I acquired a copy of this book when it was published in a new edition in 2015 following Colleen McCullough’s death that year. For some reason, despite loving The Thorn Birds (which I read long before I started blogging so have no review to link to here), I had never read any of her other books and was looking forward to this one. Then I read that there had been accusations of plagiarism when the book was originally published in 1987 due to it apparently being so similar to LM Montgomery’s 1926 novel, The Blue Castle, and that put me off for a while. However, I was looking for something to read for Aus Reading Month (hosted by Brona of This Reading Life and thought I would give it a try. I was unsure whether I could also count it towards Novellas in November as there were 224 pages in my edition (more than the upper limit of 200 for a novella) but several of those pages turned out to be an excerpt from another McCullough book, so I think it counts!
The Ladies of Missalonghi is set in the early 1900s in the small town of Byron in Australia’s Blue Mountains. For generations the Hurlingford family, descendants of the town’s founder, the first Sir William Hurlingford, have held all the power in Byron, owning most of the land and running almost all of the businesses. Only the male Hurlingfords are able to inherit financially, so any unmarried or widowed women find themselves impoverished and relying on the charity of their relatives. Thirty-three-year-old Missy Wright is one of these women; she has never married and lives with her widowed mother, Drusilla Wright (formerly Hurlingford), and spinster aunt, Octavia, in a house known as Missalonghi after the Greek town where the poet Lord Byron died in 1824.
Plain and dark-haired in a clan of tall, blonde Hurlingfords and always dressed in brown to save money, it is now looking likely that Missy will remain single, but she has never given up hope of one day owning a red dress and escaping from her humdrum existence. The romance novels provided by her librarian friend Una are her ‘only solace and sole luxury’ – until one day a stranger arrives in Byron. His name is John Smith and he has bought land in the valley nearby. Has Missy found a way to escape at last?
The Ladies of Missalonghi is in many ways a typical romance novel but it’s an enjoyable one and has a few elements that I found particularly interesting. First, there’s the portrayal of the fate of unmarried women in the years just before World War I, women like Missy, Drusilla and Octavia who lack financial independence and have limited options for improving their position in life. The women of Missalonghi have been treated badly by the men they are forced to rely on for support and scorned by the wealthier, more privileged Hurlingford women. Missy is determined to see these people get their comeuppance, but I won’t tell you how she goes about it as that’s part of the fun of the story!
There’s also a supernatural element that I wasn’t expecting – quite a subtle one, but it’s there and I’m not really sure that it was necessary, particularly as it only emerges at the end and there weren’t any clues to suggest that it was going to happen. On the other hand, it fits with the whole fairy-tale feel of the plot (with Missy as Cinderella). It was actually the romantic thread of the novel that I found least interesting as there didn’t appear to be any chemistry between hero and heroine and their relationship seemed to be based on lies and deceit.
As for the plagiarism issue, I have never read The Blue Castle so can’t comment. McCullough denied the allegations, saying the similarities were unintentional – she had read the book as a child and the details must have stayed with her subconsciously. Whether that’s the truth or not, I can’t see why an already successful author would do something like that deliberately, knowing she would be found out. I’ll have to read The Blue Castle one day to see what I think.
She Reads Novels 
I tried to read the Thornbirds some years ago but didn’t get on with it too much. From your description of the plot of this one I do see hints of the Blue Castle but also its own additions. Glad you enjoyed it though. I’d love to see how she gets even with the.lm. as for the Blue Castle, I highly recommend it. The ending was perhaps a bit over the top but I still love the book.
I’m glad you would recommend The Blue Castle. I read Montgomery’s Anne series as a child but never looked for any of her other books. I’m curious to read it now and see how similar it is to this book.
Oh me too. I read her Anne books in school but only came across the rest as an adult through a friend who loves them. Blue Castle is the only one geared towards older audiences but I’d also recommend Jane of Lantern Hill and The Story Girl books very much.
I read and loved The Thorn Birds years ago, and The Blue Castle is also one of my favorite books. But I’ve never read this one. I want to check it out now and see how similar it really is to The Blue Castle. But aren’t all romances kind of similar? Especially if there’s a bit of a Cinderella feel to their plots?
Yes, I’m sure some of the similarities are probably things you would find in a lot of romances. I want to read The Blue Castle now so I can see for myself. I’m glad to hear it’s one of your favourite books!
I read several books by McCullough but not this one.
Apart from The Thorn Birds, I haven’t read any others. I’ve always meant to try her Ancient Rome series.
That one was good. I think I read all of them, or I may not have been able to find the last one.
I read only one of the ancient Rome books – Antony and Cleopatra, which was pretty good. I have been meaning to read the others too.
When I saw you were reviewing this, I automatically said “OMG”! It has been years since I read this, because I think I bought it when it was first published, in 1987! I just loved the writing here, and the story was fascinating. I also heard about that business with The Blue Castle but it wasn’t like they said she copied whole passages of text, just the essentials of the plot. No matter. I loved this book. As for it being a novella – YES. My copy is 187 pages so you have no reason to not count this for NovNov!
Yes, I love Colleen McCullough’s writing. I’m glad you enjoyed this one too. It’s good to know that it’s definitely a novella!
I read this years ago. It wasn’t bad, but none of her other books are a patch on The Thorn Birds!
I suppose there’s a reason why The Thorn Birds was her best known book! This one was good as well, though, and I’ll look for some of her others.
I don’t think I have ever read this although remember the allegations of plagiarism. Now I do think I’d like to try it! I’ve never got around to reading her ancient Rome series which I am told I would enjoy. You should read The Blue Castle before the movie comes out:
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/lucy-maud-montgomery-the-blue-castle-movie-adaptation-1235140653/
Thanks for the link. I hadn’t heard about that. It gives me an extra reason to read The Blue Castle sooner rather than later!
I read this for AusReading Month in 2017 – I remembered enjoying it and here’s my review if you fancy reading it. I don’t think I ever read The Thorn Birds! https://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2017/11/07/book-review-colleen-mccullough-the-ladies-of-missalonghi/
I’m glad you enjoyed it – thanks for linking to your review! I loved The Thorn Birds, but it was a long time ago when I read it and I’m not sure what I would think of it now.
I love both The Ladies and The Blue Castle. The similarities are unmistakable, but I do not think it was deliberate plagarism.
Both these books are my rainy day blues books – something I pull out when I need cheering up 🙂
I’m pleased to hear you don’t think the plagiarism was deliberate. I’m hoping to read The Blue Castle soon and will look out for the similarities.