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Lily Fairchild
Lily Fairchild follows the life of a pioneer woman, born in the backwoods of Lambton County in 1840, throughout her long life, ending in 1919. During that time, she is witness to historical events that impinge on her life: the Underground Railroad, the coming of the railways, the discovery of oil, the Fenian raids, the first and second Riel Rebellions, the construction of the tunnel under the St Clair River, the Great War, and the flu pandemic of 1919. Lily struggles against the forces of history and the small tragedies besetting a nineteenth-century woman and, against the odds, bearing children, marrying three times and taking part in the founding of the village of Point Edward and its steady growth as a port and railhead. Hers is a heroic story.
628 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 19, 2019
32 people are currently reading
5724 people want to read
About the author
Don Gutteridge
118 books100 followersDon Gutteridge was born in Sarnia and raised in the nearby village of Point Edward. He taught High School English for seven years, later becoming a Professor in the Faculty of Education at the Western University, where he is now Professor Emeritus. He is the author of twenty-two novels. including the twelve-volume Marc Edwards mystery series. Don is also an accomplished poet and has published twenty-three books of poetry, one of which, Coppermine, was a finalist for the 1973 Governor-General's Award. In 1970 he won the UWO President's medal for the best periodical poem of that year. To listen to interviews with the author, go to: http://thereandthen.podbean.com. Don currently lives in London, Ontario.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
October 7, 2020
I won the Kindle edition of this book in a Goodreads giveaway and I thank both the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Author Don Gutteridge has penned a beautiful story here, which touched me on many emotional levels.
The main character, Lily, is born in Ontario in 1840. This book travels through her lifetime, which had many joys and many, many hardships, not the least of which were World War I and a flu pandemic.
Life at that time was hard to begin with - add in the tension around competing railroads and a rebellion to boot. Lily doesn't complain much, and she calls herself as having "no upbringing". She has very little self confidence - despite all of the times she has pulled herself back up by the bootstrings not only to survive, but to thrive.
I fell in love with Lily and the village and townspeople where she lives. The characters are well developed, and the time and place are such that you will feel that you live there with her.
This would be a great book to read on a cold winter's day or a rainy day when you can just immerse yourself in Lily's world.
Author Don Gutteridge has penned a beautiful story here, which touched me on many emotional levels.
The main character, Lily, is born in Ontario in 1840. This book travels through her lifetime, which had many joys and many, many hardships, not the least of which were World War I and a flu pandemic.
Life at that time was hard to begin with - add in the tension around competing railroads and a rebellion to boot. Lily doesn't complain much, and she calls herself as having "no upbringing". She has very little self confidence - despite all of the times she has pulled herself back up by the bootstrings not only to survive, but to thrive.
I fell in love with Lily and the village and townspeople where she lives. The characters are well developed, and the time and place are such that you will feel that you live there with her.
This would be a great book to read on a cold winter's day or a rainy day when you can just immerse yourself in Lily's world.
February 16, 2019
Disclaimer: I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway. Before the giveaway the book had been on TBR shelf.
I first read Gutteridge a few years when I brought an omnibus edition of his first three Marc Edwards mysteries. I enjoyed them, and next time I was in Canada, I tried to find more print copies of his work, but the only ones I found where the three I had already. It was a joy to win this in a giveaway and realize that I can at least buy his books on kindle.
Lily’s Story is one of those massive works of historical fiction that use the life of one person (or in some cases the history of one family) to trace major historical events. In Guttridge’s case he has used the character of Lily to take the reader from the 1850s to the 1920s. Lily starts life with her father and mother but circumstances soon led to her being raised by her aunt and uncle. She goes from frontier living to town living to shanty town living over the course of the book.
Gutteridge does an excellent job of bring time and place to light. You do feel as if you are watching Lily and her family and friends struggle though the changing times, and the development of the railroad, the worry of rebellion, and the excitement of a visit by the Prince of Wales. And if you are further interested in the historical events that surround Lily, Gutteridge includes a bibliography at the end of the novel.
Lily, herself, is likable enough, though at times she seems to be pushed by time and events instead of actively taking part in them. There are times when she feels more symbolic than actually character, which begs the question what is she a symbol of?
And here’s what really is the best part of the novel, if Lily is a symbol of anything, it is a symbol of those women of Canada who worked and toiled but never got the notice that the men did. In fact, this novel is really more about women than the men – Lily, her aunt, her friend Sophie, and others. Gutteridge might not write the best sex scenes in the world, but he is very aware of how history and society view and viewed women. The status of women is the focus, and perhaps in part that plays a part in the passive feel that Lily sometimes has – she had no real power. It really isn’t something I’ve seen outside of Mary O’Hara.
The other running theme is that of the outsider in terms of religion – Lily isn’t religious in the ways that others around her are, and this leads in complications in a small town. Gutteridge uses this to address the issue of sameness and belonging.
I first read Gutteridge a few years when I brought an omnibus edition of his first three Marc Edwards mysteries. I enjoyed them, and next time I was in Canada, I tried to find more print copies of his work, but the only ones I found where the three I had already. It was a joy to win this in a giveaway and realize that I can at least buy his books on kindle.
Lily’s Story is one of those massive works of historical fiction that use the life of one person (or in some cases the history of one family) to trace major historical events. In Guttridge’s case he has used the character of Lily to take the reader from the 1850s to the 1920s. Lily starts life with her father and mother but circumstances soon led to her being raised by her aunt and uncle. She goes from frontier living to town living to shanty town living over the course of the book.
Gutteridge does an excellent job of bring time and place to light. You do feel as if you are watching Lily and her family and friends struggle though the changing times, and the development of the railroad, the worry of rebellion, and the excitement of a visit by the Prince of Wales. And if you are further interested in the historical events that surround Lily, Gutteridge includes a bibliography at the end of the novel.
Lily, herself, is likable enough, though at times she seems to be pushed by time and events instead of actively taking part in them. There are times when she feels more symbolic than actually character, which begs the question what is she a symbol of?
And here’s what really is the best part of the novel, if Lily is a symbol of anything, it is a symbol of those women of Canada who worked and toiled but never got the notice that the men did. In fact, this novel is really more about women than the men – Lily, her aunt, her friend Sophie, and others. Gutteridge might not write the best sex scenes in the world, but he is very aware of how history and society view and viewed women. The status of women is the focus, and perhaps in part that plays a part in the passive feel that Lily sometimes has – she had no real power. It really isn’t something I’ve seen outside of Mary O’Hara.
The other running theme is that of the outsider in terms of religion – Lily isn’t religious in the ways that others around her are, and this leads in complications in a small town. Gutteridge uses this to address the issue of sameness and belonging.
August 7, 2020
I have mixed feelings on reading Lily Fairchild. Lily was a wonderful, exceptional and strong person. The hardships she endured were painful to read at times, although they were necessary to the story.
I had a hard time and got a little lost regarding the details on politics and history. I would have to reread certain pages over to fully grasp what was going on.
Some of the descriptive sentences and especially words, made reading a challenge.
Otherwise the book was very interesting and hard to put down. I always wanted good things to happen to Lily.
I received this book free from Goodreads for a honest opinion.
I had a hard time and got a little lost regarding the details on politics and history. I would have to reread certain pages over to fully grasp what was going on.
Some of the descriptive sentences and especially words, made reading a challenge.
Otherwise the book was very interesting and hard to put down. I always wanted good things to happen to Lily.
I received this book free from Goodreads for a honest opinion.
July 28, 2020
TITLE INFORMATION LILY FAIRCHILD Don Gutteridge EC Publishing LLC (414 pp.) $19.99 paperback, $9.99 e-book ISBN: 978-1-970160-69-7 October 4, 2019
KIRKUS REVIEWS
A sprawling historical novel about one woman’s life on the Canadian frontier. Gutteridge’s novel centers on Lily Corcoran, whom readers meet as a young girl in 1845 in Ontario’s Moore Township. There, White settlers are still in the process of felling trees and displacing First Nations inhabitants in order to build farms, homesteads, and towns. As a young girl, Lily hears from an old First Nations elder that the world is rapidly changing: “Two days walk south of here and they say you’ll come to roads chopped through the bush, and White Mens drives his wagons on roads made of dead trees, and Chatham is bigger than ten Ojibwa villages.” Readers with some knowledge of 19th-century history will know some of the events that await young Lily, whose father calls her “Lady Fairchild,” and Gutteridge’s narrative proceeds at a steady pace to unfold that history. It follows Lily through many adventures, including her sometimes-fractious relationships with men (including three husbands), a world war, and countless smaller changes as her life moves through the early part of the 20th century. Even in Lily’s early childhood, she deals with her mother’s melancholia, the violence of slave hunters, and the dawning of her own young womanhood. She later lives with her fiercely independent Aunt Bridie, and over the course of hundreds of pages, readers meet her beloved husband Tom Marshall and her two boys, Robbie and Brad, and they experience touching interludes with her semiofficial foster son, Eddie. Her later years are buffeted by tragedies, but she retains the bright spirit of the young girl in the very first chapter.
Long-haul, multigenerational historical fiction such as this is often a victim of skewed perspective, as authors, deeply ensconced in often years of research, often overestimate how much detail their readers will want to endure. Gutteridge’s narrative is prodigiously researched (and includes a bibliography), but he never overloads his audience; instead, he seamlessly works the historical grounding into what is, first and foremost, an intensely personal story. The book’s large and varied cast is uniformly well drawn, but Lily towers over the rest; from her earliest scenes, she’s by far the most compelling figure in the narrative. Gutteridge believably and effectively captures her youthful exuberance, as well as her resilience, even in the face of a heartbreaking tragedy in the book’s final pages. He combines his character study with beautifully evocative prose; at one point, for instance, after sunset, “Lily was sure she could hear the River tuning up for its nightsong”; at another, a character’s skin is described as having “the pallor and touch of gray-white mushrooms too long in the rain.” Overall, the author does an excellent job of giving his narrative the feel of a life as it is lived. Readers of such books as Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove (1985) or Anna Waldo’s Sacajawea (1978) will see a similar kind of storytelling here; it’s a difficult feat to manage, but Gutteridge does so. A long but intensely involving tale of a tempestuous life.
Kirkuss Review of Lily Fairchild
KIRKUS REVIEWS
A sprawling historical novel about one woman’s life on the Canadian frontier. Gutteridge’s novel centers on Lily Corcoran, whom readers meet as a young girl in 1845 in Ontario’s Moore Township. There, White settlers are still in the process of felling trees and displacing First Nations inhabitants in order to build farms, homesteads, and towns. As a young girl, Lily hears from an old First Nations elder that the world is rapidly changing: “Two days walk south of here and they say you’ll come to roads chopped through the bush, and White Mens drives his wagons on roads made of dead trees, and Chatham is bigger than ten Ojibwa villages.” Readers with some knowledge of 19th-century history will know some of the events that await young Lily, whose father calls her “Lady Fairchild,” and Gutteridge’s narrative proceeds at a steady pace to unfold that history. It follows Lily through many adventures, including her sometimes-fractious relationships with men (including three husbands), a world war, and countless smaller changes as her life moves through the early part of the 20th century. Even in Lily’s early childhood, she deals with her mother’s melancholia, the violence of slave hunters, and the dawning of her own young womanhood. She later lives with her fiercely independent Aunt Bridie, and over the course of hundreds of pages, readers meet her beloved husband Tom Marshall and her two boys, Robbie and Brad, and they experience touching interludes with her semiofficial foster son, Eddie. Her later years are buffeted by tragedies, but she retains the bright spirit of the young girl in the very first chapter.
Long-haul, multigenerational historical fiction such as this is often a victim of skewed perspective, as authors, deeply ensconced in often years of research, often overestimate how much detail their readers will want to endure. Gutteridge’s narrative is prodigiously researched (and includes a bibliography), but he never overloads his audience; instead, he seamlessly works the historical grounding into what is, first and foremost, an intensely personal story. The book’s large and varied cast is uniformly well drawn, but Lily towers over the rest; from her earliest scenes, she’s by far the most compelling figure in the narrative. Gutteridge believably and effectively captures her youthful exuberance, as well as her resilience, even in the face of a heartbreaking tragedy in the book’s final pages. He combines his character study with beautifully evocative prose; at one point, for instance, after sunset, “Lily was sure she could hear the River tuning up for its nightsong”; at another, a character’s skin is described as having “the pallor and touch of gray-white mushrooms too long in the rain.” Overall, the author does an excellent job of giving his narrative the feel of a life as it is lived. Readers of such books as Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove (1985) or Anna Waldo’s Sacajawea (1978) will see a similar kind of storytelling here; it’s a difficult feat to manage, but Gutteridge does so. A long but intensely involving tale of a tempestuous life.
Kirkuss Review of Lily Fairchild
July 16, 2020
“Lily Fairchild,” by Don Gutteridge, is perfect for readers who like to see strong women featured in historical novels. Set in Ontario in the mid-1800s, but spanning one woman's long life, this book tells the life, loves, hardships, and historical milestones of Lily, who is nuanced and tenacious, yet prizes love above all things. Since Lily lives to a ripe old age, she sees history unfold before her eyes, and is actually part of it in the making. She struggles with what most women of that time struggled with – adversity, family, and characters from all walks of life, but her unique personality helps her get through it all. In this sense, this is more than just a historical novel. It's a studied character piece.
The reader may have read, learned or heard about some of the historical plot points that Gutteridge writes about – the building of railroads, finding oil, the coming of war, and the pandemic of 1918 (also known as The Spanish Flu), but the author brings these events to life in a visceral and detailed way, giving the reading audience a tactile experience that is hard to match.
In this story, Lily Fairchild is the standout character. She's the glue that holds the book, and the historical events, together. History is interesting on its own, but when it can be illustrated in the life of one person and how she/he experiences it, it comes alive for the audience and we get a better understanding, as well as a great deal of entertainment.
Gutteridge writes with a beautiful style. The rich scenes he poetically describes draw you in, and you live them along with the characters. You wonder what you would do in the same situation. You root for Lily to succeed, you hurt when she hurts, you rejoice when she rejoices, and you find yourself admiring her and the attributes she possesses. My favorite thing about Lily is that, although she is strong, she is modest, and doesn't really realize how capable she is. She has quirks and shortcomings, and her thoughts, behaviors, and choices seem original, ordinary, and unique to her personality. Gutteridge doesn't stereotype the “strong” woman as a caricature. This is a mark of a masterful writer. “Lily Fairchild” is a well-rounded human being that grows into her innate strength by the historical forces that shape her.
The reader may have read, learned or heard about some of the historical plot points that Gutteridge writes about – the building of railroads, finding oil, the coming of war, and the pandemic of 1918 (also known as The Spanish Flu), but the author brings these events to life in a visceral and detailed way, giving the reading audience a tactile experience that is hard to match.
In this story, Lily Fairchild is the standout character. She's the glue that holds the book, and the historical events, together. History is interesting on its own, but when it can be illustrated in the life of one person and how she/he experiences it, it comes alive for the audience and we get a better understanding, as well as a great deal of entertainment.
Gutteridge writes with a beautiful style. The rich scenes he poetically describes draw you in, and you live them along with the characters. You wonder what you would do in the same situation. You root for Lily to succeed, you hurt when she hurts, you rejoice when she rejoices, and you find yourself admiring her and the attributes she possesses. My favorite thing about Lily is that, although she is strong, she is modest, and doesn't really realize how capable she is. She has quirks and shortcomings, and her thoughts, behaviors, and choices seem original, ordinary, and unique to her personality. Gutteridge doesn't stereotype the “strong” woman as a caricature. This is a mark of a masterful writer. “Lily Fairchild” is a well-rounded human being that grows into her innate strength by the historical forces that shape her.
January 28, 2016
Reviewed By Tracy A. Fischer for Readers’ Favorite
In author Don Gutteridge's seventh and final book set in Lambton County, How the World Began: A Parable of 1812, the reader is again brought along for a joyous adventuresome ride in a setting that for many has become a familiar and welcome place. Follow the story of friends Ti-Luc and Cal, as well as Cal's squatter family, during a very tumultuous time in Canadian history. There are certainly adventures, intrigue, warring factions, mistrust and anxiety, but more than that, there are threats to the very way people have lived their lives for ages. As everyone struggles for their very survival, as well as that of their way of life, communities realize that they just might have to band together if they are likely to have any chance at all of success.
I so enjoyed the last installment of Don Gutteridge's wonderful series. The author clearly has the mind of a historian, but the way he presents his work is so interesting that the reader won't even realize they are learning about times their characters live in, as the novel is written in such an engaging fashion. Like so many of Gutteridge's other works, I had a hard time setting this book aside once I started it, and I read it through from start to finish in one day. I recommend How the World Began: A Parable of 1812 to any reader who loves a great work of historical fiction, or just a great read in general. I will certainly look for more offerings from author Don Gutteridge in the future. If they are anything like the Lambton County series, they will definitely be worth the read!
In author Don Gutteridge's seventh and final book set in Lambton County, How the World Began: A Parable of 1812, the reader is again brought along for a joyous adventuresome ride in a setting that for many has become a familiar and welcome place. Follow the story of friends Ti-Luc and Cal, as well as Cal's squatter family, during a very tumultuous time in Canadian history. There are certainly adventures, intrigue, warring factions, mistrust and anxiety, but more than that, there are threats to the very way people have lived their lives for ages. As everyone struggles for their very survival, as well as that of their way of life, communities realize that they just might have to band together if they are likely to have any chance at all of success.
I so enjoyed the last installment of Don Gutteridge's wonderful series. The author clearly has the mind of a historian, but the way he presents his work is so interesting that the reader won't even realize they are learning about times their characters live in, as the novel is written in such an engaging fashion. Like so many of Gutteridge's other works, I had a hard time setting this book aside once I started it, and I read it through from start to finish in one day. I recommend How the World Began: A Parable of 1812 to any reader who loves a great work of historical fiction, or just a great read in general. I will certainly look for more offerings from author Don Gutteridge in the future. If they are anything like the Lambton County series, they will definitely be worth the read!
March 12, 2019
A time period and place I did not know much about. Thoroughly enjoyed this story although it could have been a little bit shorter in length. Recommended!
September 6, 2020
Set against the backdrop of Canadian frontier, Gutteridge’s intimate, deeply evocative novel displays his formidable gift for illuminating humanity’s fascinating ability to strive in the face of difficult circumstances as he traces one woman’s epic journey from living in the desolate woods of Moore Township to witnessing the history unfolds before her eyes.
Born in the 1840s in the backwoods of Lambton County, Ontario, Lily Corcoran, the daughter of Irish Immigrants, spends her days tending to her ailing mother and helping her father around the farm. As the settlers chop trees and displace the First Nation people to build their ranches and towns and the latter struggle to come to terms with the White men’s invasion in their quiet life, Lily witnesses the unraveling of her own life when an escaped slave fleeing to Canada ends up on their farm. Circumstances forces Lily’s father to move them from Lambton County. Lily ends up living with her fiercely independent Aunt Bridie and her uncle near Port Sarnia. A tragedy marks Lily’s entry into adulthood, but determined to thrive, Lily sets on an extraordinary journey into adulthood.
One of the things that makes Gutteridge’s work so distinctively satisfying is the way he builds up detail — the barely civilized landscape of Lambton County of 1840s Ontario adorned only by scarce homesteads and farms and surrounded by dense woods comes to life. The reader will feel the long spells of snow and cold and the cozy warmness of wood fireplaces burning between the pages.
Lily’s interactions with Old Samuels, the blind Indian who could see every bush and beetle in the territory despite his blindness, the latter’s mediations on life and the ways of the White Men bring out the Attawandarons alive in readers’ minds.
Gutteridge uses his knack for creating evocative prose and lovely, scene-setting detail to liven up dry historical detail into the narrative: he seamlessly blends historical occurrences into the deeply affecting narrative — the descriptions of the building of railroads, the discovery of oil, the coming of war, the Spanish Flu of 1918 are imbued skillfully into the story.
Guteridge’s writing is nuanced, and his larger-than-life characters shimmer: Lily, who leads the cast, charms with her wit and resilience.
Part history and part fable, the novel makes for a riveting read.
The lovers of both finely constructed literary fiction and historicals won’t want to miss this one.
Born in the 1840s in the backwoods of Lambton County, Ontario, Lily Corcoran, the daughter of Irish Immigrants, spends her days tending to her ailing mother and helping her father around the farm. As the settlers chop trees and displace the First Nation people to build their ranches and towns and the latter struggle to come to terms with the White men’s invasion in their quiet life, Lily witnesses the unraveling of her own life when an escaped slave fleeing to Canada ends up on their farm. Circumstances forces Lily’s father to move them from Lambton County. Lily ends up living with her fiercely independent Aunt Bridie and her uncle near Port Sarnia. A tragedy marks Lily’s entry into adulthood, but determined to thrive, Lily sets on an extraordinary journey into adulthood.
One of the things that makes Gutteridge’s work so distinctively satisfying is the way he builds up detail — the barely civilized landscape of Lambton County of 1840s Ontario adorned only by scarce homesteads and farms and surrounded by dense woods comes to life. The reader will feel the long spells of snow and cold and the cozy warmness of wood fireplaces burning between the pages.
Lily’s interactions with Old Samuels, the blind Indian who could see every bush and beetle in the territory despite his blindness, the latter’s mediations on life and the ways of the White Men bring out the Attawandarons alive in readers’ minds.
Gutteridge uses his knack for creating evocative prose and lovely, scene-setting detail to liven up dry historical detail into the narrative: he seamlessly blends historical occurrences into the deeply affecting narrative — the descriptions of the building of railroads, the discovery of oil, the coming of war, the Spanish Flu of 1918 are imbued skillfully into the story.
Guteridge’s writing is nuanced, and his larger-than-life characters shimmer: Lily, who leads the cast, charms with her wit and resilience.
Part history and part fable, the novel makes for a riveting read.
The lovers of both finely constructed literary fiction and historicals won’t want to miss this one.
November 1, 2021
I received this e-book as a free giveaway from the publisher and Goodreads.
It was a longer-than-usual book, which I was fine with, as I was very quickly involved with the storyline. It is broken up into several parts, but the last part felt the most discombobulated. It fast-forwards decades and then fills in the holes between, but it felt like the author took a break from writing before starting on this part because it just didn't have the same feel to it as the preceding chapters.
Overall I really enjoyed and appreciated the author's writing style. The copyediting of the book was subpar, but the author's voice, vocabulary, and ability to paint a picture is admirable. At times I did find myself with questions that weren't answered, but I think it is partly due to the fact that the author didn't dive into emotions. Sometimes this was appreciated. Anytime someone of importance died in the book, he did not try to wring you dry of tears. But there were other times when I did want to better understand how Lily felt about things that had happened to her, if she ever thought back to earlier times and wondered about those who were in her life. You got the feeling she never thought about people once they were gone from her life, except for Cap, and possibly Arthur. But never the people from her earlier years.
I would read more from this author, though, and I appreciate the labor involved in writing a novel that brings in so much historical detail.
It was a longer-than-usual book, which I was fine with, as I was very quickly involved with the storyline. It is broken up into several parts, but the last part felt the most discombobulated. It fast-forwards decades and then fills in the holes between, but it felt like the author took a break from writing before starting on this part because it just didn't have the same feel to it as the preceding chapters.
Overall I really enjoyed and appreciated the author's writing style. The copyediting of the book was subpar, but the author's voice, vocabulary, and ability to paint a picture is admirable. At times I did find myself with questions that weren't answered, but I think it is partly due to the fact that the author didn't dive into emotions. Sometimes this was appreciated. Anytime someone of importance died in the book, he did not try to wring you dry of tears. But there were other times when I did want to better understand how Lily felt about things that had happened to her, if she ever thought back to earlier times and wondered about those who were in her life. You got the feeling she never thought about people once they were gone from her life, except for Cap, and possibly Arthur. But never the people from her earlier years.
I would read more from this author, though, and I appreciate the labor involved in writing a novel that brings in so much historical detail.
February 21, 2023
I was excited to win this book through a Goodreads giveaway. I thought I was going to fall in love with the characters and the story. Resilient female character in a historical setting - right up my alley. However, I struggled to read half of the book until I realized I had a whole stack of books waiting for me that I would not have to force myself to read and put this down with half unread. Life is too short to read unappealing books.
There are sections in the books, albeit small, but frequent, that dealt with the growth of Canada and its political history, but those sections seemed to be unrelated to what was happening in the story and more a device to dispose of inconvenient characters or storylines that were left hanging.
Lily Fairchild was a strong woman, but after a while, I felt I was reading the Biblical story of Job and not Lily. I began to feel the author was piling on misfortunes to the point of ridiculousness. Lily didn't grown or change with her adversity, she just existed. Maybe that occurs in the second half of the book, but I just could not make myself hang on with her and see if and how she survives and triumphs.
I will read something else by this author because I know he has a readable, interesting story to tell - but it was not this one.
There are sections in the books, albeit small, but frequent, that dealt with the growth of Canada and its political history, but those sections seemed to be unrelated to what was happening in the story and more a device to dispose of inconvenient characters or storylines that were left hanging.
Lily Fairchild was a strong woman, but after a while, I felt I was reading the Biblical story of Job and not Lily. I began to feel the author was piling on misfortunes to the point of ridiculousness. Lily didn't grown or change with her adversity, she just existed. Maybe that occurs in the second half of the book, but I just could not make myself hang on with her and see if and how she survives and triumphs.
I will read something else by this author because I know he has a readable, interesting story to tell - but it was not this one.
February 27, 2023
I just finished this book. I won this from Goodreads. I enjoyed reading very much. Lily/Cora had a very had sad life as she lost her mother at a very young age, then her father ran off a few years later and left her with an aunt and uncle who just used her for labor, till another wealthy woman step in and wanted her to come and live with her. Then she slept with a prince and became pregnant and was forced to give the babe up. While she was there in London she met a man and got married, they had 3 more children 2 boys and girl. Tom later got killed in a war. The daughter was still born. The first son was killed in a war. The 2nd son went off. Years later she remarried and changed her name to Cora all cause every turned against her in one night and burn her home down all because they thought that she was sleeping was the man that was cutting down some trees for her. Then during a a blizzard a train wreck right after her and the 2nd husband were married he was arrested for the train wreck and he hung himself and once again every one turn against her. Then during a rain storm her 2nd son suddenly returns with a baby of his own and dying and he dies a week later. His son grows up goes to war get killed. She has remarried a 3rd time and he dies sitting by her on the couch.
February 14, 2021
Thank you Goodreads for the kindle win.
This book is a saga of the life of Lily Fairchild from her life as a child until her grand motherhood in Canada in the 1800s. Her life was filled with one tragedy after another. She developed relationships with a variety of characters: Native People, society people and people from the very poorest part of town.
The book, along with Good read's synopsis contain some typo's - she did not live from 1840 until 2019 -she died in 1919! I enjoyed the language and descriptions in the book. The narrative jumped around a bit. It could be in one part of her life and then jump forward or backward without warning making it hard to follow at times. I also found it would abruptly change from one line of narration or thought between paragraphs.
I enjoyed the author's use of language and the story. But the way it was written made it slow going for me. Many of you make really enjoy this book - I liked it, but was glad when I finished it.
Thanks to Goodreads and the publisher for this Kindle edition.
This book is a saga of the life of Lily Fairchild from her life as a child until her grand motherhood in Canada in the 1800s. Her life was filled with one tragedy after another. She developed relationships with a variety of characters: Native People, society people and people from the very poorest part of town.
The book, along with Good read's synopsis contain some typo's - she did not live from 1840 until 2019 -she died in 1919! I enjoyed the language and descriptions in the book. The narrative jumped around a bit. It could be in one part of her life and then jump forward or backward without warning making it hard to follow at times. I also found it would abruptly change from one line of narration or thought between paragraphs.
I enjoyed the author's use of language and the story. But the way it was written made it slow going for me. Many of you make really enjoy this book - I liked it, but was glad when I finished it.
Thanks to Goodreads and the publisher for this Kindle edition.
April 6, 2023
A fabulously strong woman, determined and without a proper upbringing witnesses the unbelievable, struggles through the hardest of times, all to make her mark and survive.
In 1840, Lily Fairchild is born and raised in the backwoods of Lambton County. She grows to become a pioneer woman and her adventures throughout her life a cataloged in this story until her death in 2019. This remarkable woman goes on to witness some of history’s most important events. She shares her heroic story as she struggles through the birth of her children, marriages, and endurance to push through life to survive.
You can’t help but fall into Lily’s world as you read this book. You can tell much research has been done in order to authenticate the character, scenery, time and language. I highly recommend this book to any historical fiction lovers out there. This book will pull you in.
Thank you to Goodreads and Tablo Pty Ltd for giving me the opportunity to review a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
In 1840, Lily Fairchild is born and raised in the backwoods of Lambton County. She grows to become a pioneer woman and her adventures throughout her life a cataloged in this story until her death in 2019. This remarkable woman goes on to witness some of history’s most important events. She shares her heroic story as she struggles through the birth of her children, marriages, and endurance to push through life to survive.
You can’t help but fall into Lily’s world as you read this book. You can tell much research has been done in order to authenticate the character, scenery, time and language. I highly recommend this book to any historical fiction lovers out there. This book will pull you in.
Thank you to Goodreads and Tablo Pty Ltd for giving me the opportunity to review a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
February 11, 2021
I received this book as a part of a Kindle free giveaway. Thank you to the author and publisher.
That said, Don writes beautiful prose and has command over where he wants to take the story. I usually don’t enjoy historical fiction as much as a genre, however, this book was an exception.
The book is set in Canada in the 1840s and speaks of life at that time. For the main character, we get a glimpse into the joys and pains of marriage, children and relationships through the hard things life brings our way. This is done unapologetically and comes across as something the reader can “walk a mile in ones shoes”.
This book is a good escape to another time. I recommend it as a well crafted story.
That said, Don writes beautiful prose and has command over where he wants to take the story. I usually don’t enjoy historical fiction as much as a genre, however, this book was an exception.
The book is set in Canada in the 1840s and speaks of life at that time. For the main character, we get a glimpse into the joys and pains of marriage, children and relationships through the hard things life brings our way. This is done unapologetically and comes across as something the reader can “walk a mile in ones shoes”.
This book is a good escape to another time. I recommend it as a well crafted story.
April 24, 2021
Interesting but long
Thank you to both author and publisher for the free copy of this book!
I really want to give this book a better review but I have been struggling from the beginning, almost all the way through.
The characters are developed greatly but I could not connect with any of them. I love reading historical fiction but the historical byline of the story did not hold my interest whatsoever.
Overall the book could have been 100-200 pages shorter and been a much better read.
Lilly Fairchild has not been my favorite by far. No matter what stage in her life I always felt sorry for her, except during the very end. I felt somewhat close too was Lily’s friend Sophie. She made me chuckle despite the challenges she faced in her family life.
Thank you to both author and publisher for the free copy of this book!
I really want to give this book a better review but I have been struggling from the beginning, almost all the way through.
The characters are developed greatly but I could not connect with any of them. I love reading historical fiction but the historical byline of the story did not hold my interest whatsoever.
Overall the book could have been 100-200 pages shorter and been a much better read.
Lilly Fairchild has not been my favorite by far. No matter what stage in her life I always felt sorry for her, except during the very end. I felt somewhat close too was Lily’s friend Sophie. She made me chuckle despite the challenges she faced in her family life.
March 17, 2021
Lily Fairchild who is born in 1840 and lived until 1919 saw amazing changes over the course of her life. It was not an easy life. Lily is strong, hard working, and resilient. The author has done a lot of research into the subject and gives a detailed telling of Lily's story. At times I found it hard to follow as it jumped around a bit. The book was long - 627 pages long. Parts were very interesting and I raced through them, but parts were slow and I had to force myself to continue on. I read the kindle version which also contained many errors that should have been caught during proof reads. Over all I did like the book. Thank you to Goodreads for the giveaway.
November 20, 2020
Beautifully written story of one woman's lifetime in the Canadian wilderness from age seven until her death many decades later. I have not yet finished it because life intervenes, but I really want to as her story is so compelling. I really got to feel as if I know her through all of her struggles.
My only suggestions are to break it up into at least two books to keep it to a reasonable production cost (among other reasons) and because it is as daunting as Clan Of The Cave Bear in size.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Independent Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!
My only suggestions are to break it up into at least two books to keep it to a reasonable production cost (among other reasons) and because it is as daunting as Clan Of The Cave Bear in size.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Independent Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!
December 29, 2020
This book I wanted to read because I have an interest in Canadian history. It's a very long book that spans over several decades and tells the story on one woman's life against the backdrop of events that are most often read about in history books.
It was pretty obvious that the author has a deep interest in the subject and has done a lot of research. This book was very ambitious in its scope, and I wondered if the author had considered maybe making this a series of books, rather than just the one. In places, the narrative jumped around in a way that I found a bit confusing.
I received a copy of this book through Goodreads Giveaways program, and this is my honest review.
It was pretty obvious that the author has a deep interest in the subject and has done a lot of research. This book was very ambitious in its scope, and I wondered if the author had considered maybe making this a series of books, rather than just the one. In places, the narrative jumped around in a way that I found a bit confusing.
I received a copy of this book through Goodreads Giveaways program, and this is my honest review.
April 11, 2023
I won this kindle book in a Goodreads giveaway. I enjoyed the premise of the book and wanted to absolutely love it, but I tended to get lost in some of the details that didn't seem critical to include.
There were some storylines that were started and felt like they were abruptly ended in order to get to something new. I feel like there were a few good stories in here if the focus could have stayed on one path. I would have thoroughly enjoyed the stories as 3 separate books, but it felt a little disjointed as one book.
Overall, I'd give it 3 1/2 stars and rounded up.
There were some storylines that were started and felt like they were abruptly ended in order to get to something new. I feel like there were a few good stories in here if the focus could have stayed on one path. I would have thoroughly enjoyed the stories as 3 separate books, but it felt a little disjointed as one book.
Overall, I'd give it 3 1/2 stars and rounded up.
April 24, 2021
I had to force myself to finish this. It was sooooo slow, and honestly, I didn't really enjoy it very much. The first part was chronological, but then it got confusing, bouncing back and forth between different time frames. There were also a lot of characters to keep up with (not to mention the one - main - character who goes through about 7 different name changes).
I received a complimentary copy of this book from a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for my honest review.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for my honest review.
November 12, 2020
Usually a book like this is right up my alley. This one was not. I couldn't connect with the story or the characters and I thought it dragged in many places. I chose to read it due to the synopsis, but once I began reading my interest waned quickly. This one is just not for me. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy.
July 28, 2020
Goodreads Kindle Copy Win
A pioneer woman life is portrayed from 1840 to 2019. The struggles and hardships she faced in her long life and the things she had to endure.
A fascinating read as it takes you back into history as you view of life as it was in the past. A compelling read.
A pioneer woman life is portrayed from 1840 to 2019. The struggles and hardships she faced in her long life and the things she had to endure.
A fascinating read as it takes you back into history as you view of life as it was in the past. A compelling read.
November 10, 2020
This is a review for the Kindle edition I received from Goodreads. This book gives insight into the history of Canada and much more into the long life of Lily Fairchild filled with ups and downs and many coincidental events. I recommend it to any historical fiction reader.
January 28, 2021
I tried really hard to like this book but I just could not get into it. I read 40 percent on my Kindle and finally gave up. I found it convoluted. But what do I know. I'm just a reader of historical fiction.
Maybe it is the times we are living in and I got distracted. Sorry.
Rita
Maybe it is the times we are living in and I got distracted. Sorry.
Rita
April 25, 2021
This novel has promise, but is in need of a good editor. I found the Canadian history fascinating. The plotting was inconsistent and at times most frustrating.
I appreciated the opportunity to receive a free ebook copy of this book.
I appreciated the opportunity to receive a free ebook copy of this book.
March 10, 2023
Travel back in time to a place where hardworking was a daily chore. Life wasn't easy in those days. You witness the strength, courage, love and pain with Lily. I have no doubt you will fall in love with her as I did.
October 10, 2024
I liked learning more about life in Canada in the 1800s. I also liked seeing how Lily's life changed over time, from her childhood to old age. However, this book seemed to drag on and on for way too long. I lost interest in the story at some point.
September 15, 2020
Lily Fairchild is a story about Canadian history. I was lost at time, it was a long story, with many different twists and turns and lots of tragity
November 30, 2020
I won this Kindle edition book in a Goodreads
Giveaway. Thank you to everyone involved.
A very interesting book.
Giveaway. Thank you to everyone involved.
A very interesting book.
January 2, 2021
EXCELLENT! Held my interest through the entire book! I will follow this author. I told my friends about this book and author.
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