In another life by Julie Christine Johnson
Name of Book: In another lifeAuthor: Julie Christine Johnson
ISBN: 978-1-4926-2520-9
Publisher: Sourcebooks landmark
Type of book: Languedoc, history, Cathars, France, wine, rich imagery, widow, widower, modern day, romance, origins, time travel, beliefs, reincarnation, secrets, death, repairing the past 2010s, 1208-1209
Year it was published: 2016
Summary:
Historian Lia Carrer has finally returned to southern France, determined to rebuild her life after the death of her husband. But instead of finding solace in the region's quiet hills and medieval ruins, she falls in love with Raoul, a man whose very existence challenges everything she knows about life--and about her husband's death. As Raoul reveals the story of his past to Lia, she becomes entangled in the echoes of an ancient murder, resulting in a haunting and suspenseful journey that reminds Lia that the dead may not be as far from us as we think.
Steeped in the rich history and romantic landscape of rural France, In Another Life is a story of love that conquers time and the lost loves that haunt us all.
Main characters include Lia Carrer, a half Occitan half Italian widow who has recently lost her husband to an accident. She is a Cathar historian and desires to know the truth of what is going on. Raoul is a complex man who happens to be a widower and who has a strange connection with Lia. He is merchant of wine. Lucas is a photographer who asks Lia to corroborate with him on a history book about Cathars and who is also a rival to Raoul for Lias heart in both past and 1200s. FATHER Jordi is a priest that at first encourages Lia to move to France to recuperate, but then he begins to stall, fearful of what secrets Lia will discover about him.
Theme:
There is history behind actions
Plot:
The story is told in third person narrative from a lot of character's points of views. The scenes of modern southern France are richly detailed and drawn exquisitely with a painters brush, while I had a hard time connecting to the past and it's history. The tale also switches between 2010s and 1200s and emotions that Lia goes through as a widow are beautiful and raw as well as vivid and full of depth that far exceeds the words. I do wish more attention could have been given to the three men that orbit Lias life, and that their emotions could have been drawn so vividly as well.
Author Information:
(From goodreads)
Julie's short stories and essays have appeared in several journals, including Emerge Literary Journal; Mud Season Review; Cirque: A Literary Journal of the North Pacific Rim; Cobalt; River Poets Journal, in the print anthologies Stories for Sendai; Up, Do: Flash Fiction by Women Writers; and Three Minus One: Stories of Love and Loss; and featured on the flash fiction podcast No Extra Words.
She holds undergraduate degrees in French and Psychology and a Master’s in International Affairs. Julie leads writing workshops and seminars and offers story/developmental editing and writer coaching services.
Named a "standout debut" by the Library Journal, "Very highly recommended" by Historical Novels Review and declared "Delicate and haunting, romantic and mystical" by bestselling author Greer Macallister, Julie's debut novel In Another Life went into a second printing three days after its February 2, 2016 release.
A finalist for The Siskiyou Prize for New Environmental Literature, judged by PEN/Faulkner author and Man Booker Award nominee Karen Joy Fowler, Julie's second novel The Crows of Beara was acquired by Ashland Creek Press and will take flight on September 15, 2017.
A hiker, yogi, and wine geek, Julie makes her home on the Olympic Peninsula of northwest Washington state
Best way to describe this book is a Jan Van Eyck painting for the senses that feature southern France in all its glory and pain. Each scene and chapter are deep meditations that reveal more through details rather than overt actions. Having said that, the aspect of supernatural isn't easily explained as I would have liked it to be. I also am of opinion that familiarity with Cathar or as I learned, The Albigensan Crusade is sorely needed by the reader because I am not sure that she explains or details it well.
This was given for review
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 your review. Sorry it didn't satisfy you completely
ReplyDelete