bobod
Chancellery Guard
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Post by bobod on Nov 16, 2016 21:53:53 GMT
Thanks to a very nice man, I have now a full set of the Marilyn Ross novels. So I thought I'd write some comments on each one as and when I've read the next. And so far, I've read one... #1 TITLE: Dark Shadows (how did they come up with that?) COVER: Originally artwork of a Vicki-type character looking windswept and interesting, then on later reprints a photo of Jonathan Frid and Alexandra Moltke (only one of whom is in the damn book) PLOT: Victoria Winters comes from her foundling home to accept a job as governess to David Collins and meets the Collins family and the residents of Collinsport and whilst trying to uncover the mysteries of her life, discovers the secrets of others. SIMILARITIES TO THE TV SHOW: The plot above, also Vicki, Elizabeth, David, Carolyn, Joe, and Matthew Morgan all seem fairly true to character: Elizabeth hasn’t left the house for eighteen years and has a secret in the cellar and Matthew is very loyal to her, David is a brat and bit scary, Carolyn is spoilt but fun and Joe wants to be with her, and Victoria doesn’t understand. There is a car accident that may be no accident as various people were seen in the garage. Elizabeth has a young lawyer who gets romantically involved with Victoria. Maggie is divorced from the main action stuck in that coffee shop and only appears for about a page (and is only named as Maggie at the end of her appearance – she could be any waitress until then). DIFFERENCES FROM THE TV SHOW: Matthew Morgan has become Matt Morgan. It’s not the same young lawyer working for Elizabeth. Victoria has the car accident, not Roger. Collinwood is called Collins House and there is an extra Collins relative called Ernest who is heavily involved in the plot (such as it is). Burke Devlin (who only appears twenty pages from the end) has recently come to Collinsport as opposed to on the same train as Vicki in episode one. Roger Collins is an unpleasant, drunken, sex pest – bearing very little resemblance to either the catty queeny old Roger we know and love or to the more cold and stern Roger of the early episodes. One could believe Johnny Depp and Tim Burton didn’t watch any Roger TV episodes when planning their movie version and instead read this book. WHO COULD READ IT FOR AUDIO?: Alexandra Moltke (and Betsy Durkin and Carolyn Groves) is the actress who played the lead character, but there’s plenty Carolyn too so Nancy Barrett would be the other surviving cast member closely linked to the text. VERDICT: Fun enough, if a bit content-less action-wise. Nice to be reminded of the calmer old days of the TV show.   If anyone has any thoughts on this one, please share - but nothing about any later ones please, I've only read this one so far. |
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Post by Trace on Nov 17, 2016 5:42:49 GMT
The biggest trend you'll notice is how formulaic they are--mostly in Dan Ross' use of phrases and language (the vampire 'taint', the viscous red life-giving liquid, the young governess, the younger woman/the older woman, the teenager, the young boy, etc., and also the whole damsel in distress trope. Curious young woman who gets involved in or with something she shouldn't. Not a bad thing here, AND it's not to say that there aren't many unique aspects!
I truly loved the whole series. They have a certain romantic Jane Eyre feel.
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bobod
Chancellery Guard
Likes: 2,759
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Post by bobod on Nov 17, 2016 9:18:28 GMT
I'm going into each one blind so I'm avoiding hearing anything about them.
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bobod
Chancellery Guard
Likes: 2,759
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Post by bobod on Jan 18, 2017 10:24:03 GMT
I'd better get on with reading the second one, hadn't I?
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Post by Trace on Jan 19, 2017 22:51:33 GMT
Robert, I hadn't noticed your "rhotacism" (mentioned by you in another thread), but did it give you grief over the title of this thread when you created it?
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bobod
Chancellery Guard
Likes: 2,759
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Post by bobod on Jan 20, 2017 9:09:23 GMT
It's not that bad a one. Scottish people notice it. Other people just think my accent is that bit thicker than it is.
I appreciate alliteration is all. |
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Post by omega on Jan 20, 2017 9:28:28 GMT
It's not that bad a one. Scottish people notice it. Other people just think my accent is that bit thicker than it is.
I appreciate alliteration is all. Like illustrious, innovative and impressive impresario of the arts, Mr Henry Gordon Jago? |
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bobod
Chancellery Guard
Likes: 2,759
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Post by bobod on Jan 20, 2017 9:33:24 GMT
It's not that bad a one. Scottish people notice it. Other people just think my accent is that bit thicker than it is.
I appreciate alliteration is all. Like illustrious, innovative and impressive impresario of the arts, Mr Henry Gordon Jago? Corks! |
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Post by omega on Jan 20, 2017 9:34:57 GMT
Like illustrious, innovative and impressive impresario of the arts, Mr Henry Gordon Jago? Corks! Dash me optics! |
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Post by Trace on Jan 21, 2017 0:53:31 GMT
It's not that bad a one. Scottish people notice it. Other people just think my accent is that bit thicker than it is.
I appreciate alliteration is all. Oh dear. Way too serious. Maybe you've been watching inauguration events. |
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bobod
Chancellery Guard
Likes: 2,759
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Post by bobod on Jan 21, 2017 12:27:37 GMT
It's not that bad a one. Scottish people notice it. Other people just think my accent is that bit thicker than it is.
I appreciate alliteration is all. Oh dear. Way too serious. Maybe you've been watching inauguration events. I wouldn't be able to watch them. Not serious at all, dear boy.  |
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Post by Rob Morris on Jan 21, 2017 13:07:42 GMT
It's not that bad a one. Scottish people notice it. Other people just think my accent is that bit thicker than it is.
I appreciate alliteration is all. For the record, I never noticed it. And I barely notice the accent either. I'm very crap with accents, mind. There was a colleague of mine who I chatted to for weeks until finally thinking "hang on... is he gay or Welsh?" Turns out I was right on both counts, but hey. The point is it took me weeks to notice he even had a Welsh lilt. |
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bobod
Chancellery Guard
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Post by bobod on Jan 21, 2017 14:57:49 GMT
I often even think in "th"s. A moment ago on another thread I just started to type 'remember' as "themember", I do things like that semi-regularly.
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bobod
Chancellery Guard
Likes: 2,759
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Post by bobod on Mar 20, 2017 13:11:00 GMT
I've read book two now (just four months later!)
#2
TITLE: Victoria Winters (still not being especially imaginative with your titles, Danilyn!)
COVER: Originally artwork of one of the famous publicity photos of Alexandra Moltke, then, as with the first book, on later reprints a photo of Jonathan Frid and Alexandra Moltke (again only one of whom is in the damn book). There is a faint whiff of "While you're down there..." about this photo
PLOT: Elizabeth allows an old school friend/flame to visit and bring his daughters with him - one of whom needs the sea air to recuperate from a brain tumour removal. And an artist (or is he?) visits town to set his easel up and his paint-stained cap at Victoria, who seems to keep seeing the ghost of a character already dead by - but oft-mentioned in - the first book.
SIMILARITIES TO THE TV SHOW: Elizabeth's having not left the house for the last eighteen years is still a plot point. Matthew/Matt doesn't care any for Victoria. David and Carolyn are out of town (actors on holiday?) Burke Devlin is always called Burke Devlin and wants to meet Elizabeth but bears a grudge against Roger.
CARRIED OVER FROM PREVIOUS BOOKS: The action still takes place in "Collins House". Will Grant is still the family lawyer. Victoria is getting a weekly letter from Ernest Collins. Roger is still a boorish letch - the Jonny Lee Miller Roger. Various plot points of the mystery of the previous book are mentioned, but the final twist is never revealed in case the reader hasn't read that one yet.
DIFFERENCES FROM THE TV SHOW: The same ones as the previous book, essentially this is just the next 160 pages of the first book, so mostly covered in the category above. Also, The Blue Whale is always FAR busier than the TV budget could allow.
WHO COULD READ IT FOR AUDIO?: Alexandra Moltke (or Betsy Durkin or Carolyn Groves or Joanna Going) is the only living actor whose character appears thoughout, although Burke Devlin does also appear. Rachel, the healthy daughter is described as a redhead and is a bit cold and reserved and would clearly be played by Marie Wallace in the TV show so she could step in to read this.
VERDICT: SPOILERS FOLLOW.. The idea of someone once known to the head of the household but not seen for years bringing their family to the area so their daughter can recuperate in the sea air is extremely Enid Blyton kids mystery. As is the policeman/investigator disguising himself as an artist with easel but never being seen to paint. The fact that neither girl is actually the old friend's daughter and one is a kidnappee drugged and disguised but every now and then able to pop up as a face in a remote window is totally The Red Hand Gang. I'm not convinced all the red herrings had in-plot justifications for why they happened - like the Bakers "She'll come..."/"Good..." in K9 and Company. In the end - disposable fluff but not annoying so.
 
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Post by Zagreus on Mar 20, 2017 15:45:54 GMT
if I had the disposable income I would totally read along with these as you do them. Although, given the pace you're going, I could probably spare the money every third of a year  Either way, I've enjoyed your two write-ups thus far! Keep 'em coming! |
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bobod
Chancellery Guard
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Post by bobod on Apr 19, 2017 11:59:27 GMT
#3
TITLE: Strangers in Collins House. Three books in and the misnaming of the house has even made it to the title...
COVER: Originally artwork of a fretful Vicki-type character (more Betsy Durkin than AlMol) then ...you've guessed it... on later reprints a photo of Jonathan Frid and Alexandra Moltke (only one of whom ...you've guessed it... is in the damn book)
PLOT: An old Collins relative comes to stay with his manservant and his unpleasant family. Henry Collins has a secret room in Collinwood which is just like a hotel room from the '20s which he seems obsessed with. Victoria wonders if he could be her secret grandfather and also what the secret of the room is.
SIMILARITIES TO THE TV SHOW: All much the same as the previous ones. Some real life historical figures are mentioned including the artist Charles Dana Gibson, I wonder if his name inspired that of Charles D...elaware Tate.
CARRIED OVER FROM PREVIOUS BOOKS: The action still takes place in "Collins House". Victoria is still 'with' Ernest Collins, again he doesn't appear. Roger is still an arse, he's really unpleasant in this one. And this is the third book that the various 60s dance crazes have been brought up. These books do seem very repetitive so far - Vicki meets someone new, wonders about their past, someone tries to kill/harm her and she sees a mysterious woman from the past that simply can't be there and then about five pages from the end everything suddenly gets exposed.
DIFFERENCES FROM THE TV SHOW: Liz and Vicki do all the cooking, etc. So no Mrs Johnson (yet). I know (if I remember rightly) the TV show said that Elizabeth had let everyone other than Matthew/Matt Morgan leave but I can't imagine him turning his hand to Lobster Therimidor nor can I imagine Liz knocking up Eggs Benedict of a morn. I can't remember if this was said in previous books but Burke Devlin is a millionaire, it was already established that he was a successful business man, not a ex-con.
DIFFERENCES FROM PREVIOUS BOOKS: Suddenly there's mention of Ernest's room(s) in Collins House. But in the first book he lived on the grounds and in the second book that was where Liz's old friend was going to stay until they decided to stay in Collins House instead. Later on in SinCH, Ernest's house was mentioned again - contradicting itself!
WHO COULD READ IT FOR AUDIO?: Alexandra Moltke (and Betsy Durkin and Carolyn Groves) is the actress who played the lead character, and that's about it for this one. Burke Devlin is in it (barely, as ever), and I suppose Mitch is the right age to play the old guy and his manservant.
VERDICT: At heart, much the same book as the previous two.
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Either way, I've enjoyed your two write-ups thus far! Keep 'em coming! 
