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An Ignorance of Means
In 18th century France, women had few choices and little chance to shape their destiny.Catherine dreams of a marriage as supportive and tender as that of her parents, but on her wedding night her new husband relates his own vision.Catherine’s desire for sweet domesticity is crushed when Robert Picard reveals himself to be a man of his time, and assumes he will have the freedom to cavort without censure among the pantheon of women he has always kept. Trapped in the gilded cage of the chateau Lac d’Or, Catherine attempts to escape only to be cast into a fresh hell from which release means being sent on a treacherous journey she could never imagine.
229 pages, Paperback
Published December 10, 2018
35 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Oakley Denslow
2 books42 followersJennifer Oakley Denslow, the author of Rapier Wit, a new cozy mystery, and the historical novel An Ignorance of Means, started reading before she started kindergarten and has been mesmerized by stories ever since.
Denslow lives with her husband in northeast Oklahoma in a house with over 5,000 books, plenty of reading lamps, and all the accessories necessary for enjoying a good read.
Denslow lives with her husband in northeast Oklahoma in a house with over 5,000 books, plenty of reading lamps, and all the accessories necessary for enjoying a good read.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 18, 2021
This story begins with Catherine Drummond who is about to get married to the wealthy Robert Picard and leaving her modest childhood home and doting parents for Picard's chateau Lac d’Or. Catherine hopes for a loving marriage just like the one her parents have but those hopes get crushed quickly after her wedding night when he reveals to only wanting a pretty wife to bear his heir and not much else.
I know this book is being presented as a historical romance but in my own opinion it definitely isn't that. This book shows the reality of 18th century France and how most men of the time thought about marriage and children. Catherine may have been naive when she initially married Picard but she knows that being in a loveless marriage isn't something she wants for herself. She starts looking for a way to escape chateau Lac d’Or but this isn't without severe consequences.
For the most part I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook. The writing was absolutely beautiful and I liked Catherine's perseverance. There were just some little things that bothered me. Catherine never seemed to catch a break which made this quite a sad story. That on its own would be fine because I don't want to only read happy books but eventually it was all starting to border on depressing. Also whenever she seemed to found someone who could be an ally or even a friend to her they ended up dying or for example with a character named Genevieve's, we don't actually know what happened to her. Did she survive? Did she die? Did I miss something? It just confused me a bit.
The end was quite abrupt as well, which is something I never really like with any story. I had a good idea where it would end but I hadn't expected the suddenness of it. After all the trouble Catherine went through it seemed a little too easy that her father suddenly shows up. But I guess I should be glad it was a good ending at all with all the misery that proceeded it.
About the narrator: I had to get used to Elisabeth Lagelee's voice and way of storytelling but I quickly came to enjoy listening to her and would love to listening to more books in the future that she narrated.
An Ignorance of Means by Jennifer Oakley Denslow is one of the better audiobooks I've listened to recently. I do have some things I pointed out above that I didn't necessarily love but for the most part I enjoyed Catherine's journey and am glad it had a happy ending.
I know this book is being presented as a historical romance but in my own opinion it definitely isn't that. This book shows the reality of 18th century France and how most men of the time thought about marriage and children. Catherine may have been naive when she initially married Picard but she knows that being in a loveless marriage isn't something she wants for herself. She starts looking for a way to escape chateau Lac d’Or but this isn't without severe consequences.
For the most part I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook. The writing was absolutely beautiful and I liked Catherine's perseverance. There were just some little things that bothered me. Catherine never seemed to catch a break which made this quite a sad story. That on its own would be fine because I don't want to only read happy books but eventually it was all starting to border on depressing. Also whenever she seemed to found someone who could be an ally or even a friend to her they ended up dying or for example with a character named Genevieve's, we don't actually know what happened to her. Did she survive? Did she die? Did I miss something? It just confused me a bit.
The end was quite abrupt as well, which is something I never really like with any story. I had a good idea where it would end but I hadn't expected the suddenness of it. After all the trouble Catherine went through it seemed a little too easy that her father suddenly shows up. But I guess I should be glad it was a good ending at all with all the misery that proceeded it.
About the narrator: I had to get used to Elisabeth Lagelee's voice and way of storytelling but I quickly came to enjoy listening to her and would love to listening to more books in the future that she narrated.
An Ignorance of Means by Jennifer Oakley Denslow is one of the better audiobooks I've listened to recently. I do have some things I pointed out above that I didn't necessarily love but for the most part I enjoyed Catherine's journey and am glad it had a happy ending.
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April 16, 2021
Catherine Drummond had a wonderful example of love and commitment when it came to her parents. When she meets her husband and experiences her wedding night, she dreams of care, concern and happiness. However, her new husband quickly disabuses her of that idea. In fact, his only goal is to impregnate her and to further his family line. Catherine is not important, only a vessel to his goal.
Trapped with nowhere to turn, discovering that communication with the outside world has been thwarted, Catherine begins devising a plan of escape. Women during that time in 18th century France had few options. From the frying pan to the fire, Catherine begins a journey wrought with danger.
This audiobook was done quite well, and the narrator did a fine job when it came to impressing Catherine's plight on me, as full of tragedy as it was. I had great hopes for Catherine, and was often saddened while hoping for things to improve with her. I was captivated by this story and found the conclusion wrapped things up quickly, with a sense of satisfaction as I listened to this book.
Many thanks to Jennifer Oakley Denslow for this audiobook for review. This is my honest opinion.
Trapped with nowhere to turn, discovering that communication with the outside world has been thwarted, Catherine begins devising a plan of escape. Women during that time in 18th century France had few options. From the frying pan to the fire, Catherine begins a journey wrought with danger.
This audiobook was done quite well, and the narrator did a fine job when it came to impressing Catherine's plight on me, as full of tragedy as it was. I had great hopes for Catherine, and was often saddened while hoping for things to improve with her. I was captivated by this story and found the conclusion wrapped things up quickly, with a sense of satisfaction as I listened to this book.
Many thanks to Jennifer Oakley Denslow for this audiobook for review. This is my honest opinion.
January 29, 2022
Although this is not my normal genre, I enjoyed this story. It kept me intrigued, engaged, and questioning what would come next. Highly recommend.
December 20, 2018
Casket Girls
I haven’t heard that phrase before but it has such an ominous ring to it. A strong female who goes from riches to rags with her self-worth intact. Very good read.
I haven’t heard that phrase before but it has such an ominous ring to it. A strong female who goes from riches to rags with her self-worth intact. Very good read.
April 9, 2019
Great read, which I couldn't put down! I loved the character, Catherine, who learns through trial and tribuation to trust herself. I am looking forward to the next chapter in Catherine's life.
July 9, 2019
What a ride..
Much different than I expected..so much going on and so many twists! I believe you will enjoy this book. Easy to read.
Much different than I expected..so much going on and so many twists! I believe you will enjoy this book. Easy to read.
June 23, 2021
*Huge thank you to both the author and the people over at Author Marketing Experts, Inc for sending me a copy of the audiobook in exchange for a review*
My Thoughts
Wow! I want to start off by saying this is only the second period "romance" book (if you can call it that. Maybe anti-romance is better?), with the only other one being Outlander. But I was very surprised with how much I enjoyed it. The story may take place in the 18th century, but it didn't feel like it. Catherine felt like a very modern character, and her anger toward her treatment made sense. I was just as outraged as she was, and I really enjoyed that. Catherine as a whole was honestly a great character. Her hope and her ability to not give up not only motivated her but the other people around her. It was sweet to read, and something I appreciate. I'm a big believer in once you lose hope it's game over, so that was a nice little grouping.
I think my favorite parts of this book were hands down the dream sequences and the asylum. I know some people seem to not have particularly enjoyed the dream sequences, but I loved them. They were weird, a pseudo-reality, and it was hard to discern sometimes. But that's why I loved them. It was also a powerful way for Catherine to process the death around her without the book getting too violent. The asylum was great for me for similar reasons. It's not often books today put the main character through the wringer when there's nothing wrong with them. Catherine was put in the asylum for no reason other than her husband wanted her gone. She had to deal with all of the emotions while also questioning if she was even of sound mind. This tied in with the dreams was such a good section of the book, I honestly wanted more of it.
Before I move into what I didn't love in this book, and why I ultimately gave it a 3.5/5, I want to mention one more thing. I really thought this was a romance, so I thought another guy was going to sweep Catherine away from Richard, or duel him. I was gleefully wrong. Catherine is able to do almost everything without a man and it was such a great take on a period piece. If you asked me I'd say this is an anti-romance, or a romantic tragedy rather than a straight up romance. It is a story of sadness, hurt, hope, and growth. But definitely not love.
If the book was made purely of the above, this would easily be a 4 star read, but some of the issues I couldn't get past. The masochist in me got a little indignant as to the ending specifically. I thought it tied up way too nicely and convenient. From where all the characters ended up, to how Catherine's life is going, I thought it was all too nice. Especially for what Catherine had went through in the book. See? I told you, the masochist. Sure a happy ending is good for her, but it felt *too* nice and as if it were just a mirror to the start of the book, but it wasn't.
The biggest knock down for me, was the narrator. I adored the voices used for all of the characters except for the men. Specifically Richard. It sounded like they were trying to have a lower, deeper voice to play the part of a confident strong man. But it came across cramped, forced, and definitely not good for the vocal cords. I would be invested in the story until he started speaking and I was pulled out once again. I would've been happier if the Richard's voice, even all the men in general, just stayed in the normal register for the narrator. It would've taken less time to get used to, and the style of the voices could have been played with more. I knocked half a star down for this specifically because of how often it pulled me out of the story. No matter how engrossing Catherin's journey was, I couldn't get past the voice.
Would I recommend?
YES! I definitely think everyone should give this a go. The audiobook flew by, and the French play on words (from a non French speaker) sounded so good. It had a great journey and covered some topics that I think are lacking in historical fiction books. Also the journey was a rush from start to finish, even though it definitely followed Catherine for a long time.
My Thoughts
Wow! I want to start off by saying this is only the second period "romance" book (if you can call it that. Maybe anti-romance is better?), with the only other one being Outlander. But I was very surprised with how much I enjoyed it. The story may take place in the 18th century, but it didn't feel like it. Catherine felt like a very modern character, and her anger toward her treatment made sense. I was just as outraged as she was, and I really enjoyed that. Catherine as a whole was honestly a great character. Her hope and her ability to not give up not only motivated her but the other people around her. It was sweet to read, and something I appreciate. I'm a big believer in once you lose hope it's game over, so that was a nice little grouping.
I think my favorite parts of this book were hands down the dream sequences and the asylum. I know some people seem to not have particularly enjoyed the dream sequences, but I loved them. They were weird, a pseudo-reality, and it was hard to discern sometimes. But that's why I loved them. It was also a powerful way for Catherine to process the death around her without the book getting too violent. The asylum was great for me for similar reasons. It's not often books today put the main character through the wringer when there's nothing wrong with them. Catherine was put in the asylum for no reason other than her husband wanted her gone. She had to deal with all of the emotions while also questioning if she was even of sound mind. This tied in with the dreams was such a good section of the book, I honestly wanted more of it.
Before I move into what I didn't love in this book, and why I ultimately gave it a 3.5/5, I want to mention one more thing. I really thought this was a romance, so I thought another guy was going to sweep Catherine away from Richard, or duel him. I was gleefully wrong. Catherine is able to do almost everything without a man and it was such a great take on a period piece. If you asked me I'd say this is an anti-romance, or a romantic tragedy rather than a straight up romance. It is a story of sadness, hurt, hope, and growth. But definitely not love.
If the book was made purely of the above, this would easily be a 4 star read, but some of the issues I couldn't get past. The masochist in me got a little indignant as to the ending specifically. I thought it tied up way too nicely and convenient. From where all the characters ended up, to how Catherine's life is going, I thought it was all too nice. Especially for what Catherine had went through in the book. See? I told you, the masochist. Sure a happy ending is good for her, but it felt *too* nice and as if it were just a mirror to the start of the book, but it wasn't.
The biggest knock down for me, was the narrator. I adored the voices used for all of the characters except for the men. Specifically Richard. It sounded like they were trying to have a lower, deeper voice to play the part of a confident strong man. But it came across cramped, forced, and definitely not good for the vocal cords. I would be invested in the story until he started speaking and I was pulled out once again. I would've been happier if the Richard's voice, even all the men in general, just stayed in the normal register for the narrator. It would've taken less time to get used to, and the style of the voices could have been played with more. I knocked half a star down for this specifically because of how often it pulled me out of the story. No matter how engrossing Catherin's journey was, I couldn't get past the voice.
Would I recommend?
YES! I definitely think everyone should give this a go. The audiobook flew by, and the French play on words (from a non French speaker) sounded so good. It had a great journey and covered some topics that I think are lacking in historical fiction books. Also the journey was a rush from start to finish, even though it definitely followed Catherine for a long time.
March 12, 2020
A decent read with a very strong and resilient woman as the main character! For the good parts: I liked the different settings, I liked learning about the culture of the time, and I loved Catherine’s strength. I also adored poor Genevieve. For the not so good parts: Some parts of the story were very rushed (like the ending), others were drawn out too long. What the heck happened to Genevieve?! You’re left wondering that. It’s kind of impossible that Catherine’s father would find her but I’m glad it did end on a happy note. A solid 3 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 24, 2021
Jennifer generously sent me an autographed copy of this book as a prize in a giveaway. I wish I had gotten to it sooner! I’m a fan of historical fiction, but I will admit it has been a minute since I have read anything like this. Catherine’s story takes us back to a time when women had no rights, when her husband had complete control over her, and it was easy to lock them up as insane due to their “ nerves” if they were an inconvenience. She goes on a wild adventure to escape the horrible marriage she finds herself in. Highly recommend everyone read this book.
January 3, 2019
An Ignorance of Means was a fast-paced, enjoyable read. Denslow has a Whartonian attention to detail that allowed me to lose myself in the setting and atmosphere of the novel. Once I started the novel, I had a hard time putting it down. The protagonist, Catherine, has a silent strength that is appealing and while she is innocent and inexperienced, she never comes off as ridiculously naive. Readers will find themselves sympathetic to Catherine's plight.
February 2, 2019
This is Jennifer Denslow's first novel. It is what I would call an antithetic bodice ripper, or a bodice ripper in reverse. It is set in 18 century France, and the heroine is Catherine, a naïve and nurtured young lady. The inciting incident is her marriage to the impossibly rich and handsome husband. This begins Catherine's odyssey to find herself, and her independence. No spoilers here. A really fun read.
June 25, 2019
A Depressing story
The other reviewers really like this story. I found it difficult to read because of the meanest life dealt out to Catherine. The story is well written. Character development was done well. It’s just this kind of story does not appeal to me. The end settled Catherine’s rescue but left me wanting some more of a resolution to her story.
The other reviewers really like this story. I found it difficult to read because of the meanest life dealt out to Catherine. The story is well written. Character development was done well. It’s just this kind of story does not appeal to me. The end settled Catherine’s rescue but left me wanting some more of a resolution to her story.
February 14, 2019
This was a highly readable introduction to a topic ("casket girls") I knew little about. Catherine, the heroine, showed a steady pace of growth throughout the book, evolving from timidity to a strong and determined woman. Well done!
July 18, 2020
A Page Turner
Although historically based fictions are not typically my favorite genre I found this story to be a true page turner. The main character reminds us all to maintain faith, hope and a positive outlook.
Although historically based fictions are not typically my favorite genre I found this story to be a true page turner. The main character reminds us all to maintain faith, hope and a positive outlook.
July 27, 2020
Well written historical fiction
A wonderfully well-written historical fiction novel with lots of plot turns. Family love at its best. Highly recommend!
A wonderfully well-written historical fiction novel with lots of plot turns. Family love at its best. Highly recommend!
September 19, 2020
Not sure where I picked this book up... but the best thing I can say about it is that it was mercifully short.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews