5 out of 5 stars
On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE
On Goodreads HERE
This is the third book in the Highway Trilogy, and is every bit as good as the last two. As I have a terrible memory I am probably the ideal person to review series; I could remember next to no details about the last two books, but this episode is so well put together that it could be read as a stand alone. I'd suggest reading the first two as well, though, simply because they're so good!
It's YA, but, as with the other two parts, I wasn't that aware of it being a book for teenagers (which would have put me off). It tells the end story of Lady Katherine Fanshawe, which is based on truth but given much fictional detail by Deborah Swift; there is a author's note of a few pages at the end to explain much of the history, which you may or may not want to read first.
The story itself is gripping, quite dark, a real page-turner, and as beautifully written as all this author's books. Kate Fanshawe is a heroine who will appeal to many; she's a fighter, but so many things go disastrously wrong for her in a world where young women of noble stock are seen by everyone as little more than something to be bartered and bought. As events take a more desperate turn I felt angry with her for the way she treated her loyal maid, Abigail, and her lovely groom, Cutch; brave of Ms Swift to make her not always likeable, but my sympathy was with her for most of the time, her good intentions were misunderstood, and she made bad decisions only out of desperation - I can't say too much for fear of giving the plot away.
The characters and history are so real, and there is a hint of the supernatural throughout the book, which worked very well. I thoroughly enjoyed this whole trilogy and recommend it for readers of all ages.
I received an ARC of this book for an honest review.
Links to reviews of other books by Deborah Swift, including the first two parts of the Highway Trilogy, HERE
5 out of 5 stars
17th Century YA
On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE
I received an ARC of this book from the author, for an honest review.
.... and I'm happy to report that Deborah Swift has done it again! This is the second part of the Highway Trilogy, and first I must make the point that it's a complete stand alone. This is important for me, because I have virtually no long term memory when it comes to book/film/TV series plots. Of course, once I began to read this, the plot of Part I, Shadow on the Highway, came back.
Part I is jolly good, but Part II is even better. I'd only intended to dip in, take a look at the start, but then I read two thirds of it in one go. I'm never quite sure what 'YA' actually means; when I was a young adult there were no YA books, we just read... books. I suppose there are limitations on content and this is written more simply than, for instance, A Divided Inheritance, but I would have thought it could be enjoyed by anyone from the age of twelve to ninety.
Spirit of the Highway is (mostly) about a conflict at Markyate Manor, home of the real life Katherine Fanshawe (see the author's notes at the back of the book), between the Royalists and the Parliamentarians at the end of the English Civil War of the mid 17th Century. It's written from the point of view of Ralph Chaplin, the young farmer in love with the lady of the manor; we're told from the beginning that he's dead (and, indeed, some of it is told by him as a ghost), but knowing the outcome for the main character does not spoil the story at all - just thought I'd better point that out!
Last week I read a very good novel about the 1980s UK Miners' Strike, Public Battles, Private Wars, so I had a good time nodding sagely to myself and making observations about unchanging human nature, etc. Deborah Swift really knows her stuff, and I find myself saying the same things about her books every time I review one... but she's just a great story teller, I haven't been let down yet. The last three and a half chapters of this story, are, in particular, brilliant; I highly recommend this book, and am very much looking forward to Part III.
SHADOW ON THE HIGHWAY is reviewed HERE; at the end you will find links to the two other 17th Century books by Deborah Swift that I've read (only one to go...)
and her WW2 mystery, PAST ENCOUNTERS, written under the name Davina Blake, is reviewed HERE
4.5 out of 5 stars
17th Century history, YA
On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE
I didn't realise when I bought this that it was a YA novel, as the blurb doesn't say so, but I thought I'd read it anyway as I've read another of Deborah Swift's books and thought it excellent. I've just spent a very happy afternoon reading the second half of this, it was great!
Set right in the middle of the English Civil War, Shadow on the Highway is about deaf lady's maid Abigail Chaplin, who is taken into service by Lady Katherine Fanshawe, a girl of around her own age. However, Katherine is far from in control at Markyate Manor, as Abi is to find out.
This is one of those 'half fact, half fiction' stories that I love; I didn't realise exactly how much was fact until I read the historical notes at the end of the book (I think it's probably better to read them afterwards, when they mean more). I love Ms Swift's work; the research is so complete but the details are never laboured; she assimilates her knowledge of the times so smoothly, so that a picture of the time is painted almost immediately. Her books are so very readable. One thing I very much appreciated about this novel was the way she put questions in the reader's mind about certain characters' backgrounds early on, but does not answer them until much later.
I became more aware of this being a YA novel in the last quarter, though before that I think it could have been meant for any age. I'm not really into YA as a rule, but I think I'll still have to get the next one in the series - and what a marvellous way to learn about history for teenagers; this is far more interesting than any history lesson I sat through. It brings the time to life, which is what learning history should be about, isn't it?
THE GILDED LILY by Deborah Swift reviewed HERE
A DIVIDED INHERITANCE by Deborah Swift reviewed HERE
