Demelza slowly but surely settles in Nampara and gives birth to a little baby girl, Julia. Because she is giving her best to fit in and to please her husband, she decides to make two christening parties: one for her poor neighbors- the miners, and one for the gentry folks. Her troubled father, a Methodist, shows up at the wrong time and manage to insult some of the gentries, making Demelza STILL look like a poor maid who doesn't belong between them even if she is Ross's wife for quite some time now. She doesn't get very discouraged, especially because Ross stands on her side.
Throughout the book, Ross struggles with the mining business and keep finding ways to keep greedy George Warleggan on the side who slowly becomes one of those characters you love to hate.
Demelza, having a big heart and good intentions toward Ross's dear cousin Verity who now became a good friend of her as well, decides to take some things in her hands and reunite Verity and Captain Blamey without Ross's consent after he disagrees with that reunion.
In the meanwhile, Ross is caught up in the sad affair of Jim Carter, the young man sent to prison for poaching. He makes a dramatic decision in order to save him and that action stirs displeasure between him and few county leaders.

Between beautiful descriptions of Cornwall and constant problems that Ross faces, "Demelza" book was another interesting read which leaves readers wanting more.

I especially liked the new character, Dwight Enys. He was pure refreshment for poor citizens of Cornwall. In the book, Dwight meets Ross when he moves to Cornwall but in the TV show they met during the American Revolutionary War where he was working as a doctor. Eventually, he became good friends with Ross and Demelza while helping poor citizens by providing often free medical services.
Enys makes a mistake by getting involved with young Keren Daniel, wife of one of the miners- Mark Daniel, and slightly loses credibility but his character is so wonderfully honest and respectful that readers cannot feel anything less than admiration, especially when he admits his mistake and tries to fix it.
On the other hand, Keren wasn't chaste, she seduced him consciously and with purpose, so it was very easy to start admiring him again. I look forward to see where his story ends.

I wanted to continue with the next book in the series, "Jeremy Poldark" of course .

I already mentioned poetic descriptions of Cornwall in the previous review. This book also wasn't lacking any of it— it really draws readers into the setting. As a non-British lover of British period dramas, I truly admire W. Graham's ability to make the readers feel all that poetic love for Cornwall. I found Cornish language in conversations confusing at times because I'm not English but the description of the panorama, beaches, and even mines is stunning. I always share an excerpt from the book that moves me in some way and this time it's a description of the Grambler mine, right after it got closed and how it affected workers for who the mine was the only source of income. And right here is the reason why I feel such affection toward "Poldark" book series.

After resting a minute or two Zacky picked up his shovel and pick again and turned to go home. As he did so he saw Paul Daniel waiting by the engine house.
'I thought I'd make sartin you was out,' Paul said, rather apologetic as Zacky reached him. 'You was a long time after the rest of us.'
'Yes,' said Zacky. 'Just had a last look round.'
They walked off together towards Mellin.
And then the mine was quite deserted and alone in the mist. And the silence of its inactivity and the silence of the windless misty day was like a pall on the countryside. No rough boot jarred upon the old paved way between the office and the changing-shed. No voice called from the engine house or shouted a joke across the shaft. No women clustered today about the engine to get hot water for their clothes. No bal-maidens or spallers talked and chattered on the washing floors. All was in place but nothing stirred. Grambler existed but no longer lived. And in its vitals the water was very slowly filling up the holes and the burrowings of two hundred years.
The mine was still and the day was still and no man moved. Only somewhere up in the mist a seagull was abroad, and crying, crying, crying.

Winston Mawdsley Graham OBE (30 June 1908 – 10 July 2003) was an English novelist best known for the Poldark series of historical novels set in Cornwall. He was Chairman of the Society of Authors and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, and in 1983 was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Interested in buying this? Support Writing.Com by making your purchase of Demelza: A Novel of Cornwall, 1788-1790 (The Poldark Saga)   from Amazon.Com!

Created Feb 28, 2019 at 1:57pm • Submit your own review...