The Last Night - Cesca Major

In a quiet coastal village, Irina spends her days restoring furniture, passing the time in peace and hiding away from the world. A family secret, long held and never discussed, casts a dark shadow and Irina chooses to withdraw into her work. When an antique bureau is sent to her workshop, the owner anonymous, Irina senses a history to the object that makes her uneasy. As Irina begins to investigate the origins of the piece, she unearths the secrets it holds within.

Decades earlier, another young woman kept secrets. Her name was Abigail. over the course of one summer, she fell in love, and dreamed of the future. But Abigail could not know that a catastrophe loomed, and this event would change the course of many lives for ever... 

My thoughts:

After reading her other book I knew something bad would happen, and the blurb does hint at that too. I so wanted to google and see what happened in that village. But I braced myself.

The book is told in present day and in 1952. I was not that fond of Irene who was fixing up an old bureau and started to wonder about its history. See I was all about reading about what actually happened.

In the past we follow Abigail who moves in with her sister. Not the best place to stay. But the village is nice, romance is on the horizon and something is looming in the distance. I also liked Abigail, she was, well not shy, just not that outspoken and she did not always dare to say things she wanted too. Which was totally understandable in the situation.

It was a good book and I kept racing towards the end so I would know what would happen, what was the big bad? Would there even a big bad this time around? 

It was a lovely summer that turns into a mystery decades later

Cover
Ok

Paperback, 368 pages
Expected publication: May 4th 2017 by Corvus Books
Fiction/ Historical fiction
In exchange for an honest review

The silent Hours - Cesca Major

An epic, sweeping tale of love and loss inspired by heartrending true events in the Unoccupied Zone of wartime France. 

The Silent Hours follows three people whose lives are bound together, before war tears them apart:

Adeline, a mute who takes refuge in a convent, haunted by memories of her past;

Sebastian, a young Jewish banker whose love for the beautiful Isabelle will change the course of his life dramatically;

Tristin, a nine-year-old boy, whose family moves from Paris to settle in a village that is seemingly untouched by war.

My thoughts:

We all know this might end sadly. It's set during the war, true events are at the background. Something will happen. But it was never sad sad, it was more heartbreaking because of the cruelty of Man, and War.

The book has 3 POVS, Adeline, who was rendered mute by the war. Her story is set in 1952 and we do not know what happened to her, but slowly the truth comes out.

Tristan a young boy who lives his life like he always has. There was this one sad thing when he tells his father something, and I knew, when he grows up he will regret saying that.

Sebastian, a young man, who is Jewish, and the Germans are coming. We all know why this is horrible. His story is that of a romance.

But they are all connected, we just do not know how yet. And when it all comes together at the end...I can't say more.

The title does fit the book, there is this silence over it. We know it will lead up to something. I wondered if everyone would survive, as we do learn to know more people than just these 3 POVS. War is slowly coming closer.

Conclusion:

A quiet book, about life, love and the tragedy and aftermath of war. 

Cover

ok

Paperback, 320 pages
Published June 4th 2015 by Corvus
Historical fiction
For review