Tell It To The Skies by Erica James
| Tell It To The Skies by Erica James | |
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| Category: Women's Fiction | |
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Reviewer: Sue Magee
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| Summary: A darker tale from Erica James than we're used to but it's an absorbing story which touches on child cruelty, mental illness, suicide and murder. It's also a heart-warming and touching romance. Recommended. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 416 | Date: 3 Oct 2007 |
| Publisher: Orion | |
| ISBN: 978-0752875446 | |
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Lydia and Valerie were still young children when a double tragedy hit their family. Their father was killed in an accident and when their mother was unable to cope with life she threw herself in front of a train whilst the girls slept on the railway embankment. Their only family was their grandparents whom they had never met, but it was to their home that they were taken.
Deeply religious, the grandparents had disowned their son when he married the girls' mother and there was no joy or love in taking on the two orphans. Their grandfather was cruel and unfeeling and the grandmother only had affection for the younger sister, Valerie. Trapped in a loveless home and forced to attend an extreme church, Lydia finds that her only friend is Noah Solomon whom she meets at school. Still filled with guilt about her mother's death, Lydia trusts few people but her affection for Noah grows steadily.
Twenty-eight years later Lydia has made her home in Venice where she lives with her step-daughter. The sight of a face in the crowds which reminds her of Noah causes her to fall and injure herself. It's also the beginning of a physical and emotional journey which takes her back to England to resolve the mysteries of the past she thought she had left behind.
Regular readers of Erica James will find this to be a darker tale than those which have preceded it. It touches on child cruelty, mental illness, suicide and murder and they're all an intrinsic part of the story. None of the details are too harrowing, although I did think that the story of Lydia's childhood was perhaps a little long. It's certainly a departure for the author and shows that she is capable of more than a light story.
It's not a predictable story either. There are some neat twists in the tale which I didn't expect and the plot is clever enough that there's no point at which you need to suspend disbelief. I really warmed to Lydia and the grandparents were sufficiently repulsive to be interesting without being over-the-top. Noah was well drawn. I had my doubts about Valerie at times, but the denouement put all my worries to rest. A thoroughly enjoyable story and ultimately a heart-warming romance.
I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to Bookbag.
If this type of story appeals to you then you might also enjoy Goodnight Sweetheart by Charlotte Bingham or The Saving Graces by Patricia Gaffney.
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