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    Through a Glass Darkly
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    Through a Glass Darkly
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    Through a Glass Darkly
    Audiobook (abridged)9 hours

    Through a Glass Darkly

    Written by Karleen Koen

    Narrated by Rosalyn Landor

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Sparkles with all of the passion, extravagance and scandal of a grand and glorious era…
    As opulent and passionate as the 18th century it celebrates, Through a Glass Darkly will sweep you away to the splendors of a lost era. From aristocrats to scoundrels, its rich, vivid characters create their own immortality. Here is the story of a great family ruled by a dowager of extraordinary power; of a young woman seeking love in a world of English luxury and French intrigue; and of a man haunted by a secret that could turn all their dreams to ashes. . .
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateSep 5, 2006
    ISBN9780739332535
    Unavailable
    Through a Glass Darkly
    Author

    Karleen Koen

    Karleen Koen is interested in history, particularly women's place in it. Love and hate, gender issues, and spiritual quests are themes she explores in her fiction. She lives in Houston and is also the author of Dark Angels and Now Face to Face. Her blog, called Writing Life, is at www.wordpress.karleenkoen.com.

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    Reviews for Through a Glass Darkly

    4/5

    326 ratings22 reviews

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    • 3/5
      The easiest and quickest way to describe Through a Glass Darkly is to say it is an 18th century soap opera. A saga written in 1986, it follows the fortunes and failures of a noble family, the Alderleys, in the early part of the century. Even as a child, Barbara Alderley was besotted with Roger Montgeoffry. A sophisticated, handsome man about 25 years her senior, they marry when she is fifteen. After a short time in London, they reside in Paris where the beautiful young bride becomes a sensation. Intrigue, betrayal and debauchery rule the time and their lives. Compelling enough to keep the reader wondering what was coming next with the Montgeoffrys or the Alderleys, it's on the other hand much too long (673 pages) and often repetitive. At about 500 pages I began scanning. Note that some readers could be offended by the sexual escapades of some characters which I thought grew rather tiresome.
    • 3/5
      I read this historical fiction series backwards (not recommended) and sadly this first book was my least favorite. Quite possibly, however, that was because I do not enjoy this time period as much. That said, Koen's characters are very well written and she really does draw you into England and France.
    • 5/5
      One of my favorite books of all time. I've read this novel many, many times and I still love it. Beautifully written...I cried more reading this book than I have with any other. There aren't enough words to explain how much I adore it.
    • 3/5
      To be honest did not finish this book. I don't know, it wasn't bad but the pace was so slow and after reading 150 pages not much had happened. Guess I am not a romance reader anymore. This is more romance than Historical Fiction I think?

      Update. After I wrote the above I had to go lay down and this book was still in my bed room so I picked it up again and read it all. It had some interesting parts so I have to give it 3 stars. 2 is too low
    • 4/5
      Really enjoyed this book. Pleasantly surprised. Looking forward to the next in the series.
    • 5/5
      A wonderul read! The story is full of characters that have their own story. I couldnt put the book down!
    • 3/5
      This committed the worse sin for a book--it bored me. What's more, not in a this-is-a-slog dense, difficult read but possibly worth it way. More in a this-reads-like-a-trashy-book-but-nothing-is-happening way. The writing is sloppy in its point of view, with head-hopping within a narrative that isn't really omniscient, and I noted clutzy dialogue tagging, cliched phrasing and frequent typos. Now, these are common defects in popular fiction I'm willing to overlook. Give me witty dialogue, humor, adventure, even just a peek at an unknown corner of the world like fan-making or weaving or astronomy or a character or two to fall in love with I'm willing to forgive. But I'm none too fond of domestic drama, and this is what was served up page after page in this book set in Hanoverian England among the aristocracy. We're 200 pages in and it's still all largely about intrigue surrounding the marriage contract of the teenage Barbara Alderley, daughter of a disgraced duke. Barbara is likable enough at first, but not all that interesting. Her mother Diana is interesting, but not likable, the grandmother, Alice, Duchess of Tamworth, formidable, interesting, and likable and I kept wishing the story was about her. There is a wealth of well-rendered period detail, but it wasn't sustaining enough given the daunting length of over 600 pages. I found myself turning pages slower and slower and then about half way started skipping and skimming. This is also an example of how knowing too much history can kill suspense. As soon as I saw "South Sea Company" mentioned as the family source of wealth I knew things would be headed to a fall. There was also more than a hint before you're fifty pages in Barbara's romantic hopes are destined to be crushed--Roger is fixated on her as a bride (besides his coveting her lands) because she reminds him of her grandfather who he was madly in love with. Reading some reviews, some report they're "shocked" by a "twist" in the middle. I can only say shock, what shock? Did they read the same book I did? The pace of events do pick up after Barbara's marriage, but it then shifted to a tedium of the Forever Amber depraved court kind and piled-up misery. I found too much of the journey very predictable, and the ending screams Sequel! In a book this length that is just too damn annoying.
    • 2/5
      After reading numerous reviews and seeing this book come up in so many lists of great historical fiction I picked it up as a Christmas present to myself. At the time I was reading Here Be Dragons by Sharon Kay Penman, which is easily one of the best books I have ever read. I was very excited to dive into this book, but I must say that it fell flat in every way for me and was a huge disappointment. I believe the most important elements of a book is the bond which developed between the reader and the characters. I want to feel happy, sad, cringe when bad decisions are made, and cry when tragedy lurks. This book created none of this for me. I can honestly say that I didn't care for any of the characters in this book and actually found them a little irritating. I don't even know why some of them, Jane in particular, were even in the story. Most of the secondary characters added nothing and only lengthened an already dull plot. The love story the book is based on was not rich enough to fill close to 700 pages and lacked passion. I didn't like Barbara or Roger, found Diana to be irritating and the Duchess predictable. Another disappointment is the ending of this book which dragged on far too long only to discover that there is no true ending. There are more books in this series which I will not be picking up. Although this book is dripping with rich detail I can not bring myself to recommend this as a great historical fiction read.
    • 3/5
      It was a good book for the most part. The characters were well thought as was the plot, and it was good enough I read the sequel Now Face to Face, but there was just something about the book that never sat quite right with me.
    • 5/5
      GEMS: Each character is craftily composed and unique in voice and detail. The story rings with classic telling and is reminiscent and ambitiously echoes the possible influences of the Bronte sisters and Austen. I found myself emerged in the story and attached to the various characters. Koen does a beautiful job of chronicling the life of Barbara while presenting the realities of marriage, money, title and hardships. Whereas in some historical fiction, the plot becomes secondary to the research, Koen uses history to drive the plot and coincidentally carry her main character towards a journey to the new world. In addition, the inclusion of the story (read by the characters) of Robinson Crusoe works to foreshadow the tale and adds thematic depth. It contributes a pleasant opposition to the idea of domesticity and the lure of a fresh start in a new land. It also represents the individual dreams and spirit of the youth in the household, including the desire to escape through adventure rather than sit idly praying in a chapel in the country. It is the old way or tradition, verses the new generation and idealized hope of promise.FLAWS: The first half of the story might seem a bit disjointed and although it gives a historical background to the scandalous sexual exploits of the elite at the time, it really is not terribly important to the core plot of the story. However, it does provide a basis for what was acceptable. Some readers might be discouraged by the length of the novel, but in defense, the meandering scenic descriptions are in step with the classic authors and possible influences mentioned above.
    • 5/5
      The title comes from a Bible verse: When I was a child, I spake as a child. I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face; now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. I Corinthians 13:11-13And from this verse flows the essence of the story of Barbara: a young woman with an open heart full of dreams and desires, longing to please, to love and be loved with a child's innocence, who comes to know a woman's life and to be known as a woman, amidst the heartache and bitterness of failed expectations, personal tragedy and the duplicity and debauchery of the English and French courts.England, 1715. Barbara is the sheltered granddaughter of the late Duke of Tamworth, one of England's most famous military heroes. With a traitorous father on the run and a scandalous, uninterested mother, Barbara and her siblings have been raised by their grandmother, the Duchess, an iron-willed woman who strikes fear in the hearts of those who oppose her, and will go to any lengths to aid those whom she loves. Barbara is content to spend her days happy and carefree on her grandmother's secluded country estate until her money-scheming mother arrives and plants the idea in her head that she could marry her childhood idol, the dashing, worldly, and much older Roger Montgeoffrey. Barbara latches onto that idea and moves to London, spinning grand dreams of her future and enlisting her grandmother's help to see those dreams to fruition. Though Barbara is young and unknowing in many ways, she is aware from the beginning that Roger marries her out of respect for her grandfather and for the dowry she brings him, but she is determined to make a place for herself in his life and in his heart.Roger, a rising investment star in the infamous South Sea Company, has plans for his life, and though Barbara is an unexpected and intriguing addition to that life, he's not planning on making any significant changes. As soon as they're married, he and Barbara are off to France, where Barbara makes her debut in society amidst a decadent and licentious French court. In this world of sex and scandal, Barbara is left to her own counsel and must choose how to conduct herself, all the while striving to hold her husband's attention, praying for him to return even a fraction of the love she feels for him. And just when it seems she's about to get everything she wants, tragedy strikes Barbara's family and Roger's hidden past sweeps into Paris. And as he succumbs to the temptations of his dark secrets, Barbara's life crumbles around her. Attempting to pick up the pieces, Barbara embarks on a journey of discovering who she is and who she wants to be.This book is one of those slow burners that takes its time to draw the reader into a sensuous world of compelling characters. It is a beautifully written coming of age story, love story and family saga rolled into one; a heart-wrenching portrayal of emotions, of the damage people can inflict upon each other; of human nature in every shade, where nothing is black and white. The outstanding cast of supporting characters adds dimension and layers to the story and the lushly depicted era of opulence, political unrest and financial instability of England and France weaves a rich historical texture throughout.I loved every minute of this book and I cried my way through the last hundred pages. Then, after I got hold of myself, I went right out to the library and picked up the sequel. This is one of those books that kept me up late and then woke me in the middle of the night - I could not stop thinking about it. Definite Keeper Shelf. Highly recommended to fans of emotionally charged, character-driven historical fiction.
    • 4/5
      A sumptuous and truly riveting delight of a novel. It pulsates with threads of longing, passion, desire and heart-wrenching despair that intertwine the character's lives and destinies. I was enthralled with the rich fullness and the astounding amount of detail put into the description of the period. Never has life in 18th century France so captivated me. Breathless with anticipation, I traversed through the tragedies and triumphs... the balls, the celebrations, the sweeping drama of the traditions of royalty and the frailty of the human condition are all exquisitely detailed in this epic novel. Having read a piece of literature such as this [although it is indeed fiction] is to have glimpsed a dream of history so real you can almost convince yourself it was a past you were part of, if only for a moment.The downfall to this is, of course, the ending. Having invested so much interest in the lives of others, it is a bitter pill indeed to swallow when you lose the characters you care about. That can be said for anything in literature, to be fair. However in this novel, it was devastating, in a word.I was completely enthralled with the first 3/4 of the book. Then it took a sharp left turn and became disappointing. It seemed as if for the first 3/4 it was a stand-alone book and then as the author neared the end, decided to create a sequel to it... leaving much to be desired, and perhaps regretted.The first 3/4 would get the book a 5 star rating, but the way she chose to end it forces me to rate it just short of 4 stars. Which is unfortunate considering how much I loved being swept up in the seductive pages within.
    • 2/5
      Almost seven hundred pages could have been edited to five hundred and lost nothing of the plot. Interesting historical detail is marred by melodrama and chapter after chapter of histrionics.
    • 1/5
      The first half was entertaining, but heavier on romance than history. In the second half our heroine became capable only of tears - I skimmed through to the end to find out who lived, who died, and who (else) cried.
    • 5/5
      One of my absolute favorites. I could not put it down and I was sad when it was over!
    • 2/5
      AUDIOBOOK IS ABRIDGRED. Started listening & was very confused & disappointed.
    • 2/5
      The audio book skipped through a lot of the book. THE AUDIOBOOK IS ABRIDGED.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      Novel is set during the early 18th century in England and France, and describes the fashions and customs of the times. Barbara, age 15 marries a rich, much older man with her grandmother's help. Happy at first, she soon learns that life is much more complicated than her country upbringing led her to expect. Lots of dramatic twists and turns in the plot - love and death and politics. One of the best bodice-rippers I've read.
    • 3/5
      I loved the story of Bab and Roger, but there was so much extra writing that I found myself skimming over most of it. It was OK. It didn't draw me in like most historical fiction novels do.
    • 3/5
      I thought this was going to be a more serious sweeping historical novel as it's quite the tome. It turns out that it's a frothy borderline trashy romance novel with a historical setting. That's not a bad thing or slam but had I realized that before I was already pulled in, I'd have saved this one for the beach this summer. The main character Barbara (Bab to those closest) is fifteen when we begin and she's going to be married to Roger, a much older man who happens to be an earl & who she's crushed on since she was ten. She's overjoyed & he's marrying her because he's much about a particular piece of property her in her somewhat disgraced family's holdings. This is no impediment to one true love status for Barbara & she's sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt that she will make him love her completely & eternally. It's very easy to see from the beginning that calamity will follow & Barbara is going to get kicked in the teeth. Still, I had to see it unfold. It's engaging like that. And of course, Roger has a deep dark secret that absolutely can't get out, to cause even more drama. Okay, so it was so anvilicious, I figured it out well before I had read 100 pages in. And I kept going, because it's obvious that's going to come out and probably be all kinds of soapy, angsty.

      Long story short, it was. The story doesn't end there though. In fact, there's another few hundred pages to go where it kind of goes a bit off the rails plotwise but by then, I didn't really care because though I wanted to see how it all turned out, I wasn't taking it so seriously that I needed anything more than the soaptastic to close it out. It did drag a bit though (there are heavy descriptions throughout of rooms, furniture, gardens, meals & clothes; I love those things usually but after a while, it was too much) & I must say by the end, the only person that I still liked and wanted to know more about was Barbara's grandmother & her scathingly opportunistic mother, Diana. Barbara, I'd had enough of along with everyone else. I found out there's a prequel featuring the grandmother & I may read that in the future. There's also a sequel to this one following Barbara to America but I'm pretty sure I'll skip that one.
    • 4/5
      You die, the girl dies, everybody dies.
    • 4/5
      In the tradition of Kathleen Windsor's Forever Amber, Karleen Koen gives us the story of Barbara Montgeoffrey, a young woman who matures as she ages. The story begins when she is fifteen and marries Roger, a man much, much older than herself but whom she is determined to marry nonetheless. Barbara, like her counterpart in Forever Amber, is headstrong and willful, but I think Barbara is more likeable as a character. The cast of characters is fantastic: Barbara's grandmother, the aging Duchess of Tamworth; Barbara's mother, the spoiled and selfish woman who tries to get a divorce from her husband; Barbara's cousin Tony, a shy boy who grows into a very capable young adult and who remains in love with her even after all that she goes through; Barbara's husband Roger, a man who is not as bad as we think he is; Philippe, Roger's on and off again "friend;" Therese, Barbara's French lady's maid, who becomes an invauable companion; and Hyacinthe, a boy originally bought to serve as Barbara's slave, but who becomes like a son to her. There are also Harry and Charlotte, two pugs who are almost people themselves. The book is divided into two parts, beginning with Diana's decision to marry her daughter to Roger Montgeoffrey, a bachelor who is notorious but also incredibly wealthy and well-connected at both the English and French courts. Barbara, completely in love with him, gets her wish and they marry, but not without the forebodings of the Duchess, the old woman who has cared for Barbara since she was a small child. They go to France, where Barbara is pursued by many men and Roger finds himself becoming jealous over them. The first part ends with a bang. It is then that Barbara learns about the true nature of the relationship between her husband and the Frenchman Philippe. It is also at this point that Barbara loses her innocence and steps into adulthood. She and her husband separate for a period of four years, not to be reconciled until almost the last moment. The second part opens four years later. It opens with another bang: the popping of the South Sea Bubble, a crisis that had deleterious effects on not only England, but its colonies as well. By this point Barbara has become notorious fer her bavior: sleeping with several different young men, causing them to duel, and getting sent away from the Hanoverian court. There's a reconciliation with Roger, but it comes much later than the reader would have liked. This was a wonderful book; filled with insightful research and storytelling, I couldn't put it down. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction and romances--but not the cheesy kind.