The Blackstone

I struggle with slow books, even ones that are well written. I felt as if I were on the island and could not get off as everyone and their brother made an appearance. Maggie came to town; she’s welcomed by some, and she’s greeted with hostility by others. The pub is the meeting/social spot for all but will the villagers be social when she begins asking questions?

Maggie and her mother visited Scotland’s Outer Hebrides after a young Maggie said she was Andrew MacNeil, a dead man. Nothing ever came of this visit, but the villagers remembered. People living in small town/villages always remember!

Twenty years later, Maggie comes back to Outer Hebrides looking for answers. Why do I hear Jack Nicholson shouting “You can’t handle the truth!”? But the truth is what she seeks. But there are those with secrets, who can’t handle Maggie learning them.

This book is told in two timelines (the 1990’s and the present) with the POV of Maggie and Robert.

The atmosphere in this book was spectacular. I thought the author did a fantastic job of setting the stage and I felt as if I had been transported there. But sadly, I struggled with the slowness of the book, and I found that I just didn’t love this book. While there were parts that I enjoyed, the rest just bogged things down for me. Others are enjoying this book more than I did, so please read their reviews.

Well written and atmospheric.

Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.