Product Description

We all want what we cannot have, but when Mark Castallack sees his longed-for inheritance Penmarric, a gothic mansion on the bleak cliffs of Cornwall, and the mysterious, mesmerising Janna, he knows that he will make them his and nothing will stand in his way. Yet when Mark realizes his dreams, Penmarric only brings a legacy of conflict, jealousy, infidelity and betrayal. Spanning the Victorian era to the Second World War, this gripping story of one man and his two feuding families chronicles the tempestuous clashes between warring sons, wives and mistresses, and between a house divided against itself.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #72796 in Books
• Published on: 2004-04-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 720 pages

Review
'Grippingly readable' Sunday Times 'Larger than life... a fascinating saga... it has all the right dramatic and romantic ingredients' Woman's Journal 'A mesmerising storyteller' Daily Telegraph

SUNDAY TIMES
'Truly unputdownable'

Andrew Greeley, INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY
'Susan Howatch may well become the Anthony Trollope of the 20th century'

Customer Reviews

Penmarric
Penmarric was the first Susan Howatch's novel I read and I have probably re-read it about five times now over the years. It is my favourite book of all time. All her books are excellent and I have read every single one of them and am always eagerly awaitng the next one. Penmarric is a weighty family saga which begins in the Victorian age and spans the majority of the twentieth century. Each section, as with most of her books, is the voice of a different character. This is a clever device which allows the reader to see the situation from different perspectives. Penmarric has also been televised and I saw the TV adaptation first, which made me then want to read the novel. It is also the book which is partly responsible for my wanting to attend church as one of the characters, Janna, whilst not being a devout Christian, likes the ritual of the Sunday service. It is the story of an older woman of lowly birth marrying a much younger wealthy man and of their many children. It's a fascinating read and a thoroughly unputdownable book. I would reccomend it to anyone.

I love this book!
I've read this book at least 6 times. I continue to read it because I get something new from it each time. The characters are so complex and interesting. Thinking about it makes me want to read it again. If you have ever read any Susan Howatch book and liked it, please read Penmarric. I've almost everything she has written and there isn't a bad one in the bunch.

Monumental! Huge! A fantastic read
I first read Penmarric at the age of 14, and 10 years on I have just finished it for the eighth time. Each time I read it, it feels like the first time - never boring or obvious. It has everything you need in a book - romance (but hard, gritty stuff - nothing Mills & Boons here!), suspense and twists and turns. There are so many characters, all intertwined so intensely that it might actually pay to keep a note of who is related to who, and how! I have never read another book which covers such a huge time span and which remains so historically, socially and politically correct throughout. The research that must have gone into this work is incredible and for any Cornwall nuts out there, you will love the magical descriptions which capture the place so well! This is the perfect book to read snuggled up in a blanket, cat on lap in front of the fire whilst the rain beats the window outside. Recommended to all!