persephoneClub

I really enjoyed this. At first it seemed like the story of a young girl growing up on a ranch, with an almost idyllic life, but the detail about Ernestine‘s future revealed that the story was going to get darker. This is my first Ethel Wilson, but won‘t be my last.

Does anyone else think that Hetty would be able to get herself out of trouble in Austria, no matter how ominous the last lines? 😏

#PersephoneClub

andrew61 Yes, I agree, Hetty will definitely find someone else who falls for her charms. Great review. 1w

Tamra @andrew61 agreed! 1w

willaful Yup, she's a survivor. 1w

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LeahBergen Haha! Yes, I bet Hetty figured something out. 1w

rubyslippersreads @LeahBergen Maybe she heard that a captain with seven children was looking for a governess. 🤣 1w

LeahBergen Good one!! 😂 1w

44 likes6 comments

CarolynM

Hetty Dorval. by Ethel Wilson | Ethel Wilson

pick

#PersephoneClub
I have a lot of thoughts about this one. Firstly, the ostracism. No one quite seemed to know exactly why, but Hetty was a “menace” & to be shunned. I wonder how often this happened (& still happens) to someone innocent? Then the “femme fatale”. Of course it‘s the woman‘s fault, no man can resist a beautiful woman who appears available & interested🤬 I was kind of disappointed that it turned out Hetty conformed to the stereotype.

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Tamra I got the impression that was one of Wilson‘s points, re: stereotype? Hetty & her mother suffered the social stigma of having been real women with real feelings, desires, dreams, etc. who were especially manipulated by men. They in turn had to manipulate others bc they operated in survival mode. I would have liked Hetty more fleshed out in first person, but it was Frankie‘s POV. Honestly, I was more interested in Hetty! (edited) 3w

Cathythoughts Yes I agree, the judgement of innocent people in this world is upsetting. I think Hetty was set up early on when she tells Frankie their meetings must be a secret… this is how we are introduced to her and it‘s hard to get past. I worried for Hetty‘s future, she was living life in survival mode. Solitary. 3w

68 likes2 comments

LeahBergen

Hetty Dorval | Ethel Wilson

pick

I‘m late to review our latest #PersephoneClub read as I‘ve been travelling around the interior of British Columbia (and very close to the setting of this novel).

I loved it! And who was surprised by the “reveal”?? I felt like I could have continued on with Frankie‘s story just a little bit longer.

rubyslippersreads, quietjenn, Caryl, sisilia, CarolynM, daena, LeahBergen, JenlovesJT47, elkeOriginal, Gissy, Aimeesue, Tamra, Teresereading, andrew61, Cathythoughts, Bookbuyingaddict, julieclair, willaful

Tamra It was a surprise to me! Didn‘t seem to be handled well all the way around. 😅 I felt like that about Frankie too, but I had to keep reminding myself the titular character is Hetty. I wonder if that was a publisher choice? I hope you enjoyed your trip! (edited) 3w

willaful I would really have liked to see more of what happened to Frankie, but I came to the conclusion that the story was really about her finding her own values and voice and we could take the rest on faith. 3w

CarolynM I was surprised, but it made sense to me. And I liked what the Afterword said about the consequences of parents behaving as servants to their children. I was uncomfortable all along with accepting that Hetty was bad, without any real evidence. I was hoping for those sitting in judgement to be in the wrong. 3w

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rubyslippersreads I‘m even later than you, but will come back when I‘m done. 😺 3w

Cathythoughts I loved it too. The reveal was a surprise to me too, but then on reflection it made sense. I felt for Hetty , but I‘d say she would be a difficult person. I loved the description of their first meeting in nature. Lovely writing. ❤️ 3w

Cathythoughts Lovely picture ! I hope you had a great time on your trip x 3w

MemoirsForMe Happy Travels! 🤗🚐❤️ 3w

rubyslippersreads I was surprised by the reveal. As for Hetty‘s reputation, I think Frankie‘s parents were just trying to protect Frankie, and to keep her from growing up too fast. But that was difficult to do without divulging too much of the sordid gossip around Hetty, which at that time would have been very shocking. 1w

65 likes8 comments

andrew61

Hetty Dorval. by Ethel Wilson | Ethel Wilson

pick

@quietjenn @Tamra @CarolynM @sisilia @Caryl @daena @elkeOriginal @Gissy @Aimeesue @Bookbuyingaddict @julieclair @willaful @LeahBergen #persephoneclub
Another great read with (reminded me of a lost lady by WC) a central character who is the hypnotic femme fatale who attracts everyone except the sceptical narrator ,here Frankie burnaby who as a child loves the stranger + her parents forbid her to contact but as adult sees the spider like risk.

LeahBergen Pretty photo! I really enjoyed this one, too (and still need to review it). 😆 4w

rubyslippersreads Spider-like is a perfect description of Hetty. 1w

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quietjenn

Hetty Dorval | Ethel Wilson

pick

So much packed into this slight novel! Such layered, complex characters in a story that did not go all the places I expected it to. A great #persephoneclub pick!

LeahBergen Look at that old edition, too! 😍 1mo

Tamra 👏🏾indeed, good things come in few pages. 😄 1mo

CarolynM What a great edition! I‘m just getting started. 1mo

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willaful

Hetty Dorval | Ethel Wilson

A coming of age story in which young Frankie's life in beautiful British Columbia, and later in Europe, is disrupted several times by the fascinating, enigmatic -- evil? -- Hetty Dorval. I've read books with similar themes before but I'm not sure I've ever read one in which the narrator comes so satisfactorily into their own by the end; no matter who Hetty really is, Frankie will be the person she needs to be.

#PersephoneClub

LeahBergen Great review! And I‘ve yet to start. 😬 1mo

Cathythoughts Great review. I enjoyed this too. Hetty is one complicated woman ! 1mo

willaful @LeahBergen It's a pretty fast read. 1mo

23 likes3 comments

Cathythoughts

Hetty Dorval | Ethel Wilson

pick

I adored this book. Watching Frankie as a young girl and then as she matures , and how she sees Hetty at different times in her life. Beautiful writing , I loved this story. #PersephoneClub And what do we think of Hetty !

andrew61 My copy arrived in today's post so I'm looking forward to reading it after all these positive reviews. 1mo

Cathythoughts @andrew61 Looking forward to your review 👍🏻 1mo

CarolynM Great review. I‘m hoping to get to it soon. 1mo

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LeahBergen Oh, I‘m so glad that you liked it! I‘m travelling right now and have it with me (but this whole “family wedding” thing is giving me no time to read 😆). 1mo

Cathythoughts @CarolynM Looking forward to your thought 😁 1mo

Cathythoughts @LeahBergen I loved it Leah ! Great choice. Enjoy the wedding. We have a family wedding in a couple of weeks but we don‘t have to travel far. ❤️ 1mo

Tamra I was a bit torn about Hetty. On the one hand I appreciated her independence and desire to live her life as she saw fit (despite the social pressure & stigma) on the other hand she also was portrayed as a terrible narcissist. The bombshell dropped on her was unfair. 1mo

Cathythoughts @Tamra Yes, the bombshell was unfair, but then she went to Frankie‘s and took her bed and actually slept. I suppose she was a survivor, and ultimately alone , I felt bad for her in that sense. I didn‘t like that in the beginning she asked Frankie to keep it a secret that they met. 1mo

Tamra @Cathythoughts great way to describe her character, a survivor. Agreed, that scene was a clue she had questionable judgement. 1mo

rubyslippersreads I feel a slight sympathy for Hetty, but she does whatever it takes to survive, and I find her impossible to like (although I can see how she charms others). 1w

Cathythoughts @rubyslippersreads Yes, I agree. That‘s my feeling on her too 👍🏻❤️ 1w

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Tamra

Hetty Dorval. by Ethel Wilson | Ethel Wilson

pick

I read this in all but a single sitting. I had to know about Hetty!

Hetty is a woman of mystery. Is she friend or foe? 👀

#PersephoneClub

Cathythoughts Intriguing! I‘m just starting x 1mo

Tamra @Cathythoughts enjoy! 1mo

LeahBergen Ooo, you‘re already finished! 👏 I‘m thinking I‘ll speed through it, too. 1mo

Tamra @LeahBergen I think you will be compelled to, though the nature writing is lovely to savor. 1mo

CarolynM Looking forward to it! 1mo

61 likes5 comments

Tamra

Hetty Dorval. by Ethel Wilson | Ethel Wilson

I had to look up the village of Lytton & the Thompson River. I didn‘t know it had been decimated by a wildfire in 2021. 😒 Rebuilding very slowly.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/mayor-lytton-return-home-1.75193...

#PersephoneClub

Suet624 😳🙁 1mo

Leftcoastzen 😕that is sad 1mo

JuniperWilde Yes and there is an out of control wildfire there right now. 1mo

LeahBergen Yes, isn‘t it awful?? 1mo

Cathythoughts A terrible sight 😕 1mo

44 likes5 comments

LitsyEvents

Hetty Dorval | Ethel Wilson

Repost for @LeahBergen

It‘s now August so that means it‘s time for one of our #PersephoneClub reads!

@LeahBergen ‘s pick (my pick!) for us this month is Hetty Dorval by Ethel Wilson. This is a casual buddy read; read and comment on each other‘s posts and reviews as you see them. We usually aim to finish by the middle of the month but that‘s not written in stone. 😉 And anyone is welcome to read along with us, of course!

LeahBergen Thanks for the repost! ❤️ 1mo

29 likes1 comment

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