Gwen's Story

by Ruth Elwin Harris

Four independent-minded sisters come of age in the early 1900s - and four interwoven novels tell their stories, each through a different sister's eyes. The year is 1910, and the four Purcell sisters have only each other. Their mother has died, leaving them orphans in a rambling country estate. But with the help of the Mackenzies - their guardian and his family, whom the sisters come to love in very different ways - Sarah, Frances, Julia, and Gwen find the courage to follow their own paths in a world that is rapidly changing. Avid readers and fans of historical-fiction classics will love these spirited heroines - named the Little Women of our times by the TIMES of London - and will be thoroughly absorbed by their intertwining tales, full of feistiness, creativity, and young romance.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0763617059
• ISBN13: 9780763617059
• Release Date: January 2002
• Publisher: Candlewick Press (MA)
• Length: 284 Pages
• Weight: 0.68 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.0" x 7.9"
• Age Range: 12 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 7 to 12

Customer Reviews

So that was life...

I want to start off by saying that "Gwen's Story" was a very satisfying conclusion to the Quantock Quartet. These four books are some of the best I've ever read, and Gwen's Story lives up to the expectations created by the others. The first part of the novel covers her young years, mentioning some of the same events as the earlier novels. We find out what happened to Gwen on the walk over the Quantocks. Most of the story covers Gwen's later life, which you think would make it hard to relate to, but makes the story much more interesting. More is learned about Frances' and Julia's later life, and I came to love Tony, who very much takes after Antony (who I always liked). My only small complaint is that we never see Sarah again, expect in the occasional mention of a letter to or from her. Gwen asserts her independence in a trip to Germany and she finally lets go of something she'd been holding on to for a long time. All in all, Gwen's Story is one of the best in the series, and a wonderful end to the Quantock Quartet.

a good finish

Gwen's Story was a great way to finish the series. You learn more and more about each character as you read each novel, and when you reach Gwen, you learn things about her that you never even realized in the previous novels. Gwen's story, I think, is the most tragic of the four in the set. It's definately a must read to end off the series. Also, Gwen's story goes into the 1930s, so you get to see how all of the other characters have developed over time (from Gwen's perspective, of course).

Beyond the Orchid House

I have read all four of this quartet and found this one the most interesting all the way through. I liked Sarah and Frances's stories, but found they still became boring in parts, and didn't really like Julia's at all. This was easily the most touching and sad of the books, and I think, the most well written.Unlike the other books, this one doesn't have much about the First World War in it, instead concentrating on Gwen's later life. I expected this to make the book boring, but it doesn't. Instead it makes it far more realistic and original. (The reason I didn't really like Julia's book so much was because it was the typical 'war story' and the characters were boring.) Gwen, although she fades into the background in the other books, is actually a very interesting character and I like Antony the best of the Mackensie brothers. This whole quartet is great for anyone who likes historical fiction, though I advise reading them in order (I didn't) otherwise you can get a bit confused.

A 13 Year Old's Opinion

Gwen's Story is a wonderful book. She loves to garden and to paint flowers. Gwen has always been in both of her older sisters shadow. If you love to read good books, read this series!!!!!!