The World of Jennie G.

Jennie Trilogy #2

by Elisabeth Ogilvie

The handsome scoundrel Nigel Gilchrist lies dead on a Scottish hillside, his neck broken in a fight with his cousin Alick. His widow, Jennie, cause of the fight, and Alick will, if caught, be considered adulterers and hanged. The pair flee through the mountains and to get to the seacoast where they hope to go their separate ways - Jennie to her sisters in England, Alick to America.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction

368 pages, Paperback

First published December 31, 1986

About the author

Elisabeth Ogilvie’s striking evocation of the atmosphere of the Maine seacoast that is the background of The Seasons Hereafter is no accident, for she lived in just such an area for many years, and her love for its people and their way of life has influenced all her novels.
Her activities on Gay’s Island, where she spent most of the year, included writing, gardening, and “trying not to suspect that a bear is at the door, a moose lurking in among the alders, or a horned owl hovering overhead about to bear away the cat.”
She contributed a considerable amount of writing of magazine fiction and children’s books, and is the author of several novels, including There May Be Heaven, The Witch Door, Rowan Head, The Dawning of the Day, Storm Tide, and one book of nonfiction, My World Is an Island.

Reviews

[Sherry]

Jennie Trilogy, Bk 2, Sequel to Jennie About to Be.
Jennie Hawthorne Gilchrist, short time widow of Nigel Gilchrist who broke his neck in a fight with his cousin Alick Gilchrist after the burnouts during the highland clearances, has fled with Alick through the mountains. They exchange places and take the identities of a pregnant Glenroy couple bound on General MacKenzie’s brig Paul Revere to his new town on the coast of Maine. They claim a Handfast Scottish marriage as they must pretend to be married as they live together, apart, and find jobs, Jennie tutoring the MacKenzie daughters, and Alick learning shipbuilding. When Jennie can no longer deny she is pregnant, and carrying Nigel’s baby, her determination to earn enough to return to England with her child and free Alick to live his own life feels thwarted. Alick is always there to support and comfort her, and she him, though he stiffly resists her, and both work hard in their agreed partnership as life alters their relationships.
Third book is Jennie Gilroy.

[Lise]

This is the 2nd in a trilogy that reads as a step down the excitement road. Book one really drew me in, book 2 completed the process gently and slowly. Easy enough to read. For those with concerns about the cover of the books- the newer editions have landscape imagery that is appropriate to the subject matter. On the outside it does not appear to be a romance novel anymore. A story about life in the early 1800’s Maine.

[Rich Watson]

Second book; follows Jennie and Alick’s new life in Maine after sailing from England

[Rivera Sun]

This book is a lovely, thoughtful, feel-good read. For those sophisticated/snobby readers (like me), don't be alarmed by the romance novel edition's cover. The book deserves a lot better than that sappy image. Ms. Ogilvie's writing is texturally rich, and draws you immediately into the story. She brings you into the historical context of an 1800's American town in Maine, but never drops an unnecessary historical reference that drags you out of the lyrical expression of the storyline. Her characters are well-developed, engaging, and charming, covering all walks of life with an excellent sense of humor. I recommend this book, and the other two in the series.

[Julie Davis]

Second book of the Jennie trilogy by Ogilvie. This has some of the "Little House" elements because we see Jennie and Alick learning about the American town in Maine which will become their new home, as well as the people and life there naturally. There is a continuation of the romance the readers have seen building but which Jennie is oblivious to. And a mystery of sorts which is all sorted out by the end. Enjoyable.