The author sent me an ARC of this book (mobi format) in exchange for an honest review (member of Rosie’s Book Review Team).
My rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Plot
(by Goodreads)
This beautifully written short story collection is inspired by coastal England, by the landscape and its flora and fauna, as well as by its folklore and historical and cultural heritage. Several of the stories focus on a bird, animal, wildflower, or insect characteristic of the locality, from barn owl to butterfly. The book might be described as a collection of ghost stories; in fact, while one or two stories involve a more or less supernatural element, each of them deals in various ways with the tug of the past upon the present, and explores how past and present can intersect in unexpected ways.
| Genre(s): | Folklore, Fairy Tales, Short Stories |
| Series: | n.a. |
| Length: | 320 pages |
| Release date: | 2016-07-21 |
Teaser
Tyto alba was its Latin name – the white owl, confusingly, in spite of its largely golden-brown plumage, and in spite of the existence, too, of the snowy owl, or Bubo scandiacus. In flight at dawn or dusk, though, she supposed her owl was so pallid as almost to appear white. ‘Ethereal’ was the word that came to Rebecca’s mind. In some Inuit dialects, she discovered, the word for barn owl was the same as the word for ghost.
My Opinion
This book introduces you to the Sandlands – the landscape of the Suffolk coast. 16 charming – and linked – short stories invite you to Blaxhall and its surrounding area.
With Sandlands, Rosy Thornton has created a charming collection of short stories with a good measure of folklore. It is a very enjoyable and varied read, drawing you in as you learn more about coastal Suffolk and its inhabitants. Rosy Thornton paints a clear picture of the characters and landscape while the story evolves. The characters are of sufficient depth, believable with their flaws and virtues; the author’s care for each of them shows. As for the locations, I had a clear vision of the landscape – without having been there myself. The stories are very nicely woven and have a wonderful flow. This calm way of story telling exquisitely matches the stories.
This is a book for you if you like folklore, linked short stories, believable characters, and enjoy excellent writing.
Recommended!
In brief:
| Cover | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ |
| Writing | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ |
| Plot | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ |
| Characters | ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ |
| Mood | Thoughtful |
| Pace | Steady |
| POV | Third person – past tense |
| Language |  |
| Violence | |
| Sexual content | |
About the author
Rosy Thornton is a UK-based author of contemporary fiction, published by Headline Review. Her novels could perhaps be described as romantic comedy with a touch of satire – or possibly social satire with a hint of romance. In real life she lectures in Law at the University of Cambridge, where she is a Fellow of Emmanuel College. She shares her home with her partner, two daughters and two lunatic spaniels.
Connect with the author:
Please take a look at my statement on reading in My train of thoughts on …reading. Now I am asking you. 🙂
My questions for you bibliophiles:
What about you? What did you think about Sandlands? Or – if you did not yet read Sandlands – are you now interested in reading it yourself?
I am looking forward to reading your comments. 🙂
My train of thoughts on... 
Thank you Karen.
My pleasure, Rosie.
That sounds like a really good book. I am going to put it on my reading list.
It is a really good book, Lynn. I love the calmness of the story telling. It fits!