Jalna #6
The Whiteoak Brothers
Mazo de la Roche
In The Whiteoak Brothers, the Jalna household is electric with secrecy and excited expectation. It is now 1923, and while young love blossoms between Pheasant and Piers, Aunt Augusta's friend, Dilly Warkworth, arrives at Jalna and tries to snare the heart of Renny. Eden, meets a persuasive mining broker whose new venture promises miracles. One by one, Eden persuades the other Whiteoaks to part with their savings – even old Adeline.
- Genres Fiction Historical Fiction Canada Historical
513 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1954
About the author
Mazo de la Roche
311 books52 followersMazo de la Roche, born Mazo Louise Roche, was the author of the Jalna novels, one of the most popular series of books of her time.
The Jalna series consists of sixteen novels that tell the story of the Canadian Whiteoak family from 1854 to 1954, although each of the novels can also be enjoyed as an independent story. In the world of the Whiteoaks, as in real life, people live and die, find success and fall to ruin. For the Whiteoaks, there remains something solid and unchanging in the midst of life's transience--the manor house and its rich surrounding farmland known as "Jalna." The author, Mazo de la Roche, gave the members of her fictitious family names from gravestones in Ontario's New Market cemetery, and the story itself balances somewhere between fact and fiction. Critics think events in the novels reflect de la Roche's dreams, moods, and life experiences. As the daughter of a traveling businessman, she may have seen the Jalna estate as the roots she never had, while the character Finch, from Finch's Fortune, is thought to be a reflection of herself.
The Jalna series consists of sixteen novels that tell the story of the Canadian Whiteoak family from 1854 to 1954, although each of the novels can also be enjoyed as an independent story. In the world of the Whiteoaks, as in real life, people live and die, find success and fall to ruin. For the Whiteoaks, there remains something solid and unchanging in the midst of life's transience--the manor house and its rich surrounding farmland known as "Jalna." The author, Mazo de la Roche, gave the members of her fictitious family names from gravestones in Ontario's New Market cemetery, and the story itself balances somewhere between fact and fiction. Critics think events in the novels reflect de la Roche's dreams, moods, and life experiences. As the daughter of a traveling businessman, she may have seen the Jalna estate as the roots she never had, while the character Finch, from Finch's Fortune, is thought to be a reflection of herself.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
Debbie
May 31, 2016
I have reached the end: read all 16 books in the last 11 months. One of the things most appealing about this series is how flawed and outrageous all these Whiteoaks are. This book sets up the next one (actually the first written in the series) perfectly.
Liz
November 29, 2017
More drama in the Whiteoak family. It is fun re-familiarizing myself with the different personalities of each member of the family.
Carolyn
Read
November 5, 2010I think this was my grandmother's book that I found laying around - looks a little mature for a 14 year old to be reading . . .
Jean Carlton
October 28, 2021
Three generations of the Whiteoak family occupy the spectacular estate of Jalna in 1923. As in the previous 5 books of this series the characters come alive - they keep the action moving. Dogs, horses, romances and shenanigans of all sorts overseen by the domineering Amanda at 99 years of age. Wonderful humor sprinkled throughout. Fine prose, delightful descriptions such as:
"Now almost all the leaves had fallen, though the strong brown oak leaves were slow to lose their hold and when they did, sailed majestically to the ground with an air of intention rather than defeat."
Or when big sister Meg insisted on washing the recalcitrant Finch's hair:
He bent over the basin. She made a lather on his head. She rubbed it in. He let himself go then, uttering noisy protests.
"Ouch. You're hurting me! Ow--my ear!"
"Which ear?"
"That one, I think someone hit me on it."
"Nonsense. Nobody hurt your ear. Bend lower."
"Now almost all the leaves had fallen, though the strong brown oak leaves were slow to lose their hold and when they did, sailed majestically to the ground with an air of intention rather than defeat."
Or when big sister Meg insisted on washing the recalcitrant Finch's hair:
He bent over the basin. She made a lather on his head. She rubbed it in. He let himself go then, uttering noisy protests.
"Ouch. You're hurting me! Ow--my ear!"
"Which ear?"
"That one, I think someone hit me on it."
"Nonsense. Nobody hurt your ear. Bend lower."
Mary Stagg
February 7, 2024
In this book, although the main theme is about Eden and his money making scheme which ensnares the whole family apart from Renny, or me the most enduring is the growing relationship between Piers and Pheasant. Renny is being pursued by yet another young woman, a hanger on brought over by Augusta. But of course she doesn't succeed. How could she? Nicholas and Earnest have slipped into old age and Adeline is growing more frail. The other member of the family who is starting to be become very interesting is Finch whilst Wake remains brattish aided and abetted by Meggie who ensures that no-one ever forgets that she was once due to be married. You'd think after 16 years she'd have got over it.
Judith
August 15, 2020
The Whiteoak Brothers in the sixth chronological book of the series. Published in 1953, the story is set in 1923. The main plot of the story is about a gold mining scheme. Eden convinces most of the family to invest in what turns out to be a nonexistent gold mine. The Whiteoaks have mostly frittered away their inheritance and most are adversely effected by this scheme.
There is a side plot involving Dilly Warkworth, yet another woman enraptured by Renny. She has money, but Renny is not tempted.
There is a side plot involving Dilly Warkworth, yet another woman enraptured by Renny. She has money, but Renny is not tempted.
Elinor
March 31, 2023
The humor in these novels is always rewarding. In this sixth book of the series, the Whiteoaks fall prey, one by one, to the lure of making a fortune by speculating in a gold mine. The patriarch Renny Whiteoak almost falls for an unsuitable woman just because she rides well, and he is mad for horses. Meanwhile the younger brother Piers is having his own secret love affair with a sweet young girl. The characters in this series are so well done that I feel as if I know them.
September 26, 2021
One of my comfort books. My Mom introduced me to these in my teens. I have collected all of them
Those and the Miss Read books fill several shelves.
Those and the Miss Read books fill several shelves.
Katie
November 23, 2022
As charming as ever.
Senga Time
February 23, 2023
Dalszy ciąg "Dziedzictwa Whiteoaków", tj. jak dalej układają się relacje braci.
February 20, 2024
I enjoyed this series of books many years ago and am now rereading them and thoroughly loving being reunited with the Whiteoak family
March 15, 2012
THE WHITEOAK BROTHERS takes place in 1923, just one year before the cataclysmic events of JALNA. One year before the Renny-Alayne-Eden romantic triangle, one year before the equally scandalous Eden-Pheasant affair. One year, in fact, and counting before Renny meets his one true love. That being the case, the Master of Jalna isn't allowed much romantic leeway here. The stage, after all, must be kept clear for Alayne's imminent arrival. His only flirtation is with a houseguest, the vapid Dilly Warkworth, whose interest in Renny is never reciprocated. Not much cause for excitement, especially since we all know that Dilly won't be staying.
The main storyline deals instead with a local con artist, Kronk, who's selling shares in a dud gold mine. He becomes Eden's "pal," using Eden as his go-between with the Whiteoak family. Nearly everyone at Jalna, including the 98-year-old Grandmother, is persuaded to invest. Stay tuned for the comic fall-out and watch how Eden handles it...And then there's the Pier-Pheasant love story, which will culminate in their eventual marriage. All very prosaic and predictable. THE WHITEOAK BROTHERS doesn't add much to the series, nor does it detract. It's just there. If you're a lover of anything with the "Jalna" label,if you devour each successive volume, then you'll probably enjoy this offering. As a stand-alone novel, though, it just doesn't work very well.
The main storyline deals instead with a local con artist, Kronk, who's selling shares in a dud gold mine. He becomes Eden's "pal," using Eden as his go-between with the Whiteoak family. Nearly everyone at Jalna, including the 98-year-old Grandmother, is persuaded to invest. Stay tuned for the comic fall-out and watch how Eden handles it...And then there's the Pier-Pheasant love story, which will culminate in their eventual marriage. All very prosaic and predictable. THE WHITEOAK BROTHERS doesn't add much to the series, nor does it detract. It's just there. If you're a lover of anything with the "Jalna" label,if you devour each successive volume, then you'll probably enjoy this offering. As a stand-alone novel, though, it just doesn't work very well.
Kathy
November 10, 2009
Jalna #6 involved a gold mine investment scam, and all the Whiteoaks but Renny fell into it. This kind of risky sure thing makes me nervous, and that major part of the plot plus a brief piece about a lamb slaughter rather put me off. In addition, de la Roche scattered her story line among most of the Whiteoaks, a large and hardy bunch by this time and thus a bit clumsy to include without sudden shifts here and there. Still it's well worth the read, especially if one is determined, as I am, to imbibe the entire chronicle.
Meg Ulmes
December 27, 2011
Once I start one of these novels, I can't put it down until I finish it. This book fills out the brothers' personalities and characters and makes me want to find out what will happen to them. Now, though, I will have to wait until the next book or two that I've ordered up from my library get here. I am hooked on Pheasant and Piers; don't much like Meg(my namesake); adore Renny; and I'm rooting for Finch. I hope the next book gets here soon...
Trish
July 22, 2018
Book #6 in the Jalna series. Many members of the Whiteoak family invest in a questionable gold mine. A young woman from England, Dilly, visits and sets her cap for Renny. This was an especially fun chapter in the Whiteoak saga. I had forgotten how much humor there is in the books, mixed in with the drama, of course!
Zéro Janvier
March 12, 2018
J'avais dévoré tout Jalna quand j'étais adolescent, et si je suis incapable aujourd'hui de me souvenir de chacun des tomes qui composent cette saga gigantesque, je me souviens tout de même que j'avais pris beaucoup de plaisir à découvrir cette famille et ce domaine familial que l'on suit pendant presque un siècle.
Cheryl
June 17, 2015
Another great story of the Whiteoak clan. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens to the brothers in the next book.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
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