Reviews

A Woman of Substance by Barbara Taylor Bradford

annaira_c's review against another edition

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fast-paced

5.0

adecinque62's review against another edition

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lighthearted relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

melinamason's review against another edition

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5.0

Best book I ever read!

aishy's review against another edition

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5.0

Emma Harte is a truly inspirational, albeit fictional, woman. I read this as a teenager and enjoyed being transported to the beginning of the century to a story set in the north of england. Her journey throughout the book is heartbreaking yet awe inspiring.

Her strength and will to succeed despite the circumstances that would have broken a lesser woman, will leave you reeling.

Extremely well written and have re-read this book 3 times

gjeva's review against another edition

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3.0

I thought this would be terribly trashy. And it is, in a sweet, old-fashioned 70's kind of way. A great story though! Engrossing. And shamefully, I cried towards the end. Loved the un-PC use of words such as "retarded" and relished the "quivering"s, "trembling"s and "rising manhood"s! BRILLIANT holiday read, and actually, historically accurate with very vivid descriptions of turn-of-the-century Yorkshire, complete with phonetic dialect!

jun1pper's review against another edition

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2.0

Digital edition

I feel the only reason why this book is rated so highly is because back when it was written, woman authors weren't the norm and she got read a lot by people who were charmed by the novelty. Her prose wouldn't get her published today... Why use one adverb or descriptive word when you can use 6? She's so pointlessly verbose.

The book gets easier to wade through after we go back to her childhood, so hang on there.

I do love strong, vindictive women with conviction, though. Her final act was stone cold and well deserved.

PS: marry Blackie already.

sminismoni's review against another edition

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4.0

I read this when I was 17 and remember thinking it was a great story. These days I would probably be annoyed by the writing style and cliches, but that is why I won't re-read it. I prefer to remember it as an awestruck 17 year-old discovering romantic fiction for the first time.

misnyder's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

deepat's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A truly inspiring read. It is quite difficult to put down this book for long. Even afterwards, thoughts of Emma kept intruding into my mind. I especially loved that she kept a “commonplace book”, which was a great help to her in achieving her ambitions. I cannot, in all honesty, say that I relate to her – she is far, far more ambitious and tenacious than I’ll never be. But it sure is a great story!

julz_clay's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0