Review by Abacus -- Forgiven by Geoff Lawson

[Abacus]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Forgiven" by Geoff Lawson.]

---

4 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Forgiven by Geoff Lawson is both a love story between Richard Wilson and Rachel Purdue and a coming of age for them both. It has a social background in the Victorian period (the late 1800s.) Richard lives in a small town, Patea, and helps his father work the farm. He is respectable, but unpolished and never has an opportunity to socialize with girls. Rachel is a wealthy storekeeper’s daughter living in Whanganui, a much larger town 4 hour's travel away, by train.

Rachel is modest but forward in letting Richard know she likes him. Richard feels protective towards and loves Rachel. After moving to Whanganui, to be near Rachel, Richard signs up, on a whim, to go to South Africa to fight in the Boer War. Rachel feels abandoned and must learn forgiveness.

The prologue of Forgiven provides a gripping first-person account of a small New Zealand offensive in Cape Colony, South Africa in 1889 against the Boers. After the battle, while Richard was pursuing his column, he reported seeing a priest in a black coupe drive past him. He turned out to be a spy and saboteur wanted by the British. Richard thrives in the army, and he is a natural leader and is seconded to work with the Intelligence Bureau to capture the priest in the black coupe.

Lawson’s writing involves the reader in the adrenalin rush, the panic, the need to find your way in enemy territory, the surprise attack by the enemy, and bolting to safety. Lawson also describes the South African landscape as a “devil’s playground” of canyons and plains, one moment dangerous, another moment, the dark or the fog providing cover. Lost and without protection, in Lawson’s words, “we fled like mackerel pursued by sharks.”

Lawson describes the Victorian lifestyle prevalent in New Zealand at this time. A cross between the Wild West and the beginning of the industrial age. The décor of the houses, the willow pattern crockery, the manners, the etiquette, and the social conduct. It’s fascinating because it is so diverse from the present time. Those of us who are older will recollect times without texting and selfies, and always being aware of acting with dignity and appropriate manners.

Lawson has seamlessly enmeshed the fighting in the Boer War, seen through Richard’s eyes and the love story between Richard and Rachel. He moves effortlessly back and forth, chapter by chapter, between the fighting in South Africa and the lives of the families left behind in Patea and Wanganui. Lawson writes about an old woman who lost her son in the war and hated the English. She comes to realize that Richard has a mother who feels for him like she does her son, so she no longer hates but hugs Richard.

The story is detailed and complex. It is compelling to read, and I rate it 4 out of 4 stars. I do not rate it 3 out of 4 stars because it brings an authentic feel of New Zealand and South Africa. I found no errors in this story written in New Zealand English and believe it to be professionally edited. I found nothing to dislike. I recommend Forgiven to people who enjoy, coming of age and war stories. It is compatible for Y/A.

******
Forgiven
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on Smashwords

[Jeremie Mondejar]

A book like this is my favorite genre especially something that deals with history. I like war stories.

[Abacus]

A book like this is my favorite genre especially something that deals with history. I like war stories.

The mixture of history and war is a good combination.