About The Story Collector
A beautiful and mysterious historical romance from the author of The Heirloom and The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris.
Thornwood Village, 1910. Anna, a young farm girl, volunteers to help an intriguing American visitor, Harold Griffin-Krauss, translate 'fairy stories' from Irish to English.
But all is not as it seems and Anna soon finds herself at the heart of a mystery that threatens the future of her community and her very way of life.....
Captivated by the land of myth, folklore and superstition, Sarah Harper finds herself walking in the footsteps of Harold and Anna one hundred years later, unearthing dark secrets that both enchant and unnerve.
The Story Collector treads the intriguing line between the everyday and the otherworldly, the seen and the unseen. With a taste for the magical in everyday life, Evie Gaughan's latest novel is full of ordinary characters with extraordinary tales to tell. Perfect for fans of Jess Kidd and Eowyn Ivey.
My review of The Story Collector
Oh My Heart! Loved this book so much! It's full of magic and faeries and love and hope and stories. Blending the past and present day with the ordinary, and the not so ordinary, creates a memorable and utterly breathtaking read.
I was instantly drawn to this book because of the cover, you just want to stroke it. Although I'm not usually a huge fan of historical fiction, I love Irish stories and tales of magic and romance, and with the comparison made to Eowyn Ivey (I adore The Snow Child) I just knew that I had to read this book.
This really is a beautiful book that features two strong female characters. Sarah, who is based in the present day, and Anna who lived 100 years ago, and who is brought to life through the reading of her diary. Both women share similarities, strengths and a common bond. At the heart of this story is how we learn to live with grief, how it shapes and defines who we are. Sarah reads Anna's diary, and although one hundred years separate them, Sarah feels a strong connection with this young woman, a farmer's daughter, and begins to learn how to live and love by learning from what happened to her.
Anna and Harold were truly captivating. Both as individuals, and when working together on gaining stories from the locals. I enjoyed their conversations, and of how Harold saw Anna as an equal. I loved reading about them. We then have Sarah and her personal struggles. How she welcomes the quiet village, its remoteness, while she gathers her thoughts and tries to rebuild her life. Here is a young woman with so much fight and spirit, that I just couldn't help but warm to her. Her story is just as fascinating as Anna's.
The Story Collector is a joyous read. It has everything. Magical tales, love, secrets and a mystery to solve. Perfect summer reading and pure escapism.
With thanks to the publisher who provided a paperback proof copy for review purposes.
The Story Collector is published on 14 June by Urbane Publications. It can be found on Amazon here
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