What do you think?
Rate this book
Stormy Petrel #4
The House of the Paladin
The House of the Paladin is the tale of a lovely medieval castle and its chatelaine, the beautiful little Duchess Anastasia of Ornawitza, the boy-king Alexander, and the young English boy, Hugh Vallence, descendant of the House of Valens whose motto so aptly was "Quit you like men."
When the story opens the two friends Henry Hillman and Hugh Vallence are travelling together during their school holidays. The sudden and unexpected recall of Henry leaves Hugh alone and open to all the exciting adventures which befall him.
The account of the trials of Anastasia, her courage and resourcefulness in the face of the devilish schemes of her wicked uncle the Marquis Miglione and the part played by the romantic figure Dick Fauconbois, "The Stormy Petrel," are full of excitement and thrills and the suspense is sustained until the very end.
When the story opens the two friends Henry Hillman and Hugh Vallence are travelling together during their school holidays. The sudden and unexpected recall of Henry leaves Hugh alone and open to all the exciting adventures which befall him.
The account of the trials of Anastasia, her courage and resourcefulness in the face of the devilish schemes of her wicked uncle the Marquis Miglione and the part played by the romantic figure Dick Fauconbois, "The Stormy Petrel," are full of excitement and thrills and the suspense is sustained until the very end.
298 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1945
2 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
About the author
Violet Needham
21 books13 followersAuthor of 19 books for children published between 1939 and 1957. Although she came to writing late — she was 63 when her first book, The Black Riders, was published — her books achieved immediate and lasting popularity with young reader
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 25, 2020
‘Ornowitza is not England, it’s comic opera and a law unto itself. You wouldn’t believe the things that go on there.’
Like any Englishman travelling alone in Ruritania, teenage Hugh Vallance finds out for himself just how strange this part of the world is when he determines to visit the secretive castle the House of the Paladin for himself, encounters the young Duchess, and discovers the plot that threatens her life. But what can an Etonian schoolboy and an elderly English governess do to save Anastasia?
This being Ruritania, quite a lot, as it turns out, especially when Dick Fauconbois, the Stormy Petrel himself, gets involved. Needham conjures up beautifully the atmosphere of a hot summer in a sleepy corner of deepest Europe, and creates a memorable cast of characters ranged on the sides of good and evil. At the start of the book this deft touch with characterisation is spoilt by a few antisemitic comments not unusual in British books of this period. Reading the book today, it does not seem so fantastical that immoral people will do anything to get their hands on political power, while most citizens are oblivious, but those who see what is going on have to choose whether to get involved or not. It is of course escapist fantasy that these power struggles involve protecting yet another of Needham’s child rulers from personal threat, but the psychodrama of Anastasia, surrounded by adults who will not or cannot help her while those who are supposed to be caring for her are actually deliberately trying to damage her, is utterly realistic. Most children might not be threatened by uncles after their throne, but children are frightened and hurt all the time by adults who find them inconvenient or are outright sadistic, and it is the depiction of Anastasia confronting these things alone that gives the book its power and has one rooting for two boys to use all their sense and invention - and the boating skills learned on the river at Eton - to rescue her.
Like any Englishman travelling alone in Ruritania, teenage Hugh Vallance finds out for himself just how strange this part of the world is when he determines to visit the secretive castle the House of the Paladin for himself, encounters the young Duchess, and discovers the plot that threatens her life. But what can an Etonian schoolboy and an elderly English governess do to save Anastasia?
This being Ruritania, quite a lot, as it turns out, especially when Dick Fauconbois, the Stormy Petrel himself, gets involved. Needham conjures up beautifully the atmosphere of a hot summer in a sleepy corner of deepest Europe, and creates a memorable cast of characters ranged on the sides of good and evil. At the start of the book this deft touch with characterisation is spoilt by a few antisemitic comments not unusual in British books of this period. Reading the book today, it does not seem so fantastical that immoral people will do anything to get their hands on political power, while most citizens are oblivious, but those who see what is going on have to choose whether to get involved or not. It is of course escapist fantasy that these power struggles involve protecting yet another of Needham’s child rulers from personal threat, but the psychodrama of Anastasia, surrounded by adults who will not or cannot help her while those who are supposed to be caring for her are actually deliberately trying to damage her, is utterly realistic. Most children might not be threatened by uncles after their throne, but children are frightened and hurt all the time by adults who find them inconvenient or are outright sadistic, and it is the depiction of Anastasia confronting these things alone that gives the book its power and has one rooting for two boys to use all their sense and invention - and the boating skills learned on the river at Eton - to rescue her.
July 18, 2022
Marred a bit by an Utterly Amoral Ambiguously-Jewish Doctor, but on the other hand, Dr. Bastianovitch was a delightfully creepy villain: basically, Count Fosco, but cross him with Professor Moriarty. Anastasia is probably my favorite protagonist yet, and all the boating and river-journeys gave this a very Swallows And Amazons in Ruritania vibe.
November 9, 2007
Violet Needham started publishing in her 60s, and for twenty years churned out children's adventures. House of the Paladin is the third of the Stormy Petrel stories, and the young Duchess Anastasia is kept sequestered by her uncle in the House of the Paladin -- one of her palaces.
It's a Ruritanian-esque adventure story for Hugh, the protagonist, a half wet from Eton (i.e. he goes in for the rowing and swimming side of the sports), and brings in Richard and Alexander, from the first and second books respectively.
Anastacia's former governess is an extraordinary depiction of a eldery English woman, considering the genre. Such creatures are generally portrayed as feeble and ineffectual. This one however takes up cudgels on behalf of her former charge and involves first Hugh, then Richard, then, by a coincidence of resting placse, Alexander. Contrived, perhaps. But enjoyable. And this isn't even the main plot.
Anastacia herself is facing both physical and psychological attacks, and frankly, the Doctor and the new governess are just *creepy* as all get out. She draws them lightly but convincingly, and the sheer screwed up, vicious, almost salacious cruelty of the new governess, and the relationship between her and the doctor are just ... convincing and astounding in a children's book.
It's not great literature, and there are flaws; the plot lurches a little in places, and there's a distinct feeling of patchiness. I could have done, too, with an editor unafraid of attacking Needham's idiosyncratic vocabulary and punctuation. But a memorable read, not least for the psychodrama of the battle between Anastacia and the Fraulein.
It's a Ruritanian-esque adventure story for Hugh, the protagonist, a half wet from Eton (i.e. he goes in for the rowing and swimming side of the sports), and brings in Richard and Alexander, from the first and second books respectively.
Anastacia's former governess is an extraordinary depiction of a eldery English woman, considering the genre. Such creatures are generally portrayed as feeble and ineffectual. This one however takes up cudgels on behalf of her former charge and involves first Hugh, then Richard, then, by a coincidence of resting placse, Alexander. Contrived, perhaps. But enjoyable. And this isn't even the main plot.
Anastacia herself is facing both physical and psychological attacks, and frankly, the Doctor and the new governess are just *creepy* as all get out. She draws them lightly but convincingly, and the sheer screwed up, vicious, almost salacious cruelty of the new governess, and the relationship between her and the doctor are just ... convincing and astounding in a children's book.
It's not great literature, and there are flaws; the plot lurches a little in places, and there's a distinct feeling of patchiness. I could have done, too, with an editor unafraid of attacking Needham's idiosyncratic vocabulary and punctuation. But a memorable read, not least for the psychodrama of the battle between Anastacia and the Fraulein.
April 28, 2015
I read this years ago as a young girl so it brought back happy memories for me. The story is a bit stilted and I was gobsmacked to read about a 15 year old travelling in Europe on his own in the 50s, drinking beer and rescuing maidens in distress! So different from today's mores. Frankly I loved that the hero was expected to be a responsible and sensible person from the get go. Very liberating
July 1, 2009
This was my first Violet Needham book so I always love to re-read it. Plus, it's as good an adventure story as you'll find in this sort of literature and much better than a lot. Anastasia is lovely - the kind of character you can't help but root for.
April 5, 2012
intriguing....
pieces fall togethr nicely and fit tight :)...
pieces fall togethr nicely and fit tight :)...
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews