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A review by richardms1967
Turn of the Tide by Margaret Skea
5.0
Margaret Skea's debut novel is the sort of gem that can increasingly be found among the small presses these days.
Choosing an underused period of history (the late 16th century) for the story, she tells a tale of feuding Scottish noble families each eager to gain the favour of the incumbent King, James VI. In amongst all the machinations is Munro, a man with loyalties to one side and friendships on the other.
The story is a good one, with plenty of political manoeuvring, violence, love and tragedy in the mix. The intrigue goes right to the final page and there's plenty of room for another novel to take Munro's story on to the next stage. One thing that stood out for me was the little details, the description of everyday life and the lot of the normal family just trying to survive in that time. That was wonderfully done.
The quality of Margaret's writing is also worth noting. Her research and the language she uses makes you believe that you're there, that you're seeing and hearing the people talking in a realistic way. The chaos and muck of a (for then) big city are illustrated just as effectively as the wide-open expanses of the highlands. Margaret also has a wonderful knack for beautiful similes and uses them effectively.
So, an excellent debut well worth seeking out, and, hopefully, we may get to read more from Margaret in the future.
Choosing an underused period of history (the late 16th century) for the story, she tells a tale of feuding Scottish noble families each eager to gain the favour of the incumbent King, James VI. In amongst all the machinations is Munro, a man with loyalties to one side and friendships on the other.
The story is a good one, with plenty of political manoeuvring, violence, love and tragedy in the mix. The intrigue goes right to the final page and there's plenty of room for another novel to take Munro's story on to the next stage. One thing that stood out for me was the little details, the description of everyday life and the lot of the normal family just trying to survive in that time. That was wonderfully done.
The quality of Margaret's writing is also worth noting. Her research and the language she uses makes you believe that you're there, that you're seeing and hearing the people talking in a realistic way. The chaos and muck of a (for then) big city are illustrated just as effectively as the wide-open expanses of the highlands. Margaret also has a wonderful knack for beautiful similes and uses them effectively.
So, an excellent debut well worth seeking out, and, hopefully, we may get to read more from Margaret in the future.