I really enjoyed this book when I read it in the early 1980s. Take right turns, only.

OK, I enjoyed this book, won't dispute that. However, Emma annoyed me. I felt like all she cared about was money and revenge. And I get it. She came from nothing, obviously wanted to make something of herself and secure a future for her kids. Sure. But to me she was cold hearted, and ultimately didn't even really care about the kids. I found this book a bit of hard slog, and maybe struggled as my values are clearly different to Emma Harte's. A strong woman, but not my kind. I didn't like her, which made it difficult to like the story too much. Most likely won't read any more of the series.

I honestly can't recall if I read the book or saw the adaptation of the book first, but either way I find both a real pleasure.

I've certainly seen the adaption a few more times than I have read the book and it is thanks to that that I only ever see Liam Neeson as Blackie and Jenny Seagrove/Deborah Kerr as Emma when I read this. I honestly think the adaptation is one of the best ones I have seen and if you are a fan of the book I strongly recomend you check out the mini-series. For something made in 1985 it is still really good today.

As for the book itself, although I find parts of it early on to be a bit of a dullness, overall it is a really fascinating story. It doesn't really break new ground, we have the poor person reaching for the stars and making it, the gentry knocking up the staff, star-crossed lovers, war time drama and romance, conniving children - you can get any combination of these in a multitude of books but what the author does here is weave them together in such a way that you forget you are reading a well known path - it feels new, refreshing and by jove if you don't end up rooting for Emma to succeed throughout it.

I will echo a few other reviewers of the book and say it is rather description heavy, so if you dislike books like that then this may not be for you. That said, if you can survive the multitude of descriptions of different rooms, towns, clothes and so on, you have a book that makes it incredibly easy for you to picture mentally. And yet it honestly does feel like the author is describing these things and not telling you - a knack not many people have.

The characters feel real and well-realised as well - though not many of their flaws are shown you know that they have them. And the situations they are in feel realistic as well - how many people even in this day and age feel like they should be in a relationship because of safety needs like Emma and her first husband? Or live in loveless (or one sided love) marriages? In the work side, how many people graft and pay attention and are able to profit from their hard work? How many others take their inheritance and squander it away? Nothing in this really rings as untrue to me and I think that is what helps make it such a great story - you can almost believe it happened.

I think this is the third time I have read A Woman of Substance, and despite knowing what the outcome is I still really enjoyed reading it. I even, for the first time, picked up on the fact that Paul's father worked with the Fairleys, and was even waited on by Emma during her time as a servant. It's an interesting addition, totally unnecessary for the plot really, but I think it really shows just how far Emma goes - from waiting on a man's father, to being his son's equal in business.

I believe I have read the next book (or two) in the series, but didn't enjoy them so much - honestly I think this book is perfectly fine as a stand-alone, you don't need to know what happens after the will reading (

mainly because I know Blackie dies... and that's just sad as he is awesome

) or to know the full details of Emma's life that isn't covered here. There are downsides to knowing too much, so I would honestly say that if you really enjoyed this book don't feel you have to read the others - for me they lessen the story that is told here.