Rounded up from around 4.5 stars ⭐️
The Swift and the Harrier follows the lives of Jayne Swift, a female doctor defying societal expectations, and William Harrier, a man determined to prove himself. Their lives are forced to intertwine throughout the civil war.
I admit, I have studied the civil war a little in school, and watched movies or tv shows about it. But until now I didn’t really understand what was actually going on. This book has taught me so much about English history and I am extremely grateful for that. I also thought it was beautifully written. I found myself laughing some times, and with tears in my eyes at other times. The story Minette crafted was so vivid, I felt like I was living the lives alongside the characters.
I absolutely loved the characters in this story. Swift and Harrier both have such strength and kindness, I fell in love with both of them. My only complaint is that at times I struggled to follow who some of the characters were. I think a family tree at the start of the book might have helped me to follow this easier, as there did seem to be a large number of characters. That being said I loved what this book teaches. It does not just teach us about history. It teaches us about the importance of kindness, strength, empathy, respect and the ability to be yourself no matter what others think.
I would recommend this to any historical fiction fans! I want to thank Readers First, the publishers and Minette Walters for allowing me to read this book and give my personal thoughts.
The Swift and the Harrier follows the lives of Jayne Swift, a female doctor defying societal expectations, and William Harrier, a man determined to prove himself. Their lives are forced to intertwine throughout the civil war.
I admit, I have studied the civil war a little in school, and watched movies or tv shows about it. But until now I didn’t really understand what was actually going on. This book has taught me so much about English history and I am extremely grateful for that. I also thought it was beautifully written. I found myself laughing some times, and with tears in my eyes at other times. The story Minette crafted was so vivid, I felt like I was living the lives alongside the characters.
I absolutely loved the characters in this story. Swift and Harrier both have such strength and kindness, I fell in love with both of them. My only complaint is that at times I struggled to follow who some of the characters were. I think a family tree at the start of the book might have helped me to follow this easier, as there did seem to be a large number of characters. That being said I loved what this book teaches. It does not just teach us about history. It teaches us about the importance of kindness, strength, empathy, respect and the ability to be yourself no matter what others think.
I would recommend this to any historical fiction fans! I want to thank Readers First, the publishers and Minette Walters for allowing me to read this book and give my personal thoughts.