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Against the Stream
Sir John Melton on rikas mutta yksinäinen mies. Hän tarjoutuu menemään naimisiin köyhän perheen tyttären, Annin, kanssa, ja Ann hyväksyy tarjouksen. Tämä on ainoa tapa pitää hänen perheensä kasassa hänen äitinsä kuoltua. Annin täytyy vain pitää seuraa uudelle aviomiehelleen. Uusi elämä tuo mukanaan haasteensa. Rikkaiden seurapiirit ovat aivan oma maailmansa, eikä Annin anoppi pidä hänestä. John Meltonin perässä on myös eräs kovin mustasukkainen nainen, joka ei meinaa antaa Annille hetken rauhaa. Tämän kaiken keskellä rakkauden löytäminen on epätodennäköistä. Vai onko sittenkään?
287 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 1974
5 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Cartland
1,053 books838 followersBorn in 1901, Barbara Cartland started her writing career in journalism and completed her first book, Jigsaw, when she was just 24. An immediate success, it was the start of her journey to becoming the world’s most famous and most read romantic novelist of all time. Inspiring a whole generation of readers around the globe with her exciting tales of adventure, love and intrigue, she became synonymous with the Romance genre. And she still is to this day, having written over 644 romantic fiction books.
As well as romantic novels, she wrote historical biographies, 6 autobiographies, plays, music, poetry and several advice books on life, love, health and cookery – totalling an incredible 723 books in all, with over 1 billion in sales.
Awarded the DBE by Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 in honour of her literary, political and social contributions, she was President of the Hertfordshire branch of the Royal College of Midwives as well as a Dame of Grace of the Order of St John of Jerusalem and Deputy President of the St John Ambulance Brigade.
Always a passionate advocate of woman’s health and beauty, she was dubbed ‘the true Queen of Romance’ by Vogue magazine in her lifetime. Her legend continues today through her wonderfully vivid romantic tales, stories that help you escape from the day to day into the dramatic adventures of strong, beautiful women who battle, often against the odds, eventually to find that love conquers all.
Find out more about the incredible life and works of Dame Barbara Cartland at www.barbaracartland.com
As well as romantic novels, she wrote historical biographies, 6 autobiographies, plays, music, poetry and several advice books on life, love, health and cookery – totalling an incredible 723 books in all, with over 1 billion in sales.
Awarded the DBE by Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 in honour of her literary, political and social contributions, she was President of the Hertfordshire branch of the Royal College of Midwives as well as a Dame of Grace of the Order of St John of Jerusalem and Deputy President of the St John Ambulance Brigade.
Always a passionate advocate of woman’s health and beauty, she was dubbed ‘the true Queen of Romance’ by Vogue magazine in her lifetime. Her legend continues today through her wonderfully vivid romantic tales, stories that help you escape from the day to day into the dramatic adventures of strong, beautiful women who battle, often against the odds, eventually to find that love conquers all.
Find out more about the incredible life and works of Dame Barbara Cartland at www.barbaracartland.com
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 23, 2020
AGAINST THE STREAM by Barbara Cartland was originally published in 1946 by Hutchinson & Co. The UK publisher Arrow Books released it in paperback in 1970; my copy is an Arrow Books edition from 1975. (In the U.S., Pyramid Books published this novel in 1974 as book #68 in their line of Barbara Cartland books.) I'd only read one other Cartland novel before (a later one, written in 1989) and so I was surprised that this story takes place in the present, instead of the 1800s like the other Cartland book I'd read. This early Cartland novel also seems more substantial than her thinner later books when she was churning one out every month.
The novel begins initially from the perspective of the hero, but soon switches to the heroine's perspective for the rest of the book. This is unfortunate because it has the effect of making the hero, John, a less sympathetic person since his feelings and motivations are kept hidden from the reader. The gist of the story is that our heroine Ann is the oldest (adult) daughter in a family where both parents have died. (Her father, a doctor who treats John, dies early in the novel.) John is wealthy and instead of simply using his wealth to pay the family's bills so that they can stay in their home, he asks Ann to marry him with the understanding that they are not a romantic couple. Ann goes to live with John and meets his family (consisting of some memorable characters) and in the process Ann becomes more aware of her previous poverty-stricken status and gradually upgrades her appearance to better fit in. This part of the book almost reads like a Regency romance, even though it takes place after World War Two.
Ann is a very serious, somewhat pious person, who tries to fix the lives of others, but can't fix the problem of her somewhat cold relationship with John. Near the end of the book, he tries to force himself on her, but stops before doing more than kissing her and tearing her nightgown at the shoulder. There is some unfortunate language in the text about Ann surrendering to John as her master, and many readers will see the ending as less romantic and more pathetic. For me, the final sentence's mention of her tears as she kisses a triumphant John disturbingly brought to mind Winston Smith's professed love for Big Brother at the end of George Orwell's 1984. Also near the end there are a few scenes where characters engage in lengthy dialogue at Ann, explaining their life story (turns out John doesn't express emotions because he was raised that way) which reminded me of an old B&W movie where an actor would give a little climactic speech with syrupy music flowing underneath.
For all its faults, however, I liked this book. Sometimes I only wanted to rate this 3 stars, but given its length and its complexity compared to later Cartland, and a satisfying finish (despite some loose ends and that "master" stuff) I'll go with a 3.5 star rating.
The novel begins initially from the perspective of the hero, but soon switches to the heroine's perspective for the rest of the book. This is unfortunate because it has the effect of making the hero, John, a less sympathetic person since his feelings and motivations are kept hidden from the reader. The gist of the story is that our heroine Ann is the oldest (adult) daughter in a family where both parents have died. (Her father, a doctor who treats John, dies early in the novel.) John is wealthy and instead of simply using his wealth to pay the family's bills so that they can stay in their home, he asks Ann to marry him with the understanding that they are not a romantic couple. Ann goes to live with John and meets his family (consisting of some memorable characters) and in the process Ann becomes more aware of her previous poverty-stricken status and gradually upgrades her appearance to better fit in. This part of the book almost reads like a Regency romance, even though it takes place after World War Two.
Ann is a very serious, somewhat pious person, who tries to fix the lives of others, but can't fix the problem of her somewhat cold relationship with John. Near the end of the book, he tries to force himself on her, but stops before doing more than kissing her and tearing her nightgown at the shoulder. There is some unfortunate language in the text about Ann surrendering to John as her master, and many readers will see the ending as less romantic and more pathetic. For me, the final sentence's mention of her tears as she kisses a triumphant John disturbingly brought to mind Winston Smith's professed love for Big Brother at the end of George Orwell's 1984. Also near the end there are a few scenes where characters engage in lengthy dialogue at Ann, explaining their life story (turns out John doesn't express emotions because he was raised that way) which reminded me of an old B&W movie where an actor would give a little climactic speech with syrupy music flowing underneath.
For all its faults, however, I liked this book. Sometimes I only wanted to rate this 3 stars, but given its length and its complexity compared to later Cartland, and a satisfying finish (despite some loose ends and that "master" stuff) I'll go with a 3.5 star rating.
August 30, 2009
Ask me no more: thy fate and mine are seal'd;
I strove against the stream and all in vain:
Let the great river take me in the main:
No more, dear love, for at a touch I yield:
Ask me no more.
Tennyson
Have you been really happy with that deep, springing joy which makes everything in the world seem wonderful because the people for whom you really care are with you, near you, touching you and loving you?
I strove against the stream and all in vain:
Let the great river take me in the main:
No more, dear love, for at a touch I yield:
Ask me no more.
Tennyson
Have you been really happy with that deep, springing joy which makes everything in the world seem wonderful because the people for whom you really care are with you, near you, touching you and loving you?
August 4, 2021
A story circling around a girl and her interaction with numerous characters and their own intricacies. This is so well written i felt I was living an era. Ann is the lead along with her husband John, who is so different and attractive that I may have fallen for him. Their unique love-search for each other is something else. I enjoyed the conversation between Ann and Charles (the cousin of John) the most. And I may as well applaud the characters that will remain in my heart like myra, Sinclair,the twins, and Dawson. Another one by Barbara Cartland okay so this one I recommend!! #AgainstTheStream #BarbaraCartland
July 25, 2016
Ann is so scared of John in the later part of the book, yet somehow she comes to the conclusion she’s not actually scared of him, just of loving him and somehow not being in control of the relationship? It’s ridiculous.
Not only does he almost rape her (He says something like, “If another man can make love to you, than I who am your husband can as well,” and rips her clothes.) which is what makes her scared of him in the first place, he gets angry at her for interacting with Charles. Their agreement was that she would make him less lonely and he’d let Ann’s family live in the house with him. There was no mention of her not being able to talk to other men, and even if there was, it’d be gross.
I know it’s an old novel, but there is no way I can condone the way Ann is treated by the supposedly swoon-worthy John. I was really hoping she’d end up with Charles or at least have more involvement with him because he was a nice guy, but then he went and fell in love with Ann’s sister? Weird and didn’t really make sense. I know he liked that Myra (I think that was her name) relied on him, but…
I had some fun reading this book, but after a while it just got tiresome and I only read it to finish it.
Not only does he almost rape her (He says something like, “If another man can make love to you, than I who am your husband can as well,” and rips her clothes.) which is what makes her scared of him in the first place, he gets angry at her for interacting with Charles. Their agreement was that she would make him less lonely and he’d let Ann’s family live in the house with him. There was no mention of her not being able to talk to other men, and even if there was, it’d be gross.
I know it’s an old novel, but there is no way I can condone the way Ann is treated by the supposedly swoon-worthy John. I was really hoping she’d end up with Charles or at least have more involvement with him because he was a nice guy, but then he went and fell in love with Ann’s sister? Weird and didn’t really make sense. I know he liked that Myra (I think that was her name) relied on him, but…
I had some fun reading this book, but after a while it just got tiresome and I only read it to finish it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 29, 2023
Lessons of Love
Sir John Melton was handsome, reserved, and formidably rich. When he offered to marry charming Ann, daughter of an improvished country doctor, she reluctangly accepted. She would be able to keep her motherless family together.
Her only marriage vow was to make Sir John comfortable, to try to keep him from loneliness.
So she entered his opulent, alien world to face a disapproving mother-in-law and the mockery of a jealous beauty.
As Ann's kindness and understanding altered the sophistcated lives around her, she still did not understand the tumult in her heart, or what astonishing lessons she had to learn...about radiant love!
Sir John Melton was handsome, reserved, and formidably rich. When he offered to marry charming Ann, daughter of an improvished country doctor, she reluctangly accepted. She would be able to keep her motherless family together.
Her only marriage vow was to make Sir John comfortable, to try to keep him from loneliness.
So she entered his opulent, alien world to face a disapproving mother-in-law and the mockery of a jealous beauty.
As Ann's kindness and understanding altered the sophistcated lives around her, she still did not understand the tumult in her heart, or what astonishing lessons she had to learn...about radiant love!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews