Sovay began with a ballad of the same name which i first heard when i was at university. Sovay had the potential to be a great novel, but turned out to be an overly ambitious project that sadly misses its mark. Acclaimed author celia rees talent for romance and intrigue are sure to thrill a paperback audience. Celia rees lives in leamington spa, with her husband. With her father gone on business and her older brother at school, sovay is left alone to prove that her fiance is a scoundrel. Jul 14, 2009 sovay by celia rees, 97807475920, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. It is the story of a girl who dresses as a highwayman and holds up her lover, demanding that he hands over everything, including a ring that she has given him. When the rich and beautiful sovay isnt sitting for portraits, shes donning a mans cloak and robbing horsedrawn carriages in broad daylight. She now divides her time between writing, talking to readers in schools and libraries, and teaching creative writing. There were too many characters introduced into the storyline to keep them straight. The beautiful heroine, still under the guise of captain blaze. Her father is a simple man but he has some radical political beliefs. The year is 1794 and it seems the world is yearning for revolution, even the british.
The sequel, sorceress 2002, was shortlisted for the whitbread costa childrens book award. This book is in the same vein, with a courageous female main character who defies traditional roles is a very unconventional way. Bloomsbury usa childrens 0 6 0 summary in 1794 england, the beautiful sovay dons a mans cloak and holds up stagecoaches in broad daylight. Celia rees was born in solihull, west midlands, uk. Sure the plot is predictable, and the protagonist way too perfect, yet this was an adventure that kept your wanting more, even at its bad parts. A romantic adventure set in england and france against the backdrop of the french revolution. Wild and beautiful, spoilt and wilful, sovay finds that her cosseted upbringing in rural england has not prepared her for life as a highway robber, for. But the beautiful sovay is drawn to more thrilling pastimes namely, donning a mans cloak and holding up stagecoaches in broad daylight. Aug 10, 2010 sovay by celia rees the year is 1794 and it seems the world is yearning for revolution, even the british. Sovay by celia rees several years ago, i read this authors first book, witch child, an historical adventure set in 17th century massachusetts, in a colony started by people thrown out of salem for being too extremist. Celia has a degree in history, a strong interest in which is evident in her brilliantly researched books.
Reess witch child evocative writing will once again sweep readers back in time to meet another of her ironwilled protagonists, sovay, who is fashioned. Her novels have been translated into more than twenty languages. Celia rees is the bestselling author of many books for young readers, including pirates. Read sovay by celia rees available from rakuten kobo. Witch child was shortlisted for the guardian childrens fiction prize in 2001 and won the prix sorcieres in 2003. The elements of the story are recognizable, but there is a definite rees twist to the story of sovay as told in the traditional ballad about a young lady dressed in mans array. I had to read it for a historical fiction book report and i was finished with it in 5 days. Readers who enjoy the historical fiction and action genres will want to check out sovay. This time, rees examines the story of sovay, a female highwayman.
It was more work than what i wanted to commit into figuring out a book that was a hodgepodge of romance, suspense, intrigue, and historical recount of england and the french revolution. The elements of the story are recognizable, but there is a definite rees twist to the story of sovay as told in the traditional. Sovay followed in 2008 and the fools girl in 2010 celia reess novels have been translated into 28 languages. But when she lifts the wallet of one of englands most dangerous men, sovay begins to unravel a web of deceit and duplicity. The highwaymans footsteps by nicola morgan also features a female highwayman and is also based on a poem this time one by alfred noyes. Feb 02, 2009 sovays tale of romance and suspense with a historical edge was a thrill to read. But when she lifts the wallet of one of englands most dangerous men. Celia rees is the author of several childrens books and young adult novels, including every step you take, the vanished, midnight hour, soul taker, truth or dare, sovay, the fools girl, and many others. Several years ago, i read this authors first book, witch child, an historical adventure set in 17th century massachusetts, in a colony started by people thrown out of salem for being too extremist.
Sep 01, 2008 sovay by celia rees bloomsbury, hardcover rating. Sovay s character is flawless and her daring nature gets her into all sorts of juicy trouble. Sovay book by celia rees half price books marketplace. Fans of a great and terrible beauty by libba bray and most especially, a tale of two cities by charles dickens will also fall in love with this exciting tale. Sovay ebook by celia rees 9781599905730 rakuten kobo. When the rich and beautiful sovay isnt sitting for portraits, shes donning a mans cloak and robbing travelersin broad daylight. Posing as a highway robber began as a lark to test a suitors devotion. Read sovay, by celia rees online on bookmate set against the backdrop of the french revolution and its impact on british politics, this actiondriven novel shows once again that celia rees is one. The book sovay by celia rees is a book that has romance, some adventure and is a historical fiction. Sovay by celia rees is an ambitious novel with such a disappointing execution. I wanted to write about sovay, to give her a story, but when to set the novel. Sovay takes listeners back to 1783 england for an adventure set against the backdrop of political jostling between france and england sovay isnt your typical young lady, not by the standards of any time period.
For sovay middleton, life as the daughter of a kind, wise landlord is not very adventurous at all. Set against the backdrop of the french revolution and its impact on british politics, this actiondriven novel shows once again that celia rees is one of our very best writers for teenage readers. My thanks to the nice people at bloomsbury for sending the book. Sovay isnt your typical young lady, not by the standards of any time period. She studied history and politics at warwick university and has a pgce and a masters degree in education from birmingham university she became a teacher after leaving university and taught english in comprehensive schools in coventry for. Sovays character is flawless and her daring nature gets her into all sorts of juicy trouble. See all books authored by celia rees, including witch child, and pirates. Wild and beautiful, spoilt and wilful, sovay finds that her cosseted upbringing in rural england has not prepared her for life as a highway robber, for defending the honour of her family or for trying. But in a time when political allegiances between france and england are.
Celia rees books list of books by author celia rees. As it is, i am a big fan of hers, and so i wanted to read this book even more. June, 2010 in 1794 england, the beautiful sovay dons a mans cloak and holds up stagecoaches in broad daylight. We personally assess every books quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures.
Sovay, the new book by celia rees, is a bucket load full of good oldfashioned spunk. This book captures a woman named sovay, that lives in england, and her life during the french revolutionary war. There were female highwaymen, and ballads and broadsheets about them, but they. Celia rees in 1794 england, the rich and beautiful sovay, disguised as a highwayman, acquires papers that could lead to her fathers arrest for treason, and soon her newlyawakened political consciousness leads. Check out other translated books in french, spanish languages. The beautiful heroine, still under the guise of captain. Sovay begins her life as a highway robber to test her lover, but she is living in. I am a big fan of celia rees, and had looked forward to this book. The book was very enjoyable and takes the reader back in time to 1794.
In disguise she robs her suitor of nearly all his possessions, but even under threat of death he refuses to give up the gold ring given by sovay, thus proving his devotion. Bestselling author celia rees pens books for young readers that garner both critical and popular acclaim. Sovay is a welltodo british girl living in the country. Celia rees is the author of many books for young readers including the bestsellers witch child, sorceress, and pirates. So, if i had never read anything by celia rees, i still would have wanted to read this book. Thriftbooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. Celia lives in england with her husband and teenage daughter. She studied history and politics at warwick university and then went on to teach english in city comprehensive schools for seventeen years. I am one of those people who is drawn to a book by its cover. Celia rees born 17 june 1949 is an english author celia rees was born in solihull, west midlands and attended tudor grange grammar school for girls. Bloomsbury when an angry sovay becomes a highwayman so she can hold up her faithless fiance, she discovers that there is a conspiracy to try her father and brother for treason. For privileged young maidens in the year 1794, adventure seems limited to primping, preening and sitting for portraits. But what started as a mere distraction quickly turns serious when sovay lifts a wallet full of documents from one of englands most.
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