The Wild Hunt by Elizabeth Chadwick

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Obtained from: Personal Library

Read: September 27, 2015

During the 12th-century Welsh March Wars, King William Rufus orders Guyon, 28, to marry nearly 16-year-old Judith in order to secure lands from Judith's despised uncle, Lord Robert de Belleme. As the marriage begins, Guyon is angry and Judith is terrified. He is experienced in both love and war, and is hostile about marrying this child and surrounding himself with such a nest of political vipers. Judith, having watched her father abuse her mother, expects her own marriage to include rape, beatings, and humiliation. What gradually develops between them is a trust and respect that eventually blooms into a passionate love. Their story is tightly interwoven with a tenuous political situation as brothers battle for the kingdom and the barons divide themselves between the factions.

═══════════════════════════ ❧  ═══════════════════════════

William II and Henry I of England

I've read Elizabeth Chadwick's The Wild Hunt three times now and I love it as much today as I did when I first discovered it. As a teen, I was seduced by the romance between Guyon and Judith, but as an adult I find myself draw to the characters, atmosphere, politics, history and emotional conflict. Romance aside, there is a certain timelessness to the narrative that appeals on a variety of levels. 

Guyon's relationship with Judith might sound odd to some, but the pairing of a twenty-eight year old to a maid of sixteen was quite acceptable in the twelfth century and I like that Chadwick didn't shy from exploring the intricacies of that age gap. The novel spans four years and the emotions she illustrates in both hero and heroine are intensely authentic. The relationship ebbs and flows, it changes as the characters grow together and that really worked for me. 

Guyon's relationship Rhosyn is equally intriguing. Chadwick's treatment of the Welshwoman in downright captivating. On the surface, she is Judith's rival, a pebble in the boot of the Lady's marriage, but as a reader I couldn't help respecting Rhosyn's position and spirit. She is honest to herself, kind, generous, gentle, sensitive, accepting, practical and realistic. I liked that. Too often, authors paint the other woman in extreme shades, but I felt Chadwick's approach thought-provoking and appreciate how she handled Guyon's conflicting emotional allegiances without physical infidelity or blatant stereotyping. 

Several members of the supporting cast also caught my eye. The author had no cause to develop them as she did, but conflicts each faced over the course of the story added much to the fabric of the narrative. Eluned's childish infatuation and jealousy, Rhys' sense of possession and developing understanding of the world and Alicia's struggle for happiness both during and after her marriage pulled me further into the story. Each has an individual journey and I liked how their struggles played into the main story line. 

Chadwick's book marked my first introduction to the Welsh March Wars, but I've learned a lot about them over the years and revisiting the novel only heightens my admiration for her handling of the material. Most who read the book will remember the character drama, but the power struggle between Guyon and the other marcher lords is rather interesting if you've an interest in period politics. The novel touches on the death of William II and ascension of Henry I, but Chadwick's focus is definitely on the border violence that characterized the age. 

Atmospherically, I love this piece. There are a couple of words, treadmill for example, that stand out like sore thumbs, but for the most part the language and descriptions feel genuine to the era. Chadwick obviously understands the period and the lifestyles of those who lived in it. Folk remedies such as moldy bread are prominently depicted, but no one feigns to know why the treatment is effective and there are no undue hints that the concoction of bacteria on the aging crusts is in fact penicillin.

Bottom line, The Wild Hunt is a wonderful book. Brilliant in both historic detail and fictional drama. Highly recommended. 

═══════════════════════════ ❧  ═══════════════════════════

"I cannot tell you, love. Call it a political secret if you will, or just plain discretion. It is a confidence I think I would rather die than break."

═══════════════════════════ ❧  ═══════════════════════════

Kurinji Flowers by Clare Flynn

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Obtained from: Kindle Unlimited

Read: August 10, 2015

It is 1936. Ginny Dunbar, an 18-year-old debutante and amateur artist, has been exploited for years by a charismatic, older man. The fallout from this abusive relationship jeopardises her future. Ginny gets a second chance with a new start living on a tea plantation in India. Left to cope with the repercussions of her past, Ginny has to battle her inner demons, the expectations of her husband, mother-in-law, and colonial British society, and her prejudices towards India and its people. Set in South India during World War II and India's struggle for independence, Kurinji Flowers traces a young woman’s journey through loss, loneliness, hope, and betrayal to unexpected love and self-discovery. 

═══════════════════════════ ❧  ═══════════════════════════

Kurinji Flowers by Suresh Krishna

The Kindle Unlimited catalog is chock full of titles. I've browsed it a couple of times and bookmarked more than a few promising pieces, among them, Clare Flynn's Kurinji Flowers. None of my friends had read it, but the premise sounded different and I loved the idea of a WWII story set in a nontraditional locale so I threw caution to the wind and checked it out.

Fortune, it's said, favors the bold and my daring was justly rewarded. I felt certain aspects of the novel could have been stronger, but I genuinely appreciated a lot of Flynn's ideas and admired much of the material she incorporated into Ginny's story. The social structure of the British, its contrast to that of the natives, and the inevitable struggle between the two was particularly noteworthy. I felt the relationship between Ginny and her mother struck a very intriguing note and I liked the subtle way that politics influenced events as the story progressed. 

Not to downplay Ginny, but I was fascinated by three of Flynn's male characters. Hector is a flat out brilliant addition to the piece. His character arc really appealed to me and I felt Flynn's treatment of his trials both appropriate to the period and sensitive to the subject matter. Rupert is a disgusting example of humanity, but such individuals do exist and despite my distaste, I admit a certain appreciation for Flynn's depiction of his depraved personality. I genuinely disliked him and right or wrong, my lack indifference speaks to a penetrating characterization and that is something I feel all authors should strive for. Tony rounds out the trio and though I felt his dialogue annoyingly reminiscent of Phil in Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, I felt his emotional journey the most engaging of the narrative. He is arrogant, but weak, sheltered and naive. He strives to fulfill society's expectations, but he is woefully ill-prepared to do so. I might be alone here, but I liked seeing so much emotional conflict and individual struggle in a male character. I personally thought it a refreshing change of pace and lent a certain authenticity to him and his role. 

Thematically, I liked what Flynn presented, but I'm not ashamed to say I felt there was too much going on. There is a lot of great concept material within these pages, but the various concepts compete for the reader's attention and I don't think any is explored as thoroughly as it could have been. Looking back, I certainly appreciate where the story went, but I can't help wishing Flynn hadn't tried to fit many underlying motifs into a single piece. Not to sound picky, but I honing in and really developing one or two of these ideas would have been more satisfying on the reader's end.

That said, I've no regrets over the time I spent with Kurinji Flowers. I found the novel original and thought-provoking and look forward to reading more of Flynn's work. 

═══════════════════════════ ❧  ═══════════════════════════

"Because we can. It's called running the empire. We've been getting away with it for centuries. But our days are numbered. It's only a matter of time before we have to throw in and give them what they want - what is, after all, their right. Then, they'll probably kick the lot of us out. They'll be glad to see the back of us."

═══════════════════════════ ❧  ═══════════════════════════

Interview with Nathan Dylan Goodwin, author of The Orange Lilies

Author interviews are one of my favorite things to post which is why I am super excited to welcome author Nathan Dylan Goodwin to Flashlight Commentary to discuss The Orange Lilies.

═══════════════════════════ ❧  ═══════════════════════════

Welcome to Flashlight Commentary Nathan. It’s great to have you with us. To start things off, please tell us a bit about The Orange Lilies and Forensic Genealogist series.
Thank you for having me! Okay, so The Orange Lilies is a novella that can be read either as a stand-alone story or as a part of the Forensic Genealogist series. Technically it’s book 2.5, but Amazon weren’t keen on the decimal!  As with the other books in the series, it has a dual narrative—one running in the modern day and one running in the past—in this case, December 1914. The other books in the series have featured the forensic genealogist, Morton Farrier investigating mysteries, murders and mayhem in other people’s family trees, but in this book Morton gets to spend some time uncovering his own ancestors’ secrets. The past narrative shows the opening months of WW1 from the perspective of Morton’s great great grandparents, Charles and Nellie Farrier.

The books all feature Morton Farrier. Can you tell us about his personality and point of view? 
Morton was told at the age of sixteen that he was adopted, which created a shadow over his life that was partly the motivation for his becoming a forensic genealogist. His stubbornness and determination to help others reveal their family mysteries has been a way for him to ignore questions over his own past. Fascinated by history, he lives in a quirky house in Rye, England with his fiancée, Juliette. He doesn’t like to travel too far, so all of his cases have been in the South of England! He’s got a dark sense of humour and a bit of an addiction to coffee.

Why do you think your books appeal to so many readers?   
I’m very fortunate that my books overlap several genres—crime, mystery and historical fiction, so that gives me quite a scope for readership. However, it is the genealogical aspect to my books that appears to have the largest appeal; genealogy is a niche market, but it’s a big niche! Genealogists, by definition, love a good mystery, so they seem to enjoy my books! The positive feedback from the genealogy community has been tremendous.

The Orange Lilies features many memorable characters, but I was particularly struck by Margaret and Nellie. How would you describe these women and who or what inspired them? 
In the early stages of writing The Orange Lilies, Nellie was a bit more of a background, passive character whose actions and behaviour were dictated by people and events around her. She felt to me like a much stronger, decisive character than she was coming across, so in the redrafts of the story, much more of her personality and strength came through. Then, as the story developed, she actually became the linchpin of the story, providing one of the links from past to present. Nellie’s granddaughter, Margaret provides the other link. The Orange Lilies shows Margaret’s transition from a young, naïve schoolgirl through some difficult times to becoming a crucial element in Morton’s elusive past. I really enjoyed writing both these characters and, alongside Morton’s fiancée, Juliette, they provide a colourful contrast to the men in the story.

Charlie’s experiences in the trenches of WWI are brilliantly imagined in the novella. Were they difficult to write considering the nature of the material?  
Yes, very! The book has been the most difficult of the series to write so far because the past narrative is based on the real diaries of the Second Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment, something that I felt it was very important to get right. It was difficult trying to negotiate the need to tell the facts of the story whilst also attempting to bring something new or different to a period of time that has been written about so frequently and so well already. I read a lot around the subject and tried to imagine how I would have reacted to such horror and acute distortion of humanity; by the end of my research, I had a really deep sympathy for those men and what they had to endure.

A WW1 postcard

What sort of research went into The Orange Lilies? What sources did find most valuable? 
I tried to steer away from other people’s fictional accounts of WW1 and concentrate on the factual accounts and letters of soldiers who were serving in the trenches. The main basis of the research was the unit diaries of the Second Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment, that gave in-depth information on the locations, movements, activity and casualties on a day-by-day basis, which I replicated in the book. I had already researched some of the wartime activities of the Royal Sussex Regiment, as two of my relatives served with them. The other main research that I undertook provided the genealogical aspects of the book, all of which are real.

You probably have many, but is there a scene you particularly enjoyed writing?
I always enjoy developing the subplot of Morton’s background, so it was lovely to see him make progress on that front! But I think the scene I enjoyed writing the most was probably the 26th December 1914, when Charles Farrier has an epiphany that changes the course of his life and the lives of those around him. His decisions that night have a far-reaching impact that even stretch through to Morton in the modern day. This scene is the only part of the past narrative involving Charles Farrier which is not based on the unit diaries, so there was an element of extra freedom there!

What scene posed the greatest challenge for you as an author? Why was it troublesome and how did you work through it?  
I found the biggest challenge was writing the factual scenes involving death on such a large scale. In one scene Charles Farrier is sent out to check the wire perimeter, only to be confronted with more than a hundred dead German soldiers. What must that have been like? It was very hard to imagine what must have gone through the minds of those men surveying such regular atrocities. The soldier who accompanies Charles is full of a patriotic elation at their deaths, but Charles just can’t find it, as he sees them for who they really are: young men just like him. Although the scale of the destruction was a challenge to write, it helped solidify Charles’s personality and his eventual stance on the war, which informs his actions towards the end of the book.

Sometimes fiction takes on a life of its own and forces the author to make sacrifices for the sake of the story. Is there a character or concept you wish you could have spent more time on?
I had always intended this book to be a novella, so I knew that some sacrifices in the story and character development would be necessary. I would like to have spent more time with Nellie and her back story—I’m sure she had a very intriguing past and lots of challenges in her life that made her the woman she was in 1914. I’m sure she would have been an active suffragette! 

Historical novelists frequently have to adjust facts to make their stories work. Did you have to invent or change anything while writing The Orange Lilies and if so, what did you alter? 
I really didn’t want to change anything, so that the book followed the unit diaries exactly, however I just couldn’t make the ending of Charles’s story fit, so I did make up the entry for the 26th December, which I admit to at the end of the book! 

Le Touret Memorial, by Wernervc

If you could sit down and talk with one of your characters, maybe meet and discuss things over drinks, who would you choose and why?
I wouldn’t choose Morton or Juliette—I feel I know them well enough already! I would actually probably choose Nellie because, as I mentioned above, I think there’s a lot more to her than meets the eye, although I think she would be very guarded about her past so I might not get very far.  

Just because I’m curious, if you could pick a fantasy cast to play the leads in a screen adaptation of The Orange Lilies, who would you hire? 
Tricky one! I’ve been asked this before, and I’ve come up with the British television actors Julian Ovenden and Keeley Hawes for Morton and Juliette. As for Nellie and Charlie…maybe Michelle Dockery and Luke Treadaway. I’d quite like Pam Ferris for the modern Margaret Farrier. Can you arrange it, please?

Believe me, I would if I could. I'd love to see this story on the screen!

Finally, what's next for you? Do you have a new project in the works? 
Yes, I have just published the follow-up book to The Orange Lilies, entitled The America Ground. It’s a full-length novel which sees Morton working on a new case, but he does still find some answers to the questions and mysteries raised in The Orange Lilies about his own past. I’m now working on the next installment of the series!

═══════════════════════════ ❧  ═══════════════════════════

PRAISE FOR THE FORENSIC GENEALOGIST

"Flicking between the present and stories and extracts from the past, the pace never lets up in an excellent addition to this unique genre of literature." - Your Family Tree

"At times amusing and shocking, this is a fast-moving modern crime mystery with genealogical twists.  The blend of well fleshed-out characters, complete with flaws and foibles, will keep you guessing until the end." - Family Tree Magazine

"As I have read books in the past, I can usually tell almost from the beginning how it will probably end. That is not the case in this crime mystery. Each chapter, with its twists and turns, gave me new clues and had me trying to figure out the puzzle that Morton was trying to solve." - Tina Sansone, Amazon Reviewer

"I couldn't put this book down! I stayed up half the night reading it, and finished it the next morning. What a fine blend of history, mystery, genealogy and great story telling." - Seashell, Amazon Reviewer

═══════════════════════════ ❧  ═══════════════════════════

Born in the famed battle town of Hastings, England, Nathan Dylan Goodwin has always had a passion for writing in one form or another. Having gained a 2:1 degree in Radio, Film and Television studies, Nathan went on to gain a Masters degree in Creative Writing, from Canterbury Christ Church University.

Nathan started his writing career with non-fiction, his first book ‘Hastings at War’ being published in May 2005. This was followed by three further local history books pertaining to the area around his home town of Hastings. His first forays into fiction writing culminated in the publications in 2013 of Hiding the Past (a genealogical crime mystery novel). This was followed up in 2014 with The Lost Ancestor, the second in the Forensic Genealogist series.

In his mid-thirties, Nathan enjoys reading, genealogy writing and time with his family and young son.

Website ❧  Goodreads ❧  Facebook ❧  Pinterest ❧  Blog ❧  Twitter ❧  Google+

═══════════════════════════ ❧  ═══════════════════════════

Amazon US Amazon UK Barnes & Noble Books-A-Million

Format: Print & eBook Publication Date: November 30, 2014 Released by: CreateSpace ISBN-13: 978-1505314595 Length: 112 pages Genre: Historical Mystery

═══════════════════════════ ❧  ═══════════════════════════

Enchantress of Paris: A Novel of the Sun King’s Court by Marci Jefferson

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Obtained from: Agent/Netgalley

Read: August 10, 2015

Fraught with conspiracy and passion, the Sun King's opulent court is brought to vivid life in this captivating tale about a woman whose love was more powerful than magic. The alignment of the stars at Marie Mancini's birth warned that although she would be gifted at divination, she was destined to disgrace her family. Ignoring the dark warnings of his sister and astrologers, Cardinal Mazarin brings his niece to the French court, where the forbidden occult arts thrive in secret. In France, Marie learns her uncle has become the power behind the throne by using her sister Olympia to hold the Sun King, Louis XIV, in thrall. Desperate to avoid her mother's dying wish that she spend her life in a convent, Marie burns her grimoire, trading Italian superstitions for polite sophistication. But as her star rises, King Louis becomes enchanted by Marie's charm. Sensing a chance to grasp even greater glory, Cardinal Mazarin pits the sisters against each other, showering Marie with diamonds and silks in exchange for bending King Louis to his will. Disgusted by Mazarin's ruthlessness, Marie rebels. She sacrifices everything, but exposing Mazarin's deepest secret threatens to tear France apart. When even King Louis's love fails to protect Marie, she must summon her forbidden powers of divination to shield her family, protect France, and help the Sun King fulfill his destiny.

═══════════════════════════ ❧  ═══════════════════════════

Marie Mancini

I got excited about Marci Jefferson's Enchantress of Paris the moment I learned its release date. I'd fallen in love with Girl on the Golden Coin: A Novel of Frances Stuart in 2013 and had high hopes for the author's sophomore release. I knew nothing about Marie Mancini or Cardinal Mazarin, but I was excited at the prospect and eagerly anticipated watching the unfamiliar story unfold under Jefferson's pen.

Did the book live up to my expectations? Yes and no. There were a lot of things I loved about the story, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit the time I spent with this particular narrative left mixed impressions in its wake.

Like many of my fellow reviewers, I fell for Jefferson's heroine. Marie is intelligent, passionate, romantic, and tenacious, but my favorite aspect of her being is that she is vulnerable. This is a seventeenth century woman, but the flaws Jefferson incorporated in her characterization make Louis' mistress empathetic, engaging and relatable.

I've not spent much time on fictional accounts of the Sun King, but I thought Jefferson's interpretation of Louis XIV equally noteworthy. Young and idealistic, he is portrayed as a monarch still growing into the duties and responsibilities of his position. He is unsure of himself and easily manipulated, but his growing confidence endears him to the reader and gives them reason to overlook, or at least accept, his personal shortcomings.

I enjoyed the politics Jefferson folded into the narrative as well as the social drama experienced by her cast. I felt the multiple allegiances, rivalries and ambitions depicted within these pages authentically convoluted and appreciated the effort that went into crafting such a tangled web of pretension and purpose. I also thought the novel convincingly atmospheric and savored the descriptive details scattered throughout Marie's story.

That said, there were several elements I thought might have been stronger if they'd been more fully developed. I liked the ambiguity of the magic depicted within these pages, but I was disappointed at how thoroughly the theme faded as the story progressed. Marie's maid Morena fascinated me, but her character arc ultimately felt incomplete, unfinished and fragmentary in my eyes.

Olympia, Hortense and Marianne boasted similar potential, but despite their fascinating and controversial legacies, the trials of Marie's sisters go virtually unacknowledged. Don't misunderstand, I truly adore the story as written, but I couldn't help wishing she'd spotlighted the girls as Perinot did Marguerite and Eleanor in Sister Queens or Quinn did Cornelia, Lollia, Diana, and Marcella in Daughters of Rome.

Do I regret the time I spent on Enchantress of Paris? Hardly. Jefferson is a gifted storyteller and I adore the fiction she crafted. I believe more could have been done with the material, but I've no complaints of what appears within these pages and look forward to her next release. 

═══════════════════════════ ❧  ═══════════════════════════

“He must be convinced subtly, and that will take time. But when I'm ready to tell the king what I know, it will shake the very foundations of Paris.” 

═══════════════════════════ ❧  ═══════════════════════════

The Rules in Rome by A.L. Sowards

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Obtained from: Netgalley

Read: September 2, 2015

With Hitler’s forces firmly entrenched in Europe, countless heroes seek to end the madman’s reign. Bastien Ley is one of the best. Working in Italy for the Office of Strategic Services, he’s been tasked with sabotaging German convoys. When his team kills an officer headed for Rome, the man’s similarity to Bastien is undeniable, and seeing an opportunity to turn the tide of the war, Bastien makes a bold decision: he will assume the dead officer’s identity. He becomes Dietrich, an Iron Cross–wearing German officer—an ideal position from which to infiltrate the Nazi ranks in Rome. To help with his stressful assignment, his superiors send him a reinforcement in the form of the lovely Gracie Begni, an intelligent and eager radio operator with absolutely no undercover experience. With a gulf of resentment between them, these two agents must find a way to portray a couple in love. Soon their reluctant alliance becomes much more as Bastien and Gracie find themselves getting lost in their feelings for each other. But as they engage in battle against the deadliest foe the world has ever known, the pair quickly realizes their love may be doomed. As the Rome Gestapo threatens to destroy all they’ve worked for, will Bastien and Gracie survive their charade?

═══════════════════════════ ❧  ═══════════════════════════

To say I was excited when A.L. Sowards The Rules in Rome appeared in the Netgalley catalog is something of an understatement. I'd been eyeing the author's work for a while and was positively giddy when my request to review the novel was approved. I began reading it almost immediately and was pleased to discover my enthusiasm wasn't misplaced. The action and historic detail in the narrative impressed me so much that I actually reached out to author A.L. Sowards about hosting an interview before finishing the book, but looking back, I think what stands out the most is how different the novel feels in comparison to others of my experience. 

Most of the WWII fiction I've encountered takes place in England, France, Germany, Poland, Austria and Belgium, but Sowards chose Italy for the backdrop of her story and I found myself very intrigued by her decision to venture into territory that is less commonly portrayed. I wont deny that Belinda Alexandra's Tuscan Rose had more atmospheric and cultural detail, but Sowards' effort was easily more cohesive and engaging and I think that is why I appreciated her so much more than that of her predecessor. 

I admit there were elements of the book that felt somewhat coincidental, but the author created enough situational drama that I didn't feel things like Bastien's physical resemblance to Adalard Dietrich detrimental to the narrative. I found it curious tha0t the reader is afforded more face time with Gracie than Bastien and wish there'd been more balance between Sowards' leads, but here again, I don't feel the small disparity had any adverse affect on the finished publication.

My interest in the novel begins and ends with the history incorporated in its premise. The love story was harder for me to get into, but I think fans of wartime romance will really enjoy the emotional hurdles Bastien and Grace face. The story is clean in terms of language and explicit intimacy, but it is war era fiction and Sowards doesn't shy away from demonstrating the dangers of covert espionage with moments of extreme tension and deadly violence.

The politics of the novel are presented in light to moderate terms and are very easy to understand. Sowards kept this aspect straightforward enough that those with limited comprehension of events don't feel overwhelmed by the material which is nice as it is very easy to cripple a good story with heavy-handed description of fact. 

Bottom line, The Rules in Rome proved a quick and captivating diversion. Lightly religious, inventive and energetic. 

═══════════════════════════ ❧  ═══════════════════════════

Bastien had almost gotten used to the idea of working with Gracie until yesterday’s fiasco. Now he was certain Vaughn-Harris had thought up the whole thing as one more shot at revenge. It wasn’t right for Vaughn-Harris to try to get Bastien killed and risk the information he collected, nor was it fair for Gracie to be thrown into a mission she wasn’t ready for.

═══════════════════════════ ❧  ═══════════════════════════

The Memory Weaver by Jane Kirkpatrick

Rating: ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆

Obtained from: Netgalley

Read: September 12, 2015

Eliza Spalding Warren was just a child when she was taken hostage by the Cayuse Indians during a massacre in 1847. Now the young mother of two children, Eliza faces a different kind of dislocation; her impulsive husband wants them to make a new start in another territory, which will mean leaving her beloved home and her departed mother's grave--and returning to the land of her captivity. Eliza longs to know how her mother, an early missionary to the Nez Perce Indians, dealt with the challenges of life with a sometimes difficult husband and with her daughter's captivity. When Eliza is finally given her mother's diary, she is stunned to find that her own memories are not necessarily the whole story of what happened. Can she lay the dark past to rest and move on? Or will her childhood memories always hold her hostage? Based on true events, The Memory Weaver is New York Times bestselling author Jane Kirkpatrick's latest literary journey into the past, where threads of western landscapes, family, and faith weave a tapestry of hope inside every pioneering woman's heart. Readers will find themselves swept up in this emotional story of the memories that entangle us and the healing that awaits us when we bravely unravel the threads of the past.

═══════════════════════════ ❧  ═══════════════════════════

I owe my interest in Jane Kirkpatrick's The Memory Weaver to the artist who created the jacket. The contrasting colors caught my eye and while I wasn't overly enthusiastic over the premise, the imagery that graced the cover sparked something nostalgic in my imagination and prompted me to disregard any and all hesitation I felt regarding the material. Unfortunately for me, the narrative it concealed proved an uphill battle. I struggled with Kirkpatrick's style and tone from the first page to the last, I threw the book aside several times out of frustration, and more than once considered abandoning it altogether. 

I understand the novel is inspired fiction, but I found Kirkpatrick's approach unabashedly preachy. I've said the same thing about a lot of Christian writers and I have been judged and openly harassed by many of their fans. I'm well aware that my opinions ruffle feathers, but I personally appreciate subtly and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I appreciate characters who live by their faith above those who shove it down everyone else's throats or play the ever-suffering martyr. It works for some, it just isn't a good fit for me. 

I felt Kirkpatrick's interpretation of Eliza Spalding Warren almost identical to that of her mother, Eliza Hart Spalding and the lack of definition was incredibly annoying. The two share significantly similar names which caused confusion in and of itself, but the fact that the author failed to gift them individual voices amplified the issue tenfold. 

I think the story would have been stronger if the author had abandoned the journal approach and told it from dual perspective of the Eliza and her mother before, during and after the massacre at Waiilatpu. I realize the author wanted to address family legacies and the dynamic between mother and daughter, but I didn't feel that angle had enough material to carry all three hundred and thirty six pages of this novel. It got lost in translation and didn't strike me as particularly compelling even when it shown through the events of Eliza and Andrew's marriage. 

I don't know much about the Nez Perce, my knowledge base begins and ends with Chief Joseph, but I'm very familiar with Indian Country and sites such as Sand Creek, Washita, Wounded Knee and Little Bighorn and feel Kirkpatrick's effort shallowly representative of the complex history and culture of the native people. What little there is comes to the reader through Eliza who, in my opinion, possesses jarringly compassionate and modern ideas for someone who witnessed the 1847 Whitman massacre firsthand. Maybe it's just me, but I think the experience would have left her somewhat conflicted and felt Kirkpatrick's handling of the subject both superficial and unauthentic.

Atmospherically I've little to comment on. I've driven this part of the country more times than I can count and was disappointed that so little of it came to life under Kirkpatrick's pen. The characters also failed to impress and their emotional journeys didn't capture or captivate my imagination. Other reviewers have been mightily impressed with The Memory Weaver, and while I can appreciate varied opinions and tastes, I can't say I share in their admiration or delight.

═══════════════════════════ ❧  ═══════════════════════════

Was that what I was being? I didn’t want stubborn to be the legacy I gave my girls or my sisters. I wanted them to see strength in their heritage, to learn that that they could grow from challenges face. Yes, I could tell a travel story, of my escape from terrible harm. But was that the only story I wanted to be remembered for? No, I wanted them to remember their grandmother’s courage, and see a bit of that inside of me and themselves. 

═══════════════════════════ ❧  ═══════════════════════════