Review: The Lost Castle by Kristy Cambron

"Fractured glass could steal no beauty from the forgotten place… it meant life had happened there.” —THE LOST CASTLE 

To Purchase

About:

A thirteenth century castle, Château de Doux Rêves, has been forgotten for generations, left to ruin in a storybook forest nestled deep in France’s picturesque Loire Valley...

Ellie Carver arrives at her grandmother’s bedside expecting to find her silently slipping away. Instead, the beloved old woman begins speaking. Of a secret past and castle ruins forgotten by time. Of a hidden chapel that served as a rendezvous for the French resistance in World War II. Of lost love and deep regret . . .

Each piece that unlocks the story seems to unlock part of Ellie too—where she came from and who she is becoming. But her grandmother is quickly disappearing into the shadows of Alzheimer’s and Ellie must act fast if she wants to uncover the truth of her family’s history. Drawn by the mystery surrounding The Sleeping Beauty—a forgotten castle so named for Charles Perrault’s beloved fairy tale—Ellie embarks on a journey to France’s Loire Valley in hopes that she can unearth its secrets before time silences them forever.

Bridging the past to present in three time-periods—the French Revolution, World War II, and present day—The Lost Castle is a story of loves won and lost, of battles waged in the hearts of men, and an enchanted castle that stood witness to it all, inspiring a legacy of faith through the generations.

My Review:

I adore castles. Every year I have a castle calendar and I have several books about castles, both occupied and abandoned. So I was very intrigued in author Cambron’s newest story, The Lost Castle. I was amazed at the detail and writing of this novel. We get not one, not two, but three storylines in three different time periods. I was equally drawn into all three and wondered how all three would tie in together.

The oldest timeline was set toward the beginning of the French Revolution. We meet Aveline a young noble woman on the eve of her betrothal at the beautiful castle owned by her intended and the horrors of the revolution meet her there.

The second timeline takes us to World War 2. The Resistance of France is waiting for news of the Allies arrival, and during this time young British agent Vi has escaped into occupied France and comes across part of the resistance at The Sleeping Beauty castle.

The third timeline takes place in our present time with Ellie Carver desperately trying to unfold the story her grandmother in her Alzheimer’s confused mind is trying to tell her. Ellie takes a daring trip to France, to the same area of the castle to learn of its hidden history.

I am unable to convey words that would sufficiently tell how beautiful this story was. With world matters that have drastically change each of these women’s lives, true love becomes hard won, heritage and family history becomes most dear. I am not ashamed to say that I shed a few tears reading this: missing my grandparents and all their stories, and my father and his. Author Cambron has some really heartfelt author notes that make this story more real.

If you have not yet read a Kristy Cambron book yet, you are in for a real treat picking this one up.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.