Customer Reviews

Flame And The Flower

5 star:		(69)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(23)

 

 

I highly recommend this book, great characters. I have just started to read book 2 of the Birmingham's "A season beyond a kiss" , already loving it.

This is a Woodiwiss classic that I read over and over again. It is such a touching story and I highly recommend this book as a "feel good" experience that you can read anywhere. I especially enjoy reading it at work where I can get away from the stress of the phones for a half hour or so. Touching story, can't help but LOVE Heather...she reeally makes him work for her without even realizing it!

A friend strongly recommended this book to me, and I unwisely read it. I was revolted. My friend insisted that after the initial few rapes, the hero really redeems himself and all is well... yeah, right. I could not bring myself to feel any warmth for a man who rapes a woman without remorse, and then - all while taunting and mocking her tears - tells her that she will have to be his mistress and will eventually come to beg for his attention (again, telling her this while silencing her protests with threats and mocking laughter, and forcing himself on her again and again!). Then, after she escapes and he finds out that she has become pregnant, he is galled at the thought of having to marry her and swears to her tear-filled face that he'll make her life miserable. Sure, much later in the book, he becomes more affectionate, but for me, nothing could wear off the impression of his initial assaults - and his cruel, cocky remorselessness - followed by the months of temperamental fits, snarling speech and debasing treatment. The fact that the heroine fell in love with this beast is something that can be attributable only to Stockholm Syndrome. She is stuck with him and tries to make the best of it, thanking the Lord that at least he's easy on the eyes. Ooh, how romantic; my knees are knocking. Regardless of what the cultural norms of the time were, Captain Birmingham's behavior is loathsome; one need look at his brother - a man raised in the same culture and era - to see who truly should have been the hero of the novel.

This has been only the second romance novel I've read; the first was Saving Grace by Julie Garwood - the hero there also likes to raise his voice and act in a gruff manner, but there's no mistaking the underlying humanity, integrity and gentleness in him, not to mention the fact that he truly respects the heroine, encourages her to be herself and does not try to squash her spirit (there, despite a nearly equal gap in ages to the one in The Flame and the Flower, I could understand why the two fell in love). So unlike the emotional and mental abuse heaped on the heroine of this novel, who is sufficiently broken and resigned to her lot to desire her repugnant husband's love! Before the inevitable declarations of mutual love, she is so starved of comfort that she snatches up any little kindess he occasionally offers when the whim strikes him. He's disgusting and distinguishable from the villains of the novel only by his good looks, which are supposed to somehow make up for his boorish behavior.

I was eager to read this book after having read all the reviews. I was aware of the rape scenes and have to admit they were not as bad as I thought they would be. However, I am struck by how submissive Heather was despite supposedly being half Irish. The characters continually said how much of a temper she had, but she was always coiling away from Brandon. I was touched by the love story but could not bring myself to understand how Heather could end up loving her raper. This book was definitely better than KW's newest story, The Reluctant Suitor, but I did not enjoy the way the love story came about.

If you get the chance, read this book!!! It is a classic. And to those who seem to find it distasteful, "Please," get over it. The "rape" scene happened in the 18th century and should be viewed as very probably for that Period. It is not intended to reflect the values of our time. Therefore, it should be viewed and judged for the period it portrays.

As such, I found this to be one of my all time favorites of Kathleen Woodiwiss. I say one, because none of her books thus far have been able to top Shanna.

I still consider this book a rare classic, but after reading it again for the first time in more than 20 years, I see what other readers who were disturbed by this book saw. No excuse in the world made it all right for Brandon to rape an innocent girl. He was supposed to be intelligent, so no, I can no longer buy the fact that he mistook a protesting girl for a prostitute. The author then had Brandon rape Heather again, and by making him talk gently to her, it was supposed to have been all right. It wasn't. Ugh! But, like so many others, I was totally pulled into this premise. And although I came away with the feeling that Brandon & Heather fell in love the first time I read this book, I really didn't get that feeling this time. I had to ask myself, how did they fall in love? Neither one had any outstanding personality traits to form an attraction, with the exception of their good looks. I also used to think that a 35 year old man and an 18 year old girl was fine for the era, but I realize now it was not. I wonder now why KW made him so old?

I absolutely loved this book! It captured my interest from the very beginning and as the story developed, I had more and more difficulty putting it down. It is one of those books that you just don't want to end because you get so caught up in the characters. I am excited to read the sequel, "The Elusive Flame."

I have just ordered this book (and 8 other Woodiwiss books) and am amused by the reviews thusfar. It seems to be an "I love it" or an "I hate it" book. Which brings to mind other books that have had the same effect on people. Whether you love it or hate it, apparently the book is good enough to cause 113 reviews, which is more than most of the romance novels I've seen at Amazon. Once I've read it, I fully intend to come back and write a REAL review.

I have read the Flame and The Flower four times and I know it is a book I could read 400 hundred times. This book has been a family tradition. My grandma read it and pasted it on to my mother, my mother pasted it on to my sister, and then I was the last to read it. I read it for the first time when I was in college. That was four years ago and have read it every year since then. It brings all the romance back in my life that I need. I find this book so intriguing. I think Heather was a courage women and Brandon such a stallion. The love that these two people have for each other is wonderful. This book brings such warmth to my heart that I can't help but expressive my feelings for everyone. Sometimes when I need a relaxer I go and reread parts from the book. I incourage people to read this book. I LOVE IT!!!!

The Flame and the Flower was the first historical romance that I read as a teenager. I am now 42 and still love it. I read all the books about the Birminghams and loved them all. I read all of the bad and good reviews and all the things about the rapes.The only thing I can say is that this book is fiction. I read a book for enjoyment not to analyze it. Yes Brandon raped Heather but they fell in love and lived happily ever after. If we take everything as true then I feel sorry for the children reading Cinderella & other childrens clasics.This is a fictional story and for the time frame the 1800's that's the way things were. Right or wrong marriages were arranged and the young girls married older men, there were slaves and that was how it was. I think the book would have been very boring if Brandon had met Heather at a party and was a complete gentleman, courted her, married her and then got her pregnant. I think if you read this book you won't be disappointed. In fact I think I'll read it again after I finish The Reluctant Suitor.