After the death of her father – Pa Salt, an elusive billionaire who adopted his six daughters from around the globe – Tiggy D’Aplièse , trusting her instincts, moves to the remote wilds of Scotland. There she takes a job doing what she loves; caring for animals on the vast and isolated Kinnaird estate, employed by the enigmatic and troubled Laird, Charlie Kinnaird.
Her decision alters her future irrevocably when Chilly, an ancient gipsy who has lived for years on the estate, tells her that not only does she possess a sixth sense, passed down from her ancestors, but it was foretold long ago that he would be the one to send her back home to Granada in Spain ...
In the shadow of the magnificent Alhambra, Tiggy discovers her connection to the fabled gypsy community of Sacromonte, who were forced to flee their homes during the civil war, and to ‘La Candela’ the greatest flamenco dancer of her generation.
From the Scottish Highlands and Spain, to South America and New York, Tiggy follows the trail back to her own exotic but complex past. And under the watchful eye of a gifted gypsy bruja she begins to embrace her own talent for healing.
But when fate takes a hand, Tiggy must decide whether to stay with her new-found family or return to Kinnaird, and Charlie . . .
Many thanks to Pan MacMillan for my copy of The Moon Sister to review and to Sharon for having my review on the blog.
It's hard to believe that we have already reached the fifth book in The Seven Sisters series - The Moon Sister. It seemed like only yesterday that the brilliant Lucinda Riley launched this exceptional series and yet now I find myself having completed another wonderful, gripping and heart wrenching read with only two more books to go before all will finally be revealed. With every book that Lucinda writes I find that I am reeled in right from the very first chapter and that once you start you just can't stop reading. So much so that if you have other things to do that they get pushed to the side as you read on or if you have no other option but to leave the book down it becomes frustrating to be away from a story that has captured your heart and imagination.
Some readers may be daunted by the fact that this book is over 700 pages but I wasn't in the slightest. It just means more time to indulge in such brilliant writing and an excellent story with so many twists and turns. The Moon Sister is really a just one more chapter kind of book and then you find, oh I've read another 150 pages or so without even realising the chapters are flying by as you get drawn deeper and deeper into the story. I was so eager to begin this story but on another level I was reluctant to do so because I know I would read it so quickly and then have another year long wait for Electra's story. I suppose I should have stretched it out a bit further to prolong my enjoyment but in all honesty that was impossible to do because pure and simple this book is unputdownable despite it's hefty weight.
In The Moon Sister our attention turns to Tiggy, similar to her sisters she is coming to terms with the death of her beloved Pa Salt. Even though Tiggy herself has a feeling that all may not be as it seems surrounding Pa's death and readers themselves may have already thought this based on things from previous books and even from more little clues that surface every now and again in this story. Tiggy perhaps is the most sensitive of all the sisters and one who has a very special connection with nature. She adores animals and wants to dedicate her life to them. Tiggy's intuition has served her well throughout her life and she is certainly very spiritual and connected to the earth and all those around her. She hears things and what she hears forewarns her and helps her with things in the future. She has a special talent but where has it come from and what can she do with it? To learn more of her true heritage she must follow the instructions left by Pa Salt in a letter and as did four of her sisters before her she must travel to discover the roots of her heritage. How she came to be and also why was she given up and came to live with Pa Salt on his estate - Atlantis – in Switzerland with five other adopted girls?
Lucinda Riley this time takes us to the isolated Scottish Highlands specifically to the Kinnaird estate recently inherited by Charlie. Tiggy is tasked with settling wildcats into their new home but also Charlie has further plans for how she could be helpful given her love of animals and her genuine enthusiasm for conservation. In complete contrast to the highlands is the setting of Granada and the caves of Sacromonte which stand in the shadow of the impressive Alhambra palace. The author moves effortlessly between the past and present allowing the reader to enjoy a strong dual narrative. Normally I prefer one timeline over the other but here I was riveted by both Tiggy's story in the present and that of flamenco dancer Lucia in the past. The highlands in the depths of winter were cold, isolated but magnificent in their own way. Lucinda captured to perfection the essence of the estate and what was trying to be achieved there by Charlie and his team. In Granada and as Lucia's journey took her to South America and beyond, I felt the heat of the sun as the gitanos - Spanish gypsies and the lowest of society struggled to survive and make their way through life overcoming one obstacle at a time if at all possible.
In the present Tiggy is very much at a crossroads in her life and unsure of her next step. Is Kinnaird merely a stopping place whilst she ponders her next move or will it or someone exert some strange hold over her? Tiggy had so much depth to her character that I'm still not sure whether I fully understood her. She wasn't clear cut in her viewpoints or ambitions and was quite often racked by indecision. One thing for sure she was certain that the advances of billionaire Zed Eszu who rents the estate were very much not wanted. I was patiently waiting as Tiggy put up with so much from him before she finally gave in and snapped. Zed was an awful character, so domineering, controlling and he believed that because he had money he could do what he wanted and everyone would ponder to him. I have a strong feeling that Zed coming to prominence here and playing a role means he is someone who will reappear in the future books and we need to watch out for him. I was ever so thankful when Tiggy showed some courage and expressed her true feelings to Zed. In doing so it gave her the push she needed to go out and uncover the truth behind her past and in the process she discovers a remarkable story of love, passion, dedication and selflessness.
I loved the scenes set in Scotland as Tiggy becomes aware that all is not as it seems at the estate. She became a mother figure to Zara, Charlie's daughter, who was clearly crying out for help, love and acceptance. But Tiggy knew now was the time to journey into her past or all the answers to the endless questions she had would be lost forever. Chilly, an old gypsy living on the estate provides her with the pieces to some of the puzzle which allow her combined with other factors to journey to Granada to seek out what has been waiting there for so many years. One thing that sets The Moon Sister apart from the previous books in the series is that there wasn't as much of a focus on romance although it was still present. It wasn't the dominant driving force behind Tiggy's desire to understand where she came from and I am glad this took more of a back-seat and only came to the fore when necessary.
As for Lucia's story I was equally as enthralled as I had been with getting to know Tiggy. I think it's brilliant the way Lucinda takes us back generations and years and the path to discovering the mother of whatever sister we are reading about is never clear cut. She throws in so many twists and turns featuring heartbreak, devastation, tenacity, sacrifices and terror always leaving me open mouthed and shocked more than once. As we journey to Granada and beyond we become familiar with the hardships endured by the gitanos and how Maria has struggled to bring up her family in poverty in the Sacromonte caves. Her husband Jose although a talented guitar player is nothing more than a waster and a womaniser but it is with the birth of her talented daughter Lucia that their lives will change dramatically forever. We are there with Lucia from the moment of her birth and follow her as her talent becomes known to all.
Lucia bids to become the most famous flamenco dancer there ever was and she can perform in a way no other dancer can. She feels the beat and the rhythm and has such a connection to the music. Lucia is a character who has fire in her belly and it shows in the way she acts. I thought she was incredibly selfish towards her family as her career was at the forefront of her mind. She was ruthless and a hard nosed person. I can't use the word hate when it comes to her but I really didn't like her or enjoy what she was doing to her family and those that loved her. It was like she was a commander leading her troop and she wouldn't rest until she was fully satisfied, yet I don't think she would ever reach that point of satisfaction because of her restless nature and spirit. Whereas Maria, I felt great sympathy for given all she endures and what happens to her family over the course of The Spanish Civil War and subsequently World War Two. How it all connects back to Tiggy was fascinating to read as so many curve balls were thrown in and you find yourself shouting in glee if you got something right and then being left speechless as something you should have seen is revealed or else something comes from nowhere and you are left stunned.
Simply put The Moon Sister is another fantastic addition to what is shaping up to be one of the best series I have ever read. I have a sneaking suspicion that given Tiggy is the most spiritual sister that she will be the one to connect all the dots and discover what exactly is going on with Pa Salt. As for that major plot twist at the end -what does it all mean? Also who is the seventh sister? Will there even be a seventh sister? Throughout the book I felt there were even more clues being dropped than before and as the series nears its conclusion there is an overwhelming feeling of things starting to slot into place or that everything that has been set in motion is racing towards a tremendous finale.
The jigsaw is coming together piece by piece but like that elusive piece that is often missing on the floor there is still plenty more in store for us before that final piece can slot into place. Do read all four before books before starting The Moon Sister as it will only enhance your reading experience even more. As for the sneak peek at Electra's story ah why does Lucinda do that to us. I just wanted to keep reading on and on and I am kicking myself that that is not possible at the moment. Roll on this time next year is all I can say and in the meantime I envy those that have the pleasure of reading The Moon Sister for the first time.
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I loved The Moon Sister and as with all Lucinda Riley books, I just couldn't put it down.
ReplyDeleteI now really want to visit Sacromonte and can't wait for the next book.
My only problem was the seemingly rushed ending when Tiggy returns to the Kinnaird Estate!
Her solution to Fraser's challenge to become Laird was quite frankly weak and unbelievable.
Just not what I expect from Ms Riley.