Welcome to the Historical Fiction Online forums: a friendly place to discuss, review and discover historical fiction.
If this is your first visit, please be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above.
You will have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed.
To start viewing posts, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

'The Best of Anya'

User avatar
LoobyG
Compulsive Reader
Posts: 568
Joined: April 2010
Location: Derbyshire, UK

Post by LoobyG » Wed December 15th, 2010, 3:16 pm

Katherine is a must, must read - one of the books I've loved in HF. I also enjoyed My Theodosia but not as much. I've got quite a few of Seton's on Mt.TBR :)

User avatar
Michy
Bibliophile
Posts: 1649
Joined: May 2010
Location: California

Post by Michy » Wed December 15th, 2010, 4:03 pm

Last year I went on a "mission," and read every one of Seton's books. Some were re-reads, some were first-timers. And all but two were keepers! :) I'm really glad Chicago Review Press re-released her works, made them easy to get and nice covers.

BrianPK
Reader
Posts: 106
Joined: March 2011
Location: Ireland

Post by BrianPK » Thu March 10th, 2011, 12:17 am

I've read most of her books and enjoyed them all but I was really affected by "Avalon" which I've read about 3 times.I thought it outstanding, but then again I've always been a sucker for a good bittersweet romance. :)

User avatar
Misfit
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 9581
Joined: August 2008
Location: Seattle, WA

Post by Misfit » Thu March 10th, 2011, 12:24 am

[quote=""BrianPK""]I've read most of her books and enjoyed them all but I was really affected by "Avalon" which I've read about 3 times.I thought it outstanding, but then again I've always been a sucker for a good bittersweet romance. :) [/quote]

Hi Brian and welcome aboard BTW. I loved Avalon as well, although the ending is a bit of a sad one.
At home with a good book and the cat...
...is the only place I want to be

BrianPK
Reader
Posts: 106
Joined: March 2011
Location: Ireland

Post by BrianPK » Thu March 10th, 2011, 12:35 am

[quote=""Misfit""]Hi Brian and welcome aboard BTW. I loved Avalon as well, although the ending is a bit of a sad one.[/quote]

Thanks Misfit :) ...but that's why I found it so affecting. Why couldn't they just get together at the end?... as I said,that's me ...an unrepentant romantic. :D

User avatar
Michy
Bibliophile
Posts: 1649
Joined: May 2010
Location: California

Post by Michy » Thu March 10th, 2011, 1:10 am

I was satisfied with the ending of Avalon; but then, I prefer books with bittersweet endings. It's not that I didn't want Rumon and Merewyn to be together -- I really did. But books that leave an ache in my heart are stronger and more memorable than those that tie up the ends all nice and neat, with everyone riding off into the sunset to live happily ever after. But that's just me. :)

User avatar
EC2
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 3661
Joined: August 2008
Location: Nottingham UK
Contact:

Post by EC2 » Thu March 10th, 2011, 11:04 am

[quote=""BrianPK""]I've read most of her books and enjoyed them all but I was really affected by "Avalon" which I've read about 3 times.I thought it outstanding, but then again I've always been a sucker for a good bittersweet romance. :) [/quote]

Welcome to the boards Brian. I think Avalon is my favourite Anya Seton. I loved the unfamiliar settings and the way she brought the harsh life in the Viking settlements to life.
Les proz e les vassals
Souvent entre piez de chevals
Kar ja li coard n’I chasront

'The Brave and the valiant
Are always to be found between the hooves of horses
For never will cowards fall down there.'

Histoire de Guillaume le Mareschal

www.elizabethchadwick.com

BrianPK
Reader
Posts: 106
Joined: March 2011
Location: Ireland

Post by BrianPK » Fri March 11th, 2011, 1:01 am

Thanks EC2 :) While a good book is a friend in itself, It's always nice to talk to others who have also derived pleasure and entertainment from the same source.
As regards "Avalon" , I thought that Anya Seton was inspired the way she changed the story and galvanised our interest by adding anxiety and foreboding just as we thought the relationship between Rumon and Merewyn was about to end in a happy reconciliation. Even though the Viking raid delayed that reconciliation,we still believed and hoped that the outcome would end favourably.But then the storm struck off the coast of Ireland and who would have thought that the direction of their lives would change so dramatically as Rumon's pursuing ship was swept helplessly westward and...
What a marvellous story teller Anya Seton was.

SCW
Avid Reader
Posts: 286
Joined: October 2010
Preferred HF: Lately World Two or the time immediately before and after this period
Location: Australia

Post by SCW » Wed March 23rd, 2011, 12:56 am

I've just ordered Avalon by Anya Seton for my birthday. But when I went back to check it said it was authored by Anya Seton and Philippa Gregory. Is Philippa Gregory re-writing these books?

User avatar
MLE (Emily Cotton)
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 3566
Joined: August 2008
Interest in HF: started in childhood with the classics, which, IMHO are HF even if they were contemporary when written.
Favourite HF book: Prince of Foxes, by Samuel Shellabarger
Preferred HF: Currently prefer 1600 and earlier, but I'll read anything that keeps me turning the page.
Location: California Bay Area

Post by MLE (Emily Cotton) » Wed March 23rd, 2011, 1:02 am

Nah, Philippa Gregory just wrote forewords for them, and rather condescending ones at that. But putting her name on them means that they show up in more reader's searches, and for that I thank her. She's pretty much single-handedly brought Anya Seton's works back from the Out-of-Print graveyard of forgotten books.

Post Reply

Return to “Anya Seton”