The Widow's Daughter

by Nicholas Edlin

A spellbinding story of love, war, and betrayal.

Peter Sokol, an artist living in San Diego, is haunted by his past.

In 1943, Captain Sokol is a surgeon in the U.S. Marines stationed in Auckland, New Zealand, where he and his longtime nemesis have fallen in love with the same beautiful and enigmatic woman, Emily Walters. Dismissive of Emily's suspiciously British mother and violent brother, the two vie for her hand. When Emily's brother is discovered murdered, Sokol is the prime suspect. As he fights to prove his innocence, he finds that the woman he loves is not who she seems, and that the blood of another might be on his hands.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Mystery, World War II, Historical Mystery, War, Literary Fiction

372 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2012

Reviews

[Danielle The Book Huntress · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent prose, vivid imagery, evocative storytelling that both excited me intellectually and stirred me emotionally.

Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 stars.

Reviewed for Affaire de Coeur magazine. http://affairedecoeur.com.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would. Very interesting story with an interesting twist at the end. The story plodded along at a steady pace and had a nice ending.

[Angelica · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a decent story. Well written. Unfortunately, boring and slow.

[Barbara Burd · Rating 3 out of 5]

One thing I love about the ALA conference is that I can pick up advanced reading copies from new authors. I picked this book up last week and starting reading in the airport. I haven't read much about the role of the American forces in New Zealand in World War 11, so this was intriguing. The author, Nicholas Edlin, has good potential and this was a worthy first effort. Edlin tells the story of Peter Sokol, a surgeon turned painter, who served in Aukland and fell in love with a mysterious ingenue with a shadowy past. Edlin is a native New Zealander and his love of the country comes through in his descriptive language. Sokol, traveling to see the author of a book about his New Zealand adventure, tells his story through flashbacks and remembrances, as he converses with a young man that he picks up on the way. The story is intriguing with a mixture of love, mystery, war, and espionage, along with the subplot of Sokol's current road trip. And for me, this was a weakness in the narrative. With so many elements none were fully developed and I never had a real sense of Sokol's character development. His naïveté was just too pervasive on too many levels and I could never develop an empathy or understanding of him. There seemed to be no basis for this wild romance and certainly no rationale for the guilt carried by Sokol through the years. Throughout the story too many characters acted "out of character". Edlin shows promise as an author. I just felt that this book was a little too big for itself.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this to be an extraordinary and profound book, cleverly told and beautifully written. The setting is described with the vibrancy and astute visual observation of a painter. The characters are full and richly realized. The story itself evokes a foreign landscape populated by passionate lovers, bitter rivals, loyal friends and cunning liars.

"It wasn't just the technique, the inflected, almost musical palette, the vicious swathes of cadmium red like a sea of blood, or the haphazard outlines scratched beneath the paint that seemed like anarchy defined. No. It was the primal, almost anguished scrum of figures that arrested me, so desperate and lonely in their nearness to the human form. I had no words to describe what I saw, but I understood it as an expression of something real and essential and powerful."

"A battlefield is no place in which to be forgiven."

Author Nicholas Edlin clearly understands the human heart in all its hypocrisy, naivety, its selfishness and betrayal. Through the characters, he exposes many kinds of human trauma and tragedy. The main character, artist Peter Sokol, is a study in the disillusionment and isolation of a war veteran. The story, as it winds back and forth from past to present, is a mystery of sorts - will Peter be swallowed up by sorrow and solitude, or will he find redemption in his relationships and human connections.

This book reminded me of In Sunlight and in Shadow by Mark Helprin, or some of Richard Yates works. If you loved From Here to Eternity, you might enjoy this.

[Roxenne Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story, particularly the first half, and thought that the setting and historical context were imaginative. Unlike another reviewer of this book, I liked the main character and thought the author did a great job of helping us understand his mental state.

The last 100 pages gave us an overly long wrap-up and eventually succumbed to melodrama. I find this to be a common disappointment in novels that are otherwise wonderful. I think this was a worthy first novel by Nicholas Edlin.

[Bruce Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slick writing, interesting scenes, lovely characterization, a story which grips and intrigues. The hiccups, at least as this reader was concerned, were disconcerting time jumps and the credit straining accidental encounters. That said, this book needs its movie, because it needs to be more widely known.

[Dev · Rating 3 out of 5]

An okay read with a twist at the end, which you may or may not see coming. I liked it but if the narrator is American, why did he refer to his windshield as a windscreen?

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author has a definite talent for words, but the story was uninteresting to me and the characters, other than the protagonist, were flat.

[Terrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

An average book, mild mystery, slightly historical setting but it could have been anywhere, any war. Finished it but it didn't ever really grab me.

[Terry Kundmueller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would have given it 2.5 stars. Ok story, didn't always like the three time lines.

[Caroline Barron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Edlin’s descriptions of my home turf – Freeman’s Bay and Ponsonby – during World War Two brought alive much of the dry, factual reading I’ve recently done about U.S. troops in Auckland during that time (I can recommend Denys Bevan’s 'United States Forces in NZ' and 'The Yanks are Coming' by Harry Bioletti). Most Kiwi soldiers were away fighting in the Middle East, so when the Japanese became a threat, the U.S. sent their troops to New Zealand as a base from which to defend the Pacific, and for rest and recuperation between Pacific campaigns. Oh, and to teach Kiwi girls how to jitterbug.

I applaud Edlin’s realistic recreation of the Victoria Park Camp because very little has been written about it – I know because I’m researching it for a setting, myself (watch this space!) This may be because there were several other larger camps in Auckland and nearby, including camps at Western Springs, the Auckland Domain, and a U.S. hospital where Avondale School now stands. For those of you unfamiliar with Victoria Park, in recent years it has been redeveloped into a fashionable market with offices, restaurants and retail space. Although the huge red brick chimney ‘Perfectus’ stopped burning rubbish in 1972, it is still one of Auckland’s most recognizable landmarks.

'The Widow’s Daughter' is set in the first person, past tense: Sokol in the now at his San Diego home - his relationship with his partner, art, and guilt over What Happened in Auckland; then Sokol remembering his time in the Marines as a surgeon in Auckland. We then go on a road trip (in the now) with Sokol and a random hippy he collects along the way (a vehicle for the author to show Sokol’s ‘nice side’ and to throw in an epiphany) - the ubiquitous journey to face his past and thus unravel the mystery of What Happened in Auckland.

And here’s where the story falls short for me. Set against such a strong and well-written backdrop, the story feels weak. Sure, What Happened in Auckland was dramatic, but I’m not sure it would that have changed Sokol’s life so irreversibly, forever?

I applaud Edlin for an ambitious first book and look forward to reading his second novel 'The Below Country'.

This review also appears on my blog www.lovewordsmusic.com.

[Tiana Lemons · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the beginning, this story was very interesting and captivated me. The characters are all strong, yet have a weak side of them at the same time. The description of all the characters were so deep, their personalities and looks were engraved into my head. Even though it as 1AM, I still didn't want to put the book down! I was in the middle and I didn't even want to stop to get rest xD

I LOVE how they switched from the present to the past, although at the beginning, that made it a bit confusing...but what can you say? I'm 14! I honestly think that this book was meant for people older than me, but I actually understood everything! Not to mention, it was EXTREMELY interesting!

I can't wait to read more tonight...thank god I have spring break!

[Lissa Smith Reads'~A Bookaholics Bookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars:
The Plot was predictable for historstoric reads. The mood is a cross between hopeful, Dark, and wistful The pace was slow in the beginning but moved along steady. The characters were well developed.

It has many redeeming qualities. The characters were likable at best neutral at worst. The writing was much better than expected. I developed an interest that withstood to the end. The plot was nice, somewhat original or had its own unique flair. The writing was good, and the pretense wasn’t half bad, the romance was simmering with few exceptions. The male/female lead showed hints of abuse both verbal and/or physical or signs of spot-on or forced chemistry. It was a tiny bit predictable. Overall, liked it enough, entertaining.

[Jessica Haider · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a copy of The Widow's Daughter from a FirstReads giveaway here on goodreads.

The novel jumps back in forth in time and location from World War II New Zealand to southern California in the days of the Vietnam war. The main character, Peter Sokol, is a mild-mannered doctor/painter without much luck in the realm of love. The main plotline of the book tells the tale of his relationship between himself and a young woman he meets in New Zealand.

This was one of those books that I was drawn right into and tore through. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or World War II fiction. (the focus is more on the characters than on the war aspect)

[Judah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Billed as somewhat a mystery, 'The Widow's Daughter' is a colorful but ultimately dull read. While, I know that's an oxymoron , the setting and plot are mildly interesting I could care less about the characters.

Also the writer's editor seems to have taken a day off at some point. Some typos cause whole sentences to become nonsense. While this isn't a constant bother, it's unusual for a major publisher. Though its possible that the book was lifted straight from its New Zealand/Australian printing, as no one bothered to changed British English into American English (an oddity to be sure, since the story is told by Americans).

[Melony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nicholas Edlin allowed me to appreciate his skill in writing particularly in the first chapters. The book is well laid out and thought out. He paints pictures with his words, not only of the physical world but of the world inside of the characters internal beings. Once you start, you can't put it down, there is mystery all the way through and I loved the character development of each character involved, particularly the main character, Peter. Your heart breaks with him and rejoices in his victories among the difficult circumstances of war love and loss.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was slow to start.
It takes quite a long time to even mention some of the spoilers from the back cover.
But while it's taking its time to get there, it hooks you in piece by piece.
I found I wanted to find out about Peter, I wanted to know what happened between him and the other characters.
And in the last fifteen or so pages it throws you shine curveball I hadn't suspected in the slightest!

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goodreads Gift. - This was an unusual and fascinating story, set primarily in WWII New Zealand. Edlin captured the heart strings in the very first chapter, and I felt the story! As I read, I experienced what the narrator (main character) experienced! I will be re-reading this book before long. Great read.

[Liza · Rating 2 out of 5]

After 150 pages, I gave up on this. It jumped around in time too much. The American jargon was off sometimes (I assume because the author isn't American). I really don't care to hear of soldiers "whoring." I'm curious as to the end but would rather have someone tell me than have to read the rest of the book.

[Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the idea of this story and appreciate the positive ending. I am only giving this three stars because I found it challenging to get into the story in the first 100 pages. Even though things got a bit more interesting it barely held my attention to the end. The writing was excellent for a debut novel; it was something in the story that was lacking for me.

[Jacki Leach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elegant, yet gritty, novel of the US forces in New Zealand. Two doctors, both rivals, are in love with the same woman. Her family hides secrets and deceptions, eventually destroying almost everyone around them.

Beautifully researched, well-drawn characters.

[Katy (Booksinthemiddle) Monnot · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've finished it, but it was tough going at times. I liked the way that the author teased out the story, but definitely felt like the action was weighted towards the back of the novel, which meant I had to slog through for a while until I got to the good stuff.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this alot (at first). I thought the ideas and emotions expressed were very well done. I did have a little problem with the ending. It felt a little overdone. I plan on rereading it again later (the ending) to see if I change my mind.

[Lexi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weird book. Writing was pretty good but the storyline was strange. Twists that don't really seem plausible And turns that just make you scratch your head. The main characters made things harder for themselves and were difficult in that case too root for.

[Erin Black]

Just recieved an Advance Readers Copy in the mail today....looking forward to starting it!!!! :)

[erocchio · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked the author's way of writing and keeping me in suspense as to what everyone's real problem was.
At the same time the author kept giving clues as to what their problems were.

[Lauren Bernard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an interesting story! Never heard anything about the war as it happened in New Zealand. Suspenseful and moving. Really liked it.

[Mjdrean · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another slow ambling read. I really didn't care in the end.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting. Hard to get into at first and the technique of giving clues to the narrative without context gets annoying. But a good story nonetheless.