About this title: Barbara Alderley comes from provincial Tamworth to the elegant intrigue of London society and the opulent decadence of the 18th-century French court. She is to marry Roger Montgeoffry, the handsome Earl of Devane, until a devastating secret from his past shatters her trust to fragments.
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Binding: Mass-market paperback
Publisher: Avon Books
Date Published: 1987
ISBN-13:9780380704163ISBN:0380704161
Description: Poor. No dust jacket as issued. Book has been read a lot, cover is worn, binding still tight, readable but not pretty. Mass market (rack) paperback. Glued binding. 768 p. Audience: General/trade. read more
Edition: First Mass Market Printing
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Avon Books, New York, NY, USA
Date Published: 1995
ISBN-13:9780380704163ISBN:0380704161
Description: Good. Historical fiction. Book has heavy spine/hinge creasing, moderate cover/edge wear, no writing or store stamps inside, page yellowing. read more
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Avon Books
Date Published: 1995
ISBN-13:9780380704163ISBN:0380704161
Description: Very Good. No Jacket. Ex-library copy with splastic on binding, light wear to corners and edges, spine lightly creased with a slight slant, text is unmarked. read more
Binding: Mass-market paperback
Publisher: Avon Books
Date Published: 1987
ISBN-13:9780380704163ISBN:0380704161
Description: Very good. No dust jacket as issued. VERY GOOD +-CLEAN AND TIGHT BOOK, BINDING CURVATURE, PAGES CLEAN, NO WRITING. SHIPS QUICKLY. Mass market (rack) paperback. Glued binding. 768 p. Audience: General/trade. VERY GOOD +-CLEAN AND TIGHT BOOK, BINDING CURVATURE, PAGES CLEAN, NO WRITING. SHIPS QUICKLY. Koen, Karleen, Avon Books paperback, 1987. 18th century; 20th century; British Isles; Fiction; France; Great Britain; Historical; Reader's Catalog read more
"This afternoon I finished listening to an audio version of this book, narrated by Rosalyn Landor. The novel was tragic in its own way, but deeply enthralling. It revolves around the character of Barbara Alderley, a 15-year-old headstrong, beautiful noblewoman whose love for a man 27 years her senior pushes the plot line forward. From that infatuation a world of passion and sorrow comes forth - beginning with her mother's self-serving attempt to arrange their marriage, then pausing in lascivious life of the Paris courts, then careening into the national chaos of the South Sea Company's financial failure. Barbara weathers it all with the help of her clear-sighted grandmother, and though I felt like Barbara's character could have matured more I nevertheless enjoyed reading about her. I can see why this book has so many 5 star reviews on Amazon and will be checking Karleen Koen's other novels out from the library."
"Through a Glass Darkly is the story of Barbara Alderley. At the opening of the novel, she is a mischevious 15 year old girl, living at the home of her grandmother, the Duchess of Tamworth. Young Barbara has a penchant towards eavesdropping and so we are introduced to a scene of family discord between her mother, the selfish and hedonistic Diana, Lady Alderley and her younger brother, the irresponsible and handsome Harry. Barbara's mother is disgraced due to her father, Viscount Alderley, having fled England as a suspected Jacobite (supporter of the Stuarts, the descendents of James II who was overthrown by the Glorious revolution and who are barred from inheriting the English throne due to the Act of Succession, which bans Catholics from the succession). Viscount Alderley left his wife with a mountain of debt. In order to avoid ruin, the greedy and selfish Diana has planned a glorious marriage for Barbara. Fortunately for Barbara, the planned marriage was with the Earl of Devane, a man whom Barbara has adored (and loved) since childhood. The first part of the novel deals with the tumultuous marriage negotiations and family drama. This part of the novel is delightfully gossipy, as Diana is a real peice of work and the author's descriptions of her relatives is amusing. Eventually Barbara and Devane marry. However, as Barbara begins to see Devane for who he really is, a skelaton in his closet seems to ruin her chances for happiness. The novel deals with the fall out from Barbara's discovery of her husband's secret.
This is a 3.5 star read. At times, this book is a solid 4 stars, with a delightfully gossipy view of early 18th century England and France. At other times, Through a Glass Darkly drags, as Kathleen Koen has a tendency to be too wordy and drags the story out. Ms. Koen's style is to include long passages of internal dialogue reflecting the various character's thoughts. The novel is at its best during the marriage negotiations and when Barbara and her new husband are in France. The French nobels are a debauched bunch and it is entertaining to imagine the innocent Barabara in that environment! While Koen's writing style can be entertaining - bordering on the catty - it also can be repetitive, causing the story to drag, particularly in Part II of the novel.
Readers who enjoy novels like Forever Amber or Gone with the Wind would like it. However, unlike those novels, Through a Glass Darkly is substantially lighter on the history. I also liked both of those novels better. That is not to say that Through a Glass Darkly isn't entertaining. Compared to those classics however, this one is a lightweight."
"I used to be the type of person who pushed through a book once begun. Nowadays I find myself with too much to read and too little time. I gave this book a week and a half and in that time I got to page 44, which is horrific really. I gage a book on whether I want to drop out of my life to read it, that sort of book gets 5 stars and this one didn't come near, it did however help me get a good night's sleep for the week and a half. It is not terribly written, let me say that, I would probably stick to it if there was not a pile stacking up at my bedside. However its prose is lacking in poetry, one can tell from almost page one where the story is going, there will be love, dashed hopes, poverty and subterfuge. But for now, to quote Frost; "I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go...""
"For the most part, Through a Glass Darkly was exactly what I expected it to be. The novel follows the Duke of Tamworth's family, specifically Barbara Alderley, the fifteen-year-old daughter of Diane and Kit Alderley who has spent her entire life living with her grandmother Alice - more commonly referred to as The Duchess. Diane, in order to reduce her debts and secure an ally in her quest for a divorce from her husband, begins marriage talks between herself and Roger MontGeoffry, the thirty-two year old Lord Devane. Barbara fancies herself in love with Roger - claims she has been in love with him her whole life - and does everything in her power to assure she will be married to him. She's convinced that she can make him come to love her. The remainder of Through a Glass Darkly covers her marriage to Roger - including a revelation about her beloved husband's sexuality - and, briefly, the power struggle within her family.
At 755 pages, Through a Glass Darkly is a pretty hefty read. At times, it can also be incredibly slow, and I was quite thankful that the novel contained a time jump between parts one and two rather than going into excruciating detail about the four years in between the two parts. Still, it's easy to lose oneself in Barbara's story as it travels from England to Paris. The characters, including the minor ones, are expertly intertwined into the story and I found myself caring for everyone from Barbara to her cousin Tony, right down to the maid Therese.
However, the final fourth of Through a Glass Darkly is such an about face it read almost like the author didn't write the last one hundred or so pages. One horrible thing happens after another to the point where it's too melodramatic, and I started to lose interest.
And the book, for me, just seemed to stop. There's really no closer with Barbara's story and I feel almost like I'm being forced into reading the sequel just so I can know what happens.
Regardless, I enjoyed Koen's tale of Lady Devane and her family, and I'm glad I picked up the novel. Through a Glass Darkly is historical fiction at its finest - rich in history, little in smut."
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