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What the Wind Knows
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Historical Fiction (2019)In an unforgettable love story, a woman’s impossible journey through the ages could change everything…
Anne Gallagher grew up enchanted by her grandfather’s stories of Ireland. Heartbroken at his death, she travels to his childhood home to spread his ashes. There, overcome with memories of the man she adored and consumed by a history she never knew, she is pulled into another time.
The Ireland of 1921, teetering on the edge of war, is a dangerous place in which to awaken. But there Anne finds herself, hurt, disoriented, and under the care of Dr. Thomas Smith, guardian to a young boy who is oddly familiar. Mistaken for the boy’s long-missing mother, Anne adopts her identity, convinced the woman’s disappearance is connected to her own.
As tensions rise, Thomas joins the struggle for Ireland’s independence and Anne is drawn into the conflict beside him. Caught between history and her heart, she must decide whether she’s willing to let go of the life she knew for a love she never thought she’d find. But in the end, is the choice actually hers to make?
Anne Gallagher grew up enchanted by her grandfather’s stories of Ireland. Heartbroken at his death, she travels to his childhood home to spread his ashes. There, overcome with memories of the man she adored and consumed by a history she never knew, she is pulled into another time.
The Ireland of 1921, teetering on the edge of war, is a dangerous place in which to awaken. But there Anne finds herself, hurt, disoriented, and under the care of Dr. Thomas Smith, guardian to a young boy who is oddly familiar. Mistaken for the boy’s long-missing mother, Anne adopts her identity, convinced the woman’s disappearance is connected to her own.
As tensions rise, Thomas joins the struggle for Ireland’s independence and Anne is drawn into the conflict beside him. Caught between history and her heart, she must decide whether she’s willing to let go of the life she knew for a love she never thought she’d find. But in the end, is the choice actually hers to make?
418 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2019
About the author
Amy Harmon
23 books18.4k followersAmy Harmon is a Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and New York Times Bestselling author. Amy knew at an early age that writing was something she wanted to do, and she divided her time between writing songs and stories as she grew. Having grown up in the middle of wheat fields without a television, with only her books and her siblings to entertain her, she developed a strong sense of what made a good story. Her books are now being published in two dozen languages, truly a dream come true for a little country girl.
Amy Harmon has written eighteen novels including the USA Today Bestsellers, Making Faces and Running Barefoot, as well as The Law of Moses, Infinity + One and the New York Times Bestseller, A Different Blue. Her fantasy novel, The Bird and the Sword, was a Goodreads Book of the Year finalist. Her newest release, What the Wind Knows, is an Amazon charts and Wall Street Journal bestseller. For updates on upcoming book releases, author posts and more, join Amy at www.authoramyharmon.com.
Amy Harmon has written eighteen novels including the USA Today Bestsellers, Making Faces and Running Barefoot, as well as The Law of Moses, Infinity + One and the New York Times Bestseller, A Different Blue. Her fantasy novel, The Bird and the Sword, was a Goodreads Book of the Year finalist. Her newest release, What the Wind Knows, is an Amazon charts and Wall Street Journal bestseller. For updates on upcoming book releases, author posts and more, join Amy at www.authoramyharmon.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 10,154 reviews
March 3, 2022
This is so poetic, lyrical, heart warming, exciting journey starts with the mythical story of Niamh and Oisin, continues with time changing moments of Irish Revolution and we’re catching glimpses from Michael Collins’ life story and his fight for freedom and finally witnessing an unconditional, timeless , amazing love story of Anne and Thomas.
This journey’s the most important element is water which departs and unites our heroes.
There are so many amazing Yeats’ poems you may find in this book but my favorite part is written on Thomas’ diary:
“... I watch mesmerized, as her skin becomes smooth once more, my touch forgotten. I’ve left a smudge in the crook of her arm. There is ink on my fingers. I like the way it looks, my thumbprint on her skin. If I were a better artist, I would paint her in thumbprints, leaving my mark in my all favorite places, a testament of my devotion.”
T. S will always be my favorite literary hero. And this will always be one of my favorite Amy Harmon’s book.
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This journey’s the most important element is water which departs and unites our heroes.
There are so many amazing Yeats’ poems you may find in this book but my favorite part is written on Thomas’ diary:
“... I watch mesmerized, as her skin becomes smooth once more, my touch forgotten. I’ve left a smudge in the crook of her arm. There is ink on my fingers. I like the way it looks, my thumbprint on her skin. If I were a better artist, I would paint her in thumbprints, leaving my mark in my all favorite places, a testament of my devotion.”
T. S will always be my favorite literary hero. And this will always be one of my favorite Amy Harmon’s book.
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March 1, 2023
5+ stars!
This book was something special. Quite frankly, it’s the first book in a while that blew me away. The storytelling is magical and it’s such a heart-wrenching, yet beautiful tale. I am such a fan of time traveling in books, especially when it’s done well, and this was done so well. It’s a historical romance and I can tell Amy did her research. This book was well thought out, smart, enthralling, and fascinating. I loved it so much!
Anne finds herself not in the current twenty-first century, but in the 1920’s. She finds herself back at the same place Eoin grew up, only Thomas Smith, the doctor that helped raise Eoin is there, and Anne is mistaken from her great grandmother, who she is a dead-ringer for. Anne can’t explain herself, her great-grandmother had been ‘missing’ for some time and it’s a very complicated situation.
As more time passes, Anne becomes used to living in this other time period. The more time she spends with Thomas, the more she never wants to leave. Sigh. Thomas. This man was gentle, kind, generous, and the best kind of hero. I didn’t know how a happy ending between these two could come to fruition but I hoped with all my heart they got the happiness they both deserved.
I don’t want to talk much more about the past, present, or logistics. It’s better to read that for yourself and see. I will say that the way the author wrote it made sense in the best way it could. Everything is connected, everything that happened happened for a reason and at the right time. It may not seem that way, but it did. It was completely seamless.
This book was a stunning romance, but it was also historical in a way that kept my interest and I honestly felt like I really learned a lot about this time in Irish history from this book. I loved that. I actually looked up some of the characters that were based on real people and read up on them, I was that interested. I am not the biggest history buff, but the way Amy wrote this book had me so curious.
What the Wind Knows is truly a gem of a book. I have no doubts at all that it will be on my top favorite list of 2019. It shows that love is timeless. It will give you all the feels and truly make your heart want to explode with happiness. This story is beautiful, magical and it’s not just something you read, it’s something you experience. A definite must read!
This book was something special. Quite frankly, it’s the first book in a while that blew me away. The storytelling is magical and it’s such a heart-wrenching, yet beautiful tale. I am such a fan of time traveling in books, especially when it’s done well, and this was done so well. It’s a historical romance and I can tell Amy did her research. This book was well thought out, smart, enthralling, and fascinating. I loved it so much!
"Yes. I told you. You told me. And you will tell me again. Only the wind knows which truly comes first.”This story starts with Anne Gallagher at her dying grandfather’s side. Her heart is broken. Eoin isn’t just Anne’s grandfather. He’s her confidant, her best friend, and he raised her. After Eoin passes, he wishes for Anne to take him back to the one place they’ve never traveled. Back to his hometown in Ireland. Anne is grieving, but also excited to be here. She feels closer to Eoin than ever. As she goes to spread his ashes as she promised, something strange happens…
Anne finds herself not in the current twenty-first century, but in the 1920’s. She finds herself back at the same place Eoin grew up, only Thomas Smith, the doctor that helped raise Eoin is there, and Anne is mistaken from her great grandmother, who she is a dead-ringer for. Anne can’t explain herself, her great-grandmother had been ‘missing’ for some time and it’s a very complicated situation.
As more time passes, Anne becomes used to living in this other time period. The more time she spends with Thomas, the more she never wants to leave. Sigh. Thomas. This man was gentle, kind, generous, and the best kind of hero. I didn’t know how a happy ending between these two could come to fruition but I hoped with all my heart they got the happiness they both deserved.
“Thomas?” I moaned into his mouth. “Yes?” he murmured, his body thrumming beneath my hands. “I want to stay,” I panted. “Anne,” he demanded, swallowing my sighs and caressing my cares away. “Yes?” “Please don’t go.”
I don’t want to talk much more about the past, present, or logistics. It’s better to read that for yourself and see. I will say that the way the author wrote it made sense in the best way it could. Everything is connected, everything that happened happened for a reason and at the right time. It may not seem that way, but it did. It was completely seamless.
This book was a stunning romance, but it was also historical in a way that kept my interest and I honestly felt like I really learned a lot about this time in Irish history from this book. I loved that. I actually looked up some of the characters that were based on real people and read up on them, I was that interested. I am not the biggest history buff, but the way Amy wrote this book had me so curious.
What the Wind Knows is truly a gem of a book. I have no doubts at all that it will be on my top favorite list of 2019. It shows that love is timeless. It will give you all the feels and truly make your heart want to explode with happiness. This story is beautiful, magical and it’s not just something you read, it’s something you experience. A definite must read!
April 9, 2019
Simply put .... Magnificent!!
My first Amy Harmon read, and I absolutely get it now. I absolutely get why this author’s writings are so beloved. She pens a gorgeous, unforgettable romance.
If all men loved their wives the way I love Anne, we would all be a useless lot.
While I went into this blind, and highly recommend you do as well, I will tell you this is a historical romance and a time travel read. The setting is Ireland beginning in the year 1916.
I share this information because I stay away from the time travel genre. BUT ... what an exception this was to my usual experience. It was completely mesmerizing.
I also ‘listened’ to this book. It was the first time I heard a dual narration. And, WOW!! I didn’t want it to end.
On a personal note, I live in a town settled by many Irish immigrants, and found it fascinating that it was was named after an area of Dublin mentioned numerous times this book ... Mount Joy!
My first Amy Harmon read, and I absolutely get it now. I absolutely get why this author’s writings are so beloved. She pens a gorgeous, unforgettable romance.
If all men loved their wives the way I love Anne, we would all be a useless lot.
While I went into this blind, and highly recommend you do as well, I will tell you this is a historical romance and a time travel read. The setting is Ireland beginning in the year 1916.
I share this information because I stay away from the time travel genre. BUT ... what an exception this was to my usual experience. It was completely mesmerizing.
I also ‘listened’ to this book. It was the first time I heard a dual narration. And, WOW!! I didn’t want it to end.
On a personal note, I live in a town settled by many Irish immigrants, and found it fascinating that it was was named after an area of Dublin mentioned numerous times this book ... Mount Joy!
July 9, 2023
Wow what a fantastic book and one of the best books I have read this year.
What the Wind Knows is an epic story written by Amy Harmon, and is an amazing interpretation of events in Ireland during the period of 1916 – 1922, the Easter Rising and Ireland’s fight for its independence. It is a stunning work of fiction interwoven with true historical events, combining the magical and the real. Whilst I have read several books from this period, this one was special. It speaks of the ordinary and the extraordinary events and people that are entwined in a way that captures the very essence of Ireland during this period. The book is very cleverly written without the political basis.
Anne brought up by her grandfather, has enjoyed years of folklore and stories about the Emerald Isle, but she now has one final journey to make with him. Eoin, her grandfather, wants his ashes scattered on Lough Gill in Ireland. On the lough beset with fog, Ann is shot and pulled from the lake by Dr Thomas Smith, but the extraordinary happens and Ann is transported back in time to 1922.
The fantasy part of the book is quite ingenious, the Anne today becomes Anne Gallagher, wife of Declan, both of whom were killed at the GPO, one of the key landmark sites during the Easter rising. Anne falls in love and marries Thomas and is exposed to the men caught up in Ireland’s struggles. Not from these parts, Anne is treated with suspicion by the Irish, none other than Michael Collins himself. However, she wins over his trust and tries to warn him about the extra steps he must take to protect his own life during this period of uncertainty and political unrest. We get an alluring and fascinating insight into Michael Collins the man, not the Political Irish leader.
I don’t care much for time travel but I loved this book. I don’t like mushy love stories but I loved this story about love and survival without going over the top with emotional prose. If I want to read about Political events, I will read a history book that provides historical facts. However, if I want to read a book that provides a great plot, inspired by real events and people and characters that are believable, then this is a great option. If you want a book that also captures the very essence of Irelands struggles and a book that is expertly written with a little sprinkling of Yeats thrown in for an extra bit of magic – then it doesn’t come much better than this.
A book that touched my heart, an author that got me in the ‘feeler’s’ in every way possible. Beautiful.
What the Wind Knows is an epic story written by Amy Harmon, and is an amazing interpretation of events in Ireland during the period of 1916 – 1922, the Easter Rising and Ireland’s fight for its independence. It is a stunning work of fiction interwoven with true historical events, combining the magical and the real. Whilst I have read several books from this period, this one was special. It speaks of the ordinary and the extraordinary events and people that are entwined in a way that captures the very essence of Ireland during this period. The book is very cleverly written without the political basis.
Anne brought up by her grandfather, has enjoyed years of folklore and stories about the Emerald Isle, but she now has one final journey to make with him. Eoin, her grandfather, wants his ashes scattered on Lough Gill in Ireland. On the lough beset with fog, Ann is shot and pulled from the lake by Dr Thomas Smith, but the extraordinary happens and Ann is transported back in time to 1922.
The fantasy part of the book is quite ingenious, the Anne today becomes Anne Gallagher, wife of Declan, both of whom were killed at the GPO, one of the key landmark sites during the Easter rising. Anne falls in love and marries Thomas and is exposed to the men caught up in Ireland’s struggles. Not from these parts, Anne is treated with suspicion by the Irish, none other than Michael Collins himself. However, she wins over his trust and tries to warn him about the extra steps he must take to protect his own life during this period of uncertainty and political unrest. We get an alluring and fascinating insight into Michael Collins the man, not the Political Irish leader.
I don’t care much for time travel but I loved this book. I don’t like mushy love stories but I loved this story about love and survival without going over the top with emotional prose. If I want to read about Political events, I will read a history book that provides historical facts. However, if I want to read a book that provides a great plot, inspired by real events and people and characters that are believable, then this is a great option. If you want a book that also captures the very essence of Irelands struggles and a book that is expertly written with a little sprinkling of Yeats thrown in for an extra bit of magic – then it doesn’t come much better than this.
A book that touched my heart, an author that got me in the ‘feeler’s’ in every way possible. Beautiful.
November 12, 2022
What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon (Author), Saskia Maarleveld (Narrator), Will Damron (Narrator)
I wasn't sure I wanted to read this story because it involves time travel but after pondering reviews for the last year, I decided to give it a go and I'm glad that I did. As with many historical fictions, reading/hearing them leads me to researching the real life events while I enjoy the book. I didn't know much about Ireland's fight for independence but learning more about it from the internet allowed me to enjoy the story even more than I would have by just listening to the story. Getting to picture the real life characters, as they really looked, gave me a better feel of the time and the place. I came away from this book feeling like I learned a lot from my reading and research.
Anne Gallagher was raised by her grandfather, Owen, who regaled her with stories of Ireland and her ancestors. When he dies in 2001, Anne travels to Ireland to spread his ashes on his home ground. But something dangerous and strange happens and Anne wakes up 1916 and is mistaken for little Owen's mother. Anne's heartbreak of losing her beloved grandfather is alleviated by getting to know her grandfather as a child. Anne knew that orphaned Owen was raised by Dr. Thomas Smith and she soon comes to respect this man who made Owen the man he grew up to be.
Thomas's good friend is Irish leader, Michael Collins, and Anne finds herself very much involved in the inner circle of Michael's work. She knows his fate and that of Ireland, she has to deal with being dropped into a past she isn't prepared for, and she is mistaken for Owen's lookalike mother. I'm glad that the author didn't work very hard to explain how Anne found herself in this long ago time. The details remain a mystery to us and Anne and that works for me. I became very attached to the characters and for the first time, I found myself enjoying poetry. Throughout the book, poetry by W.B. Yeats is recited by both narrators and the story meshes so well with the poetry that I understood it and want to read some of Yeats work now.
Pub March 1, 2019
This was a Kindle Unlimited audio selection.
I wasn't sure I wanted to read this story because it involves time travel but after pondering reviews for the last year, I decided to give it a go and I'm glad that I did. As with many historical fictions, reading/hearing them leads me to researching the real life events while I enjoy the book. I didn't know much about Ireland's fight for independence but learning more about it from the internet allowed me to enjoy the story even more than I would have by just listening to the story. Getting to picture the real life characters, as they really looked, gave me a better feel of the time and the place. I came away from this book feeling like I learned a lot from my reading and research.
Anne Gallagher was raised by her grandfather, Owen, who regaled her with stories of Ireland and her ancestors. When he dies in 2001, Anne travels to Ireland to spread his ashes on his home ground. But something dangerous and strange happens and Anne wakes up 1916 and is mistaken for little Owen's mother. Anne's heartbreak of losing her beloved grandfather is alleviated by getting to know her grandfather as a child. Anne knew that orphaned Owen was raised by Dr. Thomas Smith and she soon comes to respect this man who made Owen the man he grew up to be.
Thomas's good friend is Irish leader, Michael Collins, and Anne finds herself very much involved in the inner circle of Michael's work. She knows his fate and that of Ireland, she has to deal with being dropped into a past she isn't prepared for, and she is mistaken for Owen's lookalike mother. I'm glad that the author didn't work very hard to explain how Anne found herself in this long ago time. The details remain a mystery to us and Anne and that works for me. I became very attached to the characters and for the first time, I found myself enjoying poetry. Throughout the book, poetry by W.B. Yeats is recited by both narrators and the story meshes so well with the poetry that I understood it and want to read some of Yeats work now.
Pub March 1, 2019
This was a Kindle Unlimited audio selection.
May 21, 2020
‘i love her with an intensity i didnt think myself capable of. yeats writes about being changed utterly. i am changed utterly. irrevocably. and i can only revel in all its gloriousness.’
this quote describes exactly how i feel about this story. i love it so much that i feel changed. but mine is a subtle change - the change that comes to all readers as they quietly, but surely, make room in their hearts for a new favourite story. and my heart now holds even more love for ireland.
ive always love ireland, its people, and its culture; so this story definitely calls me. no country has a perfect history, but there is something about irelands history that i have found beautiful, even in the midst of turmoil. and this book definitely shows the certain hope and love that can be found in uncertain times.
AH has once again tugged at my heartstrings and made me fall in love with her writing, her characters, and her stories all over again.
↠ 5 stars
this quote describes exactly how i feel about this story. i love it so much that i feel changed. but mine is a subtle change - the change that comes to all readers as they quietly, but surely, make room in their hearts for a new favourite story. and my heart now holds even more love for ireland.
ive always love ireland, its people, and its culture; so this story definitely calls me. no country has a perfect history, but there is something about irelands history that i have found beautiful, even in the midst of turmoil. and this book definitely shows the certain hope and love that can be found in uncertain times.
AH has once again tugged at my heartstrings and made me fall in love with her writing, her characters, and her stories all over again.
↠ 5 stars
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January 11, 2019
When you fall in love in the past, is there such a thing as tomorrow?
What the Wind Knows, a historical romance set in Ireland’s 1920’s, will be released in hardcover on February 1, 2019, and in paperback, ebook and audiobook on March 1, 2019.
Pre-order available on:
KINDLE | HARDCOVER | PAPERBACK | AUDIO and in MP3
Read the story behind the story.
Pre-order available on:
KINDLE | HARDCOVER | PAPERBACK | AUDIO and in MP3
Copyright © Amy Harmon
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | AMAZON | BOOKBUB | NEWSLETTER
What the Wind Knows, a historical romance set in Ireland’s 1920’s, will be released in hardcover on February 1, 2019, and in paperback, ebook and audiobook on March 1, 2019.
Pre-order available on:
KINDLE | HARDCOVER | PAPERBACK | AUDIO and in MP3
Anne – 1921
She is the same, but not the same at all
"You must read the book, Annie. Promise me you’ll read the book. He loves you so much, and he’s been waiting so long."
I paused over a picture of a grand house with trees clustered around the edges and a glimmer of lake in the distance. “What is this place?” I asked, breathless. “That is Garvagh Glebe.”
”Someday your great-great-grandchildren will come to Ireland. They will walk up the hill where you are laid to rest, and they will sit by the stone that bears your name. They will know that this was your home, and because it is your home, it is theirs as well.
That is what Ireland does.
It calls her children home."
Thomas Smith was the kind of man who would slip into and out of a room without drawing much attention. He wasn’t loud or obtrusive even as he moved and acted with an innate confidence. He was simply Thomas Smith, as ordinary as his name,
and yet . . . not ordinary at all.
Read the story behind the story.
Pre-order available on:
KINDLE | HARDCOVER | PAPERBACK | AUDIO and in MP3
Copyright © Amy Harmon
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | AMAZON | BOOKBUB | NEWSLETTER
September 12, 2019
I started this book with a little bit of trepidation. Irish setting, Irish Politics and History, Irish characters, Time-travel (although I did read Outlander and LOVED IT) ... You know me by now - if it is not done right, I will get on my high Irish horse about it! I didn't even have to put my foot in the stirrup or even take the horse from the stable ... I LOVED IT. Especially the history. By the end of the story, my heart was breaking and I was in tears ... not so much for the characters in the book for the "real" characters who did exist in the early 1900s and lived and died for Ireland.
The history after the 1916 Easter Rising is just a garbled mess of opinions and blame.
The book is heavily referenced with the poetry of William Butler Yeats, a favourite poet of mine. I spent my childhood summers in Sligo (which is the neighbouring county to Leitrim, where this book is set). Sligo is also where Yeats is buried. We had books with his poetry in the house. We often visited Lough Gill (one year we even took a boat out onto the Lough (what an adventure that was - not a lifejacket in sight)), visited Lisadell House (I wanted to be the Gazelle), Sligo Town (Lyons shop - what a memory). When my own children were born, myself and himself brought them to Sligo too, visited the grave of Yeats on many occasion ...
I am sure they would kill me if they thought I was posting their picture here ...
The book is set mostly in the 1920s, where Anne has travelled back to Ireland. To Dromahair, the homeland of her ancestors.
Tragedy make for great stories ...
We meet the leaders of the fight for freedom for Ireland, Michael Collins, in particular ... or Mick as he was called. Michael Collins is either revered or reviled in Ireland. Irish politics was complicated. It still is. I spent 3 days in Dublin last week (where my son is studying for a Master's Degree in Irish History at Trinity College (sorry, I just have to name drop!!) - we visited Kilmainham Gaol, Glasnevin Cemetary, The Gresham Hotel ... all of these places are mentioned in the book.
"He wants me to take the fall when it fails."
Didn't he just, the bastard.
I wish they had taken the key and thrown it away when they put DeValera in his cell in Kilmainham. Born in New York - ye can have him! He wasn't executed with the rest of the Easter Rising leaders. Always a wily fucker, he was.
I have come to terms with the fact that idealism often rewrites history to suit her narrative. The truth is, the English are not all tyrants, and the Irish are not all saints. Enough blood has been cast, to condemn us all ... but Ireland deserves her independence ...
So, you are wondering if I did have any criticism of the book ... well .... maybe one or two but I could be completely wrong - I didn't do the research. I am not a historian - I am leaving that to my son, who is studying at Trinity College, Dublin (did I mention that already!!!) ... there is a reference to a "Ferguson's Drugstore" in Sligo - I don't think pharmacies would have been referred to "drugstores" in Ireland back then. One woman was giving Anne directions, when she arrives in Dromahair. The woman was in her 80s, I think, and she told her to travel 3 "kilometres" - Ireland used “miles” for many years before changing to metric and I know that my Mam (who would have been around the same age, 80/90) would never have said "kilometre". She would still have used "miles". I think there was one more thing. The name Sean O'Connell (my name) (not the ‘Sean’, obviously, but the ‘O'Connell’) and there was no síne fada (accent) on the "a" i.e. Seán! (I have lived in Brussels, Belgium for 30 years but still have my Irish standards). When my son was born, I told my husband not to come back from registering his name with the local Commune without the "fada" on his name ... Seán. He didn't let me down and it annoys me to see the name without the "fada". I know, I know, I am "nitpicking"!!
Death in Ireland meant a life in Ireland, not a life as an immigrant somewhere else.
It's funny. Having being an immigrant now for 30 years, it is great that my two sons are now in college in Ireland - one in Galway (his father's Alma Mater) and one in Dublin. Then again, we instilled their Irish heritage into them from a very young age. Read Irish stories to them, listened to Irish music, brought them "home" at least 2 or 3 times per year, threatened them with the wooden spoon, fed them Guinness from a young age... you get my drift.
Béal na mBláth
There are too many lost souls in Ireland because of politics ...
Collins, Yeats, Sligo ... the author said she "fell in love with Michael Collins", while researching and writing the book. I think I did too ... poor Mick.
Don't go near the water, love.
Stay away from strand or sea.
You cannot walk on water, love;
the lough will take you far from me
You can take the girl out of Ireland, but you cannot take Ireland out of the girl ...
Where apples still grow in November
Where blossoms still bloom from each tree
Where leaves are still green in November
It's then that our land will be free
I wander her hills and her valleys
And still through my sorrows I see
A land that has never known freedom
And only her rivers run free
I drink to the death of her manhood
Those men who rather have died
Than to live in the cold chains of bondage
To bring back their rights were denied
Oh were are you now when we need you
What burns were the flame used to be
Are you gone like the snow of last winter
And will only our rivers run free
How sweet is the life but we're crying
How mellow the wine but its dry
How fragrent the rose but its dying
How gentle the breeze but it sighs
What good is in youth when its aging
What joy is in eyes that can't see
When there's sorrow in sunshine and flowers
And still only our rivers run free
- Mickey MacConnell
March 16, 2021
The only thing negative I could possibly say about What the Wind Knows is that Irish I’d read it sooner.
Sorry about that. You know I can’t help myself.
But in all seriousness, this novel is pretty close to perfection. In honor of Saint Patrick and the leaves of a lucky clover, I raise these four points of admiration:
- While there is a time travel element, this is not “Irelander.” Our heroine Anne does find herself mysteriously back in the 1920’s, but then it’s a linear historical fiction narrative. There’s no hopping back and forth from time period to time period. As someone who tried and failed twice to read The Time Traveller’s Wife, this was a welcome surprise. Fear not the time travel trope here.
- I learned stuff! Anne ends up in the company of Michael Collins (the Irish leader, not the astronaut, obv.) and his crew in Ireland’s struggle for independence. Harmon easily layers in historical detail that feels key to the story and not like a lecture.
- There’s romance, but Anne and her beau keep the sexy time door fairly closed. I’m not big on steam, and what we get here is mist, at best.
- Each chapter opens with a poem by Yeats. I never find the time (or inclination?) to read poetry, so bonus!
All that’s really just a long-winded way to say you shouldn’t put off reading What the Wind Knows any longer. ;)
This and Harmon’s other novels are available as part of the Kindle Unlimited program with WhisperSync for those who prefer the audiobook format. (As of 3/16/21.)
But wait! There's more! If this still doesn't sound like your kind of read, I've rounded up some other books (and their adaptations) set in Ireland for Saint Patrick's Day on the wee blog o'mine: https://www.confettibookshelf.com/boo...
Sorry about that. You know I can’t help myself.
But in all seriousness, this novel is pretty close to perfection. In honor of Saint Patrick and the leaves of a lucky clover, I raise these four points of admiration:
- While there is a time travel element, this is not “Irelander.” Our heroine Anne does find herself mysteriously back in the 1920’s, but then it’s a linear historical fiction narrative. There’s no hopping back and forth from time period to time period. As someone who tried and failed twice to read The Time Traveller’s Wife, this was a welcome surprise. Fear not the time travel trope here.
- I learned stuff! Anne ends up in the company of Michael Collins (the Irish leader, not the astronaut, obv.) and his crew in Ireland’s struggle for independence. Harmon easily layers in historical detail that feels key to the story and not like a lecture.
- There’s romance, but Anne and her beau keep the sexy time door fairly closed. I’m not big on steam, and what we get here is mist, at best.
- Each chapter opens with a poem by Yeats. I never find the time (or inclination?) to read poetry, so bonus!
All that’s really just a long-winded way to say you shouldn’t put off reading What the Wind Knows any longer. ;)
This and Harmon’s other novels are available as part of the Kindle Unlimited program with WhisperSync for those who prefer the audiobook format. (As of 3/16/21.)
But wait! There's more! If this still doesn't sound like your kind of read, I've rounded up some other books (and their adaptations) set in Ireland for Saint Patrick's Day on the wee blog o'mine: https://www.confettibookshelf.com/boo...
September 25, 2020
We turn memories into stories, and if we don’t, we lose them. If the stories are gone, then the people are gone too.
There are some paths that inevitably lead to heartache, some acts that steal men’s souls, leaving them wandering forever after without them, trying to find what they lost.
Soooooooo.... I’m going to reread this book at a later date. I feel like I’m having some kind of mood crisis. I need some weird mood reading because I love Amy Harmon. That’s not to say you will love all of an author’s work but I don’t trust myself at this time so I’m leaving this at a 3 and coming back again!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
March 2, 2024
february was such a bad reading month for me since i only had 2-3 stars books so it feels amazing to start march with a 4 star read 🥹 this book was just so good and beautifully written! i’m in love 💌
rtc.
──────────────────────
➷ pre-review:
time travel romance? GIVE IT TO ME RIGHT NOW!! 💳
i don’t wanna jinx it, but i have a feeling i will love this so i really hope it doesn’t disappoint me🤞🏼
rtc.
──────────────────────
➷ pre-review:
time travel romance? GIVE IT TO ME RIGHT NOW!! 💳
i don’t wanna jinx it, but i have a feeling i will love this so i really hope it doesn’t disappoint me🤞🏼
January 9, 2022
Anyone who enjoys historical fiction will embrace this one. Harmon has become a go to author for me as a talented writer.
She swept me away in The Songbook of Benny Lament as well as Where the Lost Wander
This is another enjoyable one. It’s a time traveller piece which at first made me hesitate but not for long as I was quickly immersed in this story.
Ireland. 2001. Annie tosses the ashes of her grandfather into the lake per his wishes. Next thing you know, it’s 1921 and Annie has been transposed into her own history.
A fascinating historical perspective of Ireland’s fight for independence and the turbulence of civil war written in the diary of the doctor, Thomas.
A romance that transcends time.
5✮
Fans of the Outlander series will love this one.
She swept me away in The Songbook of Benny Lament as well as Where the Lost Wander
This is another enjoyable one. It’s a time traveller piece which at first made me hesitate but not for long as I was quickly immersed in this story.
Ireland. 2001. Annie tosses the ashes of her grandfather into the lake per his wishes. Next thing you know, it’s 1921 and Annie has been transposed into her own history.
A fascinating historical perspective of Ireland’s fight for independence and the turbulence of civil war written in the diary of the doctor, Thomas.
A romance that transcends time.
5✮
Fans of the Outlander series will love this one.
March 12, 2019
DNF @ 34%
This is reading like a history book. A really boring history book. But somehow the author also manages to make references to things/people during this time period as if the reader already knew all about it, which I absolutely did not and thus had to Wikipedia things. Then the parts that do not focus on the Irish War of Independence instead focused on exciting things such as - going shopping for clothing and toiletries. I just can't force myself to read this anymore. So disappointing considering how much I really enjoyed From Sand and Ash and The Bird and the Sword.
This is reading like a history book. A really boring history book. But somehow the author also manages to make references to things/people during this time period as if the reader already knew all about it, which I absolutely did not and thus had to Wikipedia things. Then the parts that do not focus on the Irish War of Independence instead focused on exciting things such as - going shopping for clothing and toiletries. I just can't force myself to read this anymore. So disappointing considering how much I really enjoyed From Sand and Ash and The Bird and the Sword.
April 5, 2022
This story was a superb 5 stars PLUS!
I listened to this book as an Audio and it was a beautiful, stunning story! I was mesmerized and enchanted by the setting and history of Ireland. The story was cleverly told in a unique way through time-travel and poetry. A timeless love story between Anne Gallagher and Thomas Smith!
I enjoyed the journey. Amy Harmon is definitely an author that I will automatically read again. This is one of the best books of 2019 in my opinion!
I listened to this book as an Audio and it was a beautiful, stunning story! I was mesmerized and enchanted by the setting and history of Ireland. The story was cleverly told in a unique way through time-travel and poetry. A timeless love story between Anne Gallagher and Thomas Smith!
I enjoyed the journey. Amy Harmon is definitely an author that I will automatically read again. This is one of the best books of 2019 in my opinion!
March 1, 2019
5 STARS
Such a beautiful story, What The Wind Knows will always have a special place in my heart!
Her book took me on an imaginary journey I didn't want to end!It's a fantastic,unique, captivating and intense story.Do you know why I love Amy Harmon's books? Because they are pure perfection!Always, with original stories.
This story is full of emotions, my heart was beating hard and I was anxious to see what will happen.I loved the characters so much, and especially the bond they have.There are some really intense and emotional moments between them!
This a must read, an unforgettable story that will stay with you forever!Prepare your heart for an emotional and touching story.
Such a beautiful story, What The Wind Knows will always have a special place in my heart!
Her book took me on an imaginary journey I didn't want to end!It's a fantastic,unique, captivating and intense story.Do you know why I love Amy Harmon's books? Because they are pure perfection!Always, with original stories.
This story is full of emotions, my heart was beating hard and I was anxious to see what will happen.I loved the characters so much, and especially the bond they have.There are some really intense and emotional moments between them!
This a must read, an unforgettable story that will stay with you forever!Prepare your heart for an emotional and touching story.
September 15, 2020
5, brb, crying forever stars!!!
It's been a while since I read this, but I'm trying to dig myself out of my self-induced review hole so I'll give it my best shot! Obviously, as you can tell by my rating I absolutely adored this book. Anne Gallagher was raised by her Irish grandfather, Eion. As the only parent she's ever truly known they have an incredibly loving relationship and after Eion passes away Anne is heartbroken and left feeling lost and listless. Fulfilling Eions final wish, Anne travels to Ireland to spread her grandfathers ashes in the place he loved the most, but would curiously never take her throughout her childhood. As Anne is spreading Eion's ashes in a loche near his childhood home, Anne is unknowingly sucked backwards through time leaving 2001 and finding herself in 1921.
But the wind and water know all the earth’s secrets. They’ve seen and heard all that has ever been said or done. And if you listen, they will tell you all the stories and sing every song. The stories of everyone who has ever lived. Millions and millions of lives. Millions and millions of stories
As Anne grapples to understand what's happened to her, slowly but surely realizing this is no dream she must quickly adapt to the world and people around her. Mistaken for a women thought missing and presumed dead Anne works to convince those around her that nothing strange (you know, other than a lost woman popping up out of no where) is afoot. She soon begins to rely heavily on the man who found her, a young doctor named Thomas Smith. In the midst of Irelands fight for independence Anne has to balance her growing feelings for Thomas, her love of a sweet and strangely familiar young boy and continuing to hide and convince those around her that she is who she says she is.
My grandfather told me once that happiness is an expression of gratitude. And it’s never wrong to be grateful.
Lets start with that I didn't like about What the Wind Knows: nothing. Cool, now that we got that long laundry list out of the way lets dive in to how truly fantastic this book was. This is the first novel I've read by Amy Harmon and I can tell you it absolutely wont be my last. I'm generally more focused as a reader on the plot and character development than I am on prose, but that makes it so much louder for me when the prose really jump off the page. Harmon constructed a beautiful story and her writing was lyrical and poetic. I absolutely fell deep into every character, they each leapt off the page with the same detail as the Irish countryside and turmoil of the time did. Harmon created characters not just out of the people, but out of the time, the place, the emotional strife of fighting for independence.
I loved churches the way I loved cemeteries and books. All three were markers of humanity, of time, of life.
Past the writing, which truly blew me out of the water the story itself was captivating. If I had to choose one word to describe how I felt reading this novel it would be delighted. While at times I cried, at times I was on the edge of my seat gnawing away at my fingernails for what would happen next my general takeaway was that this story is simply enchanting. I loved the layers and depth of all of the love explored in this novel. The love of a partner, the love for ones country, the love for a place and time past, the love of a mother, of a granddaughter, of a grandfather - it's all explored and laid bare for the reader to experience with each of the characters. For at times a heavy read, my heart felt light and inspired the entire time I read this.
Someone very wise told me that we keep the people we love in our hearts. We never lose them as long as we can remember how it felt to be loved by them.
Simply put, if this book is on your list, buy it, borrow it, acquire it and read it.
It's been a while since I read this, but I'm trying to dig myself out of my self-induced review hole so I'll give it my best shot! Obviously, as you can tell by my rating I absolutely adored this book. Anne Gallagher was raised by her Irish grandfather, Eion. As the only parent she's ever truly known they have an incredibly loving relationship and after Eion passes away Anne is heartbroken and left feeling lost and listless. Fulfilling Eions final wish, Anne travels to Ireland to spread her grandfathers ashes in the place he loved the most, but would curiously never take her throughout her childhood. As Anne is spreading Eion's ashes in a loche near his childhood home, Anne is unknowingly sucked backwards through time leaving 2001 and finding herself in 1921.
But the wind and water know all the earth’s secrets. They’ve seen and heard all that has ever been said or done. And if you listen, they will tell you all the stories and sing every song. The stories of everyone who has ever lived. Millions and millions of lives. Millions and millions of stories
As Anne grapples to understand what's happened to her, slowly but surely realizing this is no dream she must quickly adapt to the world and people around her. Mistaken for a women thought missing and presumed dead Anne works to convince those around her that nothing strange (you know, other than a lost woman popping up out of no where) is afoot. She soon begins to rely heavily on the man who found her, a young doctor named Thomas Smith. In the midst of Irelands fight for independence Anne has to balance her growing feelings for Thomas, her love of a sweet and strangely familiar young boy and continuing to hide and convince those around her that she is who she says she is.
My grandfather told me once that happiness is an expression of gratitude. And it’s never wrong to be grateful.
Lets start with that I didn't like about What the Wind Knows: nothing. Cool, now that we got that long laundry list out of the way lets dive in to how truly fantastic this book was. This is the first novel I've read by Amy Harmon and I can tell you it absolutely wont be my last. I'm generally more focused as a reader on the plot and character development than I am on prose, but that makes it so much louder for me when the prose really jump off the page. Harmon constructed a beautiful story and her writing was lyrical and poetic. I absolutely fell deep into every character, they each leapt off the page with the same detail as the Irish countryside and turmoil of the time did. Harmon created characters not just out of the people, but out of the time, the place, the emotional strife of fighting for independence.
I loved churches the way I loved cemeteries and books. All three were markers of humanity, of time, of life.
Past the writing, which truly blew me out of the water the story itself was captivating. If I had to choose one word to describe how I felt reading this novel it would be delighted. While at times I cried, at times I was on the edge of my seat gnawing away at my fingernails for what would happen next my general takeaway was that this story is simply enchanting. I loved the layers and depth of all of the love explored in this novel. The love of a partner, the love for ones country, the love for a place and time past, the love of a mother, of a granddaughter, of a grandfather - it's all explored and laid bare for the reader to experience with each of the characters. For at times a heavy read, my heart felt light and inspired the entire time I read this.
Someone very wise told me that we keep the people we love in our hearts. We never lose them as long as we can remember how it felt to be loved by them.
Simply put, if this book is on your list, buy it, borrow it, acquire it and read it.
January 27, 2019
*****FIVE STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}
”Don’t go near the water, love. Stay away from strand or sea. You cannot walk on water, love; The lough will take you far from me.”
I was a little nervous about reading this book. I’m not a fan of ”Historical Romances”, and history puts me to sleep, literally! The majority of the plot of ”WHAT THE WIND KNOWS” is deeply entrenched in history, and I am not going to lie, I struggled to get through most of the book, BUT, Amy Harmon is a truly gifted author, and I decided to see this through to the end. I am so glad that I did, because within the pages of this book is a beautiful love story that is fantastical and transcends space & time!
Anne Gallagher is a famous author from New York in the year 2001. When her beloved grandfather dies, she journeys to his homeland of Ireland to spread his ashes on the Lough in the town he was born. This was his last request before he passed away. Anne was so overcome by her grief because all she had was her grandfather. He raised her since she was six when her parents died.
Anne rents a little boat and rows out to the middle of the Lough to release Eoin’s ashes and somehow a white fog appears. She’s disoriented, frightened, and somehow ends up getting shot and nearly drowns, until she is pulled out to safety. When she comes to, she sees the face of a man who looks familiar but can’t place where she has seen him before. She’s in and out of consciousness due to the bullet wound but once she finally comes to, she learns somehow she has miraculously ended up in her grandfather’s childhood home, and the year is 1921. The man who saved her is Thomas Smith, a close friend to her great grandfather and great grandmother, and surrogate father to her grandfather, Eoin.
The story is told through Anne’s POV, and through Thomas’s POV in his journal entries. The history of the Irish Civil War is accounted extensively throughout Thomas’s POV, and oh how I found it hard to stay awake. As the romance slowly starts to blossom between Thomas and Anne, the history was still a huge focal point but their love story was what grabbed a hold of my heart.
How would these two be able to live their lives full of love and happy memories when they were from different time periods? Would the present take Anne away from the only true love she’s ever experienced? How will their story end?
So much angst, and sorrow. I loved the bond between Anne and the child version of Eoin, her grandfather. The beautiful stories she wrote for him about his journeys to different places and times via his little red boat on the Lough were magical. I really ended up loving this story.
Here are my overall ratings:
Hero: 5
Heroine: 5
Plot: 5
Angst: 5
Steam: 3
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 5
WHAT THE WIND KNOWS releases on March 1st. I’m sure Amy Harmon fans are going to fall in love with Thomas and Anne’s story!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2TgKPD9
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}
”Don’t go near the water, love. Stay away from strand or sea. You cannot walk on water, love; The lough will take you far from me.”
I was a little nervous about reading this book. I’m not a fan of ”Historical Romances”, and history puts me to sleep, literally! The majority of the plot of ”WHAT THE WIND KNOWS” is deeply entrenched in history, and I am not going to lie, I struggled to get through most of the book, BUT, Amy Harmon is a truly gifted author, and I decided to see this through to the end. I am so glad that I did, because within the pages of this book is a beautiful love story that is fantastical and transcends space & time!
Anne Gallagher is a famous author from New York in the year 2001. When her beloved grandfather dies, she journeys to his homeland of Ireland to spread his ashes on the Lough in the town he was born. This was his last request before he passed away. Anne was so overcome by her grief because all she had was her grandfather. He raised her since she was six when her parents died.
Anne rents a little boat and rows out to the middle of the Lough to release Eoin’s ashes and somehow a white fog appears. She’s disoriented, frightened, and somehow ends up getting shot and nearly drowns, until she is pulled out to safety. When she comes to, she sees the face of a man who looks familiar but can’t place where she has seen him before. She’s in and out of consciousness due to the bullet wound but once she finally comes to, she learns somehow she has miraculously ended up in her grandfather’s childhood home, and the year is 1921. The man who saved her is Thomas Smith, a close friend to her great grandfather and great grandmother, and surrogate father to her grandfather, Eoin.
The story is told through Anne’s POV, and through Thomas’s POV in his journal entries. The history of the Irish Civil War is accounted extensively throughout Thomas’s POV, and oh how I found it hard to stay awake. As the romance slowly starts to blossom between Thomas and Anne, the history was still a huge focal point but their love story was what grabbed a hold of my heart.
How would these two be able to live their lives full of love and happy memories when they were from different time periods? Would the present take Anne away from the only true love she’s ever experienced? How will their story end?
So much angst, and sorrow. I loved the bond between Anne and the child version of Eoin, her grandfather. The beautiful stories she wrote for him about his journeys to different places and times via his little red boat on the Lough were magical. I really ended up loving this story.
Here are my overall ratings:
Hero: 5
Heroine: 5
Plot: 5
Angst: 5
Steam: 3
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 5
WHAT THE WIND KNOWS releases on March 1st. I’m sure Amy Harmon fans are going to fall in love with Thomas and Anne’s story!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2TgKPD9
January 23, 2019
Wow. I'm sort of slack-jawed right now. I was drawn to the cover first--it has to be one of the most beautiful I've ever seen--and then a snippet drew me in deeper. Something about it resonated, and while fiction hasn't been so good for me lately, I had a feeling about this one and I was right. I know that doesn't tell you anything helpful about the book, except maybe to know that it is not a novel that lets go of you easily.
Historical, fantastical, romantic, and brilliant. I can't imagine the research that went into this novel, except that I felt the Ireland of 1921 alive on the pages.
This book is nothing less than a towering achievement.
Historical, fantastical, romantic, and brilliant. I can't imagine the research that went into this novel, except that I felt the Ireland of 1921 alive on the pages.
This book is nothing less than a towering achievement.
July 30, 2022
2.5 Stars
Romantic Ireland's dead and gone, its with O'Leary in the grave.
W.B Yeats
Well I can confirm that Romantic Ireland is at its best in this novel
A time travelling, Historical Fiction, Romance novel set in 1921 during Ireland's war of Independence.
I picked this one up just because I was interested in the Historial element of this book and it has been getting amazing reviews.
A story with a lot going on and I am not sure it really worked for me. I found the Irish history element of the book well researched and interesting however I felt it didn't capture the emotions or feelings of the protagonist who time travels back from 2001 to 1921. A lot of name dropping of famous Irish People of this time period felt forced and over the top in the story. Anne's Irish accent when she travelled back in time (no matter how brilliant she thought it was) would not have fooled anyone back in 1921 ask Tom Cruise ( Movie- Far and Away) or Julie Roberts (Michael Collin's Movie) how difficult it really is to get an Irish accent correct.
I did like the characters and the story and while I am not a fan of time travel / romance novels I think the historical element of this book makes it an interesting and informative read however I needed more of the protagonist's reactions to a time and place that should have been so overwhelming for her coming from 2001.
I listened to this one on audio and it was very average. I think this is a book that would read better on kindle or paperback format as the narration is over dramatic and the accents annoying.
Romantic Ireland's dead and gone, its with O'Leary in the grave.
W.B Yeats
Well I can confirm that Romantic Ireland is at its best in this novel
A time travelling, Historical Fiction, Romance novel set in 1921 during Ireland's war of Independence.
I picked this one up just because I was interested in the Historial element of this book and it has been getting amazing reviews.
A story with a lot going on and I am not sure it really worked for me. I found the Irish history element of the book well researched and interesting however I felt it didn't capture the emotions or feelings of the protagonist who time travels back from 2001 to 1921. A lot of name dropping of famous Irish People of this time period felt forced and over the top in the story. Anne's Irish accent when she travelled back in time (no matter how brilliant she thought it was) would not have fooled anyone back in 1921 ask Tom Cruise ( Movie- Far and Away) or Julie Roberts (Michael Collin's Movie) how difficult it really is to get an Irish accent correct.
I did like the characters and the story and while I am not a fan of time travel / romance novels I think the historical element of this book makes it an interesting and informative read however I needed more of the protagonist's reactions to a time and place that should have been so overwhelming for her coming from 2001.
I listened to this one on audio and it was very average. I think this is a book that would read better on kindle or paperback format as the narration is over dramatic and the accents annoying.
May 26, 2019
4.5 ⭐️
My favourite Amy Harmon novel so far.
RTC!
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Buddy-reading with someone who I have to speak to on a daily! 💛
Frankly, I’m in the mood to cry. Amy Harmon will do.
My favourite Amy Harmon novel so far.
RTC!
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Buddy-reading with someone who I have to speak to on a daily! 💛
Frankly, I’m in the mood to cry. Amy Harmon will do.
February 4, 2019
Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union publishing for an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.
Such a beautiful story! I mean, who can resist a time travel novel? I really cannot and Amy Harmon weaves a beautiful tale of a 21st century woman who finds herself traveling back to 1920's Ireland. Just like main protagonist Anne, I was swept away into the political intrigues of a country that wished to get rid of its British oppressor. Not to mention that I certainly fell in love with Thomas and little Eamon.
Published on Goodreads on 4/02/19
Publication date: 01/03/19
Such a beautiful story! I mean, who can resist a time travel novel? I really cannot and Amy Harmon weaves a beautiful tale of a 21st century woman who finds herself traveling back to 1920's Ireland. Just like main protagonist Anne, I was swept away into the political intrigues of a country that wished to get rid of its British oppressor. Not to mention that I certainly fell in love with Thomas and little Eamon.
Published on Goodreads on 4/02/19
Publication date: 01/03/19
February 8, 2019
MY REVIEW: can also be found on my blog:
➽ KITTY KATS CRAZY ABOUT BOOKS
’WHAT THE WIND KNOWS’ is a full length historical romance novel by Amy Harmon.
If you are a fan of Outlander by Diana Gabaldon then without a doubt you'll love this book.
Where to even start with this review!! This was one of my most highly anticipated reads for this year, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it, as soon as I could start reading it I was transported to another world, I couldn’t put it down, I didn’t want to put it down.
Seconds, minutes, hours, life outside my windows and doors ceased to exist. This author is such a great story teller. Like no other she has you sitting in the palm of her hand, she captivates you as soon as you open that first page, she weaves her magical talent on you as she gently tells you the story her characters beg her to tell. This book was utter perfection, utter magic. Hard to put down, easy to love.
What the wind knows kicks starts off with thirty year old Anne Gallagher as she sits vigil beside Eoin her Grandfather who stepped in and raised her from an early age. As he lays dying in his bed in 2001.
As he's getting ready to leave this world he begs for Anne to take him back to his homeland Ireland.
Which she does promptly.
It's not long after his passing that she realises how much her Grandfather kept from her about his childhood, so many gaps that he never spoke of. Being an established author she'd always had the inclination of writing a novel set in Ireland surrounding the 'Rising of 1916.'
After arriving in Ireland with her Grandfather's ashes in hand she hires a little red dingy and sets off to scatter his ashes in Lough Gill, suddenly a mist appears out of nowhere, a man with two other companions holds up a pistil and fires at her hitting her on her side.
She gets rescued by a man who seemed to know her name, he was Dr. Thomas Smith, and is placed under his care whilst she heals. Awakening nothing is what it seems, she doesn't recognise her surroundings or the people.
Thomas Smith is the sole guardian to a wee boy who seems oddly familiar to her, it's this wee boy who mistakenly assumes it's his long lost mother returning to him some six years later.
They had never found Eoin's mother. They'd never found her body. They had assumed she was dead, alongside her husband, lost in an insurrection that had ended very badly. And now I was here, raising questions that were long since buried. This was bad. This was very bad.
But as a precaution for her own safety she adopts the woman's identity and falls into the era of 1921 seamlessly. I didn't know what had happened to Anne Gallagher of 1921.
November 13, 2021
4.5 -5 Stars
Amy Harmon delivers a very well-researched/magical story doused in Irish history and a loop of souls that forever connect. You must read her ‘Author’s Note’ as she cleverly shows a correlation between her own family’s history mixed together with famous patriots of Ireland.
If you are a history buff, or a fan of fantastical love stories, or simply an Amy Harmon fan, then I think you will be as pleased as I was with Anne Gallagher’s story!
"I told you. You told me. Only the wind knows which truly comes first."
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review*
Amy Harmon delivers a very well-researched/magical story doused in Irish history and a loop of souls that forever connect. You must read her ‘Author’s Note’ as she cleverly shows a correlation between her own family’s history mixed together with famous patriots of Ireland.
If you are a history buff, or a fan of fantastical love stories, or simply an Amy Harmon fan, then I think you will be as pleased as I was with Anne Gallagher’s story!
"I told you. You told me. Only the wind knows which truly comes first."
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review*
July 23, 2020
Reviewed on: Ashes Books & Bobs.
What a delight, to begin the year with one of my most anticipated reads of 2019, by one of my favorite authors of all. Every Amy Harmon book leaves me in awe - completely astonished by the gifts she was endowed with, the feelings she's able to put into language my brain does not possess. Amy Harmon holds more talent in her little finger than most of us could wish to acquire in a lifetime. That's why anything I say about her or her books will be an injustice to the greatness she is able to craft in her stories.
What the Wind Knows started off slow for me. It took some time for me to grasp the numerous characters and the history taking place. Granted, I'm not familiar with Irish history, making everything in these pages new to me. I also wasn't in the correct frame of mind for reading when I started this novel - life hit my family hard in the new year and it's taken time to adjust. Finally, I was determined to let the characters sweep me away to 1920s Ireland and leave my present world completely behind. I was not disappointed in the least and I cannot say how grateful I am that I was able to escape my own reality for a few hours. The attention to detail in this book made this story come alive in a way I've rarely experienced while reading. I could feel the discomfort of the clothing, the confusion of being in a new place and time, and see the world as if I was reading in 3D.
"But the wind and water know all the earth's secrets. They've seen and heard all that has ever been said or done. And if you listen, they will tell you all the stories and sing every song."
Time-travel is a subject that has always fascinated me from a young age. My imagination is often absorbed by history. I will find myself standing in a place and wonder about the feet that have stood where mine are planted. What the Wind Knows takes this idea and expands upon in it, layer upon beautiful layer. Time is not linear in this story, but annular, leaving readers with a picture of just how connected all of our stories are, if only were are open to listening.
"I loved churches the way I loved cemeteries and books. All three were markers of humanity, of time, of life."
I highlighted line after line within these pages, again completely awe-struck as I read feelings and thoughts I have experienced, but have never been able to put into words as eloquently as Amy Harmon. The connections to ghosts of the past are sure to leave each reader full of wonder. Once you come up for air, you may not be sure which time period you're living in, only to realize it truly doesn't matter. What the Wind Knows grants a shift in perspective, allowing readers to realize what is important has always been important. Love is love, no matter which year we live in. Only our relationships, our legacies of love, and the stories of our passions will be the things that matter in the end.
I don't know where to begin in describing my admiration for the characters. Being along for the ride through Anne's perspective was everything I needed, while still getting to experience life through Thomas's eyes in his journal entries. As Anne fell for Thomas, I did too. He was timeless - simple, yet strong, and completely human. His care for Anne shows the type of love every woman should aspire to find. The dedication and loyalty the characters showed to one another was inspiring and beautifully written. Despite my love for the main three characters, the standout in my mind was Maeve. If she was in the story at the moment I was reading, you can be sure there were tears flowing the majority of the time. She gave the story a nostalgic feel I reveled in.
Thank you, Amy Harmon, for the chance to read an ARC and for kicking my reading year off with a bang. My words are inadequate, but I hope they will encourage readers to pick this book up and stick with the story throughout. The ending made my heart swell and my eyes swim with tears - just try to read this one without shedding a tear or two.
2nd read: 7/23/20:
I loved this even more the second time! ❤️ Such exquisite details, perfectly woven together.
What a delight, to begin the year with one of my most anticipated reads of 2019, by one of my favorite authors of all. Every Amy Harmon book leaves me in awe - completely astonished by the gifts she was endowed with, the feelings she's able to put into language my brain does not possess. Amy Harmon holds more talent in her little finger than most of us could wish to acquire in a lifetime. That's why anything I say about her or her books will be an injustice to the greatness she is able to craft in her stories.
What the Wind Knows started off slow for me. It took some time for me to grasp the numerous characters and the history taking place. Granted, I'm not familiar with Irish history, making everything in these pages new to me. I also wasn't in the correct frame of mind for reading when I started this novel - life hit my family hard in the new year and it's taken time to adjust. Finally, I was determined to let the characters sweep me away to 1920s Ireland and leave my present world completely behind. I was not disappointed in the least and I cannot say how grateful I am that I was able to escape my own reality for a few hours. The attention to detail in this book made this story come alive in a way I've rarely experienced while reading. I could feel the discomfort of the clothing, the confusion of being in a new place and time, and see the world as if I was reading in 3D.
"But the wind and water know all the earth's secrets. They've seen and heard all that has ever been said or done. And if you listen, they will tell you all the stories and sing every song."
Time-travel is a subject that has always fascinated me from a young age. My imagination is often absorbed by history. I will find myself standing in a place and wonder about the feet that have stood where mine are planted. What the Wind Knows takes this idea and expands upon in it, layer upon beautiful layer. Time is not linear in this story, but annular, leaving readers with a picture of just how connected all of our stories are, if only were are open to listening.
"I loved churches the way I loved cemeteries and books. All three were markers of humanity, of time, of life."
I highlighted line after line within these pages, again completely awe-struck as I read feelings and thoughts I have experienced, but have never been able to put into words as eloquently as Amy Harmon. The connections to ghosts of the past are sure to leave each reader full of wonder. Once you come up for air, you may not be sure which time period you're living in, only to realize it truly doesn't matter. What the Wind Knows grants a shift in perspective, allowing readers to realize what is important has always been important. Love is love, no matter which year we live in. Only our relationships, our legacies of love, and the stories of our passions will be the things that matter in the end.
I don't know where to begin in describing my admiration for the characters. Being along for the ride through Anne's perspective was everything I needed, while still getting to experience life through Thomas's eyes in his journal entries. As Anne fell for Thomas, I did too. He was timeless - simple, yet strong, and completely human. His care for Anne shows the type of love every woman should aspire to find. The dedication and loyalty the characters showed to one another was inspiring and beautifully written. Despite my love for the main three characters, the standout in my mind was Maeve. If she was in the story at the moment I was reading, you can be sure there were tears flowing the majority of the time. She gave the story a nostalgic feel I reveled in.
Thank you, Amy Harmon, for the chance to read an ARC and for kicking my reading year off with a bang. My words are inadequate, but I hope they will encourage readers to pick this book up and stick with the story throughout. The ending made my heart swell and my eyes swim with tears - just try to read this one without shedding a tear or two.
2nd read: 7/23/20:
I loved this even more the second time! ❤️ Such exquisite details, perfectly woven together.
May 26, 2020
3.5 stars
What the Wind Knows, a beautifully crafted historical romance, was full of details of Ireland during the 1920s. The novel was well researched from clothing to the political unrest that had Ireland in its grip, and it all added to the authenticity of the novel.
If you love Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series you'll love this book.
Without a doubt it had everything a time traveling historical romance should have. Full of historical and emotional turmoil and thanks to the fantastic research by the author, it felt as close to authentic as possible.
The book was mostly written from Anne's POV. Entries from Thomas's diary throughout the book gave a glimpse into his POV. But I would have loved even more insight into his feelings, doubts and overall thought process. Especially in regards to the sudden appearance of Anne. The novel never satisfyingly explained Anne's meek behavior towards being stranded in a different time period. It also frustrated me that Anne's 21st century knowledge rarely added to the overall story. Even though she privately studied that period of time, her political knowledge made no real difference, Ireland's course was set and history didn't rewrite itself just because of Anne.
Because the historical aspect of Ireland played such a BIG part in this story, Anne and Thomas's love story almost became a side note. Although I would have loved more romance the ending was satisfying (HEA), but I would have preferred more of the story to be between Anne and Thomas.
And even though this novel didn't work for me as much as I hoped it would, it will be an amazing book for anyone that loves history, loves to learn about Ireland and its history, and for all who enjoy a well crafted and beautifully written historical time traveling romance.
___________________________________
Find more reviews and book recommendations on my blog.
Find me on Bookstagram.
What the Wind Knows, a beautifully crafted historical romance, was full of details of Ireland during the 1920s. The novel was well researched from clothing to the political unrest that had Ireland in its grip, and it all added to the authenticity of the novel.
If you love Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series you'll love this book.
Without a doubt it had everything a time traveling historical romance should have. Full of historical and emotional turmoil and thanks to the fantastic research by the author, it felt as close to authentic as possible.
The book was mostly written from Anne's POV. Entries from Thomas's diary throughout the book gave a glimpse into his POV. But I would have loved even more insight into his feelings, doubts and overall thought process. Especially in regards to the sudden appearance of Anne. The novel never satisfyingly explained Anne's meek behavior towards being stranded in a different time period. It also frustrated me that Anne's 21st century knowledge rarely added to the overall story. Even though she privately studied that period of time, her political knowledge made no real difference, Ireland's course was set and history didn't rewrite itself just because of Anne.
Because the historical aspect of Ireland played such a BIG part in this story, Anne and Thomas's love story almost became a side note. Although I would have loved more romance the ending was satisfying (HEA), but I would have preferred more of the story to be between Anne and Thomas.
And even though this novel didn't work for me as much as I hoped it would, it will be an amazing book for anyone that loves history, loves to learn about Ireland and its history, and for all who enjoy a well crafted and beautifully written historical time traveling romance.
___________________________________
Find more reviews and book recommendations on my blog.
Find me on Bookstagram.
September 3, 2020
I stopped reading for almost 2 years. From 150+ books a year to nothing. I burned out. I was bored. I felt like I was reading the same story over and over again, and the slight differences no longer made a big enough impact for me to pick up my kindle. After my little hiatus, I am finding myself getting excited about reading again. And this book. This book truly reminded me what it was like to find myself completely immersed in another world. I shouldn’t be surprised, this is Amy Harmon, and I swear this woman is special. I have yet to read one of her stories, when I don’t find myself contemplating life, death, love, faith… it’s like her words reach into my soul and make me feel something – and it always feels profound.
”But the wind and water know all the earth’s secrets. They’ve seen and heard all that has ever been said or done. And if you listen, they will tell you all the stories and sing every song. The stories of everyone who has ever lived. Millions and millions of lives. Millions and millions of stories.”
What the Wind Knows is a phenomenal work of storytelling. An adventure that spans generations and time. It is a love story with a twist. I don’t want to give too much away, but it all begins when a grief stricken girl disappears into the fog and finds herself in a different time.
"He told me everything would be okay because the wind already knows,"
There is a lot of special within this story. Anne’s love for her grandfather Eoin, brought tears to my eyes many times, as did his love for her. Thomas and his passion for what is good and right. Mick’s love for a free Ireland. There are so many wonderful characters to get to know, to fall in love with.
“We were specks, bits of glass and dust. We were as numerous as the sands that lined the strand, one unrecognizable from the other. We were born; we lived; we died. And the cycle continued endlessly on. So many lives lived. And when we died, we simply vanished. A few generations would go by. And no one would know we even were. No one would remember the color of our eyes or the passion that raged inside us. Eventually, we all became stones in the grass, moss-covered monuments, and sometimes . . . not even that.”
I am a bit late to the party on this one, but you can trust all the 5 star reviews. This truly is a beautiful story.
November 26, 2019
Rating: 5.0/5.0
Genre:
Historical Fiction + Cultural
Book Structure:
I read the digital version of this book and was alternating between it and the audiobook. The book is around 411 pages. There are a total of 26 chapters with first person's perspective narration from the two main characters.
“We turn memories into stories, and if we don’t, we lose them. If the stories are gone, then the people are gone too.”
This is one of those books that you need to get into without reading the synopsis. I did that. I had no idea what I was getting into or what to expect. All I can say that this raises the old question again of which one comes first, the egg or the chicken!
This is one of those books that hooked me right from the first chapter until the end. It was a steady 5-star book for me from the beginning till the end. The writing is so beautiful and poetic. I have never read anything for Amy Harmon before. This is the first book I read for her and fortunately will not be the last. All her other books are available on Kindle Unlimited.
“But the wind and water know all the earth’s secrets. They’ve seen and heard all that has ever been said or done. And if you listen, they will tell you all the stories and sing every song. The stories of everyone who has ever lived. Millions and millions of lives. Millions and millions of stories.”
The author has brilliantly mixed fiction with some actual historical characters and events that actually happened in Ireland. The story setting was incredible, it made me feel as if I have visited Ireland myself. This is what books and stories are supposed to do to readers, make them travel to places they never been to and live at times they did not exist. What the Wind Knows has done both for me! Amy Harmon in her acknowledgment note mentions how her journey to Ireland to search for information about her great grandparents has inspired her to write this beautiful novel. She mentions how she named some of the characters based on her relatives there.
The story has so many likable characters, Anne Gallagher, Thomas Smith, Eoin, Brigid, etc. I loved all the characters, I love how detailed they were. Not just the main characters but even the secondary ones. The author successfully made every character distinct here. Each one of them had both a personality and distinct physical features which will help the reader to create a good picture of each one of them. This is one of those books that created an interest in me to read about Ireland's history and the historical personalities that influenced that history like Michael Collins.
“We were specks, bits of glass and dust. We were as numerous as the sands that lined the strand, one unrecognizable from the other. We were born; we lived; we died. And the cycle continued endlessly on. So many lives lived. And when we died, we simply vanished. A few generations would go by. And no one would know we even were. No one would remember the color of our eyes or the passion that raged inside us. Eventually, we all became stones in the grass, moss-covered monuments, and sometimes . . . not even that.”
Have I not mentioned that the writing is so beautiful already? Well, I just can't get over how poetic or lyrical it was. It deserves to be praised a lot. I will need to get a physical copy of this book for my personal library. I'm a bit bummed that this book did not make it to the final list of Goodreads Choice Awards. Amy Harmon, you got a new fan here!
Highly Recommended.
Available on Kindle Unlimited
“Some days I hardly recognize myself in the mirror. It’s not my face that has changed; it’s the way I see the world. I’ve seen things that have permanently altered me. I’ve done things that have distorted my vision. I’ve crossed lines and tried to find them again, only to discover that all my lines have disappeared. And without lines, everything blurs together.”
April 26, 2020
★ 5.0 Stars ★
History, Ireland AND time-travel? Heck yes!
What the Wind Knows is a story of Anne Gallagher who goes til Ireland in 2001, to scatter the ashes of her grandfather, but suddenly finds herself in the Ireland of 1921.
This book is a beautiful blend of family, history and science fiction, that made me cry honest to god tears at the end. Such a magical story ❤
History, Ireland AND time-travel? Heck yes!
What the Wind Knows is a story of Anne Gallagher who goes til Ireland in 2001, to scatter the ashes of her grandfather, but suddenly finds herself in the Ireland of 1921.
This book is a beautiful blend of family, history and science fiction, that made me cry honest to god tears at the end. Such a magical story ❤
January 2, 2019
5 “Outlander” stars
Here I am once again in a tight spot trying to write that review. As for each Amy Harmon’s books, the task is daunting. There is so much to tell yet I don’t own a tenth of her talent.
Maybe let’s begin with the more important: I read it in one sitting and it is a long book (120.000 words). I left my body’s imprint on the couch by the end of the day.
But that’s how enraptured I was.
Amy is not on the top of my top 3 authors for years now without a reason: her words are magic!
She really weaves a tale intertwining past and present Ireland, mixing historical facts with ordinary people’s lives, rational with a dash of fantasy.
And it works so well that I was not in my living room on my couch anymore. I could tweak her quote and apply it to reading instead of writing:
I was at Garvagh Glebe. I found myself catapulted by some magical twist of fate (we are in Ireland, land of faeries) in 1921. Looking so much like another woman it was uncanny. I was supposed to live her life, trembling someone would discover that I was an impostor as I didn’t know how to lace a corset or how to call some pieces of garments.
No one would believe that I was coming from the future when I did not know how I landed more than 80 years ago.
Does it feel like Outlander here? Well yes that’s what I experienced too 😊.
Anne is our female MC and is a renowned author. I loved how Amy must have drawn from her own writing experience to build her character.
Ann has been orphaned since she was an infant and has been raised in Brooklyn by her grand-father Eoin. She’s traveled the world with him but they never went to Ireland, his country. It was never time yet.
Now that he is gone, she promised to spread his ashes in Ireland on his beloved lough.
Soon enough a white mist is surrounding her on the lake and she’ll be shot and left to drown only to be saved by Thomas Smith, local doctor and linked to her ancestors. Thomas has been part of the rebellion trying to free Ireland from England’s clutches.
That part of history has always fascinated Anne as she planned on writing a book on these historical period. She’s been researching for months and now she is thrown in the middle of all these famous events, meeting people who made Ireland’s history.
Reading about Ireland tumultuous past was enlightening. I may live in Europe and have some notions taught in school about Ireland’s fight to get free from England’s dominion I never had such detailed information. I lived the same experience while reading From Sand and Ash about the part played by the church in Italy in protecting countless Jews during WWII.
Amy uses a similar “technique” as Ken Follett when he is writing his historical books: giving us solid historical facts, insisting on key events in the grand scheme of history while making it fascinating and human as we are following individuals living these events. This is not a non-fiction retelling of major events. This is a very human tale of people living in that century and experiencing first hand all the fights and inner struggles of Irish people.
I think every history teacher should teach history using the same trick! I bet many more students would become history geeks if they could read books like Amy’s or Ken Follet!
What I admire most about Amy is that she does not go for flawless, utterly gorgeous with steel abs heroes. No. She chooses men and women looking like your friend or neighbor. But what makes them shine above all else are their inner qualities, their moral compass, their generosity, their dedication, their doubts and their sufferings.
Thomas Smith is not bad looking but Amy’s depicting him with sharp knees. He is lean but has no bulging muscles. He is not the one captivating his audience and wanting to shine under the spotlight. Yet he is more than a worthy hero. Answering every call as a local doctor day or night, patrolling to protect his people and his rebel friends yet making time to draw for his ward when any man would go to sleep.
He is calm, kind and generous, offering shelter to poor families dying from hunger in rural Ireland. His many small acts of kindness won my heart all over. Thomas also has a fervor for what he believes in. And he believes in a free Ireland. But the price to pay is high and we follow Thomas doubts and inner reflection. Is really all fair in war?
This patient, generous and solid man will steal Anne’s heart.
Anne is also someone you will like easily. She is kind but strong. Smart and compassionate. Brave even if she is afraid.
Their relationship reminded me of Eva and Bianco’s “From Sand and Ash”. I loved how Amy built their relationship, slowly, steadily. Something we could believe in. Something meant to last for all eternity.
If I loved the historical context, the characters, the plot and the pace who was just right I can’t overlook Amy’s writing.
I wrote in my first review that Amy has a grace when writing a story. It flows effortlessly, beautifully and I dare say poetically. I always end up with so many quotes that choosing to feature some in my review is a nearly impossible task!
Last parting words because this review is long (yes, I know) I really loved how Amy made us see that there rarely are true villains. Because even the villains in this story were firm believers that they were doing what was best for Irish people. And yes everything is a question of perspective. We have so often history lessons in black or white, where the line is drawn. Yet the truth is often to be found in the shades of grey.
I am stopping here as I could go on and on about that book. But …just read it!
Have you read Amy's books before? Are you a fan like I am?
Thanks for reading!
Sophie
Find me on:
Wordpress: Beware Of The Reader
Facebook: Beware Of The Reader
Facebook group : Beware Book Boyfriends Alert
Instagram: @bewareofthereader
Twitter: @BewareOffReader
“Don’t forget to read the book. He loved you. He loved you so much. He’s been waiting, Annie.”
Here I am once again in a tight spot trying to write that review. As for each Amy Harmon’s books, the task is daunting. There is so much to tell yet I don’t own a tenth of her talent.
Maybe let’s begin with the more important: I read it in one sitting and it is a long book (120.000 words). I left my body’s imprint on the couch by the end of the day.
But that’s how enraptured I was.
Amy is not on the top of my top 3 authors for years now without a reason: her words are magic!
She really weaves a tale intertwining past and present Ireland, mixing historical facts with ordinary people’s lives, rational with a dash of fantasy.
And it works so well that I was not in my living room on my couch anymore. I could tweak her quote and apply it to reading instead of writing:
“It was like that for me sometimes. I would become so immersed in reading that the scenes and characters I created came alive in my head, fleshed out and independently animated, visiting me as I slept.”
I was at Garvagh Glebe. I found myself catapulted by some magical twist of fate (we are in Ireland, land of faeries) in 1921. Looking so much like another woman it was uncanny. I was supposed to live her life, trembling someone would discover that I was an impostor as I didn’t know how to lace a corset or how to call some pieces of garments.
No one would believe that I was coming from the future when I did not know how I landed more than 80 years ago.
Does it feel like Outlander here? Well yes that’s what I experienced too 😊.
Anne is our female MC and is a renowned author. I loved how Amy must have drawn from her own writing experience to build her character.
Ann has been orphaned since she was an infant and has been raised in Brooklyn by her grand-father Eoin. She’s traveled the world with him but they never went to Ireland, his country. It was never time yet.
Now that he is gone, she promised to spread his ashes in Ireland on his beloved lough.
Soon enough a white mist is surrounding her on the lake and she’ll be shot and left to drown only to be saved by Thomas Smith, local doctor and linked to her ancestors. Thomas has been part of the rebellion trying to free Ireland from England’s clutches.
That part of history has always fascinated Anne as she planned on writing a book on these historical period. She’s been researching for months and now she is thrown in the middle of all these famous events, meeting people who made Ireland’s history.
Reading about Ireland tumultuous past was enlightening. I may live in Europe and have some notions taught in school about Ireland’s fight to get free from England’s dominion I never had such detailed information. I lived the same experience while reading From Sand and Ash about the part played by the church in Italy in protecting countless Jews during WWII.
“Every day it’s another terrible story, another unforgiveable event. The whole country is under immense strain, yet there is an odd hopefulness mixed with the fear. It’s as if all of Ireland is coming awake and our eyes are fixed on the same horizon.”
Amy uses a similar “technique” as Ken Follett when he is writing his historical books: giving us solid historical facts, insisting on key events in the grand scheme of history while making it fascinating and human as we are following individuals living these events. This is not a non-fiction retelling of major events. This is a very human tale of people living in that century and experiencing first hand all the fights and inner struggles of Irish people.
I think every history teacher should teach history using the same trick! I bet many more students would become history geeks if they could read books like Amy’s or Ken Follet!
“Don’t let the history distract you from the people who lived it.”
What I admire most about Amy is that she does not go for flawless, utterly gorgeous with steel abs heroes. No. She chooses men and women looking like your friend or neighbor. But what makes them shine above all else are their inner qualities, their moral compass, their generosity, their dedication, their doubts and their sufferings.
Thomas Smith is not bad looking but Amy’s depicting him with sharp knees. He is lean but has no bulging muscles. He is not the one captivating his audience and wanting to shine under the spotlight. Yet he is more than a worthy hero. Answering every call as a local doctor day or night, patrolling to protect his people and his rebel friends yet making time to draw for his ward when any man would go to sleep.
“Thomas Smith was the kind of man who could quietly slip into and out of a room without drawing much attention. He was handsome if one stopped to contemplate each feature(…) Yet he had a slight stoop to his shoulders and an air of melancholia that had folks respecting his space and his solitude, even as they sought him out. (…) He wasn’t tall. He wasn’t short. He wasn’t a big man. He wasn’t a small man. He wasn’t loud or obtrusive even as he moved and acted with an innate confidence. He was simply Thomas Smith, as ordinary as his name, and yet . . . not ordinary at all. I could have written stories about him. He would be the character that grew on the reader, making them love him simply because he was good. Decent. Dependable.”
He is calm, kind and generous, offering shelter to poor families dying from hunger in rural Ireland. His many small acts of kindness won my heart all over. Thomas also has a fervor for what he believes in. And he believes in a free Ireland. But the price to pay is high and we follow Thomas doubts and inner reflection. Is really all fair in war?
“It is one thing to fight for freedom; it is another to condemn the innocent to die in your war.”
This patient, generous and solid man will steal Anne’s heart.
Anne is also someone you will like easily. She is kind but strong. Smart and compassionate. Brave even if she is afraid.
Their relationship reminded me of Eva and Bianco’s “From Sand and Ash”. I loved how Amy built their relationship, slowly, steadily. Something we could believe in. Something meant to last for all eternity.
If I loved the historical context, the characters, the plot and the pace who was just right I can’t overlook Amy’s writing.
I wrote in my first review that Amy has a grace when writing a story. It flows effortlessly, beautifully and I dare say poetically. I always end up with so many quotes that choosing to feature some in my review is a nearly impossible task!
Last parting words because this review is long (yes, I know) I really loved how Amy made us see that there rarely are true villains. Because even the villains in this story were firm believers that they were doing what was best for Irish people. And yes everything is a question of perspective. We have so often history lessons in black or white, where the line is drawn. Yet the truth is often to be found in the shades of grey.
“I’d been wrong about one thing. These were not average men and women. Time had not given them a gloss they had not earned. Even those I wanted to loathe, based on my own research and conclusions, conducted themselves with fervor and honest conviction. These weren’t posing politicians. They were patriots whose blood and sacrifice deserved history’s pardon and Ireland’s compassion.”
I am stopping here as I could go on and on about that book. But …just read it!
Have you read Amy's books before? Are you a fan like I am?
Thanks for reading!
Sophie
Find me on:
Wordpress: Beware Of The Reader
Facebook: Beware Of The Reader
Facebook group : Beware Book Boyfriends Alert
Instagram: @bewareofthereader
Twitter: @BewareOffReader
January 31, 2019
This is why I have a black sheep shelf, folks. This right here.
I'm going to start off by saying if you love OUTLANDER, or any time-travel-y historical romance, you'll probably love this. Even if I, a fan of OUTLANDER, did not.
WHAT THE WIND KNOWS is a slightly more modern slip through the sands of time, or rather less of a jump, and Harmon's take on the concept drops us into an Ireland on the brink of civil war as her countrymen fight for independence. But unlike the aforementioned novel that will no doubt be a comparison for every reader who picks this up, this story is both far more complex and simultaneously much simpler than the other epic.
I think my main problem, though, was I was just bored. There is so much history and politics crammed into this standalone that I was skimming pretty early on. We flip between our heroine's POV, contemporary and then in the past, and that of our love interest who is writing journal entries of his observations and experiences. These chapters sometimes overlap and other times fill in gaps. It was a clever way to show Anne's impact and adjustment to her unexpected timeline, and the complications of her appearance, but it was never consistently a perspective that I enjoyed.
While I can see from the author's note that this story was inspired by her own trip to Ireland and her own family history, it ultimately just reads too much like an homage. Anne is a writer in mostly-present day New York, with a strong connection to Ireland as a result of her grandfather, and just so happened to be writing a book set around the 1920s, so she goes to the past prepared with the goings on and all the relevant key players of the time. She even offers some hints and advice of what's to come. Kinda like Claire. Her birthday is October twentieth. Just like Claire (and me!). She ends up wearing two rings, for reasons, just like Claire. She acts as an extra set of hands and a pseudo nurse.. sorta like Claire. It was just a lot. That being said..
It did diverge pretty strongly in the connections and family aspect of things. Of which I was very confused for a while and then ultimately just kinda (shrug emoji) whatevs about. And the romance.. well, there's definitely no comparison there. I felt like I was walking along, fine as can be, and then tripped and face-planted into it. It comes out of nowhere, with little foundation, though I did kind of love it through Thomas' writings. It was the only time I actually felt it. His utter astonishment of his feelings was just.. sweet and aweinspiring. Easily the highlight.
I couldn't wait to finish this book. I just wanted it over with. It was a real struggle to stay engaged and while there were some lines and turns of phrase of pure loveliness, I just felt it was trying too hard to make me feel something that wasn't there.
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
I'm going to start off by saying if you love OUTLANDER, or any time-travel-y historical romance, you'll probably love this. Even if I, a fan of OUTLANDER, did not.
WHAT THE WIND KNOWS is a slightly more modern slip through the sands of time, or rather less of a jump, and Harmon's take on the concept drops us into an Ireland on the brink of civil war as her countrymen fight for independence. But unlike the aforementioned novel that will no doubt be a comparison for every reader who picks this up, this story is both far more complex and simultaneously much simpler than the other epic.
I think my main problem, though, was I was just bored. There is so much history and politics crammed into this standalone that I was skimming pretty early on. We flip between our heroine's POV, contemporary and then in the past, and that of our love interest who is writing journal entries of his observations and experiences. These chapters sometimes overlap and other times fill in gaps. It was a clever way to show Anne's impact and adjustment to her unexpected timeline, and the complications of her appearance, but it was never consistently a perspective that I enjoyed.
While I can see from the author's note that this story was inspired by her own trip to Ireland and her own family history, it ultimately just reads too much like an homage. Anne is a writer in mostly-present day New York, with a strong connection to Ireland as a result of her grandfather, and just so happened to be writing a book set around the 1920s, so she goes to the past prepared with the goings on and all the relevant key players of the time. She even offers some hints and advice of what's to come. Kinda like Claire. Her birthday is October twentieth. Just like Claire (and me!). She ends up wearing two rings, for reasons, just like Claire. She acts as an extra set of hands and a pseudo nurse.. sorta like Claire. It was just a lot. That being said..
It did diverge pretty strongly in the connections and family aspect of things. Of which I was very confused for a while and then ultimately just kinda (shrug emoji) whatevs about. And the romance.. well, there's definitely no comparison there. I felt like I was walking along, fine as can be, and then tripped and face-planted into it. It comes out of nowhere, with little foundation, though I did kind of love it through Thomas' writings. It was the only time I actually felt it. His utter astonishment of his feelings was just.. sweet and aweinspiring. Easily the highlight.
I couldn't wait to finish this book. I just wanted it over with. It was a real struggle to stay engaged and while there were some lines and turns of phrase of pure loveliness, I just felt it was trying too hard to make me feel something that wasn't there.
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
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