Book review for The Winter Ghosts by Kate Mosse, an historical fiction novel set in the French Pyrenees.
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Synopsis
Ten years after the end of the Great War, Freddie Watson is still cannot get over his elder brother’s death. On his doctor’s recommendation, he’s driving around France, going where his nose leads him. Now, he’s in the French Pyrenees.
After crashing his car during a snowstorm, Freddie makes his way to a small, isolated village called Nulle. That evening, he attends la fete de Saint-Etienne at the town hall. There, he meets Fabrissa, a beautiful young woman who vanishes at dawn.
Looking for Fabrissa occupies Freddie’s every thought as he recovers from a fever and organises car repairs. Following his instincts, he uncovers a cave in the hill above Nulle and, with it, the village’s secret history.
Review
The Winter Ghosts was not what I was expecting. From the blurb on the back of the book, I thought Freddie would meet Fabrissa early on and spend most of the book solving the 700-year-old mystery. However, Freddie doesn’t meet Fabrissa until half-way through the book, and uncovers the mystery fairly quickly afterwards.
The descriptions of the countryside that Freddie travels through were so richly detailed, I felt like I was there. The French Pyrenees sounded so mysterious and intriguing. It contributed greatly to the overall atmosphere and made the landscape its own character.
The writing was poetic but clear and evocative. It really helped to build the atmosphere. The whole book had a cold and eerie feeling about it, with a quiet build-up of suspense and a touch of creepiness. I enjoyed the painfully honest, introspective tone it had.
I loved how brilliantly The Winter Ghosts depicts Freddie’s grief and suffering, and his mental struggles. It was so poignant. Something about the writing conveyed the essence of Freddie’s motivation and inability to move on. I could feel the weight of his grief and how broken he was.
The room was on the first floor, overlooking the street, with a pleasant enough outlook. A large window with freshly painted shutters, a single bed with heavy counterpane, a washstand and an armchair. Plain, clean, anonymous. The sheets were cold to the touch. We suited one another, the room and I.
Freddie was a deeply engaging, likeable character that I could sympathise with. His sadness was just so consuming, I really pitied him. However, I think this would have become a bit annoying if the book had been any longer. As it was, he was realistic and likeable, and I could really root for him and his success.
While the beginning of The Winter Ghosts was rather tedious, the ending was satisfying. Much of it had a dreamlike quality, and I found the story somewhat haunting.
Conclusion
Have you read The Winter Ghosts? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.
If you haven’t, you can buy it at the following stores:
So, you’ve read Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series and loved it. You’ve maybe watched the TV show. Now, you have nothing “Outlander” to read or watch. It’s droughtlander. You could reread or rewatch Outlander, but eventually you should find something else to read. Check out my recommendations of books to read if you love Outlander.
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Into the Wilderness by Sara Donati
Into the Wilderness features Elizabeth Middleton, an English spinster schoolteacher, as she joins her father in the New York wilderness. Her father has plans for her to marry the local doctor – plans that she has no intention of going along with.
Instead, she runs away with Nathaniel Bonner, a man whose Native American family could be destroyed by the local village. After several months in the bush while their friends take care of legal matters, they return home where they have to rebuild the good opinions of their neighbours.
Elizabeth is a strong woman who knows what she wants and does what she has to do to get it. She may not have travelled back in time, but she has progressive ideals and a modern way of dealing with things. Like Outlander, Into the Wilderness is the first in an epic series packed with romance, adventure, and the vicissitudes of life.
Clan of the Cave Bear is the first of Jean M. Auel’s Earth Children’s series. It tells the story of a young girl who is adopted by a community of Neanderthals. Though the Clan, as they call themselves, are initially wary, they come to love Ayla.
However, the Clan’s leader has a son who instantly dislikes Ayla and does everything he can to make her life difficult. This eventually leads to her leaving the Clan, and later books in the series follow her life apart from the Clan, her romance with a hunky caveman, and her struggles fitting in.
White Rose Rebel is the story of Anne Farquharson, Lady MacIntosh. A staunch Jacobite, she raises the men of her husband’s clan to fight for Bonnie Prince Charlie in the 1745 rising. Her husband (Aeneas), however, has indebted himself to the English and joins the government forces.
Like Outlander, White Rose Rebel has a strong female protagonist who gets involved in the Jacobite rising. Anne’s romantic life features throughout the book, and like Claire’s, is somewhat complicated. It’s a standalone book, but the story is told so well, there’s no need for a sequel.
Dougless Montgomery has been abandoned by her boyfriend while on holiday in England. While she’s crying over her misfortune, a strange man appears in front of her wearing 16th century armour.
Nicholas, Earl of Thornwyck, was awaiting execution when he is magically transported to a strange future where he meets a crying woman. Convinced that the woman can send him home, he tries to keep her with him. Together, they dive into the historical record to try to uncover the truth behind the final days of Nicholas’s life.
There’s romance, a handsome and chivalrous hero, and well-developed historical settings. Nicholas isn’t as immediately loveable as Jamie, but by the end of the book, his relationship with Dougless was just as swoon worthy as the romance between Jamie and Claire.
After travelling to court in an attempt to have King Alexander cancel her betrothal, Margaret MacDonald finds her home has been raided by Norsemen. As the group searches the rubble, a group of Irishmen arrive, including the half-Norse Gannon MacMagnus. The following months are trying for everyone, as they rebuild the castle and seek vengeance on the raiders.
On a Highland Shore has romance, adventure, and a gorgeous Scottish setting. Unfortunately, Kathleen Givens died before she could finish the series (something I sincerely hope doesn’t happen to Diana Gabaldon). Otherwise, it’s an epic story.
When scattering her grandfather’s ashes on an Irish lake, Anne Gallagher gets lost in a sudden fog. She finds herself in 1921 with a bullet wound in her side. Dr Thomas Smith, the man who raised her grandfather, rescues her, initially mistaking her for his ward’s mother.
Once she’s healed, Anne throws herself into 1920s life: being mother to Eoin, joining the Irish revolution, and falling in love with Thomas. She loves her life in the 20s, but the revolution and questions about the other Anne’s disappearance create difficulties.
What the Wind Knows has time travel, romance, and a woman trying to fit in a time other than her own. I loved the glimpse of what life was like in 1920s Ireland. The characters were life-like, the love was timeless and unconditional, and the writing was superb.
When her uncle the King dies, Rhiann must secure her people’s future by marrying and producing an heir. Eremon is an exiled Irish prince who is in Alba (Scotland) to make alliances and create a name for himself.
Their forced marriage starts a bit rocky, but soon they become friends. United by a desire to protect Alba from the Romans, they travel across Scotland, visiting powerful kings. Along the way they fall in love, but their various secrets keep them from admitting it to each other.
Set in 1st century AD Scotland, The White Mare gives brilliant descriptions to the same place Outlander is set in, just at a different time. The hero, Eremon, has a lot in common with Jamie Fraser; they are both handsome, courageous, and intelligent men. If you love Outlander, you will thoroughly enjoy the story of Rhiann and Eremon.
Taking the form of a series of letters, Letters from Skye tells the story of a Scottish poet and her impetuous, American admirer. Elspeth and Davey share their thoughts and dreams, eventually realising that they’ve fallen in love with each other.
When Europe goes to war in 1914, Davey volunteers to drive ambulances in France. This prompts Elspeth to overcome her fear of boats to meet him in person. During World War Two, their daughter finds her mother’s letters and determines to find out what happened.
Letters from Skye left me with a massive book hangover. As much as I wanted to find out the end of the story, I didn’t want it to end. The letters were gripping, the romance emotionally involving, and the setting beautiful.
In 17th century Scotland, Morna has been unable to learn how to use her magical powers since her father banished her teacher. Then she finds an injured man who needs help returning to his own time. Fortunately, her brother has found journals written by her old mentor and set up a secret magic room for her to study in.
As Morna works towards sending Jerry home, the two of them become good friends and romance develops. Then word reaches them of a druid who might be able to teach Morna. While Jerry searches for the druid, Morna becomes convinced that he will never return and agrees to marry her brother’s friend, Henry.
Love Beyond Reach is the eighth book in the Morna’s Legacy series (it’s a prequel to the other books). There’re twelve novels in the main series so far, and this is the first one I’ve read. Having read it, I definitely want to read the rest.
In Tapestry, Jane Maxwell falls off Uluru (Ayers Rock) and wakes in the body of a Scottish noblewoman. Winifred’s husband, the Earl of Nithsdale, is in the Tower of London, awaiting execution for his part in the 1715 Jacobite Rising.
As Winifred, Jane must travel to London and save the Earl. If she succeeds, Jane is certain that her 21st century fiancée (Will) will wake-up from his coma. Along the way, she makes friends and falls in love. By the time she returns home, Jane is no longer sure that she wants to marry Will.
The Earl of Nithsdale’s escape from the Tower of London is truly an incredible true-story. I liked the unique angle the whole time-travel element added to it. Jane is such a strong, ingenious woman (a bit like Claire). Between the adventure, Jacobites, and romance, Tapestry is a book you will enjoy if you love Outlander.
Book review of 11.22.63, a time-travel historical fiction novel by Stephen King, based around the JFK assassination.
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Synopsis
Divorced high-school English teacher Jake Epping is marking essays when he receives a strange phone-call from the owner of his favourite diner.
Years ago, Al discovered that his pantry contains a portal to 1958. Over the years, he has made hundreds of journeys into the past, worked out some basic rules of time-travel, and decides to stop the JFK assassination. Unfortunately, he became too unwell to complete his quest and had to return to 2011.
So Jake takes up the baton and makes his own journey to the past. While waiting for that fateful day, Jake takes up a teaching job in Jodie, Texas. In Jodie, he falls in love with beautiful, recently divorced librarian Sadie Dunhill. Their relationship is strained when he moves to Dallas to spy on Lee Harvey Oswald and cannot tell her what he’s doing.
Review
I am usually not a fan of Stephen King. Afterall, his novels are mostly of the thriller/horror type. However, 11.22.63 is more of an alternate reality historical fiction. There is a bit of violence, but nothing too terrifying.
I didn’t like how the author talked about various historical characters as if the reader already knew who they were. This seems perfectly reasonable for ‘big’ characters (like JFK). But who on earth is Frank Anicetti?
The characters were all so realistic and vivid that it made the fantastic things that happen to them believable. Each person was detailed and had their own flaws. I thought this was excellently done; it really helped with the whole suspension of disbelief thing.
Jake and Sadie’s romance was so lovely. There’s so much honesty and tenderness in their relationship, but it wasn’t at all sappy.
I liked how the book explored time-travel and its consequences. The little details of the past restarting each time someone goes back and each trip lasting two minutes were clever. However, I thought the alternate future bit with reality destroying itself due to the timeline changes was a bit over-the-top.
I loved how both the positive and negative aspects of the settings were shown. The historical time may be exciting and dreamy, but its problems (such as segregation) are included. Even horrible places (like Derry) have little bits of beauty shown (such as those children practicing a lindy-hop dance).
Conclusion
Have you read 11.22.63? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.
If you haven’t, you can buy it at Book Depository (they have free international shipping!) or Waterstones (free delivery on UK orders over £25, will ship internationally).
Review of Letters from Skye, an historical romance novel by Jessica Brockmole, set in Scotland during World Wars One and Two
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Synopsis
In 1912, an impetuous young American sends a letter to the author of his favourite book of poetry. Thus begins a friendship that blossoms into romance just as war begins. Davey volunteers as an ambulance driver in France, prompting Elspeth to overcome her fear of boats in order to see him.
Meanwhile, in 1940, Elspeth’s daughter, Margaret, has stumbled across her mother’s old letters. Curious, she starts asking questions. This prompts Elspeth to go to London without warning and looking for Davey. With her mother gone, Margaret resorts to contacting a long-lost uncle and travelling to Skye for the answers to her questions.
Review
Letters from Skye takes the style of a collection of letters. In my opinion, this is a great way to tell this story. We get to see into Elspeth and Davey’s minds and really experience the growth of their relationship. However, it is set in some amazing places which couldn’t be fully developed.
While a bit modern, the letters were very gripping. The back and forth between the characters created tension and really involved my emotions in Elspeth and Davey’s relationship. Their friendship was so deep, and their developing romance helped the keep things light amidst a dark time.
I didn’t like the way some of the letters talked about things that both sender and recipient were present for. The person the letter is addressed to was there and knows what happened. There’s no need for such an explanation in letter writing. I’m sure the author could have come up with a better way to impart this information, if necessary.
One of the issues dealt with in Letters from Skye is adultery. Elspeth is married when she and Davey begin their relationship. There’s also Elspeth’s brother, who ‘steals’ their other brother’s fiancée when he’s injured in the war. This wasn’t a problem for me, but I understand that it might trouble some readers.
All that being said, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It gripped me right from the beginning, and as much as I wanted answers, I didn’t want the story to end. It left me with such a book hangover.
And I loved how Elspeth and Davey loved books. I can imagine myself getting lost on a street full of bookstores just like Elspeth does at one point.
Conclusion
Have you read Letters from Skye? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.
If you haven’t, you can buy it at Book Depository (they have free international shipping!) or Waterstones (free delivery on UK orders over £25, will ship internationally).
Book review of What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon, time-travelling historical fiction set in modern and 1920s Ireland.
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Synopsis
Following her grandfather’s death, Anne Gallagher travels to Ireland to find out more about her family. While scattering her grandfather’s ashes in Lough Gill, she gets lost in a sudden fog, is shot, and is pulled out of the lake in 1921. Her rescuer is Dr Thomas Smith, guardian to Eoin, a six-year-old boy who is Anne’s grandfather.
Having been mistaken for Eoin’s long-missing mother, Anne assumes the dead woman’s identity. Once healed, Anne gets involved in Irish independence, and the relationship between her and Thomas develops. However, the differences between her and the original Anne eventually puts her life in danger.
Review
I was completely captivated by What the Wind Knows. The writing is poetic and lyrical, and just jumped off the page. It was so suspenseful that I always had to read “just one more chapter” to find out what happened next. The whole story was heart-wrenching, beautiful, and felt authentic.
I loved the depth of emotions experienced by various characters. The writing is so brilliant that I could feel what they were feeling most of the time. There were many intense, emotional moments between characters. However, it wasn’t just the love between people explored in the book; there was love for a family, a country, and a past time.
The characters were all distinct from each other, each with different features and personalities. I liked how each of the protagonists were imperfect, neighbour-like people. I also liked how the villains of the story weren’t evil for the sake of being evil; they were doing what they truly believed was best.
Thomas was lovely. He was such a timeless, unassuming hero. Not a complicated character, he was smart, kind, gentle yet strong, and generous. He wasn’t one of those heroes the heroine (or the reader) falls for immediately, but by the end you can’t help but love him.
The time travel element was very well done. Like other aspects of the book, it was well thought out. The author wrote it in a way that made sense. This can’t have been easy, what with time being ‘coiled into ever-widening (or tightening) circles, layered and wrapped around the next’ and not linear.
If I had to give What the Wind Knows one criticism, it would be the multiple references to people and dates that I didn’t get – I just didn’t have enough prior background knowledge. However, it did make me curious about the events mentioned.
Conclusion
Have you read What the Wind Knows? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.
If you haven’t, you can buy it at Book Depository (they have free international shipping!) or Waterstones (free delivery on UK orders over £25, will ship internationally).
