Present Regarding Books Dragonwyck
Title | : | Dragonwyck |
Author | : | Anya Seton |
Book Format | : | Paperback |
Book Edition | : | Anniversary Edition |
Pages | : | Pages: 342 pages |
Published | : | September 28th 2005 by Chicago Review Press (first published January 1st 1944) |
Categories | : | Historical. Historical Fiction. Gothic. Fiction. Romance. Classics. Historical Romance |
Anya Seton
Paperback | Pages: 342 pages Rating: 3.74 | 4795 Users | 401 Reviews
Commentary Supposing Books Dragonwyck
First published in 1944, Dragonwyck was a national bestseller that was made into a major motion picture starring Gene Tierney and Vincent Price in 1946. A classic gothic romance, the story features an 18-year-old Miranda Wells who falls under the spell of a mysterious old mansion and its equally fascinating master. Tired of churning butter, weeding the garden patch, and receiving the dull young farmers who seek her hand in marriage, Miranda is excited by an invitation from the upstate New York estate of her distant relative, the intriguing Nicholas Van Ryn. Her passion is kindled by the icy fire of Nicholas, the last of the Van Ryns, and the luxury of Dragonwyck, and a way of life of which she has only dreamed. Dressed in satin and lace, she becomes part of Dragonwyck, with its Gothic towers, flowering gardens, acres of tenant farms, and dark, terrible secrets. This compelling novel paints a marvelous portrait of a country torn between freedom and feudal traditions; a country divided between the very wealthy and the very poor. Poor tenant farmers at Dragonwyck, the European royalty who visit, and American icons such as Edgar Allan Poe, Herman Melville, and the Astors are vividly brought to life. This is a heart-stopping story of a remarkable woman, her breathtaking passions, and the mystery and terror that await her in the magnificent hallways of Dragonwyck.Describe Books Concering Dragonwyck
Original Title: | Dragonwyck |
ISBN: | 1556525818 (ISBN13: 9781556525810) |
Edition Language: | English |
Characters: | Edgar Allan Poe, Abigail Wells, Miranda Wells, Ephraim Wells, Nicholas Van Ryn, Johanna Van Ryn, Virginia Clemm Poe |
Setting: | Greenwich, Connecticut,1844(United States) Hudson, New York,1845(United States) |
Rating Regarding Books Dragonwyck
Ratings: 3.74 From 4795 Users | 401 ReviewsPiece Regarding Books Dragonwyck
How can it possibly be that I have NEVER read this book? I LOVED it! Many people told me that it was in the style of Rebecca and Jane Eyre, so it seemed a natural to me. I loved Katharine and Green Darkness many years ago but somehow this passed me by. I am a Hudson Valley girl and I have devoured gothic mysteries for years. I agree with many of the other posts that speak to the writing style and say that Miranda is not as well drawn a character as Jane Eyre and Nicholas is too evil but I passSome books have a magnetism that prevails over style, consistency in plot or used-to- death narrative formulas. Dragonwyck is one of them.A mix between the Gothic ambiance of Du Mauriers famous Manderley and Bröntes Byronic Mr. Rochester that works phenomenally for fans of Victorian fiction.Seyton knows perfectly well what her readers expect when they enter the sinuous darkness of her novels. A fair, gullible farmgirl; a seductive, mysterious nobleman and an impressive mansion, quaint during the
Some books have a magnetism that prevails over style, consistency in plot or used-to- death narrative formulas. Dragonwyck is one of them.A mix between the Gothic ambiance of Du Mauriers famous Manderley and Bröntes Byronic Mr. Rochester that works phenomenally for fans of Victorian fiction.Seyton knows perfectly well what her readers expect when they enter the sinuous darkness of her novels. A fair, gullible farmgirl; a seductive, mysterious nobleman and an impressive mansion, quaint during the
Dragonwyck is a gothic romance in the vein of Jane Eyre, albeit set in America just before the Civil War. Nicholas Van Ryn is this novel's Rochester. A patroon in the dying days of feudal society, he clings to the trappings of fiefdom even when it becomes increasingly obvious that it is all going to end soon. He is also handsome, brooding, mysterious, and has a fat wife (Johanna) he doesn't care for to boot. So it's no wonder that his poor cousin Miranda falls hard for him when she comes to live
At first, Dragonwyck reminded me of Mansfield Park: the young girl summoned to live with her aristocratic relations--although in this case, it's American rather than English aristocracy--who trades poverty for their luxurious lifestyle. But that resemblance was shattered as soon as Nicholas Van Ryn appeared. He is no Sir Thomas, and certainly no Edmund Bertram. Nicholas is more like Maxim de Winter: glamorous, unapproachable, even unfathomable to Miranda. And when Miranda is introduced to
The first time I opened Dragonwyck was incidentally the first time I was exposed to Edgar Allan Poe. The novel opens with the poem "Alone," and Poe is one of the characters in this quintessential gothic tale. I first found this in a used book store when I was about 10 or 11, and every few years I am compelled to pick it up again, even though I know it through and through.Dragonwyck is the story of Miranda Wells, a farm girl in upstate New York with dreams of a luxurious life she can never hope
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