Comin' Thro' the Rye

by Helen Mathers

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

Genres: Classics

270 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1875

About the author

Ellen Buckingham Mathews (1853 - 1920) was a popular female English novelist during the late 19th and early 20th century. She was also known as Mrs Reeves after her marriage to Dr. Henry Reeves but was best known under her pen name, Helen Mathers.

She was born in Misterton, Somerset. Her first novel, "Comin' thro' the Rye" was published in 1875. It was partly based on people in her life and on her own early romantic experiences. She also acknowledged Rhoda Broughton as an early influence. She continued to write until her death. Her last novel was published posthumously.

Reviews

[Marianna Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

That is three and a half stars, because I enjoyed the melodrama.
The writing is curiously uneven in this; some parts are strongly written, others, to be honest, border on sentimental nonsense. Of course, the Victorians - and the late Victorians in particular - did often wallow in sentimentality. Elizabeth Gaskell was sometimes shameless about it.
The parts about Nell's childhood, and the deranged behaviour of her domestic tyrant father are told as excelellent black comedy. The love scenes between Nell and Paul are cloying.
According to Wickipedia, this is supposed to be based on the author's own early love experiences.
Spoilers follow:
Surely that is impossible? The character of the villainess is completely improbable. Absurdly, the hero marries her in a stupor because he believes a false annoucement of the heroine's marriage to another man. That sounds more like an excuse than a genuine reason to me...
Worth reading for its wonderful descriptions of the English Victorian countryside alone.

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

definitely a tragic story. lot's of beautiful quotes:

Comin' thro' the rye by Helen Buckingham (Mathers) Reeves: p. 201 "... I can understand a man and woman falling out terribly, because he thought she loved someone better than she loved him, when in reality her heart belonged perfectly to that man, although a fleeting fancy for someone else had for the time being obscured her vision: there would be misery and confusion come ... It is the heart that stands, the fancy dies away like a puff of summer wind."

p. 221 "It is impossible, in the face of the stored traditions and memories of many hundred years, not to feel that these things remain, and we go."

p. 267 "... I am certain I should have slapped Bianca even harder than Katharine did. (Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew) She only insisted on her own way until she found someone with a stronger will; then she gave in directly."

[Barna Medve]

Comin' Thro' the Rye; A Novel