The Winter Sea; giveaway fail
9. Susanna Kearsley, The Winter Sea
Carrie McClelland, a bestselling author of historical novels, has decided to set her next book during the failed Jacobite rebellion of 1708. She even has her hero picked out, a dashing colonel who frequented the exiled Scottish king’s court in France. Carrie travels to Slains Castle in the north of Scotland, hoping to do some research on her hero since he’d stayed there at one time. Instead, however, she is plagued by dreams about a young woman, Sophia Paterson, who was at Slains during that time and who also happens to be Carrie’s own ancestor. When Carrie shifts her focus to write about Sophia, the book practically seems to write itself - so much so that Carrie wonders whether she is truly creating her book or just remembering it.
This book has pretty much everything I’m looking for in a novel: a vivid historical setting, a bit of political intrigue, and not one but two slow-burning romances. I’d also read a lot of great stuff about Susanna Kearsley in general and this book in particular. So, truth be told, I was hoping that this would become one of my new favorite books. Unfortunately, I didn’t quite have that experience. Don’t get me wrong; I think this is an extremely accomplished book. It’s well written, the historical setting is absolutely fascinating, and I was definitely rooting for the characters, especially the ones from the past. But for some reason, this book just didn’t grab me with that all-consuming, can’t-put-it-down quality. I will definitely try more of Kearsley’s books, though, in hopes that I’ll have a stronger positive reaction to the next one.
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Also, remember that giveaway I posted a few weeks ago? I was offering my copies of M. K. Hobson's The Native Star and The Hidden Goddess. But, as it turns out, not a single person entered! I guess I should have publicized it a bit more than I did, haha. Oh well...those books will be going to a good home via Paperback Swap. Next time I host a giveaway, I'll have to be more aggressive in my advertising! :)