May 27, Sara rated it really liked it Shelves: romance , historical-fiction. I am always interested in how my adult self reacts differently to books than my adolescent self did.
I first read this book when I was about twelve years old and I am surprised none of the adults around me prohibited it. Probably because of my own innocence, I failed to see how very jaded this character actually was. For me then, there was this marvelous love she had for this man who was always just out of reach I would mistakenly have said through no fault of her own. What I took away from it I am always interested in how my adult self reacts differently to books than my adolescent self did.
What I took away from it this time was quite different. Amber is not a lovely or likable person, and Bruce Carlton is much more callous, but for much better reason, than I had thought. There is much to be said for he never lies to her. But, like her, he is willing to take whatever he wants and damn the consequences.
Amber is never happy with anything she gets, no prestige, no material wealth, no amount of admiration, nothing is enough for her. I suspect Bruce Carlton would not be enough for her either, but the fact that she cannot have him makes him seem like the ultimate prize. She does not understand him at all, while I think he has her nailed. He knows she is not evil, but he also knows she is amoral and insatiable.
She sees nothing of what makes a person great or even good. Her greatest misfortune is the one she knows nothing of: she was born to an aristocrat. Parents who would have married and raised her in exactly the world she desires never got that opportunity because of the civil war and the rise of Cromwell.
She believes herself to be common and to have risen above her beginnings. Little does she know, she has in fact sunk far below her station, even when she is the whore of the King. Finally, this is a very interesting peek into the court of Charles II, the great fire, the plague, the troubles of the restoration, the constant wars with France and the Dutch, and the rise of English imperialism. It is a period for which I have little frame of reference, so I enjoyed the historical aspects of the novel.
It is a long read, but it has a fast pace and Amber holds your interest navigating between her husbands and her lover. The most interesting character for me is still Bruce Carlton. He is cut from a different cloth than many of the men of his time, and he is the seed that produced America.
I also love the character of Almsbury, who might appear to be minor, but reflects a balance that the other characters lack: he is kind, steady and capable of actually loving Amber, had he ever been given a chance. View all 27 comments. Jun 15, SarahKate rated it liked it. I read this book because of my grandfather. When this book came out, he the whole crew were given one copy to share. So they tore the book apart and passed the chapters around.
You might get the third chapter one night and the tenth another. He read the whole book, but completely out of order. After he told me this story I went to the library and checked out the book. It was a good book especially if you lik I read this book because of my grandfather. It was a good book especially if you like historical novels.
I think one of the reasons I liked it so much was the background my grandpa gave me for it. View all 6 comments. Oct 02, Anna rated it really liked it Shelves: historical-fiction , 4-stars , read-in , chunkster. She fought hard for what she wanted at the expense of anyone who got in her way, and as with Scarlett, sometimes I was cheering her on and other times I wanted to slap her.
I loved her long and complex relationship with Bruce Carlton; whenever he turned up you knew there would be fireworks.
I also really enjoyed her escapades with Luke, Black Jack, Rex and the Dangerfields, although my favourite parts were the plague which was gruesome, heroic and moving, and the ending which was classic! I realise this was a plot device to move from one historical event to the next, but would have preferred smoother transitions to give a more continuous flow to the story.
Thanks for the buddy read, Jemidar Shelves: bodice-ripper , dead-tree. While it's certainly not a "bodice ripper" in the modern sense, Winsor certainly laid the groundwork for the genre with her novel of the multiple amorous and mercenary adventures of one Amber St. Clare Channell Dangerfield Radclyffe Stanhope. Lots of thrusting, pointed and pert breasts, lots of hard, bronzed muscled skin, lots of eyes filled with passionate anger and angry passion.
You know what I'm talking about. The devouring, hungry kisses and languid afterglows are all here without the moder While it's certainly not a "bodice ripper" in the modern sense, Winsor certainly laid the groundwork for the genre with her novel of the multiple amorous and mercenary adventures of one Amber St. The devouring, hungry kisses and languid afterglows are all here without the modern intrusion of leaky body parts, swabbing tongues, and climaxes filled with fireworks.
This is a book that deserves its reputation as trash literature. It was a page-turner, the prose for the most part unremarkable, simplistic and easy to digest. The characters had very little development, even the historical figures.
Amber herself goes through trials and dangers that would fill multiple lifetimes for ordinary mortals, but she is very nearly the same person on the last page as she is on the first. She forgets, puts things out of her mind, is diverted from any learning experiences by some fit of emotion, usually having to do with her marital Moby Dick, Bruce Carlton.
For a three-dimensional portrait of a country girl who scrabbles her way to the top of the whore heap, look elsewhere. By the beginning of Part 5, her amusing factor had worn off and I was itching for her to develop another dimension which she never did. She was deliberately clueless, and I have to ding the book a star because it started to drag on that count.
The scene where Amber goes to a ball in a dress meant to wow everyone and ensnare Bruce in her arms once again fell pretty flat for me, in no small part to the character of Almsbury who forces a suddenly ashamed Amber to stay and dance in a scene that immediately recalled Bette Davis and Henry Fonda in "Jezebel.
Nice one. She has one more desperate and humiliating ploy in store to win Lord Carlton, almost on the very last page. The title is very appropriate, for Amber is certainly forever pummeling away at what she cannot change, all the while never herself changing.
At first I thought these two separate narratives were oddly alternated, but I started to find a connection between the two. The royal sphere and Amber's own gauche one were both rotten and unlikable in their own ways.
However, I preferred the Charles-centric chapters best. Maybe it was just the obligatory spaniels. The costume and furnishings porn became overbearing after awhile, once Winsor had completely evoked the sights, smells, fashions and decor of the era.
Like a store-bought cake with lots of rosettes and ribbons that make the frosting a mile-high in places, the obligatory paragraphs of clothes and room interiors started to give me a gluttonous stomachache. I doubt I'll ever be re-reading it.
Once seems plenty. I appreciate Winsor's research the plague portion rightly deserves its fame , and it did much to make the book worth the read, but I am quite glad there was no sequel. Unless Winsor's ability to create rounded characters had improved, I have a feeling that "Amber In America" would have been a second verse, same as the first. View all 7 comments. Amber takes you through one of the most interesting periods in the English history.
A feisty, brave and independent heroine who is not afraid to go after what she wants. View all 15 comments. Nov 06, Lisa rated it really liked it Shelves: historical-fiction. This book had everything you could ask for in historical fiction - court intrigue, infidelites, Newgate prison, smallpox, the plague, fire in London It kept me going for pages, yet I hated every character - there was no one with any redeeming qualities!! It was a very interesting read!
View 1 comment. Jan 30, Stephen Smarr rated it it was amazing. Okay, Okay, I've read all the bad reviews on here, and I have to admit that this was NOT the book I would choose if I wanted a pick-me-up, light-hearted, fun read. But I would always reach for this book before picking up Gone with the Wind, and that's saying something since most of the reviewers on this site have commented about how much they like that book!
It really is along the same lines, and I don't know how you can like Scarlet O'hara without falling in love with Amber St Claire. Now, I have to admit, if I met her or someone like her in real life, I would hate her. The wonderful thing about this book, though, is you get an insider view on what's going on in her mind, the struggles she went thru, and the difficulty of being Amber St Claire.
It shows you a side of her personality that I would never care to see in a real person I knew. I would automatically be obligated to hate someone like this, yet I sympathize with her, feel her pain, and understand that the one thing she really wanted, the one thing she dreamed of more than anything else in the world Bruce , is the ONLY thing in life permanently denied to her. I think people are being way too harsh on Amber though. There is NO redeeming moral to this story; but I challenge a reviewer to write a story about THEIR OWN life that is any better than this book--I doubt they will come up with any dribble worth reading, and the point of this story is not a divine moral or some reason for living that's universal--it's the personal life and struggle of a young girl thrust into society and forced to make something of her life or die trying.
Amber is an entity that will live on long after her author is dead. She's like a force of nature--really--you can't stop her, and she dares you to try! Her life wasn't easy, and in a time when life for women in general wasn't easy, her courage and force of life is admirable!
If anyone had a reason to just sit down and cry about how life was treating them, it would be Amber--but she's much too strong a person to do that. I doubt you could say the same if you were in her place, and I know that not many would go anywhere near as far as she did, even if she was a fictional character.
It amazes me that in a modern-day culture where women are supposed to be equal with men, and understand how far we've come from the primitive days where men could kill their wives and move on to the next pretty unsuspecting farm girl, wear her out, then kill her too, which is not the plot of this story, but they do discuss just how bad things were for women back then and not one of these reviewers can honestly say they understand what life for them would have been like back then a girl like Amber, who refuses to be used, and uses the only resources left to her to climb to a social and power status far beyond that which any mere man could have done in that day is worthy of respect.
Jun 07, Chrissie rated it did not like it Shelves: great-britain , love , dnf , alt , disliked , hf , european-royalty. No, this is not a book I enjoy. I have read of pages and have decided to quit. Yes, all that is here. Still, I did not enjoy it. The beginning was fun because Amber felt like a young, spunky girl determined to get what she wanted from life… and Bruce did blow her over!
That was all fine and dand No, this is not a book I enjoy. That was all fine and dandy, and they went off to London together. Then he disappears, and he had told her he would be leaving so he is no rotten schmuck. OK, I could follow her footsteps to learn about the events at the end of the s. I would only recommend this book to those who particularly enjoy plot oriented novels because the characters just do not draw you in.
Maybe I am too picky, but I want more than just plot. I want characters that feel real, some bad, some good, at least one for whom I can feel empathy. Nope, this is not my thing. I am going to stop here. I tried. It just means it was not for me. You have to decide for yourself what you are looking for in a book.
View all 13 comments. Shelves: chick-lit-guilty-pleasures. Absolutely the best chick-lit classic of all time. This historical romance is poorly written worthless junk, and I loved every second of it! The only reason I bothered was the person who sent it to me. Not just recommended it, took the trouble to send it. This is a thoroughly enjoyable piece of fluff, entertaining in ways I can't begin to understand or describe.
Heartily r Absolutely the best chick-lit classic of all time. Heartily recommended for a long plane flight. Actual rating: 3. I did like this book and was pulled into it against my better judgement. Wow, this is a door-stop of a book and apparently when the publisher accepted it for publication, they cut it down to one fifth of its original size.
This is one of the novels that began the p Actual rating: 3. This is one of the novels that began the path that led us to 50 Shades of Grey. It caused a stir for all the sex which is not graphic at all and for the sexual manoeuvring of the main character, Amber St. I suspect some of the fury was about the depiction of a woman who gasp enjoyed sex and had some ambition to rise in her society. Maybe the female ambition was even more objectionable than the frank discussion of sex, who knows?
I was reminded of some other novels that I enjoyed in the past, namely the Angelique series by Anne Golon under the pseudonym Sergeanne Golon in the s. Angelique is a French adventuress, in much the same vein as Amber. Instead of one huge novel, Golon published about 10 books, each detailing its own swatch of history.
I blush to confess that I learned a lot of French history from these books--when other university students complimented me on my knowledge, I did not admit that I learned it from somewhat erotic novels! It was the sexual rivalry of its main character Lettice with Queen Elizabeth that reminded me strongly of Forever Amber. I think that we 21st century women can view Amber, et al. I think my biggest annoyances in reading Forever Amber were the limitations that Amber put on herself.
View 2 comments. Mar 31, Vintage rated it liked it Shelves: abuse , infidelity , someone-needs-to-die , adventure , needs-to-die , hea-nope , sick , anachronistic , angsty , apply-two-by-four-please. Amber is without a doubt one of the most vile and despicable characters I have ever read.
Kudos to Kathleen Winsor for creating such an unrepentant monster in a piece of popular model fiction for her time. No surprise given the antics of the h that Popes banned this baby. No spoiler her Amber is without a doubt one of the most vile and despicable characters I have ever read.
No spoiler here in that Amber is the ultimate sleep your way to the top to become one in Charles II rotation of mistresses. PLOT: Amber is the product of an affair between two young aristocrats. Her mother dies in birth, and I suppose the father never heard of her or claimed her so she's brought up by her mother's midwife. She's a handful. At 16 she meets the so-called love of her life, Bruce, who takes her to London. No, he doesn't debauch the young virgin, she throws herself into his life willingly.
He tells her he will never marry her, and he means it. After he leaves, she finds she is pregnant and the saga really begins. In a nutshell, Amber does anything and everything to get ahead without conscience, without remorse. She relishes every head she steps on and every back she breaks. Skipping over minor skirmishes of spite and envy for any competition like Barbara Villiers, real life mistress to Charles II, let's concentrate on her bigger infractions.
Numerous abortions which was shocking given when this was written. Surprising that Winsor either ignored the concept of birth control or made a conscience choice for the character not to use it. Stomach turning begins. Marries an old, effete nobleman for his title so she can impress Bruce and the rest of London. Turns her impotent husband was once her mother's suitor. He feels he recognizes Amber and has her wear her dead mother's betrothal gown. Adds a sneaky touch of incestuous necrophilia.
Has an affair with her husband's son because she's bored and wants revenge on her husband for being so boring and tight with the money.
Turns pear-shaped when the poison meant for her ends up killing the young man. Has an affair with Bruce's best friend because it makes her feel close to Bruce. As the lover lays dying, Amber runs to Bruce. He's the one who tells her that her lover is dying and she should at least hold his hand. Sad when the man that kills you feels more for you than your mistress. Bruce has scarpered off to the Colonies.
Smart man. Every time they see each other she's nauseatingly frantic to be with him as she simultaneously has an affair with the king and is married to random men. Nice, yes? It seems there will be a turnaround. Hell to the no! When the nurse who's been helping her nurse him gets sick, she kicks her out of the room, Amber is furious she's sick now, tells her no way will I help you, listens to her die, then drags her body out to the corpse collectors.
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Loved each and every part of this book. I will definitely recommend this book to historical, historical fiction lovers. The character development is just as riveting as the plot in this well-constructed thriller. This novel will provide crossover appeal to both older teens and adults. A perfect Christmas wedding, a snowstorm, and a shocking secret. What could go wrong? Susanna Lorican must marry the man she loves before the truth is discovered—or face the gossip of the ton.
With an unexpected snowstorm injuring the minister, her future hangs in the balance. Viscount Camden Beckinworth vows to keep his bride safe, even if he must betray her confidence. When their love is put to the test, how will he uphold her honor without jeopardizing his own?
Newly revised and edited. And Amber's dad is coming home from Paris to live nearby. Life couldn't be better. Until Amber's dad calls. And the grownups are leaving it up to Amber to decide what to do. Suddenly, Amber feels as if she is in the middle of a bad dream No way Hannah Burton smirks and says, "Let the color wars begin! Nothing is going right. What to do? Amber Brown is feeling blue. Only Amber Brown can handle her best friend moving away with such honesty, humor, and heart.
Amber Brown and Justin Daniels are best friends. They've known each other for practically forever, sit next to each other in class, help each other with homework, and always stick up for each other. Justin never says things like, "Amber Brown is not a crayon. Justin has to move away, and now the best friends are fighting. Will they be able to work it out before it's too late? Along with the ups and downs of shared custody, the Amber Brown chapter books are beloved for tackling relatable dilemmas with thoughtfulness, humor, and plenty of puns.
A spellbinding story about chasing love, fighting family, losing friends and starting all over again, from the internationally acclaimed Lisa Moore. Sixteen-year-old Flannery Malone has it bad. Which is a problem, since he and Flannery are partners for the entrepreneurship class that she needs to graduate.
Her little brother, Felix, is careening out of control. When Flannery decides to make a love potion for her entrepreneurship project, rumors that it actually works go viral, and she suddenly has a hot commodity on her hands. But a series of shattering events makes her realize that real-life love is far more potent — and potentially damaging — than any fairy-tale prescription.
It is a novel whose spell no reader will be able to resist. The author of The Handmaid's Tale discusses the writing life and the role of the writer in society, making reference to many other writers, alive and dead, to make her case. Lyra and Will find themselves at the center of a battle between the forces of the Authority and those gathered by Lyra's father, Lord Asriel.
A cultural history that does much to explain modern America. Outraged librarians launched a campaign to send free books to American troops and gathered 20 million hardcover donations. In , the War Department and the publishing industry stepped in with an extraordinary program: million small, lightweight paperbacks for troops to carry in their pockets and rucksacks in every theater of war. These Armed Services Editions were beloved by the troops and are still fondly remembered today.
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