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Shadow of the Final Storm: A haunting novel of death and life

Carol McClain Craver (Goodreads Author)

3.60 · Rating details · 10 ratings · 2 reviews

Accidentally or on purpose, Ruthie is gone. And now Sirena is left to paint in the background of her life, to find the colors of her past that faded so quickly away when her mother stepped into the bay for a midnight swim and never resurfaced again. At least not in a living breathing form. Augie and Miss Lillian, a haunting couple from the past, lead Sirena through the lab ...more

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Paperback, 284 pages

Published May 27th 2013 by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform (first published July 7th 2012)

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Sep 13, 2017 Ann Fields rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This was a very interesting read. Why? Because it folds so many genres into one story. There’s romance, time travel, historical fiction, cookbook elements, mystery/thriller and family saga all wrapped into contemporary fiction. Initially, I thought that was too much, but by the end I realized that was just right.

The story opens with Sirena, a painter, moving back to Galveston, Texas, into the house where her family’s roots go deep. It only takes one night in the previously abandoned house for S This was a very interesting read. Why? Because it folds so many genres into one story. There’s romance, time travel, historical fiction, cookbook elements, mystery/thriller and family saga all wrapped into contemporary fiction. Initially, I thought that was too much, but by the end I realized that was just right.

The story opens with Sirena, a painter, moving back to Galveston, Texas, into the house where her family’s roots go deep. It only takes one night in the previously abandoned house for Sirena to be visited by the dead, spirits both good and evil, who hint about mysterious goings on, past and present. Her encounter with the dead soon leads her to experience 1900 Galveston as the daughter of a sea captain and a housewife, while at the same time living her present day life as a painter, lover and daughter. Living the dual lives lead Sirena to uncover family and town secrets, situations that must be put to right before all in the present are able to live wholly.

To avoid spoilers, I’ll stop the story summation at this point, and turn to the mechanical aspects of the story. Right off I must say that Carol has a wonderful way with words. Her descriptions are vivid and poetic. There were many phrases and sentences I underlined so I could read them over and over; that’s just how amazing they are. I also enjoyed her characters, both the diversity and depth of them. Every character was distinct and well developed in terms of dialogue, dress, mannerisms, personality and actions. Even the minor characters were given a thorough dousing of realism. Another positive point I’ll raise is that Carol presents both time periods authentically. I especially enjoyed reading about life in 1900s Galveston – the clothes, the social life, the neighborhoods, the transportation, the professions, and more. Carol certainly did her research. And my final comments: story themes and the ending. The story themes – redemption, soul journeys and second chances – are deeply integrated into the telling of the story and fully align with the premise of the story. Every reader loves a good ending, one that is emotionally satisfying, answers all the questions, shows a change in the character (or not) and is appropriate to the genre. The ending of this story meets the mark on all these conditions. However, there was one secret (Ruthie’s dying) that wasn’t addressed. But perhaps I missed it (since I was so in love with the phrasing, word choices, and language) and if so, not knowing did not subtract from my enjoyment since Ruthie’s dying was a sub-plot with minor relevance. I closed my reader at the end of this book thinking I want more good reads from this author. ...more

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Nov 13, 2015 Carol Craver rated it it was amazing · (Review from the author) · review of another edition

Book Review
Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite

Shadow of the Final Storm: A Haunting Novel of Death and Life by Carol McClain Craver is the story of a woman who goes back to her hometown and is surprised to find that the things in her past are still alive. Sirena Vestal had no idea that she would be able to meet her past when she moved back to her childhood home in Galveston. She meets a mystic who tells her that her old self is still here. Just because Sirena moved ...more

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