Laurie M. (reading-galore) -
Helpful Score: 1
This is another beautifully crafted novel by Hazel Gaynor filled with interesting history of lighthouse keeping and fascinating characters. It bounces back and forth between two centuries with the story settings in both Ireland and America. I loved how it illustrated the challenges that women faced in both times and places, as well as the impact of fame on a personal life. This is definitely one of my favorites reads of this year!
This a is a wonderful story for women and lighthouse lover alike. The history and facts are woven into the story and at the end you wish there was more.
I can't believe my luck, in stumbling across a new author for me, that each one I've read has turned out to be 5-star reads. I see a pattern to Gaynor's writing style; she flips between the past and present (normally an instant killer for me), introducing characters so absorbing that I barely notice the perspective changes, they're that smooth. I love how easily the past intertwines with the present. The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter is stunning, and in many spots it's almost poetic. Oh, and that love letter! Tears, readers, tears! Must I return my library copy? Haunting, beautiful, bittersweet; what more can I say? Don't pass this one up. 5 stars.
