Star of the Morning

Reviews / Votes

'Ellis has unearthed fresh material, and retells the story with idiosyncratic panache.... Ellis is a vivid narrator with an eye for detail...This book leaves little doubt that Lady Hester was brave, whether standing in her stirrups to fend off a charge or tossing her head as gossip about a love affair swirled around the salons of London and Damascus.' Sara Wheeler, Sunday Telegraph


'As Kirsten Ellis vividly shows, Hester Stanhope's story is one of brave (and often foolhardy) triumph over the straitjacket of Regency attitudes and the even more hidebound conventions of Islamic society. ... Ellis has unearthed startling new aspects of this remarkable woman's life, such as Hester's relationships with no fewer than three Napoleonic spies. Ellis's enthusiasm for her heroine makes "Star Of The Morning" a fascinating study with some trenchant points about the position of strong-minded women in male-dominated societies.' Barry Forshaw, Daily Express