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The Orphan of Salt Winds
England, 1939. Ten-year-old Virginia Wrathmell arrives at Salt Winds, a secluded house on the edge of a marsh, to meet her adoptive parents—practical, dependable Clem and glamorous, mercurial Lorna. The marsh, with its deceptive tides, is a beautiful but threatening place. Virginia’s new parents’ marriage is full of secrets and tensions she doesn’t quite understand, and their wealthy neighbor, Max Deering, drops by too often, taking an unwholesome interest in the family’s affairs. Only Clem offers a true sense of home. War feels far away among the birds and shifting sands—until the day a German fighter plane crashes into the marsh, and Clem ventures out to rescue the airman. What happens next sets into motion a crime so devastating it will haunt Virginia for the rest of her life. Seventy-five years later, she finds herself drawn back to the marsh, and to a teenage girl who appears there, nearly frozen and burdened by her own secrets. In her, Virginia might have a chance at retribution and a way to right a grave mistake she made as a child.
Elizabeth Brooks’s gripping debut mirrors its marshy landscape—full of twists and turns and moored in a tangle of family secrets. A gothic, psychological mystery and atmospheric coming-of-age story, The Orphan of Salt Winds is the portrait of a woman haunted by the place she calls home.
Elizabeth Brooks’s gripping debut mirrors its marshy landscape—full of twists and turns and moored in a tangle of family secrets. A gothic, psychological mystery and atmospheric coming-of-age story, The Orphan of Salt Winds is the portrait of a woman haunted by the place she calls home.
293 pages, Paperback
First published June 28, 2018
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4543 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Brooks
6 books168 followersElizabeth Brooks grew up in Chester. She read Classics at Newnham College, Cambridge. On graduating in 2001 she moved to the Isle of Man where she lives with her husband and their two children. Her first novel, 'Call of the Curlew' was shortlisted for the Waverton Good Read Award 2018. Her fourth novel, 'The Woman in the Sable Coat,' will be published by Tin House in March 2024.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 420 reviews
December 9, 2018
Virginia arrives at Salt Winds when she is ten, adopted by Clem and Lorna. She and Clem form an immdeiate connection, her relationship with Lorna has a much slower start. Clem entertains her with both warnings and stories of the marsh. I loved the closeness between them, it added a heartwarming element to the story. The marsh also plays an integral part, it is where a strange occurrence will cause much heartache, and provide an element of mystery. There are strange things happening at Salt Winds, not only conversations she overhears, but also from a neighbor, a Mr. Derring her seems to have a strange hold over Lorna, and wanting something from Virginia that she has no intention of giving. Creepy man.
Dual storylines, past and present, the past on the eve of WWIi and in the present when Virginia is in her eighties, still at Salt Winds. Her intention to at last leave is fraught with signs and the arrival of a young girl, a reminder of the past. I found the past story much more interesting and the connection with the older Virgina, for me did not work. Just didn't seem like we get to know her very well, felt this part was both rushed, and the intervening years given short shift. Although there are some Gothic elements, mostly in the atmosphere of the past story, with the marsh, and the tensions and secrets will the house, the past really didn't keep up with that tone. It seems this novel tried to be many things, we even get a fairytale, it didn't completely work. Key elements just didn't ring true, and other elements were predictable, could definitely see them coming. This was an entertaining read, but could have been much more.
ARC from Edelweiss and Tin House books.
Dual storylines, past and present, the past on the eve of WWIi and in the present when Virginia is in her eighties, still at Salt Winds. Her intention to at last leave is fraught with signs and the arrival of a young girl, a reminder of the past. I found the past story much more interesting and the connection with the older Virgina, for me did not work. Just didn't seem like we get to know her very well, felt this part was both rushed, and the intervening years given short shift. Although there are some Gothic elements, mostly in the atmosphere of the past story, with the marsh, and the tensions and secrets will the house, the past really didn't keep up with that tone. It seems this novel tried to be many things, we even get a fairytale, it didn't completely work. Key elements just didn't ring true, and other elements were predictable, could definitely see them coming. This was an entertaining read, but could have been much more.
ARC from Edelweiss and Tin House books.
December 30, 2018
In England, it’s 1939, and ten-year-old Virginia has been adopted by a couple who live in an isolated house on the edge of a marsh. Her new parents are Clem and Lorna, and what a pair they are. Their marriage is a temperamental one with dark secrets, and Virginia quickly becomes aware of this though she cannot fully understand.
Clem becomes an ally and bonds with Virginia, but otherwise, there’s a nosy neighbor and moody Lorna. One day a German fighter airman crashes into the marsh, and Clem rescues him...What follows is a crime that haunts Virginia the rest of her life.
Many years later, Virginia returns to the marsh in search of healing, and she finds it in the form of a teenage girl with secrets of her own.
The landscape is beautifully drawn, and I could see and smell the marsh. There’s an engaging mystery at the heart of the story and a true gothic, atmospheric feel. I overall enjoyed the story, but I wished for a little more- more character development and more atmosphere across both timelines. It’s a positive that I wanted more because I was invested, but I also was left wanting more like it could have been just a smidge more to be a more fleshed out story. Elizabeth Brooks’ talent shines, and I’m looking forward to her next effort.
Thank you to the publisher for the complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
Clem becomes an ally and bonds with Virginia, but otherwise, there’s a nosy neighbor and moody Lorna. One day a German fighter airman crashes into the marsh, and Clem rescues him...What follows is a crime that haunts Virginia the rest of her life.
Many years later, Virginia returns to the marsh in search of healing, and she finds it in the form of a teenage girl with secrets of her own.
The landscape is beautifully drawn, and I could see and smell the marsh. There’s an engaging mystery at the heart of the story and a true gothic, atmospheric feel. I overall enjoyed the story, but I wished for a little more- more character development and more atmosphere across both timelines. It’s a positive that I wanted more because I was invested, but I also was left wanting more like it could have been just a smidge more to be a more fleshed out story. Elizabeth Brooks’ talent shines, and I’m looking forward to her next effort.
Thank you to the publisher for the complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
December 17, 2018
I received an ARC of this book for free from the publisher (Tin House Books) in exchange for an honest review.
I give this book 3.5 stars which rounds up to 4.
This was an incredibly atmospheric read. The setting, particularly the marsh, had a life of its own. The author did a fabulous job describing the setting which helped set the tone and the mood for the novel.
As for the story itself, I was into it, but I wasn’t thrilled by it. I think it was because I had such high expectations going in. On the cover, the book is described as being reminiscent of Jane Eyre, which is one of my all time favorite books. It’s really tough to top that book. As I was reading the book, it was hard not to compare it to Jane Eyre. The story just didn’t move me as much as I would have liked it to. I never felt that connected to Virginia.
I did like the dual storylines of Virginia when she was adopted (which was the main storyline) and Virginia as an old woman. I think the alternation between the two were really well done. The author coordinated the unfolding of events between the two perfectly. The contemporary chapter would subtly reveal something that the next historical chapter would delve into in great detail.
For me, the strongest part of the book was Mr. Deering. He was a fearsome villain. I never knew what he was going to do because he was so unpredictable and creepy. It was so unsettling every time he entered Salt Winds. He’s one of the best villains I’ve encountered in literature this year.
Overall, this book has a fantastic setting and villain, but the story leaves more to be desired.
I give this book 3.5 stars which rounds up to 4.
This was an incredibly atmospheric read. The setting, particularly the marsh, had a life of its own. The author did a fabulous job describing the setting which helped set the tone and the mood for the novel.
As for the story itself, I was into it, but I wasn’t thrilled by it. I think it was because I had such high expectations going in. On the cover, the book is described as being reminiscent of Jane Eyre, which is one of my all time favorite books. It’s really tough to top that book. As I was reading the book, it was hard not to compare it to Jane Eyre. The story just didn’t move me as much as I would have liked it to. I never felt that connected to Virginia.
I did like the dual storylines of Virginia when she was adopted (which was the main storyline) and Virginia as an old woman. I think the alternation between the two were really well done. The author coordinated the unfolding of events between the two perfectly. The contemporary chapter would subtly reveal something that the next historical chapter would delve into in great detail.
For me, the strongest part of the book was Mr. Deering. He was a fearsome villain. I never knew what he was going to do because he was so unpredictable and creepy. It was so unsettling every time he entered Salt Winds. He’s one of the best villains I’ve encountered in literature this year.
Overall, this book has a fantastic setting and villain, but the story leaves more to be desired.
July 5, 2018
Somehow it doesn’t seem quite right that I’ve been reading Call of the Curlew sitting in my garden in the bright sunshine. The atmosphere of the book is such that it seems more suited to misty autumn nights, with the rain lashing down outside and the wind rattling the window panes. Throw in some creaking floorboards, some footsteps in the attic and your reading experience would be complete.
Told in chapters that alternate between 2015 and the early years of the Second World War, Call of the Curlew has a haunting, mysterious quality. Salt Winds, the old house at which orphan Virginia arrives in 1939 to join her adoptive parents, Lorna and Clem, occupies an isolated position on the marshes at the end of a long lane.
The author really gets inside the mind of ten-year old Virginia. Initially, she’s concerned that she might be a disappointment to Lorna and Clem and be sent back to the orphanage (although she doesn’t think they do sale and return). Virginia doesn’t understand everything she sees and hears in the house but she’s sensitive to the tension she detects between Lorna and Clem. ‘Virginia liked it when they discussed everyday things: pots of tea and food prices and what needed doing in the garden. It made them sound peaceful and close. Anything bigger or more personal and they were on edge, like a couple of cats.’ Underlying everything, there’s an air of mystery, of secrets and things that can’t be spoken about.
Virginia also has a child’s literal interpretation of Clem’s warnings about the perils of setting foot on the marsh and the dangers that wait because of the shifting tides. Virginia forms a touching relationship with Clem who seems better able to communicate with a child than Lorna. Virginia’s relationship with Lorna is strained; Lorna always remains slightly distant and less openly affectionate. Virginia has also acquired an acute sense of how to deal with certain situations: ‘Shutting up was almost always a clever move, she’d discovered, not just with Clem but with everyone. People rarely object to a quiet child.’
From the very first time, Max Deering, a childhood friend of Clem, visits Salt Winds, ten-year old Virginia takes an instinctive dislike to him, sensing something unsettling about him she can’t put into words. Her view of Max can’t help but affect the reader’s view of him, especially as the manner of his arrivals at the house conjured up thoughts for me of Mrs Danvers gliding in and out of shot in Hitchcock’s film version of Rebecca. Virginia muses: ‘It was difficult to explain the car’s pull on her imagination – not without sounding silly – but there was something about its predatory grace that made it seem like a living thing. The lane from Tollbury Point to Salt Winds was pitted with holes and bumps, but Mr Deering’s Austin 12 never seemed to mind. It just glided forwards, silent and slow, the way a shark glides over the ocean floor.’
I loved the author’s evocative, imaginative descriptions and eye for the smallest details when depicting a scene. For example, as Virginia makes meticulous plans in response to what she believes is the sign she’s been waiting for, ‘She pictures the house, room by room, and plots the route of her farewell tour, mentally circling certain parts and crossing others out.’ Don’t you just love the idea of the ‘farewell tour’. Or this description of the kitchen table: ‘The old tabletop rolled between them like a parchment map, grainy with longitude lines and knotty islands and uncharted territories.’ I can almost feel that under my fingers.
As the book progresses, it becomes apparent that some sort of tragedy occurred at Salt Winds which has haunted Virginia for the rest of her life and for which she feels, justifiably or not, responsible and for which she is convinced she will someday be called to make amends. The enjoyment for the reader is finding out exactly the nature of the tragic event and the consequences that follow.
I thought the book was fabulous. To my mind, in Call of the Curlew, Elizabeth Brooks gives Susan Hill (think The Woman in Black) and Sarah Waters (think The Little Stranger) a run for their money when it comes to creating a creepy, unsettling atmosphere. I was also reminded at times of Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca, and there is no higher praise in my book (pardon the pun).
Told in chapters that alternate between 2015 and the early years of the Second World War, Call of the Curlew has a haunting, mysterious quality. Salt Winds, the old house at which orphan Virginia arrives in 1939 to join her adoptive parents, Lorna and Clem, occupies an isolated position on the marshes at the end of a long lane.
The author really gets inside the mind of ten-year old Virginia. Initially, she’s concerned that she might be a disappointment to Lorna and Clem and be sent back to the orphanage (although she doesn’t think they do sale and return). Virginia doesn’t understand everything she sees and hears in the house but she’s sensitive to the tension she detects between Lorna and Clem. ‘Virginia liked it when they discussed everyday things: pots of tea and food prices and what needed doing in the garden. It made them sound peaceful and close. Anything bigger or more personal and they were on edge, like a couple of cats.’ Underlying everything, there’s an air of mystery, of secrets and things that can’t be spoken about.
Virginia also has a child’s literal interpretation of Clem’s warnings about the perils of setting foot on the marsh and the dangers that wait because of the shifting tides. Virginia forms a touching relationship with Clem who seems better able to communicate with a child than Lorna. Virginia’s relationship with Lorna is strained; Lorna always remains slightly distant and less openly affectionate. Virginia has also acquired an acute sense of how to deal with certain situations: ‘Shutting up was almost always a clever move, she’d discovered, not just with Clem but with everyone. People rarely object to a quiet child.’
From the very first time, Max Deering, a childhood friend of Clem, visits Salt Winds, ten-year old Virginia takes an instinctive dislike to him, sensing something unsettling about him she can’t put into words. Her view of Max can’t help but affect the reader’s view of him, especially as the manner of his arrivals at the house conjured up thoughts for me of Mrs Danvers gliding in and out of shot in Hitchcock’s film version of Rebecca. Virginia muses: ‘It was difficult to explain the car’s pull on her imagination – not without sounding silly – but there was something about its predatory grace that made it seem like a living thing. The lane from Tollbury Point to Salt Winds was pitted with holes and bumps, but Mr Deering’s Austin 12 never seemed to mind. It just glided forwards, silent and slow, the way a shark glides over the ocean floor.’
I loved the author’s evocative, imaginative descriptions and eye for the smallest details when depicting a scene. For example, as Virginia makes meticulous plans in response to what she believes is the sign she’s been waiting for, ‘She pictures the house, room by room, and plots the route of her farewell tour, mentally circling certain parts and crossing others out.’ Don’t you just love the idea of the ‘farewell tour’. Or this description of the kitchen table: ‘The old tabletop rolled between them like a parchment map, grainy with longitude lines and knotty islands and uncharted territories.’ I can almost feel that under my fingers.
As the book progresses, it becomes apparent that some sort of tragedy occurred at Salt Winds which has haunted Virginia for the rest of her life and for which she feels, justifiably or not, responsible and for which she is convinced she will someday be called to make amends. The enjoyment for the reader is finding out exactly the nature of the tragic event and the consequences that follow.
I thought the book was fabulous. To my mind, in Call of the Curlew, Elizabeth Brooks gives Susan Hill (think The Woman in Black) and Sarah Waters (think The Little Stranger) a run for their money when it comes to creating a creepy, unsettling atmosphere. I was also reminded at times of Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca, and there is no higher praise in my book (pardon the pun).
December 9, 2018
The Orphan of Salt Winds was previously published in England as Call of the Curlew, a title that also plays a role in the story itself. Following the rule for literary scholars and bibliographers, I shall refer to the book by its original title. I wondered what other changes the American editors introduced to justify their presence, but it’s likely that the ‘flashlight” that plays rather a role in the story was really a “torch” and that the odious Mr. Deering’s Austin 12 had a “bonnet,” not a “hood.” But the setting remains the low-lying coast of East Anglia with its treacherous tides and dangerous currents. These also are crucial to the story, and attracted me as a reader. Having enjoyed many happy times sailing from West Mersea in my younger days, I was eager to revisit the location.
This is a two-track narrative. The backstory takes place at the beginning of the Second World War and unfolds over two years. Virginia, an eleven-year-old orphan girl, has been adopted by Clem and Lorna Wrathmell (a name that seems simultaneously ominous and homely) and come to live at an old house on the coast, Salt Winds. The contemporary narrative is set on New Year’s Eve, 2015, as the aged Victoria contemplates adventuring into the marsh for the last time.
Clem is a nature writer living in a perfect location; Lorna is a children’s book illustrator. Virginia and Clem immediately form a strong bond, but there seems a tension with Lorna. There is also the officious well-off neighbor Mr. Deering, a widower with daughter Juliet and her obnoxious younger sibling Theodore. Not only does Mr. Deering’s interest in Lorna seem sinister and obsessive, but he attempts unsuitable familiarities with Virginia. Juliet is an early victim of the German raids when a bomb obliterates her railway carriage as she was returning to school On the night of 31st December 1940, Virginia sees through the window a German fighter aircraft crash into the marsh. Even if the pilot survived, he would surely drown. But Clem, confident in his knowledge and experience, takes a rope and torch to try to rescue the downed enemy pilot if he is still alive. Clem never returns, but Virginia never loses hope that he somehow survived and faithfully awaits his return. Best stop here with the plot to avoid spoilers.
I confess some disappointment with Call of the Curlew, though I think it’s not undeserving of the high praise it has received from readers such as Claire Fuller. It is a very slow boiler even though it has a thriller climax that I didn’t find quite believable—this villain never would have had the nerve actually to shoot anyone. And what some might term the “big reveal” most readers will see coming from afar. I don’t mind that—the best books are those you can read again after you know the plot. But I don’t think Call of the Curlew is one. And though a mysterious child is introduced from out of the night to give us some gothic frisson, and the setting so recalls The Woman In Black, I was just never scared, not ever a little bit. I shall be watching out for future books by Elizabeth Brooks, but this one didn’t quite come together for me. The ingredients of plot, character and setting represent the best traditions of the classical English ghost story, but the dish seemed bland and overcooked.
I am grateful to Galley Club for the favor of a gratis copy in exchange for my review.
This is a two-track narrative. The backstory takes place at the beginning of the Second World War and unfolds over two years. Virginia, an eleven-year-old orphan girl, has been adopted by Clem and Lorna Wrathmell (a name that seems simultaneously ominous and homely) and come to live at an old house on the coast, Salt Winds. The contemporary narrative is set on New Year’s Eve, 2015, as the aged Victoria contemplates adventuring into the marsh for the last time.
Clem is a nature writer living in a perfect location; Lorna is a children’s book illustrator. Virginia and Clem immediately form a strong bond, but there seems a tension with Lorna. There is also the officious well-off neighbor Mr. Deering, a widower with daughter Juliet and her obnoxious younger sibling Theodore. Not only does Mr. Deering’s interest in Lorna seem sinister and obsessive, but he attempts unsuitable familiarities with Virginia. Juliet is an early victim of the German raids when a bomb obliterates her railway carriage as she was returning to school On the night of 31st December 1940, Virginia sees through the window a German fighter aircraft crash into the marsh. Even if the pilot survived, he would surely drown. But Clem, confident in his knowledge and experience, takes a rope and torch to try to rescue the downed enemy pilot if he is still alive. Clem never returns, but Virginia never loses hope that he somehow survived and faithfully awaits his return. Best stop here with the plot to avoid spoilers.
I confess some disappointment with Call of the Curlew, though I think it’s not undeserving of the high praise it has received from readers such as Claire Fuller. It is a very slow boiler even though it has a thriller climax that I didn’t find quite believable—this villain never would have had the nerve actually to shoot anyone. And what some might term the “big reveal” most readers will see coming from afar. I don’t mind that—the best books are those you can read again after you know the plot. But I don’t think Call of the Curlew is one. And though a mysterious child is introduced from out of the night to give us some gothic frisson, and the setting so recalls The Woman In Black, I was just never scared, not ever a little bit. I shall be watching out for future books by Elizabeth Brooks, but this one didn’t quite come together for me. The ingredients of plot, character and setting represent the best traditions of the classical English ghost story, but the dish seemed bland and overcooked.
I am grateful to Galley Club for the favor of a gratis copy in exchange for my review.
November 25, 2019
3.5 stars
I seem to be reading a number of books at the moment set in the marshes and fens of the East of England and this one also fits that bill. The cover, by the way, is quite arresting. The sense of place here is important and the portrait of the marsh and its surrounds is central to the mood of the book. It is the story of Victoria Wrathmell who is an orphan. She is adopted by Lorna and Clem in 1939 at the age of ten. They live at Salt Winds, a house on the edge of Tollbury Marsh in Essex (now a nature reserve). The book moves between 1939-41 and 2015 and a now 86 year old Victoria, still living in Salt Winds. Brooks herself calls the novel, “her homage to immersive and evocative writing of Charlotte Bronte”. A rather big claim.
The cast is fairly limited: Lorna, Clem and Victoria, a German pilot who crashes in the marshes, Max Deering, a family friend who is well portrayed as a creepy predatory male, and his children. There are a few other minor characters. There are also oblique references to other films/novels. This description of Max’s car is redolent of Rebecca, given Max’s name:
‘It was difficult to explain the car’s pull on her imagination – not without sounding silly – but there was something about its predatory grace that made it seem like a living thing. The lane from Tollbury Point to Salt Winds was pitted with holes and bumps, but Mr Deering’s Austin 12 never seemed to mind. It just glided forwards, silent and slow, the way a shark glides over the ocean floor.’
There is a haunting quality to the book and the start is meant to draw you in:
“Victoria Wrathmell knows she will walk on to the marsh one New Year’s Eve and meet her end there. She’s known it for years. Through adolescence to adulthood she’s spent the last days of December on edge, waiting for a sign. So when one finally arrives, in her eight-sixth year, there’s no good reason to feel dismayed.”
The sign is the skull of a curlew. It would be a mistake to see this as a ghost story, it certainly is not. The double track narrative is a little clumsy at times and there are a couple of little twists that for me didn’t really work. Max Deering makes for a convincing villain and his sense of male entitlement to anyone in his path is convincing. There is a tremendous sense of place which worked for me, despite reservations about the nature of the plot and the gaps in the storyline.
I seem to be reading a number of books at the moment set in the marshes and fens of the East of England and this one also fits that bill. The cover, by the way, is quite arresting. The sense of place here is important and the portrait of the marsh and its surrounds is central to the mood of the book. It is the story of Victoria Wrathmell who is an orphan. She is adopted by Lorna and Clem in 1939 at the age of ten. They live at Salt Winds, a house on the edge of Tollbury Marsh in Essex (now a nature reserve). The book moves between 1939-41 and 2015 and a now 86 year old Victoria, still living in Salt Winds. Brooks herself calls the novel, “her homage to immersive and evocative writing of Charlotte Bronte”. A rather big claim.
The cast is fairly limited: Lorna, Clem and Victoria, a German pilot who crashes in the marshes, Max Deering, a family friend who is well portrayed as a creepy predatory male, and his children. There are a few other minor characters. There are also oblique references to other films/novels. This description of Max’s car is redolent of Rebecca, given Max’s name:
‘It was difficult to explain the car’s pull on her imagination – not without sounding silly – but there was something about its predatory grace that made it seem like a living thing. The lane from Tollbury Point to Salt Winds was pitted with holes and bumps, but Mr Deering’s Austin 12 never seemed to mind. It just glided forwards, silent and slow, the way a shark glides over the ocean floor.’
There is a haunting quality to the book and the start is meant to draw you in:
“Victoria Wrathmell knows she will walk on to the marsh one New Year’s Eve and meet her end there. She’s known it for years. Through adolescence to adulthood she’s spent the last days of December on edge, waiting for a sign. So when one finally arrives, in her eight-sixth year, there’s no good reason to feel dismayed.”
The sign is the skull of a curlew. It would be a mistake to see this as a ghost story, it certainly is not. The double track narrative is a little clumsy at times and there are a couple of little twists that for me didn’t really work. Max Deering makes for a convincing villain and his sense of male entitlement to anyone in his path is convincing. There is a tremendous sense of place which worked for me, despite reservations about the nature of the plot and the gaps in the storyline.
December 10, 2018
I saw Eowyn Ivey's blurb on the cover of this book and, since I loved her novel 'The Snow Child', I thought I'd take a chance. I was very disappointed however, because though the book was atmospheric and the setting was bleak, the story was bland, slow and boring. It goes back and forth in time from pre-World War II and the World War II era to the present.
The book opens with Virginia, age 86, finally having found a sign that tells her it is time to take her life. The sign is the skull of a Curlew, a bird found in the marshland which is near her house. Her plan is interrupted by the unforeseen appearance of a young girl who is a stranger to her.
The early timeline takes place in 1939 and Clem is in the process of taking nine year old Virginia home from her orphanage. On their way home, they meet an acquaintance of Clem's named Max Deering and Clem appears uptight. Max offers to give Clem and Virginia a ride home because they still have quite a ways to walk but Clem declines his offer. When they arrive home, Clem's wife Lorna appears not that excited about Virginia's arrival.
As time progresses, Virginia begins to hear her new parents arguing, often in whispers, and usually about Max Deering. The ambience in the home is stressful and filled with secrets. Clem is a wildlife writer and an expert on birds. Virginia and Clem become very close though Lorna and Virginia have quite an emotional distance between them.
It is apparent that something happened in the past that made Virginia feel guilty enough to take her life as an old woman and, as the book progresses, bits of the secret are very slowly revealed; much too slowly for me.
I found the book repetitive and filled with portents of things to come. Stress and tension build but the pace is indolent and creeps along throughout. The style is gothic noir which I usually enjoy but I was unable to feel like I really knew any of the characters.
October 7, 2018
In 1939 ten-year-old Virginia is adopted by Clem and Lorna. Virginia and Clem soon fall in sync with their unfamiliar role as father and daughter. Her world is quickly upended when Clem fails to return home after he sets out towards the marsh scouting for a downed German fighter plane. Traveling from past to present, this atmospheric and beautifully told tale exquisitely captures the scents, sights, and mood of an English marsh. Bewitching, hypnotic, and simply sublime. Perfect for book clubs.
August 2, 2019
I had a relaxing self-care day today and read #callofthecurlew and what a gem of a book it was! Great characters, fantastic plot, a dual timeline from present-day to World War II and the writing was beautifully paced and compelling. A haunting, well-written novel. Definitely five stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
September 21, 2019
4 Stars—That description is amazing, is it not?? I was so excited to pick this up, we ended up making it our neighborhood book club pick for the month. The cover is also beautiful: simplistic and appropriate for the story. Brooks did a great job of keeping me on the hook. Just when she was about to give up some new info, the chapter ended and the timeline changed and I had to wait for another chapter to go by. The setting was perfect; the marsh dark and mysterious. The characters were realistic and added to the tension very well. I don’t want to give much away but unfortunately the payoff just wasn’t there. I was very unsatisfied with the ending. It was all set up so perfectly. The mystery, the disappearance, the setting, the child . . . It was all so fascinating and I couldn’t wait to see how it all unfolded, and then it just didn’t. I was sad and disappointed! I wouldn’t change the journey to the end, but the end definitely needed more! But, I still really liked this book and would recommend it to those who like historical fiction.
October 27, 2018
I bought this book solely on the beauty of its cover. I knew nothing else about it apart from the information contained within the short blurb on the back, which made it sound intriguing enough. And it was intriguing, for the most part. The writing style was assured. The jumps between 2015 and the time of the Second World War were well handled. It had a couple of interesting characters. It had a fairly strong sense of time and place. It had some gothic undertones. It was atmospheric. In other words, all the ingredients were in place for this to be a book I really enjoyed, maybe even loved. Unfortunately, things didn't pan out that way. I liked it well enough, don't get me wrong, but I was left somewhat disappointed. The whole thing just felt a bit flat to me. Despite a couple of the characters (the main ones) being well realised, I never felt like I was able to connect to them as much as I would have liked. I felt like something was holding me back from them, yet I can't quite put my finger on what it was. Also, the big secret which is teased in the blurb as having changed the course of the main character's life, came across as a bit "much ado about nothing". I'm not saying what happened was nice because it wasn't, but was it really enough to haunt her for the rest of her life, and to make her take the course of action that she did at the end? I personally don't think it was. I think part of the problem was that the blurb seemed to promise so much more than the book actually delivered. I was expecting a huge tragedy or a dark, sinister mystery, yet I didn't really get either of them. The book flirted with both, but that's as far it went. It's a shame because on paper this could, and should, have been a book that I ended up raving about. Instead it joins my list of books that were good but certainly not great. It kept me wanting to turn the pages but I don't think it will linger on long in my memory. It should be noted that this is Elizabeth Brooks' debut novel and I will be looking out for future work from her, despite this one's flaws, as I think she has great potential.
June 25, 2018
There’s nothing I like better than a dual timeline mystery and Call Of The Curlew is definitely one of the best I have read.
The book is very atmospheric with the descriptions of the bleak, eerie marshes adding to the feeling that anything could happen. The bleakness seems to creep in side the house and affect the people living there, making them act very strangely at times.
The reader is aware almost from the start that something is not quite right with the house and the situation but is largely kept in the dark about what it might be. The facts are slowly and tantalisingly revealed as the story unfolds in a way that is very well done by the author. I was very intrigued and wanted to keep reading to find out what was going to happen.
The characters are very well created and developed well throughout the book. I’m not sure if I particularly warmed to any of them though I did feel sorry for them and the situation they find themselves in. Virginia was an interesting character very astute and capable one moment but very childlike at other times, even when she’s an 85 year old. She obviously adored Clem which was very touching to see and her pain over what happened is very palpable, I did really feel for her then. Max Deering is a great characters as he is very unlikeable and smarmy at times. I wanted him to get his comeuppance and not get the ending he obviously wanted.
This is Elizabeth Brooks’s debut book and I really can’t wait to read more from her in the future. If you like atmospheric, dual timeline mysteries with some great characters you’ll love this book. I felt this book was similar in style to The Taxidermist by Kate Mosse so if you liked that book I think you’ll enjoy this one.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Hannah Bright for my copy this book. This is definitely going on my keep forever shelf!
The book is very atmospheric with the descriptions of the bleak, eerie marshes adding to the feeling that anything could happen. The bleakness seems to creep in side the house and affect the people living there, making them act very strangely at times.
The reader is aware almost from the start that something is not quite right with the house and the situation but is largely kept in the dark about what it might be. The facts are slowly and tantalisingly revealed as the story unfolds in a way that is very well done by the author. I was very intrigued and wanted to keep reading to find out what was going to happen.
The characters are very well created and developed well throughout the book. I’m not sure if I particularly warmed to any of them though I did feel sorry for them and the situation they find themselves in. Virginia was an interesting character very astute and capable one moment but very childlike at other times, even when she’s an 85 year old. She obviously adored Clem which was very touching to see and her pain over what happened is very palpable, I did really feel for her then. Max Deering is a great characters as he is very unlikeable and smarmy at times. I wanted him to get his comeuppance and not get the ending he obviously wanted.
This is Elizabeth Brooks’s debut book and I really can’t wait to read more from her in the future. If you like atmospheric, dual timeline mysteries with some great characters you’ll love this book. I felt this book was similar in style to The Taxidermist by Kate Mosse so if you liked that book I think you’ll enjoy this one.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Hannah Bright for my copy this book. This is definitely going on my keep forever shelf!
January 3, 2019
Loved this creepily atmospheric novel! If you love cinematic, engrossing tales that are perfect for reading by a fire, this one is for you. I'd recommend this to fans of Bitter Orange and Rebecca.
December 11, 2020
Elizabeth Brooks' novel, Call of the Curlew (also published as The Orphan of Salt Winds), caught my eye whilst browsing in the library. I don't think I had heard of it before, but after reading the blurb and the various reviews dotted over its cover - Eowyn Ivey calling it 'bewitching' was enough for me - I was suitably intrigued, and took it home with me.
On New Year's Eve in 1939, Virginia is ten years old. She is an orphan, whose parents passed away when she was just an infant. At this point in time, she is being taken to the 'mysterious' grand house, Salt Winds, to begin a new life with her adoptive parents, Clem and Lorna Wrathmell. The house borders a salt flat named Tollbury Marsh in the East of England, a 'beautiful but dangerous place'.
At first, the Second World War, which has just begun, feels far away from the Wrathmells' secluded home. However, whispers in the nearby town regarding the local knife grinder, a Jewish German man, begin to spread, and something sinister simmers below the idyllic surroundings. The German plane crashing into the marsh is a real turning point for Virginia; her adoptive father goes to rescue the pilot and does not return. As she first waits hopefully for his return, and then begins to grieve Clem, she realises that she is as embroiled in war as anyone else.
When the plane comes down, Brooks writes, rather beautifully: 'It was the grace of the thing that astonished her in retrospect. You'd expect a burning fighter plane to make a great hullabaloo: howling engines, roaring flames, a great boom as it hit the ground, nose first. But if this one made any noise at all, Virginia didn't notice. All she recalled, later on, was the slow arc it traced through the sky on its way down, like a spark floating from a bonfire. Even the explosion was gentle from their vantage point: a little orange flower that budded, bloomed and withered, all in a moment, far away on the edge of the marsh.'
I found the narrative within Call of the Curlew wonderfully beguiling. The opening paragraph, which is set at the end of 2015, really sets the scene: 'Virginia Wrathmell knows she will walk on to the marsh one New Year's Eve, and meet her end there. She's known it for years. Through adolescence and adulthood she's spent the last days of December on edge, waiting for a sign. So when one finally arrives, in her eighty-sixth year, there's no good reason to feel dismayed.' This sign turns out to be the skull of a curlew, which she finds on her doorstep. 'All these years,' Brooks writes, 'she's been wondering what the sign will turn out to be, and she's come up with the strangest ideas. Words forming on a misted window. An anonymous note. A ghost. She's never imagined anything as perfect as a curlew's skull.'
Despite the air of mystery about it, there is a really comforting warmth to be found within Brooks' prose. The descriptions, of which there are many, are wonderfully vivid: 'Virginia glanced at the flatness to her left, where the silence lay. It was too dark to see the silhouette-bird now. The deep, arctic blue of the sky was reflected, here and there, in streaks of water, and there was a single star in the sky, but everything was black.'
Brooks has such control when she shifts Virginia's story from the present day to the past, and then back again. Given this structure, we learn a lot about the two Virginias rather quickly; the sometimes crotchety, headstrong old lady, and the curious young girl. Although Virginia is the author's focus, other characters become clear too, as do their relationships with one another. It is obvious from the outset, for instance, that Clem and Lorna's marriage contains a great deal of upset, and is fraught with issues.
I found Call of the Curlew wholly absorbing; it is the best kind of historical novel, in that you sink into it. Its landscape is so clear, and its characters hold a great deal of interest. I enjoyed the omniscient perspective, which allowed Brooks to shift from one individual to another, whilst never losing sight of Virginia and her thoughts and feelings. I loved the air of mystery, and the many things left unspoken until far later in the novel. I was caught up in Virginia's story from the outset. The threads of story which weave throughout have been beautifully layered, and it put me in mind of other authors which I have always enjoyed, namely Kate Morton and Helen Humphreys. I would highly recommend Call of the Curlew to anyone looking for a historical fiction fix.
On New Year's Eve in 1939, Virginia is ten years old. She is an orphan, whose parents passed away when she was just an infant. At this point in time, she is being taken to the 'mysterious' grand house, Salt Winds, to begin a new life with her adoptive parents, Clem and Lorna Wrathmell. The house borders a salt flat named Tollbury Marsh in the East of England, a 'beautiful but dangerous place'.
At first, the Second World War, which has just begun, feels far away from the Wrathmells' secluded home. However, whispers in the nearby town regarding the local knife grinder, a Jewish German man, begin to spread, and something sinister simmers below the idyllic surroundings. The German plane crashing into the marsh is a real turning point for Virginia; her adoptive father goes to rescue the pilot and does not return. As she first waits hopefully for his return, and then begins to grieve Clem, she realises that she is as embroiled in war as anyone else.
When the plane comes down, Brooks writes, rather beautifully: 'It was the grace of the thing that astonished her in retrospect. You'd expect a burning fighter plane to make a great hullabaloo: howling engines, roaring flames, a great boom as it hit the ground, nose first. But if this one made any noise at all, Virginia didn't notice. All she recalled, later on, was the slow arc it traced through the sky on its way down, like a spark floating from a bonfire. Even the explosion was gentle from their vantage point: a little orange flower that budded, bloomed and withered, all in a moment, far away on the edge of the marsh.'
I found the narrative within Call of the Curlew wonderfully beguiling. The opening paragraph, which is set at the end of 2015, really sets the scene: 'Virginia Wrathmell knows she will walk on to the marsh one New Year's Eve, and meet her end there. She's known it for years. Through adolescence and adulthood she's spent the last days of December on edge, waiting for a sign. So when one finally arrives, in her eighty-sixth year, there's no good reason to feel dismayed.' This sign turns out to be the skull of a curlew, which she finds on her doorstep. 'All these years,' Brooks writes, 'she's been wondering what the sign will turn out to be, and she's come up with the strangest ideas. Words forming on a misted window. An anonymous note. A ghost. She's never imagined anything as perfect as a curlew's skull.'
Despite the air of mystery about it, there is a really comforting warmth to be found within Brooks' prose. The descriptions, of which there are many, are wonderfully vivid: 'Virginia glanced at the flatness to her left, where the silence lay. It was too dark to see the silhouette-bird now. The deep, arctic blue of the sky was reflected, here and there, in streaks of water, and there was a single star in the sky, but everything was black.'
Brooks has such control when she shifts Virginia's story from the present day to the past, and then back again. Given this structure, we learn a lot about the two Virginias rather quickly; the sometimes crotchety, headstrong old lady, and the curious young girl. Although Virginia is the author's focus, other characters become clear too, as do their relationships with one another. It is obvious from the outset, for instance, that Clem and Lorna's marriage contains a great deal of upset, and is fraught with issues.
I found Call of the Curlew wholly absorbing; it is the best kind of historical novel, in that you sink into it. Its landscape is so clear, and its characters hold a great deal of interest. I enjoyed the omniscient perspective, which allowed Brooks to shift from one individual to another, whilst never losing sight of Virginia and her thoughts and feelings. I loved the air of mystery, and the many things left unspoken until far later in the novel. I was caught up in Virginia's story from the outset. The threads of story which weave throughout have been beautifully layered, and it put me in mind of other authors which I have always enjoyed, namely Kate Morton and Helen Humphreys. I would highly recommend Call of the Curlew to anyone looking for a historical fiction fix.
December 31, 2018
When I turned the (satisfying) last page of Elizabeth Brooks’ novel, “The Orphan if Salt Winds”, I knew I’d be giving it all the stars: it is beautifully written, with a solid plot, suspense, interesting characters, and a distinctive setting that is integral to the mood and tone of the story. What else do you need in a great weekend read?!
The novel begins auspiciously gothic: 1939 English countryside, ten-year-old Virginia, an orphan from a draconian orphanage, comes to a huge ancient house called “Salt Winds” on the edge of a large and menacing marsh, to find that her new parents Lorna and Clem, are not the sunny couple they initially presented themselves to be. There is literally a moustache twirling villain, and a case of mistaken identity to propel the plot and reveal all the secrets. Sure, the reader will figure out some of the secrets before young Virginia does, but that’s part of the suspense: when will Virginia figure it all out, and then what will she do about it in the end?
The novel begins auspiciously gothic: 1939 English countryside, ten-year-old Virginia, an orphan from a draconian orphanage, comes to a huge ancient house called “Salt Winds” on the edge of a large and menacing marsh, to find that her new parents Lorna and Clem, are not the sunny couple they initially presented themselves to be. There is literally a moustache twirling villain, and a case of mistaken identity to propel the plot and reveal all the secrets. Sure, the reader will figure out some of the secrets before young Virginia does, but that’s part of the suspense: when will Virginia figure it all out, and then what will she do about it in the end?
September 14, 2022
CW: animal death, blood, pedophilia, attempted rape/assault, antisemitism, parental death
And now, the answer we've all been waiting for! Did this book earn its "historically accurate" antisemitism?!
As someone who doesn't really read that much straight up historical fiction to begin with, I think I need to adjust my reading rules. Now, not only do I completely bar myself from reading any Holocaust fiction written by non-Jews, I am also going to be very vigilant about any Wold War II fiction written by non-Jews! Because boy, what a doozy.
I found the twists overall to be pretty easy to guess. Between the first red herring and the sibling name, I pieced it all together right away.
Mostly, what saved this book was the atmosphere. It absolutely pays homage to its predecessors of gothic English novels set in countryside houses on windy moors or at the seaside.
I just... like them better when they're about ghosts rather than Nazis.
And now, the answer we've all been waiting for! Did this book earn its "historically accurate" antisemitism?!
As someone who doesn't really read that much straight up historical fiction to begin with, I think I need to adjust my reading rules. Now, not only do I completely bar myself from reading any Holocaust fiction written by non-Jews, I am also going to be very vigilant about any Wold War II fiction written by non-Jews! Because boy, what a doozy.
I found the twists overall to be pretty easy to guess. Between the first red herring and the sibling name, I pieced it all together right away.
Mostly, what saved this book was the atmosphere. It absolutely pays homage to its predecessors of gothic English novels set in countryside houses on windy moors or at the seaside.
I just... like them better when they're about ghosts rather than Nazis.
August 27, 2018
Truly, a 3.5 star book.
Atmospheric at times, too loose in others and I felt the switches from 1941 to 2015 were too quick, so did not allow for real meaty development of the suspense or of the story - of Virginia's story and very loose and not a strong sense to the "What happens next is something Virginia will regret for the next seventy-five years, and which will change the whole course of her life."
Because, truly, it doesn't happen "next" and there isn't a strong development of changing the course of her whole life - because that is never fully discussed or developed. It comes about at the very, very end of the book, so definitely not regrets we hear of over the seventy-five years. Am I babbling? Not making sense?
It was a good story, a good debut, but there were a few wobbles for me, or too many loose developments/not fleshed out as much as I would have thought there should/would be - there is an overall sense of just that little something is missing to really pull this together to be a strong 4-star read.
Atmospheric at times, too loose in others and I felt the switches from 1941 to 2015 were too quick, so did not allow for real meaty development of the suspense or of the story - of Virginia's story and very loose and not a strong sense to the "What happens next is something Virginia will regret for the next seventy-five years, and which will change the whole course of her life."
Because, truly, it doesn't happen "next" and there isn't a strong development of changing the course of her whole life - because that is never fully discussed or developed. It comes about at the very, very end of the book, so definitely not regrets we hear of over the seventy-five years. Am I babbling? Not making sense?
It was a good story, a good debut, but there were a few wobbles for me, or too many loose developments/not fleshed out as much as I would have thought there should/would be - there is an overall sense of just that little something is missing to really pull this together to be a strong 4-star read.
August 9, 2018
What a beautiful book - both inside and out this is a little masterpiece and something which will have a special place on my bookshelves.
It tells the story of Virginia, an orphan who was adopted by a couple who lived in a big old house on the marshes. The book gives us a mystery - why does 86 year-old Virginia think she will meet her death on the marshes and what is the sign that tells her now is the time? The story is then told in alternating now and then chapters to great effect, giving us suspense and mystery, feeding snippets of information one crumb at a time.
I loved every minute of this story, it was so well written, the descriptions so clear that I was there in that big old house. I was the child and the old lady. It was brilliant! And such believable characters, especially Max Deering, who was such a creepy, horrible man I could hardly bear to read about him.
Five stars and more from me!
It tells the story of Virginia, an orphan who was adopted by a couple who lived in a big old house on the marshes. The book gives us a mystery - why does 86 year-old Virginia think she will meet her death on the marshes and what is the sign that tells her now is the time? The story is then told in alternating now and then chapters to great effect, giving us suspense and mystery, feeding snippets of information one crumb at a time.
I loved every minute of this story, it was so well written, the descriptions so clear that I was there in that big old house. I was the child and the old lady. It was brilliant! And such believable characters, especially Max Deering, who was such a creepy, horrible man I could hardly bear to read about him.
Five stars and more from me!
August 3, 2019
A potentially great story ruined by a nasty and unnecessary pet death. That’s an automatic blacklisting in my book, and I won’t be reading this author’s work again.
It’s a shame, because she had some really solid storytelling talent, but if you’re going to murder a pet, you better have a REALLY good reason for doing it. That definitely wasn’t the case here. I’m furious that I gave my time and money to this woman.
It’s a shame, because she had some really solid storytelling talent, but if you’re going to murder a pet, you better have a REALLY good reason for doing it. That definitely wasn’t the case here. I’m furious that I gave my time and money to this woman.
February 4, 2019
Beautifully written but very slow and doesn't really come to anything at the end. A disappointing finish.
January 31, 2019
I loved this novel.
Reminded me so much of Bronte and DuMaurier.
Beautifully written story of a young orphan adopted by a couple in the marshlands of England in the 1940's.
The story is narrated by Virginia as a young girl and then in her eighties.
Great characters and a setting that takes on a life of its own.
What a delightful release from Tin House.
Reminded me so much of Bronte and DuMaurier.
Beautifully written story of a young orphan adopted by a couple in the marshlands of England in the 1940's.
The story is narrated by Virginia as a young girl and then in her eighties.
Great characters and a setting that takes on a life of its own.
What a delightful release from Tin House.
September 23, 2023
The book kept my attention but I just didn't love it. I didn't really like any of the characters. It was suspenseful but it felt like it was lacking something.
June 10, 2020
I don't have much to say on this book, simply because not much happened in it. I read it for a book club and it didn't provide much in terms of discussion. None of the characters were really likable, the plot moved slowly, and the writing was fine but didn't do anything to pick up the slack. The whole story was driving toward one big plot point that ended up falling very, very flat. I'd be interested to hear from the people who did like this book (it has a 4-star rating on Amazon) because it just didn't check any boxes for me.
February 26, 2019
A very slow read for me. Took forever to finish. Kinda weird story in spite of the fact that I could find absolutely no fault with the writing. Don't know who I would recommend this book to. It's not for everyone that's for sure.
May 9, 2018
Great book - review to follow as part of blog tour.
January 3, 2019
Incredibly atmospheric but the ending was quite underwhelming.
July 5, 2018
Dark, tense, and with a haunting atmosphere from beginning to end, this dual timeline novel really grabs a hold of you and sucks you into the drama.
When Virginia Wrathmell goes to live with Clem and his wife Lorna in 1939, she immediately connects with her new father and struggles to feel the same way about Lorna. And then there is the unusual atmosphere that lingers over the marshland and the place that will be her home, Salt Winds. This place and its inhabitants oozes secrets and pain as Virginia will soon discover.
Fast-forward to the present day and Virginia is now in her eighties, living in Salt Winds, and waiting for a sign that her time has finally come. When she finds the remains of a curlew on her doorstep it is exactly what she has been waiting for. Until an unexpected visitor changes her plans and brings the past bursting to life again in unexpected ways.
Gripping, uncomfortable at times, and very compelling, CALL OF THE CURLEW by Elizabeth Brooks is a stunning and evocative story that transports you to a different time and place effortlessly. The characters are almost hypnotic in nature yet not very likeable but this only adds to the nature of the book.
CALL OF THE CURLEW by Elizabeth Brooks is beautiful in its prose and I immersed myself in this story to the very end. Definitely a book to add to your buy list!
*I voluntarily reviewed this book from the tour organiser
When Virginia Wrathmell goes to live with Clem and his wife Lorna in 1939, she immediately connects with her new father and struggles to feel the same way about Lorna. And then there is the unusual atmosphere that lingers over the marshland and the place that will be her home, Salt Winds. This place and its inhabitants oozes secrets and pain as Virginia will soon discover.
Fast-forward to the present day and Virginia is now in her eighties, living in Salt Winds, and waiting for a sign that her time has finally come. When she finds the remains of a curlew on her doorstep it is exactly what she has been waiting for. Until an unexpected visitor changes her plans and brings the past bursting to life again in unexpected ways.
Gripping, uncomfortable at times, and very compelling, CALL OF THE CURLEW by Elizabeth Brooks is a stunning and evocative story that transports you to a different time and place effortlessly. The characters are almost hypnotic in nature yet not very likeable but this only adds to the nature of the book.
CALL OF THE CURLEW by Elizabeth Brooks is beautiful in its prose and I immersed myself in this story to the very end. Definitely a book to add to your buy list!
*I voluntarily reviewed this book from the tour organiser
June 13, 2019
I wanted to love this book, but it was so unspeakably sad. Written with a light touch - murmured conversations, spare movements, half-glances, moments of unease - that makes it seem like a much gentler novel than it really is, filled as it is with meaning "about sacrifice, the urge to belong, and revenge," as the novelist Claire Fuller describes it on the dust jacket. I did love the historical time period (World War II is in the background, but this is not a war novel) and the remote, unsettling, bleak setting of the marshes of Salt Winds. Most of all, the character of Virginia, who as a naive, unworldly orphan is unable to decipher the dynamics among the adults of her adopted family and her village; as an adult, she comes to understand and regret them all too well. It's a Gothic coming-of-age tale, and the story gradually sucks the reader in and doesn't let go, all the way up to the riveting, regrettable, but inevitable ending. Highly recommended.
September 28, 2025
I checked this out of our neighborhood library and I’m so glad I did. I’m not going to say much about it other than it’s dual timelines, 1940-1941 and 2015, and just excellent. Well worth a read.
December 14, 2018
Virginia Wrathmell returns to Salt Winds 75 years later and not much has changed. The house she once called “home” is still secluded and the dreadful memories are ever-so-present. Something about this night is different though. Virginia knows the end is near, after all she’s waited most of her life for the day to arrive. When she finds the skull of a dead curlew at her doorstep, she knows it is not a coincidence. The time has come!
The story is a coming-of-age story about an orphaned girl, adopted at the age of 10, whose entire life changed over the course of one year. I love a good mystery & this story right here🤯.. grabbed my attention from the very beginning! The author did an amazing job of capturing the early stages of WWII and fully developing each character. I was immersed into the story AND on edge until the end. So many secrets and lies!! I loved every minute of it.
The story is a coming-of-age story about an orphaned girl, adopted at the age of 10, whose entire life changed over the course of one year. I love a good mystery & this story right here🤯.. grabbed my attention from the very beginning! The author did an amazing job of capturing the early stages of WWII and fully developing each character. I was immersed into the story AND on edge until the end. So many secrets and lies!! I loved every minute of it.
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