The Bronze Horseman discussion
What are you currently reading?
Jessica - I agree totally, I've given up on reading Paullina Simons books as each book has got progressively worse. I think TBH is SOOOOO different to her other books that sometimes I even wonder if it's the same author. There are two things I love about TBH - 1) it's a lifelong, epic love story and 2) a historical novel. Sadly she seems to have abandoned her two strengths for mediocrity... I heard somewhere (not sure if it was on here or not) that she was writing an epic love story set in Bosnia or somewhere?! I will read that, but no more of her contemporary novels...
Thanks for the heads up Jessica and Megan. I have Tully sitting on my book shelf and I was feeling bad not being able to read it right away. Now I don't think I will be rushing to read it any time soon. Too many other books that have been recommended that I want to read first.
Apparently Paullina is writing a new book! She's said on facebook and twitter that she has a new website coming soon, which will have details of her new book!! Very exciting.
Jessica wrote: "Apparently Paullina is writing a new book! She's said on facebook and twitter that she has a new website coming soon, which will have details of her new book!! Very exciting."I just saw that comment on facebook about Paullina's new website. She said it will be up this weekend. Very exciting.!!!
Tina wrote: "Milena wrote: "I started reading Tully. I am enjoying it so far, but not blown away yet like I was by TBH. Did anyone read it? What did you think? The book has very mixed reviews."..."
Tina, I just finished reading Tully. I really liked the book, I gave it 4 stars. Paullina has a real talent for creating complex, flawed characters, that you can't help but feel for them, be sad and happy for them, be frustrated by them, cheer for them. Tully is such a character. Although I did not agree with some of her decisions, I understood how she felt and where she was coming from. I would recommend this book for Paulina's fans.
Check out this website. It is a lady named Carol who is reading TBH and T and A for the first time and blogging about it. It is great. I love reading the reactions of someone reading these books for the first time. http://mybronzehorsemanpurgatory.blog...
I checked this out the other day-actually it was the myoutlanderpurgatory.blogspot.com. It seemed really fun but there was soooo much stuff that I didn't get to far into it. Need some real free time to check it out. I'll have to check out the bronze horseman one too. Thanks Tina...
I am back to Jamie and am reading Drums of Autumn. Couldn't stay away for long.*SPOLIER* *SPOLIER*
Just started reading it and I have a question for those of you that have already read it. How is Fergus in America with Jamie and Claire? I thought he stayed back in Jamaica with his wife?
use the html spoiler>I don't remember
Kelly wrote: "use the html spoiler>I don't remember"Thanks Kelly!!
Fergus was in Jamaica, but he leaves Marsali (still pregnant) with friends AND a St. Dismas medal around her neck (he wears the same and though he feels it will protect her, recalling from earlier in the saga, St. Dismas is the patron saint of theives....hence, Fergus's true protector-as a child at least ;)). He joins Jamie, Claire and Ian (and Rollo :)) in Georgia b/c he feels that Jamie might have real need of him being that the dangers of the new world are so unknown yet with the bringing of newborns into the world he would have no place or relevant knowledge with which to help. He plans to send for Marsali as soon as she has the babe. Hope that answers your question! I do like Fergus a lot---wish DG wrote more on him and his life/fam etc...
Thanks Toni. Does this come up in this book because I don't remember it in Voyager?
Toni wrote: "Fergus was in Jamaica, but he leaves Marsali (still pregnant) with friends AND a St. Dismas medal around her neck (he wears the same and though he feels it will protect her, recalling from earlier ..."I didn't like where she went with him being Violent. I understood it but I wish she dealt with it more. Off they went and then later they seem fine I don't know I didn't like it one bit. I loved Fergus and also wished she wrote more on him. and Marsali lord I cringed whenever she would call Claire Mother Claire!!
Just read the part where DB explains how Fergus got to America in Drums of Autumn.(only on page 150 though). Still a little confused on that part. Seems like she didn't like her idea about keeping Fergus in Jamaica with Marsali so she quickly made something up to get him to America with Jamie. Why would Fergus leave his pregnant wife, by herself, in a strange country, and go to America to help Jamie? The mode for transportation then is not real speedy, what if something happens and she needs him, he can't get to her, or won't even here about it for a long time. And is Jamie all right with this?.. Fergus leaving his step-daughter by herself. Still reading though, maybe it will become clearer as time goes on.
I agree Tina, it was seemingly a quick way to bring him into the story, but I'm not entirely sure why. As far as I remember he didn't have much of a role in the book and certainly nothing transpired where he himself was needed by Jamie. If she wanted him in the story so much why didn't she just have Marsali already give birth and they both would come over by the time The Fiery Cross started?Kelly I totally agree with you..Mother Claire-ugh! Made my stomach cringe when she started in with that, but now I don't mind it so much. She has ingratiated herself to me now that I'm half thru TFCross. I mean I don't love her and if she were not mentioned again I wouldn't miss her, but she is agreeable enough to me. As I said in my last post, I do wish their was more on Fergus. His relationship with Marsali might have been interesting too as a love story. I always loved Fergus and I felt she could have made him an integral part of the story. If she had chosen to delve in deeper with Fergus and use her wonderful descriptive magic as she did with Jamie, I think he has the potential to be verra appealing. Btw, I am not certain what you meant by saying she was Violent and the following two or three sentences. I might have forgotten something. Do you mind going into more detail/explaining. You've piqued my interest. The other thing that really needled me was when Marsali called Jamie 'Da'. I mean he was only her stepfather for maybe 2 yrs, right? And what of her real father? I've gotten used to it now and of course now that she's married to Fergus Fraser it makes sense, but when she walked in on Jamie and Claire and called him Da it sooo bothered me. I get that needed to happen for Claire to have the misunderstanding etc..but after that? It seemed purposely done to hurt 'Mother Claire' (ugh!). Even when she walked in and said it it was of course to stick a knife in Claire. For her to continually call Jamie Da when he was only in her life for a year and a half or two years and then only occassionally as Jamie said he left Laoghaire's house quite often and for long periods of time b/c she was so difficult. It took me a long time to not be incensed by Marsali.
Oh, now that I've brought it up, I thought of a question that I meant to ask a while back. When it is described by Jamie that Laoghaire was so dissatisfied with him (CRAZY woman!! Unhappy with Jamie Fraser? Blasphemy I say!!!!) do you all think it was because she always sensed Claire's presence and it was upsetting to her? I assumed that was it but I'm not sure if I missed something. I flew thru that book like a man on fire I was so caught up in it and wanted desperately to know what was happening next, and next, and next! If that is or even if it isn't, why did she marry Jamie? Was it just 'to win'? If she was going to push him away what was the point? It kind of bugged me too b/c she was soooo not his type. Basically Everything that he was not attracted to. I mean he spent almost two decades mostly celibate only being w/ Mary Mc-something or other (I forget-oops!) and Genevieve (that was her name, right?) and that was only b/c she blackmailed him something fierce. So why after all of that, all of the love and intimacy he denied all others? And so quickly! He even said it was really not Jenny, it was his loneliness.
Also with Genevieve, she blackmailed him so severely it threatened his very life and the lives of his family if not Lallybroch itself. He went into the intimacy with great anger at her and had always found her extremely unattractive by nature. So I don't get it when a few minutes into it he seems to find her sweet or not so unlikeable merely bc she was unsure how to make love. Could her naivete and vulnerability make her somehow redeemable in her nature to Jamie? Make him forget so suddenly that he was being blackmailed, punishable likely by his death? What do you all think about my questions/hypothesis? What are YOUR ideas/observations/hypothesis/feelings :) :) ????
Shell wrote: "K.. So I have now just picked up 'On a Highland Shore', by Kathleen Givens"I just got this as well, hope it's good!!!
TONI(sheepishly, with head down and looking out under eyelashes, kicking the dirt)Oopsy! Did I really write ALL that!!
Hopeful you all are used to my epic posts. I do love the exchange ideas on all the posts and I'm not in any denial that I can be pretty verbose in my own posts! I just LOVE TBH (trilogy) as well as Outlander (series) and once I get started on
them (or the verra bonny lads in both tomes!! ;) ) I can't help myself--I have an inkling you all agree tho with the restraint to keep your great posts less LOooonnnggg!! :)
oops again..my last post was supposed to print and be read as if it was a script, as if I was saying it with stage directions regarding my delivery. UGH! It sounded MUCH funnier in my head....Ok..NOW I am done, no more posts---promise...(well, at least on this thread :))
Toni Marsali and Joan were just little girls when Jamie came into their lives so he was the only Da she knows or remembers. And he was good to the girls. As for Fergus I think we will see alot more of him in book 8. I don't know what book your on so don't want to say to much. As far as Marsali I have really grown to love her. She is quite a woman.
Toni wrote: "I agree Tina, it was seemingly a quick way to bring him into the story, but I'm not entirely sure why. As far as I remember he didn't have much of a role in the book and certainly nothing transpire..."OOPS that may have be in a future book... sorry... you will see!
Also you will find out more regarding Jamie and wacko Loaghair!! in Echo.
I think without a doubt she wanted Jamie all along after all the were kissy face a bit in Outlander! She also knows that she is not Jamie's true love and Claire is the only one for him! I still say DAMN Jenny for making it happend!
Jenny...yes, she needs her feet set to the coals a bit for that one!! Soo there's more about the wicked Laoghaire...hmmmm. Sue, I do like Marsali now. She's grown on me alot and still I know very little of her as I'm only half thru with The Fiery Cross. I like her as a mom to Joan and Germaine. I call my own boy a wee fiend now a la Marsali. You say that Jamie spent a lot of time with the girls, but as far as I remember (and I very well may be remembering poorly, so please inform me correctly if you will) he was only with 'L' for less than two years and not even around her most of the time. He wasn't even with 'L' until long after his cave days/years on the farm etc... so they were mostly grown too. I'm not saying I don't get it, I just think it's a little much. I mean two years most, on and off and already teens or early teens.
Then again there maybe much I don't yet know about. I do agree he was very good to them. Had it never been mentioned I'd have known it anyhow, that's Jamie.
Damn Jenny though,you are right! Why didn't Claire tell Jamie that someone tried to kill her? I know why she said she didn't, but if that were to happen to me (you know if I was taken to a theives pit and tried for witchcraft LOL) I'd definitely be telling my husband that some knobheaded and wicked lassie tried to off me. Perhaps Im not as magnanimous as Claire, though! She didn't tell Jamie AFTER the Laoghoaire incident in Lallybroch either did she? I just thought of that. I don't recall her telling him but I might be wrong. She must have though. Why wouldn't she? She'd have to. I must not recall it. Can anyone fill me in on this? Thanks
Toni, you make me laugh!It bugs me too about Jamie being Da to Marsali and Joan. You're right on the whole timeline thing too. I think that's just the way it was though. You married a woman with kids and those kids automatically became yours and they called you Da. I dinna like one wee bit! I do like Marsali though.
I do enjoy the story of Roger and Brianna. I especially love Roger. I don't love Bree but I find her amusing. I know I'm kinda alone on this.
Claire has not yet told Jamie about L. You haven't missed it.
TFC ends strong. The last half is much better than the first. I couldn't put it down. Lots of important stuff happens.
Toni wrote: "Jenny...yes, she needs her feet set to the coals a bit for that one!! Soo there's more about the wicked Laoghaire...hmmmm. Sue, I do like Marsali now. She's grown on me alot and still I know very..."
No Claire never told Jamie about the wee beast!
Peg wrote: "Toni, you make me laugh!It bugs me too about Jamie being Da to Marsali and Joan. You're right on the whole timeline thing too. I think that's just the way it was though. You married a woman with k..."
SPOILER SPOILER
I love Brianna when she is speaking Gaelic with Jamie!!
oopsy! I read the spoiler. I tried so hard not to but I peeked over my own fingers. Luckily the spoiler is cryptic-at least to me. Or at least I should say it doesn't give away any plot points, but it does give me something to look forward to with Bree. I'd like a Bree scene or two where I'm smiling instead of shaking my head. I'm also so excited to hear that you liked TFC Peg. So the second half is better? Fantastic. I was worrying that the series was getting boring. Glad to know it's nothing more than a bit slow. So, you are a Roger and Bree fan Peg? Well, that's it. You're out of the club!! LOL
I'm sorry all my ranting should make you think you're in the minority. In fact, I thought it was actually Kelly and I that were in the minority. The great thing about books and this site is that everyone can have their own opinons and then share and learn or see things from another point of view-I love that!!
Hi all, I have read all three of these books. I am SO confused, the middle book I read was called 'The Bridge to Holy Cross' but when I look online the middle book is suppsed to be called 'Tatiana and Alexander'. Are they the same book???
I knew you guys would ditch me if I admitted to liking Bree and Roger. :) I like Bree. I love Roger. Just wait. I think Roger will grow on you. Keep reading.Amanda, The Bridge to Holy Cross and Tatiana and Alexander are essentially the same book, and in some cases they are the same book. I have a copy of Tatiana and Alexander from my library and it's exactly the same as TBTHC. However, in later editions of T&A, Paullina edited it to take out the epilogue and remove some of the repetitiveness of Lazarevo from Alexander's POV. When she wrote TBTHC she didn't know that she'd be writing a 3rd book. Once she wrote the 3rd, she did the edit so that it would flow better with The Summer Garden. I've read both editions. The latest one works better but it's always fun to have extra stuff about Tatiana and Alexander.
I hope this helps!
Thanks for clearing that up Hildy! How strange to change the title of a book!
Kelly wrote: "Toni wrote: "I agree Tina, it was seemingly a quick way to bring him into the story, but I'm not entirely sure why. As far as I remember he didn't have much of a role in the book and certainly noth..."Agree, sometimes I want to throttle Jenny for this, and for calling her back once Claire shows up again!!
Hildy wrote: "I knew you guys would ditch me if I admitted to liking Bree and Roger. :) I like Bree. I love Roger. Just wait. I think Roger will grow on you. Keep reading.Amanda, The Bridge to Holy Cross and T..."
Hildy, is there anywhere to read that Bridge to Holy Cross eiplogue online? I am dying for it!
Laura, I haven't seen it anywhere but I haven't really looked either, since I managed to get it from the library. You can order TBTHC from some book sellers online. Some people I know got it from Abebooks.A quick summary: It paints everything as being quite rosy from the end their time in Germany. They arrive in NYC to meet Anthony and Vicki and we get to see Alexander's first meeting with Anthony, which is brief but sweet. We also hear how they spend their time traveling from place to place and from job to job, and how they have 4 kids. So basically, everything in TSG still happens but the journey is a lot more difficult, as we know. It's 9 pages long.
I think there are also 5 (?) extra chapters. The extended book has 46 chapters plus the epilogue. I don't have my other copy of the shorter version to check the number of chapters.
I hope this helps, a little. :)
Hildy wrote: "I knew you guys would ditch me if I admitted to liking Bree and Roger. :) I like Bree. I love Roger. Just wait. I think Roger will grow on you. Keep reading.Amanda, The Bridge to Holy Cross and T..."
Your not ditched Hildy!! I honestly thought it was the other way around and I was the one on the outskirts for NOT liking Bree and Roger.
As you obviously know those two are on my bad list (to put it delicately) BUT I will have an open mind on Roger only for you Hildy-LOL. No, I seriously will. I do think, as Kelly so Perfectly put it, Roger is a beta wimp (I cried lauging at that comment--a classic), but I don't dislike him enough (yet) not to give him a shot. So as I continue on in my Outlander reading I will give Rog the benefit of the doubt a wee bit. But Bree is a deal breaker. She's too far gone in my mind to ever get back to good. She's mean..just plain mean. And hard and...(ok, I've already done this post and more than once at that). Perhaps Jemmy will be what Roger and Bree aren't (to me). I'm hoping he takes after Jamie-and not in the way Bree does. It's funny, I feel like DG took a few of the parts of Jamie and put them in Bree (stubborness, roughness) but didn't also give her the absolute sweetness and endearing qualities of Jamie. He is pure goodness, he'd never hurt a fly. He'd kill for his family but only honorably. Whereas Bree has the rougher elements of him and none of the sweetness to round it out..to make it work (again it's only my humble opinion of course). What did she get from Frank? He seemed like a stand up guy. He seemed sophisticated and well mannered. He wasn't that way with Claire but I get it, but overall he wasn't mean or obnoxious. Why didn't Bree get the good Frank parts either. All her parents have that and yet she is soo crass and brash. I don't get it I swear I don't. (I'm really doing a hatchet job on her aren't I?? Sorry, I totally respect all of your opinions--it's just, well, that's how I feel :) )
I think I care so much because I REALLY want to like her. She is the product of Jamie and Claire. Such amazing genes. How could that go wrong, right?? But she just doesn't do it for me and it frustrates the heck out of me.
I do love that name Jemmy. I never heard it before but it's soo sweet.
By the way...have any of you started sniffing your husbands?? After all the Outlander books I find myself smelling like a little puppy all around my husbands neck and hair. I think he thinks I've totally lost it (not the first time of course). It's just after reading all the time from DG about the wonderous smells of maleness on Jamie I had to try it out, plus my husband has the added benefit that he washes....I'm still trying to put my smells in an articulate manner. I've not got the wine snifters nose. It just smells good. That's all I know. He definitely has some pheromones going for him or something. DG is right about such a smell. Sniffing my husband has become a highly enjoyable pastime of mine. (I do sound slightly insane, don't I??--wait, don't answer that!!!!!)
wait..I should have posted this on Outlander, eh? I always to this..ugh!!!
Toni,I've said this before, I don't love Brianna, but I do like reading about her. I think she's an interesting addition to the story. She's a bit crass but to tell you the truth, I love the reactions she gets out of people. I love the looks on her parents faces when even they are surprised and a little embarrassed by her. It amuses me. I do love me some Roger though. Here's my take on him from DIA and TFC: (view spoiler)
About the sniffing...well...nope, I don't do that. :) But, my 8 year old daughter always smells us when we are going away. She says she wants to remember what we smell like. I think it's cute.
Wow! I think this was my first Toni-sized post!!!
Hildy wrote: "Laura, I haven't seen it anywhere but I haven't really looked either, since I managed to get it from the library. You can order TBTHC from some book sellers online. Some people I know got it from A..."I think I am going to just have to order it from another country! Can't find it here in the states :(
I'm re-reading Twilight. Ok - this might be a bit out there, but for those who've READ Twilight (not so much seen it as I don't think Edward Cullen translated well onto the big screen) do you see a similarity in Edward's character and Alexander? Not looks but his mannerisms, his mocking kind of adoration of Bella not to mention his fierce protectiveness of her?! I didn't notice it the first time I read it but he's stirring Alexander vibes for me the second time around!!!Which makes me wonder whether it might be a blessing in disguise if TBH isn't getting made into a movie. To me I think the adaptation annihilated Edward's character (not so much Bella as I think Kristen Stewart did a pretty good job with such a bland character) but Robert Pattinson butchered Edward for me. I would hate for Alexander to translate into a hard, arrogant bully on screen, as I feel his emotions would get lost on the big screen...? Thoughts?
Megan wrote: "I'm re-reading Twilight. Ok - this might be a bit out there, but for those who've READ Twilight (not so much seen it as I don't think Edward Cullen translated well onto the big screen) do you see a..."I hadn't thought of it, but now that you mention it, yes I do see some similarities, though Edward is much more of a "brooder" much moodier than Alexander in TBH (I know this changes in TSG).
I agree about the movie though, the Twilight movie under no circumstances lived up to the book. It trashed the lovestory.
IF TBH is meant to be as a movie, I would rather wait for it and have the right director, the right vision, etc than to spoil such a spellbinding tale with the wrong people.
Leea *just me* wrote: "What book are you looking for Laura?"Hi Leea! I was looking for "The Bridge to Holy Cross" for the missing info Hildy was speaking about. They have only released "Tatiana and Alexander" in the US :(
Might be worth ordering online?? I didn't know about T&A but I am glad I read TBTHC, the more info the better!
All the Bronze Horseman Trilogy is now available in the US.http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/paullina-simons
Leea *just me* wrote: "All the Bronze Horseman Trilogy is now available in the US.http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/paull..."
Thanks Leea! I have T&A, but I am looking for The Bridge To Holy Cross, I'll have to look for an out of the country site to order from. That's what I had to do with TSG also :(
Hildy wrote: "Oh look! I found the epilogue!http://paullinasimons.com/forum/viewt..."
I cannot thank you enough for this Hildy!!! You are the best!!! This should hold me over until I get my hands on TBTHC!! THANKS AGAIN!! :)
Kelly wrote: "On vaca in nantucket reading 
"Yeah...you started Winter Rose. How do you like it? I mean Sid :)
Kelly wrote: "On vaca in nantucket reading "I want to tackle this series next. Have a great vacation kelly!
Hildy wrote: "Oh look! I found the epilogue!http://paullinasimons.com/forum/viewt..."
You know now that I am reading THIS epilogue, I read somewhere that there was at one point one for TBH where Tatiana marries Edward. Have you ever read that one?
The Bronze Horseman
Books mentioned in this topic
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Judith McNaught (other topics)Janet Skeslien Charles (other topics)
Carlos Ruiz Zafón (other topics)
Carlos Ruiz Zafón (other topics)
Carlos Ruiz Zafón (other topics)
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TBH trilogy (and tatianas table)
Tully
Girl in Times Square
Red Leaves
And then the others I'm not a huge fan of and wouldn't recommend - eleven hours, road to paradise, a song in the daylight).