right time, and I'd say this was definitely the case for this book.
I mean, don't get me wrong, I love a good historical novel at just about any time. And a historical novel set during the French Revolution? Practically irrestible. A novel based around the secret romance of Annette Vallon and the famous poet Wordsworth? Delicious.
I will say, however, tha...more
I mean, don't get me wrong, I love a good historical novel at just about any time. And a historical novel set during the French Revolution? Practically irrestible. A novel based around the secret romance of Annette Vallon and the famous poet Wordsworth? Delicious.
I will say, however, tha...more
James Tipton brings you into the world of Annette Vallon, a woman of courage and passion. Annette's bravery, independence and ability to overcome loss is inspiring. A tragic love story during such a harsh war. William Wordsworth and Annette Vallon had a special love, regardless of time passing or significant change in their lives. Tipton's style of writing paints a clear picture, giving you a feeling as if you have traveled in time and watched the whole event. I didn't want the book to end. Anne...more
Always a sucker for fictional accounts of the French Revolution, I picked this one up hoping it would contain sordid tales of various victims of the guillotine and general chaos of the time. Alas, no sordid tales- but I must admit that I was not at all disappointed. Usually not one for tales of the strong, independent female super-hero, I found myself totally drawn to Annette Vallon and the struggles of her and her family. While she faced a number of timeless and universal situations (young love...more
4.5 stars. This is a very good piece of historical fiction. I heard one reviewer compare the writing to Phillippa Gregory's....I did not find that to be the case at all. I like her books, but don't feel they are nearly as historically meticulous as this one.
Annette Vallon was the lover of William Wordsworth during the French Revolution. I don't want to be a spoiler so I'll be vague here - Annette's activities over a period of a decade (or more) started to seem completely unbelievable to me as I...more
Annette Vallon was the lover of William Wordsworth during the French Revolution. I don't want to be a spoiler so I'll be vague here - Annette's activities over a period of a decade (or more) started to seem completely unbelievable to me as I...more
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Read this book sentence by sentence with both eyes wide open for maximum pleasure. Savor the contemporary political subtext. Ah, delciious.
Historical fiction set in the French Revolution... based loosely upon the life of Wordsworth, a love story with a strong heroine.
Wordsworth's 19th and 20th century biographers often dismiss his relationship with Vallon to protect his reputation as a canonical poet. Tipton's interpretation of Vallon is that she was the truest and most passionate love of Wordworth's otherwise dutiful existence. Historical fiction helps me put history in context of a plot line, and this book served to teach me quite a bit about the lives of those during the French Revolution, the politics involved, and the history of the resistance movement....more
I loved Annette's strong character in this story of the French Revolution. Beautifully written
Don't bother reading this. It was dreadful and I barely skimmed the end. What a waste of time.
This book certainly defied my expectations. With a cover showing the torso of a well-dressed, smiling woman, and an inside cover description touting Annette Vallon's passion and love for William Wordsworth, I was expecting a semi-fictional romance with a backdrop of French history. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the character of Annette Vallon is much more than the muse of a well-known poet, and that her affair with Wordsworth is an important part of her life, but certainly not...more
Annette Vallon is the french lover of William Wordsworth before he became famous. They were separated by the French Revolution, Wordsworth leaving France so he wouldn't be imprisoned/executed for being a foreigner. The book is fiction based on some historical fact. I prefer it when an author indicates what parts are fiction and what are facts. That Annette was Wordsworth's lover for a brief time appears to be fact. But the author has Annette involved in saving her fellow citizens from the guillo...more
This book about the mistress of the English poet, William Woodsworth, whose rommance spanned the French Revolution was an enjoyable read, not a page turner, but enjoyable none-the-less. I learned a ton about a topic I knew very little about and was continually amazed at both the utter brutality of the times (The Reign of Terror surely an accurate description of a time) and the sheer valor and courage of the heroine, Annette Vallon. If one has any interest in learning about France, principally du...more
This is the second novel I have reviewed set during the French Revolution and I offer the same high praise as Madame Tussaurd. This novel brought me the face of the revolution, perhaps even more so though than Madame Tussaurd. This wasn't the typical novel of royalty and the high born, but instead gave light to the fear and uncertainty common people faced during the revolution and for years after wards.
Annette Vallon is the women known in history as the mistress and muse of poet William Wordswor...more
Annette Vallon is the women known in history as the mistress and muse of poet William Wordswor...more
Where the possibility of beauty existing in such terrifying, depraved times of the French Revolution seems quite impossible to us in this day and age, Annette Vallon conveys quite the contrary.
The historical backdrop is thrilling and tragic in a way you could never really read in a text book - as Tipton creates real, alive characters to meet these tumultuous times of unceasing wars and violence and suspicion and ideology bathed by the horrific blood of the Guillotine and the countless young men...more
The historical backdrop is thrilling and tragic in a way you could never really read in a text book - as Tipton creates real, alive characters to meet these tumultuous times of unceasing wars and violence and suspicion and ideology bathed by the horrific blood of the Guillotine and the countless young men...more
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Annette Vallon is a historical novel based on the life of a French Woman who survived the Revolution and shared a romance with the English poet William Wordsworth. The book covers her life in its entirity and paints an image of a beautiful, brave and very loving character that I can not help but completely admire. Whether dancing in the ballrooms of pre-revolutionary France, defying her Mother by loving a foreigner, raising his child on her own, outwitting the tyrants who failed to run her count...more
I loved this novel of the French Revolution. It took me a long time to get through because I accidentally left it at the lovely Hacienda del Sol in Tucson on a recent weekend visit. Thankfully, they found it and sent it up to me. The story is beautifully written fiction based on the lives of William Wordsworth and his French lover and mother of his daughter, Annette Vallon. The author notes at the end of the book that we know about Annette Vallon only because a historian discovered two letters i...more
I liked this book but I found the background story of the French Revolution more interesting than the story of Annette Vallon and William Wordsworth. But in saying that It was still an interesting read. So little is known about Annette the woman who inspired Wordsworth that many liberties can be taken with the historical facts. At the end of the book I did feel a bit like I had read a Mills and Boon, as the ending was a bit typical of a standard romance novel with the usual question of will they...more
My friend loaned me this book a while ago and I finally got around to reading it and I am glad I did! it is the story of a a young woman in France who meets Willima Wordworth and has a child with him, all with the backdrop of the French revolution. I love Wordsworth poetry and had heard of Annette but didn't really know much about her. She was a remarkable woman and I thouroughly enjoyed reading this book and learning more about her! Thanks Trudy!
Well written, if slightly meandering, historical fiction based on William Wordsworth's French baby-mama; the titular Annette Vallon. It's ambitious but keeps one's attention, at least when one pushes past the first few chapters. Lovers of French Revolutionary period or smart adventure-romances will love this novel. Although Annette has impossible luck in her adventures and various intrigues, one remains entertained without any major eye-rolling.
This book could have been really good. It SHOULD have been really good. But it dragged in so many places. I'd feel like I had been reading forever, and that nothing substantial had happened, and I had barely made any progress. I gave it three stars only because I felt like the author had captured the horrific Reign of Terror very realistically, and I felt the tension during those chapters. But overall it was a pretty boring book set during a time that was anything but boring.
This book was so good that I am going through withdrawls!! ...The same withdrawls as when I finished the Harry Potter series. After renting it from the library, this amazing historical novel is soon going to be added to my own library because I want to read it at least a few more times. I wanted to start it over again right when I finished it.
It takes place over 22 years of the French Revolution and although that sounds like an epic, it is not that drawn out. The fact that I learned so much cou...more
It takes place over 22 years of the French Revolution and although that sounds like an epic, it is not that drawn out. The fact that I learned so much cou...more
Tipton, James. Annette Vallon
A novel of the French Revolution. Annette, a very strong woman who was a major player helping the royalist during the French revolution. She was the first great love of William Wordsworth and the mother of his illegitimate French daughter Caroline. Great love story, but also a great account of the French revolution .
A novel of the French Revolution. Annette, a very strong woman who was a major player helping the royalist during the French revolution. She was the first great love of William Wordsworth and the mother of his illegitimate French daughter Caroline. Great love story, but also a great account of the French revolution .
Sometimes there is nothing I like better than a historical romance. This one is written for history lovers, who will recognize Blois from Joan of Arc's story, enjoy the appearance of Thomas Jefferson, and get a story of the French Revolution,too. I have evidence I especially enjoyed this, because it inspired me to do a bit of research on Wordsworth.
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“I reflected, not for the first or last time, that when you are reading, others think they can disturb you because you are not doing anything.”
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1 person liked it
“Even the most honorable of men know nothing of what love means to a woman. They feel pleasure, and that is their aim. A woman believes that love itself is her whole aim and pleasure merely one branch of a vast tree, deeply rooted in her heart. She believes it is her profound duty to care for this tree, nourish it each day, and give all of its fruits exclusively to one man and to her children. This in itself demands a sacrifice that men cannot comprehend.”
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1 person liked it
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