Windswept

It’s one of the great oddities of our modern literary world that people who consume nonfiction usually can’t be bothered to read new works of fiction. The same goes for those that live for fiction, they seem to regard history as a boring rehash of past events. So it is always a treat to see a worthy book that can serve as a contender, the rare literary experience that appeals to both camps. Windswept by Annabelle Mccormack, is that kind of wonderful experience. It is a powerful work of fiction that reads like history. A historical epic that has elements of high drama and soap opera.

British nurse Ginger Whitman finds a dying soldier hiding in her camp in Palestine. This simple encounter soon sends her into the middle of a vast and exciting mystery. This simple and caring nurse becomes the major player in a world of high-stakes intrigue and murder. Along with intelligence officer Major Noah Benson, she attempts to unmask the hidden menace before it destroys everyone she loves. Whitman entwines grand themes-conflict and love, birth and death, free will, and fate.

This work of historical fiction is so incredibly enthralling, there are the undertones of class that made Downton Abbey such a favorite, along with the pathos of honor, war, servitude, manners, and stature intertwine the way you see in 1917 or in the works of Patrick O’Brian. There are also hints of destiny expressed close to Tolstoy’s view that history is an inexorable process that people cannot influence. Control and influence are routinely pinned up against the themes of love and hope across this sweeping vision.

Each character stands out uniquely and makes their mark. It is clear that tremendous research was done to get every narrative detail accurate. The pleasures of the historical setting are compelling and you easily sink into this engaging world. The characters are believable and likable, the dialogue is richly textured and finely tuned.

The plot is a marvelous journey for any reader and it has a smooth charm about it as it quickly unfolds towards a very satisfying conclusion. A book packed with engrossing visuals and vibrant drama. This is a novel that is complex, powerful, and moving. Windswept has the great ability to be both a great romance novel and a great work of historical fiction. It never once compromises one mission for the other. An exceptional achievement for any author and for any genre.