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Rutherford Park #1
Rutherford Park
Snow had fallen in the night, and now the great house, standing at the head of the valley, seemed like a five-hundred-year old ship sailing in a white ocean�
For the Cavendish family, Rutherford Park is much more than a place to call home. It is a way of life marked by rigid rules and lavish rewards, governed by unspoken desires�
Lady of the house Octavia Cavendish lives like a bird in a gilded cage. With her family’s fortune, her husband, William, has made significant additions to the estate, but he too feels bound—by the obligations of his title as well as his vows. Their son, Harry, is expected to follow in his footsteps, but the boy has dreams of his own, like pursuing the new adventure of aerial flight. Meanwhile, below stairs, a housemaid named Emily holds a secret that could undo the Cavendish name.
On Christmas Eve 1913, Octavia catches a glimpse of her husband in an intimate moment with his beautiful and scandalous distant cousin. She then spies the housemaid Emily out in the snow, walking toward the river, about to make her own secret known to the world. As the clouds of war gather on the horizon, an epic tale of longing and betrayal is about to unfold at Rutherford Park�
For the Cavendish family, Rutherford Park is much more than a place to call home. It is a way of life marked by rigid rules and lavish rewards, governed by unspoken desires�
Lady of the house Octavia Cavendish lives like a bird in a gilded cage. With her family’s fortune, her husband, William, has made significant additions to the estate, but he too feels bound—by the obligations of his title as well as his vows. Their son, Harry, is expected to follow in his footsteps, but the boy has dreams of his own, like pursuing the new adventure of aerial flight. Meanwhile, below stairs, a housemaid named Emily holds a secret that could undo the Cavendish name.
On Christmas Eve 1913, Octavia catches a glimpse of her husband in an intimate moment with his beautiful and scandalous distant cousin. She then spies the housemaid Emily out in the snow, walking toward the river, about to make her own secret known to the world. As the clouds of war gather on the horizon, an epic tale of longing and betrayal is about to unfold at Rutherford Park�
336 pages, Paperback
First published July 2, 2013
75 people are currently reading
2,393 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Cooke
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Elizabeth Cooke lives in Dorset in southern England and is the author of fourteen novels, many of which she wrote under the pseudonym Elizabeth McGregor, as well as a work of nonfiction, The Damnation of John Donellan: A Mysterious Case of Death and Scandal in Georgian England. Acclaimed for her vivid, emotionally powerful storytelling and rigorous historical accuracy, Cooke has developed an international reputation. She is best known for her novels Rutherford Park and The Ice Child. Her work has been translated into numerous languages.
Elizabeth Cooke lives in Dorset in southern England and is the author of fourteen novels, many of which she wrote under the pseudonym Elizabeth McGregor, as well as a work of nonfiction, The Damnation of John Donellan: A Mysterious Case of Death and Scandal in Georgian England. Acclaimed for her vivid, emotionally powerful storytelling and rigorous historical accuracy, Cooke has developed an international reputation. She is best known for her novels Rutherford Park and The Ice Child. Her work has been translated into numerous languages.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews
November 1, 2017
I give this 3.5 stars which rounds up to 4.
This is your typical historical fiction novel about family drama caused by secrets. I happen to like books like this so naturally I liked this. It wasn’t the best one I ever read, but it was still good and entertaining for the most part. It took a while for the story to actually get going. What I really liked was how it took place just before World War I broke out. It captured a really interesting time in England and France.
This is your typical historical fiction novel about family drama caused by secrets. I happen to like books like this so naturally I liked this. It wasn’t the best one I ever read, but it was still good and entertaining for the most part. It took a while for the story to actually get going. What I really liked was how it took place just before World War I broke out. It captured a really interesting time in England and France.
December 18, 2016
TURN BACK NOW!! IT'S A TRAP!!
And boy, oh boy did I fall into the trap. The dazzling cover, the promise of something akin to Downton Abbey, the lure of some sort of Austen-like scandal, defined and in-depth characters, a 'cozy read for a fire front and winter night', glowing reviews...
Yeah, this book failed at any of that. Too many trees probably died for this book.
I can't even properly review it for all its badness, because I just don't care for it one bit. Lord and Lady Cave-in-dish? Er, I mean Cavendish? You both are harboring some secret scandal, probably, and secretly are not happy with each other. Big whoop.
A little scullerly maid that is secretly pregnant, and is probably doi'n it with one of the royalty of the household?
Whoever said that this book is a good Downton-Abbey hangover book to read, or the next Jane Austen?...You sick F***ers. Why would you put me through this torture?
I have standards, people. STANDARDS.
And this book, this book doesn't meet any of 'em.
I've watched all the Downton Abbey episodes over a hundred times. I've bought all editions of the original manuscripts. Done research and studies on life back then, how families and servants were like back then. And I love it. I know the real deal when I see it, you know?
This book was piss, piss pissy pissant poor attempt to mirror it.
Maybe my taste for books are changing. Who knows, maybe I would have enjoyed this book a few years ago. Maybe before I met the Gratham family, or before Elizabeth Bennet became my hero. Who knows. I was more immature and hadn't gotten a sip of the glorious matured wine-like goodness that classics are supposed to be. Cuz that what this book is trying to be; a classic. And babe, it just ain't. Not even close. Nope.
Goodbye, Rutherford Park. May I hope to never have to come to your horrid grounds again.
And boy, oh boy did I fall into the trap. The dazzling cover, the promise of something akin to Downton Abbey, the lure of some sort of Austen-like scandal, defined and in-depth characters, a 'cozy read for a fire front and winter night', glowing reviews...
Yeah, this book failed at any of that. Too many trees probably died for this book.
I can't even properly review it for all its badness, because I just don't care for it one bit. Lord and Lady Cave-in-dish? Er, I mean Cavendish? You both are harboring some secret scandal, probably, and secretly are not happy with each other. Big whoop.
A little scullerly maid that is secretly pregnant, and is probably doi'n it with one of the royalty of the household?
Whoever said that this book is a good Downton-Abbey hangover book to read, or the next Jane Austen?...You sick F***ers. Why would you put me through this torture?
I have standards, people. STANDARDS.
And this book, this book doesn't meet any of 'em.
I've watched all the Downton Abbey episodes over a hundred times. I've bought all editions of the original manuscripts. Done research and studies on life back then, how families and servants were like back then. And I love it. I know the real deal when I see it, you know?
This book was piss, piss pissy pissant poor attempt to mirror it.
Maybe my taste for books are changing. Who knows, maybe I would have enjoyed this book a few years ago. Maybe before I met the Gratham family, or before Elizabeth Bennet became my hero. Who knows. I was more immature and hadn't gotten a sip of the glorious matured wine-like goodness that classics are supposed to be. Cuz that what this book is trying to be; a classic. And babe, it just ain't. Not even close. Nope.
Goodbye, Rutherford Park. May I hope to never have to come to your horrid grounds again.
September 9, 2013
This book was just okay for me (2.5 stars, but I'll round up). I think part of the problem was that I wanted it to be Downton Abbey, and it just wasn't. I can't say that I actually liked any of the characters, so it was hard to care what was happening to them. I'm not sure if I disliked the characters because of their actions or because they were all written in a very flat way. I never got the sense that I was allowed to know the characters outside of the appearance they wanted projected to the world. Even when the facade was broken, I didn't think any of the characters reacted in a way that showed any real emotion. Also, the jumping between stories created even more of a disconnect for me. I felt that it often took a while to figure out which character I was reading about and what was happening (sometimes the story would shift time a little, making it somewhat difficult to follow along with). Overall, it was just slow, lacked likable characters, and just didn't have a spark.
November 30, 2013
It you are a fan of Downton Abbey and are jonesing for a Grantham family-like fix until season four premieres next January on PBS, Elizabeth Cooke's latest novel Rutherford Park might be just the ticket. Set during the Edwardian era at the eponymous estate in the Yorkshire countryside, the Cavendish family are as wealthy, titled, and drama-filled as the Grantham's, yet we are privileged to be reading a book, as opposed to watching a screenplay, so the author's historical detail, characterizations and compelling narrative make this even more intriguing.
Rutherford Park is the seat of the Cavendish family who live their lavish lives by strict rules and obligation. Not surprisingly, the beautiful Lady Octavia Cavendish is lonely and bored, even somewhat envies the servants for their work. Her husband William, bound by the obligations of his title and his vows, unknowingly feels a similar discontent. "They saw him as some sort of fixed being, a symbol, a caricature. Octavia too, perhaps, in her great wool-and-velvet shawl with her pretty little straw-colored boots under a cream dress. They were both a sort of monument, he supposed: not real in the same way that the laborers were real..." p. 52. Later when Octavia suspects William of an affair with a longtime family acquaintance from Paris, the last remnants of a charmed world seem to disappear.
The son and heir Harry, has his own dreams of flying aeroplanes but with the tragic death at Christmastime of a housemaid, those dreams might quickly disintegrate as well. With a house full of guests for the holidays, suspicions are evoked, while expectations and beliefs are shattered. "A sort of crazed idea rattled in his brain, pressed down on his tongue as if it were going to leap out of his mouth. He realized that he was shaking not from cold now, but from the sensation of standing on the edge of a precipice where everything hinged on his next reply." p. 69. Within months all the family is in London, attempting to move on from the shocking events and discoveries at Rutherford. Louisa Cavendish, the innocent and naïve daughter, is preparing to make her Presentation and seems the most unlikely candidate to engage in a tryst with a mysterious stranger. Wearied in spirits, Octavia escapes to the country to wallow in her own self-pity, leaving her daughters in the care of friends.
While secrets and fidelity remain in question, William departs for Paris to attend business and settle personal accounts, leaving the family adrift. Meanwhile John Gould, a handsome, rich American houseguest comes to study the history of the Cavendishes and becomes more than a distraction to Octavia. "He hadn't come to England to fall in love with someone else's wife. Especially not an unhappy wife. A carefree woman who yearned for a little affair - maybe... maybe he could have happily got himself embroiled for a few weeks, though carelessness with a woman was not his nature. But this. This bloody fever. This was what the English would call it: bloody. And it was." p. 189
Fast on the heals of other Edwardian England series like T. J. Brown's Summerset Abbey and Phillip Rock's The Greville Family Saga, I was somewhat reluctant to read this latest by Elizabeth Cooke. As much as I enjoyed the aforementioned series, I was skeptical about reading another book seemingly riding the Downton Abbey wave of success. But my concerns were for naught--Rutherford Park: A Novel is an unreservedly, gripping drama. The strained relationship of Lord William and Lady Cavendish are put to the ultimate test while their children scramble to find how they too fit, and the staff and surrounding villages dependent on Rutherford Park toil away with their own struggles. Likening to the inevitability of the WWI rumblings in this epic tale, could this stand-alone novel be the start of a veritable series? My source tells me, yes! Elizabeth Cooke is currently working on a second Rutherford book. A must for your summer reading as Rutherfold Park is a regular stunner!
Rutherford Park is the seat of the Cavendish family who live their lavish lives by strict rules and obligation. Not surprisingly, the beautiful Lady Octavia Cavendish is lonely and bored, even somewhat envies the servants for their work. Her husband William, bound by the obligations of his title and his vows, unknowingly feels a similar discontent. "They saw him as some sort of fixed being, a symbol, a caricature. Octavia too, perhaps, in her great wool-and-velvet shawl with her pretty little straw-colored boots under a cream dress. They were both a sort of monument, he supposed: not real in the same way that the laborers were real..." p. 52. Later when Octavia suspects William of an affair with a longtime family acquaintance from Paris, the last remnants of a charmed world seem to disappear.
The son and heir Harry, has his own dreams of flying aeroplanes but with the tragic death at Christmastime of a housemaid, those dreams might quickly disintegrate as well. With a house full of guests for the holidays, suspicions are evoked, while expectations and beliefs are shattered. "A sort of crazed idea rattled in his brain, pressed down on his tongue as if it were going to leap out of his mouth. He realized that he was shaking not from cold now, but from the sensation of standing on the edge of a precipice where everything hinged on his next reply." p. 69. Within months all the family is in London, attempting to move on from the shocking events and discoveries at Rutherford. Louisa Cavendish, the innocent and naïve daughter, is preparing to make her Presentation and seems the most unlikely candidate to engage in a tryst with a mysterious stranger. Wearied in spirits, Octavia escapes to the country to wallow in her own self-pity, leaving her daughters in the care of friends.
While secrets and fidelity remain in question, William departs for Paris to attend business and settle personal accounts, leaving the family adrift. Meanwhile John Gould, a handsome, rich American houseguest comes to study the history of the Cavendishes and becomes more than a distraction to Octavia. "He hadn't come to England to fall in love with someone else's wife. Especially not an unhappy wife. A carefree woman who yearned for a little affair - maybe... maybe he could have happily got himself embroiled for a few weeks, though carelessness with a woman was not his nature. But this. This bloody fever. This was what the English would call it: bloody. And it was." p. 189
Fast on the heals of other Edwardian England series like T. J. Brown's Summerset Abbey and Phillip Rock's The Greville Family Saga, I was somewhat reluctant to read this latest by Elizabeth Cooke. As much as I enjoyed the aforementioned series, I was skeptical about reading another book seemingly riding the Downton Abbey wave of success. But my concerns were for naught--Rutherford Park: A Novel is an unreservedly, gripping drama. The strained relationship of Lord William and Lady Cavendish are put to the ultimate test while their children scramble to find how they too fit, and the staff and surrounding villages dependent on Rutherford Park toil away with their own struggles. Likening to the inevitability of the WWI rumblings in this epic tale, could this stand-alone novel be the start of a veritable series? My source tells me, yes! Elizabeth Cooke is currently working on a second Rutherford book. A must for your summer reading as Rutherfold Park is a regular stunner!
October 25, 2015
This historical novel set when England was right on the brink of World War I has far more depth than I initially expected, there are the expected emotional moments, but more than that, it is a book that looks at the lives of women at different levels of the social scale.
Rutherford Park is the stately pile that is the home to William and Octavia Cavendish and their three children Harry, Louisa and Charlotte and of course their entourage of servants. As the book opens on Christmas Eve 1913, we meet Emily Maitland, a shy young girl from the nearby mill town who is laying fires early in the morning a sharp insight into the world of a young servant girl of this era, but Emily has a bigger worry than carrying out her chores this cold day.
Meanwhile Octavia is expecting the house guests including a woman she has feared for the entire span of her marriage, a distant cousin of William’s the alluring Helene. It isn’t only the servants who have to abide by the rules of the house though � Octavia feels that her life is similar to that of a bird in a gilded cage, she is bored and feels her character has been stifled by living in the big house. She feels that she is looked down upon by her peers and servants because her money, money which was needed to keep the house going, is comes from the wool mills she approaches the new year with a yearning to do something more than escort the beautiful and outgoing Louisa as she embarks on the season.
The author has obviously, sometimes too obviously, done her research and there are plenty of authentic references to clothing, political views and expectations of this time, however at times, especially near the beginning of the story I felt that modern perceptions were heavily imposed on the characters thoughts rather than them being displayed in their actions. As the book progressed with its many secrets and dramas, the characters held their own as the paced picked up.
This is a book told through multiple viewpoints which gave a rounded picture of the goings on at Rutherford Park with the timelines overlapping at some points to give extra depth. The downside of this was sometimes it was hard to follow who was who until the plot had progressed and the characters became far more distinct.
I enjoyed this sumptuous tale and it was pleasing that it covered men with some real emotions, this wasn’t a female only cast, dealing with woman’s issues, no-one escapes the drama in this book! If you like a happily-ever-after, this may not be the book for you although since this book was first published in 2013 I am pleased to see that we have the opportunity to find out more, and maybe tie-up some of the loose ends by reading The Wild Flowers and I am going to have to buy a copy to find out exactly what life has in store for this family who has faced more challenges than they could ever have imagined.
Rutherford Park is the stately pile that is the home to William and Octavia Cavendish and their three children Harry, Louisa and Charlotte and of course their entourage of servants. As the book opens on Christmas Eve 1913, we meet Emily Maitland, a shy young girl from the nearby mill town who is laying fires early in the morning a sharp insight into the world of a young servant girl of this era, but Emily has a bigger worry than carrying out her chores this cold day.
Meanwhile Octavia is expecting the house guests including a woman she has feared for the entire span of her marriage, a distant cousin of William’s the alluring Helene. It isn’t only the servants who have to abide by the rules of the house though � Octavia feels that her life is similar to that of a bird in a gilded cage, she is bored and feels her character has been stifled by living in the big house. She feels that she is looked down upon by her peers and servants because her money, money which was needed to keep the house going, is comes from the wool mills she approaches the new year with a yearning to do something more than escort the beautiful and outgoing Louisa as she embarks on the season.
The author has obviously, sometimes too obviously, done her research and there are plenty of authentic references to clothing, political views and expectations of this time, however at times, especially near the beginning of the story I felt that modern perceptions were heavily imposed on the characters thoughts rather than them being displayed in their actions. As the book progressed with its many secrets and dramas, the characters held their own as the paced picked up.
This is a book told through multiple viewpoints which gave a rounded picture of the goings on at Rutherford Park with the timelines overlapping at some points to give extra depth. The downside of this was sometimes it was hard to follow who was who until the plot had progressed and the characters became far more distinct.
I enjoyed this sumptuous tale and it was pleasing that it covered men with some real emotions, this wasn’t a female only cast, dealing with woman’s issues, no-one escapes the drama in this book! If you like a happily-ever-after, this may not be the book for you although since this book was first published in 2013 I am pleased to see that we have the opportunity to find out more, and maybe tie-up some of the loose ends by reading The Wild Flowers and I am going to have to buy a copy to find out exactly what life has in store for this family who has faced more challenges than they could ever have imagined.
September 2, 2013
This book was very choppy. Several story lines were started, and then abandoned. It was an overall enjoyable read, but I wish that some promising situations had not fizzled away into nothing.
NOTE: The book mentioned the first time that the expletive “bloody� was introduced to the public, in an English play, and how it brought the house down. Of course, I had to find out which play!
On the opening night of George Bernard Shaw's comedy Pygmalion in 1914, Mrs Patrick Campbell, in the role of Eliza Doolittle, created a sensation with the line "Walk! Not bloody likely!" - Wikipedia
NOTE: The book mentioned the first time that the expletive “bloody� was introduced to the public, in an English play, and how it brought the house down. Of course, I had to find out which play!
On the opening night of George Bernard Shaw's comedy Pygmalion in 1914, Mrs Patrick Campbell, in the role of Eliza Doolittle, created a sensation with the line "Walk! Not bloody likely!" - Wikipedia
August 15, 2023
Oh, what a juicy soap opera of a novel! This is historical fiction that doubles as melodrama with illicit sexual dalliances, shameful secrets, illegitimate births, blackmail, potential incest, and so much more. Oh yeah…and a little history is thrown in, too.
Written by Elizabeth Cooke, this is "Downton Abbey" on steroids. The book opens on Christmas Eve 1913 on the grand estate of Rutherford Park, a 500-year-old mansion deep in the countryside of Yorkshire, England that is home to Lord William Cavendish and his much younger wife, Lady Octavia Cavendish. Theirs was a marriage of convenience—and money. He needed her fortune to keep Rutherford Park afloat. She also provided him with three children, Harry, Louisa, and Charlotte.
On this Christmas Eve, one of the maids is in terrible straits with a secret that could bring scandal to the Cavendish family. She tries to solve her problem by throwing herself into the freezing river. Harry, 19, is the unwilling heir with ideas of his own, while Louisa, 18, is about to embark on "the season" in London where she will be expected to find a husband, preferably one with a title and money. Who she falls in love with is shocking—and impossible. Charlotte is only 15, but she has streaks of independence that are alarming to her parents. Meanwhile, Octavia, who is bored and miserable, spies William in a compromising position—one that could undo their marriage and forever upset this family and home. So many secrets—but how secret are they when the servants seem to know everything and love to gossip?
Even more threatening than the family's bad behavior are the winds of war that are stirring in Europe since the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand in June 1914. In the first few days of August as Paris is mobilizing for the war, William and Harry race to the French capital to try to save Louisa from a disreputable and possibly immoral marriage.
The vivid descriptions of the home and grounds, the distinctive personalities of all the characters both upstairs and downstairs, and the pulsing plot that just keeps getting more sensational makes this escapist ChickLit at its best. It's hardly great literature, but it is a glittering, seductive novel that is fun to read.
Written by Elizabeth Cooke, this is "Downton Abbey" on steroids. The book opens on Christmas Eve 1913 on the grand estate of Rutherford Park, a 500-year-old mansion deep in the countryside of Yorkshire, England that is home to Lord William Cavendish and his much younger wife, Lady Octavia Cavendish. Theirs was a marriage of convenience—and money. He needed her fortune to keep Rutherford Park afloat. She also provided him with three children, Harry, Louisa, and Charlotte.
On this Christmas Eve, one of the maids is in terrible straits with a secret that could bring scandal to the Cavendish family. She tries to solve her problem by throwing herself into the freezing river. Harry, 19, is the unwilling heir with ideas of his own, while Louisa, 18, is about to embark on "the season" in London where she will be expected to find a husband, preferably one with a title and money. Who she falls in love with is shocking—and impossible. Charlotte is only 15, but she has streaks of independence that are alarming to her parents. Meanwhile, Octavia, who is bored and miserable, spies William in a compromising position—one that could undo their marriage and forever upset this family and home. So many secrets—but how secret are they when the servants seem to know everything and love to gossip?
Even more threatening than the family's bad behavior are the winds of war that are stirring in Europe since the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand in June 1914. In the first few days of August as Paris is mobilizing for the war, William and Harry race to the French capital to try to save Louisa from a disreputable and possibly immoral marriage.
The vivid descriptions of the home and grounds, the distinctive personalities of all the characters both upstairs and downstairs, and the pulsing plot that just keeps getting more sensational makes this escapist ChickLit at its best. It's hardly great literature, but it is a glittering, seductive novel that is fun to read.
March 30, 2014
This is a wonderful book! There is something special in this book that really drew me to it. On the cover there is a quote that fans of Downton Abbey will love this book, and I certainly fell into that category. I was worried that the book would be lacking, or written quickly to gain on the fame of Downton Abbey, but I could't have been more wrong. This book had me laughing and in tears, it was fascinating and interesting.
Here is the Publisher's synopsis:
"Snow had fallen in the night, and now the great house, standing at the head of the valley, seemed like a five-hundred-year old ship sailing in a white ocean�
For the Cavendish family, Rutherford Park is much more than a place to call home. It is a way of life marked by rigid rules and lavish rewards, governed by unspoken desires�
Lady of the house Octavia Cavendish lives like a bird in a gilded cage. With her family’s fortune, her husband, William, has made significant additions to the estate, but he too feels bound—by the obligations of his title as well as his vows. Their son, Harry, is expected to follow in his footsteps, but the boy has dreams of his own, like pursuing the new adventure of aerial flight. Meanwhile, below stairs, a housemaid named Emily holds a secret that could undo the Cavendish name.
On Christmas Eve 1913, Octavia catches a glimpse of her husband in an intimate moment with his beautiful and scandalous distant cousin. She then spies the housemaid Emily out in the snow, walking toward the river, about to make her own secret known to the world. As the clouds of war gather on the horizon, an epic tale of longing and betrayal is about to unfold at Rutherford Park�"
The Cavendish Family is hard to like, but impossible to hate. They are rich living off the back, sweat and labor of the poor. Their "charity" is not very expansive and is only just the minimum required to keep things moving along as they have always been. Since this is a historical fiction, we already know how that works out for them.
This period in English history is a fairly new one to me, as I am a snob that thinks that history has to be much farther back to qualify. This book, and another called An American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin, have made me excited to have a new category to look for. The pulls of the aristocracy to stay the same on one hand, balanced by new technologies and wars on the other. It is a heady combination.
The father in this book, William is my favorite character. He is greatly flawed. He holds on to the old ways and wants nothing to change except in minor ways, preferably just replacing with exact replicas of the old. As the book moves on, we learn that it is his great love and pride in his home and family that motivate him to do this. Ironically, his very stoic nature is what damns him. He ruins relationships instead of nurturing them, and he expects others to fit into his idea of what a relationship should be. After he realizes what his distance has done to his family, he has an epiphany and starts to mend the breach with his son:
"I am sorry," he said in a whisper. "I am sorry for your loneliness, I am sorry for the poor girl.
But more than those things, I am sorry that you could not come to me."
When he realizes what he has done, he immediately tries to change his ways and move forward with his family together. That is why I admire him. Of all the characters in the book, he started out as the most entrenched and least likely to change. By the end, he was the change that they need to survive as a family.
The other characters in the book are equally well written. Harry, Louisa, Jack, Octavia and a few others all come alive for me. The dialogue in this book is mostly internal, which helps gain a sense of how they each feel in their respective stations. This novel leaves us on a tipping point for the family, servants and England and I ache to learn more about them and see how they are affected by what we all know is coming.
I am looking forward to the next book in this series, The Wild Dark Flowers: A Novel of Rutherford, which I have on pre-order and is currently set to arrive July 1, 2014.
Here is the Publisher's synopsis:
"Snow had fallen in the night, and now the great house, standing at the head of the valley, seemed like a five-hundred-year old ship sailing in a white ocean�
For the Cavendish family, Rutherford Park is much more than a place to call home. It is a way of life marked by rigid rules and lavish rewards, governed by unspoken desires�
Lady of the house Octavia Cavendish lives like a bird in a gilded cage. With her family’s fortune, her husband, William, has made significant additions to the estate, but he too feels bound—by the obligations of his title as well as his vows. Their son, Harry, is expected to follow in his footsteps, but the boy has dreams of his own, like pursuing the new adventure of aerial flight. Meanwhile, below stairs, a housemaid named Emily holds a secret that could undo the Cavendish name.
On Christmas Eve 1913, Octavia catches a glimpse of her husband in an intimate moment with his beautiful and scandalous distant cousin. She then spies the housemaid Emily out in the snow, walking toward the river, about to make her own secret known to the world. As the clouds of war gather on the horizon, an epic tale of longing and betrayal is about to unfold at Rutherford Park�"
The Cavendish Family is hard to like, but impossible to hate. They are rich living off the back, sweat and labor of the poor. Their "charity" is not very expansive and is only just the minimum required to keep things moving along as they have always been. Since this is a historical fiction, we already know how that works out for them.
This period in English history is a fairly new one to me, as I am a snob that thinks that history has to be much farther back to qualify. This book, and another called An American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin, have made me excited to have a new category to look for. The pulls of the aristocracy to stay the same on one hand, balanced by new technologies and wars on the other. It is a heady combination.
The father in this book, William is my favorite character. He is greatly flawed. He holds on to the old ways and wants nothing to change except in minor ways, preferably just replacing with exact replicas of the old. As the book moves on, we learn that it is his great love and pride in his home and family that motivate him to do this. Ironically, his very stoic nature is what damns him. He ruins relationships instead of nurturing them, and he expects others to fit into his idea of what a relationship should be. After he realizes what his distance has done to his family, he has an epiphany and starts to mend the breach with his son:
"I am sorry," he said in a whisper. "I am sorry for your loneliness, I am sorry for the poor girl.
But more than those things, I am sorry that you could not come to me."
When he realizes what he has done, he immediately tries to change his ways and move forward with his family together. That is why I admire him. Of all the characters in the book, he started out as the most entrenched and least likely to change. By the end, he was the change that they need to survive as a family.
The other characters in the book are equally well written. Harry, Louisa, Jack, Octavia and a few others all come alive for me. The dialogue in this book is mostly internal, which helps gain a sense of how they each feel in their respective stations. This novel leaves us on a tipping point for the family, servants and England and I ache to learn more about them and see how they are affected by what we all know is coming.
I am looking forward to the next book in this series, The Wild Dark Flowers: A Novel of Rutherford, which I have on pre-order and is currently set to arrive July 1, 2014.
September 2, 2015
I want to start out by saying thanks to ŷ and Berkley Books for selecting me to read an ARC copy of Rutherford Park through the First-read giveaways. I regret that I did not get to reading it closer to the original publish date; however I have to say that it is a thoroughly enjoyable read.
Brief summary: Rutherford Park is a timeless, lavish estate owned by Earl William Cavendish (the eighth Earl of Cavendish) and his wife Octavia, whose family money was made in the wool factories and is the only thing keeping the great estate in tact. As the world begins to crumble into the first world war, the last acts of a desperate girl sets in commotion a string of events that could destroy everything at Rutherford Park, both upstairs and downstairs.
If you read many of the other reviews here, one of the most common remarks is that if you love Downton Abbey, you will love Rutherford Park. I totally agree with that statement, but I don't think that is the only appeal of the book. As I was reading it, other stories like Kate Chopin's "The Awakening" and F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" also sprung into my head. Like all those references, Elizabeth Cooke has really captured what it was like to be in England at the very cusp of World War I - with those of privilege wanting to keep their blinders on as to what is really happening around them and those who work for the privileged realizing that inevitable change is on the horizon.
The author, Elizabeth Cooke chose to have the story narrated from multiple points of view. Most characters have at least one chance to have at least one chance to tell the story, with William and Octavia getting the opportunity most. While this makes it difficult in the beginning to keep track of who is telling the story and who they are talking about, it also really gives a good 360 view of what is happening. The other thing Cooke has done very well is used pacing to really portray the urgency of the characters. While slow at first (a few months have passed between the first and second chapter) the pace quickens to the point where just a few hours pass between the end chapters. As a reader, I began to feel time begin to collapse on me, just as I'm sure the characters were feeling.
This book is really well done. I give it 5 solid stars.
Brief summary: Rutherford Park is a timeless, lavish estate owned by Earl William Cavendish (the eighth Earl of Cavendish) and his wife Octavia, whose family money was made in the wool factories and is the only thing keeping the great estate in tact. As the world begins to crumble into the first world war, the last acts of a desperate girl sets in commotion a string of events that could destroy everything at Rutherford Park, both upstairs and downstairs.
If you read many of the other reviews here, one of the most common remarks is that if you love Downton Abbey, you will love Rutherford Park. I totally agree with that statement, but I don't think that is the only appeal of the book. As I was reading it, other stories like Kate Chopin's "The Awakening" and F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" also sprung into my head. Like all those references, Elizabeth Cooke has really captured what it was like to be in England at the very cusp of World War I - with those of privilege wanting to keep their blinders on as to what is really happening around them and those who work for the privileged realizing that inevitable change is on the horizon.
The author, Elizabeth Cooke chose to have the story narrated from multiple points of view. Most characters have at least one chance to have at least one chance to tell the story, with William and Octavia getting the opportunity most. While this makes it difficult in the beginning to keep track of who is telling the story and who they are talking about, it also really gives a good 360 view of what is happening. The other thing Cooke has done very well is used pacing to really portray the urgency of the characters. While slow at first (a few months have passed between the first and second chapter) the pace quickens to the point where just a few hours pass between the end chapters. As a reader, I began to feel time begin to collapse on me, just as I'm sure the characters were feeling.
This book is really well done. I give it 5 solid stars.
September 23, 2020
The world he understood, the world he thought he knew, was blowing away like husks blown from corn in a mill. Each one of them was inside the mill, and the grindstones were rapidly turning.
This particular passage reminds me of Bob Dylan. How can you *not* hear his guitar in the background? 😶 The image also stands out in its context: this isn't tied to the hotheaded young son of the house, but rather the staid patriarch, a man locked in a role both governmental & social which carries the weight of unwanted knowledge that things are a-changin' ...& a man who that very day took his shoes off to walk barefoot through his garden for the first time in his life.
It's no secret that upstairs-downstairs books don't generally agree with me, but I really cottoned to this one. Taken as a whole, I'm not sure why; it's essentially the same soapy drama that you find in others of this ilk. But I genuinely liked the characters with all their foibles, & the prose itself is well done -- clearly this wasn't Cooke's first rodeo, & it shows. Everything flows smoothly, but still has a personality & presence on the page (unlike most of this genre, where the text is so dry & stiff that it will practically blow away in a gentle breeze). These people are very much of their time; they rarely stand around wrestling with anachronistic concepts to placate a modern reader's sensibilities. Yes, some are more socially aware than others, but awareness of your surroundings' pitfalls isn't the same as being a 21st-c mouthpiece in beautiful vintage shoes.
I also thought the author did an excellent job showing the casual thoughtlessness that was bred into this era -- tiny cruelties between the rich & the servants, the rich & the rich, or the servants & the servants -- to indirectly highlight flaws that are inherent to a system that was doomed to collapse under its own weight. Kate Furnivall's blurb from the flyleaf teasers says it best: "Cooke portrays an aristocratic dynasty that, in 1914, was poised on the brink of extinction, as ponderous as the huge dinosaurs but just as magnificent."
Solid 4 stars, & I'll definitely read the sequels. :)
This particular passage reminds me of Bob Dylan. How can you *not* hear his guitar in the background? 😶 The image also stands out in its context: this isn't tied to the hotheaded young son of the house, but rather the staid patriarch, a man locked in a role both governmental & social which carries the weight of unwanted knowledge that things are a-changin' ...& a man who that very day took his shoes off to walk barefoot through his garden for the first time in his life.
It's no secret that upstairs-downstairs books don't generally agree with me, but I really cottoned to this one. Taken as a whole, I'm not sure why; it's essentially the same soapy drama that you find in others of this ilk. But I genuinely liked the characters with all their foibles, & the prose itself is well done -- clearly this wasn't Cooke's first rodeo, & it shows. Everything flows smoothly, but still has a personality & presence on the page (unlike most of this genre, where the text is so dry & stiff that it will practically blow away in a gentle breeze). These people are very much of their time; they rarely stand around wrestling with anachronistic concepts to placate a modern reader's sensibilities. Yes, some are more socially aware than others, but awareness of your surroundings' pitfalls isn't the same as being a 21st-c mouthpiece in beautiful vintage shoes.
I also thought the author did an excellent job showing the casual thoughtlessness that was bred into this era -- tiny cruelties between the rich & the servants, the rich & the rich, or the servants & the servants -- to indirectly highlight flaws that are inherent to a system that was doomed to collapse under its own weight. Kate Furnivall's blurb from the flyleaf teasers says it best: "Cooke portrays an aristocratic dynasty that, in 1914, was poised on the brink of extinction, as ponderous as the huge dinosaurs but just as magnificent."
Solid 4 stars, & I'll definitely read the sequels. :)
July 4, 2013
Rutherford Park, the elegantly rambling estate of the Cavendish family in the Yorkshire countryside of England, seems a dream to those looking at it from a distance. Money and manners nearly ooze from its well-tended walls and gardens and the family is delightfully steeped in the traditions and rules that govern those of the elitist class. But just peek a little more closely at the inhabitants of Rutherford Park and you will see that not everyone is happy in this long standing status quo and just about everyone under its roof are hiding secrets.
As the lives of the Cavendish family are exposed along with those of the servants that live below stairs the reader is able to see just how twisted and complicated their lives can be, regardless of rank or money. If the family is to have any chance of surviving they must be able to bend the traditions binding them together and learn to adjust to the ever changing world swirling around them, even as eminent war threatens to change their lives once again.
Any fan of Downton Abbey or Upstairs/Downstairs will love this glimpse into a privileged yet highly fractured family. You have the strict, unbending traditionalist father, the stifled wife longing for some freedom of her own, the more modern children ready to break free from the binding responsibilities of the class they were born into, the servants who dutifully serve those beyond the green baize door while being divided between those wanting to stay true to their never ending duties and those that believe they deserve more; everyone is here.
The story ends only slightly settled and with enough left unanswered that I can only hope Elizabeth Cooke will provide a sequel that shows how the characters have moved on and grown after the events in Rutherford Park. Did William learn to loosen his hold on tradition and show his wife that he does in fact love her? Will Harry serve his country well and learn to take responsibility for his actions? What kind of woman will Charlotte grow up to be? I only wish I knew!
As the lives of the Cavendish family are exposed along with those of the servants that live below stairs the reader is able to see just how twisted and complicated their lives can be, regardless of rank or money. If the family is to have any chance of surviving they must be able to bend the traditions binding them together and learn to adjust to the ever changing world swirling around them, even as eminent war threatens to change their lives once again.
Any fan of Downton Abbey or Upstairs/Downstairs will love this glimpse into a privileged yet highly fractured family. You have the strict, unbending traditionalist father, the stifled wife longing for some freedom of her own, the more modern children ready to break free from the binding responsibilities of the class they were born into, the servants who dutifully serve those beyond the green baize door while being divided between those wanting to stay true to their never ending duties and those that believe they deserve more; everyone is here.
The story ends only slightly settled and with enough left unanswered that I can only hope Elizabeth Cooke will provide a sequel that shows how the characters have moved on and grown after the events in Rutherford Park. Did William learn to loosen his hold on tradition and show his wife that he does in fact love her? Will Harry serve his country well and learn to take responsibility for his actions? What kind of woman will Charlotte grow up to be? I only wish I knew!
September 2, 2013
This was a decent book to read. It shows a lot about the differences of the upstairs/downstairs relationships of the English in the early 1900's. I really wanted to like this book more than I did though. I felt that there were too many POV's. Many characters had a section to have a say as to what was going on. In a way this was good because you had the chance to understand how a servant & the aristocrat saw/handled things differently. However, there were too many that I couldn't get myself invested in the characters. If the story centered more on just a few and got more of their feelings with the interactions, I might have enjoyed this book a little more.
July 23, 2024
This book was just alright. At first there were a lot of characters introduced and it seemed rather disjointed. I also felt like there was so much scandal and every character seemed to be having some kind of extramarital affair or liaison. As the book progressed though, there was definitely redemption for some characters and the family as a whole. I like how it ended.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Content: PG-13. Some examples of the content: talks about swearing, but the words aren’t actually written; the Lord’s name is taken in vain; the words “da*n,� the “F� word,”bi*ch,� “bloody,� “bastard,� and “hell,� are used; someone is pregnant out of wedlock; mention of alcohol; a man if having an affair; a man had a collection of “erotica�; a man spies on a woman and finds her underclothes in secret; brief non descriptive fade to black scene; talk of mistresses, lovers and scandals; mention of a whore-house; talk about the devil/Satan; death and gore from mill accidents.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Content: PG-13. Some examples of the content: talks about swearing, but the words aren’t actually written; the Lord’s name is taken in vain; the words “da*n,� the “F� word,”bi*ch,� “bloody,� “bastard,� and “hell,� are used; someone is pregnant out of wedlock; mention of alcohol; a man if having an affair; a man had a collection of “erotica�; a man spies on a woman and finds her underclothes in secret; brief non descriptive fade to black scene; talk of mistresses, lovers and scandals; mention of a whore-house; talk about the devil/Satan; death and gore from mill accidents.
Read
November 20, 2022I don't know why I read this trash.
Actually, I do. Boredom.
Also, I was sitting at a Medicare Counseling table all by myself, and no one wanted to talk about Medicare, and so I had to do something and grabbing a large print book from the shelf beside me seemed like the best option.
But it was such good trash. I swear, there was no one in this book who hadn't had an affair by the end. HOW?! You'd think these people would need to sleep.
Anyway, that is all.
Actually, I do. Boredom.
Also, I was sitting at a Medicare Counseling table all by myself, and no one wanted to talk about Medicare, and so I had to do something and grabbing a large print book from the shelf beside me seemed like the best option.
But it was such good trash. I swear, there was no one in this book who hadn't had an affair by the end. HOW?! You'd think these people would need to sleep.
Anyway, that is all.
June 29, 2023
2.5 - it wasn’t bad, it was just very slow start and nothing special
February 17, 2015
Beautifully Written, Vivid and Picturesque: Elizabeth Cooke proves she is a master of "showing, not telling." Each page is full of breathtaking description which makes you feel like you have stepped back in time. Her ability to weave and craft different story lines is impeccable. You feel truly invested in each character and not a single character falls short of development.
Intriguing Character Development: Each character has their own qualities and characteristics which makes them different and compelling. The characters are layered and each plays a vital role in progressing the storyline. Be sure to pay attention to each one -you never know what twist or turn Elizabeth Cooke has in store for you!
Twists and Turns: Elizabeth Cooke has crafted a story which constantly keeps you guessing and the stakes rising for the characters. You never know what scandal lies on the next page. Each character has their own plot, but at the end of the day, the characters are a family, and one scandal affects not one, but all of them.
Would I Recommend? YES! If you are a fan of Downton Abbey, this novel is for you. With a multitude of interesting and developed characters all kept in play by a masterful storyteller, Elizabeth Cooke's novel will keep you reading well into the hours of the night!
Intriguing Character Development: Each character has their own qualities and characteristics which makes them different and compelling. The characters are layered and each plays a vital role in progressing the storyline. Be sure to pay attention to each one -you never know what twist or turn Elizabeth Cooke has in store for you!
Twists and Turns: Elizabeth Cooke has crafted a story which constantly keeps you guessing and the stakes rising for the characters. You never know what scandal lies on the next page. Each character has their own plot, but at the end of the day, the characters are a family, and one scandal affects not one, but all of them.
Would I Recommend? YES! If you are a fan of Downton Abbey, this novel is for you. With a multitude of interesting and developed characters all kept in play by a masterful storyteller, Elizabeth Cooke's novel will keep you reading well into the hours of the night!
December 30, 2014
A wonderful book that depicts the lives within a country house on the cusp of a new age.
Cars are beginning to make an appearance and WW1 is looming with the young son who has ambitions of being a pilot.
It starts on a snowy Christmas Eve 1913.
One of the maids Emily is in trouble which has devastating results.
How the family married for money to improve the estate, a tale of class and manners.
If you like Downton Abbey you'll love this, I couldn't put it down!
Cars are beginning to make an appearance and WW1 is looming with the young son who has ambitions of being a pilot.
It starts on a snowy Christmas Eve 1913.
One of the maids Emily is in trouble which has devastating results.
How the family married for money to improve the estate, a tale of class and manners.
If you like Downton Abbey you'll love this, I couldn't put it down!
Read
September 12, 2016I gave up at chapter 4. This is a silly badly written book.
February 12, 2014
3.5 Stars. Rutherford Park -- the Yorkshire seat of the Cavendish family -- is a bastion of English tradition and respectability. But its historic halls shelter dangerous secrets and passions both upstairs and down, a simmering vein of tension that belies the family's respectable exterior. The dawning of 1914 and the promise of Christmas and New Year's finds certain members of the family and household staff in a reflective mood, hungry for a change that they cannot define, the scope and impact of which they cannot fathom. After twenty years of marriage, Octavia finds herself chafing against the restrictions marriage to William has placed upon her life. Hailing from a family who owed their fortunes to wool mills, Octavia once dreamed of a love match, only to find herself trapped in a marriage as stale as the traditions that hold Rutherford Hall moribund. Her son, Harry, longs to shed his responsibilities as heir and become a pilot, while his sister, Louisa, dreams of her upcoming season and hopes for thrilling romantic assignations, with nary a thought of the cost, safely ensconced in her family's aura of unassailable respectability. But as the new year rises old secrets come to light as a woman from William's past could compromise everything he's built thanks to his iron control, while below stairs a housemaid's broken heart threatens to shatter the line of demarcation between the upstairs family and those who serve them. For those who call Rutherford Hall home, 1914 finds the once-staid house a cauldron of simmering passions and tensions, and all it will take is one small spark of rebellion or tragedy to set it alight, changing a way of life forever.
Ever since Downton Abbey debuted, capturing my -- and a large portion of the British-loving public's -- imagination and renewing interest in upstairs, downstairs tales (like the self-same show that once enthralled the public for five years), there has been a boom in fiction of this ilk, with varying results. Last year I discovered Phillip Rock's Greville trilogy, truly superlative storytelling which to my mind perfectly captures the flavor of such dramas on the page -- and in many respects exceeds its filmic counterparts in characterization and story-craft. Rutherford Park looked to be the most promising successor to the gold standard set by Rock's novels that I've encountered yet, and to some extent meets that mark -- but with mixed results.
Cooke is an accomplished wordsmith, capable of a gorgeous turn of phrase, oft-times deftly evoking the glamour and grime of this bygone age with her carefully-crafted prose. But her biggest strength is also this novel's greatest drawback, as Cooke's dreamy, evocative prose slows the narrative pace to a sluggish crawl. There is a wealth of potentially compelling material within its pages, but her descriptive, narrative-heavy storytelling -- while setting the scene in a serviceable manner -- advances the storytelling in fits and starts. This is a relatively short novel, clocking in at only 333 pages, divided into only ten chapters, yet it felt in desperate need of trimming in order to advance to the "meat" of the storyline -- the various characters standing on the precipice of great change, and their world hurtling towards the Great War. And with only ten chapters, ranging in length from roughly twenty to sixty (SIXTY!!) pages, the nuggets of compelling storytelling material find themselves buried within pages of prose that, while often beautifully rendered, nevertheless slows the forward momentum of the storyline to a crawl.
That said, those who love Downton Abbey-esque storylines of this type will find their perseverance rewarded by this book's final third, where the characters and plotlines thus far introduced come to fruition. By far the best and strongest aspect of Rutherford Park is its examination of aristocratic family life, and Cooke's exploration of how the strict social structure and values of the day could fracture relations between tradition-bound parents and their modern-minded children, foreshadowing the impact of the war on their family and class. My favorite storyline (SPOILERS) involves Octavia's affair with the American John Gould, and how that forces her husband to awaken to the realization of what his never-yielding insistence on clinging to the status quo might cost him in terms of family and legacy. While I'm dying for Gould to get a happy ending,what I loved is how their brief affair illustrates the importance of working on one's marriage and never taking it for granted. Both Octavia and William are arguably culpable, but the crises they face relative to their relationship and in the lives of their children serve as a powerful illustration of the importance of communication and of never taking one's closest relationships for granted. Because in the volatile world facing the family, survival depends not on clinging to what always has been, but facing the future under-girded by a foundation relational development as one's best hope for a lasting legacy.
Despite its sluggish pace, Rutherford Park is an often engaging novel about a world on the cusp of profound change. In fact, one could possibly argue that the novel's somewhat cumbersome pacing ultimately serves to underscore Cooke's larger purpose -- setting the Cavendish family, and the servants in their orbit, on a trajectory from leisurely tradition to change, spurred by the crucible of war that will leave its impact on every level of society. The novel builds towards a crisis in Louisa's life that serves as an impetus to bring husband and wife, parents and children together with a level of honesty that was previously unfathomable, setting the stage for future dramatic developments that hold great promise. Cooke is a talented writer with a wonderful feel for the time period, and while the execution of this novel prevents me from naming it a favorite among the ranks of Downton-type fiction, I am looking forward to seeing where Cooke takes her characters next.
Ever since Downton Abbey debuted, capturing my -- and a large portion of the British-loving public's -- imagination and renewing interest in upstairs, downstairs tales (like the self-same show that once enthralled the public for five years), there has been a boom in fiction of this ilk, with varying results. Last year I discovered Phillip Rock's Greville trilogy, truly superlative storytelling which to my mind perfectly captures the flavor of such dramas on the page -- and in many respects exceeds its filmic counterparts in characterization and story-craft. Rutherford Park looked to be the most promising successor to the gold standard set by Rock's novels that I've encountered yet, and to some extent meets that mark -- but with mixed results.
Cooke is an accomplished wordsmith, capable of a gorgeous turn of phrase, oft-times deftly evoking the glamour and grime of this bygone age with her carefully-crafted prose. But her biggest strength is also this novel's greatest drawback, as Cooke's dreamy, evocative prose slows the narrative pace to a sluggish crawl. There is a wealth of potentially compelling material within its pages, but her descriptive, narrative-heavy storytelling -- while setting the scene in a serviceable manner -- advances the storytelling in fits and starts. This is a relatively short novel, clocking in at only 333 pages, divided into only ten chapters, yet it felt in desperate need of trimming in order to advance to the "meat" of the storyline -- the various characters standing on the precipice of great change, and their world hurtling towards the Great War. And with only ten chapters, ranging in length from roughly twenty to sixty (SIXTY!!) pages, the nuggets of compelling storytelling material find themselves buried within pages of prose that, while often beautifully rendered, nevertheless slows the forward momentum of the storyline to a crawl.
That said, those who love Downton Abbey-esque storylines of this type will find their perseverance rewarded by this book's final third, where the characters and plotlines thus far introduced come to fruition. By far the best and strongest aspect of Rutherford Park is its examination of aristocratic family life, and Cooke's exploration of how the strict social structure and values of the day could fracture relations between tradition-bound parents and their modern-minded children, foreshadowing the impact of the war on their family and class. My favorite storyline (SPOILERS) involves Octavia's affair with the American John Gould, and how that forces her husband to awaken to the realization of what his never-yielding insistence on clinging to the status quo might cost him in terms of family and legacy. While I'm dying for Gould to get a happy ending,what I loved is how their brief affair illustrates the importance of working on one's marriage and never taking it for granted. Both Octavia and William are arguably culpable, but the crises they face relative to their relationship and in the lives of their children serve as a powerful illustration of the importance of communication and of never taking one's closest relationships for granted. Because in the volatile world facing the family, survival depends not on clinging to what always has been, but facing the future under-girded by a foundation relational development as one's best hope for a lasting legacy.
Despite its sluggish pace, Rutherford Park is an often engaging novel about a world on the cusp of profound change. In fact, one could possibly argue that the novel's somewhat cumbersome pacing ultimately serves to underscore Cooke's larger purpose -- setting the Cavendish family, and the servants in their orbit, on a trajectory from leisurely tradition to change, spurred by the crucible of war that will leave its impact on every level of society. The novel builds towards a crisis in Louisa's life that serves as an impetus to bring husband and wife, parents and children together with a level of honesty that was previously unfathomable, setting the stage for future dramatic developments that hold great promise. Cooke is a talented writer with a wonderful feel for the time period, and while the execution of this novel prevents me from naming it a favorite among the ranks of Downton-type fiction, I am looking forward to seeing where Cooke takes her characters next.
July 22, 2017
The book starts in 1913 England countryside, so knowing history and what will occur shortly in Europe, I was excited to read this book. And I love the country estate theme, with so many servants who dust and polish silver. Cooke is a good author and weaves a good story of the Cavendish family. I enjoyed the book and look forward to locating more of this author's work.
I looked for this book in the library after reading her latest book which I won on ŷ. While she has written a number of books, I am having a difficult time finding them....
I looked for this book in the library after reading her latest book which I won on ŷ. While she has written a number of books, I am having a difficult time finding them....
December 14, 2017
I was reading through a few books inspired by, or similar to Downton Abbey when I came upon Rutherford Park. I wasn't expecting much because the previous novels were definitely of the derivative kind. But from the first chapter on, I knew Rutherford Park was going to be different. It was excellent through and through, often surprising me with where it was going and how the author chose to portray the characters. They are fully fleshed out and more complex than I had expected. As good as Downton Abbey? Maybe even better...
April 28, 2021
Enjoyable but predictable romp
ala Downton Abbey (MUCH BETTER)
and Upstairs Downstairs. Not interesting enough for me to read the
follow up books though. But a light pleasant book.
Cooke is no Fellows I'll say that.
ala Downton Abbey (MUCH BETTER)
and Upstairs Downstairs. Not interesting enough for me to read the
follow up books though. But a light pleasant book.
Cooke is no Fellows I'll say that.
March 10, 2018
I liked this book. The first part was a little slow and then it got more interesting as it went on. Octavia was my favorite character...what a transformation! This is one that may appeal to fans of Downton Abbey...which I happen to be :)
March 5, 2020
Been a while since I've been so angry with a book that sounded so promising for wasting my time like this. Absolute rubbish.
May 31, 2021
An aristocratic English family lives a soap opera life on the eve of WWI. Very much in the tradition of Downton Abbey but not as good. The novel had a fast start, but then seemed to plod along until the last 60 or so pages. This is the first part of a trilogy. Until I got to the last part, I was not inclined to read the others in the series, but now am not so sure.
May 13, 2020
When I checked my pile of TBR books, I realized that I kept seeing the cover of this one over and over. It had been pushed aside by other, more recent, books so many times that I did some riffling through my files and realized I’d bought this book in 2014, about a year after it was published. And so it sat on my bookshelf for almost 6 full years. It must have some allure, I reasoned, for me to have kept it � after all I’d purged my bookshelf at least three times in those years. So I plucked it from its spot on the shelf and began to read.
The story takes place in 1914 at the Yorkshire estate of Rutherford Park. Lord William Cavendish and his wife Lady Octavia are the principal players. Although not impoverished, Lord Cavendish married down as his wife’s family were from trade � her father owned a number of textile mills around which the surrounding village has been built. They have three children: Harry, Louisa, and Charlotte.
Young Harry, it seems, has sown some wild oats with housemaid Emily Maitland. And with the approach of Christmas Emily is in a turmoil. She can no longer hide the fact that she is pregnant. Harry knows nothing of this; Emily is afraid of losing her position. When Harry gifts her a gold necklace at Christmas, she feels this is the final straw. While the entire household is occupied with holiday festivities, Emily takes herself down to the river and walks in. She is spotted by several of the stable hands and rescued. Back at the house, her condition is kept secret. But when she takes a turn for the worse and a doctor must be summoned, Lady Octavia is informed of the situation. It doesn’t take her too long to figure out that the baby’s father is her son Harry. The premature baby survives but her mother does not.
This is just one of the many scandals that befall the Cavendish family. There’s Helene de Montfort � Lord William’s cousin � who flaunts her bohemian Parisian lifestyle; Lady Louisa Cavendish, eldest daughter, who agrees to an elopement; young Charlotte, opinionated and like her father, and the American visitor John Boswell Gould who entices Octavia into a forbidden relationship while her husband is abroad. And let’s not forget Charles de Montfort who presents himself as Lord William’s illegitimate son.
As a fan of all things Downton Abbey, I had high hopes for Rutherford Park. I will bluntly say that I found none of the characters appealing � not one; with the exception of Wenceslas the horse. That poor horse was more interesting than all the machinations of the entire household both upstairs and down. Descriptions were well done and I was able to place myself right there at Rutherford Park. In all I found Rutherford Park a depressing story. What little joy that is contained therein is difficult to find and fleeting.
Recommend instead: Stairway To My Heart (Bridgewater Chronicles #1) by Marion Marchetto
The story takes place in 1914 at the Yorkshire estate of Rutherford Park. Lord William Cavendish and his wife Lady Octavia are the principal players. Although not impoverished, Lord Cavendish married down as his wife’s family were from trade � her father owned a number of textile mills around which the surrounding village has been built. They have three children: Harry, Louisa, and Charlotte.
Young Harry, it seems, has sown some wild oats with housemaid Emily Maitland. And with the approach of Christmas Emily is in a turmoil. She can no longer hide the fact that she is pregnant. Harry knows nothing of this; Emily is afraid of losing her position. When Harry gifts her a gold necklace at Christmas, she feels this is the final straw. While the entire household is occupied with holiday festivities, Emily takes herself down to the river and walks in. She is spotted by several of the stable hands and rescued. Back at the house, her condition is kept secret. But when she takes a turn for the worse and a doctor must be summoned, Lady Octavia is informed of the situation. It doesn’t take her too long to figure out that the baby’s father is her son Harry. The premature baby survives but her mother does not.
This is just one of the many scandals that befall the Cavendish family. There’s Helene de Montfort � Lord William’s cousin � who flaunts her bohemian Parisian lifestyle; Lady Louisa Cavendish, eldest daughter, who agrees to an elopement; young Charlotte, opinionated and like her father, and the American visitor John Boswell Gould who entices Octavia into a forbidden relationship while her husband is abroad. And let’s not forget Charles de Montfort who presents himself as Lord William’s illegitimate son.
As a fan of all things Downton Abbey, I had high hopes for Rutherford Park. I will bluntly say that I found none of the characters appealing � not one; with the exception of Wenceslas the horse. That poor horse was more interesting than all the machinations of the entire household both upstairs and down. Descriptions were well done and I was able to place myself right there at Rutherford Park. In all I found Rutherford Park a depressing story. What little joy that is contained therein is difficult to find and fleeting.
Recommend instead: Stairway To My Heart (Bridgewater Chronicles #1) by Marion Marchetto
July 13, 2022
If you are a Downtown Abbey fan you, this might be the book for you. I really liked how it took place before World War I. It was a light pleasant read.
August 19, 2013
Review Posted on Reading Lark 8/19/13:
I suppose I need to start this review by saying I have not watched Downton Abbey and know very little about England in the early 1900's. I decided to read this one when it was offered to me as a way to experience a new time period. My only experience with the early 1900's is learning about the Titanic and WWI. For whatever reason, beyond those two events, the early 1900's didn't interest me. I'm always on the lookout for well done historical fiction and I needed a little break from YA. It seemed like the perfect time to read Rutherford Park.
I loved that this novel does an excellent job of highlighting the differences between social classes during this time period. There are so many rules that decorum dictated must be followed. I had no idea that the only maids allowed to speak directly with the family were the ladies maids and the housekeeper. The chamber maids were supposed to be invisible at all times and never interact with their wealthy employers. I find this a bit odd since my life (thankfully) is not lived with such restraints.
In addition to the differences between social classes, I am always fascinated to see how women experienced certain time periods. This was still the time of marriages arranged to aid the family fortune and separate bedrooms. Marriage in this time period seems to be more about a business arrangement and less about romance. Octavia's character certainly embodies this idea. She wants nothing more than to be free to do as she pleases, but as the wife of a Lord that is hardly possible. Her beautiful home and sprawling grounds become her prison.
Men are given far more freedom in this society. That is apparent based on the actions of William and Harry. Both men often follow their desires and rarely take stock of the repercussions of their actions.
If you're interested in learning about England in the early 1900's or enjoy stories laden with family secrets, this is a read for you. I'm sure it will appeal to fans of Downton Abbey. Rutherford Park is beautifully written and intriguing.
One Last Gripe: It took me a little bit of time to settle into the narration.
My Favorite Thing About This Book: Learning more about the social rules of the time period
First Sentence: Snow had fallen in the night, and now the great house, standing at the head of the valley, seemed like a five-hundred-year-old ship sailing in a white ocean.
Favorite Character: Octavia
Least Favorite Character: Harry
I suppose I need to start this review by saying I have not watched Downton Abbey and know very little about England in the early 1900's. I decided to read this one when it was offered to me as a way to experience a new time period. My only experience with the early 1900's is learning about the Titanic and WWI. For whatever reason, beyond those two events, the early 1900's didn't interest me. I'm always on the lookout for well done historical fiction and I needed a little break from YA. It seemed like the perfect time to read Rutherford Park.
I loved that this novel does an excellent job of highlighting the differences between social classes during this time period. There are so many rules that decorum dictated must be followed. I had no idea that the only maids allowed to speak directly with the family were the ladies maids and the housekeeper. The chamber maids were supposed to be invisible at all times and never interact with their wealthy employers. I find this a bit odd since my life (thankfully) is not lived with such restraints.
In addition to the differences between social classes, I am always fascinated to see how women experienced certain time periods. This was still the time of marriages arranged to aid the family fortune and separate bedrooms. Marriage in this time period seems to be more about a business arrangement and less about romance. Octavia's character certainly embodies this idea. She wants nothing more than to be free to do as she pleases, but as the wife of a Lord that is hardly possible. Her beautiful home and sprawling grounds become her prison.
Men are given far more freedom in this society. That is apparent based on the actions of William and Harry. Both men often follow their desires and rarely take stock of the repercussions of their actions.
If you're interested in learning about England in the early 1900's or enjoy stories laden with family secrets, this is a read for you. I'm sure it will appeal to fans of Downton Abbey. Rutherford Park is beautifully written and intriguing.
One Last Gripe: It took me a little bit of time to settle into the narration.
My Favorite Thing About This Book: Learning more about the social rules of the time period
First Sentence: Snow had fallen in the night, and now the great house, standing at the head of the valley, seemed like a five-hundred-year-old ship sailing in a white ocean.
Favorite Character: Octavia
Least Favorite Character: Harry
July 16, 2013
Are you missing Downton Abbey? I know I am! If your answer to that question was the same as mine then you definitely need to pick up a copy of this book! Rutherford Park was blurbed by more than one source to be reminiscent of all things Downton. After finishing the book, I would have to say that I most definitely agree. The social classes, new money, old money, social issues, and the whole nine yards were huge topics for discussion in this book just like the television series. The story follows the Cavendish family, who reside at Rutherford Park, and who have tons of secrets to hide! William and Octavia Cavendish are the parents to three beautiful children, Harry, Louisa, and Charlotte, who each have riveting secrets of their own. If you love Downton Abbey at all, then this book is sure to rate high on your list.
Of course what I loved most about this book was its resemblance to Downton Abbey. Ever since watching this show I have been obsessed with the lifestyle and the issues revolving around the social classes. Those same issues appear in this novel as well. One must marry well. One must never allow friends of the same social class to see you hurt, upset, or bothered. And the list goes on and on. I would have to say that Harry Cavendish reminded me most of Mary from Downton Abbey. He was always getting into something and trying to test his father’s limits and warnings. He wanted a life for himself other than what his father had in mind, which made me think of Sybil. Harry was a bit of a rake, but given his position in life he was under a multitude of pressure from his father and family.
As with the hit television series, I loved the drama, secrets, and lies. The affairs, the secret lovers, the cheating, and again the list goes on and on. Octavia finds out shortly after the book begins, and this is in the blurb so I am not spoiling anything, that her husband, William, is having an affair. Octavia, who most people are leery of, saves face and handles this affair and all her husband’s secrets in the most suitable and classy way, as a lady of her social status she simply has no other choice. The actions and dialogue from all characters was completely mimicking of the time and social class. I loved every second of it. Elizabeth Cooke has a niche for writing 1920’s setting and drama!
***A copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Berkley Trade in exchange for my honest review***
Of course what I loved most about this book was its resemblance to Downton Abbey. Ever since watching this show I have been obsessed with the lifestyle and the issues revolving around the social classes. Those same issues appear in this novel as well. One must marry well. One must never allow friends of the same social class to see you hurt, upset, or bothered. And the list goes on and on. I would have to say that Harry Cavendish reminded me most of Mary from Downton Abbey. He was always getting into something and trying to test his father’s limits and warnings. He wanted a life for himself other than what his father had in mind, which made me think of Sybil. Harry was a bit of a rake, but given his position in life he was under a multitude of pressure from his father and family.
As with the hit television series, I loved the drama, secrets, and lies. The affairs, the secret lovers, the cheating, and again the list goes on and on. Octavia finds out shortly after the book begins, and this is in the blurb so I am not spoiling anything, that her husband, William, is having an affair. Octavia, who most people are leery of, saves face and handles this affair and all her husband’s secrets in the most suitable and classy way, as a lady of her social status she simply has no other choice. The actions and dialogue from all characters was completely mimicking of the time and social class. I loved every second of it. Elizabeth Cooke has a niche for writing 1920’s setting and drama!
***A copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Berkley Trade in exchange for my honest review***
April 20, 2015
The building of Rutherford Park first began in 1530. It is a vast estate added onto and improved by each Earl who has lived there over the years. Currently, William Cavendish, the 8th Earl and his wife, Octavia reside there with their three children, Harry, 19, and daughters Louise and Charlotte. Louise is soon to be presented at court. Rutherford Park has always been run is a very strict way and the staff is very attentive to their duties.
Harry is a young man who dreams of flying in a plane and hopes one day to do so. Louise and Charlotte dream of their season and the balls and dinner parties they will be able to attend.
Octavia is woman who is becoming bored with her life. Her children are nearly grown and her duties of running her home are not enough to stimulate her. Her husband, William, is a good man but when Octavia sees him in the arms of a visiting distant cousin, her faith in her marriage is shattered.
The servants know their places and keep themselves separate from the family. However, when housemaid Emily Maitland suffers a tragedy, the results end up affecting the Cavendish family.
An indiscretion from William’s past comes back to haunt him and ends up driving a wedge between him and Octavia. Will their marriage be able to survive it?
With the threat of war imminent, life changes for the Cavendish family, the staff and the entire country. Louise finds herself caught up in a frightening situation that ends up showing the entire family what is truly important in life.
I enjoyed this novel. It was written in a rather depressing way although it was still quite good. Downton Abbey fans should find this book to be interesting to them.
Harry is a young man who dreams of flying in a plane and hopes one day to do so. Louise and Charlotte dream of their season and the balls and dinner parties they will be able to attend.
Octavia is woman who is becoming bored with her life. Her children are nearly grown and her duties of running her home are not enough to stimulate her. Her husband, William, is a good man but when Octavia sees him in the arms of a visiting distant cousin, her faith in her marriage is shattered.
The servants know their places and keep themselves separate from the family. However, when housemaid Emily Maitland suffers a tragedy, the results end up affecting the Cavendish family.
An indiscretion from William’s past comes back to haunt him and ends up driving a wedge between him and Octavia. Will their marriage be able to survive it?
With the threat of war imminent, life changes for the Cavendish family, the staff and the entire country. Louise finds herself caught up in a frightening situation that ends up showing the entire family what is truly important in life.
I enjoyed this novel. It was written in a rather depressing way although it was still quite good. Downton Abbey fans should find this book to be interesting to them.
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