4 out of 4 stars
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Do you believe in love that transcends time and space? Do you believe in reincarnation and soulmates? Yesterday: A Novel of Reincarnation by Samyann is a historical fiction and romance novel that discusses the subjects of past lives and love beyond death. Amanda Parker is a young woman who has gone through a series of devastating losses. As a result, Amanda fears she might lose more people she loves. Her life changes the day she saves Mark Patrick Callahan, a handsome and arrogant policeman from the Chicago Police Department. Strangely, she feels she knows him from before. Unbeknownst to her, Mark also feels he knows her from before. What is more, a grandfather clock dating from the eighteenth century becomes a mystery as it reveals a possible connection between them during the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Their connection is so strong and bizarre that they decide to investigate their past lives with the help of Amanda’s godmother, Mary Axelrod, who is a successful psychologist. Do they know each other from a past life? Are they soulmates? Will Amanda be able to overcome her suffering and move forward with her present life?
The antique grandfather clock was my favorite element of the story. I liked its description and history. I was able to imagine the clock vividly and feel its magnetic power. It could be the focus of mysterious, historical, and romantic scenes in a film based on the book. I loved the beautiful and transcendental connections between the grandfather clock, St. Michael’s Church, and the main characters’ lives.
I enjoyed Samyann’s writing style. She wrote the transitions between the present and the past with a natural flow. She captured the intense connection between Amanda and Mark with the descriptions of their feelings and thoughts. She also built up the mystery of the grandfather clock and its chimes with skillfulness. I wanted to keep reading to find out how they knew each other from before and everything connected.
As for the characters, my favorites of the present were Mary and Mark. I laughed with Mary’s wit and sarcasm. I loved Mark’s determination, confidence, and romantic deeds. My favorites of the past were Magdalena and Daniel. Magdalena’s motherly love for Bonnie and Jack was palpable through the pages. I just could not get enough of Daniel’s cocky persona. Overall, Samyann did a fine job describing the personality of the characters, but they could have been developed a bit more because they do not change that much. However, this might have been an author’s choice on purpose because the main theme of the novel is reincarnation, meaning that the soul does not die and remains the same throughout time and space.
The main themes discussed in Yesterday: A Novel of Reincarnation are reincarnation and soulmates, which lured me to read the novel because I do believe in having special connections with certain people in our lives. Samyann developed these themes in the story with loving tenderness, romance, and a degree of silent passion. She also let the reader understand how the main characters’ past lives had an effect on their present lives.
What I did not like about the story was that Amanda and Mark drink a lot of alcohol throughout the novel. I also could have read the book without all the cursing. The drinking and cursing, however, gave an air of modernity to the chapters set in the present. I understand that me not liking the drinking and cursing is a subjective matter because I know other readers might enjoy these parts. As for errors, I found a minor one.
I rate Yesterday: A Novel of Reincarnation by Samyann 4 out of 4 stars chiefly because the history of the grandfather clock and its connections to St. Michael’s Church and the main characters enthralled me. I also enjoyed reading about a doting love story that transcended time and space. I recommend this book to those who believe in reincarnation and soulmates. Historical fiction and romance aficionados will like it too. I think the book is appropriate for young adults because its romantic and violent content is not graphic.
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Yesterday
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