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Recognitions #1
Recognitions
Amelia Rothman, a foreign-rights editor from New York, has a turbulent personal life. She juggles a divorce and two teenage kids, and decides to seek hypnotherapy to help her deal with insomnia and anxieties. But when during the session an unexpected event emerges, she tries to understand how it is relevant to her current life and why it suddenly triggers a series of synchronicities that take her on an unexpected personal journey to the depth of her subconscious. At once a spiritual and psychological novel, Recognitions explores the concepts of past lives, recognition of people and their roles in our present lives and life lessons. Recognitions is the first of a trilogy.
Audible Audio
First published January 29, 2016
366 people want to read
About the author
Daniela I. Norris
23 books55 followersDaniela is a former diplomat, turned political writer, and with age and wisdom - now spiritual author and speaker.
On Dragonfly Wings - a skeptic's journey to mediumship (Axis Mundi Books) and Collecting Feathers: Tales from the Other Side (Soul Rocks Books) were out in 2014, followed by a trilogy of inspirational novels: Recognitions (2016), Premonitions (2019) and Precognitions (2020). The series is a Literary Classics Gold Award winner.
www.danielanorris.com
On Dragonfly Wings - a skeptic's journey to mediumship (Axis Mundi Books) and Collecting Feathers: Tales from the Other Side (Soul Rocks Books) were out in 2014, followed by a trilogy of inspirational novels: Recognitions (2016), Premonitions (2019) and Precognitions (2020). The series is a Literary Classics Gold Award winner.
www.danielanorris.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
January 27, 2016
I received this as an arc from the book club (tbc) in exchange for an honest review.
Could people we meet have pre - destined roles in our lives..
Absolutely fantastic read.
I loved the story and the characters.
The characters Amelia and Noah were great.
Although I thought that Noah could be Jules Bandeau.
But I was wrong.
Can't wait to read the next installment.
Highly recommended.
5 *.
Could people we meet have pre - destined roles in our lives..
Absolutely fantastic read.
I loved the story and the characters.
The characters Amelia and Noah were great.
Although I thought that Noah could be Jules Bandeau.
But I was wrong.
Can't wait to read the next installment.
Highly recommended.
5 *.
February 2, 2016
I was given a copy of this book in an exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the opportunity.
A great start to a series! I really enjoyed the style of writing that the author has, a great balance of storyline and descriptive language to add to the atmosphere. The story had me grabbed within the first few chapters, and carried on building upon the suspense and intrigue right until the end. But I didn't want it to end! I loved being transported to three completely different places, culturally and historically - visiting each character and watching their lives slowly intertwine was addictive. At times it got a little confusing at the start of chapters to grasp which character was the focus, however I was reading this book faster and more eagerly with each page, so that probably didn't help!
This is a promising start, leaves you wanting to know what happens, and sets the scene for book 2 nicely. I look forward to reading more!
A great start to a series! I really enjoyed the style of writing that the author has, a great balance of storyline and descriptive language to add to the atmosphere. The story had me grabbed within the first few chapters, and carried on building upon the suspense and intrigue right until the end. But I didn't want it to end! I loved being transported to three completely different places, culturally and historically - visiting each character and watching their lives slowly intertwine was addictive. At times it got a little confusing at the start of chapters to grasp which character was the focus, however I was reading this book faster and more eagerly with each page, so that probably didn't help!
This is a promising start, leaves you wanting to know what happens, and sets the scene for book 2 nicely. I look forward to reading more!
January 30, 2016
I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
It took me some time to get into this book but I'm glad I stuck with it, as after the first couple of chapters the story began to develop and grow. The story focuses on past lives and the experiences the main character (Amelia) has when she undergoes hypnosis.
The topics of regression, past lives and hypnosis have always interested me, and these themes mixed with the characters in this novel were a great combination. The different characters and times never got confusing. They all combined well to produce an excellent first installment to a series. It felt as though instead of having an ending in the traditional sense, this book leads us into the rest of the series, which I'll be interested in reading.
It took me some time to get into this book but I'm glad I stuck with it, as after the first couple of chapters the story began to develop and grow. The story focuses on past lives and the experiences the main character (Amelia) has when she undergoes hypnosis.
The topics of regression, past lives and hypnosis have always interested me, and these themes mixed with the characters in this novel were a great combination. The different characters and times never got confusing. They all combined well to produce an excellent first installment to a series. It felt as though instead of having an ending in the traditional sense, this book leads us into the rest of the series, which I'll be interested in reading.
February 11, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. It was like 3 story's in one but it worked really well. Amilia goes to see a hypnotist to try to help her sleep. She soon finds herself as a young girl called Adele, this also happens to be the same person she is writing about in her historical novel. She begins dreaming about Adele. The story then goes on to a healer. You begin to wonder how her present life and the ones she dreams about and visits when she is hypnotised have in common, this becomes clear as you read the book. I found it flowed very well you wasn't left confused. This is the first book and I'm looking forward to book 2 to see what happens to everyone.
February 4, 2016
A very interesting and thoughtful book.
Delving into the possibilities of past lives and the way that are conscious minds are interlinked with our sub-conscious. Those feelings of Deja-Vu are maybe more than a coincidence, and we have possibly had some type of premonition or dream relating to that moment. Who knows?
A lovely piece of writing that gets you thinking. This is the first of a trilogy, and I will definitely be reading the next two!
Delving into the possibilities of past lives and the way that are conscious minds are interlinked with our sub-conscious. Those feelings of Deja-Vu are maybe more than a coincidence, and we have possibly had some type of premonition or dream relating to that moment. Who knows?
A lovely piece of writing that gets you thinking. This is the first of a trilogy, and I will definitely be reading the next two!
September 4, 2024
I read this a while ago when the author gave it to me for my reveiw. I remember loving it. I enjoyed it again but...(this is the second book this has happened) Listening to it, sometimes the narrator sounded automated. So I found myself concentrating on the voice to see if it was or not. lol
My complaint when I read it was that I wanted to find out what happened next and now I am on to book 2!
My complaint when I read it was that I wanted to find out what happened next and now I am on to book 2!
February 3, 2016
Given the opportunity to read this book by THE Book Club on FB in exchange for an honest review. Not my usual choice of book, but pleasantly surprised. To say I was disappointed when it ended, is an understatement; my response when I realised it had finished was 'oh no!'. Cannot wait for the sequel Premonitions. Great first book from this author.
July 29, 2019
First off the narration is really good, I just struggled a bit to work out which century we are in throughout the book as it covers three different eras; present day, 17th Century and africa a long time ago.
the book starts with a woman called Amelia who regresses back through different times to find out why she is who she is now.
It is a brilliant concept it just didn't work that well for me
the book starts with a woman called Amelia who regresses back through different times to find out why she is who she is now.
It is a brilliant concept it just didn't work that well for me
February 1, 2016
**** 4 Cranky Stars ****
This was a cracking good read. I sat down this afternoon and read it from start to finish with a few snacks in between.
The story centers around Amelia, a recent divorcee with two children, who has lost her enthusiasm in the aftermath of the end of her marriage. She's stressed. She's lethargic. She's got writer's block, anxiety, lost her confidence, and no enthusiasm for the tasks in front of her.
At the urging of a friend and colleague, Amelia makes an appointment to see a hypnotherapist and rediscovers herself or, in this case, her selves.
Under hypnosis, Amelia discovers the life of Adele Durand, a teenaged girl living in 18th Century France. Adele is on the threshold of womanhood and must make the choice of doing what is right or what her heart tells her to do.
Amelia recovers her passion and enthusiasm. Looking through the lens of Adele, Amelia gains a different perspective on her own life and begins to excavate herself from the rubble.
Enter: Noah. He and Amelia reconnect under less than auspicious circumstances. He might be a second chance. He might be the opportunity to rectify. He might be more than that, but he teaches Amelia lessons about seeing past the gilded wrapping to the treasure underneath.
Amelia unearths a third life - that of a shaman in a small village in Africa. He is both crucial and apart from village life. He is also at the point of contact and stands on the threshold of fundamental change.
Being on the cusp or at the threshold is something that binds all three characters in their lives: Adele is at the start, Amelia in the middle, and the Shaman at the end. Each hold lessons: some old, some new, and some that need to be remembered.
The author did a fantastic job of interweaving the lives of characters in this story. I looked forward to each point of view as it unfolded. Different points of view and alternative timelines are some of my favourite literary devices and the pace is perfect.
One of the other things I particularly enjoyed were the places the author noted. I'm familiar with Geneva and Lyon is one of my favourite places. I now have a hankering to go back.
I'm certainly looking forward to Book Two in the series. In saying that, I think the author did a great job in tying up loose ends in this book, leaving a satisfying ending, but also enough to continue with.
A special thanks to THE Book Club for allowing me to review.
This was a cracking good read. I sat down this afternoon and read it from start to finish with a few snacks in between.
The story centers around Amelia, a recent divorcee with two children, who has lost her enthusiasm in the aftermath of the end of her marriage. She's stressed. She's lethargic. She's got writer's block, anxiety, lost her confidence, and no enthusiasm for the tasks in front of her.
At the urging of a friend and colleague, Amelia makes an appointment to see a hypnotherapist and rediscovers herself or, in this case, her selves.
Under hypnosis, Amelia discovers the life of Adele Durand, a teenaged girl living in 18th Century France. Adele is on the threshold of womanhood and must make the choice of doing what is right or what her heart tells her to do.
Amelia recovers her passion and enthusiasm. Looking through the lens of Adele, Amelia gains a different perspective on her own life and begins to excavate herself from the rubble.
Enter: Noah. He and Amelia reconnect under less than auspicious circumstances. He might be a second chance. He might be the opportunity to rectify. He might be more than that, but he teaches Amelia lessons about seeing past the gilded wrapping to the treasure underneath.
Amelia unearths a third life - that of a shaman in a small village in Africa. He is both crucial and apart from village life. He is also at the point of contact and stands on the threshold of fundamental change.
Being on the cusp or at the threshold is something that binds all three characters in their lives: Adele is at the start, Amelia in the middle, and the Shaman at the end. Each hold lessons: some old, some new, and some that need to be remembered.
The author did a fantastic job of interweaving the lives of characters in this story. I looked forward to each point of view as it unfolded. Different points of view and alternative timelines are some of my favourite literary devices and the pace is perfect.
One of the other things I particularly enjoyed were the places the author noted. I'm familiar with Geneva and Lyon is one of my favourite places. I now have a hankering to go back.
I'm certainly looking forward to Book Two in the series. In saying that, I think the author did a great job in tying up loose ends in this book, leaving a satisfying ending, but also enough to continue with.
A special thanks to THE Book Club for allowing me to review.
November 24, 2015
Source: Views She Writes - WordPress Reviews
The first book of Daniela Norris which I had read was “Collecting Feathers: Tales from The Other Side“. The book totally took me in a storm and changed my view of “The Other Side”. “Recognitions” is the first Novel by the author.
“Recognitions” is a book written in first person narration by Amelia Rothman. But the story soon bifurcates into two other main characters Adele Durant and an African Shaman, as the characters emerging from Amelia’s hypnotherapy. The story swings between the three characters, initially with no relevance. But gradually, as the story unfolds, each of the character shows their relevance and brings out the complete picture.
The concept of the story is more of self enlightenment and self actualization. It plays around the concept of “Things that are meant to be”. The writing style is simple and elegant. Daniela ensures that the reader is at pace with her narration and has no difficulty imagining the situations playing in the book. The descriptions of people and places are given in enough detail to create a picture but not that it feels dragged.
The characters vary their complexity depending upon the situations they are placed in. The characters, although are from different eras, blend well with each other through out the story and bring out the best in the theme.
By the end of the book, a feel of being enveloped by hope takes over.”Recognitions” is a book I shall definitely recommend everyone to read. It has a smooth flow and simple positivity to it. The upcoming parts in the Trilogy definitely have something to catch up to, as this one surely has set a benchmark.
January 18, 2016
After reading two books by Daniela I. Norris – one fiction and another a non-fiction, I have come to the conclusion that Daniela is neither an extraordinary writer nor an ordinary one. With her earlier non-fiction, On Dragonfly Wings: A Skeptic's Journey to Mediumship, she really captured my attention not only with the subject matter of the book but also with her thought-process, beliefs and flowing writing. And when she announced the publication of her first novel, I had a lot of expectations.
Recognitions by Daniela I. Norris, in its own right, is a genre bending novel. While the centrepiece of the story is about religion and spirituality – about connections, self-realization and enlightenment, it is also a psychological thriller with good doses of suspense and mystery. All these elements are woven into the story through Amelia Rothman, whose first person narrative was both soulful and a delight. What is at the heart of the story is the how the stories of Adele Durant and an African Shaman are intertwined with that of Amelia Rothman.
As a result, Recognitions by Daniela I. Norris is a delicately crafted novel that follows three different characters through different time lines, but with each character and story complementing the others. While the characters are complex, the storyline, however, is not twisted. Author Daniela I. Norris has done a commendable job in writing a story which is original in concept and not too detailed to the point of boredom. I look forward to the next book in the trilogy.
Recognitions by Daniela I. Norris, in its own right, is a genre bending novel. While the centrepiece of the story is about religion and spirituality – about connections, self-realization and enlightenment, it is also a psychological thriller with good doses of suspense and mystery. All these elements are woven into the story through Amelia Rothman, whose first person narrative was both soulful and a delight. What is at the heart of the story is the how the stories of Adele Durant and an African Shaman are intertwined with that of Amelia Rothman.
As a result, Recognitions by Daniela I. Norris is a delicately crafted novel that follows three different characters through different time lines, but with each character and story complementing the others. While the characters are complex, the storyline, however, is not twisted. Author Daniela I. Norris has done a commendable job in writing a story which is original in concept and not too detailed to the point of boredom. I look forward to the next book in the trilogy.
August 5, 2019
Here we have three intertwined stories. The paths through time and space are interconnected.
Daily, we tread the here-and-now road. We can make decisions as to how we interact with the road and with everything and everybody else on that road. Occasionally, other roads intersect our own. We can observe those who travel down those roads, and connect with them, but we have little influence on their direction. But could they influence our own direction?
Amelia is an American editor, working in Manhattan. As she struggles to cope with bringing up her two children following the breakup of her marriage, she resorts to trying hypnotherapy. This leads her to connections with Adele, an eighteen year-old living in pre-revolution, south-eastern France, and a shaman living in an African riverside village which is in danger from Portuguese slave-traders.
Her life is further complicated by a chance meeting with an old school classmate from her own teen years in San Francisco: a fourth strand to the story.
As the book concludes, Amelia comes close to bringing the four strands together and providing a semblance of clarity. There is still a long way to go and I can’t wait to find out what happens in the second book in the trilogy, Premonitions, which was published in June 2019.
Daily, we tread the here-and-now road. We can make decisions as to how we interact with the road and with everything and everybody else on that road. Occasionally, other roads intersect our own. We can observe those who travel down those roads, and connect with them, but we have little influence on their direction. But could they influence our own direction?
Amelia is an American editor, working in Manhattan. As she struggles to cope with bringing up her two children following the breakup of her marriage, she resorts to trying hypnotherapy. This leads her to connections with Adele, an eighteen year-old living in pre-revolution, south-eastern France, and a shaman living in an African riverside village which is in danger from Portuguese slave-traders.
Her life is further complicated by a chance meeting with an old school classmate from her own teen years in San Francisco: a fourth strand to the story.
As the book concludes, Amelia comes close to bringing the four strands together and providing a semblance of clarity. There is still a long way to go and I can’t wait to find out what happens in the second book in the trilogy, Premonitions, which was published in June 2019.
January 18, 2016
I was given an Advance Reader Copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review, and it's a delight to review it VERY positively. Daniela Norris has created a skilled interweaving of stories in her debut novel Recognitions, revealing connections across time, place, gender, language, age, and race. Through her contemporary protagonist Amelia, a foreign rights book editor in New York whose failed marriage and role as single mother of teens present very specific challenges, the reader also experiences the life stories of a revered African shaman and a 17th century French girl entering adulthood. The details are vivid and illuminating, and certainly more than the stuff of dreams and coincidences. Discovering Amelia’s experience with hypnosis and past-life regression leaves the reader comforted, lifted, and intrigued, just like she is. Recognitions is a satisfying and remarkably down-to-earth exploration of the hazy spectrum from fact to fiction to fantasy... and back again.
January 8, 2016
Wow, I was blown away by this book! I dont think I have ever read a book that talked about past lives and the three lives of Amelia in the present and then Adele and the African Shaman in the past, were beautifully interwoven. The secondary characters in the book were also very well fleshed out, I felt a connection with each of them. I really wanted to know what happened with each of the characters and what their connections were to each other - I had just started to speculate the whys and wherefores when the book ended.......so I am very happy to know there is a sequel!
It took me a little while to get into this book but once it grabbed me I couldnt put it down. Thank you Daniela, this was really fascinating to read.
I read this book as an ARC via the author and THE Book Club, in exchange for an honest review.
It took me a little while to get into this book but once it grabbed me I couldnt put it down. Thank you Daniela, this was really fascinating to read.
I read this book as an ARC via the author and THE Book Club, in exchange for an honest review.
January 30, 2016
Thank you Daniela Norris and TBC for the opportunity to read this book and give an honest review.
I would not normally go for a book of this genre but I am so glad I did, as it was really good, well written and I finished it in under a day.
The main character is Amelia, a mother of two trying to deal with her marriage break up. She tries hypnosis as a way of coping, and during her sessions she goes back in time seeing two different characters from different eras, Adele a young teen from France and a Sharman in Africa. As the book progresses you get more of an insight into each of the characters stories, as Amelia continues having visions.
The book flowed very well and didn't get confusing despite it being set in three different eras. I look forward to the next book of the trilogy.
I would not normally go for a book of this genre but I am so glad I did, as it was really good, well written and I finished it in under a day.
The main character is Amelia, a mother of two trying to deal with her marriage break up. She tries hypnosis as a way of coping, and during her sessions she goes back in time seeing two different characters from different eras, Adele a young teen from France and a Sharman in Africa. As the book progresses you get more of an insight into each of the characters stories, as Amelia continues having visions.
The book flowed very well and didn't get confusing despite it being set in three different eras. I look forward to the next book of the trilogy.
January 31, 2016
Book received with thanks as an 'ARC' from the lovely Helen via THE Book Club.
What a treat! Feels ages since I've read a book that's held me calm, relaxed and smiling. No breath-holding in anxiety. No clenched fists straining to pummel the cushions in frustration and anger. No desire to swear at the stupidity of characters who really should know better. No, this is nice. More than nice. The story alternates between present day and mid 17,00 France. It works well. Tres tres bien! Amelia Rothman turns to hypnotherapy to try to alleviate her insomnia and anxiety following the breakdown of her marriage. This is in turn leads to regression, dreams and an exciting journey of exploration. Clever stuff. It flowed effortlessly and had me captivated throughout. Joyous!
What a treat! Feels ages since I've read a book that's held me calm, relaxed and smiling. No breath-holding in anxiety. No clenched fists straining to pummel the cushions in frustration and anger. No desire to swear at the stupidity of characters who really should know better. No, this is nice. More than nice. The story alternates between present day and mid 17,00 France. It works well. Tres tres bien! Amelia Rothman turns to hypnotherapy to try to alleviate her insomnia and anxiety following the breakdown of her marriage. This is in turn leads to regression, dreams and an exciting journey of exploration. Clever stuff. It flowed effortlessly and had me captivated throughout. Joyous!
January 29, 2016
I would like to thank TBC and Daniela Norris for giving me he opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest and open review.
If I'd known that it was about regression and past lives I probably wouldn't have read this and I'd have missed out on an excellent book.
This is 3 stories in one. The main character is Amelia, who has a very complicated life. During a regression session she encounters two other people, a young French girl from the 17th Century and a shaman living in Africa during the slave-trade era.
I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who's looking for something a bit different. I eagerly the next book in this series.
If I'd known that it was about regression and past lives I probably wouldn't have read this and I'd have missed out on an excellent book.
This is 3 stories in one. The main character is Amelia, who has a very complicated life. During a regression session she encounters two other people, a young French girl from the 17th Century and a shaman living in Africa during the slave-trade era.
I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who's looking for something a bit different. I eagerly the next book in this series.
January 31, 2016
An ok book but didn't connect with anybody in it and felt some of the storylines needed expanded on even though there are more books to come
August 1, 2019
Past lives and mysticism.
This was an unusual direction for my reading to take; I don't often read books with mystic content or previous lives. I have to say, it was an interesting diversion and I shall definitely read the sequel.
There were three time lines in this novel, although the current time was the strongest and the one that drew everything together. Amelia Rothman sells the publishing rights for books to be translated world wide, a job that involves some degree of travelling. Her marriage has recently collapsed and she decides to try hypnotherapy, hoping that it will help her to sleep.
The second time line was set in 18th century France, where Adele has reached marriageable age and must choose between two suitors.
Finally, there is the story of an African Shaman at the time of the slave trade, trying to protect his people from the aggressive Portuguese traders.
This is the first book of a trilogy and I was really enjoying it, when my audiobook suddenly concluded. I wasn't ready for it to end, there was no real closure. I felt as if I was left hanging. I do have the second book in audio, so I can continue, but I would have liked some completion to this first episode.
The narration was done by Natalie Naudus Bradner and I thought she did a great job. Just one thing I would have preferred - a change of voice between the narration of the different eras, to assist the sudden transitions that the book seemed to make.
...and so, on to Book 2...
This was an unusual direction for my reading to take; I don't often read books with mystic content or previous lives. I have to say, it was an interesting diversion and I shall definitely read the sequel.
There were three time lines in this novel, although the current time was the strongest and the one that drew everything together. Amelia Rothman sells the publishing rights for books to be translated world wide, a job that involves some degree of travelling. Her marriage has recently collapsed and she decides to try hypnotherapy, hoping that it will help her to sleep.
The second time line was set in 18th century France, where Adele has reached marriageable age and must choose between two suitors.
Finally, there is the story of an African Shaman at the time of the slave trade, trying to protect his people from the aggressive Portuguese traders.
This is the first book of a trilogy and I was really enjoying it, when my audiobook suddenly concluded. I wasn't ready for it to end, there was no real closure. I felt as if I was left hanging. I do have the second book in audio, so I can continue, but I would have liked some completion to this first episode.
The narration was done by Natalie Naudus Bradner and I thought she did a great job. Just one thing I would have preferred - a change of voice between the narration of the different eras, to assist the sudden transitions that the book seemed to make.
...and so, on to Book 2...
July 28, 2020
My thanks to The Book Club on Facebook Reviewer Group for the opportunity to review this in exchange for an honest review.
I gave this a 4 stars or 8/10.
I read this the first in the Recognitions trilogy in a few days. It was an easy read and at just over 200 pages it's not an overly long read. It kept me engaged and wanting to know more about Amelia. At a bit of a crossroads in her life, trying to cope with two teenagers and coming out the other side of a divorce. She is emotionally and mentally drained.
Deciding on trying hynotherapy, as a means of coping with the situation that she finds herself in. She isn't ready for the revelations that she is about to experience as a result of the hypnosis.
This story deals with the concept that we have all possibly been here on this Earth before. This is actually something that I find interesting as a concept. I have Premonitions the next one in the trilogy ready to read and look forward to staring it soon. I can't wait to follow this journey that we have embarked on with Amelia.
I gave this a 4 stars or 8/10.
I read this the first in the Recognitions trilogy in a few days. It was an easy read and at just over 200 pages it's not an overly long read. It kept me engaged and wanting to know more about Amelia. At a bit of a crossroads in her life, trying to cope with two teenagers and coming out the other side of a divorce. She is emotionally and mentally drained.
Deciding on trying hynotherapy, as a means of coping with the situation that she finds herself in. She isn't ready for the revelations that she is about to experience as a result of the hypnosis.
This story deals with the concept that we have all possibly been here on this Earth before. This is actually something that I find interesting as a concept. I have Premonitions the next one in the trilogy ready to read and look forward to staring it soon. I can't wait to follow this journey that we have embarked on with Amelia.
July 21, 2019
Not my usual type of book but I was hooked from the get go. A recent family break up leads a newly single mom on a path of self discovery, straight back to her past lives. The stories of her past Combined with a possible new future, this book is a feel good page turner. The narration flows well and transitions smoothly from one character to the next. I’m on to the next book in the series!
July 24, 2019
I enjoy how the story is told in three different time zones and moves effortlessly from one to
the other. Essentially it is a love story. I look forward to listening to the second book to see what else will emerge in the reincarnated tale.
the other. Essentially it is a love story. I look forward to listening to the second book to see what else will emerge in the reincarnated tale.
August 29, 2019
I would give this a 4.5. I enjoy past lives stories so really liked the premise and enjoyed how the author wove the characters together. Looking forward to getting the next one in this triology. Fairly short book as well so it's a quick read.
September 1, 2020
This was an interesting book, following three stories from different time periods and locations. I was waiting to see how everything connected, and am looking forward to discovering that in the next book in the series. It was not my usual type of book, but nevertheless I enjoyed reading it.
January 30, 2016
Think Cloud Atlas, a classic story of rebirth, many lives, and reincarnation on a level that involves protagonists in other lives - but take it a step further in Recognitions, the first novel in a trilogy, which presents a woman under hypnosis who sometimes encounters a French girl on the cusp of
marriage and sometimes an African shaman facing a village's struggles with illness and slavery.
Then take these diverse lives and weave them together in the story of a modern-day woman, Amelia (who must deal with these other lives and her own daily challenges, and who faces her own struggle to understand the connections and messages that lie in her dreams and hypnotic state), and you have an emotionally-charged saga filled with three threads that weave back to one tapestry of wonder.
Under a different hand, this saga of birth, death, and afterlife could have easily proved confusing: it's no simple matter to create three disparate, very different lives, and blend them together with purpose and discovery; no easy venture to bring each of these pieces to life and then meld them into
one.
It's also satisfying to note that the protagonist doesn't just skip into acceptance of these threads and their impact on her life; she's pulled in reluctantly, and initially believes these results from hypnotherapy and dream states to be 'craziness'. She's no new age believer: she's a wife,
mother, and has a life of her own.
But hers is a life destined to transform (though her husband's departure has already started the process of vast changes) in unexpected ways, and the gift of this approach lies in how past, present, and future worlds not only connect, but collide.
There are many passages that support all kinds of emotional connections and disconnects, as well. As Amelia's life changes and as her novel-writing is spiced by her dream states, she finds the courage to not only probe these events, but understand and incorporate them into her own world.
The result (much like Cloud Atlas's ability to make readers think far past its last page) is a story that is quietly compelling: a moving saga highly recommended for any reader interested in predetermination, past lives, and how three disparate worlds interlace.
marriage and sometimes an African shaman facing a village's struggles with illness and slavery.
Then take these diverse lives and weave them together in the story of a modern-day woman, Amelia (who must deal with these other lives and her own daily challenges, and who faces her own struggle to understand the connections and messages that lie in her dreams and hypnotic state), and you have an emotionally-charged saga filled with three threads that weave back to one tapestry of wonder.
Under a different hand, this saga of birth, death, and afterlife could have easily proved confusing: it's no simple matter to create three disparate, very different lives, and blend them together with purpose and discovery; no easy venture to bring each of these pieces to life and then meld them into
one.
It's also satisfying to note that the protagonist doesn't just skip into acceptance of these threads and their impact on her life; she's pulled in reluctantly, and initially believes these results from hypnotherapy and dream states to be 'craziness'. She's no new age believer: she's a wife,
mother, and has a life of her own.
But hers is a life destined to transform (though her husband's departure has already started the process of vast changes) in unexpected ways, and the gift of this approach lies in how past, present, and future worlds not only connect, but collide.
There are many passages that support all kinds of emotional connections and disconnects, as well. As Amelia's life changes and as her novel-writing is spiced by her dream states, she finds the courage to not only probe these events, but understand and incorporate them into her own world.
The result (much like Cloud Atlas's ability to make readers think far past its last page) is a story that is quietly compelling: a moving saga highly recommended for any reader interested in predetermination, past lives, and how three disparate worlds interlace.
March 8, 2016
This is a book which will appeal to anyone who has ever harboured a sneaking suspicion that the problems encountered in this life could be predetermined by damaging or limiting patterns established in former lives.
Amelia is a level-headed editor from New York whose insomnia and anxiety following her marriage breakup take her to a hypnotherapist’s couch. The very first session sparks a series of dreams featuring Adele, a young woman living in eighteenth-century France who is torn between two suitors – one who makes her heart beat faster and one who offers her a more affluent lifestyle. Amelia decides to convert this unfolding story into a novel but becomes perplexed when Adele’s story is interrupted by dreams of an African shaman defending his village from Portuguese slave traders in the fifteenth century.
The unravelling of both the living and the dream characters’ stories, and how they connect to each other, keeps the reader absorbed and intrigued. Beneath the chapters, the subtext is clear: it is of enormous benefit to recognise that past lives, and those of others connected to us, help us to identify patterns and learn lessons. That this message can be delivered so elegantly and engagingly is a credit to the author.
Amelia is a level-headed editor from New York whose insomnia and anxiety following her marriage breakup take her to a hypnotherapist’s couch. The very first session sparks a series of dreams featuring Adele, a young woman living in eighteenth-century France who is torn between two suitors – one who makes her heart beat faster and one who offers her a more affluent lifestyle. Amelia decides to convert this unfolding story into a novel but becomes perplexed when Adele’s story is interrupted by dreams of an African shaman defending his village from Portuguese slave traders in the fifteenth century.
The unravelling of both the living and the dream characters’ stories, and how they connect to each other, keeps the reader absorbed and intrigued. Beneath the chapters, the subtext is clear: it is of enormous benefit to recognise that past lives, and those of others connected to us, help us to identify patterns and learn lessons. That this message can be delivered so elegantly and engagingly is a credit to the author.
May 14, 2016
I really enjoyed reading this book. It's simple and relaxing read. I was very happy to win this book through Goodreads Giveaways.
Three simple stories are nicely interwoven and create a fantastic atmosphere. And each storyline adds more to the other two. (In photography terms: nice composition) While I was reading I had the feeling that my own life became the fourth story line in the book.
I most enjoyed Adele's storyline. While it might be the most simple and typically romantic one, and not what I would like if it were its own book, the other stories accentuated the loveliness of the tale.
If you ask me, you don't need to read the entire series to enjoy this book. I did like the ending. I thought it was realistic that each ending was also the beginning and the middle of a new tale and that not using the typical finished ending makes this book more special. Especially since it is in line with Amelia's perspective: as a reader you feel her frustration when a story does not end where she wants it to end.
But I think the description of the book is slightly misleading.
Three simple stories are nicely interwoven and create a fantastic atmosphere. And each storyline adds more to the other two. (In photography terms: nice composition) While I was reading I had the feeling that my own life became the fourth story line in the book.
I most enjoyed Adele's storyline. While it might be the most simple and typically romantic one, and not what I would like if it were its own book, the other stories accentuated the loveliness of the tale.
If you ask me, you don't need to read the entire series to enjoy this book. I did like the ending. I thought it was realistic that each ending was also the beginning and the middle of a new tale and that not using the typical finished ending makes this book more special. Especially since it is in line with Amelia's perspective: as a reader you feel her frustration when a story does not end where she wants it to end.
But I think the description of the book is slightly misleading.
December 11, 2018
Amelia, a recent divorcee and mother of two teenage children, seeks hypnotherapy to help her deal with insomnia. But she’s surprised when her session reveals a past life, that of an 18th century French girl at odds with her mother and resistant of the life set before her. Soon after, she encounters a man with whom she feels a familiarity which she cannot explain. And then there’s the Shaman in a small African village. Amelia finds a sense of calm in accepting these parts of her past, if in fact that is what they are. Fragments of lives once lived that she’s never before considered in her present life, all of which seem comfortably intertwined.
Recognitions, by Daniela Norris is a pensive tale, one of reflection and introspection. Well written, genuine and entirely riveting, this book is a fascinating read and one that will appeal to a myriad of audiences, most especially those fascinated with the topic of past lives. Recommended for home and school libraries, Recognitions has earned the Literary Classics Seal of Approval.
Recognitions, by Daniela Norris is a pensive tale, one of reflection and introspection. Well written, genuine and entirely riveting, this book is a fascinating read and one that will appeal to a myriad of audiences, most especially those fascinated with the topic of past lives. Recommended for home and school libraries, Recognitions has earned the Literary Classics Seal of Approval.
April 29, 2016
An intricate tale of past lives and their affects on current life. The author takes us on a personal journey by Amelia, a divorcee struggling to make sense of life. Synchronicities play an important role in our lives and for Amelia she only began to take notice after a past life regression session. This also prompts dreams and a strange feeling of downloading a story which she is writing. The book explores the connections, or recognitions, between past life experiences and relationships and those of present experience. Do we really meet and interact with the same souls in multiple lifetimes? Is there really some mysterious force guiding us so that we have those recognitions. The author has done a great job in skilfully telling the stories, cleverly transitioning between Amelia's present life, her dreams and recessions, and guided writing. Why the sword? Well you will just have to read to the end to find out.
December 12, 2015
Recognitions is the first novel by Daniela A. Norris. She is planning to follow it up with two more books to form a trilogy. The theme is past lives, although the story can still be enjoyed without believing in reincarnation. She skilfully blends the present day story of a divorced American mother with that of the past lives of a young French girl living in the 17th century and that of an African shaman living at the height of the slave-trading era. Through the techniques of hypnotherapy, dreams and trance-like novel-writing, the
present day protagonist endeavours to find meaning in the past lives of the other two main characters. Overall, the story is moving and captivating. Highly recommended!
Review by Andrew Cairns, author of "The Witch’s List"
Http://Facebook.com/thewitchslist
Http://thewitchslist.blogspot.com
present day protagonist endeavours to find meaning in the past lives of the other two main characters. Overall, the story is moving and captivating. Highly recommended!
Review by Andrew Cairns, author of "The Witch’s List"
Http://Facebook.com/thewitchslist
Http://thewitchslist.blogspot.com
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