http://labibliotecadellibraio.blogspo...Amori e destini è un volume che racchiude le vicende di tre fratelli, il conte di Amberley, lord Eden e lady Madaline Raine, trilogia chiamata anche Web.Nel primo romanzo La tela dorata Alexandra è una giovane donna alla sua prima stagione londinese, non è abituata ai fasti delle feste essendo stata educata rigidamente a osservare la parola di Dio, in una versione più di angelo vendicatore che portatore di amore e gioia. Quando per un puro caso viene rapita, lo scandalo non si può più evitare, ma il suo mondo altezzoso e rigido non le permette di crollare, ma le circostanze non le permettono neanche di reagire come vorrebbe, e così è costretta a subire un fidanzamento riparatore con un uomo che non conosce ma che la sconvolge il solo starle vicino. Questo primo romanzo lo ritengo un romanzo d'introduzione perché accanto a Alexandra e Edmund, la scrittrice presenta anche i personaggi che diverranno in seguito i protagonisti delle prossime storie. Una cosa ho notato diversa da altri libri, qui c'è poco spazio alla descrizione degli ambienti, sì, la Balogh si sofferma molto sugli esterni, la scogliera, il mare, con parole semplici racconta i suoni e i rumori come un tutt'uno con l'ambiente circostante, ma l'attenzione è tutta sulle persone, sui loro incontri, sui dialoghi.Incatenato dall'amore è un romanzo diverso dal solito, sin dalle prime pagine la Balogh mostra un certo interesse più sulle vicende storiche, la battaglia di Waterloo, la sconfitta di Napoleone, un racconto emozionante visto con gli occhi di chi vede i propri cari partire e non sapere se torneranno, la consapevolezza di andare avanti e magari di scoprire un nuovo amore, una nuova vita. Dominic, lord Eden, parte per la guerra, è fiero della sua scelta, conosce i rischi, ma spesso la sua mente è affollata da ricordi e pensieri sulle sue esperienze amorose. Ellen Simpson è la moglie del suo migliore amico, conosciuto sui campi di battaglia. Sin dall'inizio ci si accorge che sicuramente la storia terminerà con loro insieme, ma il girare intorno a balli, eventi mondani prima dell'imminente avanzata francese, ha reso questo romanzo decisamente lungo e mi dispiace dirlo pesante. E finalmente siamo giunti all'ultimo racconto di questa trilogia altalenante, Le trame dell'amore che vedono come protagonisti lady Madaline Raine e James Purnell, fratello di Alexandra, moglie del conte di Ambrley. Un romanzo intenso, sotto molti aspetti e che ho preferito sugli altri, una storia d'amore carica di passione, di incomprensioni tra i protagonisti, che tocca il profondo, un amore che va oltre l'odio. Qui la scrittrice ha messo da parte la guerra, ha incentrato tutto su due figure Madaline e James con le loro frustrazioni, i loro battibecchi, i loro problemi e segreti, portandoli davvero all'inverosimile. Nell'insieme la lettura di questo libro è stata piacevole, ritengo come sono solita scrivere che le opinioni sono soggettive, ecco perché la scelta di dividere le recensioni e di non fare un unico blocco, dei tre il più coinvolgente è stato Le trame dell'amore che non avrebbe senso letto singolarmente, ma probabilmente le storie della guerra, le vicende che hanno portato alla sconfitta e alla battaglia di Waterloo possono essere più interessanti se letti in stati d'animo e momenti diversi.
This was a difficult book to read. Mostly so, because it pained me to see James and Madeline in pain for so much of the book. I was eagerly waiting for their story to unfold, and I knew it would be explosive and frustrating.James is back from Canada and we know that he did feel love for Madeline and not the lust as he told her during The Gilded Web and always remembers her . Madeline is deeply unhappy as she is overwhelmed with what she feels for James even when he hasnt been particularly nice with her. But she knows and understands him like no other and James is the same with her.I think the first conversation they have behind the tree is particularly poignant. Where Mads talks about love and happiness and how we yearn for it. And love is about giving as it is in receiving. This defines James and Madeline . They want the other to be happy but are so afraid and proud to share themselves and their thoughts. And so they quarrel.The sudden marriage threw me a bit, because I really didnt want it to go about that way. Both those idiots loved the other, but couldnt talk about it. And James was just unable to express his love and made things worse. Hurting to hurt the other. I felt quite wounded for them.The great secret which destroyed James's life was finally revealed. It was a bit of an anti climax to be honest. And I thought that by the end, James and Madeline would never be happy, but all that anger was let out and they comforted the other.The last 4-5 pages almost felt like the anger, the pain of reading a love story go wrong were being washed away and I feel almost happy reaching the end.Takeaway : Communication in a relationship is key. And love is as much in giving as it is in receiving!
What do You think about The Devil's Web (2007)?
I got about a quarter way through and gave up. Too much focus on side characters really slowed it down, and the main characters are upsetting. James is rude to Madeleine for reasons never (or at the point I gave up) given. He thinks her shallow and treats her badly but apparently feels something for her. Madeleine is equally stupid for him for whatever reason. Their families think their bad treatment of each other is passionate, which is true, and that it could lead to love, which is disturbing. They hate each other. They repeatedly tell themselves they would be miserable together. Lust doesn't change that. There's no insurmountable barrier, as Madeleine narrates. He's the heir to barony; she's the sister and daughter of an earl. She's a beautiful (kind of fickle but all her family seemed to be that before they married according to the narration) spinster who's still getting marriage proposals. She can marry anyone, which she should definitely do. Also, like I said, I got a quarter way through and had five or so scenes together. Not even probably. They don't even interact enough to care.
—Belle
Wow! This is the book I have been hoping to come across while reading through dozens of other books of variable standards. It was full of emotional tension so highly strung it cuts, as I ached for the protagonists, sharing with them their love and pain in equal measures. Sure, James was all ice and spite on the outside, yet the author also allowed us to glimpse inside his soul, to sense his self-doubt, to understand that his actions were not intended to hurt Madeline, but to punish himself, for what better way to torture him, than to hurt the woman he loves. I cried so much, I had to drink a litre of water immediately after finishing the book to rehydrate myself. What beautiful writing. I have read many of her other books but none of them moved me as much as this one. I did read this before the other books in the series and I did not have trouble following the plot. I have to go back and read the others, but I cannot see how she can top this one.
—Jultri
If I had not loved other books by M. Balogh, this book would have convinced me to never ever read another one of her novels again. This was NOT a romance novel. It was a novel of abuse, some kind of obsession/lust, maybe even codependency... but NOT love! Both characters were sick-in-the-head and cruel to each other. There was a rape scene (and yes, it WAS rape) despite the almost MORE disgusting mental revisions of the pathetic wife.Just because they admit their love (and on what basis was that "love" formed on??) at the very end - - does NOT excuse the previous FIVE YEARS of misery they put each other through.I wanted to put them both out of their misery and thus end mine as well.I also disliked the first web book w/ James' sister and the father -- but I can't just excuse it as being her "early work" because I've enjoyed some of her shorter novels written around the same time.
—Kyra
