Official Review: Forgiven by Geoff Lawson
Posted: 11 Sep 2018, 02:18
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Forgiven" by Geoff Lawson.]
4 out of 4 stars
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Forgiven by Geoff Lawson is a story set in the late 19th century and takes place in New Zealand and South Africa. It follows the life of the main character Richard Wilson, a New Zealander who falls in love with a girl named Rachel Purdue. They meet when she comes to town after people tarnish her reputation through rumors at home. However, they are of different social status. His love, for her, leads him to join the Boer War to prove himself to her family. The book shifts between his life growing up in New Zealand and his participation in the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa.
I had only vaguely heard about the Anglo-Boer War and this was the first time I read a book that was set in it. It really embodied the meaning of the fortunes of war. The author brought various characters to light, many of them, who got the short end of the stick when it came to this war. I was happy the characters came from both the English and Boer sides of the war. From a prim English Lady to the grieving mother of a dead Boer soldier, the author constructed them all with great care.
I immensely liked the clever movement from one timeline to another, as it kept the book interesting and gave brief respite between intense scenes. He also did a great job of weaving the romance into the story such that it did not feel like two different stories. The fact that Richard's motivation for joining the war was his love for his girlfriend and not some lofty ideal was wonderful.
Our main character was incredibly lucky throughout the book. I was constantly biting my nails as he came within a hair’s breadth of losing his life, time after time. I could not help but think there must have been some deity out there looking out for him. His adventures were very entertaining and I found myself at the end of the book without realizing it. This made me realize how fluid the story was, as it jumped seamlessly from one plot point to another.
The author’s use of phrases like Moriarty figure was very creative. It was a clever nod to the Sherlock Holmes series, which I loved immensely. He also introduced me to a new author, Zane Grey, which I really liked. From this, I could clearly see the author’s wide range of interests from detective novels to westerns. It was also interesting to realize that certain places found in the book actually existed.
There are a few points I think readers need to be aware of as they read the novel. It is vital they read the title of the chapters as it would inform them of the time and setting of the chapter. I was confused at first when I read a chapter and the next one was not a continuation. I later realized that reading the title was essential in understanding the chapters. The author uses complex words like salubrious and detritus which might be unfamiliar to people. I personally did not mind this as they were rare and I was able to learn some new words while reading.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars, as it was a wonderful portrayal of 19th-century life. I was able to learn a lot about a war I had never heard much about as well as places I had never heard of. The one grammatical error I found was “Hereached” instead of “He reached” in one of the paragraphs. Otherwise, the book was edited well. I recommend this story to lovers of historical fiction as well as lovers of romance. This book will definitely satisfy the appetites of those who love these genres.
******
Forgiven
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on Smashwords
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4 out of 4 stars
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Forgiven by Geoff Lawson is a story set in the late 19th century and takes place in New Zealand and South Africa. It follows the life of the main character Richard Wilson, a New Zealander who falls in love with a girl named Rachel Purdue. They meet when she comes to town after people tarnish her reputation through rumors at home. However, they are of different social status. His love, for her, leads him to join the Boer War to prove himself to her family. The book shifts between his life growing up in New Zealand and his participation in the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa.
I had only vaguely heard about the Anglo-Boer War and this was the first time I read a book that was set in it. It really embodied the meaning of the fortunes of war. The author brought various characters to light, many of them, who got the short end of the stick when it came to this war. I was happy the characters came from both the English and Boer sides of the war. From a prim English Lady to the grieving mother of a dead Boer soldier, the author constructed them all with great care.
I immensely liked the clever movement from one timeline to another, as it kept the book interesting and gave brief respite between intense scenes. He also did a great job of weaving the romance into the story such that it did not feel like two different stories. The fact that Richard's motivation for joining the war was his love for his girlfriend and not some lofty ideal was wonderful.
Our main character was incredibly lucky throughout the book. I was constantly biting my nails as he came within a hair’s breadth of losing his life, time after time. I could not help but think there must have been some deity out there looking out for him. His adventures were very entertaining and I found myself at the end of the book without realizing it. This made me realize how fluid the story was, as it jumped seamlessly from one plot point to another.
The author’s use of phrases like Moriarty figure was very creative. It was a clever nod to the Sherlock Holmes series, which I loved immensely. He also introduced me to a new author, Zane Grey, which I really liked. From this, I could clearly see the author’s wide range of interests from detective novels to westerns. It was also interesting to realize that certain places found in the book actually existed.
There are a few points I think readers need to be aware of as they read the novel. It is vital they read the title of the chapters as it would inform them of the time and setting of the chapter. I was confused at first when I read a chapter and the next one was not a continuation. I later realized that reading the title was essential in understanding the chapters. The author uses complex words like salubrious and detritus which might be unfamiliar to people. I personally did not mind this as they were rare and I was able to learn some new words while reading.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars, as it was a wonderful portrayal of 19th-century life. I was able to learn a lot about a war I had never heard much about as well as places I had never heard of. The one grammatical error I found was “Hereached” instead of “He reached” in one of the paragraphs. Otherwise, the book was edited well. I recommend this story to lovers of historical fiction as well as lovers of romance. This book will definitely satisfy the appetites of those who love these genres.
******
Forgiven
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on Smashwords
Like Cher432's review? Post a comment saying so!
