My good friend Bennie gave me a couple of books a few weeks back and they have sat under my desk at work for the occasions when 1. I forget to bring a book and 2. for when I finish the book I have brought within the first few hours of my shift and need something else to read. Let me tell you, absolute boredom buster, 10/10 would do again.
As you all know (if you follow my goodreads), my current books of choice range from the grotesque (Darren Shan) to crime novels (Hamish Macbeth) and over the last month or so we haven't seen much variation. Sea of Lost Love threw something else into the mix, it gave me a little bit of a break, and to be quite honest it called to me because a title like that just screams heartbreak, and in a time like this there isn't an emotion better to distract you than despair.
I have to say I do like a book that punches me in the heart. I tend to read them in private where I can cry and not be judged. I fully expected Sea of Lost Love to be one of those books. You know the ones. When you are the only girl in your closest friend group its like chick flicks, you can't admit this stuff appeals to you in case they notice you are an imposter, you aren't 'one of the guys'. Luckily for me the boys are somewhat more accepting and we have active discussions about the books we read regardless of genre. It's a safe space in our group chat.
But yeah, it's one of those books which will actively intrude on your emotions, it's something specially reserved when you have a longing to actually feel something. What I wasn't expecting however, was for it to evolve from a book on loss to a romance. Of course it did state this on the back of the book but I was lost in the grief.
Father Dalgliesh was a red herring. The book opened when he went to visit the Montague family in Cornwall having taken over the mantel from the priest before him. At first I thought he was going to induce an elicit affair with the bubbly Julia, she noticed he was attractive right off the bat. But that wasn't to be. Next I thought he was going to renounce God and go off with Celestria who turns out to be our main character despite the lengthy introduction of all our somewhat minor characters. None of which really have much bearing on the final story line but it's a nice set up to see how it impacts how Celestria has been brought up.
Anyway, as it turns out this complex story isn't really anything to do with Father Dalgliesh at all. While he also falls victim to Celestria's charm, he is but a pawn in our jump to take space. He was the first to treat her honestly and pushes her to make an uncomfortable decision leading to the grim discovery of the truth about her father's death.
I was misguided, I thought we were in for a Father Brown type plot but once we ditched the Priest we followed our somewhat selfish young lady over to Italy. I wasn't that interested in the starting plot, rich family bickering and having parties while entitled men pray on the innocent youth wasn't really my thing, but as soon as Monty was presumed dead having committed suicide things started to pick up. My interest was piqued. Things were not what they seemed.
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD
I won't lie, and I don't want to seem impressive, but I guessed Monty was living a double life and had staged his death. However, I hadn't quite anticipated the scale on which he had done this. I knew there would probably be a second wife and another set of children, but you've got to give him credit, he was crafty and clearly knew how to make a new life for himself. It angered me that they accepted their lot and at the very least Armel just ceased to find him and bring him to justice. Also what happened to the Countess? Did she die there on the steps? I know we are really supposed to be seeing this from Celestria's point of view and that issue was no longer in her orbit but it would be nice to know if this woman died following her interference. I know her pivotal plot was based on going from selfish from falling in love but there is only so much self absorbed-ness a reader can take before they start to hate the characters.
I say hate, that's a strong word, and towards the end perhaps I was a little jealous of her, Hamish sounds delicious, but I just feel like we went from me, me, me, to wow other people exist. I know this was intended to show she really did fall in love, but it all seemed so sudden, there wasn't as much of a gradual step to caring for others as I had hoped.
Moving on to this dark past with Hamish, that was a wee bit of a shock. Obviously we knew there was something because he hated Monty and that was his grounds for despising Celestria, but it was only hinted to what until that outburst. I know we were nearing the end of the book at this point but I thought Natalia's death would be a little bit more dramatic. Instead his terrible guilt came tumbling out and almost underwhelmed the secret she took to the grave. Also he wasn't sure he pushed her but we know he has a bit of a temper, did we just dismiss a possible murderer?
I really liked the romantic bit during one of the later chapters before we fully explore Hamish and Celestria's strong attraction to each other. It wasn't romantic in the traditional sense, more the idea of a spirit being held back because of the grief of a loved one. I think that could have been touched on again, Natalia having finally been released and that was why her candle finally went out. A missed opportunity if ever I saw one, where is the poetry? I also feel like Hamish, although understandably guilty due to falling in love again, shouldn't have dropped the memory of his dead wife quite as quickly. It was almost like she never existed towards the end. 3 years tormenting someone with a mixture of grief and guilt and then boom nothing, doesn't sit right but I think it became a bit rushed at the end. Both the writing and my eagerness to finish it.
I kept turning to Bennie on Tuesday and telling her how addictive the book was. I was getting grumpy at the constant interruptions preventing me to read. She understood, the dear gets me.
I'd like to award this beautiful book a fantastique 7/10. I fell in love, I panicked when little Bouncy went missing, I grieved as if I were a Montague. It was emotional to say the very least. But I enjoyed it almost every step of the way. As a side note read the Epilogue it ties up a very big loose end.
On another note, I heard the author doesn't like the name Sea of Lost Love as it means nothing in terms of the book. While I agree on that note I actually quite like the name, it's what drew me to this book over the others in the first place. And to give her more credit than she wishes to receive, I think it sums up the book a great deal more than she thinks. Celestria left behind a great deal of people who loved her, and who she loved dearly as well upon her move to Italy. She lost the love of her father who was believed to have been claimed by the sea, and that great ocean of adoration she was used to suddenly dried her up and spurred her into the love she was supposed to receive. I think it makes perfect sense if you look for deeper meaning. I think the alternative name 'Monty' wouldn't have done it, as the story isn't really about Monty at all, just the footprints he left behind. And it almost isn't about Celestria either, this is a story about appreciation and self discovery in terms of fate and happiness. Yes.
Get prepared for next week dear readers, I turn 23 on review day and boy do I have a treat lined up while I'm stuffing cheese and cake! Until then!
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