Tuesday 7 December 2010

Review: The Winter Sea - Susanna Kearsley

Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 576
Published: December 2010 Sourcebooks Landmark

Carrie McClelland came to Scotland to research her next book. Renting a cottage in the same town where her story takes place, Carrie embarks not only on her novel, but on a romance with her landlord's handsome son, Graham Keith. When the boundary between past and present begins to blur, Carrie finds herself channeling memories not her own. Pulled deeper and deeper into the memories of the past, Carrie realizes these visions are more than the means to another bestselling novel, but also a way to right the wrongs of the past and create a future with the man whose love is her destiny.

Plot:
Carrie McClelland is in France writing a story about the French-Jacobite invasion at Cruden Bay, but the story is not evolving so she comes to Scotland to put the pieces together. Here she is drawn to Slains Castle and stays in the nearby village to write. The words come by themselves and she soon realizes that it's not a story she is writing, but the truth.

My thoughts:
Genetic memory, now would that not be so cool. You could see the past from the eyes of your ancestors.

This book is a two part book. First there is Carrie writing, and finding out how handsome both sons of her landlord is. So she is dealing with her own things, and falling in love. I do like romance. Then there is the book she is writing and we see history from Sophia Paterson's eyes. She is staying at Slains Castle by the grace of a distant relative. Scotland wants their true king back so there is a lot of politics and betrayal going on. And she falls in love in the midst of it all.

Which story did I enjoy the most, for some reason Carrie and when she found her man. The Sophie parts were of course interesting, and it is an era I do not know much about. Sophie was also a very sweet heroine, and her man, him I really liked. Carrie's man was a bit more at peace. Anyway in the end I did like them all. And side characters like her landlord, he was a sweetheart. No horrible people in this book, I saw all sides of them.

One thing I was not to keen about was something at the end, I felt, oh I can't say because then i will spoil things. I had just wanted one more thing, even if everything was all peachy anyway.

My final thoughts and recommendation.
A book for historical fans, and I know it is not time travel or anything, but hey close enough so something for everyone really since there is the contemporary parts too. I think is a 3,5 cos I would recommend it. It was a very interesting approach to seeing the past.

I did have big fears at one time, this book does get really sad, and you know it from the start. But life has a way of turning out for the best in the end.

Reason for reading:
It sounded intersting

Cover:
I am so stupid, I saw it and did not get it, then many many times later I realized it was hair! duh

Review copy from Sourcebooks


PS.
There will be an interview with Susanna next week :)


34 comments:

  1. This sounds great! I love history and although genetic memory is a scary notion, I'd read the book. Thanks for sharing!

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  2. I'm not sure that I would like this book. I am a fan of historicals but not when they're mixed with the present.

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  3. This sounds like a really intriguing read! I'm glad you pointed this one out to me, and brilliant review! :D

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  4. It sounded so good, until you mentioned the "really sad part." I try to avoid stories that are too sad.

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  5. This sounds better every time I read about this! Thanks for the review.

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  6. This is one I'd really like to read and I do love that cover. Unfortunately it's not available on Kindle in Canada.

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  7. A good reason to read it - historical novel! Book Bird Dog.

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  8. I think this book sounds fascinating and I think that cover is beautiful and kind of eearie!

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  9. I don't know...everything is peachy but book is also sad... your review made me interested enough but sometimes I get bored easily with all this supernatural stuff like genetic memory and so on.

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  10. Irena
    At least she got really inspired and surely wrote a bestseller from it.

    Lilly,
    You could always only read the historical parts, lol

    Melissa
    Thanks :) It was certainly interesting

    carol
    You know I really should rephrase..you see it was sad, then it was not sad, so in the end it 's not sad book at all

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  11. Awesome review, Blodeuedd!! I just finished this one and need to write my review. It's a hard review to write for some reason.

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  12. Elysium
    I am glad you think so

    Darlene
    Too bad :( Perhaps it will get there soon

    BookBird
    Lol, my thoughts exactly

    Amused
    It sure is..when I finally saw what it was of, lol, I am so bad

    Ana
    It was never portrayed as supernatural so fear not. There was even this doctor that gave her articles, and some animals do seem to have it so..cool notion.

    And about the sad part, fear not, I honestly can't say more. But it's only sad for a little bit, Happiness will rule

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  13. The book does sound interesting and I love the cover!

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  14. The whole genetic memory thing sounds interesting. Maybe I'll give this one a try.

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  15. Carrie
    It was hard, cos I wanted to say so much, but it was just one big spoiler alert

    Bermuda
    I do too now when I know what it is

    Anna
    Makes me wish I had it, I do think one ancestor could come up with one good story

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  16. >>One thing I was not to keen about was something at the end, I felt, oh I can't say because then i will spoil things. I had just wanted one more thing, even if everything was all peachy anyway.<<

    OOH! Don't tease me like that! Now, I wanna know!! =)

    I kinda like books like these where the heroine finds or discovers something of the past and there is this telling on her side and the person she's reading/studying. Like the movie Persuasion based on the book with Gwen Paltrow?

    Then there's my favorite Mr. Darcy broke my heart. Love it. *sighs* Now, I *have* to have this one to discover what it is that you've kept from us. XP

    *smiles* I posted your card today as well! *hugs*

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  17. talks about genetic memory, takes place in France - this totally sounds like my kind of book! I think I'd enjoy it! Thanks for the review!

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  18. Oh this does sound interesting. Oh, and LOL I knew it was hair and it took me a bit to see what you meant. Once I did I couldn't see hair anymore! ;D

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  19. I agree genetic memory sounds very cool indeed!

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  20. Sounds like another great read!

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  21. Definitely looking forward to that interview coming up. And wow, what a eye-catching cover!

    I kind of like the sound of this one though. Really enjoyed your honest review and I think I'll be adding it to my tbr list =)

    P.S. LOVE your response to Lilly's comment. lol made me giggle

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  22. This one is a little different from what I'd usually read. Nice review. :)

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  23. Redd
    I am afraid I must tease, and not spill the beans...oh I want to tell someone, it drives me mad!!!

    Yay, card :D looking forward to it.

    Ohh yes Persuasion, I guess like that. Have not read the Mr Darcy book so will have a look at it now since I adore him.

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  24. Brizmus
    Well actually it's Scotland all the way, she goes to France, characters goes to France but they are never in France

    Melissa
    Lol, I destroyed the hair for you! ;=) But yes I just got lost in the pic

    DC
    Definitely something to experience

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  25. *waves to Chris*

    Yvonne
    I like different, and I have not come across this before..I think

    Mishel
    Lol, had to go back to see what I wrote ;) Well it could be done ;)
    It's on Wednesday so come back and see what she has to say. Should be a contest too

    FV
    It's good to mix things up sometimes

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  26. Genetic memory would be cool but I think there would be a whole lot more nutters than we already have in that case... :)

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  27. Cherry
    Depending on who you were related to, then oh yes, scary

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  28. I'm looking forward to reading my copy now!!

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  29. Staci
    I hope you like it and then finally I can tell someone the part I disliked

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  30. I liked both stories-but wished that there had been more of Carrie's toward the end of the book.

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  31. Bucky
    Yup I liked her too, so would like to have seen more with her and Graham

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  32. This sounds like my type of read.
    I like historicals, and anything set in Scotland.
    Great review! Such pretty hair on the cover :)
    http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

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  33. Naida
    I always wanted red hair, I think I could pull it off, I have some red already in my hair :)

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