Helen Humphreys Three-Book Bundle

When Charles Sainte-Beuve, an ambitious French journalist, meets Victor Hugo, a young writer on the verge of fame, he finds himself in a world of great passions, a world where words can become swords. But, to Charles' surprise, he is more attracted to Victor's long-suffering wife, Adèle. When the two lovers create a scandal in Paris, Victor exacts his price for betrayal. Set during the tumultuous reign of Napoleon III, and sweeping from France to the Channel Islands, to Halifax and back, The Reinvention of Love draws a rich portrait of the old city. Towering over all is the enormous talent of Victor Hugo, who is rapidly becoming the voice of France to the world. Coventry opens on the fateful evening of November 14, 1940, when from her post as a fire-watcher on the roof of Coventry Cathedral, Harriet watches the waves of German bombers approach. As the city is consumed by firestorms, Harriet flees alongside a young fire-watcher named Jeremy, in search of safety and...

inspired By The Life Of Julia Margaret Cameron, afterimage is The Bold And Provocative Story Of Annie Phelan, A Maid In The Home Of Isabel And Eldon Dashell. Isabel Is Experimenting With The New Medium Of Photography, And Is Inspired By Annie, Who Becomes Her Muse. The Two Form A Close Relationship, But When Eldon Devises His Own Plans For The Young Maid, Annie Nearly Loses Herself, Until Disaster Reveals Her Power Over The Dashells’ Work And Hearts.

publishers Weekly

inspired By The Victorian Photography Of Julia Margaret Cameron, Canadian Author Humphreys Creatively Invents The World Behind The Images Of A Costumed House Maid. Acknowledging A Debt To Jane Eyre, Humphreys Sets Her Beguiling Tale In The Mid-19th-century English Countryside, Where Doe-eyed Annie Phelan Comes To Work At Middle Road Farm. What She Encounters There Is Alien To Her Strict, Religious Upbringing As A Servant After Her Family Died In The Irish Famine. Her New Mistress, Isabelle, Is The Unconventional Daughter Of Local Gentry And A Passionate Artist Attempting To Prove Her Skill In The New Medium Of Photography. Isabelle Uses Her House Staff As Models In Elaborately Concocted Photo Shoots And Discovers The Obedient Annie To Be An Expressive And Intriguing Portrait Subject. Viewing Annie Dressed Up As Ophelia, Sappho Or The Madonna, 30ish Isabelle Begins To Feel An Attraction To The Younger Woman The Kind Of Attraction She No Longer Feels For Her Husband, Eldon. He Is A Mapmaker With Ambitions To Be A World Explorer, And He Also Admires Annie, Whom He Calls Phelan When She Becomes A Participant In His Imaginary Expedition To The Arctic. He Also Helps Her To Satisfy Her Own Obsession, Which Is Reading, By Allowing Her To Borrow Books From His Library. The Atmosphere That Encloses This Evolving Love Triangle Is Sometimes Erotic, Sometimes Poignant And Always Complicated By Victorian Class Issues. A Fiery Denouement Causes Annie To Question Her Past And Reconsider Her Future With Isabelle. Humphreys, Author Of Four Books Of Poetry And The Acclaimed Novel Leaving Earth, Has An Impeccable Command Of Imagery, And Her Prose Finds Strengths In Its Subtlety. A Hauntingly Beautiful Reproduction Of A Cameron Photo On The Jacket Should Pull Readers To This Finely Wrought Novel. (apr.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

When Charles Sainte-beuve, An Ambitious French Journalist, Meets Victor Hugo, A Young Writer On The Verge Of Fame, He Finds Himself In A World Of Great Passions, A World Where Words Can Become Swords. But, To His Surprise, He Is More Attracted To Victor’s Long-suffering Wife, Adèle. When The Two Lovers Create A Scandale In Paris, Victor Exacts His Price For Betrayal. Set During The Tumultuous Reign Of Napoleon Iii, And Sweeping From France To The Channel Islands, To Halifax And Back, The Reinvention Of Love Draws A Rich Portrait Of The Old City, Where Duels Are Fought In Its Parks And Cholera-ridden Bodies Float In The Seine. Along Its Narrow, Crime-filled Streets, Noble Families And Artists—frédéric Chopin, Georges Sand, Alexandre Dumas—mix With Ordinary Citizens, Who Remain Restless With Ideas Of Revolution. Towering Over All Is The Enormous Talent Of Victor Hugo, Who Is Rapidly Becoming The Voice Of France To The World. When Charles Sainte-Beuve, an ambitious French journalist, meets Victor Hugo, a young writer on the verge of fame, he finds himself in a world of great passions, a world where words can become swords. But, to his surprise, he is more attracted to Victor's long-suffering wife, AdIle. When the two lovers create a scandale in Paris, Victor exacts his price for betrayal. Set during the tumultuous reign of Napoleon III, and sweeping from France to the Channel Islands, to Halifax and back, The Reinvention of Love draws a rich portrait of the old city, where duels are fought in its parks and cholera-ridden bodies float in the Seine. Along its narrow, crime-filled streets, noble families and artists'FrIdIric Chopin, Georges Sand, Alexandre Dumas'mix with ordinary citizens, who remain restless with ideas of revolution. Towering over all is the enormous talent of Victor Hugo, who is rapidly becoming the voice of France to the world A stunning novel of love, loss and redemption, Coventry was published to rave reviews and became an instant bestseller in 2008. The Gazette (Montreal) called it "a small gem. . . . A beautifully sculpted, meticulously researched work." The novel opens on the fateful evening of November 14, 1940, when from her post as a firewatcher on the roof of Coventry Cathedral, Harriet watches the waves of German bombers approach. As the city is consumed by firestorms, Harriet flees alongside a young firewatcher named Jeremy, in search of safety and Jeremy's mother, Maeve. But Maeve has escaped to the countryside, and when she and Harriet finally unite, it is Jeremy they hope to find alive. Coventry captures the unspeakable pain of loss and the ways in which we remember those we love. Inspired by the photographs of Julia Margaret Cameron, Afterimage is a provocative, passionate, yet delicate Victorian novel. When the young Irish maid Annie Phelan arrives at the country home of Isobelle and Eldon Dashell, she is swept into a world of artistic ambitions and hidden passions. But she also discovers a marriage that has grown distant and two people who see her as a blank slate upon which to project their own desires and failed dreams. Jealousy, longing and sensuality intertwine in this mesmerizing novel of aesthetic obsession and unfulfilled dreams. When Charles Sainte-Beuve, an ambitious French journalist, meets Victor Hugo, a young writer on the verge of fame, he finds himself helplessly attracted to Hugo's long-suffering wife, Adèle. The two lovers begin an affair that lasts over thirty years and sparks a scandal in Paris.