I was lucky to review this book for the Historical Novel Society a few months ago and I LOVED it. Then I recently unwittingly entered a contest to win a copy (which I already have because I reviewed the book), so I decided to give away my extra copy to one of you. If you want to enter for a chance to win, please let me know in the comments below. I will choose a winner at random on July 15.
Here is my review of the book.
This dual time period story parallels the modern-day life of Lia, a historian writing her dissertation on the beliefs of the early 13th-century Cathars, and a conspiracy-style tale behind the 1208 historical murder of papal legate Pierre de Castlenau, an act of violence which sparked the religious crusade against the Cathars. Having moved to France to grieve the untimely death of her husband, Lia quickly learns that past and present aren’t as far removed as they may seem, and not all souls rest peacefully after death. The deeper she gets involved, the more Lia realizes history may not tell the truth of what happened to Castlenau and the Cathars; the real story may be far more dangerous, with the possibility of changing not only her own life, but also the history of the Church.
In Another Life grabs you from page one and doesn’t let go. The prose is rich and evocative, transporting the reader to rural France with an ease unusual for a debut author. The story is intriguing, weaving past and present in an ever-tightening braid that eventually dissolves the separation altogether, adeptly illustrating how the Cathars’ belief in reincarnation might play out in the real world. Lia is especially well-portrayed as the unwitting catalyst uniting two deaths, three men, and 800 years of history, while the male characters are slowly revealed as we learn their unlikely pasts and how they affect the present. Very highly recommended.
Leave a comment for a chance to win this book!
*waves!* Hallo, Hallo Ms Evelina!
Congratulations on reading & reviewing this story for the HNS! I’ve proudly waved their banner on my site since I became a book blogger! I hope to one day join their ranks officially rather than simply help promote their presence! 🙂 I originally saw this novel making it’s rounds through the book blogosphere & caught sight of the tours it was being featured on,… yet I must confess, I forgot to see if there was a bookaway for it! Bless you for offering this to your readers!
What drew my eye is that I *love!* time slips, time shifts & time travel narratives! Each writer who approaches these unique formulas to bend time & the ramifications of dual-timelines within their stories is what keeps my appetite to read them!
I love how Lia is the central catalyst and her presence effectively alters the continuum across centuries. It’s a clever premise & I enjoyed reading your celebration of how it’s theme was treated and ultimately nailed by the author whose theory of how this could happen sounds to be an incredible layer of the story! I do appreciate stories involving reincarnation (used to belong to The Reincarnation Library; a mail-order book club for hardback re-issues of stories on this thematic!) so that adds another layer of intrigue!
Again – blessed to have read your take on this story and thank you for giving your extra copy away to one us!
Thanks, Jorie. You are entered!
I would love to enter! Thank you
You are entered!
Heba, you are my winner! I just emailed you.
Would love to win the book.
Joan
The book is the kind I love to read.
Marion
Sounds like a very interesting book.
Marilyn