The Unseen

Apr 02, 2012 Anna rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: dual-timeline, read-in-2012, early-1900s

I gave 5 stars to Katherine Webb’s first book The Legacy, and had high hopes for this new one. I loved the blurb and the first 100 or so pages, which were full of tantalising hints as to the long-lost secret.

But then it lost my interest. It spent a long time getting nowhere fast, feeling more like padding than plotting. I enjoyed the reveal, which I’ll admit took me by surprise, but by then it was too late for a revival. I normally love duel-timeline books, but that style just didn’t work here....more

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Aug 02, 2012 Trisha rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: supernatural, drama

This was a pretty average plotline, set in 1911, where a minister gets caught up with a "theosophist" in the belief that Elementals/fairies exist in his meadow. The theosophist, Robin Durrant, turns their quiet household upside down with his charismatic and manipulative personality in his obsession to prove the existence of Elementals by photographing them. The problem with the novel, however, is that not only does it move too slow, but there are WAY too many subplots that are completely unnesse...more

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Jul 23, 2012 Carolyn Hill rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Just what is the unseen in this book? Is it the elemental beings - the fairies in the meadow? Is it the hidden past? Or is it the true natures and disguised motives that certain characters are at pains to camouflage? This is an engrossing mystery with a dual time frame set in 2011 and 1911 in an isolated British village. The modern story, which is a much shorter narrative, revolves around identifying the well preserved corpse of a WWI soldier found in Belgium, who had letters sealed in a metal c...more Just what is the unseen in this book? Is it the elemental beings - the fairies in the meadow? Is it the hidden past? Or is it the true natures and disguised motives that certain characters are at pains to camouflage? This is an engrossing mystery with a dual time frame set in 2011 and 1911 in an isolated British village. The modern story, which is a much shorter narrative, revolves around identifying the well preserved corpse of a WWI soldier found in Belgium, who had letters sealed in a metal container on his person. If the source of the letters can be identified, then perhaps the family of the long lost soldier could be notified of his remains. Leah, a writer feeling blocked and needing a good subject, is tipped off about the potential story regarding the soldier by her old boyfriend, whom she hasn't gotten over. The real heart of the novel is the 1911 story about the household of Reverend Albert Canning, whose wife Hester takes in a a new maid of all work, Cat, recently released from prison. Soon joining the household is another newcomer, Robin, a handsome and charming theosophical researcher invited by the reverend to investigate his sighting of nature spirits in the river meadow. The author teases out clues about the characters, their pasts and their motives. Though the letter found on the dead soldier mentions a crime, the reader doesn't know until more than halfway through that there is a murder, and who the victim - and the murderer - is until near the end.

The story is set in a fascinating period before WWI and encompasses the suffragette movement, spiritualism, class division, and the clash between stifling Victorian mores and traditional laws and an emerging women's consciousness. The author was influenced by the story of the Cottingley fairies, which is a fascinating topic, and most wonderfully treated in the movie FairyTale: A True Story. Having read some of the theosophical teachings, I felt these were well represented despite the flaws of the character of the theosophist. The roles of the theosophist and the reverend actually illustrate the dangers of a personality's influence in the spiritual and religious spheres, and how the means never justify the ends. And we only have to look at the unmasking of contemporary public and religious figures to realize that those who sanctimoniously preach the loudest against deemed personal failings are often the ones most tempted by, and guilty of, them.

The protagonist of the 1911 story, Cat Morley, is strident, willful, and pugnacious. Yet she is also brave, intelligent, and fierce in her feelings, loves and loyalties. She makes an unusual, yet increasingly sympathetic, heroine. She is contrasted with Hester, the minister's wife, who is the model Victorian woman - chaste, virtuous, kind-hearted, deferential to her husband, concerned with matters of house and home and her husband's flock, and longing for children of her own. At first Hester seems easy to dismiss as too bound by convention, traditional gender roles, and religion, but her character shows some surprising dimension.

The atmosphere of the book is tense and sultry - the build-up before the storm. It is unsettling. There is conflicted desire. And there is a murder. This is not a happy book, and the treatment of women in jail for their civil disobedience is horrifying, as well as the abuses of the servant class. But the resolution is satisfying. It is a story suspensefully told, with an interesting historical background, and an understanding of character.

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Jun 17, 2012 Laurie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This novel takes place in two times: the present day, and in 1911. In the present day, Leah is asked by her ex to help identify a World War One soldier for the War Graves Commission; a soldier who has two letters in his possession. Back in 1911, Cat Morley, a young house maid recently let out of jail for taking part in suffrage demonstrations, joins the rural household of the Reverend Albert Canning, who has recently seen fairies while taking a walk in the countryside, and his wife, Hester. Cat...more

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Jun 04, 2012 Lydia Presley rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, historic-fiction, fiction, mystery

Oh Katherine Webb, what are you doing to me? You take some of the most delicious, fantastic ideas and put them into a story that I cannot resist and then you mix it with the most frustrating, aggravating details. But I can't stop reading and I struggle with myself because I want to give your story five stars, but then there are so many little nagging elements that drag it down for me!

Okay, now that the rant is out of the way, let me tell you what I loved and what I hated about The Unseen.

First o...more Oh Katherine Webb, what are you doing to me? You take some of the most delicious, fantastic ideas and put them into a story that I cannot resist and then you mix it with the most frustrating, aggravating details. But I can't stop reading and I struggle with myself because I want to give your story five stars, but then there are so many little nagging elements that drag it down for me!

Okay, now that the rant is out of the way, let me tell you what I loved and what I hated about The Unseen.

First of all - mystery in 1911/2011 England? Yes please. Throw in mildly supernatural elements, prim and prissy Victorian-style husband and wife, maid with a bad-girl vibe, and shyster and it's the recipe for a delicious, dark, romantic English story.

What Katherine Webb does remarkably well is set her story up. I loved Cat and her addition to the household, I loved the dynamics between Hester and her husband, and the little scraps of letters which served as a catalyst to move the story forward. I loved the romance which flares up and the backbone Cat displays and the slowly unraveling story of what happened in Cat's background. Everything about each one of these things was perfectly paced and beautifully described. I couldn't ask for more.

Here's what I hated though, and though these were BIG things for me during the reading, upon reflection they are just nagging, I really wish she would have done better because I believe she could have! I felt as if Webb was underestimating the intelligence of her reader a bit. The entire 2011 setting was boring, and frankly toward the end of the book I was actually tempted (although I didn't) to skim or just skip it completely. I felt as if it's sole purpose was to give us a reason to investigate the story and that the book would have been completely fine without it. There was no real resolution that made it absolutely necessary.

Also I was a bit confused about how detailed a 100 year old corpse could be when it was found. Maybe I just don't know enough about corpses - so I'll leave that one be.

I think a lot of the things that bothered me about this book also bothered me in The Legacy by Katherine Webb, so I'm wondering if it's just her style of writing. If you like authors such as Kate Morton, I think it's possible you will love Webb's books as well, just don't expect the same level of story-crafting that is available in Morton's books.(less)

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Jun 01, 2012 Leeswammes rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In Belgium, the body of a first world war soldier is found with in his pocket a tin with a few letters, written by a woman. Leah, a journalist from England, is alerted to the find, and hopes there is an interesting story to be told. The letters suggest some terrible event took place that had to be covered up.
Leah finds the house (in England) where the letters were sent from all those years ago and with help of the current occupant of the house, she finds out about the story behind the letters.

Ho...more In Belgium, the body of a first world war soldier is found with in his pocket a tin with a few letters, written by a woman. Leah, a journalist from England, is alerted to the find, and hopes there is an interesting story to be told. The letters suggest some terrible event took place that had to be covered up.
Leah finds the house (in England) where the letters were sent from all those years ago and with help of the current occupant of the house, she finds out about the story behind the letters.

However, most of the book is the story back in time, about Hester Canning, vicar’s wife and the writer of the letters. She has recently hired a new maid, a young woman who has been in prison in London, but is given a chance to better her life at the rectory. Cat, the maid, has a hard time settling in.
Hester, whose marriage of a year has not been consummated, is doubtful about her husband’s new hobby. Albert believes he has seen nature spirits near the meadows in the vicinity of their house and he invites a young “expert” to come and stay with them to investgate his sighting further.

Both Hester and Cat have their doubts about this Robin Durrant, while Albert is sucked in further, neglecting his work as a parish priest. Things quickly turn sour for all people at the rectory.

The book was well-written and the story built up nicely. The story line in the current time was not as important as the historical fiction part, and probably was unnecessary. But as I do like research into people’s history myself, I did enjoy Leah’s investigations just as much.

Cat was a strange girl and it’s clear that she has some secrets. She’s not too shy to walk into a gambling den and you keep hoping that Hester really made the right decision in hiring her. Cat is a wild type and might not want to be settled. Really, she represents the more modern life and way of thinking while Hester is stuck in the old-fashioned framework in which woman are lesser creatures than men who should obey their husbands at all times, even when the husband’s behavious becomes rather questionable.

A great read, a mystery.(less)

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May 30, 2012 Stephanie D. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What is unseen in The Unseen by Katherine Webb ultimately refers to multiple things: spirits/fairies, buried secrets, hidden desires, the truth beneath the lies, all of which add up to a mesmerizing work of fiction with historical bases.

Webb weaves disparate events in early 20th Century England, the suffragette movement, and spiritualism/occultism, to form a constant tension-filled narrative which explodes in one unforgettable and tragic summer. In the back of the book, Webb states that the fir...more What is unseen in The Unseen by Katherine Webb ultimately refers to multiple things: spirits/fairies, buried secrets, hidden desires, the truth beneath the lies, all of which add up to a mesmerizing work of fiction with historical bases.

Webb weaves disparate events in early 20th Century England, the suffragette movement, and spiritualism/occultism, to form a constant tension-filled narrative which explodes in one unforgettable and tragic summer. In the back of the book, Webb states that the first inspiration for The Unseen came from the Cottingley Fairies, photographs taken by two young girls in 1917 which seemed to prove the existence of fairies and were widely believed as authentic by many, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

The Unseen alternates between the present, when Leah, a journalist, investigates the newly found, well-preserved body of a World War I soldier; and the summer of 1911, when an English vicar's household receives two residents - Cat, a mysterious housemaid with a shady past; and Robin, a charismatic theosopist. Of the two, the modern storyline was less compelling, a faint mirror to the strong themes in the past.

Each character in the past has something hidden, threatening to come out, whether they know it or not. Cat has come to the vicarage from prison, unable to work anywhere else. No one knows the reason she has been incarcerated, although murky rumors swirl. Robin appears to believe strongly in the existence of elementals or fairies and has somehow persuaded the Vicar of his beliefs - but is he just a slick con man? The Vicar, too, has secrets unknown to his naive and frustrated wife.

Webb expertly builds up the suspense, revealing little by little each character's hidden motivations and past, until the shocking climax.

I flew through this book, eagerly turning the pages to find out what actually happened during that fateful summer. Although Cat is prickly and hard, I found myself aching for her as her story eventually came out. Hester, the vicar's wife, seemed like such a ninny at first (some of the passages about her made me laugh out loud) but as her full story emerged, she became sad and thwarted figure to me. If you like the plotting and writing in Kate Morton's books, such as The House at Riverton, you'll like The Unseen. (less)

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Apr 06, 2012 Nisareen rated it 4 of 5 stars

A dual time frame story, one concerns Leah in 2011, trying to find out the identity of a dead WWI soldier, and the back story, set in 1911, which gradually unfolds the soldier's identity and the terrible events leading up to his taking part in the war. It is also a story about the relationships and barriers between the classes and the sexes in the time before they began to crumble.

Recently released from prison, Cat Morley, a free spirited and disaffected woman is sent to a life of servitude to t...more

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Aug 20, 2011 Carole rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The story starts in 1911 with Hester writing a letter to her sister saying that she’s looking forward to the new maid, Cat, coming and how she will be her ‘project’.

We are then fast forwarded to the present when Leah, a freelance journalist, has been asked to come to Belgium from England to try and discover the identity of a young WWI soldier who has been found buried in a garden. He had two letters on him from a H. Canning which pique her interest.

This is the intriguing beginning to a compellin...more

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Oct 31, 2012 Marie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In The Unseen, two letters found on a long-dead soldier's body, lead Leah on a quest to solve the mystery surrounding Hester Canning, a reverend's wife, who lived in a Berkshire village in the year 1911. Hester is quite naive and can't figure out why her husband isn't more interested in her. That's about to get a whole lot worse as their lives are turned upside down when Cat, their new maid, and Robin, a visiting theosophist, arrive on the scene. In the present day, Leah searches for clues using...more

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Aug 05, 2012 Kristin (MyBookishWays Reviews) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2012/08/...

The year is 1911, and young Cat Morley is to arrive soon at the peaceful house of Reverend Albert Canning and his wife Hester. Cat’s reputation precedes her, but Hester sees this as an opportunity to be charitable, since surely no one else will have her, and also pay her less than one normally would for her services. Hester sees herself as very much the proper vicar’s wife, but so far, her husband has not touched her in a...more You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2012/08/...

The year is 1911, and young Cat Morley is to arrive soon at the peaceful house of Reverend Albert Canning and his wife Hester. Cat’s reputation precedes her, but Hester sees this as an opportunity to be charitable, since surely no one else will have her, and also pay her less than one normally would for her services. Hester sees herself as very much the proper vicar’s wife, but so far, her husband has not touched her in a “husbandly” way and her desire for intimacy with him, as well as for a child, has become a problem. Spending her days with feminine pursuits, she longs for the touch of a husband that turns away from her again and again. When Albert comes home one day, flushed and excited, thinking that he’s seen elementals, or nature spirits, his excitement is contagious, until “theosophist” Robin Durrant comes to stay with them, and throws the entire household into disarray. As it turns out, Albert has been neglecting his duties, not only as a husband and companion to Hester, but as a vicar, and Hester is increasingly alarmed that Mr. Durrant may be a negative influence.

Meanwhile, in 2011, a body is found, preserved, over 100 years old, with letters that seem to have been written by Hester Canning. Leah, a journalist, is asked by her former lover Ryan to decode the letters, find the story. So, she travels to Cold Ash Holt, and manages to meet Mark Canning, the Canning’s great grandson. He’s not eager to talk to her at all, but eventually agrees to an interview. Mark has been embroiled in some serious legal battles, and as curious as Leah is, her job is to research the story at hand, and hopefully Mark can shed some light on things. I really enjoyed these scenes with Mark as they tracked down the clues to the identity of the dead man, and especially loved how she delighted in exploring the Canning’s old house. In spite of this, I did find myself wanting to get back to Cat and her story, but it provided a really good parallel to the events of 1911, and also layered in some nice suspense.

Back in 1911, Cat is wild and damaged from her time in prison and when she meets a local man, George, she feels she might have met someone that could finally understand her, and spending time with him provides a much needed respite to her sweltering days of servitude. However, she’s increasingly concerned about her best friend Tess, left behind when she was released from the gaol. Evidently, Tess has been put into a workhouse, and Cat is determined to somehow get her out. United in the suffragette cause, Tess tired of it, even as Cat grew more and more enmeshed, and it’s because of the increasingly criminal activities of the women’s group that Cat and Tess got in trouble. Cat blames herself for Tess’s incarceration, and vows to make it up to her, somehow. My heart ached for Cat, and even for the naïve, sweet natured Hester, who married a man that was her best, childhood friend, but could never, truly be her lover, and is slowly wilting in the summer heat. I also felt so sorry for poor, confused, delusional Albert who spent most of the story with stars in his eyes for the beautiful, cunning, selfish Robin.

As for Robin Durrant… He is, frankly, a jerk; an insidious weasel that manages to insert himself in every aspect of the Canning’s lives. He’s conniving, underhanded, enamored of himself, and truly believes that others are put on the planet to do his bidding. He’s the houseguest that never leaves and devastates lives in the course of his stay. He sees the effect he has on Albert, and exploits that as much as he possibly can, while delighting in Hester’s discomfort and anguish. He doesn’t stop there, either. No one is really safe from his machinations, even Cat, and his insistence on “proving” that faeries are real, therefore indulging Albert’s fantasies of the existence of “elementals” is wreaking havoc on the household. He insists on setting up a darkroom in the family’s cold storage room, resulting in waste and food spoilage, but hey, developing pictures of so-called “faeries” is much more important than the family’s food stores, right? If this sounds familiar, it is. You’ll no doubt be reminded of the true story of the Cottingly Faeries: the 1917-1920 series of pictures taken by Elsie Wright and Francis Griffiths supposedly depicting the two girls with faeries. Many people believed in these photos for many, many years until Elsie and Francis finally confessed to them being faked, and Robin Durrant is, above anything else, a fake, and a charlatan. When Cat is drawn into Robin’s subterfuge, her desire to break free of a life of servitude is buried deeper and deeper in the lies that Robin creates, her own secrets, and liberty, threatened by a treacherous man determined to make a name for himself in an otherwise aimless life.

Katherine Webb’s writing is lovely and evocative, and she manages to set up a scene thoroughly without taking anything away from her characters. Cat’s pain is evident in everything she does. Raised in a household run by The Gentleman (you’ll figure out who he is soon enough), educated, taught to read, and indulged to a certain limit, she is still shown that she’ll never rise above her station as a servant. It’s like giving a bird wings, but not allowing it to fly. Even George’s love can’t dampen the fire within her. As Hester’s desperation grows, so does Cat’s, and Albert has lost his way so completely, Hester is not sure she’ll ever get him back. All of their secrets swirl together to create a miasma of misery, eventually coalescing into a finale that will shock, and devastate.

In The Unseen,the author has created a seemingly bucolic landscape in which to set the passions and pain of her characters, and it immediately pulled me in. The Unseen has all of the drama of a soap opera, played out against a time when a strong woman had no place in proper society and religious and spiritual ideas were in constant flux. Suspense readers with a love of history should enjoy this, and I also recommend it to anyone that loves a rich, wonderfully written, character driven novel. Highly recommended.(less)

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Jun 16, 2012 W rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-read

This historical fiction mystery takes place in England in 1911, with a few interspersed chapters devoted to the solving of the mystery a hundred years later. The story was compared with those of Kate Morton, one of my favorite authors, but I think therein lies my disappointment. Although it was an alright story, I really expected more.

I enjoyed the "whodunnit" mystery aspect, but as the plot progressed (a bit slowly, in my opinion), it became very apparent who the mystery man was, which left onl...more

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May 23, 2012 Becky rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Cat Morley has known suffering. A maid in service, she has fought for women's rights as a suffragette, eventually serving time for her crimes. Now recovering from a terrible illness and finally freed, she has been hired on at the vicarage in Cold Ash Holt. Albert Canning, the man of the house and the village vicar, has a peculiar interest and is dead set on discovering elementals. His wife, Hester, does her best to support her husband but finds that her marriage is lacking. When Albert believes...more Cat Morley has known suffering. A maid in service, she has fought for women's rights as a suffragette, eventually serving time for her crimes. Now recovering from a terrible illness and finally freed, she has been hired on at the vicarage in Cold Ash Holt. Albert Canning, the man of the house and the village vicar, has a peculiar interest and is dead set on discovering elementals. His wife, Hester, does her best to support her husband but finds that her marriage is lacking. When Albert believes he's finally seen the spirits he seeks, he sends word to a theosopher in the area. Robin Durrant not only believes Albert, but is determined to bring proof of these fairies to the outside world, at any cost. Soon, the Canning home is in turmoil and Cat is in trouble once again.

One hundred years later, Leah Hickson receives a call from her ex. He's been working with the War Graves Commission in Belgium. A recently uncovered body bears evidence that may be enough to recover an identity. That's where Leah comes in. Two letters from the early twentieth century written by a Hester Canning from Cold Ash Holt are enough of a starting point for Leah, but will she be able to discover the identity of the unnamed soldier? And what crime does Hester refer to in one of her letters?

Webb divides her story into two parts, alternating chapters between the events of 1911 and Leah's investigation in 2011. Leah is a fabulous character -- someone fascinated by the past and in a position to be able to research and discover hidden history. The mystery at Cold Ash Holt itself is intriguing and Leah's efforts to unravel them are great momentum for the story.

The 1911 portion of the tale is equally absorbing. Cat is feisty and holds onto a lot of anger thanks to the unfairness of class rules. This time was tumultuous indeed and Hester plays an almost perfect opposite to Cat, determined to do her part by being a loving and supportive wife. While their overall ideas of how things should be done clash, they do have more sympathy for one another than they're ready to show.

This is my first read by Katherine Webb, but definitely not my last.(less)

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Aug 08, 2012 CookieDemon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, crime, historical-fiction

I haven't read Katherine Webb's first novel, but I was drawn by the description for this one as it promised love, mystery, intrigue and a bit of the occult, set against a sultry English summer. I do have to say that I think that I think the `occult' aspect is a bit misleading as it turns out, but nonetheless, this was a really lovely, compelling novel and I will definitely be picking up `The Legacy' at some point in the near future.

Katherine Webb's writing reminds me a bit of Kate Morton's in th...more I haven't read Katherine Webb's first novel, but I was drawn by the description for this one as it promised love, mystery, intrigue and a bit of the occult, set against a sultry English summer. I do have to say that I think that I think the `occult' aspect is a bit misleading as it turns out, but nonetheless, this was a really lovely, compelling novel and I will definitely be picking up `The Legacy' at some point in the near future.

Katherine Webb's writing reminds me a bit of Kate Morton's in that it flows so beautifully and elegantly, and this one also looks at the lifestyles of servants in the early twentieth century, though not to the same extent as `The House at Riverton' did. This is also another `dual time' narrative, which I think works particularly well, encompassing the mystery element, though it did feel a bit jarring in places- one minute you were in a vicarage in the 1900's, the next you were in modern day Berlin!

In this book we are introduced to Cat, a suffragette recently released from prison and sent to work for the Reverent Canning and his wife Hester, in sleepy Berkshire. Cat has been deeply affected by the harsh realities of her imprisonment, something that her new employers don't particularly understand, especially the hopelessly naïve Hester who is just desperate for someone to care about and for someone to give her a bit of affection. Into these three very different lives comes the mysterious Robin Durrant, a theosophist who believes he can see elemental beings. As the four characters' lives intertwine one hot summer, nothing will ever be the same again...

As I've said, this was just a great book. I have read a few books with the theme of the suffragette movement recently and this alluded to the events of that time so well, without being over the top and detracting from the rest of the story. Cat initially, is a hard character to like, but once you know what she has been through then you can understand her prickly façade. I loved her stroppy sarcasm and encounters with both the housekeeper and Mrs Canning, which added a bit of much needed humour to the novel. Mrs Canning I found to be particularly weak, but like all of the characters in this story, was very well-drawn and flawed or not, I wanted to know how things would turn out with her.

The writing is very evocative and as a reader you can almost feel the heat of the summer. I genuinely could envisage the rectory in my head and the sleepy English village. Without giving anything away about the ending, I found it very fitting to the story, if a bit poignant. I'd known what was coming, but even though the storyline was a bit predictable, the beautiful, atmospheric writing made it a worthwhile read. I did find the modern day aspect to be a bit clunky too, given how the rest of the narrative flowed, but it was necessary to make the story work- though I would have far rather just read about Cat and the nineteenth century storyline as it was much more interesting overall!

I think if you are a fan of Katherine Morton, Downton Abbey or enjoy historical family sagas then this is a book you would enjoy. (less)

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Apr 05, 2012 Gail rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle

This is an absolutely fantastic book. I was completely and utterly hooked from page 1. I literally could not put it down. I was exasperated that I had to keep putting it down so I could eat and sleep.
I won't go into the plot of this magnificent story, as other reviewers have covered it, suffice to say that the story is so interwoven between 1911 and 2011 that you never really know what is going to happen next. You are aware that there is a sense of evil building up but as the story twists and tu...more

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Jul 22, 2012 Michaela rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

1911: Hester is married to Albert and into their household they welcome a theosophist named Robin Durrant and a troubled young woman named Cat Morley. These two people will change the couples lives forever.
2011: Leah hears of the body of a dead soldier, found after years. Her research will lead her into a story of murder, love and secrets.

I definitely enjoyed The Unseen but as a light, relaxing read. It wasn't really very dark which is what I expected. The characters are vivid but not particular...more

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May 22, 2012 Jennifer Rayment rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Good Stuff

Absolutely, positively engrossing - you are hooked from the very first chapter
Author is brilliant at setting the mood and setting of the story - you really feel like you are part of the story
Loved the switching back and forth from 1911 to 2011 - gives it a unique twist
Fabulous well rounded characters both in the past and the present
Lots of suspense, murder and secrets with just a hint of the occult
Cat is a truly fascinating character - full of strength and fire, trying to fight ba...more

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Jun 27, 2012 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012reads

I added this to my to-read list after skimming a coule pages in B&N, but almost abandoned ship once I got started reading in earnest. It takes her the first couple chapters to get into a rhythm, and until then the dialogue was stilted. (And maybe after then, but by that time I was into the characters and didn't mind so much.) Reading to myself in a British accent helped me keep with it. (Only sort of a joke.) I think in Chapter 6, I finally realized I was sucked in and would finish the book....more

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Sep 09, 2012 Debra rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Downton Abbey has revived interest in the early 20th century, that time before the fabric of life in England was ripped apart by two world wars. I usually don't read novels set in this time period, though I'm not sure why, but I'm glad I picked up Katherine Webb's latest endeavor.

The Unseen is the story of more than one main character, and more than one time period. Set a century apart, the two stories converge with one dead World War I soldier, found well preserved in the muck of Ypres. Leah, a...more Downton Abbey has revived interest in the early 20th century, that time before the fabric of life in England was ripped apart by two world wars. I usually don't read novels set in this time period, though I'm not sure why, but I'm glad I picked up Katherine Webb's latest endeavor.

The Unseen is the story of more than one main character, and more than one time period. Set a century apart, the two stories converge with one dead World War I soldier, found well preserved in the muck of Ypres. Leah, a journalist, is called upon by her ex-boyfriend, Ryan, who works to identify war dead, to uncover the identity of this soldier, so next of kin can be finally identified. What Leah finds 100 years after the fact is enough for her to get over her humiliation at the hands of her former boyfriend, write a book and find a new love of her own in Mark Canning, great-grandson of one of the main protaganists of the story.

If this sounds complicated, it's really not. What it really is, is a mystery.

Cat Morley is imprisoned in 1911, for the crime of being an "active duty suffragette." Caught with a rock intended for a milliner's window during a protest, she is sentenced to prison. Upon her release, she is sent to Cold Ash Holt, and the Rectory, to work as a housemaid and regain her strength. She meets Albert Canning, her new employer and the vicar of the parish, and his wife Hester. Life is hard here, but good. She meets a man she falls in love with, and she also meets Robin Durrant, a self-proclaimed theosophist, who arrives when Albert claims he's seen fairies in the nearby water meadows.

The undercurrents in the household are strong. Things are not what they seem between the newly married vicar and his wife, and Robin throws the household into turmoil with his arrival and his hold over the vicar. When pictures are taken of a "elemental," or a fairy, in other words, things come to a dramatic conclusion for the Rectory's occupants.

Using two time periods works very well here. Leah meets a descendent of the Cannings, and together in 2011, they work toward solving the mystery of what happened in 1911. Once done, the identity of that soldier becomes clear, and the story ends happily for Leah. In that, we are reminded that 100 years before, the same cannot be said for the inhabitants of the Rectory.

The novel is extremely well-written, the characters fleshed out just enough for you to guess the truth about them, and there are many truths to ferret out. I love a novel that makes you think for yourself, and this is one of them. I highly recommend it.(less)

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Jul 02, 2012 Tonya rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-reads

As always, you have to delve deeper into the book, and once you do that, you get bits and pieces to put a whole puzzle together that Ms Webb has made for us. This time we have the past, 1911 and the present 2011. I sure did LOVE the past! Hester was so intriguing. If I was her I would really have a complex. Why wouldn't Bertie sleep with her? What in the hay!

The present wasn't as interesting but I sure did love the way this bit of mystery, thriller and romance came along. At first I really didn...more

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Aug 02, 2012 Michelle added it · review of another edition

Readers who may be ambivalent about Ms. Webb after reading her first novel will be awed by the shocking and fascinating world created by Ms. Webb in her second novel, while long-time fans will rejoice that Ms. Webb’s second novel is just as good, if not better, than her first. Revolving around two women from two very different class structures, as well as a flash-forward to a modern-day heroine with her own issues, The Unseen gets to the heart of the changes that defined the turn of the century...more Readers who may be ambivalent about Ms. Webb after reading her first novel will be awed by the shocking and fascinating world created by Ms. Webb in her second novel, while long-time fans will rejoice that Ms. Webb’s second novel is just as good, if not better, than her first. Revolving around two women from two very different class structures, as well as a flash-forward to a modern-day heroine with her own issues, The Unseen gets to the heart of the changes that defined the turn of the century as well as the universal concerns that face most women then and now.

In The Unseen, not only was the world on the brink of the first world war, people were scrutinizing the class structures and gender inequity in never-before-seen ways. In addition, the singular importance of religion in country life was dissipating as people gravitated towards spiritualism and other new-found belief structures. It is into this world that Hester and Cat each try to make their mark and establish their own sense of identity. Hester represents the old-fashioned. Her opinions on a wife’s role are quaint and decidedly out-of-date for modern readers. Her efforts to achieve happiness are as much a result of the constraints created by political and social rules at the time as well as her own naiveté and lack of understanding of the opposite sex. She is sheltered and privileged, and her struggles show that. Yet, her inability to give up, her increasing desire to speak up against her husband, and her growing ability to form and share her own unique opinions, all of which are social impossibilities to this well-bred young wife, is as admirable as it is intriguing.

Hester may be the more gentle of the two, in her fight to obtain her husband’s love and devotion, but it is Cat with whom the reader falls in love. Cat is Hester’s antithesis, everything that Hester is not. Cat refuses to be confined by anything, either literal or figurative. Her belligerent nature belies a psyche that has been buffeted and trampled upon by the authorities in her life. It is Cat’s battles which will draw the ire of most female readers and Cat’s plight that will leave readers of any gender in shock and awe. Her willingness to speak her mind and fight for her rights and those of other women are decidedly attractive to modern readers.

Cat is as fiery as Hester is calm, but both are trapped due to the rules put in place by men. These men take the form of Albert, Robin, and John, three very different men that provide a broad representation for the male sex within the novel. While one assumes The Unseen of the title are the nature spirits that brings Robin to the lives of the Cannings and the discovery of which absorbs so much discussion and attention by all of the characters, the true unseen in the novel are the bonds established by the laws that considered women nothing more than chattel once married and those established by the unwritten dictates of class structure. While the battles have already been fought and many of the rules binding Hester and Cat are no more, The Unseen provides an excellent reminder of how things used to be and just how difficult the battle was to change them.

While much of the action in The Unseen pits women against men in a struggle for equality, there are several other aspects to the us versus them theme that permeates the story. The conflicts surrounding the past versus present and religion versus atheism versus spiritualism are just as strong elements of the novel. In fact, all of the conflicts throughout the novel are quite timeless in that they never cease to be resolved. Women will always fight for equality, religion will also battle against nonbelievers, and the status quo will always remain obdurate. It is comforting and yet disappointing to see just how little has actually been resolved in the past 100 years.

The Unseen is a fascinating portrait of the turmoil that ended the Edwardian era in England. Ms. Webb’s characters bring these opposing forces together in such a manner that a reader is left aching with emotional involvement and interest. The entire novel is reminiscent of Kate Morton and her carefully researched depictions of England, which is a very good thing. Ms. Webb’s exacting attention to detail, as well as her fully-realized characters, create an addicting story that takes on a life of its own within a reader’s mind. There is much to like and dislike in each of the characters, creating distinct areas of grey that creates more realistic characters, while the battle between change versus status quo is a timely prompt that change is never without its foes. The battles the suffragettes in England faced are all too vivid and horrifying, while Hester’s naiveté and her continuing devotion to her not-so-deserving husband is as endearing as it is frustrating. The pacing of the story is perfect for the subtlety of the mystery. More importantly, the tension and horror builds slowly and steadily throughout the novel. The Unseen is one of those delicious novels that successfully avoids revealing all of its secrets until the very end. The result is a gorgeous story that showcases Ms. Webb’s improved writing and proving that Ms. Webb is one author to closely watch.

Acknowledgments: Thank you to LibraryThing's Early Reader Program for my review copy!(less)

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Jul 20, 2012 Merty rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I will have to read The Legacy now because I so enjoyed this book. It was so good! Deep dark secrets, fairies and manor maids. Just a great over-all read with a shocking ending. Had to go back to the beginning to get more insight but it was just so well done. If you like Downton Abbey and Rebecca and or Wuthering Heights, then you'll like this book. Also if you like Kate Morton, reminded me of The House On Riverton, only better. Many reviewers didn't like the shift of the past to the present, bu...more

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Oct 27, 2011 Teresa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: to-be-reviewed

During the long hot summer of 1911, a feisty young woman arrives in Thatcham, Berkshire to work as a maid in the Canning household. Having served time in prison for undisclosed crimes, Cat Morley crashes into the lives of the vicar Albert Canning and his wife Hester, determined to leave her mark. Cat is not the only disruptive influence though as Albert invites Robin Durrant into their home – Robin shares Albert’s interest in theosophy but Albert becomes more and obsessed with his guest and the...more

During the long hot summer of 1911, a feisty young woman arrives in Thatcham, Berkshire to work as a maid in the Canning household. Having served time in prison for undisclosed crimes, Cat Morley crashes into the lives of the vicar Albert Canning and his wife Hester, determined to leave her mark. Cat is not the only disruptive influence though as Albert invites Robin Durrant into their home – Robin shares Albert’s interest in theosophy but Albert becomes more and obsessed with his guest and the quest to capture photographic images of elementals. Passions run high as the temperatures soar and it is inevitable that someone will get hurt in the process.

I have mixed feelings about this novel – it’s a dual time frame story, one set in 1911 and one in 2011 but very little time is spent on the contemporary narrative. Now, I know I’ve frequently said how the modern story frequently doesn’t work as well for me in this type of novel but The Unseen does seem a bit off-balance in this respect and I feel that it might have been better to stick to the 1911 story and remove the 2011 element altogether as it really doesn’t enhance the reading experience.

So I’ll focus on the story of the Cannings and their troublesome blow-ins, Cat and Robin. I found none of the characters particularly likeable but some of my favourite fictional characters are obnoxious so no problem there. The Reverend Albert is weak and watery and easy prey for the charismatic, cunning Robin who is desperate to excel at something in life and impress his family. Cat is like a caged animal and yearns for freedom and equality – not quite the right fit for someone in service! In contrast, Hester is naive beyond belief, even for a century ago – I wanted to shake her.

A varied assortment of characters then with interesting historical elements – suffragettism, attitudes to homosexuality, theosophy but if only it had a bit more pace at the start (and I’m a fan of slow, lyrical reads!) It took me about 100 pages to “get into” the story and I must admit the temptation to skim was ever present. It’s a very well written novel and the author has clearly done her research but it didn’t engage me as much as The Legacy.

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Dec 01, 2011 Leah rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: for-review, books-read-2011, favorites

The Unseen by Katherine Webb is a novel that wouldn’t normally catch my eye; I’m not much of a historical fan, however during this year I’ve read a couple of books that have a historical aspect to them, that move from the present to the past, and I’ve found them to be massively enjoyable. I like how the stories merge, how the past and present were so different from each other and it can be somewhat startling to read about the early 1900s and comparing them to just how much it’s changed now that...more The Unseen by Katherine Webb is a novel that wouldn’t normally catch my eye; I’m not much of a historical fan, however during this year I’ve read a couple of books that have a historical aspect to them, that move from the present to the past, and I’ve found them to be massively enjoyable. I like how the stories merge, how the past and present were so different from each other and it can be somewhat startling to read about the early 1900s and comparing them to just how much it’s changed now that we’re in the 2000s. So when I received a copy of The Unseen, I thought it sounded fascinating. I haven’t read Katherine’s debut novel, though I have it on my Kindle, but after reading the really, truly, outstanding The Unseen, I will be reading The Legacy as soon as possible.

The Unseen is set in both 1911 and in 2011. It starts with a letter sent in 1911 from Hester Canning, to her sister, Amelia, before we spool forward in time to 2011 where Leah (weirdest feeling ever, reading a character with your name) Hickson, a freelance journalist is asked by her ex, Ryan, to come out to Belgium because the War Graves Commision has found a dead, unitentifiable soldier. No one knows who the soldier is, but he has two letters on his person, letters that hint of bad things that happened, letters that could perhaps unlock who this man is and what his relation is to the sender of the letter, H Canning. So as Leah sets about figuring out who the solidier is, and as she tries to figure out what that has to do with the Cannings, we go back to 1911 and we learn all about the Cannings, and all about the servant girl, Cat Morley, who came to stay with them for the summer of 1911, where their lives changed forever.

I’d say that three-quarters of the novel is set in 1911, with interruptions back to the present only to see how Leah is getting on with the investigation. I found the jump back to the present day to be unobtrusive and I thought it really added to the enjoyment of the novel, that it wasn’t simply a novel set in 1911 about a summer where things went haywire, but that there was an actual reason for us to be reading about that particular summer. I found the story of the Cannings and of Cat Morley to be massively intriguing. I wasn’t sure at first, but I soon found myself absorbed in the fact that Cat Morley wasn’t like many servants, that she wanted to make a difference and be her own person, rather than just a servant. It both intrigues me and makes me sad to know how life was just a mere 100 years ago. I mean, that’s not REALLY that long, in the grand scheme of things and yet to read about how women were treated makes me sad, but it also makes me thankful. After all, it’s because of women like Cat who mean that I have freedom as a woman today. Cat was so, so fascinating and I liked how bold she was.

The Cannings are also interesting. Reverend Canning is obsessed with Theosophy (you’ll have to read the novel/Google it because I still don’t really understand what it is) and when he invites Robin Durant, himself a theosophist, into their home, it changes not only the Cannings lives, but Cat’s, too. From what I understand of theosophy, from what happens in the novel, I don’t really give much truck to it, and I thought it would hamper my enjoyment of the novel, but it actually didn’t. Instead of overthinking the beliefs of Reverend Canning and Robin Durant, I just allowed them to believe that what they thought was true, and instead I just enjoyed the novel for what it was. Which was an absorbing novel that had a lot of different threads to it. (And if you think I’ve talked a lot about the plot, believe me, there’s much more to the novel than I’ve written about; these are merely just snippets and aren’t spoilers at all.) There’s so much going on with the book and as it all got to its conclusion, I found myself reading faster and faster and getting more excited to finally find out the truth of it all!

The Unseen was just a really, brilliant read. I just enjoyed it so, so much. The writing is excellent; Katherine Webb is brilliant at weaving a story and the addition of the 2011 aspect was just perfect for the novel, giving it a balance and a purpose and making us eager to learn more about what happened in 1911 as Leah unravels it, too. I found myself hooked and I couldn’t help rooting for Cat throughout the novel, she really managed to capture me. The whole novel was just superb. I was kept on tenterhooks from start to finish and the ending did not disappoint. It was just one of those books where everything was great; the beginning, the middle, the end, all excellent. Sure the whole theosophy thing was mildly confusing (to say the least) but I was able to get enough from it to be aware of what I was reading so it wasn’t so bad. I hugely recommend this book and I look forward to going back and reading Webb’s first novel, because if it’s half as good as The Unseen, then it, too, will be a triumph.(less)

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Mar 12, 2012 Beadyjan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, dual-time, my-top-ten-2012

I think this has to be my book of the year so far. I enejoyed it so much I really didn't want it to end. I loved her debut novel the Legacy too but this just blew me away.

The main characters are extremely well drawn, real and believeable. Hester recently married to mild mannered Albert Canning, vicar of a sleepy canalside village during a long hot summer in 1911.

Cat, come from London to work as a maid in their household, recently released from Holloway prison, struggling with her inner beliefs a...more I think this has to be my book of the year so far. I enejoyed it so much I really didn't want it to end. I loved her debut novel the Legacy too but this just blew me away.

The main characters are extremely well drawn, real and believeable. Hester recently married to mild mannered Albert Canning, vicar of a sleepy canalside village during a long hot summer in 1911.

Cat, come from London to work as a maid in their household, recently released from Holloway prison, struggling with her inner beliefs and desire for a better life.

We are introduced to Hester in a series of letters she has penned to her married sister and it becomes clear she is struggling to adapt to and understand what is expected of her in her new role as wife, sure any shortcomings are hers and no fault lies with her devoted and gentle young husband.

Cat finds it hard to settle to a life of servitude, bringing from prison a legacy of illness, mistrust of other folk, outspokenness and an overwhelming desire for freedom.

As the scorching summer heat continues, into their lives bursts Robin Durrant - a theosophist guest of Albert whose very presence threatens to affect all of their lives in different ways.

Life will never be the same again once what has remained unseen is revealed.

This is written as a dual time novel as in the present day Leah is researching the story of these characters from some letters found buried, however although its well written and pertinent to the storyline the modern layer of the novel is almost surplus to requirements - the strength and events of the historical part being sufficient to intrigue most readers. (I got the impression that the author felt a dual time story would be more popular and tried to turn it into one for this reason).

It doesn't spoil an excellent book however, the issues covered have been well researched and fall into place beautifully. Victorian beliefs and attitudes regarding spirituality, equality, womens rights and class division, suffragettes, homosexuality all are covered in this lovely novel, which build to a quite shocking climax.

Lovely, lovely, book, beautifully written - I just adored it.

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May 22, 2012 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mysteries-suspense, dual-timelines

This book and I were not love at first sight. But by halfway through I was hooked. I want to say that at times I was a bit frustrated that the plot didn't move faster-but it may be that I was simply DYING to know what happened so it was killing me not to get there faster.

While both timelines were well written and I understand how they supported each other, more then once I felt like the modern day timeline was a block rather than a help in the story line. I found myself not terribly invested in...more

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Dec 31, 2011 Heffalumpi rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2011

What a disappointment this book was! The reviews I read of it were promising as was the blurb on the cover. Glad I borrowed this from the library.

The story is slow, very slow, and boring. The only reason I kept reading was in the vain hope that something would happen. It is one of those books that has two inter-woven stories, one set in the past and one in the present day. I have read a few of these recently and they have been well executed and cleverly done - not this one. To my mind it would h...more

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Jun 23, 2012 Patty Corwin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was better than I expected it to be. It intertwines two stories -- one is of 1911 and a mystery surrounding a vicarage. The modern story is about a free-lance author investigating the discovery of a body from the early 1920's - an unidentified soldier, which the modern day proagonist tries to identify. Once I got into the book, the story was very intriguing. I learned about Theosophism - and now I can check out the Theosophists Society which is located in Wheaton! I always wondered wha...more

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Jun 16, 2012 Eleri rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-favourites

Not my usual thing, was recommended to me by a friend who is an avid reader. Loved it, still think about it sometimes. Used it as an example while discussing history and suffragettes with my daughter the other day.

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Jul 05, 2011 Briony rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-list, general-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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