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teacupsandfirereads's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
When I first heard of this book, it sounded reminiscent of Outlander and I wasn't sold on that. However, it came highly recommended to me. What are similar between the two is the Scottish landscape and history, beyond that, they were different. I enjoyed the build up in the story and the timelines. The characters were intricate and engaging. At times, I felt a little bit lost in the timelines, but enjoyed Lily's earlier years more interesting. Overall and enjoyable read, but not sure I will pick up the rest of the books in theh series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
Moderate: Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, and Death
Minor: War, Slavery, Trafficking, and Pedophilia
heather_freshparchment's review
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pedophilia, Death of parent, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Miscarriage, Domestic abuse, Murder, and Pregnancy
Minor: Infidelity
amberraysofdawn's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Trafficking
leweylibrary's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
So I really read this book because I know that this author has been compared a lot to Diana Gabaldon, but the first book by Susanna that I read (the winter sea) left me a bit disappointed. Okay, I was actually really upset, but I was upset about certain things in the plot, not the writing itself, the writing itself was really engaging. So I wanted to give Susanna Kearsley another Chance, and this book has a blurb from Diana Galbadon on the cover, so I figured why not.
I will say that I think Susanna has redeemed herself for me. No babies for the MCs in this one! But I couldn't quite give it four stars because I did still have a really hard time with those first hundred pages and the rest of it wasn't like completely grabbing me and consuming me like the Winter Sea did. I know, I'm hard to please apparently lol. I definitely think that she's redeemed herself enough in my mind that I would certainly give another one of her books ago in the future, maybe The Firebird.
Quotes:
I will say that I think Susanna has redeemed herself for me. No babies for the MCs in this one! But I couldn't quite give it four stars because I did still have a really hard time with those first hundred pages and the rest of it wasn't like completely grabbing me and consuming me like the Winter Sea did. I know, I'm hard to please apparently lol. I definitely think that she's redeemed herself enough in my mind that I would certainly give another one of her books ago in the future, maybe The Firebird.
Quotes:
- Sometimes, When all seems darkness and despair, hope is the only thing that does remain for us to grasp--A tree branch beating at the ice within a child's hand. And so we make an opening, and day by day press forward, and we hold that hope. And therein lies its power. (154)
- I have a certain memory of that night, held in the way one holds a seashell gathered on the shore--Time doles it's brightness, and wears down at sharper edges, it we only have to hold it to our ear and we can once more here the singing of the sea. And so it is with memory. (268)
- I looked again at those brass figures on the plaque, and felt a quick surge of impatience with the sadly drooping Justice. Pick your sword up off the floor, I felt like telling her. A broken sword still has an edge, and you're not yet defeated. (275)
- "Still, It's a shame that we cannot reclaim those vanished days, and try to live them better."
"Who's to say we would not live them worse?" (315-316) - I think often of the vanished days that Captain Gordon spoke about--The ones that are behind us that we cannot live again--and how he wished it might be possible to make the clock run backward so that we can live those days a second time, and live them better. But he had it wrong, I think, because I would not wish to change the way I lived them. I'd not be the man I am if I had not lived every hour of them, for all the pain they brought me and for all the pain I caused. Those vanish days that seemed at times so dark and so devoid of purpose had their moments still of light and happiness, which I have come to realize through the writing of this narrative. And in the end, they led me back to Lily, to the woman who has always made me whole. Who grows more beautiful, to my eyes, with each day that we are given. (415)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
mairead_parade's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Kearsley doles out this plot very sparingly, which can make it hard to get your footing but ultimately results in some very satisfying reveals and twists. I could have used a little more hand-holding to understand the resolution as there is a lot going on, but I still enjoyed it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Trafficking
jupiter2932's review
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Death of parent
ridesthesun's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
She's done it again 🥺🥺🥺🥺
I don't have words to explain the brilliance of this book. The twists, the history, the threads of this story are woven so artfully, so beautifully. SK's simple, layered style absolutely punches my gut every time. She pulls these little known figures from history, and fleshes them out, tells their stories, so that they won't be forgotten. Absolute brilliance.
Also I'm pretty sure I would die for Lily, that she would never see another hard day in her life, just saying.
I don't have words to explain the brilliance of this book. The twists, the history, the threads of this story are woven so artfully, so beautifully. SK's simple, layered style absolutely punches my gut every time. She pulls these little known figures from history, and fleshes them out, tells their stories, so that they won't be forgotten. Absolute brilliance.
Also I'm pretty sure I would die for Lily, that she would never see another hard day in her life, just saying.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Death of parent, and Death
Minor: Alcohol
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