Review: Hauntingly beautiful
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 26, 2012
This is not a novel, it's not a work of fiction, it's about real people, real ghosts. But that's just it... it's not. It is fiction -- at least that what you have to keep telling yourself. When Kirkpatrick writes a novel, he creates such vivid, realistic characters, that the reader would be forgiven for believing the story is real. That's where the elegant twist in this tale lies; Kirkpatrick has written it in such a way as to suggest it actually happened so much so that part of the storyline involves one of the characters writing a book about the events that were told in these pages. Caraliza's haunting photograph graces the cover of the book. This accentuates the idea that she is real. Kirkpatrick once said that he puts angels in his books. Caraliza is one such angel. She appears as a ghost, but her presence is intoxicating. I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish. It demands your attention, but it is a book to be digested slowly. It is not written in a fast paced style. The language almost harks back to the classics. I am once again blown away by Kirkpatrick's talent as a master storyteller. I have read another of his books Breathing into Stone, and I fell in love with the characters in that book too. To understand what I mean about Kirkpatrick's writing, you have to experience it. So, do yourself a favour and try one of his books today. You won't regret it. Caraliza is a stunning story about a 75 year old secret, about ghosts that won't go away until their story is told, about love and the power it has to survive over space and time. This is part mystery, part romance, and part ghost story. It is hauntingly beautiful. The ending is perfect. A must read.