Written 1968. Harriet and Ada, and their peculiar guardian, Yorkshire Moors 1856; gothic/historical suspenser, old-fashioned fem-jep. Entertaining, very early fem-jep historical suspenser from a now extremely famous writer not yet into her stride. Before "Amelia Peabody" there were many similar heroines in Ms. Michaels/Peters' novels, and pretty much all of them were fun to "meet". In this very early-in-her-career gothic tale (now showing its age a bit, alas) Ms. Michaels uses the prototypical setting and personae to craft a thoroughly entertaining story. Arriving at his lonely house on the Yorkshire moors n 1856, lovely young cousins Harriet (definitely Amelia's near-cousin) and Ada (sweet young thang, beautiful and a bit dim, very rich) find themselves under the guardianship of their distant relative Mr. Wolfson, a very strange middle-aged man, and his two quite dissimilar sons, both peculiar in many ways as well. Not to mention the attitude of the local villagers towards the Squire, one of both reverance and of abject fear. As the fairly predictable plot progresses, the alert Harriet soon becomes aware of both the odd circumstances and the non-trustworthy people around her and her beloved Ada, who she guards and watches over as though she were a younger sister. Marriages for money, a ruined abbey, rumours of werewolves, an autocratic-but-handsome, emotionally remote guardian, a spooky old house, a wastrel son and a weakling son, and enough plots to fill several gothic romances, this is a full-out treatment of the genre, written at a time when sensibilities seemed a bit sweeter and such happenings were mostly romantic in nature. But Michaels is a crisp, sometimes quite dark writer, and although the plot creaks through its paces the characterizations are wonderful. And the plot is actually quite good, if entirely predictable, at least until the very end, when she throws in a last twist that doesn't ring true, alas. Other than this bit the story was fast-moving and a lot of fun, with a goodly deal of gentle satire and humor mixed into the gothic trappings. It's a lot of fun watching Ms. Michaels/Peters grow as a writer (I'm attempting to read her novels in published sequence), and although this is only her second novel, it's still very well-done overall. Next in line for me is her first in the Georgetown suspenser trilogy, AIMEE COME HOME, 1968 (as Michaels), and her second of her pre-Amelia lightly humorous archeological thrillers, THE CAMELOT CAPER, 1969; her first in this genre (Jackal's Head, 1968) was very good (reviewed by me at http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/... .
Sons of the Wolf by Barbara Michaels (also known as Elizabeth Peters) is a gothic romance set in the mid 1800s.The narrative takes the form of a semi-regular journal kept by Harriet Barton. Harriet and her cousin Ada have recently lost their grandmother, who was also their guardian. Having run out of closer living relatives, they are sent to live with Mr. Wolfson, their very distant cousin, and his son Julian. Julian is pleasant, if not particularly bright, and assiduously courts the beautiful Ada. Mr. Wolfson is confined to a wheelchair, and his two wolf-like dogs follow him wherever he goes. Just as Harriet finds herself adjusting to their new home, she encounters a disturbance in the form of Francis Wolfson, the older, previously undisclosed son. The villagers and servants try to warn her about the Wolfson family, but she dismisses their concern as superstition, and determines to hold to her own judgments.Francis, unlike his brother, seems uninterested in either girl, and finds his joy in stirring up trouble and turning the members of the house against one another. A band of gypsies and a handsome stable boy add complications when Ada is attacked on one of her daily rides, and the two dogs are a constant threatening presence. However, in good Barbara Michaels tradition, things are never as they seem, people's motives are clouded, and Harriet soon discovers a dastardly plot to deprive both girls of their fortune and freedom.The book is not long, but the plot doesn't come across as worn or trite. Harriet's character is very believable, and the story flows naturally from her eyewitness account. I found it a very pleasant for whiling away a few hours with a cup of tea. I rate it appropriate for 14 and older on the Aardvark scale due to frightening situations and violence.Find more of my reviews at my book review website, AnemoneFlynn.com
What do You think about Sons Of The Wolf (1976)?
There are some books that say a lot in just a few pages. A book here and there that immerses you in a time and place without being heavy on words and descriptions. "Sons of the Wolf" was exactly that type of book. A tale of two young women. Harriet, the sensible one and Ada, the beauty are sent to live with their mysterious, older relative whose job it is to tend to them until they are married. Mr. Wolf is quite the character, as are his two sons, Julian and Francis and early on, their motives are highly suspect. Her depictions of life in Europe during the 1800s were rich and insightful...especially what she says about women's rights. I just wish that the ending had been flushed out a bit more.
—Mya
Sons of the Wolf reigns as one of Michael's darker, more serious works. Devoid of typical humor, atmosphere is different than usual, as is the turnout. Written with a meek Victorian tone and set in the repressed ages, the heroine Harriet is much like other characters in the novels, only a little more watered down with speech. (I suppose Michaels did this to stay truer to the setting.) This novel lacks the sophistication in some of Michael's other works, suffering from a depressed toneSuffering from a depressed tone, the malnourished plot lacks the sophistication of later works. Neither dreadfully horrible nor boring, characters do not hold the trademark charm of Michaels. What happens to them is of less relevance, and at times they even got on my nerves. The ending doesn't fit what I read, with the romance seeming stuffy, out of the blue, and unrealistic. Not to mention - why should there be a romance there at all?The man she ended up being with wasn't admirable or appealing, and I would think Harriet would have shunned him from the start after some of his actions. He did redeem himself, but through most of the novel he came across as obnoxious, self-indulgent, and overbearing. Rather than having a happy ending, it was supposed to be conveyed as one, but instead left me with a suffocated feeling.There is a definite gothic touch on the pages, complete with wolves, full moons, crumbling castles, and cynical caretakers. Because of the small number of suspects, it's not too difficult to point your finger in the right direction. The unveiling of the mystery was interesting, and I felt a strange fondness for one of the villains, despite his crazed actions. (Silly me!)Michaels writing is still top-notch, even if that cozy relaxed feeling is lacking. Still, the novel boasts a readable story, and is hard to put down, even if the pacing is a little too slow. Harriet isn't the best character but she's still enjoyable, as is her sister (when she's not giggling). I did end up enjoying the ending with the grandmother's revelation, though, for that wasn't expected and made more sense. It's not a Michaels to turn away, but not the right place to sample her stuff either. A recommended read only if you're already a fan itching to finish the collection. This is only her second book under this name, after all, and every writer must stumble sometimes to find the right path.
—Erin (Paperback stash) *is juggle-reading*
I dove into this book having read other books by Ms. Michaels and enjoyed this one as well. However, I went into it with the wrong ideas. I got the sense from the blurb and cover that this story was more of a paranormal romance. It isn't, for anyone who gets the same ideas. It is actually more of a gothic mystery with a little bit of romance thrown in (a little bit- no major swooning here), and hearkens to the works of the Brontes. We have moors, ruined abbeys and a family of mysterious men who are considered to be werewolves by the villagers. In fact, they just own scary dogs. All that being said, I had fun with it and turned the pages quickly. Ms. Michaels is a mistress of suspense. Even though I pretty much had it figured out by about 20 pages in, the author still managed to keep me wondering. Harriet is your typical Victorian heroine; plucky but she has her hands tied by the men in her life. I think I would have liked to see her in the modern day. I think she would have been a more effective heroine. Here, she feels a little like a Jane Eyre wannabe, and jokes are made about Bronte's masterpiece. Would I recommend it? Sure, I give it 3.5 stars for the fast pacing and intrigue. But if you want to swoon, look elsewhere.
—Rosanna Leo
