It took me a bit to get into this, because Gilbert Markham is a nice but exasperating young man. Little was I to know that compared to the other men I'd meet in this novel, Gilbert is a paragon of niceness and virtuous thoughts (that aren't always able to stop his rash actions). Also took me a while to sink back into enjoying the lengthy explanatory style of discourse practiced in this time period.

The titular tenant is Helen Graham. She's a mysterious widow with lustrous black hair, has a young son, and is an accomplished artist - in fact, that's how she makes her living when Gilbert becomes acquainted with her. The story is framed thus: Gilbert is recounting his first meeting Helen to his brother in law through letters. A third of the way through the book, Gilbert is given Helen's diary to read as an explanation of why she has to keep away from society and why he shouldn't be jealous of her landlord, Frederick. Most of the book is the contents of the diary, apart from switching back to Gilbert's voice at the end. So Gilbert is really a framing device to know Helen's story - it's almost unnecessary to have Gilbert there except as an outside eye to the proceedings, I guess? Helen is the core, and she's the reason this story is so compelling to me. Even though she is very strict and moral, she doesn't come across as a nag or a prude or any other stereotype. All the characters in this book, even through the language that sounds older to our ears, are very fresh and people we've all been or known or come across in life. Anne B. builds from life and her people are so vivid.

The main point is that Helen marries someone and then realizes he's worthless and mean-spirited and controlling and his friends are all also terrible in different ways. As the foreward says, it's an effective depiction of what it is like to be in a situation where you are humiliated and betrayed but have to submit to it. And it seems like Anne might have felt this way from real life, being the youngest and most dismissed in her family (and also having a brother who died of the side effects of alcoholism due to a broken heart). Scandal.

It took me a bit to get into this, because Gilbert Markham is a nice but exasperating young man. Little was I to know that compared to the other men I'd meet in this novel, Gilbert is a paragon of niceness and virtuous thoughts (that aren't always able to stop his rash actions). Also took me a while to sink back into enjoying the lengthy explanatory style of discourse practiced in this time period.

The titular tenant is Helen Graham. She's a mysterious widow with lustrous black hair, has a young son, and is an accomplished artist - in fact, that's how she makes her living when Gilbert becomes acquainted with her. The story is framed thus: Gilbert is recounting his first meeting Helen to his brother in law through letters. A third of the way through the book, Gilbert is given Helen's diary to read as an explanation of why she has to keep away from society and why he shouldn't be jealous of her landlord, Frederick. Most of the book is the contents of the diary, apart from switching back to Gilbert's voice at the end. So Gilbert is really a framing device to know Helen's story - it's almost unnecessary to have Gilbert there except as an outside eye to the proceedings, I guess? Helen is the core, and she's the reason this story is so compelling to me. Even though she is very strict and moral, she doesn't come across as a nag or a prude or any other stereotype. All the characters in this book, even through the language that sounds older to our ears, are very fresh and people we've all been or known or come across in life. Anne B. builds from life and her people are so vivid.

The main point is that Helen marries someone and then realizes he's worthless and mean-spirited and controlling and his friends are all also terrible in different ways. As the foreward says, it's an effective depiction of what it is like to be in a situation where you are humiliated and betrayed but have to submit to it. And it seems like Anne might have felt this way from real life, being the youngest and most dismissed in her family (and also having a brother who died of the side effects of alcoholism due to a broken heart). Scandal.

It took me a bit to get into this, because Gilbert Markham is a nice but exasperating young man. Little was I to know that compared to the other men I'd meet in this novel, Gilbert is a paragon of niceness and virtuous thoughts (that aren't always able to stop his rash actions). Also took me a while to sink back into enjoying the lengthy explanatory style of discourse practiced in this time period.

The titular tenant is Helen Graham. She's a mysterious widow with lustrous black hair, has a young son, and is an accomplished artist - in fact, that's how she makes her living when Gilbert becomes acquainted with her. The story is framed thus: Gilbert is recounting his first meeting Helen to his brother in law through letters. A third of the way through the book, Gilbert is given Helen's diary to read as an explanation of why she has to keep away from society and why he shouldn't be jealous of her landlord, Frederick. Most of the book is the contents of the diary, apart from switching back to Gilbert's voice at the end. So Gilbert is really a framing device to know Helen's story - it's almost unnecessary to have Gilbert there except as an outside eye to the proceedings, I guess? Helen is the core, and she's the reason this story is so compelling to me. Even though she is very strict and moral, she doesn't come across as a nag or a prude or any other stereotype. All the characters in this book, even through the language that sounds older to our ears, are very fresh and people we've all been or known or come across in life. Anne B. builds from life and her people are so vivid.

The main point is that Helen marries someone and then realizes he's worthless and mean-spirited and controlling and his friends are all also terrible in different ways. As the foreward says, it's an effective depiction of what it is like to be in a situation where you are humiliated and betrayed but have to submit to it. And it seems like Anne might have felt this way from real life, being the youngest and most dismissed in her family (and also having a brother who died of the side effects of alcoholism due to a broken heart). Scandal.

Beschreibung

Studentin Emma begleitet im Jahr 1987 eine Schülergruppe zu einer Bergwanderung in den Dolomiten. Durch Zufall findet sie einen geheimnisvollen Ring, der ihr in einer Auseinandersetzung von zwei Schülern abgenommen wird. Schließlich landet Emma im sagenumwobenen Rosengarten des Zwergenkönigs Laurin. Der Zutritt in den wunderschönen Rosengarten bekommt Emma teuer zu stehen, denn der Zutritt ist strengstens verboten und die Zwerge verschleppen sie so in ihr unterirdisches Reich.

 

Zu allem Überfluss glaubt der Zwergenkönig in Emma seine einstige große Liebe wiederzuerkennen und möchte sie so schnell wie möglich heiraten. Gemeinsam mit Jonathan, der ebenfalls ein Gefangener von Laurin ist, gelingt ihr die Flucht. Endlich wieder zurück in der Menschenwelt müssen Emma und Jonathan schockiert feststellen, dass seit ihrer Gefangennahme viele Jahre ins Land gegangen sind. Zudem konnte der Zwergenkönig sie mit einem Fluch belegen, den sie nur lösen können, wenn sie den magischen Ring wiederfinden…

 

Meine Meinung

 

“Die gestohlene Zeit” ist der neue Roman von Heike Eva Schmidt, und da mich die Autorin mit ihrem Debüt “Purpurmond” begeistert hat musste ich einfach auch das neuste Werk aus ihrer Feder lesen.

 

Die ersten Kapitel haben mich etwas ernüchtert zurückgelassen. Wie soll eine Lehramt-Studentin und die wahrgewordene Sage der Zwerge, insbesondere die Sage des Zwergenkönigs Laurin zueinander passen? Eigentlich unmöglich, dass daraus eine Geschichte entstehen soll, die mir gefällt.

 

Das Aha-Erlebnis kam jedoch, und Heike Eva Schmidt’s Geschichte nahm einzigartige Formen an. Eine Mischung aus Fantasy, Humor und Action haben mir tolle Lesestunden beschert.

 

Besonders überwältigend fand ich das Zusammenspiel der unterschiedlichen Charaktere. Es gibt zahlreiche Dialoge, die mein Leseherz höher schlagen liesen und ebensoviele Aktionen, die eine tolle Spannung erzeugten. Die Hauptprotagonisten Emma und Jonathan habe ich schnell in mein Herz geschlossen. Sie sind so liebenswürdig – man muss sie einfach gern haben!

 

Ich bin nicht der große Zwerge-Fan, und doch ist es Heike Eva Schmidt gelungen mich völlig zu begeistern. Mit viel Humor und liebenswürdigen Figuren stiehlt sich “Die gestohlene Zeit” im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes direkt in mein Herz.

 

So vergebe ich 5 von 5 Grinsekatzen für dieses gelungende Leseabenteuer! Schon jetzt freue ich mich darauf neues von der Autorin zu hören.

 

Über die Autorin

 

Heike Eva Schmidt wurde in Bamberg im Zeichen des Skorpions geboren und absolvierte ein Studium der Schulpsychologie. Danach wechselte sie zum Journalismus. 2000 erhielt Heike Eva Schmidt ein Stipendium an der Drehbuchwerkstatt München und 2010 erfüllte sie sich schließlich ihren Kindheitstraum, Romane zu schreiben. 2012 erschien mit “Purpurmond” ihr erster Fantasyroman.

 

Fazit

 

Ein humorvoll-phantastisches Buch mit Suchtfaktor!