Reviews

Nine Coaches Waiting by Mary Stewart

mary00's review against another edition

4.0

Solid 4 1/2 stars. This book (written in the 1950's) has been aptly described as a cross between Jane Eyre and Rebecca. Those being two of my favorite books in the world, I was bound to love this book as well. And oh how I loved it. I stayed up devouring it until the wee hours of the morning. This book is a perfect blend of romance and suspense. I loved how the story alludes to a host of other famous works, including Cinderella, Macbeth (and other works of Shakespeare), Jane Eyre, and several famous poems (of which, I must admit, I am not as familiar with).
This book gave me chills and butterflies. I think that it's safe to say that I have a new book crush! I can't wait to grab more of Mary Stewart's books from the library.

mizpurplest's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

joy323's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

emilymit10's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

blackaliss's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

l2intj's review against another edition

emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

After reading the Merlin trilogy, I wanted to read more Mary Stewart, but this wasn’t quite what I expected. A Gothic mystery-romance, openly derivative of "Jane Eyre," I still liked it, but Stewart was much younger when she wrote this, and the writing lacks the maturity of her later works. Written in the 1950s, it includes hysterical women, wild coincidences, and a neatly packaged ending. Ultimately, dated and a bit cheesy, but still written by an author with the makings of an excellent storyteller. 

lconrad15's review against another edition

5.0

I didn’t really have any expectations when I started this, so I was pleasantly surprised that it was such a good read. Her writing is simple but not simplistic (not overly flowery or verbose), and the plot is intriguing. I am now a Mary Stewart fan!

connorshirs's review against another edition

2.0

Maybe 3.5

krobart's review against another edition

5.0

See my review here:

http://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2014/05/22/day-525-nine-coaches-waiting/

sumna_sova's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No

3.5