Review -The Girl from the Cliff

 

A girl on the cliff is a captivating novel by Lucinda Riley that tells the story of two families, the Ryans and the Lisles, and how their destinies have been intertwined for over a century. The book alternates between the present and the past, revealing secrets, tragedies, and sacrifices that have marked the lives of several generations.

The main protagonist is Grania Ryan, a sculptor who returns to her parents’ home in Ireland after a heartbreaking breakup in New York. There, she meets Aurora Lisle, an eight-year-old girl who lives in a mansion on the cliff with her mysterious father, Alexander. Despite her mother’s warnings to stay away from the Lisles, Grania feels a strong connection with Aurora and becomes her friend and caretaker.

Through a series of old letters, Grania discovers the story of her great-grandmother, Mary, who was a maid at the Lisle mansion and fell in love with the heir, Lawrence, during the First World War. Their forbidden romance had devastating consequences for both families, and set in motion a chain of events that would affect Grania and Aurora in the present.

The book is a sweeping saga that spans from Ireland to England, from France to America, and from the 1910s to the 2020s. It explores themes such as love, loss, family, identity, art, and war. The author creates a rich and vivid historical backdrop, with details about the social and political context of each era. She also portrays the characters with depth and emotion, making the reader care about their fates and choices.

The book is written in a simple and engaging style, with short chapters that keep the pace and the suspense. The plot is full of twists and turns, some predictable and some surprising, that keep the reader hooked until the end. The book also has a touch of magic and mystery, with hints of a supernatural bond between Grania and Aurora, and a mysterious painting that seems to hold the key to their past and future.

The book is a compelling and moving read that will appeal to fans of historical fiction, romance, and family drama. It is a book about strong women, great sacrifices, and the power of love to overcome everything. It is also a book that shows how the past can influence the present, and how the present can change the future.