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A Falcon for a Queen
A gripping story of romance and mystery set in Victorian Scotland. Another unputdownable page-turner of secrets, passion and family duty from the ‘Queen of Storytellers’.After the death of her father, Kirsty Howard leaves their home in China and travels to be with her mother's family in the Scottish Highlands. It is here that her brother William has also recently died - after a hunting accident. With her Kirsty carries a scroll sent by William from his deathbed, with a cryptic message "She has killed ..."Arriving at Cluain, the old house and whisky distillery owned by her grandfather, Kirsty is drawn to the mysterious and moody Callum Sinclair, who roams the moors with his majestic falcon.She also meets the other locals who had known William - including the forbidding housekeeper, Mairi Sinclair. Over time, Kirsty learns the parts these strangers played in her brother’s life, and how her own fate is bound up by the places and people of this remote land. But nothing can prepare her for the truth that must be revealed.Praise for Catherine ‘Miss Gaskin is supremely entertaining …’ The Sunday Express‘… Miss Gaskin is a born storyteller.’ The Sunday Mirror‘The Queen of Storytellers’ Catherine Gaskin has sold more than 40 million books worldwide.
403 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1972
115 people are currently reading
235 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Gaskin
93 books71 followersCatherine Gaskin (2 April 1929 – 6 September 2009) historical fiction and romantic suspense.
She was born in Dundalk Bay, Louth, Ireland in 1929. When she was only three months old, her parents moved to Australia, settling in Coogee, a suburb of Sydney, where she grew up. Her first novel This Other Eden, was written when she was 15 and published two years later. After her second novel, With Every Year, was published, she moved to London. Three best-sellers followed: Dust in Sunlight (1950), All Else is Folly (1951), and Daughter of the House (1952). She completed her best known work, Sara Dane, on her 25th birthday in 1954, and it was published in 1955. It sold more than 2 million copies, was translated into a number of other languages, and was made into a television series in Australia in 1982. Other novels included A Falcon for the Queen (1972) and The Summer of the Spanish Woman (1977).
Catherine Gaskin moved to Manhattan for ten years, after marrying an American. She then moved to the Virgin Islands, then in 1967 to Ireland, where she became an Irish citizen. She also lived on the Isle of Man. Her last novel was The Charmed Circle (1988). She then returned to Sydney, where she died in September 2009, aged 80, of ovarian cancer.
She was born in Dundalk Bay, Louth, Ireland in 1929. When she was only three months old, her parents moved to Australia, settling in Coogee, a suburb of Sydney, where she grew up. Her first novel This Other Eden, was written when she was 15 and published two years later. After her second novel, With Every Year, was published, she moved to London. Three best-sellers followed: Dust in Sunlight (1950), All Else is Folly (1951), and Daughter of the House (1952). She completed her best known work, Sara Dane, on her 25th birthday in 1954, and it was published in 1955. It sold more than 2 million copies, was translated into a number of other languages, and was made into a television series in Australia in 1982. Other novels included A Falcon for the Queen (1972) and The Summer of the Spanish Woman (1977).
Catherine Gaskin moved to Manhattan for ten years, after marrying an American. She then moved to the Virgin Islands, then in 1967 to Ireland, where she became an Irish citizen. She also lived on the Isle of Man. Her last novel was The Charmed Circle (1988). She then returned to Sydney, where she died in September 2009, aged 80, of ovarian cancer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
December 29, 2011
2-2.5 stars
It's tough to categorize this book. The cover says that it's a gothic novel set in the Scottish Highlands. If "gothic" means Way Too Long, then this book fits. The germ of the story is a good one, but moving everything along is almost impossible - it's a tortoise-pace.
I suspect the idea was to use Daphne du Maurier's "Rebecca" and that style of novel as the inspiration behind this 1972 novel. Except that, IMO, the author didn't sustain the action or the suspense through the majority of the story. There was always this gothic description with the idea that we, the readers, are holding our hands to our mouths in gasps of fright or surprise. But the fright and surprise never really came.
Frankly, it took me over 2 weeks to read this book, mostly because I could only read a small portion before becoming quite bored. I wanted to read the story, because, as I said, the germ of it interested me. But all the surrounding stuff just faded into nothingness, and I felt that instead of springing to life, the main characters (especially Kirsty, Callum, Margaret, and Gavin) seemed to fade into caricatures and behave in ways that I didn't understand and couldn't make sense of.
If you want to know how to make Scottish whisky (yes, no "e"), then this is the book for you. There are pages and pages of description, and while it's somewhat fascinating, as a reader, my eyes glazed over a bit. Except that THIS BOOK is about the making and distilling of whisky - the fictional Cluain whisky, single-malt and the finest whisky ever. In Gaelic, Cluain means "green plain" or "pasture", and there is a brand of Scotch whisky called Clynelish, which might be the inspiration for Cluain whisky - it's situated in the right spot geographically, and it boasts of being a "Cluain whisky" - or from the pasture.
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Anyway, this is the story of Kirsty (Catherine) Howard. Her father was a bishop who chose to go to China. Kirsty's mother, the only child of Angus Macdonald, married Kirsty's father and went off to China with him, against her father's wishes. Kirsty and her brother William were born and raised in China, but William returned to Scotland for schooling, intending to become an engineer and take advantage of the unmechanized country to make his fortune in China. Except that William never returned to China; he died at Cluain. Kirsty's father died shortly after in China - he unfortunately got in the middle of feuding war lords and was a casualty of that war. Kirsty had just buried her father when she received word from her grandfather in Scotland that William was dead. Before he died, William sent Kirsty a scroll in Mandarin script; while it was difficult to translate, the scroll essentially said, "She has killed...", pointing to someone at Cluain being responsible for William's death.
Having nowhere else to go and her only family her never-before seen or spoken to grandfather in Scotland, Kirsty takes herself to Scotland and Cluain. She learns of the fierce rivalry between the Campbells, who have the title and the big house, and the Macdonalds (her grandfather), who got the best of the farm lands in an old family dispute. The current Campbell, Gavin, seems amiable enough, but he's married to the beautiful Margaret and has a son, Jamie. Gavin and Margaret have grown apart, mostly due to her over-reaching father, James Ferguson, who was determined to purchase respectability and a title for his daughter and heirs. Ferguson was born a merchant, not a gentleman; but he's amassed great wealth, which he has no problem spreading about, taking over the Campbell house and grounds to rebuild it and make it grander, as well as building a London family home, so that his daughter can be a proper lady. Ferguson and Margaret have cultivated the acquaintance of the Prince of Wales, and Prinny is coming to the Campbell home for a summer visit, so of course, no expense is to be spared.
But there's more to the breech between Margaret and Gavin. Both Gavin and Kirsty suspect that William and Margaret were having an affair before his death. Is Margaret the "Enchantress"? Is she the "she" of the scroll? Could Margaret have killed William?
Kirsty also meets Callum Sinclair, a handsome, single, independent man who lives by his own rules. Callum has the falcon of the title, Giorsal which is Gaelic for "grace". Callum's mother, Mairi Sinclair has a whole tale to herself: Mairi was tossed from her crofter's cottage by her father after beating her near to death when he discovered Mairi was with child; no, it's not incest. Mairi wouldn't name the father, and still hasn't these 30 years. She's been shunned by many, but her gifts at housekeeping, cooking, and mainly healing have earned her a place in the gossiping countryside. Mairi is the housekeeper and cook of Cluain - harsh, stern, and almost frightening. At first, I thought she would be the Mrs. Danvers ala "Rebecca" of this gothic tale, but not really. Mairi is frightening in her austerity and her obvious passion for her independence and her son. Kirsty wonders if Mairi Sinclair is the Dragon Lady her brother William wrote her of, and if Mairi possibly helped poor William on his way with her herbs when he'd been injured and became ill in a hunting accident. Is Mairi the "She" in "She has killed...."?
But Kirsty has eyes only for Callum. She's almost instantly drawn to the man 10 years her elder. He tries to put her off, but Kirsty is determined to have him. She forces Callum to tell her all about the distillery and the whisky (thus our first lesson in whisky making). Callum runs the distillery, although he won't do any more work than that; it's his bargain with Angus Macdonald, Kirsty's grandfather. Her grandfather and Callum seem to only tolerate each other - barely. Kirsty can't quite get the story as to why from anyone. But everyone, including the young, pretty, efficient maid Morag warns Kirsty to stay away from Callum - even Callum, himself.
When it becomes apparent that Callum is having an affair with Margaret Campbell, Kirsty almost loses herself. She's a woman in the Victorian era in the Scottish Highlands; she's not allowed to truly work or housekeep, and she isn't allowed to be part of the business. For all her grandfather has slowly and grudgingly accepted her, he's made it clear that she should marry a man to keep Cluain going. Kirsty is determined that man should be Callum. So when she discovers that he's head-over-heels in love with Margaret C and having a summer affair with her, Kirsty is crushed. Morag seems to know everything about Callum's comings and goings, and Morag tells Kirsty where Margaret and Callum meet; Kirsty can't help herself, she finds herself going to that small cabin. While there, her trusty little pony falls ill after eating from an oat bag. Mairi nurses her back to health. Not a day or so later, Callum shows up with a dead Margaret in his arms - while out on one of their trysts, Margaret's horse was acting strangely and finally stumbled, throwing Margaret and breaking her neck. The mare broke her leg when she stumbled.
The scandal of Margaret and Callum is already known, however. During the Prince of Wales' visit, Callum did the sword dance in full Highland dress with a piper. When the dance ended, Callum ran to Margaret, bowed to her and kissed her hand, ignoring the Prince altogether. The Prince was amused, and so no damage was done... except for the wagging tongues, who knew that the gesture was a snub to the Prince but also a gesture of declaration.
Gavin had already told Kirsty that he was going away - far from his lands. The Campbells didn't have much income before his father-in-law interfered, and because of that monetary interference, Gavin felt "owned" - something he passed off when he and Margaret were in love. But now, knowing her betrayal with Callum, Gavin was going to leave. And then Margaret died.
Gavin and Kirsty had formed a friendship of sorts. One that from the beginning showed the signs of being something more, except that Gavin was married. And once Kirsty saw Callum, all thoughts of Gavin left her head - for more reason than one. But after Margaret's death, Callum took off, leaving Kirsty in charge of his falcon; Gavin took Jamie on an extended hunting trip; and Ferguson is holed up with her grandfather and his accountant. Will Ferguson buy Cluain?
What Kirsty discovers, finally, is that Ferguson is going broke. He's proposed a deal by which Cluain will join with 2 other distilleries to take over the Ferguson brand. His brand is mostly blended whisky - Cluain whisky with various other brands, making several different price points. But with Prinny's visit, Ferguson's creditors finally started calling in the bills, and Ferguson didn't have the money to pay them.
Kirsty is incensed that her grandfather is even considering the possibility of giving up his independence and the fierce independence of Cluain to become part of a partnership that wouldn't favor Cluain. Her grandfather doesn't see any other way; Kirsty is a woman without a husband - there's no man to run the distillery.
AND FINALLY, we get to the part of the story that's interesting! Morag has overhead most of this conversation, and she puts in her two cents, saying that she's going to get the Macdonald family bible and Mairi Sinclair, despite Angus Macdonald's threats. And so, we discover just who Callum Sinclair's father truly is, and what part Morag has had all along in this tale.
Tragedy ensues... deaths occur... and we have a few pages left to see Gavin and Kirsty pick up the pieces and continue on together, once again reuniting the lands of the Campbells and the Macdonalds.
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While the overall story is good, the majority of this book is just. plain. boring. Sorry if I offend, but it takes a motivated reader to finish the pages and find the gem. I wouldn't recommend it for that reason.
It's tough to categorize this book. The cover says that it's a gothic novel set in the Scottish Highlands. If "gothic" means Way Too Long, then this book fits. The germ of the story is a good one, but moving everything along is almost impossible - it's a tortoise-pace.
I suspect the idea was to use Daphne du Maurier's "Rebecca" and that style of novel as the inspiration behind this 1972 novel. Except that, IMO, the author didn't sustain the action or the suspense through the majority of the story. There was always this gothic description with the idea that we, the readers, are holding our hands to our mouths in gasps of fright or surprise. But the fright and surprise never really came.
Frankly, it took me over 2 weeks to read this book, mostly because I could only read a small portion before becoming quite bored. I wanted to read the story, because, as I said, the germ of it interested me. But all the surrounding stuff just faded into nothingness, and I felt that instead of springing to life, the main characters (especially Kirsty, Callum, Margaret, and Gavin) seemed to fade into caricatures and behave in ways that I didn't understand and couldn't make sense of.
If you want to know how to make Scottish whisky (yes, no "e"), then this is the book for you. There are pages and pages of description, and while it's somewhat fascinating, as a reader, my eyes glazed over a bit. Except that THIS BOOK is about the making and distilling of whisky - the fictional Cluain whisky, single-malt and the finest whisky ever. In Gaelic, Cluain means "green plain" or "pasture", and there is a brand of Scotch whisky called Clynelish, which might be the inspiration for Cluain whisky - it's situated in the right spot geographically, and it boasts of being a "Cluain whisky" - or from the pasture.
-----------
Anyway, this is the story of Kirsty (Catherine) Howard. Her father was a bishop who chose to go to China. Kirsty's mother, the only child of Angus Macdonald, married Kirsty's father and went off to China with him, against her father's wishes. Kirsty and her brother William were born and raised in China, but William returned to Scotland for schooling, intending to become an engineer and take advantage of the unmechanized country to make his fortune in China. Except that William never returned to China; he died at Cluain. Kirsty's father died shortly after in China - he unfortunately got in the middle of feuding war lords and was a casualty of that war. Kirsty had just buried her father when she received word from her grandfather in Scotland that William was dead. Before he died, William sent Kirsty a scroll in Mandarin script; while it was difficult to translate, the scroll essentially said, "She has killed...", pointing to someone at Cluain being responsible for William's death.
Having nowhere else to go and her only family her never-before seen or spoken to grandfather in Scotland, Kirsty takes herself to Scotland and Cluain. She learns of the fierce rivalry between the Campbells, who have the title and the big house, and the Macdonalds (her grandfather), who got the best of the farm lands in an old family dispute. The current Campbell, Gavin, seems amiable enough, but he's married to the beautiful Margaret and has a son, Jamie. Gavin and Margaret have grown apart, mostly due to her over-reaching father, James Ferguson, who was determined to purchase respectability and a title for his daughter and heirs. Ferguson was born a merchant, not a gentleman; but he's amassed great wealth, which he has no problem spreading about, taking over the Campbell house and grounds to rebuild it and make it grander, as well as building a London family home, so that his daughter can be a proper lady. Ferguson and Margaret have cultivated the acquaintance of the Prince of Wales, and Prinny is coming to the Campbell home for a summer visit, so of course, no expense is to be spared.
But there's more to the breech between Margaret and Gavin. Both Gavin and Kirsty suspect that William and Margaret were having an affair before his death. Is Margaret the "Enchantress"? Is she the "she" of the scroll? Could Margaret have killed William?
Kirsty also meets Callum Sinclair, a handsome, single, independent man who lives by his own rules. Callum has the falcon of the title, Giorsal which is Gaelic for "grace". Callum's mother, Mairi Sinclair has a whole tale to herself: Mairi was tossed from her crofter's cottage by her father after beating her near to death when he discovered Mairi was with child; no, it's not incest. Mairi wouldn't name the father, and still hasn't these 30 years. She's been shunned by many, but her gifts at housekeeping, cooking, and mainly healing have earned her a place in the gossiping countryside. Mairi is the housekeeper and cook of Cluain - harsh, stern, and almost frightening. At first, I thought she would be the Mrs. Danvers ala "Rebecca" of this gothic tale, but not really. Mairi is frightening in her austerity and her obvious passion for her independence and her son. Kirsty wonders if Mairi Sinclair is the Dragon Lady her brother William wrote her of, and if Mairi possibly helped poor William on his way with her herbs when he'd been injured and became ill in a hunting accident. Is Mairi the "She" in "She has killed...."?
But Kirsty has eyes only for Callum. She's almost instantly drawn to the man 10 years her elder. He tries to put her off, but Kirsty is determined to have him. She forces Callum to tell her all about the distillery and the whisky (thus our first lesson in whisky making). Callum runs the distillery, although he won't do any more work than that; it's his bargain with Angus Macdonald, Kirsty's grandfather. Her grandfather and Callum seem to only tolerate each other - barely. Kirsty can't quite get the story as to why from anyone. But everyone, including the young, pretty, efficient maid Morag warns Kirsty to stay away from Callum - even Callum, himself.
When it becomes apparent that Callum is having an affair with Margaret Campbell, Kirsty almost loses herself. She's a woman in the Victorian era in the Scottish Highlands; she's not allowed to truly work or housekeep, and she isn't allowed to be part of the business. For all her grandfather has slowly and grudgingly accepted her, he's made it clear that she should marry a man to keep Cluain going. Kirsty is determined that man should be Callum. So when she discovers that he's head-over-heels in love with Margaret C and having a summer affair with her, Kirsty is crushed. Morag seems to know everything about Callum's comings and goings, and Morag tells Kirsty where Margaret and Callum meet; Kirsty can't help herself, she finds herself going to that small cabin. While there, her trusty little pony falls ill after eating from an oat bag. Mairi nurses her back to health. Not a day or so later, Callum shows up with a dead Margaret in his arms - while out on one of their trysts, Margaret's horse was acting strangely and finally stumbled, throwing Margaret and breaking her neck. The mare broke her leg when she stumbled.
The scandal of Margaret and Callum is already known, however. During the Prince of Wales' visit, Callum did the sword dance in full Highland dress with a piper. When the dance ended, Callum ran to Margaret, bowed to her and kissed her hand, ignoring the Prince altogether. The Prince was amused, and so no damage was done... except for the wagging tongues, who knew that the gesture was a snub to the Prince but also a gesture of declaration.
Gavin had already told Kirsty that he was going away - far from his lands. The Campbells didn't have much income before his father-in-law interfered, and because of that monetary interference, Gavin felt "owned" - something he passed off when he and Margaret were in love. But now, knowing her betrayal with Callum, Gavin was going to leave. And then Margaret died.
Gavin and Kirsty had formed a friendship of sorts. One that from the beginning showed the signs of being something more, except that Gavin was married. And once Kirsty saw Callum, all thoughts of Gavin left her head - for more reason than one. But after Margaret's death, Callum took off, leaving Kirsty in charge of his falcon; Gavin took Jamie on an extended hunting trip; and Ferguson is holed up with her grandfather and his accountant. Will Ferguson buy Cluain?
What Kirsty discovers, finally, is that Ferguson is going broke. He's proposed a deal by which Cluain will join with 2 other distilleries to take over the Ferguson brand. His brand is mostly blended whisky - Cluain whisky with various other brands, making several different price points. But with Prinny's visit, Ferguson's creditors finally started calling in the bills, and Ferguson didn't have the money to pay them.
Kirsty is incensed that her grandfather is even considering the possibility of giving up his independence and the fierce independence of Cluain to become part of a partnership that wouldn't favor Cluain. Her grandfather doesn't see any other way; Kirsty is a woman without a husband - there's no man to run the distillery.
AND FINALLY, we get to the part of the story that's interesting! Morag has overhead most of this conversation, and she puts in her two cents, saying that she's going to get the Macdonald family bible and Mairi Sinclair, despite Angus Macdonald's threats. And so, we discover just who Callum Sinclair's father truly is, and what part Morag has had all along in this tale.
Tragedy ensues... deaths occur... and we have a few pages left to see Gavin and Kirsty pick up the pieces and continue on together, once again reuniting the lands of the Campbells and the Macdonalds.
-----------
While the overall story is good, the majority of this book is just. plain. boring. Sorry if I offend, but it takes a motivated reader to finish the pages and find the gem. I wouldn't recommend it for that reason.
March 30, 2012
I have a problem with buying books. When I go to yard or garage sales, if there is a book that looks reasonably intersting for 50 cents or less, it is coming home with me. This is how I came across this book; I believe my half dollar went to benefit the local women's shelter. When I found it, this book no longer had its dust jacket and had only a plain grey cover.
I bought this book because I sometimes like historical fiction. I assumed from the title and font used that it was a medieval fiction; imagine my surprise when the first page has the character coming to the Scottish highlands from China. Because of that disparity, I had to start the book 2 or 3 times before I could actually get into it.
I feel this book falls squarely into the "I don't know what I want to be when I grow up" camp. There is an element of mystery: will Kristy learn the truth of they mysterious circumstances of her brother's death? Was her brother's death actually mysterious? Why is Mrs. Sinclair so cold? There is an element of romance: will Kristy be able to win the heart of Callum Sinclair? There is an element of family politics: will Kristy be able to learn whiskey making? Will she be able to take over Cluain's distilling business or will she be sold like cattle to the highest bidder, her husband to take over the business leaving Kristy only to provide more heirs, her family being pretty much fresh out.
Unfortunately, the developement of these mostly disparte storylines leaves something to be desired. Kristy spends more of the book learning about whiskey and chasing Callum Sinclair (oh, wait, that's the same thing to her)than investigating her brother's death. The fact that Kristy had fallen for Gavin came as an utter shock to me and anyone who understand the concept of forshadowing. (I ended up being right about Kristy's ultimate romantic entanglement.) The fate of Cluain's business practice and Kristy's role therein - decided at the denoument - has more than a whiff of deus ex machina. The scene of the Royal Visit seems to be integral to the author's understanding of the story but is poorly conveyed.
That is not to say the entire book is bad. Gaskin describes the setting quite poetically; I now have a highly accurate mental map of Cluain and its environs in my brain. Kristy's description of her father's practical theology is something with which I can mostly agree - a feat for the era. Callum's relationship with his falcon Giorsal is touching. The character of and scenes involving Sir Gavin Campbell are some of the best in the book. The conclusion, though rushed, does not feel it.
I might recommend this book. If you enjoy historical fiction that occurs at the turn of the century or in the Scottish highlands, you would probably moderately enjoy this book. If you come to this book looking for a mystery or a romance novel, however, you are out of luck. It would be a good book club or lazy reading book. I don't need to read it again although I think I could. It is worth noting, I think, that I couldn't actually remember the main character's name and mixed up the name of two of the male leads.
I bought this book because I sometimes like historical fiction. I assumed from the title and font used that it was a medieval fiction; imagine my surprise when the first page has the character coming to the Scottish highlands from China. Because of that disparity, I had to start the book 2 or 3 times before I could actually get into it.
I feel this book falls squarely into the "I don't know what I want to be when I grow up" camp. There is an element of mystery: will Kristy learn the truth of they mysterious circumstances of her brother's death? Was her brother's death actually mysterious? Why is Mrs. Sinclair so cold? There is an element of romance: will Kristy be able to win the heart of Callum Sinclair? There is an element of family politics: will Kristy be able to learn whiskey making? Will she be able to take over Cluain's distilling business or will she be sold like cattle to the highest bidder, her husband to take over the business leaving Kristy only to provide more heirs, her family being pretty much fresh out.
Unfortunately, the developement of these mostly disparte storylines leaves something to be desired. Kristy spends more of the book learning about whiskey and chasing Callum Sinclair (oh, wait, that's the same thing to her)than investigating her brother's death. The fact that Kristy had fallen for Gavin came as an utter shock to me and anyone who understand the concept of forshadowing. (I ended up being right about Kristy's ultimate romantic entanglement.) The fate of Cluain's business practice and Kristy's role therein - decided at the denoument - has more than a whiff of deus ex machina. The scene of the Royal Visit seems to be integral to the author's understanding of the story but is poorly conveyed.
That is not to say the entire book is bad. Gaskin describes the setting quite poetically; I now have a highly accurate mental map of Cluain and its environs in my brain. Kristy's description of her father's practical theology is something with which I can mostly agree - a feat for the era. Callum's relationship with his falcon Giorsal is touching. The character of and scenes involving Sir Gavin Campbell are some of the best in the book. The conclusion, though rushed, does not feel it.
I might recommend this book. If you enjoy historical fiction that occurs at the turn of the century or in the Scottish highlands, you would probably moderately enjoy this book. If you come to this book looking for a mystery or a romance novel, however, you are out of luck. It would be a good book club or lazy reading book. I don't need to read it again although I think I could. It is worth noting, I think, that I couldn't actually remember the main character's name and mixed up the name of two of the male leads.
September 22, 2009
This book was promising. I was sure I was going to love it... a Gothic, Scottish tale told from the perspective of a girl who had spent her childhood in China... it was the perfect novel for me.
But I closed the book and said, "That was a really dumb book." I think it was the main character that bugged me most. A flimsy, love-sick girl who didn't concentrate on any of the right things. You can argue that at the end she redeemed herself, but it wasn't quite enough to satisfy me.
The best character was Gavin, but he was barely mentioned throughout the book! All you heard about was Callum, and what trouble he caused! It was obvious from the beginning that he was up to no good, yet the main character--who told the story-- loved him, and nothing else mattered. Gag me with a pitch fork. Please.
So I don't even suggest this book to people who enjoy romance. Maybe if you're interested in learning IN DETAIL how to make whiskey, you'll enjoy it.
But I closed the book and said, "That was a really dumb book." I think it was the main character that bugged me most. A flimsy, love-sick girl who didn't concentrate on any of the right things. You can argue that at the end she redeemed herself, but it wasn't quite enough to satisfy me.
The best character was Gavin, but he was barely mentioned throughout the book! All you heard about was Callum, and what trouble he caused! It was obvious from the beginning that he was up to no good, yet the main character--who told the story-- loved him, and nothing else mattered. Gag me with a pitch fork. Please.
So I don't even suggest this book to people who enjoy romance. Maybe if you're interested in learning IN DETAIL how to make whiskey, you'll enjoy it.
October 3, 2019
I was utterly surprised by this novel I thought it would be boring from what I read in the critics, especially the part of the distillery and the making of scotch I guess in this case never judge a book by its cover. It wasn't boring at all and the writer wrote about the making of whisky since it's a big part of the story. Twist and turns all along with the prejudice in times of the past, although they still exist today yet we are a bit more open-minded.
I rarely give 5 stars, but this one is a keeper if you like novels of another time and enjoy discovering how people lived, accompanied with forbidden romance how to make a good quality Scottish whisky and above all the beauty of the Celtic Island of Scotland, even though I have never been there reading this book brought me there, you will enjoy it in a flash since the reading is smooth and comprehensible. Enjoy
I rarely give 5 stars, but this one is a keeper if you like novels of another time and enjoy discovering how people lived, accompanied with forbidden romance how to make a good quality Scottish whisky and above all the beauty of the Celtic Island of Scotland, even though I have never been there reading this book brought me there, you will enjoy it in a flash since the reading is smooth and comprehensible. Enjoy
December 15, 2014
If you're here for details on how whiskey's made, you're in the right place.
If you're here for romance, know that all you'll get is an annoyingly love starved woman, and a man you're expected to care for because he is supposedly handsome and the very epitome of a lone wolf type of a guy.
If you're here for Gothic qualities, turn away now, lest disappointment becomes you.
If you're here for the mystery, sorry to say, but it's usually painfully obvious how things are many, many pages before the truths are revealed. The real mystery, hence, is when the main character finds out about anything.
And she's usually too busy being love starved.
If you're here for romance, know that all you'll get is an annoyingly love starved woman, and a man you're expected to care for because he is supposedly handsome and the very epitome of a lone wolf type of a guy.
If you're here for Gothic qualities, turn away now, lest disappointment becomes you.
If you're here for the mystery, sorry to say, but it's usually painfully obvious how things are many, many pages before the truths are revealed. The real mystery, hence, is when the main character finds out about anything.
And she's usually too busy being love starved.
October 31, 2015
My mum was doing a clear out of her old books that she didn't want anymore about a year ago, so of course invited me over to have a look through them before she brought them to the charity shop. This is one of the books I picked up. I'm still not sure why I took this one, as it's not the type of book I would generally go for, but something obviously called out to me, and I'm really glad it did.
The blurb states: “Tells the story of Kirsty Howard, who leaves China when her parents die and seeks out her grandfather in Scotland. It is a strange world she finds at Cluain - an arrogant and lonely old man running one of the finest whisky distilleries in the world with two women running the house.” The cover is gorgeous, it depicts a windswept woman on the scottish highlands with a fine looking young man bearing a falcon in the background, just reeks of historical romance. And that's exactly what it is.
The novel is set in 1898 in Scotland. Kirsty Howard has lived in China all of her life with her father and her brother. After her father is killed, Kirsty receives a letter from her estranged Grandfather to say that her brother who had been studying in Scotland has also sadly passed away in a freak gun accident. Now her mother's father who she never knew is the only family she has left so she packs up and journey's to the highlands to try to find out more about her brother's death and also to see if she can get to know her only surviving relation.
I love the character of Kirsty. She is an extremely brave and strong young woman, leaving everything and everyone she has ever known to track down her remaining family in a far off land is no small feat. Especially when she receives a very cold welcome from Angus and his housekeeper. Angus is a bit of a tricky character to describe. At first he seems very against Kirsty's visit. In fact he mentions a lot the fact that the only person he could have left his distillery to (her brother William) was killed and now the distillery will die with Angus. Despite Kirsty's attempts to get close to her Grandfather and prove that she has the brains to learn how to take over, he keeps his distance from her. We find out that Kirsty's father came to Cluain, and won her mother's heart. Unfortunately for Angus he then took her to Peking with him, where she eventually died, without being able to return. Angus had held this against the Howards until William started visiting during his breaks from university. Angus grew very fond of William and was content in the fact that he now had an heir again. When William died, Angus grew bitter once more. The thing I love about Angus is that in spite of the fact that he tries to push Kirsty away, demeaning her for being a woman who has no business sense, he also can't help but treat this unknown girl as family. He becomes quite protective of her, and amidst his rants to her, he creates a tradition early on in her visit of a glass of whiskey with her before bed. This is a time when they talk about their day, and he tells her all about the business, it's almost as if he wishes that she were a man, who could take over but can't quite convince himself that she could do so as a woman.
Of course amongst all this there is a love story. The housekeeper's son who basically runs the distillery, and also keeps a Falcon is a very mysterious figure at the start. And of course because of this, Kirsty feels she needs to find out more about him and becomes sort of a stalker, taking her horse out for runs which just happen to be conveniently going past his cottage!
This book is beautifully written, describing the Scottish highlands in such a romantic and wind-swept way, the characters are deep, and intriguing and there is a kind of gothic mystery in the background throughout. I found it very hard to put this down, and when I am finally allowed to buy books again, I will be looking up this author.
The blurb states: “Tells the story of Kirsty Howard, who leaves China when her parents die and seeks out her grandfather in Scotland. It is a strange world she finds at Cluain - an arrogant and lonely old man running one of the finest whisky distilleries in the world with two women running the house.” The cover is gorgeous, it depicts a windswept woman on the scottish highlands with a fine looking young man bearing a falcon in the background, just reeks of historical romance. And that's exactly what it is.
The novel is set in 1898 in Scotland. Kirsty Howard has lived in China all of her life with her father and her brother. After her father is killed, Kirsty receives a letter from her estranged Grandfather to say that her brother who had been studying in Scotland has also sadly passed away in a freak gun accident. Now her mother's father who she never knew is the only family she has left so she packs up and journey's to the highlands to try to find out more about her brother's death and also to see if she can get to know her only surviving relation.
I love the character of Kirsty. She is an extremely brave and strong young woman, leaving everything and everyone she has ever known to track down her remaining family in a far off land is no small feat. Especially when she receives a very cold welcome from Angus and his housekeeper. Angus is a bit of a tricky character to describe. At first he seems very against Kirsty's visit. In fact he mentions a lot the fact that the only person he could have left his distillery to (her brother William) was killed and now the distillery will die with Angus. Despite Kirsty's attempts to get close to her Grandfather and prove that she has the brains to learn how to take over, he keeps his distance from her. We find out that Kirsty's father came to Cluain, and won her mother's heart. Unfortunately for Angus he then took her to Peking with him, where she eventually died, without being able to return. Angus had held this against the Howards until William started visiting during his breaks from university. Angus grew very fond of William and was content in the fact that he now had an heir again. When William died, Angus grew bitter once more. The thing I love about Angus is that in spite of the fact that he tries to push Kirsty away, demeaning her for being a woman who has no business sense, he also can't help but treat this unknown girl as family. He becomes quite protective of her, and amidst his rants to her, he creates a tradition early on in her visit of a glass of whiskey with her before bed. This is a time when they talk about their day, and he tells her all about the business, it's almost as if he wishes that she were a man, who could take over but can't quite convince himself that she could do so as a woman.
Of course amongst all this there is a love story. The housekeeper's son who basically runs the distillery, and also keeps a Falcon is a very mysterious figure at the start. And of course because of this, Kirsty feels she needs to find out more about him and becomes sort of a stalker, taking her horse out for runs which just happen to be conveniently going past his cottage!
This book is beautifully written, describing the Scottish highlands in such a romantic and wind-swept way, the characters are deep, and intriguing and there is a kind of gothic mystery in the background throughout. I found it very hard to put this down, and when I am finally allowed to buy books again, I will be looking up this author.
March 17, 2017
A Falcon for a Queen by Catherine Gaskin
4.5 stars
Summary From the Book:
Kirsty Howard has traveled a long way to find what is behind her brother, William’s death. Her brother had left China where they were raised to seek out their grandfather in Scotland hoping to establish a relationship with the not very outgoing or friendly old man that had had little to do with their side of the family. William’s death makes Kirsty determined that she must find out more. She has his letters, and a scroll he sent which contains strange Chinese symbols. She knows what the characters say: “she has killed” but they don’t make sense to her. Surprisingly the grandfather and William seemed to have gotten along very well but the old man sees no use for Kristy whatsoever. A woman can’t run the distillery and he has no heir to leave his estate to. Mairi Sinclair, the enigmatic housekeeper, can’t see much use for Kirsty either, and from the moment she first steps foot on the property, makes Kirsty feel very unwelcome.
Despite all the opposition she faces, Kirsty is determined to make a place for herself at Cluain. Angus is her only remaining relative, and Cluain is her destiny. Enlisting the help of Callum Sinclair, Mairi’s equally enigmatic son, she takes a tour of the whiskey brewery and begins learning all she can about the process. But why is she continually being blocked in her quest to find out what really happened to her brother?
My Thoughts:
A beautifully written book with rich imagery. I visited the Highlands of Scotland with my grandfather as a child many times when he returned to what he always considered his home. The words on these pages made me wish to hop a plane and return again to what I thought of as a "magical" land. This was my Blind Date With A Book but it is also a "snowy-day, grab a blanket and a cuppa tea and loose yourself in the story" kind of read.
4.5 stars
Summary From the Book:
Kirsty Howard has traveled a long way to find what is behind her brother, William’s death. Her brother had left China where they were raised to seek out their grandfather in Scotland hoping to establish a relationship with the not very outgoing or friendly old man that had had little to do with their side of the family. William’s death makes Kirsty determined that she must find out more. She has his letters, and a scroll he sent which contains strange Chinese symbols. She knows what the characters say: “she has killed” but they don’t make sense to her. Surprisingly the grandfather and William seemed to have gotten along very well but the old man sees no use for Kristy whatsoever. A woman can’t run the distillery and he has no heir to leave his estate to. Mairi Sinclair, the enigmatic housekeeper, can’t see much use for Kirsty either, and from the moment she first steps foot on the property, makes Kirsty feel very unwelcome.
Despite all the opposition she faces, Kirsty is determined to make a place for herself at Cluain. Angus is her only remaining relative, and Cluain is her destiny. Enlisting the help of Callum Sinclair, Mairi’s equally enigmatic son, she takes a tour of the whiskey brewery and begins learning all she can about the process. But why is she continually being blocked in her quest to find out what really happened to her brother?
My Thoughts:
A beautifully written book with rich imagery. I visited the Highlands of Scotland with my grandfather as a child many times when he returned to what he always considered his home. The words on these pages made me wish to hop a plane and return again to what I thought of as a "magical" land. This was my Blind Date With A Book but it is also a "snowy-day, grab a blanket and a cuppa tea and loose yourself in the story" kind of read.
January 26, 2020
First Gaskin book I read, I think she is amazing! Deep, personal, cathartic, talented writer. I want to read all her books!
This one is a gothic novel about a Scottish girl that grew up in China who decides to return to her Scottish roots when she receives word that her brother died in their ancestral home in Scotland after a short stay with their Grandfather. When she is sent his things, she finds a mysterious message that only she'd understand in Mandarin in her brother's hand stating, 'She has killed'. This book includes pastoral scenic descriptions, mansions, falconry, jealousy, murder, forbidden love, family secrets, and strength in character.
This one is a gothic novel about a Scottish girl that grew up in China who decides to return to her Scottish roots when she receives word that her brother died in their ancestral home in Scotland after a short stay with their Grandfather. When she is sent his things, she finds a mysterious message that only she'd understand in Mandarin in her brother's hand stating, 'She has killed'. This book includes pastoral scenic descriptions, mansions, falconry, jealousy, murder, forbidden love, family secrets, and strength in character.
December 10, 2013
Kirsty, an orphaned missionary's daughter, arrives at her ancestral home in the Scottish highlands, hoping to learn the mysterious circumstances of her brother's death. Instead, she gets a gruff welcome from her prickly grandfather, and a detailed lesson in making whisky. She gets a crush on a dude with a falcon, and rides around the moors quite a bit on her pony, but mostly, this book is about the whisky.
Well, despite the snail's pace and the overkill with the whisky lesson, it's not a bad story. I liked the parts with Callum and his peregrine falcon, Giorsal, the best.
Well, despite the snail's pace and the overkill with the whisky lesson, it's not a bad story. I liked the parts with Callum and his peregrine falcon, Giorsal, the best.
July 28, 2019
For a book written in the 1970’s, it has aged well. Catherine Gaskin was a fine writer. It was one of the first person POV gothic books which were so popular at the time it was written. I liked the background on the history and methodology of Scottish whisky. The book lacked many of the cringe-worthy tropes of the ‘70’s Gothic genre such as the weak-kneed down-on-her luck heroine who needs a rich aristocratic hero to save her life. Heroine was strong and proactive in the face of opposition. Good mystery and well-drawn characters.
April 12, 2016
What a story!
This was a 'blind date' book for me as it had nothing but the title engraved into the spine when I received my edition of the novel. I read the Prologue and a random 2 other pages to make sure that I could read it.
There are so many twists and turns, some expected and many others not. It's filled with romance, historical fiction (Highlands), and a mysterious murder. I have yet to come across a novel that blends these so well.
This was a 'blind date' book for me as it had nothing but the title engraved into the spine when I received my edition of the novel. I read the Prologue and a random 2 other pages to make sure that I could read it.
There are so many twists and turns, some expected and many others not. It's filled with romance, historical fiction (Highlands), and a mysterious murder. I have yet to come across a novel that blends these so well.
October 23, 2019
For some reason, I was convinced I had read this about 30 years ago. Well, if so, I had clearly forgotten the entire plot! It took a little while to get going, but once it did, it was very enjoyable historical fiction, if a little long-winded with its descriptions of whisky distilling. I have a few more of hers lined up so I'm looking forward to reading them.
Read
May 2, 2018Great if you want to learn everything about whiskey, otherwise it wasn't very engaging.
December 26, 2024
I’m not sure what this says about me, but I’ve had an urge lately to reread novels I remember loving as a teenager, and this Gothic romance set in the Scottish Highlands was the first in my list. It’s so long ago that I first read it, I can’t tell if I vaguely remembered significant plot twists or saw them coming this time because I’m an older, wiser reader, but I didn’t remember everything and was delighted at how well this held up. Even without my bookish nostalgia adding to the pleasure, this would have been a fun read.
April 15, 2016
I like "no spoilers!" reviews or ratings so that's what'll I leave here.
I found an old copy of"A Falcon for a Queen" and since I'm a sucker for historical, Gothic, Scottish romance stuff- I decided to give it a try.
It was so-so. The main character pulled me in and I cared what happened to her. There is a strong sense of the place and period in this book, as well as a good education on early days of big whisky distilleries. I had just watched "Angel's Share"and "Dear Frankie" on Netflix, and I found this book and those movies added to the romance of whisky. Even though I'd tried whisky before, I liked it better after learning about it. At least the scarcity bias gets kicked in.
The ending was believable and what I sensed coming- which means it delivers an expected outcome after the journey-and that's good. It was a sweet concept ending, although I wish the author had added more detail and romantic heat to it. I had to use my imagination, which sort of stunk after wading through the Gothic angst.
You'll probably like this if you like Mary Stewart or Phyllis Whitney books and like settings like this.
I liked it, but it could have been better.
I found an old copy of"A Falcon for a Queen" and since I'm a sucker for historical, Gothic, Scottish romance stuff- I decided to give it a try.
It was so-so. The main character pulled me in and I cared what happened to her. There is a strong sense of the place and period in this book, as well as a good education on early days of big whisky distilleries. I had just watched "Angel's Share"and "Dear Frankie" on Netflix, and I found this book and those movies added to the romance of whisky. Even though I'd tried whisky before, I liked it better after learning about it. At least the scarcity bias gets kicked in.
The ending was believable and what I sensed coming- which means it delivers an expected outcome after the journey-and that's good. It was a sweet concept ending, although I wish the author had added more detail and romantic heat to it. I had to use my imagination, which sort of stunk after wading through the Gothic angst.
You'll probably like this if you like Mary Stewart or Phyllis Whitney books and like settings like this.
I liked it, but it could have been better.
March 24, 2018
Having read quite a few Gaskins, I'm seeing a pattern: girl, usually orphaned, visits estranged relative for the first time, finds out all about their trade, with a fair amount of info-dumping, and has a romantic encounter, usually with a rather sulky alpha male who's 'beautiful'. And sometimes this is fairly enjoyable light reading. This one follows the same pattern, but has a twist, which I didn't enjoy at all.
Edge of Glass has roughly the same pattern and is much better: try that instead.
Edge of Glass has roughly the same pattern and is much better: try that instead.
June 6, 2011
My Grandmother found this book in her attic. She read it then gave it to me. I read it while on the beach. It was a nice break from my Kindle. It was a little slow at first. The details about the making of whiskey wasn't necessary. Other than that minor offense the book just gets better and better. The ending was a surprise! Great beach read.
June 18, 2013
The writer had a good beginning but then one got bogged down in a slog of romance and romantic triangles. And there was an excess of information about scotch distilleries. I was wondering were the mystery had gone. Finally we reached it, and the culprit was predictable. There were a few surprises but this only added to the soap opera. Was not altogether pleased with this book.
August 3, 2014
I liked the setting and details in this book but found the characters lacking. I often didn't understand their motives. The beginning had me excited to get into the story but by the end I was rather disappointed. Not sure what I was to take from this book but it certainly wasn't good feelings or inspiration.
July 22, 2019
Review by Jeana
Another mystery, another story of many lives woven together through love amidst those persons linked by secrets hidden only to be guessed at and ultimately revealed in the anguish of death and circumstances beyond the control of each of those persons entwined in the process of living.
Another mystery, another story of many lives woven together through love amidst those persons linked by secrets hidden only to be guessed at and ultimately revealed in the anguish of death and circumstances beyond the control of each of those persons entwined in the process of living.
April 7, 2016
Catherine Gaskin, RDC-M, 1972, @ 1972, 1/13. A cry from the grave brought Kirsty to the Scottish Highlands, but the mystery went deeper, and involved more people than the simple question of how her brother died. Good.
June 30, 2019
I enjoyed this book. It was different. It was a bit of a romance w/lots of twists and turns. I learned a lot about Scotland. I found the story about the whiskey distillery interesting. It was not a typical romance and that was refreshing. It was a great story. A worthy read...
Read
February 18, 2008Gaskin, Catherine
Read
August 28, 2008F Gas
September 6, 2012
I liked the story .
June 16, 2016
Turgid Gothic melodrama - now available on Open Library as an ebook.
March 9, 2018
It has been a long time since I’ve read a gothic romance/mystery, and this was as satisfying as I remember them to be.
June 15, 2024
This was one of my first books purchased with my very first payday money way back in 1978 when I was just a girl of 15 years of age, and very impressionable. In that era, Poldark a series of novels set in Cornwall in the late 1700's was a television series, and several mini-series set in the gold rush era in Australia as well had us glued to our tv sets. Many books at that time were all about the orphaned young woman who has never met her grandparents and falls madly in love with someone or other. The mysterious housekeeper, the worker on the estate, and the maid, all can be suspects in a crime unfathomable! Of course, I wanted to read that! Yet somehow this book preferred to stay hidden perhaps like some character not wishing to be discovered in one of those novels, until I opened the squeaky hinged door of an old chest. Gothic much?
Yup, in truth it took me nearly FREAKING FIFTY years to finish the damned thing. Gah! I remember reading it when I was in my 20s, and just scratched my head perchance thinking having a newborn kid was distracting me. In my 40's I looked at the cover and thought to myself how much like a dumb romantic novel it seemed, and I had my preconceived notions of the era in which I bought it! Well, finally I made the determined mindset this year to clear out the old books and get on with it!
I suspect I was right all along with the idealism of misty moors, strange looks and words whispered in the darkness, and all that claptrap having drawn me in. I struggled many a time with this in the sense I was becoming bored with the heavy description of the whisky-making processes. I did not find it important to the story at all. If anything, I found it to be lecturing, Kirsty I found a complete idleness in her thinking, no matter what she was confronted with, she just never seemed to snap out of her trancelike nature. Was she a victim, a martyr, or just a plain boor? Hard to know. I allowed for some introspection of her character but honestly, I was beginning to think the author was struggling herself to find a way to lead the character out of the moment and into something far more interesting.
Sure, Kirsty's introspection was written in a manner of one reading someone else's diary from the 1890s, giving insight into her thoughts learning of her new life, yet I found the whole idea of her being somehow always just 'being' in the Cluain estate somewhat tedious. The storyline just seemed to chop and change direction, it lacked purpose and seemed to never get on the right track enough to hold one's interest or pique a curiosity. Sadly, whilst it was written in great language I just found myself nodding off too often.
Yup, in truth it took me nearly FREAKING FIFTY years to finish the damned thing. Gah! I remember reading it when I was in my 20s, and just scratched my head perchance thinking having a newborn kid was distracting me. In my 40's I looked at the cover and thought to myself how much like a dumb romantic novel it seemed, and I had my preconceived notions of the era in which I bought it! Well, finally I made the determined mindset this year to clear out the old books and get on with it!
I suspect I was right all along with the idealism of misty moors, strange looks and words whispered in the darkness, and all that claptrap having drawn me in. I struggled many a time with this in the sense I was becoming bored with the heavy description of the whisky-making processes. I did not find it important to the story at all. If anything, I found it to be lecturing, Kirsty I found a complete idleness in her thinking, no matter what she was confronted with, she just never seemed to snap out of her trancelike nature. Was she a victim, a martyr, or just a plain boor? Hard to know. I allowed for some introspection of her character but honestly, I was beginning to think the author was struggling herself to find a way to lead the character out of the moment and into something far more interesting.
Sure, Kirsty's introspection was written in a manner of one reading someone else's diary from the 1890s, giving insight into her thoughts learning of her new life, yet I found the whole idea of her being somehow always just 'being' in the Cluain estate somewhat tedious. The storyline just seemed to chop and change direction, it lacked purpose and seemed to never get on the right track enough to hold one's interest or pique a curiosity. Sadly, whilst it was written in great language I just found myself nodding off too often.
December 7, 2021
A Falcon For A Queen by Catherine Gaskin popped up as a recommended reading in the gothic romance genre and I was expecting something similar to Mary Stewart or Victoria Holt’s writing but I was thoroughly mistaken.
The thread of the story was filled with mystery and intrigue, Kristy is traveling from China to Scotland, a land unknown to her wanting to know the exact circumstances of her brother’s death. An illegible line in a scroll send to her in Mandarin was the only instrument she had to suspect foul play. Unwelcome in her grandfather’s house and lonely, Kristy roams the countryside with her pony but this ambling about repeats itself endlessly. I was invested initially enjoying walking in Kristy's footsteps and feeling like being one with nature but after a time, I longed for more action or suspense in the story. The housekeeper, Mairi Sinclair gives a Mrs. Danvers vibe in the beginning but that part of it also changes direction and the sinister atmosphere is lost. The process of making wine has also been described in excruciating detail that after a point of time I was bored with the information overload. I have always understood GOTHIC to have some kind of situation wherein the reader can experience one terrifying moment but that is completely absent in the story. The mystery that begins with Kristy’s brother’s death weaves into the past of Mairi and her son Callum, and the part Morag plays in finally revealing the truth of it all.
YES, this is a book that would be enjoyed by those who love a leisurely pace in their story coz the author does take her time to set the tone, in a way making the reader aware of every nook and corner of the Scottish countryside but it would have made for an exciting read if only the suspense was on point.
This review is published in my blog Rain'n'Books, ##Goodreads, ##Amazon India, ##Facebook, ##Twitter.
The thread of the story was filled with mystery and intrigue, Kristy is traveling from China to Scotland, a land unknown to her wanting to know the exact circumstances of her brother’s death. An illegible line in a scroll send to her in Mandarin was the only instrument she had to suspect foul play. Unwelcome in her grandfather’s house and lonely, Kristy roams the countryside with her pony but this ambling about repeats itself endlessly. I was invested initially enjoying walking in Kristy's footsteps and feeling like being one with nature but after a time, I longed for more action or suspense in the story. The housekeeper, Mairi Sinclair gives a Mrs. Danvers vibe in the beginning but that part of it also changes direction and the sinister atmosphere is lost. The process of making wine has also been described in excruciating detail that after a point of time I was bored with the information overload. I have always understood GOTHIC to have some kind of situation wherein the reader can experience one terrifying moment but that is completely absent in the story. The mystery that begins with Kristy’s brother’s death weaves into the past of Mairi and her son Callum, and the part Morag plays in finally revealing the truth of it all.
YES, this is a book that would be enjoyed by those who love a leisurely pace in their story coz the author does take her time to set the tone, in a way making the reader aware of every nook and corner of the Scottish countryside but it would have made for an exciting read if only the suspense was on point.
This review is published in my blog Rain'n'Books, ##Goodreads, ##Amazon India, ##Facebook, ##Twitter.
December 7, 2024
I was completely surprised by this novel. From what I read in the critics, I believed that it would be dull, particularly the distillery and making of scotch. In this instance, it's best not to judge a book by its cover. The story was interesting and the writer wrote about the process of making whisky, which was a major element of the storyline.
Prejudice has existed throughout history, but while it still exists today, we have become more open-minded due to various people fighting for our rights. If you enjoy a cozy novel from another time and want to discover how people lived, while also enjoying forbidden romance, then this is a must-read.
Above all, the description of the beauty of the Celtic Islands in Scotland, even though I have never been there, reading this book brought me there. The reading is smooth and comprehensible, which will make it easy to enjoy.
Prejudice has existed throughout history, but while it still exists today, we have become more open-minded due to various people fighting for our rights. If you enjoy a cozy novel from another time and want to discover how people lived, while also enjoying forbidden romance, then this is a must-read.
Above all, the description of the beauty of the Celtic Islands in Scotland, even though I have never been there, reading this book brought me there. The reading is smooth and comprehensible, which will make it easy to enjoy.
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