by Joanna Davidson Politano
Publisher: Revell
ISBN: 9780800742980
As a long time fan of JDP, I couldn't wait to read this story! They really should be in a class of their own. This book certainly doesn't fit into one specific genre and I love that! The author & publisher sent me the book for review!
Summary:
A clever young woman, a contested will, and an estate that does not easily give up its secrets.
It is 1901 when clockmaker and tinker Sydney Forrester receives a most unusual inheritance. Blakely House, the island estate of an estranged uncle she's never met, seems almost alive, revealing and hiding its secrets at will. It is filled with remarkable inventions, including an intriguing unfinished automaton Sydney is itching to get her skilled hands on.
The estate is also home to a number of peculiar people--including two men intent on removing this interloper from the island. Convinced that Sydney has something to do with their uncle's death, the late master's nephews contest the will and work against their cousin at every turn.
Sydney finds a sometimes-ally in the estate's butler, an ex-adventurer who ran aground on the island years ago. But when a mysterious man washes ashore with a stunning surprise that upsets everything, Sydney must prove she has inherited the late master's brilliance as well as his property--or someone else will.
It is 1901 when clockmaker and tinker Sydney Forrester receives a most unusual inheritance. Blakely House, the island estate of an estranged uncle she's never met, seems almost alive, revealing and hiding its secrets at will. It is filled with remarkable inventions, including an intriguing unfinished automaton Sydney is itching to get her skilled hands on.
The estate is also home to a number of peculiar people--including two men intent on removing this interloper from the island. Convinced that Sydney has something to do with their uncle's death, the late master's nephews contest the will and work against their cousin at every turn.
Sydney finds a sometimes-ally in the estate's butler, an ex-adventurer who ran aground on the island years ago. But when a mysterious man washes ashore with a stunning surprise that upsets everything, Sydney must prove she has inherited the late master's brilliance as well as his property--or someone else will.
My Review:
The Curious Inheritance of Blakely House was such a fascinating story. It's different than any of the other books this author has written and I'm sure I've never read anything like it before.
The beginning felt a bit disjointed. I didn't quite understand what was going on, but it turns out it was intentional, at least in my opinion. I feel like now that I've read the book once, reading it from the start wouldn't be as "confusing." I know this might sound negative, but it's not. I have lived with ADD all of my life, and could see & understand the beginning more as I got further into it. That being said, I could also see myself in Sydney with some of her different quirks. I actually thought she was on the Autism spectrum, but extremely high functioning. If you want to get a fictional idea of what it's like to live in someone's brain that's wired differently, this story will give it to you in spades!
I really liked awkward Sydney. She knows she's not like most people. She accepts her lot in life and tries to make the best of it with her Aunt Lottie. That is until a strange woman shows up at their little shop and sends Sydney on an adventure, which is completely outside of her carefully crafted world of the same things day in and day out.
She takes her cat, Micah, with her as she makes her way to Blakely House, where she encounters the oddest of men who all look at her with suspicion. She upends their already strange existence in her Uncle Emmet's home. Turns out, she's not the only one vying for the inheritance.
We also meet the butler, André. Having lived in Emmet's home, he's had a glimpse into the mind of someone who's different than most. André's past is a mystery, but Sydney is sure he's a pirate in hiding. He has his own struggles, but overcomes them as best he can.
Sydney has a lot to contend with in this odd house with inventions Uncle Emmet has left incomplete, rooms that seem to come and go, and lights that turn off and on randomly. It's easy to see a brilliant mind lived in that house. We also learn of Emmet's great love who left his little island when she was a young girl.
There are twists and turns galore, mysterious ship wrecks, more adventure, romance, and faith. I loved how André helped turn Sydney's eyes to a Creator!
The beginning felt a bit disjointed. I didn't quite understand what was going on, but it turns out it was intentional, at least in my opinion. I feel like now that I've read the book once, reading it from the start wouldn't be as "confusing." I know this might sound negative, but it's not. I have lived with ADD all of my life, and could see & understand the beginning more as I got further into it. That being said, I could also see myself in Sydney with some of her different quirks. I actually thought she was on the Autism spectrum, but extremely high functioning. If you want to get a fictional idea of what it's like to live in someone's brain that's wired differently, this story will give it to you in spades!
I really liked awkward Sydney. She knows she's not like most people. She accepts her lot in life and tries to make the best of it with her Aunt Lottie. That is until a strange woman shows up at their little shop and sends Sydney on an adventure, which is completely outside of her carefully crafted world of the same things day in and day out.
She takes her cat, Micah, with her as she makes her way to Blakely House, where she encounters the oddest of men who all look at her with suspicion. She upends their already strange existence in her Uncle Emmet's home. Turns out, she's not the only one vying for the inheritance.
We also meet the butler, André. Having lived in Emmet's home, he's had a glimpse into the mind of someone who's different than most. André's past is a mystery, but Sydney is sure he's a pirate in hiding. He has his own struggles, but overcomes them as best he can.
Sydney has a lot to contend with in this odd house with inventions Uncle Emmet has left incomplete, rooms that seem to come and go, and lights that turn off and on randomly. It's easy to see a brilliant mind lived in that house. We also learn of Emmet's great love who left his little island when she was a young girl.
There are twists and turns galore, mysterious ship wrecks, more adventure, romance, and faith. I loved how André helped turn Sydney's eyes to a Creator!
About the Author:
Joanna Davidson Politano is the award-winning author of Lady Jayne Disappears, A Rumored Fortune, Finding Lady Enderly, The Love Note, A Midnight Dance, The Lost Melody, and The Elusive Truth of Lily Temple. She loves tales that capture the colorful, exquisite details in ordinary lives and is eager to hear anyone's story. She lives with her husband and their children in a house in the woods near Lake Michigan. You can find her online at JDPStories.com.
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