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Loading... Turn of the Tideby Margaret Skea
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. Knowing little of Scottish history, I wasn’t sure what to expect of this novel. I found it well researched, well written, informative, entertaining and thoroughly worth reading. Based on a long lasting bloody feud between two clans, the Cunninghames and the Montgomeries, the story begins with a surprise horrific mass killing, one side lying in wait to slaughter the other. This event actually occurred in Ayrshire, Scotland in 1586. The author, by introducing the fictional Munro family in this first chapter, is able to present the incidents that follow through the adventures of Munro, a minor laird, whose connections to both factions move the narrative along. We get wonderful glimpses into daily life in 16th century Scotland—what they ate, clothes they wore, even the children are portrayed in a way that creates a picture in the mind; their antics and worries adding interest and sparkle. The dreadful plight of the poor is made clear when a starving child is caught in the act of stealing a rabbit from the family warren, “... she could see his shoulder blades and hips protruding sharp and angular, his legs stick-thin.” I was grateful for the area map, the main character descriptions, and the short glossary of Scottish words, and used them all repeatedly. I was totally unprepared for the ending. It was perfect! This novel is historical fiction at its best and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys the genre. ( ) no reviews | add a review
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Scotland 1586. A land in turmoil, a family torn apart. An ancient feud threatens Munro's home, his family, even his life. Munro owes allegiance to the Cunninghams and the Earl of Glencairn. He escapes the bloody aftermath of a massacre, but cannot escape the disdain of the wife he sought to protect, nor inner conflict, as he wrestles with his conscience, with divided loyalties and, most dangerous of all, a growing friendship with the rival Montgomerie clan. Set against the backdrop of the turmoil of the closing years of the sixteenth century, Turn of the Tide follows the fortunes of a fictional family trapped at the center of a notorious historic feud. Known as the Ayrshire Vendetta, it began in the 15th century and wasn't finally resolved until the latter part of the 17th, the Cunninghams and Montgomeries dubbed the 'Montagues and Capulets' of Ayrshire. No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)823.914Literature English & Old English literatures English fiction Modern Period 1901-1999 1945-1999RatingAverage:
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