Funny how her heroines run to such extremes -- the last one so good as to drive one to wretchedness, this one so bad -- just an interesting thing. ( )

Having loved "the Shuttle" so much last year, I was really looking forward to reading another of Burnett's adult novels. However this story of tomboy Clorinda and her saintly sister Anne was a bit of a disappointment. I felt the characters were poorly drawn, the plot tended towards the improbable and the moral ending jarred with me. Still a good read for fans of 19th century literature but definitely not one of the better ones. ( )

A melodramatic, wholly unbelievable and highly unrealistic view of a willful, stubborn, and high spirited woman’s rise to power in early eighteenth century England. Raised by a drunken lout of a father, Clorinda rides wild horses and carouses to keep up with even the most degenerate of his fellows. When she comes of age, she decides to become a proper lady. I loved Clorinda, for who could not—I have never read another heroine of so wild of spirit yet such aself-controlled manner. I especially love that she’s far more likely to break into a violent fury than burst into tears. ( )

There's a reason why some great writers produce books that are almost unknown. This one - a novel for adults - is a far remove from the author's delightful children's classics 'Secret Garden' or 'Little Lord Fauntleroy'. It features an eminently dislikeable heroine, Clorinda, whose mother died giving birth to her. Her father is appalling, her childhood a caricature of depravity, and her sudden about-turn into being a society lady very difficult to swallow.

I don't mind a slight excess of emotion, description or moralising in books of this era, but this one went on for pages, sometimes, without adding to the plot at all. I kept reading because I was interested in Clorinda's sister Anne, and because some of the plot developments caught my interest - but towards the end I skimmed several pages in order to finish it more quickly.

I don't think I'll be reading this again, and really wouldn't recommend it - but if you're now intrigued, make sure to get the free ebook edition. ( )

The companion novel to His Grace of Osmonde, which I read/listened to last year. I don't think this really sheds much light on the oddness of that novel, some of the same ground is gone over but Clorinda's miraculous transformation from willfull tomboy to gracious lady seems as much of a mystery as before. At least the mystery of Sir JohnOxon is cleared up but the last few chapters get mired in what seems a very High Victorian piety that I think would have been out of place in the Restoration. I think I will leave Mrs. Burnett for the time being and get back to some of my own books.