This book was published in 1973, twenty years after the previous volume. It covers the years 1794-5. There is a bit of a change in style, but the continuation of the saga is just as good. Here are some of the main points of the story:Aunt Agatha is approaching her 100th birthday.There is a lot about the fears in Cornwall about the effects of the French Revolution. For Dwight Enys, this has a real impact, After joining the Navy as a surgeon he ends up as a prisoner of war. For Caroline Penvenen, this is a disaster as she they were on the verge of marriage.Morwenna Chynoweth, Elizabeth's cousin is governess to Geoffrey Charles. There is a moving theme involving George and Elizabeth and a plan for an arranged marriage for Morwenna. This providing a backdrop to the fear of the spread of revolution. Even within France all was not well. "The ordinary decent French no longer yearned for liberty, equality and fraternity, or at least not at the expense of justice, order and food."There is a well-researched storyline involving Ross and several of his cronies attempting to rescue Dwight from Quimper on the Quiberon peninsula in Brittany. The way this is interwoven into the real historical events of a counter revolutionary battle is cleverly written.The tension between the Poldark family and Warleggan family continues! This book recaptures the pace of some of the first books in the series.
Set in Cornwall and a little bit in France 1794-95.Excellent writing and a plot that continues to pull me in. The historical detail is top-notch. There is still daily life in the tin and copper mining areas of Cornwall but in this volume we also see the invasion of France in 1795 at Quiberon. There is new love that holds so much promise, as well as old hostilities and resentments. This short excerpt won't spoil but will give an idea of the emotion Graham writes with:He had killed his viper. He had given it, he knew, a mortal wound. But as he took his foot from its neck it had turned on him and bitten him in the heel. And the venom it had left behind was working...For once in his life he felt ill and unsure of himself. The spread of the poison was slow but steady. He did not know if he could shake it off. It might be that he would die of it. It might be that others would die of it. He did not know and only time would reveal the extent of the poison...
You can tell that this was written 20 years after the first four books; there's a change in tone and focus. The earlier books skipped between characters' storylines, but still felt contained and introspective. This one sprawls all over the place, in geography, focus, and simultaneous events. It also becomes much more externally-facing, rather than focusing on the characters' inner lives. Not that it's not entertaining, but I miss feeling more acquainted with them.I wrote after Ross Poldark that WG's writing reminds me of C.S Forester. This book did and more; when Ross runs off to join the Royalist landing at Quiberon, there are tons of echoes of the Horatio Hornblower episode "The Wrong War." I could almost hear Horatio asking Pellew "but why were we there, sir?" I do like me some Napoleonic/naval history!And finally, what a twist at the end!
—Jane
New characters are introduced in "The Black Moon" and with them comes a Romeo and Juliet scenario where Demelza's handsome brother Drake falls in love with Morwenna, a cousin of Elizabeth's who is now Jeffrey Charles's governessGeorge Warleggan and his bride Elizabeth are now living in the Poldark family home and his arrogance knows no bounds as he manages to make enemies of all his neighbors, rich or poor, with his high handed ways. Ross's mine continues to bring forth riches and Ross has decided to build a 2nd floor to the Nampara manor house.I'm continuing to enjoy the Poldark series and I'm on to the next book The Four Swans.
—Laurie
There are definitely distinctive characters with well developed personalities. George goes from being pompous, arrogant, and sneaky to just plain evil. He operates rather like a steam roller, plowing over anyone that gets in his way, and using underhanded ways to do that. I 'm kind of wishing there was a prequel to the series; I'd like to know what Ross found endearing about Elizabeth. She's becoming almost as demanding as her rude second husband, George! Mayhaps her air of delicate elegance is the one feature that appears to make her attractive,
—Lucy Takeda
