Rich with ghosts, and its message is that some day we might be forgotten, but who we are and what we do never truly vanishes from this world ... It's a lot for one novel to carry, and at times it feels like too much. But mostly, it works, and at times it works beautifully ... A slow read ... A full, rich novel, a blend of history, mythology, psychology and story, and if it veers into preachiness at times that can be forgiven; Sullivan is clearly fervent about her material.
Sullivan’s historical research yields numerous sections with substantial depth. This is one of the pleasures of reading Sullivan’s novels: getting to know interestingly flawed characters in richly composed settings ... In a way, Sullivan’s sensitive portrayals of these demonstrate the power of reading fiction: how it can bestow both compassion and resilience on a reader. Alongside a character and at your own pace, you navigate through hard times. There is a great deal more hope here than sadness. In stories lost and then found, what you are able to salvage is all the more precious.
Propulsive ... Sullivan leans on many pages of exposition and a few too many coincidences to fit the pieces of the puzzle together, but, for the most part, the plot motors along like a well-oiled machine. This satisfies.
