The Stonewycke Trilogy

This book could send me back to reading nonfiction. I just finished reading the first two books in this series. It is one suspenseful tragedy and disappointment after another. Even the 19th Century could do better than this. Simple solution would be more communication (letters) between the parties. Also, the Black Hills are not west of Ft. Laramie; they are north of Ft. Laramie in South Dakota. No wagon train would go north, it would go west through Wyoming. Check out the map of the Oregon Trail. The authors did not. Some details left out leave the reader wondering, like how many changes of clothes could she fit into a satchel? Did her mother give her extra money for the trip? Changing diapers of a newborn on the trail with little water available for washing? Ian thought more of his honor than of taking care of his new wife. The deed to Stonewycke would already have been registered with the authorities. Like I said, unrealistic.

I borrowed this book from a library years ago and thought it was wonderful. Now I finally have my very own copy and I have read it again and will enjoy it many more times I am sure.

I have a romance with Scotland. It's music, it's history, the land itself. My love for this land, and subsequently it's neighboring Ireland, first began as teenager when I read this trilogy. The story itself is simple....a young woman coming to maturity and her love for the land. The loss of a relationship with her father and the new love for a young man he despises. Her decision to leave her homeland and the tragic events that unfold. But, over the course of the series, God's providence in showing her a Father's love she couldn't imagine and being reunited with the one she loved and the land of her birth. The six books of the Stonewycke Trilogy and Stonewycke Legacy are a great beginning for historical fiction set in Scotland. Phillips' later Caledonia works show even greater writing skill and development (And a great introductory course to Scottish history). All good reading.

This was my favorite series as a teenager. I devoured each novel as it was published and waited impatiently for each sequel to come out. Phillips and Pella masterfully wove a plot that kept me on the edge of my seat, spellbound by the characters and the mystery. It is clear that the authors have researched Scottish history and culture. I learned more about that region through these books than from any history class. These books take the reader into the culture, allowing him or her to experience what it was like in that time, as well as into the heart and mind of each character. I became Margaret as I read. The development of spiritual themes is well worked into the plot and appropriate for the audience for whom it is written. I recommend this series and the sequel "The Stonewycke Legacy" highly and without reservation.

I have read this series several times and will never get tired of it! The story that unfolds grasp your full attention from beginning to end. I hated to finish the last novel for fear of leaving the lives of Ian and Maggie! A great adventure to all!