Typical Cookson but Gillian Kearney is a Shining Star

**spoilers**

This Cookson melodrama was marginally more bearable than many I have seen due to the presence of Gillian Kearney, who plays our heroine, Emily. She was adorable. Unfortunately, her character puts up with way too much from her abusive lover who beats her, steals from her, cheats on her, refuses to marry her, lies to her, etc. Why? Why? Why? As is far too usual in a Cookson pot-boiler, this farmer, who married for money, and then was cut out of any rights to his dead wife’s property, starts off as a really good guy. Luckily, the real good guy turns up in the last 45 minutes, cleverly disguised as a questionable sort, being, as he is, an ex-con, imprisoned for murder in America and the first and only true husband of Emily’s dead employer and our farmer’s dead wife. Cookson’s heroines are just too Thomas Hardy for me. A little buffeting by fate is fine, to get things going, but not all the way through the whole dang story without relief or a little self- determination.**6 stars out of 10**

June 22, 2017