The Wind Chime by Alexandra Walsh
Timeshift Victorian Mysteries, Book 1
Genre: Women’s Fiction, Historical, Contemporary,
Dual Timeline
4.2 Stars
The story begins in 2019, Windsor when Amelia has
just buried her mother. She had seen three deaths in two years and is looking
for a way to come to terms with her. Her mother leaves her with a quest that
takes her to Pembrokeshire.
Amelia not only goes to the Cliffside house with the
mysterious wind chime but also travels to the past to connect the missing links
between her mother and the Welsh family of Attwaters and Stones.
As the narrative shifts between the past and the
present, we see events unfolding and secrets being uncovered. How will these
secrets affect Amelia’s life? Why did her mother want her to trace the roots
and find things that have been left buried for a reason?
First of all, I would like to highlight that this
book is not a mystery. It sure has elements of mystery and discovery but
calling it one would create a different impression on the readers. Luckily, I
went into the book, considering it Women’s Fiction. That helped me enjoy the
storyline better.
The narration is beautiful, especially when dealing
with the past. I loved Osyth’s character. She’s dreamy, determined, a bit
pampered, and yet good at heart. While she does make some stupid decisions, it
fits her age and temperament.
The shift between the past and the present is
seamless. I like how the present acted as a breather when the past got too
heavy and took the story forward to spare us excessive details. That said, the
story does drag a little in the middle. Guess it was necessary with so many
characters involved.
Here’s one book where it’s easy to get confused by
the people waltzing in and out and their relationships with each other. That
said, the primary characters are easy to identify and track. Family trees are
fascinating for the secrets they reveal, and this book has plenty of them.
What I loved the most was the inclusion of faerie
and fae folklore, the sound of the wind chime that can be heard across the
spaces, and the hint of a magical atmosphere. As someone who loves faeries, the
talk of the legend of Tylwyth Teg and the stone circle made me very happy.
The mystical wind chime plays a role throughout the
book. I could picturize the wind chime each time Osyth mentioned it. I
appreciate the cover design even more after reading the story. Such a clever
inclusion of vital elements! The author’s note was just as lovely to read.
To sum up, The Wind Chime is a beautiful, emotional,
and heartwarming story that spans across generations and locations. Pick it up
for the feel-good feeling you get when you read a bittersweet book.
I’ve ignored a couple of typos and errors as this is
an ARC.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Sapere Books.
#NetGalley #TheWindChime
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