Review by bellaterrabooks -- Forgiven by Geoff Lawson

[bellaterrabooks]

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

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4 out of 4 stars

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Forgiven by Geoff Lawson presents an insightful account of the South African War, also called the Second War of Independence. The book follows the budding development of Richard Wilson as he discovers the nectar of love, enlists in the military, and experiences the realities of war. As a New Zealander, Richard volunteers with the Whanganui Volunteer Rifles, which is a local troop of the national volunteer movement. Initially he does not consider the possibility that he might go into an active conflict and simply joins the movement to keep himself well-versed in marksmanship; however, as the British become more immersed in the struggle in South Africa, he ultimately does go to war. Fought between the British and the Boer Colonies, represented by the South African Republic and the Orange Free State, this war represented a time of great development for many young men on both sides of the conflict.

Prior to registering as a volunteer Richard comes to court Rachel, the daughter of a wealthy merchant. At the onset, Rachel is reluctant to entertain Richard’s advances considering their profound differences as they occupy separate stations in life. Rachel is born into refinement while Richard requires instruction about the finer things given his status as a farmer and his not being accustomed to these luxuries. One of the primary reasons that Richard engages in military service is to show his worth to Rachel after her parents question his commitment to her. His motivation is to demonstrate that they can withstand the distance of his military service. He concludes that her parents will surely understand Rachel’s and his dedication to each other, thereby approving of their engagement and in time, their marriage. Rachel comes to love him and the couple proceeds in their love affair. Their adoration is tested by the distance that separates them when Richard is sent off to South Africa to fight for the British.

The bulk of the story navigates between Richard’s current tale of his military service and the journey of the love affair between Rachel and Richard leading up to his deployment. Richard describes his exploits in military service throughout the book, detailing his working up the chain of command and rising in the ranks. One of the primary missions undertaken by Richard and his fellow comrades involves escorting Lady Sarah Porter-Hurst, the daughter of a Lieutenant Colonel, to safety. Upon being ambushed several times, they employ ingenuity to escape capture and certain death. This is just one of the many assignments that are allocated to Richard. Noted by his superiors for his special talents, they place him into dangerous situations that few of his fellow soldiers confront. Richard must use his cunning wit and physical prowess to get himself out skirmishes and stay alive. Upon capture by the enemy and direction that his only means of survival is to become the assistant to the Boers’ medic, he must decide if betraying his country is worth the price of keeping his life and returning to his love. This dilemma is the challenge that Richard must confront.

The powerful depiction of this time in history, as well as the interactions between the characters, is well developed. Provided with ample backstories many of the main characters' motivations are fully characterized. The introduction to the vernacular of New Zealand is enjoyable and educational as the author himself is from New Zealand. For instance, as Richard is traveling, he notes the landscape, such as the manuka plant, which is similar to a myrtle, and the rimu (evergreen coniferous tree) and kowhai (small woody legume) trees. The action of the story is engaging throughout the totality of the book. The reader experiences the conflict along with Richard as he feels emotionally drawn home to his family and Rachel, while realistically being pulled forward into the real-time battle that is before him. The fear and pressure experienced by Richard while completing his missions are palpable. The author concludes almost every chapter on a cliffhanger, motivating the reader forward to the next section to reveal the resolution to the present crisis.

Despite its many wonderful qualities, some of the descriptions of the war were burdensome. While this might be necessary for the plot, the author’s need to create the scene became too descriptive of the surroundings at times. Once the characters and the story had been well established, the reader would be well-versed in the environment without needing a further description of these settings. Conversely, in other sections, the author inserted characters into the plot without introducing them, such as Willy on page 62. While the reader can eventually ascertain the character’s relationship to the story, it would be helpful if the author introduced this character as thoroughly as he did the others. Even a brief foundation would be beneficial to the flow of the book.

This was a very absorbing story that holds the reader’s interest throughout the novel, with the noted exception of the over descriptions. There were minimal errors with 2 errors total and these were punctuation mistakes, such as too many periods at the end of a sentence. Overall, I would rank this a 4 out of 4 stars. This book would appeal to readers interested in the history genre overall, particularly the Boer war. Written with depictions of war, adult situations, and strong language a mature audience would likely best enjoy this content. This book is well worth the read as it is an insightful narrative about a time in history told from a unique perspective.

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Forgiven
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Like bellaterrabooks's review? Post a comment saying so!

[Phirmi]

In short, the story was narrative, with good diction display. However, if on page 62, there could be briefings to the hidden character that failed to introduce "willy", it would have scored 4 out of 4 stars. It's really worth reading for bibliophiles. I salute Richard's military exploits and bravery, but the love aspects was observed which then score the book 3 out of 4 stars.

Weldon Goeff Lawson!

[Maya_Nyssa]

This is a great, very descriptive review. However, it only confirmed for me what I had already decided when reading the sample. I have read too many war-related historical fiction books recently, and I'm ready for a break from it. Adding the romantic element is not enough to deter me.