Songs of Love and War: The Deverill Chronicles: Book 1
Written by Santa Montefiore
Narrated by Genevieve Swallow
4/5
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About this audiobook
Santa Montefiore
Santa Montefiore’s books have been translated into more than twenty-five languages and have sold more than six million copies in England and Europe. She is the bestselling author of The Temptation of Gracie and the Deverill series, among many others. She is married to writer Simon Sebag Montefiore. They live with their two children, Lily and Sasha, in London. Visit her at SantaMontefiore.co.uk and connect with her on Twitter @SantaMontefiore or on Instagram @SantaMontefioreOfficial.
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The Daughters of Ireland Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Secret of the Irish Castle Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
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Reviews for Songs of Love and War
87 ratings13 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5There is nothing I love more than a big, historical fiction book to sink into when I’m faced with a rainy weekend. The only thing that could make it better is know that the book is the first of a trilogy and that if the other two are as good as the first I have a lot of great reading ahead of me. I have been on a wonderful reading run lately and I hope it continues.The Girl in the Castle takes place in Ireland in the early 20th century. It starts just before the Irish bid for independence and covers the war and its aftermath. The Deverill family is English and Irish and the baby of the family Kitty, is pretty much ignored by her mother. She has a governess but for a lot of her day she runs loose. Kitty has become good friends with Bridie, the daughter of the castle’s cook. She also finds a lot of love from her grandmother; she shares something else with her as well. They both have the ability to see the ghosts of the castle and talk to them. This bothers her mother and the look in her eyes makes other uncomfortable.There is another close friend to both girls – a young man named Jack. Both girls love him and you know that is not going to bode well for their friendship but for a time they are still young…but soon that war turns their lives upside down. Jack is very involved and despite being told to stay away Kitty helps in the ways she can until things get a little too close to the home she loves so much.This is a book rich in character and story. It’s one of those books you start reading and you soon forget you are holding a book because you have become so immersed in the world on the pages. The writing carries you away and you are living in a castle in Ireland in the early 20th century. You find yourself forced to put down the book and it takes you a while to re-acclimate to the real world. Ms. Montefiore has created a wonderful world full of richly developed characters that feel real. I can’t wait for the next volume in the trilogy – there was quite the teaser left for the continuing saga. It will be hard to be patient.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5I barely made it through the book so I cannot fathom why anyone would wish to be subjected to an entire trilogy of this sort of thing.
Thanks to Simon&Schuster who were disorganized enough to send me two copies of this book for review. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Kitty Deverill has always loved Ireland and her beloved family home, Castle Deverill. But, she is not Irish, she is Anglo-Irish and while she loves Ireland and its people, she is an outsider in a dangerous, rebellious land. As Kitty grows from a spirited young girl into a fiery young woman, she must decide what is most important in her life and where her life will eventually lead. Will she ever see her childhood best friend, Bridie, the castle servant turned ladies maid? Will she ever marry the love of her life since early childhood, Jack O'Leary, despite their differences in class, religion, and heritage? Will their family ever escape the curse placed upon them in 1662...that the Deverill heirs will never rest and be forced to live out all eternity in Castle Deverill as wandering spirits?This was a fantastic book! I read it in 3 days and now I cannot wait to see what happens to Jack, Kitty, Bridie, Michael, and all the other characters that I have become fascinated with! Apparently this is a 3 book series and I cannot wait until the next 2 are released! I love the history of the novel as well as the supernatural aspects of it! It makes it so very interesting and leaves you wanting more! Thank you LibraryThing and William Morrow/HarperCollins Publishers for the advanced copy of this book! It took me awhile to read it, but it was well worth the wait and I anxiously await the next 2 books in the series!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I really enjoyed this novel. It is beautifully written and full of interesting fully fleshed characters. I now need to go visit Ireland! I enjoyed the history of the Irish revolution and the life paths of Kitty Deverille, the girl in the castle, and of her best friend Bridie Doyle the daughter of the castles cook. Their lives go through many distinct changes and challenges. I am glad to see that this is just part one of a three part series as it did end with a lot of loose ends. I will definitely be reading the second and third of the series. Highly recommended.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Previously released as Songs of Love and War, Santa Montefiore renamed the first novel in an Irish trilogy, The Girl in the Castle for distribution in the US.A combination of drama and romance, this historical fiction novel is unpredictable until the very last chapter. Beginning with a prologue set in the present, we don’t discover who the little boy might be until the very last page (where we still aren’t 100% certain). After the brief introduction to a dilapidated castle that burned down and years before, we are taken transported to a time when the castle was very much alive with family and intrigue.Based in Ireland in the 1900s, The Girl in the Castle follows the Deverill family, particularly the youngest daughter Kitty, as she struggles to find her place.Montefiore does a great job of demonstrating the political and social climate of Ireland in the years before World War I. Personally, I knew a little about the animosity between Ireland and England, but this novel explained a lot more of the background and put a lot of the historical facts into perspective. The battles and espionage surrounding the Anglo-Irish relationship added so much depth to the story and really took center stage throughout the narrative.Kitty was not really a lonely child, but her best friend was her maid and their mutual friend from the local village became the love of her life. While Kitty’s loyalties never wavered, it was interesting to see how she moved back and forth within society. On the one hand, her family was historically British, despised by the locals for having taken their Irish land. On the other hand, Ireland was the only home Kitty had ever known and the only place she wanted to be.The book started off extremely slow, describing the minutiae of every person, place, and thing mentioned. There was so much information about so many different aspects that I felt like this volume could’ve been cut into two separate novels and been made into a series rather than a trilogy, but by the time I was halfway through, the tangled web of characters had become so intricately woven that it was hard to put down! I’m definitely looking forward to Santa Montefiore’s next installment!
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Predictable. 1st in a trilogy. I may read the 2nd if it comes to my library; I will not buy it.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This epic story tells the story of two childhood friends in early twentieth century Ireland. In 1662 Lord Deverill was cursed to an eternity of unrest for taking the O'Leary lands; this curse is still in effect when Kitty Deverill is born in 1900 (and the ghosts of some of her ancestors are minor characters). Most of the story takes place between 1910 and 1925. Kitty spends her childhood playing with the cook's daughter Bridie and the vet's son Jack O'Leary. Their stories intertwine during the years they are growing from childhood to early adulthood. At the same time, the Irish are striving for independence. Kitty, although born as a member of the Anglo-Irish aristocracy, identifies herself as Irish. Her ties to her Catholic friends are stronger than those to her family, and she must cope with a rapidly changing world and the loss of her family's home.This is a powerful story, but there are a lot of unresolved issues at the end of the 500 pages. Hopefully, the next two books in the trilogy will answer the readers' lingering questions. This book will appeal to readers of Jeffrey Archer's Clifton Chronicles.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The book was a no lose proposition for me. A centuries-old Irish castle, a story set in the early twentieth century, and a lonely young girl. What more could you ask for in a novel! This book did not disappoint. It did move a little slowly in some parts, but I love it and am looking forward to the next two books in the trilogy.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Kitty Deverill was born on the ninth day of the ninth month in the year 1900. Kitty spends most of her days with her grandparents in the Castle Deverill. Her Anglo-Irish family has been cursed, since the Deverill land was taken from the O’Leary’s, the Deverill men are cursed to stick around as ghosts until the two families can combine. Kitty is the third daughter of Maude Deverill and Maude seems to have forgotten about her, Kitty is free to roam when she escapes her Governess, Mrs. Grieve. Kitty spends her days with Bridie Doyle, the daughter of the castle cook and Jack O’Leary. Kitty’s station is life causes tension with Bridie and as Jack and Kitty form a relationship, feelings among the trio change. Soon, the Irish revolt to overthrow the British and Jack joins the Irish cause. As an Anglo-Irish, Kitty might seem to be in a strange situation, but her Irish roots grow strong. Through the attacks, Castle Deverill is put under siege and the home Kitty loves becomes vulnerable. From the curse on the very first page, I was hooked. I have always loved a good curse. Then, I was introduced to Kitty. Kitty is completely charming and enchanting with a dash of mischievousness a good dose of rebellion and plenty of intelligence. I loved reading about her growing up. The magic and whimsy of Ireland is showcased through the writing, picturesque descriptions of the landscape and castle bring County Cork and Castle Deverill to life. Some of the best parts for me were the ghosts, grumpy Castle ancestors who sometimes give Kitty a helpful or hurtful push. Most of all, I enjoyed the character interactions as Kitty, Bridie and Jack come-of-age. With insight into a unique time in Ireland’s history, plenty of drama, romance and heartfelt passion for what you love, The Girl in the Castle is an absolute delight that I had a hard time putting down.This book was received for free as part of the TLC blog tour.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Rejected by her mother, Kitty bonded with her paternal grandmother, with whom she has much in common--including red hair and the ability to see ghosts in Castle Deverill. Despite the harshness of her embittered governess, Kitty lived nearly an idyllic life in the Irish countryside, until war with England came--one of several factors that turned her world topsy-turvy. Other factors included her friendship with a housemaid and her love for an ardent Irish rebel.Set during the years 1910 to 1935, mainly in Ireland with side trips to England and America, The Girl in the Castle is a really good read, though not, in my estimation, of the caliber of Kate Morton's works. Nevertheless, I could hardly tear myself away. At 500 pages, with two more volumes to come in the trilogy, it could perhaps be a bit shorter. But, without reading the next books and knowing how the twists and turns of the plot are resolved, it is very difficult to review this book.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5I love books by Kate Morton and was one of the reasons why I wanted to read this book because it was touted as being similar. I am disappointed that it does not measure up to Kate Morton's books. Perhaps part of the problem is that it moves extremely slowly and seems drawn way out. This might be because the book is intended to be a trilogy.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5There is nothing I love more than a big, historical fiction book to sink into when I’m faced with a rainy weekend. The only thing that could make it better is know that the book is the first of a trilogy and that if the other two are as good as the first I have a lot of great reading ahead of me. I have been on a wonderful reading run lately and I hope it continues.The Girl in the Castle takes place in Ireland in the early 20th century. It starts just before the Irish bid for independence and covers the war and its aftermath. The Deverill family is English and Irish and the baby of the family Kitty, is pretty much ignored by her mother. She has a governess but for a lot of her day she runs loose. Kitty has become good friends with Bridie, the daughter of the castle’s cook. She also finds a lot of love from her grandmother; she shares something else with her as well. They both have the ability to see the ghosts of the castle and talk to them. This bothers her mother and the look in her eyes makes other uncomfortable.There is another close friend to both girls – a young man named Jack. Both girls love him and you know that is not going to bode well for their friendship but for a time they are still young…but soon that war turns their lives upside down. Jack is very involved and despite being told to stay away Kitty helps in the ways she can until things get a little too close to the home she loves so much.This is a book rich in character and story. It’s one of those books you start reading and you soon forget you are holding a book because you have become so immersed in the world on the pages. The writing carries you away and you are living in a castle in Ireland in the early 20th century. You find yourself forced to put down the book and it takes you a while to re-acclimate to the real world. Ms. Montefiore has created a wonderful world full of richly developed characters that feel real. I can’t wait for the next volume in the trilogy – there was quite the teaser left for the continuing saga. It will be hard to be patient.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5If you're anything like me, you thrill to the idea of big family sagas. The current publishing trend of trilogies doesn't hurt either. When the two come together--a trilogy with an involved family saga winding through it--it's the best of both worlds for sure. Santa Montefiore's newest novel released here in the US, The Girl in the Castle, is a meaty delight of an Irish saga and the first in the Deverill Chronicles trilogy.When the novel opens in 1910, Kitty Deverill is only just nine years old. She is a smart and mischievous child much beloved by her grandmother, Lady Deverill. And like her grandmother, she has the gift of being able to see ghosts. The Deverills are Anglo-Irish and the story goes that when the O'Learys were removed from the land by the first Lord Deverill, the Deverill family was cursed by the witch Maggie O'Leary so that until an O'Leary inhabits the land once again, all Deverill heirs are doomed to stay in the castle as ghosts, lending a very slight paranormal feel to the novel. Kitty's mother dislikes her and her father is often indifferent to her existence, busy with his own desires. Much younger than her older sisters and older brother, her best friends are two local Irish Catholic children, Bridie, the daughter of the castle's cook, and Jack, the son of the local vet and an O'Leary. As the three friends grow up, much of their world changes, both because of the times and because of their stations in life.Kitty and Jack find themselves falling in love despite their differences. Although she is Anglo-Irish, Kitty feels nothing for England, declaring herself nothing but Irish and when IRA grows stronger, she finds a way to assist the struggle for Home Rule, not just for Jack's sake but because she feels that Irish Independence is right and necessary. But the War for Independence is not the only war rending the world apart as Kitty grows to adulthood. So is WWI. Smaller hostilities and other happenings closer to Co. Cork also alter the course of the lives of the Deverill family and those connected to them. The novel definitely ends with more story to come as Kitty, Jack, Bridie, and Kitty's cousin Celia have all stepped into very different adult lives than they once envisioned. More twists and turns surely await.The story line here is incredibly engaging and the weaving of the personal and the political is very well done. Most of the story follows Kitty and her decisions but Bridie's life is also fairly well represented; Jack's comes mainly through the other characters' observations and often only in relation to Kitty or Bridie rather than as his own story. The secondary characters are generally well rounded, some infuriating, some conniving, some hilarious, and some heartwarming but all distinct and human. Montefiore has done a beautiful job describing Ireland and its hold on the main characters and their hearts. Setting the novel when she has, has allowed her to encapsulate much of important twentieth century Irish history without taking away from the intimate feel of one family's ups and downs. The action is driven both by individual decisions and by the world beyond their doorstep. Using a framing device to keep the mystery of who has bought the ruins that were once Castle Deverill is well done and remains a surprise right up until the reveal. It will be interesting to see which direction the second novel takes given that revelation and the other major unresolved plot points left in the end. The second in the trilogy is already out in the UK if you have patience issues.