persephoneclub

CarolynM

Emmeline | Judith Rossner

pick

#PersephoneClub

OMG! Speechless! Off to read all those spoiler comments in the other reviews now.

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

TrishB That‘s a great reading match 😁 16h

Bookbuyingaddict Haven‘t started it yet but will do after my festive reads and over the holidays 👍😍💝 16h

Crazeedi Thanks for my card Carolyn, one is coming your way! Merry Christmas and happy new year ❤️ 14h

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Tamra I‘m glad you finished! 😬 It‘s hard to stop when you get started. (edited) 12h

Cathythoughts Speechless is right! What a story. 9h

LeahBergen That‘s just how I felt when I finished it!! 😮 7h

julieclair Can‘t wait to read this!!! 3h

Ruthiella You guys are making me want to drop everything and get a copy of this book! 😂 2h

CarolynM @Ruthiella Do it! 37m

CarolynM @Crazeedi You‘re very welcome😘 Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to you too🎄 35m

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Tamra

Emmeline | Judith Rossner

pick

A morality tale Rossner tells in riveting fashion! Loved it even more after watching this documentary. Highly recommend as a follow-up. https://youtu.be/IRN91TeXAYE?si=L5r0urNjlonFkqvH

⚠️Spoiler Warning!!! Do NOT watch the film unless you want to know the story before reading the book.

#PersephoneClub

Tamra I gasped and woke up my husband to tell him this is mash up of Lolita & Oedipus! 😳 Whether or not it‘s actually true, the very fact the villagers shunned her for believing both “sins” as true makes it a very sad tale. Women always bearing the brunt of social punishment for any appearance of impropriety. 1d

LeahBergen Wasn‘t it crazy?? That‘s why I couldn‘t say too much in my review of it on here when I was done. 😂 1d

LeahBergen And I‘m loving your “mill girl” themed photo! ❤️ 1d

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Tamra @LeahBergen 😉 1d

Vansa This sounds amazing, thanks for recommending 21h

CarolynM I‘m about 3/4 of the way through. Can‘t wait to read all the spoiler comments! 19h

Cathythoughts Great photo ❤️ Thankyou for that link. 18h

Cathythoughts @Tamra @LeahBergen Lolita & Oedipus ! Yes that‘s it. Em really went through the mill ( pun not intended) from the time she was so young and left home. That poor girl 💔 18h

CarolynM I was completely shocked by that twist too. It is horrifying to me that she was the “sinner” when she was the victim in both cases, firstly of a predator, then of her aunt the child stealer. And before that the victim of her family, sending her into a foreign, adult environment at such a young age with so little knowledge. 16h

Tamra @Cathythoughts think of how many girls. 😢 12h

Tamra @CarolynM good point about victimizing the victim. Never ends - still happening. 😑 12h

Tamra @Vansa I think you‘ll like it - reads like a page turning thriller! 🥹 12h

46 likes12 comments

LeahBergen

The Godwits Fly | Robin Hyde

Amazingly enough, my IRL bookclub has picked a Persephone book for our current read (after 27 years together). And no, it WASN‘T my pick. 😆

I was going to ask you, @Centique , if you‘d read this classic New Zealand coming-of-age novel but I see you are the only other person to post about it on here! I‘m really enjoying it.

Ruthiella You have strong Persephone vibes! Your IRL book club has sensed them. Use your powers for good, Leah! 😜 4d

Tamra You lucky book clubber! 😃 4d

LeahBergen @Ruthiella 😆😆 4d

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LeahBergen @Tamra I am! But I hope the rest of the club actually likes it or it may be our last. 😆 4d

Tamra @LeahBergen bahahaha Why do I doubt that? 🤔 4d

Cathythoughts 27 years! That‘s one strong bookclub ❤️ book sounds good ! 4d

LeahBergen @Cathythoughts It‘s a great bookclub with a mix of women and men! 3d

Centique Im so glad youre enjoying it. She was an incredible woman. I recall it being quite a long read and - being so close to her real life - a bit messy and complicated - but so beautifully written 😍 3d

LeahBergen @Centique It really rambles along quite beautifully, if that makes sense! 3d

CarolynM Ooh, interesting, she says, immediately adding it to her pending #PersephoneClub order 😆 3d

LeahBergen @CarolynM 😆😆 I‘m working on my order, too! 3d

51 likes11 comments

Cathythoughts

Emmeline | Judith Rossner

Cosying up with Emmeline. I‘m at the halfway point … and I can‘t put it down!! #PersephoneClub

Tamra Oooooo, yay! Glad to know it‘s that good. Now that I‘ve finished Belle I can start Emmeline today. 😃 (edited) 5d

Cathythoughts @Tamra It‘s soooo good 👍🏻❤️ 5d

LeahBergen I couldn‘t put it down either! 5d

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BarbaraBB This sounds so good! 5d

Cathythoughts @LeahBergen Emmeline !!!!! Where is it all going ! (edited) 5d

Cathythoughts @BarbaraBB It is 👍🏻 5d

andrew61 I finished it last night Cathy. The first half was remarkable and there is so much to say. Won't give anything away about the rest but 'enjoyed' it. 5d

Cathythoughts @andrew61 Just finished, yes I agree first half was brilliant.. a lot happens in this story. I enjoyed second half, but not as much as first half. (edited) 4d

LeahBergen @andrew61 @Cathythoughts I felt exactly the same way! I was really caught up in the first half. 4d

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LitsyEvents

Family Roundabout | Richmal Crompton

Repost for @LeahBergen

It‘s time to announce the Persephone Club reads for next year! 🎉

Anyone is welcome to read along with us at any time, of course.

#PersephoneClub

See original post at https://www.litsy.com/web/post/2816840

LeahBergen Thanks for the repost! 7d

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LeahBergen

Family Roundabout | Richmal Crompton

Our voting has trickled off so it‘s time to announce what we‘re reading next year … TA-DAH! 🎉

Anyone is welcome to read along with us at any time, of course.

#PersephoneClub

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

Cathythoughts Good job Leah ! Thankyou and I‘m loving the choices ❤️ 1w

CarolynM Thanks Leah. Some good books to look forward to🙂 1w

Bookbuyingaddict All books 📚 mentioned were worthy I think so hard to whittle it down , thank you 🙏 so much Leah look forward to reading along with you and a merry happy 😃 Christmas to you all 🥰🥰😘x x. X x x x 1w

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Teresereading I‘d like to join you 1w

BarbaraBB I have only read the tagged one and am looking forward to be inspired by all of your reviews. Just ordered Emmeline by the way - thanks to you 😀

The blank wall: a novel of suspense

Liz_M @LitsyEvents 1w

Tamra Thank you, Leah! 😘 1w

quietjenn Woohoo! Here's to another great year of reading together! 1w

LeahBergen @Cathythoughts @CarolynM @Bookbuyingaddict @Tamra @quietjenn We‘re going to have fun!! 👏👏 1w

LeahBergen @Teresereading Please do! Would you like me to add you to the tag list? 1w

LeahBergen @BarbaraBB I can‘t wait to hear what you think of it! 1w

LeahBergen @Liz_M Thank you! 1w

julieclair Yay! Lots of fun reading ahead. Thanks so much for organizing us, Leah. 💙 1w

elkeOriginal Excited! Love this list 📚 1w

elkeOriginal (and orders have been placed in midst of excitement🤦🏼‍♀️) 1w

LeahBergen @julieclair It‘s going to be great! 👏 1w

LeahBergen @elkeOriginal 😆😆 Of course they have! 1w

Caryl What a wonderful list of titles. Thank you for organizing! I'm hoping to participate more. 1w

LeahBergen @Caryl That would be wonderful! 😊 1w

daena These look great, fabulous assortment! 1w

LeahBergen @daena I think so, too! 😊 7d

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LeahBergen

Emmeline | Judith Rossner

pick

Oh, Emmeline. 😬

I can‘t say much else right now but I can hardly wait to discuss this with you all!

#PersephoneClub

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

Tamra I have to get started! I‘ve been preoccupied by Belle Greene. 😬 It‘s up next! 1w

LeahBergen @Tamra Oh, good. I need to discuss it with someone! 😂😂 1w

elkeOriginal Your shelves kill me every time 😵😉 1w

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LeahBergen @elkeOriginal I may have a problem 😆 1w

Suet624 This photo is so abundant. 1w

elkeOriginal A beautiful problem 💕 1w

Cathythoughts I need to get going with Emmeline, I should have time this weekend ❤️ 1w

LeahBergen @Suet624 I like that word choice! 😊 1w

LeahBergen @elkeOriginal 😘 1w

LeahBergen @Cathythoughts Yay! 👏 1w

CarolynM Hoping to get started soon. 1w

LeahBergen @CarolynM Good. I really need some input. 😂 1w

andrew61 Exactly half way through Leah after a very disturbing chapter. All I can say, head in hands, is dear oh dear oh dear. 7d

LeahBergen @andrew61 Right?? 6d

Cathythoughts @LeahBergen Just finished it Leah , I did see that ending coming 😳.. It was that first moment of meeting when she looked into his eyes, I thought she recognised something. Then his age , his boyishness, , I got suspicious… great book 4d

LeahBergen @Cathythoughts I suspected, too, and thought, “Noooo, it is NOT going there…” Haha!! 4d

Tamra I did not see the end coming! 🥹 I went down the rabbit hole and found the circa 1970s documentary. Based on the maker‘s description, it appears he brought the story & Nettie Mitchell to Rossner‘s attention. Applause to Nettie for illuminating the shame of shunning. @Cathythoughts 1d

LeahBergen @Tamra @Cathythoughts I read another article by someone who did a deep dive into the genealogy and the dates and ages of her husbands don‘t match up. It seems like the whole story has had a bit of “local folklore” added to it over the years. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 1d

Tamra @LeahBergen I got the same impression from the film, i.e. folklore. (edited) 1d

LeahBergen @Tamra Interesting! I‘m definitely going to watch it (you know… after my wrapping, baking, etc 😂). 1d

Tamra @LeahBergen 😅 Indeed! We could always use an extra week. 1d

Cathythoughts @Tamra @LeahBergen I read it as fiction , only after finding out it was true. It seemed a little far fetched , but truth is stranger than fiction. I took from it the danger and sadness of secrets , so many secrets ( shame ) buried over time wounded and festering. I wondered about the mother too , what happened to her and her relationship with Emmeline over the years. I liked the first half where Em‘s character had time to be explored. 1d

Cathythoughts I must look up the film 👍🏻 @LeahBergen @Tamra 1d

Cathythoughts @LeahBergen @Tamra Stop ! There‘s some work in Christmas 😂 I‘m feeling like super woman 😂 so much to get done. 1d

Tamra @Cathythoughts I suspect it has essences of truth in it. I agree with you, the point is secrecy, shaming, social norms, poverty, patriarchy, etc. So interesting Mrs. Bass had her own similar secret, who better to be suspicious & judgmental, even though she did give warning? But how could it not be lost on a barely teen? 1d

Tamra @Cathythoughts🦸‍♀️ 1d

LeahBergen @Tamra @Cathythoughts I definitely think there must be a bit of truth to it somewhere, just as you say. And I was wondering about the apathy of the mother, too. A fascinating read! 1d

Tamra @LeahBergen @cathythoughts the documentary highlights how desperate impoverished families were. I‘m thinking some of the apathy would stem from that; a woman/mother in those circumstances had to be dog tired and perhaps felt hopeless & helpless. However later in the story I got the impression the mother suffered from mental illness or dementia? (edited) 1d

LeahBergen @Tamra That‘s true. It‘s like she gave up and just couldn‘t handle or face anything more in her life. And yes, I think she definitely had some sort of mental illness/dementia going on at the end. And wasn‘t that sister a nasty piece of work? 😆 1d

Tamra @LeahBergen good lord yes! I wanted to slap her. 😜 1d

Cathythoughts @LeahBergen @Tamra Yes , I agree that the mother had some form of mental illness, she seemed to shut down. 19h

CarolynM @Cathythoughts @Tamra I‘ve just finished & I‘m so glad I can talk to you about it, now that I‘ve recovered the power of speech. There is so much to be outraged about, not least the “morality” that kept poor Emmeline so ignorant she was completely vulnerable to a predator & had no hope of understanding the “warnings”. And the victim blaming from start to finish! It is horrible to think that any of it could be true, but we know that it could. 😭😤🤬 (edited) 16h

Tamra @CarolynM @Cathythoughts @LeahBergen agreed - so much fault to go around! I find the shunning without regard to the truths of the matter particularly disturbing (to the degree it occurred to the real Em). Reminds me of The Scarlet Letter as well. Humanity seems to have a penchant for shunning/ghosting/shaming/canceling, which is so effective in coercing conformity to norms since we‘re a social co-dependent species. 12h

LeahBergen @CarolynM @Tamra @Cathythoughts Right?? I was waiting impatiently for others to finish it!! 😆 It was just infuriating. All of her “sins” were completely unintentional and yet her family treated her as if she was evil to the core and out to specifically humiliate them. Gah!! 7h

52 likes34 comments

rubyslippersreads

One Afternoon | Sian James

Here are my two choices for December 2025. I‘ve wanted to read Lady Rose ever since learning that it was a favorite of the Queen Mum‘s. One Afternoon sounds interesting, and this would give me an excuse to buy a copy. 😄

#PersephoneClub

rubyslippersreads @quietjenn @Caryl @sisilia @CarolynM @daena @LeahBergen @elkeOriginal @Gissy @Aimeesue @Tamra @Cathythoughts @Bookbuyingaddict @julieclair @willaful 1w

rubyslippersreads @LeahBergen A package from Johnny Bergen arrived yesterday. Please tell him I‘ll be a good girl and wait until Christmas to open it. 🐶♥️ 1w

elkeOriginal Lady Rose is one of my favorite books ever! Would happily reread. But my vote goes to Afternoon - so I can buy a copy without guilt and blame y‘all 😉 1w

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rubyslippersreads @elkeOriginal I love to use Littens as enablers. 😆 1w

elkeOriginal @rubyslippersreads And they are always happy to oblige😉 1w

Cathythoughts Both sound great. I‘ll go for

One Afternoon

Tamra Now that @elkeOriginal lauded Lady Rose, I have to vote for it! 1w

LeahBergen I‘ll let Johnny know it arrived safely. 😉 1w

LeahBergen I‘ve read Lady Rose so (like @elkeOriginal ) I‘ll vote for the one I‘ll “have” to buy for myself. 😆

One Afternoon

CarolynM These choices are hard!

One Afternoon

quietjenn I'm going with

Lady Rose and Mrs Memmary

Bookbuyingaddict Iv read one afternoon it is wonderful ! How can this wonderful writer not be more widely known thank goodness 😅 for Persephone I won‘t vote as I‘m happy with either 😀😍 1w

LeahBergen And the winner is One Afternoon! 1w

rubyslippersreads Good thing I was proactive and ordered a copy from eBay before the voting was finished. 🤣 1w

rubyslippersreads @LeahBergen A package is on the way to you from Amazon. It should arrive on Christmas Eve Eve. 😄🎄 5d

LeahBergen @rubyslippersreads Ooo, lovely! Thanks so much! 😘😘 5d

42 likes16 comments

quietjenn

Vain Shadow | Jane Hervey, Celia Robertson

Ok, #PersephoneClub friends - here's your next slate for voting! Sort of seasonal, for those who like that, but not overtly so (I think?). Can't wait to see what you vote for!

@LeahBergen @rubyslippersreads @elkeOriginal @Cathythoughts @Caryl @sisilia @Tamra @andrew61 @willaful @julieclair @Aimeesue @Gissy @Bookbuyingaddict @daena

quietjenn Link:

The blank wall: a novel of suspense

LeahBergen Ooo, this is the first time I‘ve actually already read both! Shall I still vote? How about if I vote for the one I liked a teensy bit better? 😆

The blank wall: a novel of suspense

julieclair My vote goes to

The blank wall: a novel of suspense

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quietjenn @LeahBergen oops, sorry? But we should happily take your expert vote! 😜 2w

Tamra Well, besides the recommendation of Leah, who can resist that cover!? 😵 😆

The blank wall: a novel of suspense

elkeOriginal Vain Shadow! 2w

Cathythoughts Great choices. I‘ve read Blank Wall and would happily read it again. I‘ll vote for

Vain Shadow

LeahBergen @quietjenn 😆😆 2w

LeahBergen Okay, @rubyslippersreads … you can post our two choices for December now. We‘re almost done! 😀 2w