C. (Comment, never msg).’s Reviews > The House Between Tides > Status Update

A little ways and then I'm done. I enjoyed the stories. Perhaps 100 year-old remains could only initiate a look at what occurred and not be investigated in earnest, except forensically. Thus, the present story was more about how islanders viewed a hotel project on her ancestor's land. Depicting that climate made a greaet story. But three stars max, because there was frequent vanity-hunting of near-extinct birds.

I love Beatrice, Emily, her brother Kit, and their close friend Donald, in 1910. I see selfishness and a personality problem with their painter brother and husband Theo but have sympathy. I quickly dislike both brooding men, of worse ill humour than Theo, whom it seems Sarah Maine wants us to regard as the tempting male interests of each century. Cameron is better in Beatrice's time but James is an ass in Hetty's.

Knowing this isn't the ghost story it sounded like made a difference. There is no disappointment in misinformed expectation. I am free to see what British-Canadian Sarah Maine offers. I knew right away that I enjoyed her writing: no excess "soft" or "gentle" adverbs. Focus on feelings, not gestures, nor how anyone looks. This is a saga more than a mystery but I like the unfolding story enougn that I don't mind!

We are in present day often enough. When we revert to Beatrice in 1910, I like having her as a narrator too. It is about what being at that house and Hebrides island means to all of them, including mystery axis, Theo Blake. He is Beatrice's husband and brother of the 2010 character's Grandma, Emily, whom we meet in the prologue. The structure is a shambles in 2010. Even I, a sentimentalist, favour building anew.

I am pleased to find that Canadian-Brit Sarah Maine is a very good writer. She describes the look as well as the vibe of these special Scottish islands very adeptly, with a fresh vocabulary style that I enjoy. She has a lot to sketch because she is painting three time frames. I hope the slow start resolves into comfortable acquaintance with one time frame. She has repeated each generation's arrival at the island.