G494 Book Review of Seldom Come By by Sherryl Caulfield
Author: Sherryl Caulfield
ISBN: 978-0-9923759-1-1
Publisher: self published?
Type of book: icebergs, Canada, 1914-1940s, medicine, WWI, love triangle, nature, harsh environment, death, adoption, biblical references
Year it was published: 2013
Summary:
Two years after the sinking of the Titanic, fifteen year-old Rebeca Crowe’s fascination with icebergs leads her to save a shipwrecked survivor, Samuel Dalton, the nineteen-year old son of a Toronto medical family.
Love sparks in the crystal cave of an iceberg but is thwarted by an unreasonable father and the Great War that drags Samuel and his brother, Matthew, to the Western Front as medical officers. Knowing Rebecca is home safe in Newfoundland brings Samuel great comfort. But as the war moves towards its final harrowing days, they both discover that tragedy and terror can strike anywhere, setting their love on an unforeseen path.
Only when Samuel and Rebecca can fully come to terms with such devastating loss and their impossible choices can their love soar. With an emotional intensity reminiscent of The Bronze Horseman, Seldom Come By, named after an actual place in Newfoundland, is an unforgettable journey across waves and time and the full spectrum of human emotions.
Characters:
The main characters include Rebecca, Samuel, and Rebecca's sister Rachel. There are other characters as well, such as Samuel's brother, Rebecca's and Samuel's parents and so forth. What I found the most interesting are the parental relationships between Rebecca's parents and Samuel's parents, Samuel's parents are more ideal, while in Rebecca's family, the father dominates the family and rarely if ever consults the mother. Rebecca is a courageous and plucky young woman who is willing to fight for her love and her future and commits very shocking acts. Rachel is the elder sister who believes she is doomed when it comes to romance and is far more placid than Rebecca. Samuel is a giving soul and more of a modern man who encourages the sisters to do something instead of just being where they are.
Theme:
Life is growing up and learning new things
Plot:
The story is written in third person narrative from Rebecca's point of view, although other characters such as Samuel or Rebecca's sister and mother give their points of view as well too. There is also a delicate blend of faith and bible in the story, in that the characters possess names from the bible, and the sections also focus on biblical themes or names. I don't feel that the story is preachy or asks for conversion, but I am not sure what the author's message was by using biblical references. Perhaps its to make the bible more human or feeling, or how important the bible is to modern society, specially back then?
Author Information:
(From historical fiction virtual book tours)
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About the Author
Australian-born Sherryl Caulfield is a marketer, writer and traveller. After twenty years working for some of the world’s leading technology brands and a stint with Outward Bound, she longed to write about the human experience and the redemptive qualities of nature.
In 2006, haunted by an encounter with a woman she met in Canada, Sherryl started what has now become known as The Iceberg Trilogy. From her home in the Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand, she distilled the lives of three generations of women – Rebecca, Evangeline and Lindsay – over the course of a century. In the telling of their stories she crafted a series rich in landscapes – of sea, land and the human soul.
For more information please visit Sherryl Caulfield’s website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.
Opinion:
I really liked the picture of the book cover, and I have to admit that the premise is an interesting one, which I've liked. I think at times I thought it would have a vibe of Sue Harrison's prehistoric fiction but for me personally it didn't have it. The story did keep my attention and I enjoyed learning a lot interesting tidbits about WWI impact in Canada. There were times when I felt that it seemed a bit too long, and certain things or characters didn't make a lot of sense for me, but the sections where they were in the small town were most enjoyable for me. There is also showing how environment, both nature and nurture influences people and their thoughts and perceptions.
This is for Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tour
Seldom Come By Blog Tour Schedule
4 out of 5
(0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Good, enjoyable 5: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.)
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