Shayne Parkinson
Author of Sentence of Marriage
About the Author
Image credit: via author's website
Series
Works by Shayne Parkinson
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Gender
- female
- Occupations
- farmer
- Short biography
- I write historical novels set in New Zealand, starting in the 1880s. I'm currently working on my sixth book, this one covering the years from 1918 to 1923. I'm fascinated by social history, particularly that of my own country.
I was born in New Zealand, and apart from two years in England have lived here all my life. I'm married to my childhood sweetheart, who grew up in the farming valley that's the inspiration for my imaginary one.
We have a few acres in the countryside, where we have an orchard and a large vegetable garden, and a small flock of sheep to keep the grass down. We make our own wine, cider, jams, jellies and sauces. [retrieved from Amazon.com 5/25/13] - Nationality
- New Zealand
- Birthplace
- New Zealand
- Associated Place (for map)
- New Zealand
Members
Reviews
As I'm sure that I have mentioned before, so many novels follow a rote formula... Beautiful woman meets handsome man. They fall in love. A misunderstanding or circumstances draw them apart. They are miraculously reunited at the last moment, and they live their happily ever after fairy tale life.
This formula sells books. We seek an escape from the difficult and mundane lives that we live. It is the rare author that writes a novel that doesn't wrap up so prettily. A novel that shows just how show more wretched life can really be. Shayne Parkinson is one of those rare authors.
I "purchased" this novel for free at the Kindle store. I have found some wonderful authors that way. I loved this book so much that it was hard to keep my nose out of it. I finished it and then purchased the remaining books in the series as I was so drawn in that I needed to know the whole story right away. If you love a book that goes outside the tried and true formula then I bet you will fall in love with Parkinson's books as I have.
In Sentence of Marriage I am reminded of my children who are still young enough and naive enough to believe that life should be fair. Well I am afraid that it is not. Sometimes good and trusting people, which our protagonist Amy is, get trampled in life. Sometimes a persons story is incredibly difficult, sad, raw. This novel touches the heart and emotions at a very deep level.
This is not a feel good novel but it is an extremely great novel and well worth reading. Even better...Parkinson offers it for free!
For all of my reviews visit my blog at https://blessedandbewildered.wordpress.com show less
This formula sells books. We seek an escape from the difficult and mundane lives that we live. It is the rare author that writes a novel that doesn't wrap up so prettily. A novel that shows just how show more wretched life can really be. Shayne Parkinson is one of those rare authors.
I "purchased" this novel for free at the Kindle store. I have found some wonderful authors that way. I loved this book so much that it was hard to keep my nose out of it. I finished it and then purchased the remaining books in the series as I was so drawn in that I needed to know the whole story right away. If you love a book that goes outside the tried and true formula then I bet you will fall in love with Parkinson's books as I have.
In Sentence of Marriage I am reminded of my children who are still young enough and naive enough to believe that life should be fair. Well I am afraid that it is not. Sometimes good and trusting people, which our protagonist Amy is, get trampled in life. Sometimes a persons story is incredibly difficult, sad, raw. This novel touches the heart and emotions at a very deep level.
This is not a feel good novel but it is an extremely great novel and well worth reading. Even better...Parkinson offers it for free!
For all of my reviews visit my blog at https://blessedandbewildered.wordpress.com show less
I read an excerpt of this book at Authonomy.com, and was glad to get it on Kindle. The characters are well-drawn, except for Amy's brothers who did not figure that much in the plot line. The historical ambiance, the conflicts with the step-mother Susannah, her brother deftly getting the advantage with Amy, and the attitudes towards Amy's pregnant plight were involving and convincing. This was a book where I felt I was in the setting, and could appreciate the subtle developments of the show more relationships. The portrayal of a teenager's controlled existence was skillfully done, and while Amy was bursting to break out of it. Even when I realized that the author did not intend for Jimmy to act the hero, I had the same desire to keep reading. I felt the story was a real one. Though some sections seemed overly prosaic, repeating the Susannah situation, that situation was intricately rendered, showing how Amy was finally drawn back to her father and the people she could trust while forming an interesting edge. The book had consistently strong writing and it told a hard story that represented a time when women might be forced into marriage as their only fate. This was a setting where women were expected to work, often without much credit for their efforts. It was a book that I thought about when I wasn't reading it. show less
This was a bittersweet story about a couple in New Zealand after the Great War, trying to make their farm and start their family. In such a short story, the author managed to bring their little corner of the land to life, and to weld your sympathies with her main character. I really liked this story and look forward to reading more from Shayne Parkinson.
"If I were to stand, I'd see the whole farm spread before me, a neat patchwork of paddocks wound through with the dark ribbon of the creek".
All I Want by Shayne Parkinson
I have to start by saying there is something so delicate about the writing of this short book. It just grabs you immediately.
This is a short and poignant story about love, loss and sacrifice. It is narrated by the wife of a dairy Farmer in New Zealand after The great war.
She takes the reader through her first meeting with show more her husband, the sadness of war, his return home and his desire to become a dairy farmer. She tells of their personal struggles in having a family and their enduring love. This is a short book but it contains alot of pain as well as much beauty.
I'd say this is a must read. There is something wonderfully intangible about this book. As she describes their house and their land, you can almost feel yourself out there with them, breathing in the fresh air and looking out to the beautiful land beyond.
The writing sparkles. There's really no other way to describe it. It's light and delicate and the book is like a rose petal bursting with color.
If you like Historical Fiction and want a short but precious read, add All I want to your list. show less
All I Want by Shayne Parkinson
I have to start by saying there is something so delicate about the writing of this short book. It just grabs you immediately.
This is a short and poignant story about love, loss and sacrifice. It is narrated by the wife of a dairy Farmer in New Zealand after The great war.
She takes the reader through her first meeting with show more her husband, the sadness of war, his return home and his desire to become a dairy farmer. She tells of their personal struggles in having a family and their enduring love. This is a short book but it contains alot of pain as well as much beauty.
I'd say this is a must read. There is something wonderfully intangible about this book. As she describes their house and their land, you can almost feel yourself out there with them, breathing in the fresh air and looking out to the beautiful land beyond.
The writing sparkles. There's really no other way to describe it. It's light and delicate and the book is like a rose petal bursting with color.
If you like Historical Fiction and want a short but precious read, add All I want to your list. show less
You May Also Like
Statistics
- Works
- 7
- Members
- 570
- Popularity
- #43,913
- Rating
- 3.9
- Reviews
- 31
- ISBNs
- 12