The Exile of Sara Stevenson

I sometimes (okay, often) wish that I were an author.  Then I would feel more like I have the right to be somewhat critical of other's writing.  But then again, I am a reader, so I guess that gives me some rights!

The Exile of Sara Stevenson by Darci Hannah is a "historical novel", taking place in 1814-1815.  I didn't care too much for the writing.  I stuck with the story waiting to see the promise of "boundaries between time and space unravel to forge an incredible connection between a woman and a man many years apart" (from the back cover).  That sounded pretty fascinating to me.  It ends up that it just didn't grab me.  I never found the story to be very believable.

Sara is a young women of a wealthy Scottish family who fell in love with Thomas Crichton, a common sailor.  She became pregnant with his child and they made plans to run off to be married, but the day that she is to meet up with Thomas to run away, he never comes.  Her family sent her away to an island to have the baby.  Sara continued to believe that Thomas would come and find her and take her away.  Meanwhile, upon the island is the lighthouse keeper, William Campbell.  After some time, Sara began to have interest in William.  About that time, letters began to arrive for Sara from an antiquarian from Oxford that contain some clues about Thomas.

I won't tell anymore of the story so if anyone cares to read the book, I won't spoil the ending.  Suffice to say, I was very disappointed with the ending.  I thought it was very weak.