Sunlight-Colored Roses

This winter break I’ve been re-reading Miracle, by Katherine Sutcliffe. When I was in high school, she was my favorite author, next to Victoria Holt.

I’m amazed by how much Miracle inspired my own story ideas. I remember in college trying to write like Katherine Sutcliffe, when I was trying seriously to publish a romance novel, and it turning out pretty awful. I mimicked her style of dialogue and the dramatic way she sets a scene, but it wasn’t really how I think or write at all, and it rings false.

All in all, Miracle is an incredibly unique novel. One thing I love about Sutcliffe’s novels is the epigraphs before each chapter. Each one makes me want to delve into classic literature. I especially like the quotes from Shakespeare and classic etiquette guides.

I love that Miracle practices magic. That was something I didn’t remember (though in my post in 2010 I seemed to remember a lot more about the story).

I think that during this time period, romance heroines were very spirited and feisty. Sort of like how many of Victoria Holt’s heroines are staunch and cold. I felt that in Miracle, there was an over-emphasis on Miracle herself and all her charms and capers. I think there was plenty of room for Miracle to transition from being a selfish child-woman to a mature adult, as happens in Anya Seton’s works. It’s hard to get to the end of the work and see Miracle continuing to act like a selfish child.

The other major thing I don’t like about the work is the overall scenario of Trey getting Clayton to woo his bride for him, all the while intending the bride for Clayton. I found it difficult to understand why Trey and the duchess carried the ruse on for so long once Miracle got to London. It felt like there was some discontinuity there, like perhaps the story was originally written as Trey intending to marry Miracle. Otherwise, it makes no sense why Trey would visit Miracle in London and nearly rape her, and also allow Clayton to purchase her an extravagant wardrobe on Trey’s account, when Trey is virtually penniless. Plus, if Miracle herself is penniless, how can Clayton really believe Trey wants to marry her, if he has the pick of all the women in England?

I remember liking Miracle in high school but not loving it. I remember the sequel, Devotion, being one of my favorite books of all time. It will be interesting to see how Trey and Maria have held up over time, because I remember liking them a lot. The “I smell like a fucking flower” bath-time scene left quite an impression on me.