Ease Reading-Find Your Next Favorite Book

Hot Search

Morland Dynasty #6

The Long Shadow

cynthia harrod-eagles

... Show More
1670 - Charles II and James II

Morland Place has flourished under Ralph's stewardship, while Annunciata is a great lady of the Court. Splendid futures seem to be promised for her children; but the religious rift opened by Henry VIII has never been fully healed, and conflict resurfaces at the accession of the Catholic James II. Frightening times ensue, when it is impossible to know who to trust. Annunciata herself is put on trial, while jealousy, betrayal and sudden death threaten her family. And in the shadow of revolution comes a new love to Annunciata, one that can only lead to tragedy.

368 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 14,1983
Series
Morland Dynasty

This edition

Format
368 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published
June 23, 1994 by Sphere
ISBN
9780751506433
ASIN
0751506435
Language
English

More editions

About the author

Profile Image for cynthia harrod-eagles

cynthia harrod-eagles

... Show More
Cynthia Harrod-Eagles (aka Emma Woodhouse, Elizabeth Bennett)

Cynthia Harrod-Eagles was born on 13 August 1948 in Shepherd's Bush, London, England, where was educated at Burlington School, a girls' charity school founded in 1699, and at the University of Edinburgh and University College London, where she studied English, history and philosophy.

She had a variety of jobs in the commercial world, starting as a junior cashier at Woolworth's and working her way down to Pensions Officer at the BBC.

She wrote her first novel while at university and in 1972 won the Young Writers' Award with The Waiting Game. The birth of the MORLAND DYNASTY series enabled Cynthia Harrod-Eagles to become a full-time writer in 1979. The series was originally intended to comprise twelve volumes, but it has proved so popular that it has now been extended to thirty-four.

In 1993 she won the Romantic Novelists' Association Romantic Novel of the Year Award with Emily, the third volume of her Kirov Saga, a trilogy set in nineteenth century Russia.

Readers also enjoyed

Community Reviews

Rating(4.1 / 5.0, 28 votes)
5 stars
12(43%)
4 stars
7(25%)
3 stars
9(32%)
2 stars
0(0%)
1 stars
0(0%)
28 reviews All reviews
Profile Image for Kimberly .
tatsukimi
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
March 26,2025
... Show More
Probably my least favourite so far because I find Annunciata SO ANNOYING. Is there anyone that woman won’t have an affair with? Her own step-son/son-in-law shows terrible judgment and the way the book tries to excuse it was difficult to read. On the other hand, yay for a female character being sexually free? I suppose the plot just wasn’t really for me.
0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
Kuhaikyu
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
March 26,2025
... Show More
Again I have given this a low ratin because of all the errors getting worse. Have reported many of them but wondr if they will look at them.!
0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
Rockerleo098
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
March 26,2025
... Show More
Sadly I could not get into this one. The earlier ones in this Morland Dynasty series (this one #6) don't interest me much.
Decided to DNF so no rating.
0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
spaceboydom
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
March 26,2025
... Show More
The problem with this book is that the whole time we are keenly aware that absolutely no one would tolerate Annunciata if she wasn’t beautiful. Even the parts where we are clearly supposed to find her charming or witty are dragged down by how thoroughly unpleasant and hypocritical she is. She’s such a raging cunt that I ended up being glad Edward died just because it made her miserable and she deserved that.
0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
Grail_Nikephoros
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
March 26,2025
... Show More

The blurb for The Long Shadow is rather misleading. It talks about the reign of James II as though that forms the bulk of the book, when it's probably less than the final hundred pages. Which in a way is nice, as life for all the Morlands and their connections is better under Charles II than under his brother's four-year reign.

I will say this book killed any liking I had left for Annunciata. Yet again there are few really likeable characters in this series: Hugo got on my nerves, and even Elizabeth Hobart (poor dear) couldn't grab me. Annunciata is fascinating, and a wonderful character, but I don't like her, or have much sympathy for her,

I continue to find it fascinating that Harrod-Eagles take on history is so far from my own. Or should that be her take on the contemporary view as events were unfolding? Still, I've always felt quite sorry for both Mary and Anne, and H-E/her characters seem quite the opposite.
0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
fernyxferny
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
March 26,2025
... Show More
If you don't like Annunciata you might struggle with this book, and there is a lot not to like about her!

Onto the next book in the series.
0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
Beccaliebe
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
March 26,2025
... Show More
Do not read this review if you have not already read the previous book in this series!


After several years of marriage to her cousin Ralph, Annunciata becomes disillusioned with life at Morland Court, and longs for the excitement of London and her friendships with the royal family. Both Annunciata and Ralph are saddened by the deaths of several of their young children. In addition, Annunciata tends to play favorites among the children from her previous marriages, preferring her second son to her first, who resents this treatment. Meanwhile momentous happenings are afoot politically as the Puritans seek to eliminate Catholic influence, even though the royal family is Catholic, as are the Morlands. This leads first to the Monmouth Rebellion, followed several years later by the Glorious Revolution. Both of these seriously affect the Morland family.

I had trouble liking Annunciata in this book which is why I haven't rated it higher. Otherwise it is a fascinating view on an often neglected period of British history.

Recommended.
0 0 Reply
Leave a Review
You must be logged in to rate and post a review. Register an account to get started.