The Winter Sea
The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley
Paperback: 544 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks,(December 1, 2010)
ISBN-10: 1402241372
Product Description
History has all but forgotten...
In the spring of 1708, an invading Jacobite fleet of French and Scottish soldiers nearly succeeded in landing the exiled James Stewart in Scotland to reclaim his crown.
Now, Carrie McClelland hopes to turn that story into her next bestselling novel. Settling herself in the shadow of Slains Castle, she creates a heroine named for one of her own ancestors and starts to write.
But when she discovers her novel is more fact than fiction, Carrie wonders if she might be dealing with ancestral memory, making her the only living person who knows the truth-the ultimate betrayal-that happened all those years ago, and that knowledge comes very close to destroying her...
I had heard many good things about this book and it felt like this would be one of those that was unexpectedly better than I had hoped.
I have to say I had mixed feelings on this one. Both good and bad.
Any books that I have previously read that said they were historical fiction I have pretty much enjoyed. This one, however, contained more *history* then I could enjoy. The parts that were *history* had too many dates and times and I felt like I was back in school trying to memorize all the dates and what happened when and with whom.
So I will admit that once I realized the whole books was going back and forth from *history* to the present I began skimming the *history* parts. I did however read enough of it to get the story within the history. I was much more interested in the "now time". She was living by a real castle ruins in Scotland , having 2 brothers seek her attention, and learning of them and where they were was reading more to my liking.
The book is written in a manor which induces fast and enjoyable reading. As I mentioned there was just too much history to my liking, and the way it was written you were basically keeping two stories going at the same time. Not an easy task for the author I am sure, and it was written clearly enough not to confuse one from the other.
However. I much prefer reading one story at a time, although I am sure others will enjoy both stories and the entire book .
I will say I enjoyed the book on the whole, but for me it just wasn't top of the list . I did however have to see at least one photo of the real Slains Castle in Scotland...
*seeing the castle and the coastline gave me vivid pictures in my mind of how the cottage Carrie lived in while writing her "book" was like.*
Paperback: 544 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks,(December 1, 2010)
ISBN-10: 1402241372
Product Description
History has all but forgotten...
In the spring of 1708, an invading Jacobite fleet of French and Scottish soldiers nearly succeeded in landing the exiled James Stewart in Scotland to reclaim his crown.
Now, Carrie McClelland hopes to turn that story into her next bestselling novel. Settling herself in the shadow of Slains Castle, she creates a heroine named for one of her own ancestors and starts to write.
But when she discovers her novel is more fact than fiction, Carrie wonders if she might be dealing with ancestral memory, making her the only living person who knows the truth-the ultimate betrayal-that happened all those years ago, and that knowledge comes very close to destroying her...
I had heard many good things about this book and it felt like this would be one of those that was unexpectedly better than I had hoped.
I have to say I had mixed feelings on this one. Both good and bad.
Any books that I have previously read that said they were historical fiction I have pretty much enjoyed. This one, however, contained more *history* then I could enjoy. The parts that were *history* had too many dates and times and I felt like I was back in school trying to memorize all the dates and what happened when and with whom.
So I will admit that once I realized the whole books was going back and forth from *history* to the present I began skimming the *history* parts. I did however read enough of it to get the story within the history. I was much more interested in the "now time". She was living by a real castle ruins in Scotland , having 2 brothers seek her attention, and learning of them and where they were was reading more to my liking.
The book is written in a manor which induces fast and enjoyable reading. As I mentioned there was just too much history to my liking, and the way it was written you were basically keeping two stories going at the same time. Not an easy task for the author I am sure, and it was written clearly enough not to confuse one from the other.
However. I much prefer reading one story at a time, although I am sure others will enjoy both stories and the entire book .
I will say I enjoyed the book on the whole, but for me it just wasn't top of the list . I did however have to see at least one photo of the real Slains Castle in Scotland...
*seeing the castle and the coastline gave me vivid pictures in my mind of how the cottage Carrie lived in while writing her "book" was like.*
posted by DesLily | 7:56 AM
6 Comments:
I am glad you mostly enjoyed this. I read it last year and loved it!
It certainly sounds like a very interesting book, though I too, woulkd find the 'history' parts filled with dates, etc., tough going---to dry, I think...But what a great idea that she, in the present, was related to all those in the past.
Hmm. I like history in books but it has to written in a readable and not too academic manner. Shame about that. But wow, doesn't the castle look beautiful!!!
Kathleen: I know i read a number of reviews and everyone liked the book.. I did too but still had too much history to suit me.
Naomi: the back story was more interesting then the "book she was writing full of history" lol
Cath: I never was good at who invaded who when and why etc. but yes another castle for us to expore and move in to! might be a bit damp in rainy season though lol
I love history, in fact that is what I studied in college. However, this book sounds like it has too much history for me. If a book has this much history in it with facts and figures I'd rather it be a work of non-fiction. When I read historical fiction I want to get lost in the book and not have to think too hard!
Ok, but that castle is Amazing!!! Great review Pat ;)
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