Irish split-time story

Castle on the Rise by Kristy Cambron
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Having previous read Lost Castle, I knew that Castle on the Rise was going to be an enjoyable book. Once again Cambron combines stories from three different time periods, but this time the stories are set in Ireland. Two of the three are historical stories which focus on the conflict between the Irish and English and to some extent Protestants and Catholics. Cambron does an excellent job of presenting the historical details, dialect, and other details to ensure each setting is portrayed accurately. The three stories are also connected beyond the castle locale, but the exact connections do not become apparent until near the end of the book. Even then, the connections are not explicitly explained and I found myself wishing I had a family tree to consult or a afterword which explained the connections more specifically.

As this story is a sequel, reading Lost Castle is recommended in order to fully take in the nuances of the story. However, individuals who have not read the initial book will be able to understand the plot easily as only the portion of the story told in the present day connects to the first book in the series. This series is published by a Christian publishing house. The book was very clean and appropriate in terms of language and relationships, but did not emphasize salvation. There was one or two memorable scenes which emphasize faith.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book Castle on the Rise from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.