This was a fairly weak entry in the Anya Seton collection, mostly due to the portrayal of the heroine, Hesper Honeywood. This is mostly her story, despite a somewhat long and possibly unnessecary diversion into her great great something Phebe, first to colonize Marblehead. The Honeywood family has lived in Marblehead since it's founding, which Hesper's father Roger devotes his life to documenting while his wife Susan does the work of running the Hearth and Eagle Inn and keeping life and limb together. I think Seton wanted to do something to tell the story of Marblehead through the Honeywood family but Hesper was not the right vehicle for it. I think she is meant to be proud and stubborn and perhaps some finer virtues but she mainly seems to be sullen and resentful and buffeted by strong emotions that occasionally lead her into brave actions(the fire) but mostly seem to lead her into bad decisions that cause great pain in her life. I just become more and more irritated with her and less interested in the dramas of her life. The novel also needed to end about 3 chapters earlier, when Hesper gets the painting of the house. Perfect ending right there. The last few chapters had a distinct feel of being tacked on by an editor who wanted 20 more pages.

The historical novel The Hearth and Eagle by Anya Seton is set in the fishing village of Marblehead Massachusetts and is the life story of Hesper Honeywood. The Honeywoods have kept a tavern for generations, and Hester grew up hearing stories how the women in her family always put their husband’s wishes first, but strong-willed, impulsive Hesper dreams of a life of romance and passion. Unfortunately, she is disappointed time and again in romance. Her first love dies in the American Civil War, her second, a struggling artist, abandons her, her third, whom she marries and has children with, she allows to smother and mollycoddle her. Only when it is almost too late, does she show her husband her true inner strength and courage. The story covers a time period of between the mid-1800’s to 1910, and it’s clear that the author did her research on this New England town.

I am a fan of Anya Seton’s writing, but this particular book is not a favorite as it seems constrictive and very dependent upon actual events that occurred. Overall, the book places more attention on the setting than on the characters that people the story. The best part was when Hesper and her mother take part in the underground railway and hide a runaway slave and her baby. I would say that The Hearth and Eagle, although well-told, should not be one’s first experience with this author. ( )

Setting starts in England in the 1500s and progresses to Massachusetts in the 1900s ( )

This is set in the 1850s in New England in the USA. Then it flashes back to 1630, and the family's arrival in America. Good picture of life of the times, and sympathetically drawn characters. Some drama and excitement - yet it all felt a bit long-winded and it was easy to put down! ( )

Really disappointed in this book. Guess it's the more modern setting that threw me off. I have read her other books to pieces, especially Katherine and Green Darkness. ( )