The Garden of Swords
In The Garden of Swords, Max Pemberton tells a poignant story of a young Englishwoman navigating love and war in 1870s France, as she grapples with the harsh realities of conflict, loss, and loyalty amidst the looming threat of the Prussian advance. The contrast between the vibrant atmosphere of the gardens and the grim situation outside highlights the tension and uncertainty faced by the citizens of Strasburg.
By Max Pemberton · First published 1894 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Adventure, Romance · 31 chapters · 82,711 words
First lines
Old Pere Bonot, sunning himself before the doors of a cafe by the minster, held the _Courrier du Bas-Rhin_ in his hand, and vouchsafed to Rosenbad, the brewer, and to Hummel, the vintner, such particulars of the forthcoming wedding as he found to be good. A glass of coffee stood at Pere Bonot's elbow; his blue spectacles rested high upon a forehead where no wrinkles sat; the smoke from his cigarette hung in little white clouds about his iron-grey hair. He sat before the great cathedral of Strasburg; but the paper and its words carried him away to a little village of the mountains where, forty years ago, he had knelt at the altar with Henriette at his side, and an old priest had blessed him, and he had gone out to the sunny vineyards, hand in hand with his girl-wife to their home in a forest of the Vosges. There were tears in old Bonot's eyes when he took up the _Courrier_ again.
What this Textopian page supports
The Garden of Swords is listed on Textopian as a novel by Max Pemberton, dated 1894 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Max Pemberton
- Date: 1894 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Historical Fiction, Adventure, Romance, Drama, Fantasy
- Length: 82,711 words
- Structure: 31 chapters, 1,222 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Garden of Swords by Max Pemberton
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Garden of Swords?
- How does this novel by Max Pemberton fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Historical Fiction first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Historical Fiction — The novel is set in a historical context, exploring themes and events relevant to a specific time period.
- Adventure — The plot involves elements of adventure, including quests and challenges faced by the characters.
- Romance — Romantic relationships and emotional connections are central to the character development and plot progression.
- Drama — The narrative includes intense character interactions and emotional conflicts, typical of dramatic literature.
Tags
Fantasy · Adventure · Epic · Quest · Magic · Swords · Warfare · Battle · Heroism · Coming of Age · Self-Discovery · Friendship
Contents
- Pere Bonot Reads the "Courrier"
- At the Place Kleber
- "a Looming Bastion"
- At the Chalet of the Niederwald
- The Herald of the Storm
- The Last Day of July
- "those Others"
- Over the Hearts of France
- The Fugitive
- Waiting
- The Hussars are at Gunstett
- The Blood-Red Day of Woerth
- The Death Ride
- Night
- A Bivouac of Dragoons
- The Promise
- The City of the Golden Mists
- The First Days
- A Face at the Window
- The Beginning of the Terror
- The Rue De L'Arc-En-Ciel
- "La Pauvre"
- The Night of Truce
- An Ultimatum
- Confession
- The Light in the Window
- Accusation
- "if Strasburg Falls"
- The Letter
- In the House of Laroche
- "there is Night in the Hills"