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Shared
Seeking help from colleagues around the globe, Victorian physician, Dr. Liam Gilbert, is desperate to discover what is wrong with little Rachel Ellingswood. The child has faints that bring her near to death without warning. Only child; heiress to a huge fortune in Devon, England, four year old Rachel will not survive without some miracle of discovery. Yet, Gilbert does not believe in miracles. When a single clue sends him on a harrowing voyage across the globe in search of answers, his discovery, about the impossible child, will alter his life forever.
Rachel Ellingswood is not a simple child who is ill; when she is ill – she is not truly there.
Rachel Ellingswood is not a simple child who is ill; when she is ill – she is not truly there.
360 pages, Paperback
First published September 15, 2010
42 people want to read
About the author
Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick
7 books41 followersJoel lives with his lovely wife and two boys in Southwest Colorado. His first four published novels are: Harmony's Passing, Caraliza, Breathing into Stone, and Shared
His most recent work When America Slew Her King is a troubling look at America's own History, from use of the most incredible lie that can be told about it.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 14, 2011
Shared unfolds as a story about a girl Rachel whose life is threatened by fainting spells, during which she stops breathing. Doctor Liam Gilbert hears of a similar case in New Zealand. In a quest to save Rachel and understand her condition, he travels from England across the world to find a young girl vastly similar to Rachel who lives in a Maori tribe. Gilbert tries to unravel the mysteries of these two young girls who share something strange and unusual. Rachel's family and caregivers seek answers. Is Rachel's affliction caused by demons? Fate, God and spirituality are actors in this tale.
I lived and died with the characters in this story. Their emotions touched me as a reader. Kirkpatrick's distinctive style, diction and dialogue are wonderfully suited to the period in which this story takes place. As the story progresses, Kirkpatrick's prose becomes more abstract as the characters reach epiphanies and insight into the nature of love, destiny and spirituality.
Sandra Yuen MacKay, author of My Schizophrenic Life
I lived and died with the characters in this story. Their emotions touched me as a reader. Kirkpatrick's distinctive style, diction and dialogue are wonderfully suited to the period in which this story takes place. As the story progresses, Kirkpatrick's prose becomes more abstract as the characters reach epiphanies and insight into the nature of love, destiny and spirituality.
Sandra Yuen MacKay, author of My Schizophrenic Life
September 16, 2010
"Shared" is a unforgiving and unforgettable tale that will linger long after you put it down. The style is merciless and I can only hope it is appreciated by those who read it. The rhythmic tone waves from one world to the next, taking the reader into one life and then, pulling them out to awaken in another. At first, I was disoriented at the lack of *** to indict a shift in time, but then I realized what a stylistic necessity it was to omit the breaks from the pages. Often, writer's bend to format habits to please the general reading audience. Where someone might think it a mistake, it is actually enriching the experience. In this case, it enhances the written word and seduces the reader into the breathing text. Being jolted from one shift in time and placed in another is a unique style quality of the writing. Those who have studied creative writing will undoubtedly enjoy this book because it is a wonderful example of the use of style and a refreshing reminder of why we write and study the classics.
It seems I'm having my own internal debate when it comes to finding flaws with the text. Certainly, there are aspects that I could mention that might make the story more entertaining, but it would come at a cost. There is repetition of both journeys and certain wordy scenes, but when viewing the text in it's entirety, it seems so connected to the flow that if cut, the story might suffer some of it's beauty and richness. So I say, give in to the journey, the repetition, and try to hang on until the end.
http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback...
It seems I'm having my own internal debate when it comes to finding flaws with the text. Certainly, there are aspects that I could mention that might make the story more entertaining, but it would come at a cost. There is repetition of both journeys and certain wordy scenes, but when viewing the text in it's entirety, it seems so connected to the flow that if cut, the story might suffer some of it's beauty and richness. So I say, give in to the journey, the repetition, and try to hang on until the end.
http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback...
July 25, 2012
I stopped reading at around 30%, and it was a tough slog to get that far.
The writer's style is perfectly fine, and suits the time period the story is set in. But I couldn't finish this book, and that is a very rare thing for me to do (ESPECIALLY when I only purchase books after enjoying the Kindle sample).
The book is very slowly paced. At least 20% of the part I read could have been cut if the writer had omitted needless passages.
What's more, is that it's made apparent very early on that Rachel's life is actually NOT in danger. This takes away any sense of urgency and seriousness to the "harrowing voyage" Dr Gilbert takes. And, disappointingly, this journey is mentioned only in summary. I'm not sure why the writer chose to cover this part of the book so briefly, while other aspects were given so much attention.
While not usually a big deal with me, there was also a very strong religious undertone (while it suited the time period of the story, it was really taking over the book). It got to the point where there would be paragraphs and paragraphs of nothing but a character's struggle with apparent religious evidence. I understand the place spiritual discussion has in a book of this genre, but I also don't want the main "breakthroughs" of a mystery to be nothing but a person's conversion to religion.
I make the disclaimer that some of my issues with this book might have been addressed if I'd kept reading, but it was simply failed to hold my interest.
The writer's style is perfectly fine, and suits the time period the story is set in. But I couldn't finish this book, and that is a very rare thing for me to do (ESPECIALLY when I only purchase books after enjoying the Kindle sample).
The book is very slowly paced. At least 20% of the part I read could have been cut if the writer had omitted needless passages.
What's more, is that it's made apparent very early on that Rachel's life is actually NOT in danger. This takes away any sense of urgency and seriousness to the "harrowing voyage" Dr Gilbert takes. And, disappointingly, this journey is mentioned only in summary. I'm not sure why the writer chose to cover this part of the book so briefly, while other aspects were given so much attention.
While not usually a big deal with me, there was also a very strong religious undertone (while it suited the time period of the story, it was really taking over the book). It got to the point where there would be paragraphs and paragraphs of nothing but a character's struggle with apparent religious evidence. I understand the place spiritual discussion has in a book of this genre, but I also don't want the main "breakthroughs" of a mystery to be nothing but a person's conversion to religion.
I make the disclaimer that some of my issues with this book might have been addressed if I'd kept reading, but it was simply failed to hold my interest.
September 15, 2013
Shared by Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick
Set in the early 1800's in England, a girl named Rachel Ellingswood has health problems. She has what the doctor calls "faints". These faints put her into a deep sleep and near death experiences. Her parents seek the help of Dr. Liam Gilbert.
Dr. Gilbert believes he is on to something, he has heard of one other case of these faints. As he sets off on a voyage across the ocean to get some answers, he finds what he is looking for, but it is not what anyone had expected.
A very original and interesting story line. Rachel is very likable. At times I found the story to be a bit repetitive and complex.
I have read books by Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick, Caraliza & Breathing into Stone, He is a fantastic writer and I do plan on reading more of his work.
Set in the early 1800's in England, a girl named Rachel Ellingswood has health problems. She has what the doctor calls "faints". These faints put her into a deep sleep and near death experiences. Her parents seek the help of Dr. Liam Gilbert.
Dr. Gilbert believes he is on to something, he has heard of one other case of these faints. As he sets off on a voyage across the ocean to get some answers, he finds what he is looking for, but it is not what anyone had expected.
A very original and interesting story line. Rachel is very likable. At times I found the story to be a bit repetitive and complex.
I have read books by Joel Blaine Kirkpatrick, Caraliza & Breathing into Stone, He is a fantastic writer and I do plan on reading more of his work.
June 26, 2012
Oh this book!
I loved it - it was such an original idea, one that has lingered with me for a long time. I struggle to accurately describe just how wonderful it was. The characters, the concept, the setting, the theme - all of it was refreshing and engaging. Highly recommended!!
I loved it - it was such an original idea, one that has lingered with me for a long time. I struggle to accurately describe just how wonderful it was. The characters, the concept, the setting, the theme - all of it was refreshing and engaging. Highly recommended!!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews