I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand I found parts of the story interesting and well-written but ultimately it wasn't for me. It was too long, I felt like several parts were unnecessarily drawn out. It almost felt like too much exposition. I wasn't as invested in the events towards the end of the story, I wasn't entirely sure what purpose they served aside from to fill a gap that didn't need filling. The ending was frustrating, I thought the events of the story were going to lead up to a bigger climax but it kind of felt that once Thomas' story was over, the rest of the story didn't matter as much. Something I do understand as arguably Thomas was the main story, I just felt a little cheated out of a decent ending.

I loved this book which I listened to as an audiobook. It's fictional but includes the real life character of Thomas Erskine and his family. Thomas was a lawyer, politician and Lord High Chancellor of Britain in the late 18th and early 19th centuries and there are many fascinating stories associated with him. He is the real life ancestor of the author and she wrote the book after being intrigued with the family legends she had heard about him. As well as the historical aspect of the story, there is a contemporary strand too following Ruth Dunbar, a fictional descendent of Thomas. Most of the contemporary strand was set in Edinburgh which I very much enjoyed. There was a lot of tension and drama in the present day storyline with a few very unpleasant and dangerous characters. Oh and there are ghosts - lots of ghosts!

This is the first Barbara Erskine book I have read/listened to and I thought it was brilliant. For such a long book, it kept my attention all the way through. I'll definitely be reading more of her work in the future. Great writing and excellent storytelling.

BORING

Visit the locations in the novel


A fascinating read and even more so when you realise that it's very heavily influenced and in places based on the real story of the author's own family.
It's like a literary version of Who Do You Think I Am - just when you think there's enough twists and turns in the story, there come some more.

The dual time lines of the past and present are nicely done and flow with ease. I always seem to prefer the stories of the past and I do think this was the strongest one as we travelled to St andrews, Bath, and then across the open seas to Barbados and Jamaica as the backstory of one of the characters is slowly built and crafted.

At the same time of course, Erskine cleverly weaves a story set in present day Edinburgh where a woman is having visions and dreams of someone from a past life. She's been left a house and now someone else is laying claim to it. Brr I shivered from the first page; there's something delicious about tracing the shadows of history.

And this is heavily inspired by the author's family - just how I will leave you to find out, but it's one heck of a story and Erskine is a name which has had quite the path through history! Don't google anything until you've read the novel - just enjoy and anticipate that shiver down your spine.

Barbara Erskine has crafted a story, a legend and a family history all at once and I can only imagine the emotional journey she took with this one! Now, it's time for the readers to do the same.