Novels Now

The Winter Rose by Jennifer Donnelly
Fiction/Historical Romance
2008 Hyperion
Finished on 2/27/08
Rating: 3.5/5 (Good)
What’s In A Name Challenge

Publisher’s Blurb:

Every now and again, a storyteller comes along who can take us completely into her world and make us wish we never had to leave it. Jennifer Donnelly is such a writer.

When India Selwyn Jones, a young woman from a noble family, graduates from the London School of Medicine for Women in 1900, her professors advise her to set up her practice in London’s esteemed Harley Street. Driven and idealistic, India chooses to work in the city’s East End instead, serving the desperately poor.

In these grim streets, India meets–and saves the life of–London’s most notorious gangster, Sid Malone. A hard, wounded man, Malone is the opposite of India’s aristocratic fiancé, Freddie Lytton, a rising star in the House of Commons. Though Malone represents all she despises, India finds herself unwillingly drawn ever closer to him, intrigued by his hidden, mysterious past.

Though they fight hard against their feelings, India and Sid fall in love, and their unpredictable, passionate and bittersweet affair causes destruction they could never have imagined. Sweeping from London to Kenya to the wild, remote coast of California, The Winter Rose is a breathtaking return to the epic historical novel, from a masterful writer with a fresh, richly vivid, and utterly electrifying voice.

It was with great anticipation that I finally sat down and read Jennifer Donnelly’s second installment in The Tea Rose trilogy. And settle down I did. This book weighs in at a hefty 720 pages (hardcover); it took me nearly three weeks to read. As with The Tea Rose, this sequel also has a large cast of characters whose paths continually cross, almost to the point of unbelievable coincidence. There are several “near misses” and occurrences to which the reader is privy, yet which remain unknown to the characters involved. One must be willing to suspend quite a bit of disbelief in order to enjoy this romantic romp saga. While it never felt plodding or dull, I did find myself a little impatient to reach the end of the story. I loved The Tea Rose; it made my 2004 Top Ten list. I wasn’t disappointed in this sequel, but it doesn’t rate as high as its predecessor. (As I read, though, I couldn’t help but think it would make a wonderful movie. Clive Owen would be my choice for Sid Malone. Not sure about any of the other characters. Maybe Helena Bonham Carter as India. But I digress.)

The Winter Rose is certainly an entertaining read, with its vivid settings and memorable characters; perfect for a long flight or a week at a beach resort! Be sure to read Heather’s review, as well as her excellent interview with the author at Estella’s Revenge.

I read The Tea Rose last year and when I heard that there was a continuation in the series, I couldn’t wait to read it.

I was glad to see Fiona and Joe Bristow make a reappearance in this book. After all the angst and drama they suffered through in The Tea Rose, they deserve to be happy. However, their lives are not perfect and they still face challenges.

I liked India Selwyn Jones as the heroine as much as I liked Fiona Finnegan in the first book. Jennifer Donnelly has the ability to make noble heroines without making them annoyingly perfect. They have flaws and often must suffer the consequences of their impulsiveness.

Sid Malone is a great hero. After years of being a victim of circumstance, he takes control of his life and rises to the top. Unfortunately, he rises to the top of a crime ring. Still, his compassion and caring for the people of Whitechapel, who are crippled by abject poverty, is admirable and I liked him a lot.

My only problem came when the setting of the story switches from London to the plains of Africa. It felt a little bit strange to me but that may be because I so enjoyed seeing Sid & India help the people of Whitechapel.

I still enjoyed the story quite a bit. This series is great for lovers of historical fiction. (4/5)

Her gray eyes sparked with passion as she spoke. Sid looked into them and for a second he glimpsed her soul. He saw what she was - fierce and brave. Difficult. Upright. Impatient. And good. So good that she would sit covered in gore, shout at dangerous men, and keep a long, lonely vigil - all to save the likes of him. He realized that she was a rare creature, as rare as a rose in winter. -From The Winter Rose, page 126-

India Selwyn Jones is a medical doctor - graduating from the London School of Medicine for Women in 1900. Determined to make a difference, she begins practice in Whitechapel - a seedy, poverty stricken are of East London. She arrives with little experience, but armed with her ideals and a dream to make a difference. Then, one night, she saves a man’s life - a man far removed from her privileged upbringing, one who lives his life on the dark streets as part of a gang of criminals - and India’s life is turned upside down. Sid Malone, India’s green eyed love interest, provides the conflict and tension in The Winter Rose.

Jennifer Donnelly has written an epic novel which spans the globe from the streets of London to the plains of Africa. The Winter Rose is first and foremost a love story, with all the twists, turns, and tragedy that such stories bring. But, it is also an historical novel which explores the underside of British politics in the 1900s, the cultural divide between posh London and the poverty of Whitechapel, and colonialism in Africa.

The novel has its flaws - namely its predictability and its tendency to try to cover too much ground at times. Some of the characters are a bit stereotypcial, such as the evil Freddie Lytton. But despite its shortcomings, The Winter Rose had me compulsively turning the pages. It is highly readable and the kind of book I like to classify as a guilty pleasure.

Donnelly is careful to provide adequate background and recapping of the novel’s prequel (The Tea Rose) so that readers new to the series need not fear being able to navigate The Winter Rose. I was captivated enough by this massive tome to be curious about the next book in the series - The Wild Rose - which is out in the UK, but has not yet hit the bookstores in the USA.

I read this book for Library Thing’s Early Review program, and am glad I requested it. Recommended for readers who love historical fiction and romance. (4/5)