by Wilbur Smith
This is one of those random books - I was browsing at the library, saw it, and checked it out, having no idea it was part of a whole saga or anything. It's the first book in the second saga, so it seems you can just start with it, I figure I'll read this series and then backtrack and read the previous series. It's a heavy read - there is a lot of ground to cover and the story is really split into 3 parts: The War, Surviving the Wild, and Return to Civilization (those are my own homemade sections, lol). I thought it was a fantastic book.
Synopsis:
At first glance, this was to be a love story; the love story of South African soldier Michael Courtney, in employ of the British Army fighting against Germany (WWI) and Centaine de Thiry, a young French aristocrat bred and raised to be a lady but born with the bravery, courage and determination of a soldier. For Michael and Centaine it is love at first sight and they quickly decide to get married. Soon we learn that this headstrong young woman was destined for a life more ambitious than pure young love. When Michael is killed in battle on their wedding day and the Germans break through the British line Centaine and her guardian Anna Stok flee to South Africawith the help of Michael’s family, assured safe travel by way of the unborn child Centaine is carrying for her late fiancée. Through a rash of unfortunate coincidences the ship carrying Anna and Centaine is sunk by a German sub and they are torn apart in the shipwreck. Both make it to land safely, but in vastly different parts of Africa. Immediately Anna sets out to find Centaine while Centaine fights just to survive and prosper in the wild terrain she’s been washed upon.
This story is told in such painstaking detail, it is easy to immerse oneself in first the French countryside, then in the restless ocean, and yet again in the South African continent. The characters are fully fleshed out and leap off the page with their unique characteristics and personalities, and Centaine’s passion and determination, her bravery and courage, her indomitable spirit, allow the reader to overlook her questionable judgments in love as we follow her on one adventure after another. The author tells the story from all sides - switching the voice between Centaine, Michael, Anna, Sean, Garry, Lothar…Each of their perspectives fill in details Centaine could not have been aware of if we’d only been following her, and allow the reader the full experience of this story.
