See the hottest books publishing this Summer

What readers think of Harriet and Isabella, plus links to write your own review.

Summary |  Excerpt |  Reading Guide |  Reviews |  Beyond the book |  Read-Alikes |  Genres & Themes |  Author Bio

Harriet and Isabella by Patricia O'Brien

Harriet and Isabella

by Patricia O'Brien
  • BookBrowse Review:
  • Critics' Consensus (6):
  • Readers' Rating (1):
  • First Published:
  • Jan 8, 2008, 320 pages
  • Paperback:
  • Jan 2009, 320 pages
  • Rate this book

About This Book

Reviews

Page 1 of 1
There is 1 reader review for Harriet and Isabella
Order Reviews by:

Write your own review!

Power Reviewer
Kim

Good historical fiction
There were several things that surprised me about this book. The first that struck me was the way the author chose to structure her narrative. Its beginning scenes take place as Henry Beecher is dying, but flashbacks soon take the reader back to the infamous trial and -- flashback within flashback -- to earlier family history. (I found this a bit disturbing at first, but soon got so wrapped up in the various plot-lines I found I no longer cared.)

Surprise #2: Much of the book is back-story with very little to do with the trial or with Henry's death. O'Brien instead concentrates on the lives of Henry's sisters, Isabella and Harriet. While not as compelling as the other two story lines, I found it to be good, solid historical fiction.

Finally, surprise #3: Most of O'Brien's narrative concerns Isabella, the least famous of the three main characters. It was fascinating to read about this amazing woman's life. I was a bit disappointed that so little text was devoted to Harriet Beecher Stowe, as I would have liked to learn more about her as well, but I still found the novel worthwhile.

Overall, I'm glad I read this novel. It provided an entertaining look at a time period about which I know little. I felt it was well-written and well-researched.
  • Page
  • 1

BookBrowse Book Club

  • Book Jacket
    The Ghostwriter
    by Julie Clark
    From the instant New York Times bestselling author of The Last Flight and The Lies I Tell comes a dazzling new thriller.

Members Recommend

  • Book Jacket

    Erased
    by Anna Malaika Tubbs

    In Erased, Anna Malaika Tubbs recovers all that American patriarchy has tried to destroy.

  • Book Jacket

    Songs of Summer
    by Jane L. Rosen

    A young woman crashes a Fire Island wedding to find her birth mother—and gets more than she bargained for.

Who Said...

Censorship, like charity, should begin at home: but unlike charity, it should end there.

Click Here to find out who said this, as well as discovering other famous literary quotes!

Wordplay

Solve this clue:

B a L

and be entered to win..

Your guide toexceptional          books

BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.