Customer Reviews: Read 6 more reviews...
 The Tale of Hawthorne House March 29, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Wonderful book, as all of Susan Alberts books are. If you haven't started this series, don't delay, they are great.
 There's all kinds of family and each has their rythm and rules March 5, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Family. It's all about family. Beatrix Potter can only have short visits to her farm because her parents don't approve and they need her to run their home in London. Her brother Bertram Potter has escaped to his own farm but he can't escape all the demands of his parents either. Jemima Puddle-duck wants to hatch her own eggs and have children to cherish. Dimity Woodcock has put her chance of love out of her mind because she knows her brother won't approve. A woman made a mistake and a baby is left on Beatrix Potter's doorstep, needing a home. But in August 1908, women didn't always have the freedom to do choose their own path, pick their own mates, or have a career. The Tale of Hawthorn House is a tale of an abandoned child and the impact it has on the residents of New Sawrey.
Once again Albert has crafted a tale that lets us enjoy the English countryside of the Beatrix Potter paintings and the inhabitants of Near Sawrey and its environs. The omniscient point of view allows us to enjoy observing everyone in town and yet be outside the story. This viewpoint can annoy some people but I find it, when used as here as a guide to the story with occasional asides to fill us in, to be amusing and in a way adding to the comfort of the story. There's the story of the humans and that of the animals that populate a village surrounded by farms. Sometimes the threads of their stories cross and affect each other but only the readers get to see how these two tales interact with each other.
The central mystery of who is the baby's mother and why was the child abandoned would normally be moot as the child would be placed in a work house and raised there. Luckily, this child was left on Beatrix Potter's doorstep and thus has an advocate. This is a look at the times, putting faces to the beliefs and prejudices of those times -- that some of those beliefs haven't changed much in the intervening years, or at least not for some people.
Families are something all of us can relate to in one way or another and in The Tale of Hawthorn House. There are the families we're born into, the families that we make for ourselves, and the families that we hope to achieve. Ideals, idealism, roles, and attitudes are important but, at heart, it's all about families.
Another charming story November 29, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I have truly enjoyed all the stories in this particular series. The characters (both human and animal) are all likeable and well-developed. The mysteries are gentle, and a pleasant change from the stress, blood, and guts of the average new mystery produced. The only other author who I have found to have written anything in a similar vein is Van Reid in his "Moosepath League" novels (also excellent). I hope Ms. Albert keeps these coming, and often! True quality!
The grownups win this time. November 27, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The Tale of Hawthorn House: The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter (Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter Mysteries)
Albert and the Folk score one for the grownups. This "tale" is a melt-in-the-mouth, high-class bon-bon that has one reaching for the next one out of the box. It is genteel excitement with a few catch-on-quick puzzles. Enjoy.
Another Cute Cottage Tale October 26, 2007
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
I've read this whole series so far (this is the 4th book) and they are very ... cozy to read. The books are definitely not mysteries in the true sense of the word; they have some village intrigue is about all. This book finds Miss Potter searching for the story (and mother) of an abandoned baby. Although we all know Miss Potter is the main character, this installment focused heavily on the story of Dimity/Miles Woodcock/Christopher Kittredge, and not so much on Beatrice. The characters are becoming familiar now, but the best part is that if you're new to the series you don't have to read the back stories - this book can stand alone. The thing that makes this book even better than the previous three is that the animals do much less talking in this book - that was welcome. Although it's fun to 'hear' the animals and have them move the story along, it often gets a bit .. childish. I found myself wondering how many more books will be in this series, as we haven't even reached the point of romance between Beatrice and Will Hellis. Anyway, I'd definitely recommend this title and will be reading the next book.
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