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The Great Level Paperback – July 11, 2019

by Stella Tillyard (Author)
3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 187 ratings
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Purchase options and add-ons

A ‘magical, haunting’ (Philippa Gregory) novel of a tragic love affair in a threatened world

In 1649, Jan Brunt, a Dutchman, arrives in England to work on draining and developing the Great Level, an expanse of marsh in the heart of the fen country. It is here he meets Eliza, whose love overturns his ordered vision and whose act of resistance forces him to see the world differently.

Jan flees to the New World, where the spirit of avarice is raging and his skills as an engineer are prized. Then one spring morning a boy delivers a note that prompts him to remember the fens, and confront all that was lost there.

‘The most beautiful historical novel you’ll read all year… Extraordinary’
 Simon Schama

‘Richly involving… The story of a strange and passionate relationship’
Guardian

‘If you want to be utterly transported to another time, another place, read The Great Level. A haunting depiction of love and difference’
 Amanda Vickery
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    240 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Vintage
  4. Publication date
    July 11, 2019
  5. Dimensions
    5.08 x 0.59 x 7.8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0099526433
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0099526438
  8. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Vintage (July 11, 2019)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0099526433
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0099526438
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.08 x 0.59 x 7.8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 187 ratings

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Stella Tillyard

Stella Tillyard

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Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
3.9 out of 5
187 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

AnnetteBReviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Richly Imagined Story of One Man
Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2019
Set during the fall and rise of King Charles II of England, this story does not bring court intrigues, what it offers instead is an intense depiction of lives of simple people and those with education who used their knowledge to make a mark in history by draining and developing wetlands for human use. And a deeply moving portrayal of a man exploring the power of nature and the power of love.

1649, Jan Brunt, an engineer, arrives in Great Britain from the Netherlands to work on draining and developing wetlands known as Great Level. His work begins with mapping the area, then planning how to drain the whole. This brings original descriptions.

With another Dutchman leader, they “measure and draw, calculate and note (…) They are the first engineers to map this whole wilderness, and take pride in that fact, as if they were explorers out on the ocean.”

One day, as Jan is engrossed in his work of calculations, a native woman approaches him. Her name is Eliza. When Jan relates his own story, he talks about Eliza in the second person narrative. “As the weeks pass you tell me something of your people and how you live together on islands in the meres.” This creates brilliant prose.

His relationship with Eliza and her telling him how her people claim the land from the waters, make him realize that man was not created “to be the lords of creation, but a part of it.”

The project is so vast and ambitious that it requires not hundreds but thousands men to complete the project. Where shall they find them? General Cromwell offers a solution. He will send prisoners from his wars in Ireland.

After a sabotage of his work, he feels the need to change a place and takes the first opportunity that comes his way and travels to the new colonies in America. He travels freely to New Amsterdam. She is taken as a prisoner to the Colony of Virginia. But what unravels is another beautiful story of her opportunity.

In New Amsterdam, 1664, he records his story and witnesses Charles’ conquest of New Amsterdam, renaming it to New York in honor of his brother James, Duke of York.

With original descriptions and beautiful prose, the author brings a masterful story of a man’s quest to control the nature and to be reunited with the love of his life during a time of colonial conquests.

Usually, I prefer stand-alone books, but the way this book ends, I so hope for a follow-up to this richly imagined story.
6 people found this helpful
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gjasmine
4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent writing
Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2020
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Mixed feelings...always looking for a wonderfully written novel and this is great writing. Even though the topic of engineering did not engage me, the characters did and I wanted to reach the conclusion.
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Jaqouia3
3.0 out of 5 stars from the mid-1600's
Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2022
"Call Upon the Water" by Stella Tillyard.

Also published in the UK under the title "The Great Level".

This "novel" contained a lot of information from the mid-1600's, about the process of changing how the river and land ebb and flow and change together, and what could be done to reshape it according to engineers.
The story centered around a Dutch engineer named Jan Brunt. The project was a challenge to him and in the process of mapping the land and beginning the physical work on it, Jan happened upon a strange woman who became very important to him.

This book was difficult for me to read, as it was hard to capture my interest. Once I had read half, I debated putting it down. As I continued reading an interesting story did capture my interest. It was centered around the 'strange woman' that Jan had encountered.

It was clear that the author researched the engineering activities well.

I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.
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Della
5.0 out of 5 stars Absorbing and Atmospheric
Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2020
This historical novel was unlike any other I've read. Set in the middle of the 17th century, in the marshy fenlands of England and in New York when it was known as New Amsterland, it covers a period of history rarely covered by novelists.

Most of the story is told by Jan Brunt a Dutch engineer who specializes in draining swamp lands. Details of his work and home take the reader inside his life to a deep satisfying level. We don't mind that he doesn't meet the other main character until a third of the way through the book, because by then we know him so well, his experience has almost become ours.

This is a love story as well as history and a very unusual one it is. The romance is between adults who are both strong, independent people capable of deep passion while never losing themselves.

I don't want to say more, it's bad enough that the back of the large print version gives far too much away. I would only recommend that you enjoy the unfolding of a wonderful story as this brilliant author tells it.
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Kathleen Kelly
4.0 out of 5 stars New Amsterdam
Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2019
Call Upon the Water by Stella Tillyard is a historical novel that takes place in the Netherlands, Great Britain and the American colony of Virginia in the mid-1600s. Jan Brunt is an engineer talented in mapmaking and his skills are prized.

He is hired to drain and develop wetlands in the Great Level in Great Britain while doing so he meets Eliza, a woman who he immediately falls in love with. They spend a lot of time together and she learns how to read from him and how to read the maps. She betrays him and is punished and sent off to be an indentured servant in Virginia, a chapter or two devoted to this time in her life I found refreshing. Jan goes to America unbeknownst to him that she is there. He is hired to drain the swamp if you will in Dutch American colony of New Netherland, New York today.

One day a boy delivers a message that Eliza wants to meet with him, she is a free woman by this time and wealthy. He mulls this over for a long time. Want to learn more, then you have to get the book.

What I liked about the book, I enjoyed learning about what Jan's trade was, the era, as I love historical fiction and just the geographical areas in the story. What I didn't like was that it was very wordy and not a lot of dialogue. To me, that can put a person to sleep very easily. Guess I have not read a lot of books written this way. Not to say that it was not informative, just that I got bored frequently. I persevered and did find that I did like the book. I give it 4 stars.
I received a copy of the book for review purposes
5 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Helen
5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 13, 2019
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This is a superb book. The writing is intelligent and a real work of art, whilst the atmosphere is unforgettable and the storyline both original and brilliant.
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Weslake
3.0 out of 5 stars Independent review - Ponderously poetic, slow moving descriptions that plods along
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 13, 2019
Verified Purchase
I bought this book for my wife who really likes it but this is my review and wholly independent of hers or any influence or loyalty.

The story starts very slowly and despite a lot of fancy sounding descriptive words and phrases it doesn't create a lot of imagery for me, and I was born on the edge of the fens. However, the story isn't just set in the fens with parts in New York (USA) when owned by the Dutch, an American tobacco plantation and the Netherlands (Holland).

There isn't a clear time line in the story with the main character moving from the present to the (15 year ago) past and back again. The second main character doesn't relate anything until near the end of the book. Nor does the book have a list of parts, chapters or contents which isn't helpful because each part has a Chapter 1 etc. I'm not certain what the purpose of the omission of the contents or the silly part style which I didn't find added anything to the story.

The story is historical fiction being fictional characters (for the most part) set in true historical events being the end of the English Civil War, the draining of the fens (the Great Level of the title) and the English taking over the Dutch town in the New World which becomes New York, USA.

The main characters aren't strong characters on my reading and given the slow pace of the story they needed to be, being key to making the story work. At the heart of the story is a love story that ought be stronger and surely more intense given that despite an unforseen, unplanned and desperate parting they never forgot each other or really moved on. Or is the female character simply out to use every man for her own purposes, the first encounters suggest not.

So, not really the book for me and not written in a style I like and while it's given 3 stars by me that doesn't mean it's not a great book rather that I prefer action and adventure, even in historical fiction and this is no 'Moonfleet'.
One person found this helpful
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jane holmes
5.0 out of 5 stars Unusual subject ,most enjoyable
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 3, 2019
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Excellent story , enjoyed it very much .
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kg
5.0 out of 5 stars Most enjoyable
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 13, 2020
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This is a well researched and written account of the draining of the Fens involving Dutch engineers and Cromwell's prisoners..
The characters are believable, and the challenging conditions in East Anglia with mosquitos, malaria - ague - and, even for then, the very basic living conditions of the Irish prisoners of war who provided the labour really bring the enourmous task to life. The historical background isn't overbearing.
The second part has the same two main characters, but some years later in (then) Neuw Amsterdam, as the British take it over.
I enjoyed it, and will look out for more of her books.
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Mrs A J Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars A good read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 1, 2021
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A really good read. Very enjoyable
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