- Paperback: 384 pages
- Publisher: Macmillan; New impression edition (July 1969)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0330100602
- ISBN-13: 978-0330100601
- Product Dimensions: 17.3 x 10.7 x 2.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 657,971 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Product Description
In this book, the Whiteoak family reunites after a year of separation. Piers, Renny, and Wakefield return in 1943 during the Second World War. Finch has been off on a concert tour, and Maurice has come home from Ireland. Fifteen-year-old Adeline returns from school and is now the stunning reflection of her namesake. It's a time of change and strain, but the family remains united against all others.
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Paperback
First to return is young Maurice (Mooey) from Ireland. His patron, Cousin Dermot, is dead and Mooey, as expected, has inherited the estate.
The other Maurice is dead too and Meg is forced to sell Vaughanlands to a Mr Clapperton, who has grand plans for a model village called Clappertown. She and Patience move to Miss Pink's old house.
The three Griffith girls: Garda the leader, shy Althea and crippled Gemmel are now firmly established at the Fox Farm. Mr Clapperton pays for Gemmel to have an operation to cure her disability. Being an honourable man, he seeks marriage in return.
The next to return is Finch from a concert tour and soon afterwards Piers is released as a PoW and returns, minus a leg, to a hero's welcome.
Finally, Colonel Renny Whiteoak, the Master of Jalna returns home from the war. He and Alayne are delighted to see each other after six years. However, when he sees the old wallpaper stripped, the old stove gone, the new heaters and the other quite unnecessary changes his nightmare of a wife has made, to say nothing of the attempted dismissal of Wright, things revert to their old pattern. Renny is pleased when Adeline wants to move downstairs to Old Adeline's room with the painted leather bed and the (now stuffed) parrot. Of course, Alayne objects. Well, she would, wouldn't she?
Much of the book is devoted to Renny believing that his war wounds have affected his mind. Clapperton accuses him of stealing some money but it all turns out to be a trick, meant kindly one assumes, by Roma. Alayne chucks her out into the care of Meg.
The final return to Jalna is that of Finch's son Dennis after the untimely death of his mother Sarah in a motor accident.
Well, not quite the final return as Renny, taking advantage of his wife's absence in New York, re-establishes the old coal stove in the hall.
The book ends with the birth and Christening of Pheasant's fourth child Mary.
The other Maurice is dead too and Meg is forced to sell Vaughanlands to a Mr Clapperton, who has grand plans for a model village called Clappertown. She and Patience move to Miss Pink's old house.
The three Griffith girls: Garda the leader, shy Althea and crippled Gemmel are now firmly established at the Fox Farm. Mr Clapperton pays for Gemmel to have an operation to cure her disability. Being an honourable man, he seeks marriage in return.
The next to return is Finch from a concert tour and soon afterwards Piers is released as a PoW and returns, minus a leg, to a hero's welcome.
Finally, Colonel Renny Whiteoak, the Master of Jalna returns home from the war. He and Alayne are delighted to see each other after six years. However, when he sees the old wallpaper stripped, the old stove gone, the new heaters and the other quite unnecessary changes his nightmare of a wife has made, to say nothing of the attempted dismissal of Wright, things revert to their old pattern. Renny is pleased when Adeline wants to move downstairs to Old Adeline's room with the painted leather bed and the (now stuffed) parrot. Of course, Alayne objects. Well, she would, wouldn't she?
Much of the book is devoted to Renny believing that his war wounds have affected his mind. Clapperton accuses him of stealing some money but it all turns out to be a trick, meant kindly one assumes, by Roma. Alayne chucks her out into the care of Meg.
The final return to Jalna is that of Finch's son Dennis after the untimely death of his mother Sarah in a motor accident.
Well, not quite the final return as Renny, taking advantage of his wife's absence in New York, re-establishes the old coal stove in the hall.
The book ends with the birth and Christening of Pheasant's fourth child Mary.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Was absolutely thrilled to get this whole series. A fantastic read for any one who loves the Forsythe Saga. I was able to get all 16 books in the series in paperback, some for as little as 5p and every single one of them was in perfect condition. cant wait to get started on them......
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
7 reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
A Most Wonderful 16 Book Series
4 Dec 2002
Format:Hardcover
I read my first Jalna book when I graduated in 1969, because I purchased a few books with my gifts of money -- and when I found out it was a 16 volume series, I read all of them that wonderful 18th summer... AND I've been reading them ever since, one or two a year, the whole series twice at least in a row. What I like about the books is the characters are very real, with all of their faults and it isn't hard to have a few favorites immediately. I recommend the Jalna Series to anyone who likes a good story that lasts forever. Sometimes I feel like I really know those people...
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
"Romance" series filled with adventure and they have a sweep to them that's exhilarating
17 May 2007
Format:Hardcover
A guilty pleasure. I like the novels of Mazo de la Roche (1879-1961). Her best-known books are the Jalna series, a long-running (16 books) generational saga about the Whiteoak family and their adventures in Canada from 1854-1954. The Building of Jalna is, in terms of internal chronology, the first of the series and the best place to start, though none of the books require knowledge of the others in order to be enjoyed. Loosely termed they are romance novels. The books are of a different era and some of the attitudes are very dated. But they're filled with adventure and they have a sweep to them that's exhilarating. The series was incredibly popular in its day and most of the books can be found in used bookstores, but chances are no one will have all of the titles at once, and some will be harder to find than others. Again, The Building of Jalna is chronologically the first, but you don't have to read them in order.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Bailed at page 85
29 Jan 2011
Format:Paperback
According to Wikipedia, Mazo de la Roche's 16-book Jalna series was quite popular and successful when it was first published in the 1940s. And the raw ingredients for a good story are there: a young, wealthy, beautiful Anglo-Irish couple (he's English, she's Irish) are bored and frustrated with their life on a military station in India. When childbirth leaves the fiery and high-strung Adeline low and dejected, a change of scenery seems to be a good idea. So when Philip's uncle dies and leaves him a large estate in Quebec, Philip and Adeline seize the opportunity for fresh adventure in the New World. He sells his military commission and his polo horses, Adeline sells the furniture, and after a brief visit with family back in England, they set out on a ship for a new life. Going along with them are the baby's Indian ayah and Adeline's two younger brothers, whose antics have got them kicked out of school and made their father all to ready to see the back of them.
On their way to Canada they encounter storms, sickness, a near mutiny and the escapades of Adeline's brothers. Then they finally make land in Canada and, well, that's as far as I got. This book and the rest of the series continues on with the dynasty that Philip and Adeline built in the New World, but unfortunately, the author's style put me off and I was unable to finish. Although there is a well-turned sentence (and occasionally an entire paragraph) here and there, they are scattered pretty thinly between the rest of the narrative that is, unfortunately, not well-turned. The author tells -- makes that declares -- rather than shows, and she does it with short, choppy sentences that read like a first draft written by a high school sophomore. Take this passage for example:
"Her anger was gone. She had a basin of hot water brought and herself bathed his head. Their friendship was restored. But the next day she was not well. She could not leave her cabin. The weather became stormy. She suffered from nausea."
Granted I am a very picky reader, so perhaps such immature writing isn't a problem for others; but for me, life is just too short to read stuff like this, when there are so many other books waiting in my TBR pile.
On their way to Canada they encounter storms, sickness, a near mutiny and the escapades of Adeline's brothers. Then they finally make land in Canada and, well, that's as far as I got. This book and the rest of the series continues on with the dynasty that Philip and Adeline built in the New World, but unfortunately, the author's style put me off and I was unable to finish. Although there is a well-turned sentence (and occasionally an entire paragraph) here and there, they are scattered pretty thinly between the rest of the narrative that is, unfortunately, not well-turned. The author tells -- makes that declares -- rather than shows, and she does it with short, choppy sentences that read like a first draft written by a high school sophomore. Take this passage for example:
"Her anger was gone. She had a basin of hot water brought and herself bathed his head. Their friendship was restored. But the next day she was not well. She could not leave her cabin. The weather became stormy. She suffered from nausea."
Granted I am a very picky reader, so perhaps such immature writing isn't a problem for others; but for me, life is just too short to read stuff like this, when there are so many other books waiting in my TBR pile.
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