in the silence long forgotten, almond trees blossom by david b.p. mayne
I am so pleased to be kicking off the tour of this fabulous, thought provoking book. It is a superbly written tale of family, love and the love of a country, set in the near future.
The book is mainly set in Libya, more specifically the ancient regions of Cyrenaica, Triplotania and Fezzan, which have been fought over almost since time began. Greeks, Romans, Ottomans, Italians, Nazi Germany, the British Empire – the sands are stained with the blood of fighting men.
Jack Meredith is the central figure in this saga. Whilst working as a geologist in Libya in the 1980s he is thrown in prison but rescued by Bushra, a wealthy woman of Greek/Libyan parentage. Their relationship is not a happy one, however, and their twin children eventually go their separate ways, Emma to London and Stavros to Benghazi.
That was then, but Mayne imagines a future – 2024 – where a rampant Russia reclaims the Baltic States it lost and seeks to dominate the Mediterranean. A desperate United Nations cedes Cyrenaica to the Russians, who also control Greece. The remaining parts of Libya are held by The European Defence Alliance.
Skipping ahead even further, to 2031, Jack and Bushra are temporarily reunited with their granddaughter Isabel and their son Stavros. Both become involved in resistance movements against the Russians.
I really enjoyed this historical novel. It was well-written and set in three time periods over five decades. It was the perfect mix of history, hope, love and heartbreak. It was an intense and fascinating read. I was immediately drawn into this story and its characters, making it hard to put down.
Mayne creates a story that is believable, his knowledge of the region and the political landscape, making it a riveting, well thought through and a poignant read.
David B P Mayne
• Book Guild Publishing Ltd
• 9781913551995
• 200 pages
Thank you to the author, the publisher and to @RandomTTours for my copy of the book.
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