This is my first read from Sarah McCoy. The cover and description quickly caught my eye. I was hooked from the beginning pages. I am a huge fan of historical fiction. Sarah has brought us a gift of history weaved in a contemporary setting. Two stories, separate times in history, tied together to make one brilliant and beautiful story.
We begin with a New York setting in April 1859 and then we gracefully move to West Virginia in August of 2014. From there we meet many characters and travel different places in area and time. It's not a messy flip flop story, but brilliantly navigated together, going from past times to present.
These are characters filled with courage and strength. Each adding something different to the novel. Sarah shows us the intimate and transparent soul of these women. I admire how this author shows us their heart, struggles, fears, and we too are there to see them soar above obstacles.
The words flow elegantly. Oh, the gift Sarah has for revealing the heart and emotion through pages that at times felt like poetry in motion. The detail this author gives is so vibrant that the reader is able to capture the scenes as if we are present within the story.
It's easy to see Sarah's passion in penning this novel. When an author is deeply driven to get the story right we see something magical happen. For me, that makes this penned work all the more spectacular. The author visited Sarah's grave site and leaves us with these words in the Author's Note. "I went to Sarah's gravesite, sat beside her on a bed of pinecones, and listened to the autumn leaves whisper."
For my friends who strictly read Christian novels, this isn't a Christian novel. But it is a novel that I would recommend to friends. I loved this novel and am interested to now read The Baker's Daughter.
This novel was a gift from Broadway Books and the Blogging for Books Program for sharing my review with you.
Sarah McCoy is the New York Times bestselling author of The Bakers Daughter and The Time It Snowed in Puerto Rico. She lives with her husband and their dog, Gilbert, in El Paso, Texas.
