The Wanderer Scorned - Christian Fiction by Natasha Woodcraft

Good afternoon, Bookaholics, have I got a treat for you. Today, I bring you a review of The Wanderer Scorned a cracking Christian fiction novel from the pen, or keyboard, of the highly talented Natasha Woodcraft. 

Description

The Wanderer is a man shrouded in legend. Moving from place to place in the land of Nod, he is known primarily for the curse that hangs over his life. When that curse is invoked during the celebration of a murderous rampage, The Wanderer is summoned to tell his story.

Few know the truth of the tale encompassing life, death, love, hate, faith and doubt, for it has been obscured by centuries of rumour. Now, it will be told by the one who lived it—the man who became The Wanderer.

A story you know as you've never heard it before, The Wanderer Series presents the ancient tale of Cain and Abel from Genesis 4, reimagined in gripping new fiction.


 Review

As it says above, The Wanderer is  a reimagining of the story of Cain and Abel from the book of Genesis in the Bible. What a reimagining it is. Beautifully written, Woodcraft brings the story to life using every carefully crafted word to its best possible advantage. I thought I knew the story of Cain and Abel but this brings it vividly to life, highlighting the thoughts and feelings of all involved. There is real emotion in the book and it was as if I could feel every heartbeat, thought and feeling of the characters. The characters are expertly drawn and come alive in your mind. I found myself loving them and hating them at various points of the narrative. Whichever way I fell, I found myself thinking I was in the presence of real people. The setting too is beautifully written and I could imagine a land so different to my own in many ways. I have lived in the Middle East, so my mind may have drawn on that experience to fill the setting in, but I do feel the way it is written the reader feels they are there. 

The portrayal of the Old Testament God and the characters' relationships with him are brilliantly done. While this is a bible based book it does not have a biblical feel to it, so the book could be read by anyone. The main characters' faith is real and this shines through without overwhelming. Although aimed at the Christian reader I believe this could be enjoyed equally by Non-Christians. 

The book is available from bookshops or via the Amazon links below. Please note these are affiliate links and I will receive a few pence from Amazon if you buy via the link. 

  

I was given an advanced copy of the book from the publisher in return for an honest review. The review is my honest review based on my reading and enjoyment of the book. At no point was I asked to provide a positive review.

That's it for another week, Bookaholics. See you soon. Until then, keep reading and keep writing. 

The Pilgrim by Joy Margetts

Good morning, Bookaholics. Today I bring you a review of a cracking historical fiction book - The Pilgrim by Joy Margetts. This is one you won't want to miss. 

Description

Driven by ambition and family expectation, young Henry de Brampton is determined to make his mark. Destined for a prestigious career in the Church, he readily embraces the chance to experience the world before taking his vows. But fuelled by selfish desire, he recklessly betrays those he loves, with devastating consequences.

Overwhelmed with guilt, he seeks redemption among the Cistercians of Abbey Cwmhir and finds a new identity as Brother Hywel. Yet a further thoughtless betrayal will prove he cannot escape himself, and he is forced on pilgrimage to save his vocation.

A reluctant pilgrim, can the unlikely company help him discover what it truly means to be great in God’s eyes, and will Hywel ever be willing not just to receive forgiveness but also to forgive himself?

Review

I am honoured to be opening the blog tour for Joy Margetts latest book and what an amazing book it is. It is firmly rooted in the past whilst being accessible to the modern day reader. The writing is exquisite, allowing the author to establish a real sense of time and place. The character of Hywel is extremely well drawn and I felt I was right there beside him on his pilgrimage. Each carefully chosen word drew me deeper into the story, allowing me to savour a different type of spirituality from the safety of my armchair. The spiritual pilgrimage is equally well handled and I was rooting for Hywel every step of the way. It helped me to draw closer to God through the simplicity of the spirituality during a time when things were both harder and easier. All kudos to Margetts, this book is a triumph and I can highly recommend. 

You can get the book from any Christian bookshop or from Amazon 

About the Author

Joy Margetts is a published author and blogger. Her books are works of Christian Historical fiction. Set in medieval Wales against the backdrop of Cistercian abbey life, they tell stories of faith, hope and God's redemptive power. Her debut novel 'The Healing' was published by Instant Apostle on 19 March 2021. Joy has also self- published a short novella, 'The Beloved' as both a companion to 'The Healing', and as an easy to read standalone story, which is available to buy on Amazon Kindle. 'The Pilgrim', her second full length novel, will be published by Instant Apostle on 22 July 2022

People can find me via my website at www.joymargetts.com

On FB as Joy Margetts Author, on Instagram as @joymargetts, and on Twitter as @jamarge

If you would like to know more about the tour and see what other bloggers think of it, the details are below. Have a great week Bookaholics. Keep reading and writing. 

Historical Research Using Libraries

 

I've recently been doing a lot of research for the historical fiction and non-fiction books I am writing which resulted in me spending two days in the Rare Manuscripts Reading Room at the National Library of Scotland. Now, one might think that libraries in general and rare manuscripts in particular might be frightfully dull. Nothing could be further from the truth. This was the view from my seat - not only was a I reading abut historic Edinburgh but I was seeing it. Seeing things from above gives you a whole new perspective on what they are like. I would like to think my main character had the self same view but sadly not. The library was started in 1925 and completed in 1956 but they still managed to make it look historic and in keeping with its surroundings. Anyway I digress.

What exactly was I reading and researching? The answer, Edinburgh and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (as it had been known since 1801) from 1834-1838. Therefore, I was interested in newspapers, magazines and pamphlets from that period. The process was simple as outlined below.

Firstly, as I am a member of NLS, I searched their online database for periodicals from the period. I also researched  the year before and the  year after as I was trying to get a sense of the times in which my main character lived. This included political, social, medical provision, housing, economic, and anything else I could think of that might shape the way he lived and what he believed. 

When I arrived at the library my documents were waiting for me and I had to sit at a desk which had a foam book rest and a weighted cord to hold the pages open. 

The first magazine I looked at was The People's True Friend. The first ever edition was printed in Edinburgh on 31st December, 1834. A shiver went down my spine knowing that my main character, who was actually a real person, may have read this whilst he went to medical school in Edinburgh. Imagine if he had held this very newspaper. This gave me a real sense of connection to him bringing him closer and I could see him more clearly in my mind. The first ever article was crammed full of information about the turmoil in the government of the time. I got a clear picture of the political and social situation of the time. However, I was surprised that, despite this being an Edinburgh publication, it focussed on what was happening in London with no mention of how this impacted on Scotland. However, I can make assumptions based on what was reported. 

My next manuscript was Johnstone's Edinburgh Magazine for January 1834 and an article entitled London Thieves and London Misery. Again, I was surprised by the London Focus of the lead article. Did this demonstrate the importance of London during that time? It certainly made me think and look to exploring this further. This was an impassioned article on the poor of London and how the prisons were full of those who were unfortunate and merely stealing to survive. There was a plea for compassion and a change in social thinking which could reduce the numbers of prisoners. Social reform was obviously needed and at the forefront of people's minds. Again, it got me thinking about what the situation in Edinburgh might be. 

The two periodicals had many things in common such as stories, poems, recipes and songs, as well as news from home and abroad. The people of Edinburgh seemed to be well read and interested in a variety of issues and stories, reflective I feel of the emphasis on education and reading in Scotland. 

I did read other magazines and pamphlets but the length of this blog prevents me going into more detail. If you are writing historical fiction I would urge you to visit the national library in your country and look at some rare manuscripts. You will learn a lot more than you think. 

About the Author

Wendy H. Jones is an award-winning, international best-selling author who writes adult crime books, young adult mysteries, children's picture books and non-fiction books for writers. She is also a writing and marketing coach, runs the Writing Matters Online School and is the CEO of Authorpreneur Accelerator Academy, The president of the Scottish Association of Writers and hosts The Writing and Marketing Show podcast. She is currently writing a series of historical fiction novels based around the life of a 19th Century Surgeon in the Royal Navy. She is represented by Amy Collins of Talcott Notch Literary Agency.


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