Michelle Muriel
Auteur de Essie's Roses
A propos de l'auteur
Crédit image: Credit: Lance Tilford
Séries
Œuvres de Michelle Muriel
Étiqueté
Partage des connaissances
- Nom canonique
- Muriel, Michelle
- Sexe
- female
- Lieu de naissance
- St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Professions
- novelist
actress - Prix et distinctions
- 2015 Readers’ Favorite Silver Medal Winner Fiction - Southern
- Courte biographie
- MICHELLE MURIEL is the award-winning, bestselling author of the #1 historical fiction bestseller ESSIE'S ROSES, WESTLAND (Essie's Roses 2), and WATER LILY DANCE. Michelle holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts, magna cum laude, and worked as a professional actress, a member of Actors' Equity and The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists for twenty years, doing theater, voice-over, and commercial work. Michelle transferred her skills in complex character development and historical research into writing heartbreaking, heart-mending historical, literary fiction. Her novels poetically explore the secret sides of life, stories told from multiple points of view by strong female characters in history harboring secrets and breaking norms fighting for freedom. She is also a songwriter and musician. Michelle lives in Missouri with her husband, Michael. To learn more about Michelle and her books, visit the author's website: MichelleMuriel.com
Membres
Critiques
A story of heartbreak, loss and second chances, Michelle Muriel gives us a beautiful story of three courageous women, centuries apart. Two timelines – one in 2012 Missouri and the other in 1865 Paris. The link between the two – artist Claude Monet and his garden.
The strength of the book lies in its relationships, especially those between mothers and daughters. I found several “pearls of wisdom” throughout the book, the greatest being “My dear, we do not move on from grief; we move through it.” The book is one of great emotion often presented subtly and quietly.
Thirty-five-year-old Sophie is grieving the loss of her father, husband, and mother over a short time span. The loss of her mother was especially difficult for her as there was an enchantment between Sophie and her mother – i.e., instead of lullabies there were stories of sleepy fairies who “know the right berries to use to invite sweet dreams”. Sophie tries to bear her grief alone and finds herself unable to trust. Thus, she often seeks solace with her imaginary friend, none other than Claude Monet.
Eighteen-year-old Camille is torn between the loving bond she has with her father and sister and her socially unacceptable love with Monet. Like Sophie, Camille is stubborn yet courageous. She is adamant that “I do not need a man to tell me who I am…to give me purpose.” But when family secrets are revealed she is left shaken.
Muriel writes with a heightened sense of smell, taste, and sight thus drawing the reader in. The characters are endearing. Delightful Annabel was probably my favorite but I also loved Renoir – who was considered a “player” by others, but Camille saw his beautiful heart. I felt a sense of resolution and contentment as I bid these characters adieu.… (plus d'informations)
The strength of the book lies in its relationships, especially those between mothers and daughters. I found several “pearls of wisdom” throughout the book, the greatest being “My dear, we do not move on from grief; we move through it.” The book is one of great emotion often presented subtly and quietly.
Thirty-five-year-old Sophie is grieving the loss of her father, husband, and mother over a short time span. The loss of her mother was especially difficult for her as there was an enchantment between Sophie and her mother – i.e., instead of lullabies there were stories of sleepy fairies who “know the right berries to use to invite sweet dreams”. Sophie tries to bear her grief alone and finds herself unable to trust. Thus, she often seeks solace with her imaginary friend, none other than Claude Monet.
Eighteen-year-old Camille is torn between the loving bond she has with her father and sister and her socially unacceptable love with Monet. Like Sophie, Camille is stubborn yet courageous. She is adamant that “I do not need a man to tell me who I am…to give me purpose.” But when family secrets are revealed she is left shaken.
Muriel writes with a heightened sense of smell, taste, and sight thus drawing the reader in. The characters are endearing. Delightful Annabel was probably my favorite but I also loved Renoir – who was considered a “player” by others, but Camille saw his beautiful heart. I felt a sense of resolution and contentment as I bid these characters adieu.… (plus d'informations)
This is the story of four women in the period just prior to the Civil War. Miss Katie is mistress of a cotton plantation in Alabama. While Miss Katie is kind and intelligent, her husband John is ignorant and abusive, having married her only for her money. Delly is the loyal house slave with a sharp tongue, and she loves Katie and Evie as though they were her own. Evie is the only child of Katie and John, somewhat spoiled, adventurous. Her best friend, born the same night Evie was born, is Essie Mae, her slave girl. The story is about the strength of these four females and their love for each other.
The friendship between Evie and Essie has been kept a secret for several years. But it is their friendship that gets them through the hardest of times – times of violence and expressions of hate. These women save each other time after time. Evie teaches Essie how to dream, and Essie teaches Evie how to be free. The points of view shift from chapter to chapter but it is so well written that it is mostly easy to keep track of who is talking at the time.
The writing throughout most of the book is totally magical. Even the opening seductively draws you in – “A tattered gardening glove lay beneath Miss Katie’s favorite rosebush. It would be hard for her to love it again. Though, magically, those things we once loved that become tainted, often find their way back into our hearts. While nature whispered its secrets in the warm night air, my mother lay in the barn giving birth to me.” A blind man smelling an orange rose says “Smells like sunshine. Smells like smiles. Orange. Beautiful orange.” Another rose is described as “A lemon so sweet, it could not taste sour, with a touch of cream.”
But toward the end of the book there was a period when the writing changed style, as though someone else had written a portion of it. Thankfully, before the end of the book the magical writing reappeared.
As the South nears secession life becomes difficult (and dangerous) for Evie and Essie. Evie is determined to leave her home and goes to Richmond, Virginia where her aunt lives, taking Essie with her.
The story is not always pleasant but it does avoid graphic scenes. While written for adults, this would be the ideal book for middle schoolers and teens.
I received the book from the publishers in a GoodReads promotion.… (plus d'informations)
The friendship between Evie and Essie has been kept a secret for several years. But it is their friendship that gets them through the hardest of times – times of violence and expressions of hate. These women save each other time after time. Evie teaches Essie how to dream, and Essie teaches Evie how to be free. The points of view shift from chapter to chapter but it is so well written that it is mostly easy to keep track of who is talking at the time.
The writing throughout most of the book is totally magical. Even the opening seductively draws you in – “A tattered gardening glove lay beneath Miss Katie’s favorite rosebush. It would be hard for her to love it again. Though, magically, those things we once loved that become tainted, often find their way back into our hearts. While nature whispered its secrets in the warm night air, my mother lay in the barn giving birth to me.” A blind man smelling an orange rose says “Smells like sunshine. Smells like smiles. Orange. Beautiful orange.” Another rose is described as “A lemon so sweet, it could not taste sour, with a touch of cream.”
But toward the end of the book there was a period when the writing changed style, as though someone else had written a portion of it. Thankfully, before the end of the book the magical writing reappeared.
As the South nears secession life becomes difficult (and dangerous) for Evie and Essie. Evie is determined to leave her home and goes to Richmond, Virginia where her aunt lives, taking Essie with her.
The story is not always pleasant but it does avoid graphic scenes. While written for adults, this would be the ideal book for middle schoolers and teens.
I received the book from the publishers in a GoodReads promotion.… (plus d'informations)
This is a very timely book given the current discussions of race going on in the country right now. It opens in the years before the Civil War on a small plantation in Alabama. It is owned by Katherine Winthrop but she defers to her husband in its running. He is not a very nice man for many a reason but it is time when women were not considered smart enough to do anything but look pretty.
Katherine has a daughter, Evie, and is friendly with her house slave Delly. Delly cares for Essie a child of the plantation. These four female voices tell the story in alternating chapters. Usually this aggravates me but Ms. Muriel writes in four such distinct voices I felt like I was in the space with each one.
Essie and Evie are born on the same night but into very different lives. That doesn’t stop them from finding each other and becoming friends. Life becomes complicated and dangerous as the South secedes and war enters their world. Soon the girls find themselves fleeing the plantation they have always known for Richmond and life changes for them in ways they never could have imagined.
I was pulled into this book from the very first chapter where Essie introduced herself. She is an unforgettable character who is far ahead of her time. In fact all of the characters are very well drawn and uniquely interesting. It’s not always an easy story to read but it is exceptionally well written and it was very hard to put down. I read it in one short before bed start and then finished in one long read the next day.… (plus d'informations)
Katherine has a daughter, Evie, and is friendly with her house slave Delly. Delly cares for Essie a child of the plantation. These four female voices tell the story in alternating chapters. Usually this aggravates me but Ms. Muriel writes in four such distinct voices I felt like I was in the space with each one.
Essie and Evie are born on the same night but into very different lives. That doesn’t stop them from finding each other and becoming friends. Life becomes complicated and dangerous as the South secedes and war enters their world. Soon the girls find themselves fleeing the plantation they have always known for Richmond and life changes for them in ways they never could have imagined.
I was pulled into this book from the very first chapter where Essie introduced herself. She is an unforgettable character who is far ahead of her time. In fact all of the characters are very well drawn and uniquely interesting. It’s not always an easy story to read but it is exceptionally well written and it was very hard to put down. I read it in one short before bed start and then finished in one long read the next day.… (plus d'informations)
Prix et récompenses
Statistiques
- Œuvres
- 3
- Membres
- 36
- Popularité
- #397,831
- Évaluation
- 4.2
- Critiques
- 4
- ISBN
- 6
- Favoris
- 1
Now the war is over, and the girls return to Westland to face their troubled pasts. They are soon inundated with family secrets that are now coming out after the death of someone dear to them. These secrets were intended to protect the girls, but perhaps they did more harm than good.
The people of Westland form their own family, based on love and loyalty and the concept of home, all of which will be tested when Evie’s stepfather receives letters threatening Westland, Evie, and Essie. He will do whatever it takes to keep them safe and ensure they do not lose Westland.
It is important that you read “Essie’s Roses” before “Westland.” Everything in “Westland” is based on the events of the first book.
Loaded with wonderful characters, I especially love the strong, brave female figures and their love for each other - Katie, Evie, Essie Mae, and Delly. The imagery took me back to the beautiful rose gardens that were central to “Essie’s Roses”.
The first approximately 125 pages consist of Essie Mae and Evie ruminating about the past. That portion of the book is written in a stream-of-consciousness style. I don’t really care for this style of writing so was happy when it settled into a more structured style.… (plus d'informations)