The Summer Country is a well-crafted, smartly entwined story that is worthy of your time from the first page to the satisfying conclusion. Even Willig’s author’s note is compelling. Willig’s witty voice and poignant style shine throughout the book. With keen observations and nimble writing, she lets readers experience her characters’ emotions, regrets and the range of human feelings.
Some authors have trouble keeping readers invested in multiple time periods, but Ms. Willig manages to imbue both stories with enough intrigue, romance, and historical detail to keep readers completely enthralled ... both timelines contain strong romantic elements, making it a book that will appeal to fans of the author’s previous works ... The pacing is wonderful and I found myself flying through the story, both eager to reach the end and unwilling to say goodbye to these characters at the same time. It’s an odd dichotomy that doesn’t occur very often, but for me, it’s the mark of a truly fantastic book. If you love large, sprawling novels rich with enough historical detail to make the setting itself feel like a character in the story, you won’t want to miss The Summer Country.
Willig’s exceptional research into the period and her skill at drawing characters shines on every page. She doesn’t shy away from the realities of slavery, and carefully depicts both the oppressed and the oppressor ... Not always a comfortable read, but a compelling one, this book is appropriate for readers who like complex family dramas in exotic locations.
Though Emily’s story is much slower to start and initially far less compelling than Charles’, Willig masterfully brings the two together in this evocative, engaging epic.
Rich settings, romantic intrigue, and engaging characters will draw readers into this dramatic epic ... The physical and emotional passions of the characters keep the stakes high and the pages turning, making this a powerful exploration of slavery and reformation on Barbados.
Willig's...decision to alternate chapters between the two time periods, rather than adopt a more straightforward chronology, means that information about who’s who is withheld in a way that slackens the book's momentum. Characters of all races are fully fleshed out as Willig confronts the island’s complex racial dynamics, in particular the sexual exploitation of enslaved women and its consequences. A deep dive into Caribbean history which requires, and ultimately rewards, close reading.