G615 Book Review of The Tide Watchers by Lisa Chaplin
Author: Lisa Chaplin
ISBN: 978-0-06-237912-2
Publisher: William Morrow
Type of book: 1802-1803, Spying, running away, England vs France, Napoleon Bonaparte, wars, conquering, inventor, submarine machine, family ties and bonds, slight romance, abuse, murders, sadism
Year it was published: 2015
Summary:
n the winter of 1803, one woman stands between Napoleon and the fall of Great Britain
The free-spirited daughter of an English baronet, Lisbeth defies convention by eloping to France. When her husband abandons her, she must find a way to survive and be reunited with her young son, who is in the care of her mother-in-law.
A seasoned spy known as Tidewatcher, Duncan apprenticed under Lisbeth's father and pledged to keep his mentor's pretty daughter safe—a promise complicated by the wily Napoleon Bonaparte. The British believe he is planning an attack, and Duncan is sent to search for signs of invasion on the French coast—where he draws dangerously close to adventurous and unpredictable Lisbeth.
A sensational new invention may shift the tide of a French victory. A brilliant and eccentric American inventor named Robert Fulton has devised a deadly weapon that can decimate an enemy's fleet. To protect English ships, Tidewatcher must gain control of Fulton's invention and cross enemy lines . . . but he cannot do it alone. Left with no other options, he enlists Lisbeth's help in outwitting the American inventor and uncovering Bonaparte's secret plans.
Going undercover for the handsome and duty-bound spy, Lisbeth risks her freedom and her life as she navigates double agents and submarine warfare to outwit the greatest military tactician in history. The only question is . . . who can she trust?
Characters:
The main characters would be Lisbeth, Duncan, Duncan's two half brothers, and a lot of others. Lisbeth is a resourceful, fearless and battered woman who is seeking to be reunited with her son and to get away from her husband. What is cool about the character is that she is truly a lady of 1800s, but somehow she feels modern and easy to relate to. She also doesn't give up and will go through hell to get her child back. Duncan is a mysterious dark character that is sent to either bring back Lisbeth as well as to spy and find out what is going on. In beginning of his life he is a lonely individual and doesn't really get close to people, preferring to push them away. He is also resourceful but doesn't have the magic touch of charisma that Lisbeth does. He also has a big heart and cannot express himself easily. Duncan's two half brothers also play a role as well as many officers and people who work for Duncan. But I do think those people weren't main characters.
Theme:
Women are strong if not stronger than men
Plot:
From beginning to almost an ending, I felt very lost in a book, as if I was navigating through a forest without a compass by my side. I didn't understand how the plots and stories connect with one another, and only towards the end I had an inkling of the connection. The stories were written in third person narrative point of view, from what seemed to be all the characters' points of views, which seemed messy for me. I liked that there was a character sheet in beginning of the book, and that one could look up who's whom, but in one case, in Camelford's as he is referred to by dozens of characters throughout the novel, perhaps a nickname should have been used so it could be easy locating him.
Author Information:
(From TLC)
Purchase Links
About Lisa Chaplin
Lisa Chaplin has published twenty contemporary romances under a pseudonym, but the publication of The Tide Watchers marks her mainstream debut. Lisa, her husband, and their three children currently reside in her home country of Australia.
Follow Lisa on Twitter.
Opinion:
To be honest, if I did things in halves, it would be 3.5 stars, very close to 4 stars. There are a lot of things I enjoyed when it came to Tidewatchers such as an admirable and strong heroine who isn't daunted by anything and who also seems to be very likable; I also liked the attention and detail that was paid to history, and I enjoyed learning more about the 1800s history. With that being said, I feel there are a few things that could have been worked on such as the spying details. I liked learning about spying in 1800s, but I was very confused as to why they were spying and doing what they were doing. Some of the plots also didn't seem to connect, in particular the role of Lisbeth's friend spending time with Napoleon. I really don't get why or how Lisbeth's friend was helping her. Also, although I enjoyed the romance between Lisbeth and Duncan, I honestly feel as if a major issue was really glossed over and not really talked about simply for the sake of having a happy ending. And yes, I do think that Lisbeth should have been with someone else.
This is for TLC Book Tours
Lisa’s Tour Stops
Tuesday, June 30th: 100 Pages a Day … Stephanie’s Book Reviews
Wednesday, July 1st: A Chick Who Reads
Monday, July 6th: Raven Haired Girl
Wednesday, July 8th: Walking With Nora
Thursday, July 9th: View from the Birdhouse
Monday, July 13th: Staircase Wit
Thursday, July 16th: Broken Teepee
Friday, July 17th: Lavish Bookshelf
Monday, July 20th: Book Him Danno!
Tuesday, July 21st: Mom’s Small Victories
Friday, July 24th: Svetlana’s Reads and Views
TBD: Bibliophilia, Please
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.)
Thanks for being a part of the tour!
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