Wentworth Hall

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Author(s)

Abby Grahame

Publisher

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Genre(s)

Historical Fiction

Age Range

12+

Release Date

May 01, 2012

ISBN

978-1442451964

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The prettiest people often have the ugliest secrets…

Eighteen-year-old Maggie Darlington has turned into an entirely different person. The once spirited teen is now passive and reserved. A change Lord and Lady Darlington can’t help but be grateful for. It’s 1912, and the Darlingtons of Wentworth Hall have more than just the extensive grounds to maintain. As one of Britain’s most elite families, they need to keep up appearances that things are as they have always been…even as their carefully constructed facade rapidly comes undone. Maggie has a secret. And she’s not the only one…the handsome groom Michael, the beautiful new French nanny Therese, the Darlingtons’ teenage houseguests Teddy and Jessica, and even Maggie’s younger sister Lila are all hiding something.

Passion, betrayal, heartache, and whispered declarations of love take place under the Darlingtons’ massive roof. And one of these secrets has the power to ruin the Darlingtons forever. When scandalous satires start appearing in the newspaper with details that closely mirror the lives of the Darlingtons, everyone is looking over their shoulder, worrying their scandal will be next. Because at Wentworth Hall, nothing stays secret for long.

Editor reviews

2 reviews

A Delightful Historical Fiction Debut

April 21, 2012 (Updated: April 21, 2012)

Overall rating

4.7

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What a fun read! Wentworth Hall by Abby Grahame was almost like a historical Gossip Girl. This book was just a darling to read, and I really enjoyed it. For fans of historical fiction, this is a must read. Even people who haven’t given historical fiction a try before should read Wenthworth Hall, as I found it read very easily and almost read more along the lines of a contemporary with the secrets, betrayal, and gossip. And it was just so fun!

There wasn’t a lot of depth to the plot, as it was more based around the gossip and secrets everyone had. The book is written in two parts almost – there is the normal storyline, but there is also a newsprint going around the satirizes the lif of the Darlingtons that is interspersed between the chapters.

I really liked most of the characters. Therese was a bit bland, but Maggie, Lila, Michael, and everyone else was quite lovely. This was one of those character driven books, which are always a ton of fun to read when the characters were as awesome as they were in this one.

The one thing I would have liked more is if the ending was extended out a bit. I would have loved to know what happened to the Twins or maybe some of the reactions to what other characters did. It was a drastic ending, so I feel like those reactions would have been quite fun to read.

Wentworth Hall was such a treat, and I highly recommend it. It’s a fast read and an enjoyable one at that. A wonderful debut – I cannot wait to see what is next for Abby Grahame.

Erica Top 50 Reviewer 192 reviews

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1 review

Overall rating

2.7

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2.0(1)

Characters

3.0(1)

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A Disappointment

November 15, 2013

Overall rating

2.7

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Let's talk about books that disappoint you.

I mean, this sounds a lot like a YA Downton Abbey should! It's super promising in its description! But no. There's a reason Downton Abbey has already been renewed for season five. Besides just being good, that dedicated time is necessary to really help connect viewers with characters. In a book as short as this with as many plot lines as it has? That connection can't happen.

That was the big disappointment that has stuck with me, a year and a half after reading. There was nothing stand out about the writing or the characters, but I can still remember so vividly how disappointing it was to be ready to get invested in these characters' lives and struggles and to support them in trying to be happy, but I couldn't. I need a few hundred more pages or more books in a series. Maybe if the writing had been a knockout or some of the characters had really come away with me, it's something I could have been invested in. But...nope.

The plot lines were rather stereotypical and expected. There's only so much you can do to create major scandals and I get that but...when there's not much else going, I need a plot that really grabs me. And these kinds of stereotypical plot lines also tend to pigeon hole the characters into certain types, which is what I'm guessing happened here since I remember nothing about the characters.

So, basically, this book was a massive let down for me. I had such high hopes when I read it, but now, even with all of this time, I'm still kind of bitter. If you're looking for something Downton Abbey related, this should not be where you turn, but if you're into Gossip Girl and history? Then it might be worth trying. Or if you just need an easy read to fly through. This can also serve that purpose.