Review: A Fascinating Journey into the Past
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 28, 2014
When an author can draw me in within the first few pages and make me cancel dinner plans, I know that I am in for a treat. I usually read the recommendations of friends warily, since I have a rather specific taste, but the reincarnation and paranormal aspects of this book struck a chord, so I dove in. Initially, I thought it was going to be far too love story-inclined, but in fact, that was one of the many threads that Anthony wove together to create this memorable and touching story. The character of Francis was intriguing from start to finish, and although there were times when I questioned how much I could trust him as a narrator, I quickly realized that the story itself was too bizarre and enthralling to worry about the reliability of his story. I particularly enjoyed the mysterious elements of the novel, which I hadn't expected, and I found myself (incorrectly) guessing at plot developments that made me shake my head in amazement all the way through. While the romance was still a pervasive theme, it was far from distracting, and overall, Anthony managed to smash a lot of genres into one coherent book that I knocked out in less than a week. It reignited my interest in Civil War history, which is a topic I've read about in the past (Michael Shaara, etc.), so I have to take my cap off to a talented writer who can remind me of what great prose feels like.