Sunday, April 1, 2018

When Art Echoes Life: "The Winter Sea" by Susanna Kearsley

A long time ago I decided that tall, dark, handsome and beardy was my idea of the dream man. There may have also been a non-fictional man who fit this description (minus the tall part), but he has gratefully moved on and is no longer included in my story. However, I'm still instantly giddy when I see a solid, rugged, beardy man on TV (Poldark.....sigh), on social media or in person (mmmm, the best!).  When my awesome friend, Tana, recommended The Winter Sea by Susana Kearsley, she only told me it was one of the best books she'd ever, ever read. She conveniently or legitimately (she has 15 children who call her mom, almost 16....great story for another day) forgot to tell me that this story not only included one beardy Scotsman with dark hair, but had TWO who were both completely dreamy. To say this book was happiness is just too bland.  It was down right magical. So, let's talk about the magic of art echoing life in The Winter Sea

If you're a frequent reader of my blog you know that I did a mystery theme in March. Unbeknownst to me I chose two books in a row with VERY heavy plot lines (and a close family friend passed away while reading book #2) so when I finished the last book, I needed some solid happiness and L-O-V-E. None of my books in the cozy book nook really fit this bill, so I decided to find a few books on my Amazon Wish List that I'd been dying to read.  I purchased them all used and The Winter Sea was the first one that arrived in the mail so it was read first.

The main character in the book is an author named Carrie McClelland.  Carrie has recently started writing a new novel that is set along the coast of Scotland near the Slains Castle, an abandoned castle with a rich history.  In an effort to fully immerse herself in the surroundings of her fictional story, she decides to rent a cottage by the sea to write.  It seems simple at first, but quickly unfolds in to a little more of a complicated, yet beautiful scene.  When she arrives to the quaint village she starts to realize that her purpose is deeper than meets the eye.  She feels a very strong pull to the history of Slains Castle and the historical events that occurred surrounding the Jacobites invading Scotland in the early 18th century.

Now, before I go any further I have to share the secondary reason why I could NOT put this book down. It was written in my favorite writing style.....wait for it......alternating POV (point of view). Be still my heart; it is honestly my favorite.  I've talked about it in other reviews, but it really makes my brain happy and engaged to have to keep track of the two plot lines and simultaneously figure out why and how they are connected.  Not only do we have alternating POV that is just delicious, but we also have two beautiful love stories in each of these plot lines that run parallel in so many ways. It is spectacular.

The present day plot line quickly introduces the reader to the beardy Scotsman who Carrie falls in love with quite quickly.  The details surrounding this developing relationship are what kept me reading. Both Carrie and Graham (beardy, handsome Scotsman) hold back a little because her stay in the village is temporary.  As a result, their first kiss doesn't come until page 100 (*spoiler alert*). Sneaky, sneaky author for doing that to me because once that kissaroo happened, I was HOOOOKED until page 527. It was very enjoyable and refreshing to travel along with Carrie and Graham in their adventures, both in doing research for her book, but also getting to know each other personally.  Graham was my kind of man: simple, respectful, smart ... and beardy.  He is connected to some other characters in the book, but I'm not playing all my cards on that one. You'll just have to read it and find out more.

The flashback plot line introduces the reader to Sophia and John Moray, a couple in the early 18th century who secretly get married and have a child before Moray is sent back to sea.  This plot line is presented through visions that Carrie has and she starts to recognize their distinct parallel to her own life.  The other cool part about this book is the characters that Carrie is writing about are not only non-fiction characters, but they are her ancestors. I was giddy about the family history aspect. I come from a family who values family history very much and this just added an extra layer of emotional attachment to the story for me.  Carrie feels a deep sense of pride and devotion to Sophia and the need to share her story because they are family.  She also feels like her visions are stronger and more vivid because she is bringing her ancestor's story to life.  Truly delightful.

Overall this book was a cool glass of lemonade on a hot day.  It was a long book for me: 527 pages, but I didn't feel it.  The writing is outstanding and the character development is perfection.  Not going to lie, I shouted, sighed and got all sorts of swoony many times throughout this book.  However, there were some elements that tugged at my heart strings as well.  I've had a number of friends read it and their overall consensus was it being in their Top Ten. I can say that as well.  For sure.

My recommended reading group would be age 16 and above.  It's a PG-13 read with brief pre-marital sex and some mild violence in the flashback plot line.

The moral of the story: When life hands you lemons, make lemonade and read a book about a handsome Scotsman. It will surely bring you sunshine.

Happy reading, my amazing, geeky lovelies!
-R

Missed last week's book review? Click here to read it!



Like what you read above - purchase this book by clicking the Amazon link below! Thank you for reading The Thrifting Ginger.  


Other Books by Susanna Kearsley

3 comments:

  1. What I love about your reviews is that I can feel your excitement about the book through my computer and it's the best thing ever! I can't wait to read this story because I'm also a sucker for a good love story. I really liked this :)

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  2. That was a really fun review to read, Raylynn.

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  3. Love this book and review!!❤️

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