The Mazzard Tree by Marcia Clayton

Blurb

1880 North Devon, England
Annie Carter is a farm labourer’s daughter and life is a continual struggle for survival. When her father dies of consumption, her mother, Sabina, is left with seven hungry mouths to feed and another child on the way. To save them from the workhouse or starvation, Annie steals vegetables from the Manor House garden, risking jail or transportation.
Unknown to her, she is watched by Robert, the wealthy heir to the Hartford Estate, but far from turning her in, he befriends her.

Despite their different social backgrounds, Annie and Robert develop feelings they know can have no future. Harry Rudd, the village blacksmith, has long admired Annie, and when he proposes, her mother urges her to accept. She reminds Annie, that as a kitchen-maid, she will never be allowed to marry Robert. Harry is a good man and Annie is fond of him. Her head knows what she should do, but will her heart listen?

Set against the harsh background of the rough, class-divided society of Victorian England, this heart-warming and captivating novel portrays a young woman who uses her determination and willpower to defy the circumstances of her birth in her search for happiness.

Best Book Editors Review

I began reading Marcia Clayton with the delightful Betsy, a prequel to this series. In that book we see the heroic child grow to womanhood. In The Mazzard Tree, time has moved on and our girl is a grandmother. It’s strange reading her as a matriarch after knowing her as a six-year-old… but fantastic.

We have to make comparisons to the wonderful Catherine Cookson in these books—but if anything, I think these are harder. What I loved most about The Mazzard Tree is that it opens with a bang. The first chapter dives straight into a disaster with no preamble and we get into the book from page one. It’s gruelling, and we know that life hasn’t got any easier for these people. It’s brilliantly told with joy and laughter—and a lot of heartache and loss. It leads you through every human emotion and is beautifully written.

The rural charm and social divisions are stark and both poignant and heartwarming. The descriptions of the countryside and the harsh realities of life in Victorian England are great. and rich with historical detail. The connection between Annie and Robert is perfect, making their growing feelings feel genuine despite their social divide.

A great read.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

OTHER AMAZON REVIEWS

J.H

A wonderful read.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 February 2023

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The Mazzard Tree, by Marcia Clayton.

This is an incredibly moving first book in the series. I loved every chapter as the well-crafted characters carried me away to rural, North Devonshire in the 1880s.
A beautifully written story that I was thoroughly engrossed in from the very first page to the final page in the book. A wonderful start to the series.

The story centres on the rich Fellwood family, owners of Hartford Manor, and the working families who live in the poorly maintained tied cottages, owned by Lord Fellwood.
With little food and damp, draughty homes, illness was rife among the lower-class families who had to endure life in these cottages. In the harsh winter conditions, premature deaths and disease claimed the lives of the vulnerable. The community grouped together to support each other, and friendships and match making were prevalent with love in the air.
I especially enjoyed the chapters which featured Annie Carter, and Robert, the second son of the owner. Their relationship seemed doomed from the start, and I found myself rooting for them and hoping for a happy outcome. A beautiful heartfelt story.

This story would make an excellent film or a television series.
I can’t wait to read the next instalment in this series.
Highly recommended.

★★★★★

Kindle reader

outstanding

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 February 2023

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The Mazzard tree is a real slice of life from the late 19th century, following a number of people from a rural village in Devon. Written in third person, we get to take a deep look into the lives of the villagers and see the sharp divide between the rich and the poor. The story follows a number of different characters, whose lives are all entwined and who all have their own problems and obstacles to overcome, making this a compelling read.

The characters really are fantastically written. I love it when I can get invested in the characters of a book and their lives, and this book does that to perfection. More than once I’ve had to put this book down and take a break because the emotions it draws out of the reader are so strong. The author uses excellent imagery to draw the reader in, and at times I felt like I was there.

An absolutely fantastic read with some wonderful, bitter-sweet, and absolutely horrifying moments that will have you rooting for some characters and praying others get their comeuppance. Outstanding. I wish I could give more than five stars.

★★★★★

Karen Inkle

What a gem!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 March 2022

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Tom died and the cottage they lived in was now compromised as it was conditional to working on the estate. His wife, Sabrina and the 6 children would now have to move out. With no income, the workhouse beckoned but an unexpected offer came from neighbour who was in the same boat.
This is a story of many families suffering hardship, near starvation and living in squalid conditions but as a united communuty, face these head on and pull together in dark times to help each other where they can.
An excellent, true to life story, where the lines that divide rich and poor are clearly drawn. It made me smile when the author wrote about newspapers being ironed and change being washed, unbelievable in this day and age but back in Victoria England in the 1880s you can just see this happening! Well written, a compelling read that draws you in from the start and brings vivid imagery to life with the skilful descriptive writing of this talented author. Great read, look forward to more!

About the Author

A farmer’s daughter, Marcia Clayton, was born in North Devon, a rural and picturesque area in the far South West of England. When she left school, Marcia worked in a bank for several years until she married her husband, Bryan, and then stayed at home for a few years to care for her three sons, Stuart, Paul, and David. As the children grew older, Marcia worked as a Marie Curie nurse caring for the terminally ill and later for the local authority managing school transport. Now a grandmother, Marcia enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She is a keen researcher of family history, and this hobby inspired some of the characters in her books. Marcia and Bryan are keen gardeners and grow many of their own vegetables. An avid reader, Marcia can often be found with her nose in a book when she should be doing something else! Her favourite genres are historical fiction, romance, and crime. Marcia has written five books in the historical family saga, “The Hartford Manor Series”, and is working on the sixth. Besides writing books, Marcia produces blogs to share with her readers in a monthly newsletter.

Product description

Review

A plot for a BBC series

The plot of this novel is amazing for all lovers of historical dramas. The love between young Annie Carter of a farm labourer family and wealthy heir, Robert, takes place in Victorian England. The characters are so vividly and emotionally written that I got involved in the story along with the characters. Will young lovers be able to overcome class differences and get their share of happiness? I empathized with the heroes, imagining how the world has changed over these 150 years. I highly recommend this novel for long cold evenings by the fireplace.

A captivating story.

This is a powerful novel about the harsh realities of life in the late 1800s if you are poor. The story is set around Annie Carter, a farm labourer’s daughter. Like all poor families of that era, they struggle to make ends meet and, when her father dies, the situation becomes dire. Annie resorts to stealing vegetables from the nearby manor house and meets Robert, the second son of the owner. And so begins a beautiful, but possibly doomed love story. I love the author’s style. Her description of life in those days completely captured me. I grew up in rural Northern Ireland in the 1960s and remember getting up on cold winter mornings to do the milking. I also remember rosehip seeds being put down my back! I loved this book and am looking forward to now reading the next one.

A most impressive debut novel

The Mazzard Tree opens the door to a family in crisis, their harsh life set to become even tougher. Struggling to help feed her family, daughter Annie finds an unexpected ally in Robert, second son of Lord Fellwood at nearby Hartford Manor, and it is their story which drives the novel. They are supported by a large extended family and village community whose own lives are woven into the narrative with skill and sensitivity. Prepare to be heartened, saddened and even shocked by this tale which is as rooted in the North Devon soil as the mazzard tree itself.

I couldn’t put this book down and finished it in four days! It is so easy to fall in love with the characters and the storyline keeps you hooked. From the very first chapter, I thoroughly enjoyed The Mazzard Tree. I would recommend it to anyone needing a bit of an escape from everyday life!

A wonderful book. So well written you feel you are actually in the story.

A well-paced and delightful romantic historical read. I feel I have been part of the villagers’ lives and am looking forward to the next book. I would definitely recommend it.

I loved this book and couldn’t put it down. Interesting characters and vividly reflects the period in which the story is set. I strongly recommend this book and its author.

A compelling read!

The Mazzard Tree is set in 1880, in Devon, in a series of interwoven stories, it charts the goings-on in the Hartford Mansion and with the tenants of the adjoining village. At the centre of the plot is Annie, the daughter of Sabine, a family in terrible poverty, and her relationship with Robert, the second son of Lord Fellwood. The novel’s portrayal of the brutality of the life of the poor is vivid and shows a marked contrast to that of the wealthy with their sense of entitlement. Despite the abject conditions the poor live in, Clayton manages to get across hope in their camaraderie and willingness to help each other. In her descriptions of the characters, the places and the environment, the writing is assured and compelling, and the tales unfold seamlessly and quickly. At times it is heart-rendering but sprinkled with optimism. I have enjoyed this historical romance, and look forward to the other books in the series. It is well-researched and a compelling read, and I would recommend it.