The Fabled Earth: A Novel

by Kimberly Brock

Inspired by the little-known history of Cumberland Island, The Fabled Earth is a sweeping story of family lore and the power of finding your own voice as Southern mythology and personal reckoning collide with a changing world.

1932. Cumberland Island off the coast of Southern Georgia is a strange place to encounter the opulence of the Gilded Age, but the last vestiges of the famed philanthropic Carnegie family still take up brief seasonal residence in their grand mansions there. This year's party at Plum Orchard is a lively young men from some of America's finest families come to experience the area's hunting beside a local guide; a beautiful debutante expecting to be engaged by the week's end, and a promising female artist who believes she has meaningful ties to her wealthy hosts. But when temptations arise and passions flare, an evening of revelry and storytelling goes horribly awry. Lives are both lost and ruined.

1959. Reclusive painter Cleo Woodbine has lived alone for decades on Kingdom Come, a tiny strip of land once occupied by the servants for the great houses on nearby Cumberland. When she is visited by the man who saved her life nearly thirty years earlier, a tempest is unleashed as the stories of the past gather and begin to regain their strength. Frances Flood is a folklorist come to Cumberland Island seeking the source of a legend - and also information about her mother, who was among the guests at a long-ago hunting party. Audrey Howell, briefly a newlywed and now newly widowed, is running a local inn. When she develops an eerie double exposure photograph, some believe she's raised a ghost--someone who hasn't been seen since that fateful night in 1932.

As a once-in-a-century storm threatens the natural landscape and shifting tides reveal what Cumberland Island has hidden all along, two timelines and the perspectives of three women intersect to illuminate the life-changing power of finding truth in a folktale.

The Fabled

Is great for book clubs with its included discussion questionsMakes a great gift for readers of Alice Hoffman, Kate Morton, and Sarah Addison AllenFeatures a gentle thread of no spice, clean romance

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Mystery, Southern, Historical, Literary Fiction, Audiobook

400 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2024

About the author

Kimberly Brock is the award winning author of The Fabled Earth, featured as a Must Read in Fall of 2024 by Town & Country Magazine, and The Lost Book of Eleanor Dare, which spent three weeks on the Southern Independent Booksellers Best Seller List. Both novel have been shortlisted for the prestigious Townsend Prize for Fiction.

Her debut novel, The River Witch, was an Amazon bestseller, featured by both national and international book clubs and included in multiple reading lists. Praised by RT Reviews and Huffington Post as a “solemn journey of redemption, enlightenment and love,” and evocative of “the stories of Flannery O’Connor and Carson McCullers,” Her first novel was honored with the Georgia Author of the Year Award in 2013, by the Georgia Writer’s Association.

A former actor and special needs educator, Kimberly received her bachelor’s degree from the University of West Georgia in 1996. In 2014, Kimberly founded Tinderbox Writer’s Workshop, a transformative creative experience for women in the arts. Kimberly speaks widely on the creative life and southern and historical fiction and has served as a guest lecturer for many regional and national groups, including The Women's Fiction Writer's annual conference and The Pat Conroy Literary Center, and in 2023, was featured on the History Channel's 'History's Greatest Mysteries.' A native of North Georgia, she now lives near Atlanta where she is at work on her fourth novel.

To learn more, visit her website at
https://kimberlybrockbooks.com

Be sure to follow Kimberly on BookBub for the latest on sales https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kimbe...

Reviews

[Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness, let me introduce you to this book, one of my favorites this year. What a gift, a gem, a story to savor. You may have seen updates in my stories. This is one I read slowly and took my time. As someone who loves the fascinating history of the islands of North Carolina, I was extremely excited to learn more about Cumberland Island, off the coast of Georgia. Set in two timelines, 1932 and 1959, which I found equally compelling, everything about this story sparkles. The atmosphere- whoa, as rich as they come with the salty air on your face and the mammoth mansions crumbling before your very eyes.

The characters - also, wow. Cleo Woodbine, a painter/hermit, who may be somewhat of a witch. Audrey, a recent widow, tends the local hotel. And Frances Flood, trained in folklore (kind of perfect for this novel), travels to the island for answers about her late mother. I loved the male characters, especially Jimmy Walker. This story- well, it’s all about stories and storytelling. It’s so much, cleverly crafted and layered, but yet easy to immerse within, approachable, endearing, rich, warm.

I hope I’ve told you just enough to entice you because The Fabled Earth is worthy of all the stars and then some. It’s one of my favorites this year, climbing into my heart.

I received a gifted copy.

Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader

[Krystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Narrated by Cassandra Campbell
Presented by Harper Collins Focus

A sprawling, tangled weave of lives and stories.

I enjoyed it, but I did tune out a couple of times.

This is a historical fiction that follows three different women in two different times - Cleo in 1932, then again in 1959 alongside Frances and Audrey. They've all found themselves on Cumberland Island for different reasons, but their paths inextricably intertwine.

I enjoyed the flicking between times, and meeting Cleo at two very different points in life. It was fascinating to see how the times and events had changed her, and our first meeting left quite an impact that echoed well throughout the story.

Frances and Audrey were equally interesting characters, though admittedly not quite as fascinating to me.

There's a mystery and dead boys looming over everything, so there's a drive to get to the bottom of things there and work out what happened. Once it was solved, however, I felt the story dragged on a little. I think part of that may be because I tuned out a little, so had no burning desire to see what became of everyone afterwards.

The narration was decent and eloquent, but never particularly inspiring. The characters sounded similar, and nothing in the narration really stood out for me. It was okay, but I think it was part of the reason I found myself tuning out.

With that in mind, I think this would make a really excellent physical read. I think there's a lot of substance in the details here, so reading physically would really draw out that pleasure.

For fans of historical fiction, this is an excellent read. The characters are well rounded, and the writing will thoroughly drag you in. The fables were a little lacking for my tastes, but the story was entertaining enough to survive it and I found myself getting caught up in events easily.

With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC

[Cheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

’Every one of us has a library we’re carrying around right inside us. All those stories just waiting…Did you know that’s why all stories are ghost stories? They’re our ghosts and we give them life to walk this earth and keep us company.

Set in Georgia’s Cumberland Island, this covers more than one timeline, going back to 1932, as well as in 1959.

This shares Cleo’s story, along with several other characters. Cleo has lived a relatively secluded life, living alone for so long that she seems somewhat reluctant to open her life to others. Eventually, old secrets and mysteries start to be uncovered.

When Frances’ mother dies, she goes to Cumberland Island, seeking answers about her mother, and of what happened the summer of 1932.

This is a beautifully written story, although at times I found the relationships somewhat lacking a feeling of being genuine. There are also moments of danger, and more. There were also some lovely moments when their stories were being shared, which I loved.


Pub Date: 01 Oct 2024


Many thanks for the ARC provided by HarperCollins Focus / Harper Muse

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this. What an enchanting gem overflowing with Southern lore, mythology, ghosts from the past, and all the feels of a book within a book. It’s about stories of lives told, real or not, where folktale meets the truth revealing mysteries and hidden secrets of the island. Of stories that need to be told, especially of one night in 1932 (which currently still lives on in 1959). There’s so many things I enjoyed starting with the atmospheric setting in and around Cumberland Island, strong female influences, the mystery aspect and a once-in-a-century storm. This is a great example of conflicts relating to the South at the time; -racism, classism and gender inequality. The dual timelines of 1932 and 1959 and multiple POVs tell the fascinating stories of Cleo, Audrey and Francis (loved them all!), and of decisions made that have a reckoning that follows them to the end of their days. This has to be my favorite historical of the year. Bravo to Brock for writing this incredibly immersive, escapist novel. 5 stars — Pub. 10/1/24

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

[Melissa Crytzer Fry]

This novel is a love story to story – its importance, its power, its impact. It speaks so much to this author’s passion (I remember her earliest blogs and the magical way she spoke of the transporting effect of storytelling. Here, she weaves that belief firmly into her own story).

Every one of us has a library we’re carrying around right inside us. All those stories just waiting … Did you know that’s why all stories are ghost stories? They’re our ghosts and we give them life to walk this earth and keep us company.”

The novel features a large ensemble of characters healing from their own personal tragedies, and of course, it includes stories and fables, and questions of the blurred lines between the stories we believe vs. reality. Also within the pages: lush descriptions of the natural, coastal world in Georgia.

While I don’t read much women’s fiction, and rarely mysteries, I think this book will be a big hit for readers of both genres – and for anyone who enjoys a book with hidden secrets at its heart.

And... did I mention there’s also a bobcat in this book? I’m always a softie for bobcats.

My thanks to Harper Collins and NetGalley for the digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Sue · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley for this advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review - all of which are completely my own.
I wanted to love this book. For the first 25% I was comparing it to Where the Crawdads Sing in the way the author spoke of the island. It felt rich and loved. There was that mystery you know is there and you want to follow along.
But I got lost and couldnt recover. I can't put a finger on where, but slowly after the newness of the book wore off, I found myself drifting away from the story and then unable to snap back in. Most books when you tune out for a page or two, its not hard to rejoin this story, but I found this to wander into a confusing story that becaem harder to follow as I went on. I wanted to go back to the lush island descriptions.
Maybe unpopular. But it was ok for me, mostly because I struggled to stay connected to the story of the novel.

[Laura (thenerdygnomelife) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me start with the good news — The Fabled Earth is beautifully written with strong character development. It's likely to hit a good note with those who are patient with slow-burn, character driven novels. The dual timeline helps bring two eras to life on Cumberland Island: 1932, in the days of prohibition when the famous Carnegie family still summered on the island, and 1959, when a former guest of the Carnegies continues to live on the portion of the island formerly inhabited by servants. Something terrible happened on the island back in 1932, and the book slowly reveals the secrets of that day.

The not so great news — for me, this book was difficult to engage with and while I desperately wanted to be swept away, I often found myself a bit reluctant to pick it back up. There are a lot of different characters, and I found it challenging to follow at times, whether from the complexity of the character list or my failure to connect with it, I'm not sure. I wanted the local legends and fables to be a stronger thread in the story than it was. I listened to this on audio and may try again in print, where the flow of the story may be easier to absorb.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins, and Kimberly Brock for an advance copy for honest review.

[Susan Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was completely immersed in this glorious novel. The Fabled Earth is so rich, with numerous layers that reveal the complexity of its characters and the tales that weave them all together. This is true southern fiction, with its folklores and legends, history and suspense, secrets and betrayals. The story switches between two timelines, both historical, which come together in a way that is breathtaking in its honesty. We are introduced to a wide range of characters, each one of them an important cog in this revolving story that explores the changing world and its repercussions on this small community. Readers will be captivated by the legends of Cumberland Island, and enthralled by the folks who have lived, loved, and survived all of its storms. I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher.

[Moonkiszt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lyrical tale of three women on Cumberland Island off the coast of Georgia with their memories and backstories bouncing between 1932 and 1959.

There's a little bit of everything here - parties, Carnegie money, debutantes, hopes and dreams. There's potions, a bit of magical realism, haunts, minks and bobcats, cameras and a historical record that is shy and elusive. Every once in a while I lost my hold on the story line, but held on fast to the words - the writer has a gift.

*A sincere thank you to Kimberly Brock, Harper Collins Focus, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.*

[Bubba Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE FABLED EARTH by Kimberly Brock includes a dual timeline. THANK GOODNESS! because what happened one night in 1932 on Cumberland Island in Southern Georgia REALLY needs to be unraveled! I, literally, fell into some sort of trance as I was reading this book. Reality is more complex, but also so much simpler than it appears. Fables carry profound lessons and emotional resonance. The thrill of this book stirred my heart and mind simultaneously. It needs more than just stars as a rating. 🌟💖🚣‍♂️🍒🍇🍑🔥😵‍💫🤯📸🎞️📚🙌❣️
 
By 1959, which is 27 years from that mysterious night, the story of the bonfire still lives on through ghost tours, eerie double exposure photos (taken by Audrey Howell who I love love love), who some believe is the ghost of someone who hasn't been seen since that night in 1932, and mischief-makers who keep tormenting those who lived through that fateful night. But worst of all, Cleo Woodbine (my favorite protagonist EVER!) is still living alone on the tiny strip of land called Kingdom Come. She thinks this isolated existence is what she wants, creating beautiful art inspired by her Grandaddy, and gathering produce from heirloom fruit trees and shrubs to barter for necessities. But is she really living her best life?
 
When you live on the banks of a marsh, it's going to erode. Everyone around Cleo is trying to warn her that she needs to move, the foundation of her home is crumbling. They heighten their concern when an impending "sure-to-be-storm-of-the-century" is brewing, but this is a decision that only Cleo can make. And she will make it when her heart is ready. What happened at the bonfire that night changed the course of her life. But now that she has met Frances Flood (another protagonist that I truly love) ....hmmm.... 
 
Triggered by a death of someone who was there "that night", people reunite with each other and have hard conversations. As the tides shift, Cumberland Island reveals what has been hidden all along. And best of all, a beautiful pearl that was created from this era in time finds true love, in the way that fairy tales make dreams come true.
 
This book is meant to be savored. Slow-cooked. I took the time to appreciate all the wisdom of the characters and immersed myself, completely, in the setting of this story. The experience was magnificient. Kimberly Brock, thank you for sharing your gift of story telling. And since this is my first NetGalley, WOWSA did this ever set the bar high!
 
This quote from early in the book is when I left this earth and remained beside Cleo for the rest of the story: She paid attention to the color of the water and the current as she made her way. She knew to be careful of the depth. She's been travelling these waters in her flat-bottomed johnboat almost thirty years now, since the summer of 1932. As with life, the river bottom was always changing.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is nothing like reading about local lore, places you have been, and ever repeating faults of mankind caught in tumultuous fairy tales that have basis in truth. 3.5

[Mitzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how the author, Kimberly Brock, describes her book: "The Fabled Earth is really just a fable about an island with a history that's very real." In my opinion, it's also a book about the power of stories and the importance of 'home', whatever that may be to you. The setting is the very real Cumberland Island and the timeline goes back and forth between 1932 and 1959. It addresses racism and classism and there are some fascinating facts thrown in about the Timucuan Indians, the antagonism between the Carnegie family and poachers on the island as well as other interesting tidbits.

[Magdalena aka A Bookaholic Swede · Rating 2 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook version of "The Fabled Earth", narrated by the fabulous Cassandra Campbell.

This book was just not for me. When you find yourself wishing for the book to end, well, it's not a good sign. I found the beginning of the book interesting enough to keep listening; however, as the story progressed, I found myself more and more disinterested and just wished the pacing could quicken. I did feel that I wanted to know how it would all end, so I had at least some interest in the characters.

[Dawne Mccurry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kimberly Brock writes a gorgeous story and The Fabled Earth is her latest book. The story is told in dual timelines of 1932 and 1959 and tells the story of Cleo Woodbine. In 1959 she has lived pretty much as a recluse since the happenings on a night in 1932 changed the lives of all involved forever. When Frances comes to town all of the secrets and mysteries start to be uncovered. Beautiful writing, beautiful story and amazing characters!!!

[Cindy(groundedinreads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a touching story about roots, and history, and the wonder of belonging. I loved the characters in both time periods and enjoyed learning about this area of Georgia. The atmospheric setting pulled me right into the lyrical prose, settling me even in the darker passages.

[Staci · Rating 3 out of 5]

1932 and 1959 Georgia

The setting and characters are vividly described and both come alive in the pages. I could feel the humidity and visualize the opulence of the 1932 timeline.

The tale is told from the perspective of multiple characters which adds depth. The way the story unfolds is well done. Readers get to better know what motivates present day and past actions. At the end, there is a feeling of hope that emerges from the pages. While life can deliver difficulties, there are reasons to press on.

Nice job by narrator Cassandra Campbell.

My gratitude to publisher Harper Muse for a complimentary audiobook copy of the novel. I was not required to post a review and all opinions expressed are my own.

[callistoscalling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you @harpermusebooks and @netgalley for the eARC of The Fabled Earth by @kimberlydbrock in exchange for an honest review.

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 On an island off the coast of Georgia, southern charm meets with lore of Appalachia and Ireland for a beautiful cultural richness that seems almost magical. Kimberly Brock writes an immersive novel where both the characters and their surrounding environment comes alive and encompasses the reader, you can almost hear the sound of the water that brings life to Cumberland Island. Even on land that became a playground for some of the wealthiest people, there is a rich connection to the earth. The story weaves flawlessly from 1959 back to 1932, creating an intricately woven and captivating story. The Fabled Earth is an enchanting, beautifully written book that resonates deep in the soul.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.25 stars - At its heart, it’s about people finally admitting they need each other.

The Fabled Earth is soaked in mythology, shame, and that peculiar nostalgia that makes you cry in the car for no reason. Cumberland Island isn’t just a setting, itsa character. Stormy skies, rotting mansions, and ghosts (maybe?) that stick to your skin like Georgia heat. It’s haunting in the best way.

The women here—Cleo, Frances, Audrey—are messy, grieving, and lost. Not “strong female leads,” and that’s the point. They’re human, and you’ll love them for it. The magical realism thread is very wonky, like a puzzle missing a piece, but it doesn’t ruin the vibe.

It’s sticky, emotional, and will make you feel too much. Read it.

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a complex story of three women connected to folklore, the natural lush and landscape and a mysterious past within a lush sensory environment. Cumberland Island, off the coast of Georgia, was once the playground for the Carnegie family and their wealthy friends in the 1930's. One evening there are terrible consequences caused by the actions of the irresponsible young, wealthy sons. Later in 1952 the secrets and ramifications of that night will be revealed.

There is a lot going on, and I found that I needed to slow down to appreciate the setting and pace.

Good news is the Cumberland Island is now a national park and will be preserved for all.

4.5 rounded up

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley.

[Nicole Fincher · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Fabled Earth is a compelling novel that intertwines themes of family, memory, and redemption. Brock, known for her rich, lyrical prose and deep character development, weaves a narrative that captures the complexities of human relationships and the haunting power of the past.
The story centers around a woman who returns to her childhood home after the death of her estranged mother. As she delves into the remnants of her mother's life and the secrets buried within, she uncovers truths that challenge her understanding of her family and herself. The novel spans multiple generations, revealing how the past continuously shapes the present.

Kimberly Brock's writing is evocative and immersive. Her ability to create a strong sense of place and time draws readers into the world of the novel. The writing is heartfelt and poetic, capturing the beauty and pain of the characters' experiences.

The Fabled Earth is a beautifully written novel that offers a profound look at the bonds that tie us to our families and the land. It’s a story of healing and hope, perfect for readers who enjoy deep, emotional narratives with richly developed characters and settings. This book is a memorable and impactful read that I recommend for everyone.

[Christine M in Texas (stamperlady50) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful dual time line story telling us about Cleo Woodbine.

In 1932 something happened which made Cleo a recluse. That night changed for many. Someone new comes to town and the mystery of that night will be revealed. Brock a way of weaving a beautiful, heartfelt novel. Cumberland Island in Georgia is on my bucket list. The characters are complex and the area sounds gorgeous.

[Deanna (she_reads_truth_365) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first book by author Kimberly Brock. It was a slow burn historical fiction story with a dual timeline and multiple points of view. I found that the novel had many characters to track. The sense of place was well done! I found myself looking things up as I read this story, which kept me engaged in the novel. I paired the physical book with an Audiobook ARC as well. The narration was promising but I found myself tuning out at times. If you enjoy amazing literary storytelling, female characters and folklore, make sure to pick this one up!

I received an advanced physical copy from Cindy Burnett @thoughtsfromapage Patreon Community. I also received an advanced audiobook copy from NetGalley and publisher Harper Collins. Thank you to all! I appreciated the opportunity to preview this book.

[Gary Parkes · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Fabled Earth by Kimberly Brock is atmospheric and steeped in lore, magical realism, the power of stories, all with a propelling mystery spanning two timelines. Brock weaves together a Southern tale like no other where the place becomes a character, and the reader is truly immersed in the story and feels like they know the characters and the land. This novel covers many genres and is sure to become a beloved book for many years.

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a full book... and I mean full! (perhaps too full, at times... I did find it to drag a bit.) But that being said, the story that most fascinated me was Cleo's and her timeline dips back into 1932. I loved her back story tremendously. I knew nothing about Cumberland Island at all before reading this book. But Brock has inspired me to learn more (always a very good thing!)

This story mainly takes place though in 1959, and we find Cleo living somewhat reclusively and there are a few characters that I felt swirled around her, but they did not feel the same to me as Cleo did.

If you like Historical Fiction, you will like this book. It is very much worth a read!

Thanks to Netgalley, HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse for this advanced digital copy. This book will be out for publication on October 1, 2024.

[Kiana · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

In 1959, three women connect on Cumberland Island off the coast of Georgia.
Cleo, a reclusive middle-aged artist, has lived as a hermit for nearly thirty years in the cottage her grandfather inhabited long before she was born. She plans to kill herself by consuming a lethal dose of morning glory seeds until she finds a pocket watch that belonged to a man she knew when her life fell apart.
Audrey is a twenty-year-old widow who left her parents and in-laws behind to run a bed and breakfast on the island where her mother grew up.
Frances is a twenty-six-year-old folklorist who travels to Cumberland to commission a painting from Cleo in honor of her recently deceased mother.
Thirty years before, something terrible happened. Lives were lost and destroyed. Cleo, who had been hired as a companion for the girl who would become Frances' mother, blames herself for the tragic events.
The events of this book shift between 1932 and 1959. Alternate chapters have either the name of one of the women or the word Fable as a heading. (Since my Kindle copy lacked pagination, this made it very difficult to find my place if I lost it.)
I wanted to like this book but I found myself wanting it to be over so I could write a review and be done with it.
So many descriptions of the river, the woods, the wild animals and the men who either catch the fish or shoot the animals began to get on my nerves. I really disliked Cleo, which is a problem because she is the main character. Audrey and Frances are more appealing, but they seem to exist in the story only because of the people to whom they are related. My favorite character is Tommy, a charming young boy with a rare condition and a nasty racist father. Without advancing the plot in any significant way, he manages to become important to almost everyone else. He is the grandson of Cleo's old friend and is taken under the wing of Audrey's cousin, Rosey (Ambrose), a tattooed fisherman and Korean War vet who gives tours of the island and runs the local movie theater with his Army buddy, Will, a Native American. Will is involved with a subplot about racism. (The local high school is about to be integrated. All of the significant characters are involved, but Will more than anyone.) The climactic event is a severe storm that brings together people who hated or were indifferent to each other previously. For me, these disparate events did not hang together and they left me feeling disatisfied.
The Fabled Earth is not a terrible book, but I can't call it a good one.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Debby Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh what a mystical and mythical story Kimberly Brock has to tell here with The Fabled Earth, which is a poignant exploration of family bonds, identity, and the enduring power of storytelling.

Set against the backdrop of a small Southern town, Brock weaves a narrative that effortlessly blends the past and present, drawing readers into a world where secrets lie buried beneath layers of tradition and history.

Central to the novel is the theme of storytelling as a means of understanding one's place Kimberly Brock masterfully explores how stories shape our perceptions of ourselves and others, and how the truths we uncover can both illuminate and challenge our understanding of history.

"The Fabled Earth" is not merely a novel; it is a testament to the power of narrative and the ways in which our stories define us. Kimberly Brock has crafted a captivating tale that will linger in readers' minds, urging them to reconsider the stories they tell themselves and the ones that have yet to be unearthed.

[Katherine Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Fabled Earth is a gorgeous, place-based, dual-timeline historical novel, full of fully-realized, flawed and interesting characters. The setting of Cumberland Island and coastal Georgia is in its own a character, and Brock writes like the Southern storyteller she is: with heart, muscle, and magic.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed The Lost Book of Eleanor Dare so I was excited to get this ARC. Kimberly Brock loves Southern lore. She loves storytelling and the stories we pass on to others. This one is about Cumberland Island, GA in 1932 and 1959. Cleo has lived on her own island off of Cumberland since 1932. She came to Georgia to be a chaperone but she was hoping she could stay and be an artist in residence. This is the time of Carnegie opulence. In 1959, Frances' mom has died and she has come to Cumberland Island to get some answers about her mother from something that happened in the summer of 1932. Audrey is a widow who runs the inn on Cumberland Island. We get all three of their perspectives and also the fables from 1932. But really happened? I felt like I was right there in the heat of the south. The author gives great descriptions and making you feel apart of the story. Of course after reading I had to look up Cumberland Island and now I want to visit.

-That was the thing she'd forgotten about hope, how it only serves to remind you there's so much to lose.

-Cleo could be both practical and full of fancy ideas. She believed a life worth living required a bit of both.

-In the myths Frances studied, the stories often began with a lie, and the endings were not always happy ones.

-Rosey wants the world to be like his theater, a place where people sit in the dark and listen to stories and believe they're all friends. That's not the real world. That's not how things change.

[Debra Slonek · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a wonderful feast for the imagination. The characters are fed in a way that contributes to their hopes, dreams and even their abilities to see what others cannot. Readers will enjoy their time spent on Cumberland Island and Kingdom Come.

Truths and fables work well together as friendships are formed, purposes are revealed and futures are considered and welcomed. Storylines were cleverly woven together with secrets, curses and intentional dustings of glory.

Difficult moments and resistance to change brought out the best in some folks and the worst in others. Sometimes, the fables told on Earth can lead to healing and forgiveness on Earth. Reading this book has encouraged me to look around and really see the people that share Earth with me.

This beautifully written novel has been a joy to read. The author uses her gifts to tell a story and skillfully bring it to life. I really enjoyed it.

I received a complimentary copy of this wonderful book from Harper Muse. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.