3 out of 4 stars
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I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars.
Have you ever felt nostalgic for a life you’ve had but don’t remember? Or you meet someone for the first time and feel like you’ve known them for centuries? When Amanda Parker meets the dashing cop, Mark Callaghan, not only does their relationship grow, but the tendrils of a past together push them closer to each other in the present. This is a story of finding identity, nostalgia and reincarnation.
Samyann avoids the cliché of a 21st century heroine chancing upon a gateway to the past. The concept of reincarnation goes a lot deeper than simply stumbling into a past century. Because reincarnation is embedded within memories and the soul, the struggle to make sense of it all makes for an intriguing narrative. This was a refreshing read; taking the fascination of a war- torn America and placing it alongside modern-day Chicago. The sights and sounds of the American Revolution and the Great Chicago Fire come alive but you know you are never quite there yet are still drawn into the explosive drama. This omnipotent view, through the eyes of Amanda, is the difference between a generic historical loophole and a clever plot. We witness everything through the eyes of Amanda, learning as she does and unravelling the clues as she does. As Mary, Amanda’s godmother eloquently explains, “Time is linear, relative, circular, objective—who knows?”
Having the reader learn with the protagonist does pay off, however it can be tricky to get into the story to begin with. The pace feels a little slow – the pull of the past is hovering in your mind as the reader and you want to go back to it, but Amanda, shocked and dazed by the almost supernatural pull of Mark’s familiarity, takes time to process everything and put together the clues. This does begin to make sense the deeper you get into the novel, and the realism is very accurate, but as a reader, the story really begins when Amanda begins to uncover the truth. This writer’s choice to tell the story this way brings the novel to a more rounded plot; however, you do occasionally need to make it through the slightly slower bits to get to the juicier parts.
I did find that at times the focus was too heavy on symbolic items that never really came to fruition but would have been better placed as items of historical reference. The grandfather clock that kick-starts everything is fantastic, a very iconic talisman and very powerful with its “intricate gold filigree” and the mysterious smudge of soot is a bridge to the past. However, the “angel bells” of St Michael’s Church itself become a bit too focused on. The history behind the bells and the Church are fascinating; as Samyann reveals in the afterword, during the Civil War, the “the Confederate States of America confiscated large bells and recast many as cannons and other artillery needs.” This is a eye-opening insight into how war really effected even the smallest of communities, however, I didn’t see their significance as part of the overall plot.
At times, I found it hard to identify with the characters and feel that connection. They are interesting people, Mark with his heroics and clear talent as a police officer, and Amanda’s trauma in being surrounded by death. Discovering their past to create their new identities seems to be the overarching focus, whilst the real people seem to be left a little behind. They’re typically ‘nice people’ but do not have that deepness, that spark which can make it a little hard to feel empathetic at times towards them.
Overall this was an intriguing read, a book you can curl up with and something that little bit different. It didn’t quite manage to sink its claws in for me, but it was worth reading, which is why I chose to give this book 3 out of 4 stars. However, it wasn’t quite a 4 out of 4 stars as the characters were a little hard to understand and get to love and the symbolism was overdone at times. Overall, the plot and the imagination behind the story held its own and made the story a good one.
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Yesterday
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