Author: Hilary Scharper
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
ISBN: 9781492602446
Release Date: 1/20/2015
Formats: E-book & Trade Paperback
$16.99
Source: Arc from Publisher
Rating: 3.5
Marged
Brice is 134 years old. She’d be ready to go, if it weren’t for Perdita . . .
The
Georgian Bay lighthouse’s single eye keeps watch over storm and calm, and
Marged grew up in its shadow, learning the language of the wind and the trees.
There’s blustery beauty there, where sea and sky incite each other to mischief…
or worse…
Garth
Hellyer of the Longevity Project doesn’t believe Marged was a girl coming of
age in the 1890s, but reading her diaries in the same wild and unpredictable
location where she wrote them might be enough to cast doubt on his common
sense.
Everyone
knows about death. It’s life that’s much more mysterious…
After
a tragic accident, Garth Hellyer throws himself into conducting research for
the Longevity Project where he discovers Marged Brice. She’s claiming to be 134
years old and while she’s ready to die, she can’t for fear of leaving Perdita,
a mysterious presence that can only be revealed through her journals.
Although
he’s skeptic, he elects to take home Marged’s journals and with the help of his
childhood friend Clare, they slowly uncover the mystery of Marged and Perdita.
I
wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading Perdita. As a fan of gothics, I knew I had to give this novel a go.
I was intrigued by the mystery of whom or what Perdita was, so I was a slightly
disappointed by the fact that she’s mentioned early on in chapter 1 then
disappears until page 349.
The
novel drew me in but occasionally the journal entries bogged down the pacing
and gave it a sluggish feel. And while Marged’s story, through her journal
entries, is fleshed-out the modern day story of Garth and Clare needed to be equally
developed to round out the novel.
If
you’re looking for a novel that ties up the ending in a neat little bow, this
isn’t one of those novels. Several loose ends are left at the end and questions
are answered with more questions.
The
gothic aspect of this book was interesting. Inflections of Emily Brontë are
found throughout Scharper’s prose. Although whereas Brontë’s use of nature was through
an atmospheric approach used to heighten the readers senses, Scharper elected
to bring forth nature as another character in a literary style her husband
coined as ‘eco-gothic’. While the styles of Brontë and Scharper both draw
heavily upon nature, Scharper, while brilliantly painting a rugged wilderness,
loses the atmosphere that I associate with the gothic style.
Overall,
Perdita was an engaging read. The
beginning was slow, but it’s well worth sticking it out.
Giveaway
1
Grand Prize Winner will win
1
signed copy of Perdita (supplied by Sourcebooks)
1
Tree of Life Necklace (handmade by me)
1 Runner-up
will win
1
Tree of Life Necklace
 |
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7 comments:
That necklace is really cool! I don't know if Perdita is for me. I feel like I would keep putting it off until I had nothing left to read. Your review is excellent, you put a lot of detailed thought into it.
This definitely sounds unlike anything I have read before. I love the gothic element and I'm beyond curious to find out exactly how (and if) Marged is really as old as she claims. Thanks for the review and giveaway!
This book has some mystery to it, which really draws me in and makes me want to read the book. I find the old woman to be a very interesting character. Thanks for having this giveaway.
ayancey1974(at)gmail(dot)com
This sounds like a different kind of read for me. That can be a good thing.
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Thanks for this captivating review and wonderful giveaway. This feature is intriguing and unique. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
What a fascinating novel which I would enjoy greatly. The mystery and gothic allure appeals to me. Many thanks. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com
Please enter me!
Thanks,
Amy Bello
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