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Katharine McMahon

Season of Light Hardcover – 10 November 2011

by Katharine McMahon (Author)

22 ratings

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Season of Light begins in 1788, in the heady days just before the French revolution, when Paris is fizzing with new ideas about liberty and equality. Asa Ardleigh, the impressionable 19-year-old daughter of a country squire, has traveled to the city with her older sister, Philippa, and Philippa's new husband. In Paris, they are introduced to the literary salon of Madame de Genlis. It is in this salon that Asa meets, and falls in love with, a dashing intellectual and idealist, Didier Paulin. Their affair is curtailed when Asa is forced to return to England, but they continue to write as the storm clouds gather over France and war with England seems imminent. Meanwhile back at home, no one knows of Asa's liaison. Asa's middle sister, Georgina, has met Harry Shackleford, the most eligible man in London that season, and to whom the Ardleigh estate is entailed. After the death of their mother, the Ardleigh girls' father began to drink heavily and now the estate is nearly bankrupt. In Shackleford, Georgina sees not only a fortuitous marriage for her sister, but also the solution to their financial woes. However Asa's accomplishments need some polishing. Georgina therefore employs Madame de Rusigneux, a French Marquise. Asa soon discovers there is more to this woman than meets the eye...

Product details

Publisher : W&N (10 November 2011)
Language : English
Hardcover : 384 pages
ISBN-10 : 0297853392
ISBN-13 : 978-0297853398
Dimensions : 15.8 x 3.3 x 24.1 cm

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22 ratings

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McMahon takes no prisoners in this gripping, intelligent historical novel (Emma Hagestadt THE INDEPENDENT)

this densely-plotted novel is a spirited and engaging read (Vanessa Berridge DAILY EXPRESS)

A lush, opulent tale of romance and revolution (Eithne Farry MARIE CLAIRE)

Well-observed and absorbing to the end. (Fanny Blake WOMAN AND HOME)

Asa carries the story. She is a fascinating, contradictory heroine: she may be reckless and sometimes naïve, but she is also fiercely intelligent, ardent and loyal. (HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY)

Book Description

A thrilling love story set amid the French Revolution from the author of the Richard & Judy bestseller THE ROSE OF SEBASTOPOL.

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L. Bretherton

perhaps tries too hard to educate us about the French Revolution

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 August 2012

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I have to admit, I skipped over sections of this book. So many, many names. Just too much detail at times.

However, this novel was refreshingly different to start with. Asa, the heroine, is strong-minded and independent, very anti-slavery, so not happy to be pursued by one Harry Shackleton, whose fortune is based on tobacco. But anyway, she is desperately in love with Didier Paulin a smooth Frenchie, who deflowers her early on in the book and is then absent for most of it.

Asa travels around quite a bit, having acquired a dodgy French female companion. She ends up back in Paris, after much sneaking around, because she is English, and therefore an enemy of the people of the Republic.

From about halfway through the book, you know how it's going to end. It does seem to take a while to get there, involving much mud and skirts being dragged through mud, and fans, always fans.

To be honest, I found this book a bit disappointing. The various sub-plots annoyed me (the tailor's wife, the dippy sister who marries the cad, the goody-two shoes Caroline Lambert). The only character I really liked was good old Harry, with his fancy waistcoats.

But even at the end, I still felt cheated of my happy ending, as we went straight to an 'epilogue'. I felt I deserved a good snogging scene after wading through all those gloomy prison cells.

2 people found this helpful

Joppa Rox

Another great read from Katharine McMahon

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 April 2013

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A great read that hooks you from the opening chapters. The slightly different tone to Katharine's other historical novels made me think I'd landed in an Austen plot at first: a feisty herione with an eccentric family, plus two suitors and a love rival. But set against a backdrop of the French revolution and the abolition of slavery, the tension builds steadily throughtout and reaches a satisfying end. Highly recommended.

One person found this helpful

Wren

A gripping blend of romance and history

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 July 2012

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I have read all Kate McMahon's books and really enjoyed this one which felt easier to read and less opaque than some of the others. There is less ambiguity at the end than some of her other novels eg Rose of Sebastapool and the heroine goes from self assured to a realisation that reminds us as ever good and evil can be close companions in a revolutionary period and that there has never been a revolution without pain and terror for some. There is a poignancy to her self revelations that chimes with anyone who has been disillusioned in their first love and there is certainly a nod to Jane Austen at times. Great holiday read.

Smee

Captivating

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 July 2017

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Yet another captivating read. Full of history and compelling . Beautifully romantic. I Have read all if her books but this is the he best read yet from Katharine

Babs

Loved it

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 February 2013

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Couldn't put it down. I think her best yet. Wonderful historical novel written with a feel of the people caught up in the years before and during the French Revolution.

2 people found this helpful

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Season of Light Hardcover – 10 November 2011

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