Ireland 1796 - the dream that became a nightmare
As a child, Lord Edward Fitzgerald, brother of the Duke of Leinster, was already acutely uncomfortable with his rank and status.
Drawn to and distressed by the plight of others - from the slave in his mother's tapestry to the Irishmen and women subjugated by the English - it was only natural that he should find himself in Paris in the first year of the new French Republic.
Young, naive, and full of dreams for the future, Edward sees in the French revolution a glimpse of what life in Ireland might be like if the yoke of English rule might be cast off.
But Edward, a man whose ideals have always been at odds with his family's noble name, finds himself unhappy with the treatment of French nobility being murdered out of hand.
A chance encounter with an old acquaintance throws him into the path of the young, pretty Pamela d'Orleans, daughter of the imprisoned Duc d'Orleans, and Edward abandons his visit to Paris in order to marry her.
But their idyllic life at Edward's home in Kildare proves a refuge from the world for only a short time.
Every Irish patriot is dreaming of the day when their country will be free from the tyranny of the English, and Edward cannot help but devote himself to the cause.
Fired by the success of the revolution in France, the United Irishmen - a top secret society - hatches a perilous plot to overthrow the Government.
But taking on the mantle of leadership for the United Irishmen brings Edward to a crossroads.
One road leads to Kildare and his lovely wife Pamela, whose own experience with the French Revolution makes her afraid of what future rebellion may bring.
The other road beckons him to Dublin, political intrigue and betrayal.
Edward Fitzgerald loves his wife as much as he loves his country. But the strength of his devotion can only fall upon one or the other...
Dark Rosaleen is the romantic, tragic story that follows one of Ireland's greatest patriots.
"A book remarkable alike for its vividness and for its historical perspective" - Daily Express
"... one of the most novel features of Miss Bowen's book is the care she takes to see the point of view of Mary's lovers. She makes a plausible case for Bothwell and even joins the very select band of those who have something good to say for Darnley" - Times Literary Supplement
"Fresh, vivid, exciting and enthralling ... This is a fine book" - The Sphere
"A book in every way worthwhile ... as an individual contribution to the subject, Miss Bowen's work is of the exceptional class." - The Scotsman
Marjorie Bowen was born in 1885 and is one of many pseudonyms the writer Margaret Gabrielle Vere Campbell Long used. She was one of Britain's most prolific authors of the twentieth century. Writing was more than just a hobby: her works were the primary source of financial support for her family. Between 1906 and her death in 1952, Bowen wrote over 150 books, garnering much acclaim for her popular histories and historical and Gothic romances. Alongside masterful descriptions and concise, efficient prose, she deftly rendered larger-than-life subjects in the minds of her readers. To this day, aficionados of the genres covet Bowen's work. Her other titles include The Sword Decided, Mary Queen of Scots, The Queen's Caprice, The Governor of England, Mistress Nell Gwynn and Dickon.
Genre: Historical
As a child, Lord Edward Fitzgerald, brother of the Duke of Leinster, was already acutely uncomfortable with his rank and status.
Drawn to and distressed by the plight of others - from the slave in his mother's tapestry to the Irishmen and women subjugated by the English - it was only natural that he should find himself in Paris in the first year of the new French Republic.
Young, naive, and full of dreams for the future, Edward sees in the French revolution a glimpse of what life in Ireland might be like if the yoke of English rule might be cast off.
But Edward, a man whose ideals have always been at odds with his family's noble name, finds himself unhappy with the treatment of French nobility being murdered out of hand.
A chance encounter with an old acquaintance throws him into the path of the young, pretty Pamela d'Orleans, daughter of the imprisoned Duc d'Orleans, and Edward abandons his visit to Paris in order to marry her.
But their idyllic life at Edward's home in Kildare proves a refuge from the world for only a short time.
Every Irish patriot is dreaming of the day when their country will be free from the tyranny of the English, and Edward cannot help but devote himself to the cause.
Fired by the success of the revolution in France, the United Irishmen - a top secret society - hatches a perilous plot to overthrow the Government.
But taking on the mantle of leadership for the United Irishmen brings Edward to a crossroads.
One road leads to Kildare and his lovely wife Pamela, whose own experience with the French Revolution makes her afraid of what future rebellion may bring.
The other road beckons him to Dublin, political intrigue and betrayal.
Edward Fitzgerald loves his wife as much as he loves his country. But the strength of his devotion can only fall upon one or the other...
Dark Rosaleen is the romantic, tragic story that follows one of Ireland's greatest patriots.
Praise for Marjorie Bowen
"A book remarkable alike for its vividness and for its historical perspective" - Daily Express
"... one of the most novel features of Miss Bowen's book is the care she takes to see the point of view of Mary's lovers. She makes a plausible case for Bothwell and even joins the very select band of those who have something good to say for Darnley" - Times Literary Supplement
"Fresh, vivid, exciting and enthralling ... This is a fine book" - The Sphere
"A book in every way worthwhile ... as an individual contribution to the subject, Miss Bowen's work is of the exceptional class." - The Scotsman
Marjorie Bowen was born in 1885 and is one of many pseudonyms the writer Margaret Gabrielle Vere Campbell Long used. She was one of Britain's most prolific authors of the twentieth century. Writing was more than just a hobby: her works were the primary source of financial support for her family. Between 1906 and her death in 1952, Bowen wrote over 150 books, garnering much acclaim for her popular histories and historical and Gothic romances. Alongside masterful descriptions and concise, efficient prose, she deftly rendered larger-than-life subjects in the minds of her readers. To this day, aficionados of the genres covet Bowen's work. Her other titles include The Sword Decided, Mary Queen of Scots, The Queen's Caprice, The Governor of England, Mistress Nell Gwynn and Dickon.
Genre: Historical
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