lexiepiper Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 1891. In a crumbling New England mansion, 12-year-old orphan Florence and her younger brother Giles are neglected by their guardian uncle. Banned from reading, Florence devours books in secret, and twists words and phrases into a language uniquely her own. After the violent death of the children’s first governess, a second arrives. Florence becomes convinced she is vengeful and malevolent spirit who means to do Giles harm. Against a powerful enemy, with no adult to turn for help, Florence will need all her intelligence and ingenuity to save Giles and preserve her private world. This is her chilling tale.... Picked this up in The Works last week, pretty much just because of the cover, those eyes just draw you in! It's a quick but interesting read, finished it in 2 short sittings, but the tension slowly builds as the story goes on and you truly get drawn in to Flo's paranoia. My one small annoyance is that a lot is implied but never actually directly answered, so I think you're just kinda left to assume what you want about some of the plot. I think this would be a great halloween read! Has anyone else read it? Wondering if anyone came to the same assumptions that I did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 Looks interesting lexiepiper. Like your new avatar too ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 I read this one a while back but I've just had to browse a few reviews to refresh my memory on it. (I have a terrible habit of forgetting the details of books only a few months after I have read them. ) I now remember the unique words that Florence used - almost her own language. As for the ending, I think it's hinted that Florence killed the first governess, in order to protect her world with Giles, but it was never actually stated. The detective suspected it though, and kept asking rather pointed questions, but I can't actually remember if she 'got away with it'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Great review Lexie I have this on my kindle, looking forward to reading it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexiepiper Posted October 1, 2012 Author Share Posted October 1, 2012 I read this one a while back but I've just had to browse a few reviews to refresh my memory on it. (I have a terrible habit of forgetting the details of books only a few months after I have read them. ) I now remember the unique words that Florence used - almost her own language. As for the ending, I think it's hinted that Florence killed the first governess, in order to protect her world with Giles, but it was never actually stated. The detective suspected it though, and kept asking rather pointed questions, but I can't actually remember if she 'got away with it'. That is what I assumed too. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't being overly suspicious! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 I came by a book called The Girl Who Couldn't Read and found it intriguing and almost started a topic on it, until I found out it's a sequel to Florence and Giles. Here's the synopsis on Amazon: "A sinister Gothic tale in the tradition of The Woman in Black and The Fall of the House of Usher New England, the 1890s. A man calling himself Doctor John Shepherd arrives at an isolated women’s mental hospital to begin work as assistant to the owner Dr Morgan. As Shepherd struggles to conceal his own dark secrets, he finds the asylum has plenty of its own. Who is the woman who wanders the corridors by night with murderous intent? Why does the chief nurse hate him? And why is he not allowed to visit the hospital’s top floor? Shocked by Morgan’s harsh treatment of the patients, and intrigued by one of them, Jane Dove, a strange amnesiac girl who is fascinated by books but cannot read, Shepherd embarks upon an experiment to help her. As he attempts to solve the mystery of Jane’s past his own troubled history begins to catch up with him and she becomes his only hope of escape, as he is hers. In this chilling literary thriller everyone has something to hide and no one is what he or she seems. The Girl Who Couldn’t Read is the long-awaited sequel to the critically acclaimed international bestseller Florence and Giles but can also be read as a gripping standalone novel." I think F&G is going on my wishlist! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 I think F&G is going on my wishlist! Not sure what Amazon site you use for Kindle but on the UK one it's only £0.99. I picked it up a few weeks back but haven't as yet got around to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 Not sure what Amazon site you use for Kindle but on the UK one it's only £0.99. I picked it up a few weeks back but haven't as yet got around to it. I don't think Frankie has a Kindle, but I wouldn't know for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 Okay... well, I thought I'd suggest it just in case she has. I'm sure she'll be able to tell me if not - was just a suggestion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 Okay... well, I thought I'd suggest it just in case she has. I'm sure she'll be able to tell me if not - was just a suggestion. I know, it's very sweet of you . I'm sorry if I came across as harsh, that wasn't my intention . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 (edited) Not sure what Amazon site you use for Kindle but on the UK one it's only £0.99. I picked it up a few weeks back but haven't as yet got around to it. Thanks for the thought, but I don't own a Kindle. There are copies at the library though, so I'm good to go Edited November 13, 2014 by frankie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 I didn't even realise this thread existed! I read this not long ago, but I haven't gotten around to the review yet. I liked it, and I have the sequel on my kindle ready to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 No idea there was a sequel to Florence & Giles (though from the sound of things, it's a 'loose' sequel). I've added it to my wishlist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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