Fire Along the Sky
Over the course of three preceding novels, Nathaniel and Elizabeth Bonner have survived separation, deprivation, pirates, cultural prejudice, arson, and multiple murder attempts. Now, as their children reach adulthood and begin making important life decisions, their challenge is to let them go gracefully.
Oldest daughter Hannah has returned from the west without her husband or their son. Oldest son, Luke, a merchant in Montreal, is secretly working on behalf of the U.S. during the War of 1812. Son Daniel, eager to prove his manhood, joins the U.S. border militia under Jim Booke. His twin, Lily, also leaves Lake in the Clouds to study art in Montreal, while fighting her growing attraction to Simon Ballentyne, Luke’s business partner. Gabriel is too young to leave home yet, but it’s only a matter of time before his natural wanderlust leads him away as well.
Readers who are new to the series may at times feel lost. Those familiar with the series will note the shift of focus to the Bonner children. Nathaniel and Elizabeth still carry weight in the multi-layered plot, just not all of it. The characters are complex and nuanced. Details of daily life on the edge of the frontier provide rich, contextual flavor, as do scenes set in the prison ward at the British garrison on Nut Island (though the author’s note states that she has fiddled with historical dates and names in order to make them fit into her story). Finally, and most importantly for fans, the ending promises that more adventures are in store for all the Bonners.
