Wednesday, May 08, 2019

At the Water's Edge


I was a bit conflicted with this book. I seen some reviews. I must agree I didn't think the story was serious of being around a Loch Ness Monster. But some how it fit the character of Ellis, Maddie's husband. How he was driven to the point of always the need to be pacified, the war a part of the adventure. Was there more to the relationship of his friend Hank, in Ellis's mind? Always giving Ellis what he wanted.

In the end Hank needed to grow up. What will he do now back in the States? Start over, would be the hardest since he was heartbroken, he has been cleaved down the middle over Ellis.

As for Maddie, the main character of this story, starting out as a woman that didn't know work (when she married) noticing an odd smell when in Scotland and all she could think about is how many heads had lain on the pillows before hers in the tavern. To all tea was loose leaf and steeped more than once.  Things were done as they can when in war. Taking a deer was a righteous theft because it was taken from land that was stolen. 

This story found friendship in women for Maddie. Annie and Meg began to think of Maddie as their friend, (one of them) and Maddie felt like it was the nicest thing that anyone did for her.

What I thought interesting in the beginning how the story was Angus was off to war his wife Mairi waited for his return. But with her losing a child and Angus was assumed dead she had a grave arranged with their names and dates placed on gravestone. Mairi went into that deep dark Loch and ended her life At the Water's Edge. But sadly Angus came home to no wife or child.

Maddie and Angus found each other. And I could see how the story was coming together, all intertwined. Dark days came upon Maddie (from husband Ellis) and she stepped out to the Water's Edge, black and rolling, endlessly deep. Maddie wanted to now what it was like to experience a love so deep you couldn't bear to exist.


A bit of romance, a bit of mystery, and yes a bit of nostalgia of a story about a monster gave these characters some interest to read on. Sure there were times I wanted to kick Ellis and Hank's a** and give Maddie a push. I had to remember what period of time it was written in. So the timeline of war that was going on kept bringing back, how they rationed out food etc..

I give At the Water's Edge 4 

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