Official Review: Forgiven by Geoff Lawson

[Sharill Rasowo]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Forgiven" by Geoff Lawson.]

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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.

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Forgiven
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[kfwilson6]

Love as a motivation for joining a war, interesting. I always enjoy the "love conquers all" theme, but I don't typically go for war-based stories. This does sound like a great book for someone wanting to learn about the Anglo-Boer War while enjoying a romance.

[Ptah06]

The book is all well set and good but not for me.... It's just a war thing.

[Kirigo wachira]

I love the characters in the book. I love the plot of the book. Great review.

[Ruba Abu Ali]

I love the combination of historical fiction and romance. Will add this to my reading list. Thanks for the charming review.

[Cecilia_L]

I'm glad you made mention of the importance of the chapter titles pertaining to the plot. Great review!

[Emi_Review]

I love historical fiction and can barely remember much about the Boer war from the little I had learnt in school. It would be nice to re-jog my memory whilst enjoying a well crafted book. Your review has only positives so I just have to add this to my reading list! Thank you!

[Debjani Ghosh]

This book straddles two genres- historical fiction and romance. Judging from your review, the author has done justice to both. Thanks for the review!

[420waystoreachthesun]

First of all, I love historical fiction. Secondly, now I really want to read this one.

[crediblereading2]

I have always been curious about New Zealand and hope one day to visit it. The plot of the story is very intriguing and original. I hope that Richard will be able to prove himself to Rachael's family. Thank you for a superb review of this book.

[Keevan]

I never heard of this particular war. The book seems to take it readers in the thick of it. I'm not sure if I will read this one because I have a tendancy to become attached to the characters and based on your review it sounds like the reader shouldn't become attached.

Good job on your review.

[gali]

A book revolving around a romance during the Anglo-Boer War sounds original. It is good that the romance is smoothly weaved into the story. That it was well edited is another plus. Using phrases like Moriarty is certainly creative. I don't care for war stories, but I am glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for the review!

[kandscreeley]

The 19th century, a tarnished reputation and social statuses? Definitely sounds intriguing. I'm not sure if it's good or bad that the main character was really lucky. Too much of that and it feels unrealistic. Still, your review has me intrigued. Thanks so much! I'll consider this one.

[Kister Bless]

Forgiven by Geoff Lawson is a combination of historical fiction and romance. Can love be a motivation for one to join war? I really have the desire to know by reading this interesting book. The story of Richard Wilson, a New Zealander who falls in love with a girl named Rachel Purdue. Richard's love for Rachel motivated him into joining the Anglo-Boer War. How did it end? Great review!

[Laura Ungureanu]

A book with interesting setting, in New Zealand and South Africa, that covers the time spent in the war and the love story of Richard Wilson. I don't find it appealing to my reading taste.