Reviews for The Queen of Hearts

The average rating for The Queen of Hearts based on 2 reviews is 4.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2012-08-29 00:00:00 Lyndon Newman A remote castle in Wales inhabited by three older men is the last place on earth that a young, lively girl of 18 would want to spend time. And yet, when forced by circumstances to take up residence there for six weeks prior to coming of age, Jessie surprises them all by finding immense enjoyment in the experience and by capturing each of her adopted uncles' hearts. As the time grows near for her to return to England, the three brothers find it necessary to trick her into prolonging her stay until a certain day. They cunningly decide to "trap" her interest by suggesting a new scheme of entertainment. Having heard her complaints about the lack of good stories present in the day's literature ("I'm sick to death of novels with an earnest purpose...what I want is something that seizes hold of my interest and makes me forget when it is time to dress for dinner, something that keeps me reading, reading, reading, in a breathless state to find out the end,") they propose to take turns telling her thrilling stories that will satisfy her taste for excitement and adventure. Jessie agrees to a trial run and, delighted by the first of the stories, continues to await each new installment with eager anticipation. When the last story is told, the reason for their scheme's necessity is unveiled after a brief period of heightened uncertainty about its success and Jessie finds her ties to the three men and the old castle made even tighter. I enjoyed this book so much! Wilkie Collins was such a masterful storyteller and I became his devoted fan when I first read his novels, The Moonstone and The Woman in White. Collins' ability to evoke an intense atmosphere of suspense and mystery is equaled by very few authors today and is evident in all of the short stories told by the three brothers. Though they all have their merits, my favorite was certainly the lighter tale told by Brother Griffith (the main narrator) about the humorous trial of a "cunning" (and not too modest) law clerk as a member of the police force. Definitely a recommendation for any mystery / suspense lover or Wilkie Collins fan.

Review # 2 was written on 2012-10-03 00:00:00 Kare Dicken Griffith, a widower and retired lawyer, finds himself the sole legal guardian of Jessie, a spritly, young woman set on lighthearted adventure. According to her late father's will she must spend six weeks per year with her guardian if she is to gain full access to her inheritance. So she sets out to one of the most desolate and remote areas of Britain to live for six weeks with Griffith and his two older brothers. Will the three old men manage to keep the young lady entertained and comfortable in their tower? Why is it so important that she stays? Willie Collins has quickly worked his way to being one of my favourite authors. The Queen of Hearts is a collection of short stories surrounded by a frame of the thoughts and observations of a kind, old man, set on the happiness of the people around him. A light story of many stories. There will be ghosts, there will be villains and there will be love.