Review of Marie of the Sea
Posted: 11 Dec 2024, 16:21
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Marie of the Sea" by Annie Lavigne.]
Set in 1899, Marie of the Sea by Annie Lavigne is an exploration of love and sexuality. Marie lives in a village where tradition and Catholic ideals rule daily life. When she meets a young man, Antoine, Marie experiences a sexual awakening and deep attraction to him. Their relationship goes against the morals of the village and would leave her an outcast if anyone found out. Could this be the start of a beautiful romance, or will it end in heartbreak?
I loved the way that Lavigne developed Marie's character throughout the novel. Each section of the book starts with a different title for Marie. She starts the novel as "Marie the Sweet." Her first new title, bestowed upon her by Antoine, is "Marie the Proud." I thought it was interesting that these titles were often given to her by someone else in her life. The bestowing of these titles and their impact on her reputation highlights the impact that others can have on our self-view.
The writing style is also beautiful. Lavigne used a poetic manner that captured the emotion of the novel. It was easy to relate to Marie as she began to feel a deep desire for Antoine that was coupled with fear. Her longing for acceptance and love was palpable. The scenes were also brought to life with vivid imagery. I could picture each scene and character easily.
The version I read had font changes throughout the book. I did find it to be a bit distracting. However, when viewing the Kindle edition, the font seemed to be consistent. There also appeared to be an editor's note in the version I read, though I am unsure if it also appears in the published version. It did disrupt the scene, and if it appears in the published version, is a more significant issue.
I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. Given the issues I mentioned might be localized to the version I read, I do not think they are significant enough to remove a star from the rating. I enjoyed all other aspects of this novel. It does contain sexual content, so I feel it is best suited for mature audiences. I think that many women would be able to relate to the struggles that Marie faced when exploring love and her sexuality. The poetic language and emotional scenes make this a compelling romance novel I highly recommend.
******
Marie of the Sea
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Set in 1899, Marie of the Sea by Annie Lavigne is an exploration of love and sexuality. Marie lives in a village where tradition and Catholic ideals rule daily life. When she meets a young man, Antoine, Marie experiences a sexual awakening and deep attraction to him. Their relationship goes against the morals of the village and would leave her an outcast if anyone found out. Could this be the start of a beautiful romance, or will it end in heartbreak?
I loved the way that Lavigne developed Marie's character throughout the novel. Each section of the book starts with a different title for Marie. She starts the novel as "Marie the Sweet." Her first new title, bestowed upon her by Antoine, is "Marie the Proud." I thought it was interesting that these titles were often given to her by someone else in her life. The bestowing of these titles and their impact on her reputation highlights the impact that others can have on our self-view.
The writing style is also beautiful. Lavigne used a poetic manner that captured the emotion of the novel. It was easy to relate to Marie as she began to feel a deep desire for Antoine that was coupled with fear. Her longing for acceptance and love was palpable. The scenes were also brought to life with vivid imagery. I could picture each scene and character easily.
The version I read had font changes throughout the book. I did find it to be a bit distracting. However, when viewing the Kindle edition, the font seemed to be consistent. There also appeared to be an editor's note in the version I read, though I am unsure if it also appears in the published version. It did disrupt the scene, and if it appears in the published version, is a more significant issue.
I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. Given the issues I mentioned might be localized to the version I read, I do not think they are significant enough to remove a star from the rating. I enjoyed all other aspects of this novel. It does contain sexual content, so I feel it is best suited for mature audiences. I think that many women would be able to relate to the struggles that Marie faced when exploring love and her sexuality. The poetic language and emotional scenes make this a compelling romance novel I highly recommend.
******
Marie of the Sea
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon