The Wind Chime- Book Review

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.

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