The Echo of Old Books
Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 1984. Ashlyn Greer, a rare book dealer, has a special talent. She can sometimes feel the emotional echoes of a book’s previous owners. When she discovers a pair of volumes that have never been published, the echoes she receives from them hint of a tragic romance between the two respective authors. As Ashlyn begins to read each volume, she discovers two authors using the nicknames of “Hemi” and “Belle,” each telling a different version of their tragic 1941 love story, which took place in New York City. As Ashlyn explores their story, the more she longs to give the tragic pair some closure. She begins to investigate and learns some lessons about her own life along the way.
What a beautifully written novel! Barbara Davis combines a bit of the paranormal with a tragic love story and two “books within a book.” The author’s ability to present two different, but related, heartbreaking stories inside her own novel and keep all the voices distinct is so impressive. The fascinating characters and the beauty of the writing pull the reader in. I felt completely transported to 1941 New York. The anti-Semitism of the time is confronted, as well as the sympathy some influential Americans at that time had towards the Nazi party. The plot is unique and well-thought-out. Ashlyn’s ability to experience the feelings of previous book owners is such a compelling twist to the story. The author shows an ability, too—she can transport those feelings to her readers, and we experience joy, heartbreak, anger, devastation, love, loss, and sorrow along with Ashlyn, Hemi, and Belle. This is an intriguing historical novel that will sweep you away with emotion. Highly recommended.
