Demelza by Winston Graham

January 31, 2021

Demelza by Winston Graham

To the shock of both their families, Ross Poldark marries his servant Demelza Carne. Although she and Ross are genuinely in love, the shadow of Elizabeth, Ross' first love now married to his jerk cousin Francis, continues to hang over their marriage. While Ross struggles to secure mining rights for the local communities, Demelza tries to adapt to life among the gentry. Their first child Julia is born, to their great joy.

Demelza is a wonderful character, caring, selfless, and thoughtful, even to those who look down on her (i.e., Elizabeth and Francis), working to nurse others back to health when smallpox hits the community. She also aids Ross' cousin Verity who has fallen in love with a man that her brother (Francis the jerk) doesn't approve of. Demelza works to help them get together and in the end is proven right. (I don't like Francis - can you tell?)

This is the second book in the Poldark series. It's full of history, romance, joy and tragedy, and I think it will be my favorite book in the series.

Ross Poldark by Winston Graham

January 4, 2021

Ross Poldark by Winston Graham

After serving in the war, Ross Poldark returns to Cornwall to find his whole world turned upside down. His fiancee is married to another man, his father has died, and his family home is overrun with livestock and drunken servants. In spite of everything, he decides to stay and start over.

Ross is your standard brooding hero, an angry young man. As he reconnects with the local residents, he begins making some non-traditional decisions about how he is going to live and work.

This is the first book in the Poldark family saga. It was written in the mid-20th century but has recently been re-issued since PBS is producing it for Masterpiece Theater. There are at least eight more books in the series.