Historical novelist Carrie McLelland
travels to Scotland to do research on her latest novel set during the
attempted invasion by the Old Pretender, James VIII, in 1708. Once
there, she experiences deja vu and decides to take a cottage in the
village nearby Slains Castle, the setting for her book. Her story flows
from her fingertips, both exciting and frightening her. Not only has she
not ever written so quickly, but she discovers she knows details of the
period and its events she has never researched. And once the story
starts to emerge, she finds she can't stop it, not even when she meets a
local historian who has her questioning her nomadic lifestyle. It soon
becomes clear that somehow she has tapped into the memory of her
ancestress, Sophia Paterson.
Scotland past and present comes
vividly alive in this superior piece of historical fiction - the rugged
countryside, salty sea air and rich heritage are the perfect setting for
this tale of love, loss and destiny. Carrie and Sophia are both
engaging heroines, lively, impulsive and determined to follow their
hearts, while the men they love, Graham and John prove to be heroes in
every way. The secondary characters, from old Jimmy and his vain son
Stuart to the Dowager Countess of Errol and the treacherous Duke of
Hamilton, add depth to the plot without overwhelming the central
stories. For those who love historical detail, there is plenty of it to
revel in, yet never does it appear to be too much or smack of history
lectures. Readers will find themselves flipping the pages eagerly,
desperate to find out what happens next.
If you're a fan of historical
fiction, I highly recommend picking up a copy of The Winter Sea, curling
up in a chair and losing yourself in it. You won't regret it.
.
Teresa Basinski Eckford
This review first appeared on my Thoughts from Lady Tess blog on November 30, 2010
No comments:
Post a Comment