I was recommended ‘The Tea Rose’, the first in the series, by my children’s 19 year old babysitter who told me she (and all her friends) wept buckets when they read this. I am always game to try a book that is highly recommended (for whatever reason, by anyone).

I have to say, I found it entertaining enough, but it was incredibly predictable. At one point when I was halfway through the book, I talked to my babysitter about it and predicted what I thought would happen, and she was very surprised at how accurate my guesses were.

Anyway, we got to talking about the genre the book fitted in, and I told her they reminded me of some books I read in the 80s. These would be books my aunt was reading that I picked up when I was 15. Lots of melodrama, rags to riches, thwarted affairs, colourful characters, long-winded plot, improbable coincidences. I said these kind of books had gone out of fashion, but obviously they are coming into fashion again, considering the success of the series. But I couldn’t give a name to the genre. But you have: “Saga”. Thank you.

It's appalling what the ‘medicine' men back then could get away with, simply using general ignorance about women and misogynistic diagnoses to abuse their patients. Shudder!

I was a little surprised to still see this attitude in a 1900 doctor. I mean, I know it was considered women’s burden to bear for Eve shoving the apple at Adam and leading us all into a world of sin but after the discovery of anesthetics early in the 19th century, I would have thought those beliefs would have died out.

Yes Meriam. I loved the medical aspects even though a lot of it horrified me, especially India's first boss.

Then don’t read The Crimson Petal and the White! There’s a doctor in it who almost turned my stomach. It’s appalling what the ‘medicine’ men back then could get away with, simply using general ignorance about women and misogynistic diagnoses to abuse their patients. Shudder!

Ah-ha. Is this the kind of set-up Donnelly did in The Tea Rose? Got to admit that I love the titles of these books.

You know, I got the impression that Donnelly didn’t really intend for the Tea Rose to morph into a trilogy and so whilst there was a little bit about Sid and his past, it didn’t feel like set up to me. It might have been though.

“And then it struck on me that I was only ##00 pages into the book. … Oh no, I thought. I still have ##00 pages to slog through.
It was more with a feeling of “gotta get through this” rather than anticipation that I squared my shoulders, picked up the book again and plowed on.”

I had to highlight this bit. I haven’t read The Winter Rose, so no opinion to offer there. But, in general, this is the *exact* way I feel about all lengthy books, even if they are rocking my world. At some point, I always start getting resentful of the time commitment and just want the damn story to be ovah!

I know, I know. I’m a heathen. :P

Most of the Africa and mountain climbing stuff is setting the scene for the third book I think.

Ah-ha. Is this the kind of set-up Donnelly did in The Tea Rose? Got to admit that I love the titles of these books.

I Felt the same way about The Winter Rose – great beginning (love the medical stuff) but then my eyes glazed over and I skipped a whole load to get through it.

However, I have a colleague who loves these books. Different strokes and all of that.

Yes Meriam. I loved the medical aspects even though a lot of it horrified me, especially India’s first boss. What an ass! I’ve never tried any of the Catherine Cookson books and don’t think I will after having read the descriptions of movies based on them. I’m just not into reading about lifelong trials and tribulations anymore.

And poor Joe. What did he do to deserve that? But then I also felt that Joe and Fiona’s life was then just too icky sweet an ending.

And why stick in the whole Antarctica/mountain climbing sequences that I didn’t even mention in the review?

It’s been ages since I read it because it actually came out here a couple of years ago, but I think that part of the reason for her being able to get away with that was that Sid had given orders to ensure she wasn’t harmed. Fiona had been out of that world for a really long time so her ability to blend won’t have been as natural as it used to be!