Why a Booktrail?
1958, 2017: A letter and a bracelet reveal the secrets of years gone by
The Photograph
What you need to know before your trail
Italy, 1958: Rachael is a young widow with a small child. After a lifetime of running for survival, of not knowing who to trust and where to call home, she finds herself in a place of safety. On a sun-drenched Italian island for one carefree summer the troubles of her past fade away and she falls in love. But will Rachael’s new-found happiness bring her further heartache?
England, 2017: Sophie has a handsome husband, a gorgeous house in the English countryside and a successful career as an anthropologist. But the one thing she longs for is a baby of her own. As she struggles to conceive, cracks begin to appear in her marriage. So Sophie throws herself into her work and tries to seek comfort in childhood memories of her beloved grandmother Rachael.
One afternoon, Sophie finds a forgotten letter and an exquisite silk bracelet hidden in Rachael’s old writing desk. Intrigued, she begins to unravel the extraordinary story of her grandmother’s past – and a secret that has the power to change everything…
Locations
Reset- Hungary - Budapest
- A: Henszlmann Imre
- B: Budapest university
- C: Astoria Hotel
- England- London
- D: Herne Hill
Travel Guide
A story of many destinations and destinies!
Budapest
“These were difficult times in Budapest and people were increasingly nervous. You never knew who was listening, or what people might be saying about you to the authorities. Food was short , but that was nothing new. It had been the same since the war.”
“The deprivations of war, the rationing, the bombings, the destruction of much of her beloved capital city wore Irma down”
henzlmann imre street – Rachael’s afmily home
budapest uni – george works here
astoria hotel – a marriage takes place here
Herne Hill, London
The present day part of the story takes place here with Sophie in 2016. Her grandmother is Rachael.
Cotswolds
The village where Sophie and Hamish too is never named but is described as a “chocolate box Cotswold village” the new house was a seventeenth century worker’s cottage in the middle of a gorgeous setting. “Its quaint exterior gave no clue as to the large, contemporary house within”
Cagilari 1959
The family moves here in the story and despite their hardship, they have nothing but admiration for their new home.
“They approached the island from the south east , its coast shimmering gold in the morning lightRachel could make out tiny villages dotted along the shores of the isthmus that jutted out into the dark turquoise sea. As the ferry skirted the southern edge of the island , heading for Cagilari , green hills rose up from the sea, sprinkled with pale yellow of the little hamlets,villages and farms.
This is the Bay of Angels, the Jaracanda and palm trees…
And the island of Sant Antioco where the archaeologists are descending on sounds nice!they stay in a hotel behind the basilica of the town.
Much of the story’s mystery is to be found here…
Booktrailer Review
Susan: @thebooktrailer
A glorious treat of a novel with two historical threads based on true facts as well as a veil of poignancy. A novel of destinations and destiny!
This novel was a lovely surprise! The title and cover grabbed me at first, but the plot soon pulled me into a tale which weaves through destinations, history and human strength. Some was based on historical finds the author came across when writing other novels but she’s woven such amazing facts into a gripping plot with well drawn characters and I was captivated all the way. I admit I did prefer the historical plot more as the present day seemed to veer off into another story altogether at one point. However by the end there was a lovely picture of a wonderfully woven story with a lot to get stuck into.
Oh and to go the wonderful island of Sant Antioco! I want to go there now if even half of this story is true. I can’t and don’t want to say more as this really is a novel of discovery so I’ll just say that I recommend it all the way!
Debbie Rix clearly delves into research for her novels but they never read as collections of facts of what she’s found. Everything is vital to the story and in fact leaves you wanting more!
A tapestry of emotions, history and human endurance. Loved it!
Booktrail Boarding Pass: The Photograph
Destination : Budapest, Sant Antioco, England Author/Guide: Debbie Rix Departure Time: 1958, 2017
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