The Railwayman's Wife by Ashley Hay
Publication Date: April 5, 2016
Atria Books
Hardcover, eBook, & AudioBook; 288 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction/Literary
Amidst the strange, silent aftermath of World War II, a widow, a poet, and a doctor search for lasting peace and fresh beginnings in this internationally acclaimed, award-winning novel.
When Anikka Lachlan’s husband, Mac, is killed in a railway accident, she is offered—and accepts—a job at the Railway Institute’s library and searches there for some solace in her unexpectedly new life. But in Thirroul, in 1948, she’s not the only person trying to chase dreams through books. There’s Roy McKinnon, who found poetry in the mess of war, but who has now lost his words and his hope. There’s Frank Draper, trapped by the guilt of those his medical treatment and care failed on their first day of freedom. All three struggle to find their own peace, and their own new story.
But along with the firming of this triangle of friendship and a sense of lives inching towards renewal come other extremities—and misunderstandings. In the end, love and freedom can have unexpected ways of expressing themselves.
The Railwayman’s Wife explores the power of beginnings and endings, and how hard it can sometimes be to tell them apart. Most of all, it celebrates love in all its forms, and the beauty of discovering that loving someone can be as extraordinary as being loved yourself.
Praise
“Hay immerses the reader in Mac and Ani’s relationship, splicing flashbacks to happier times into the central narrative. Hay’s poetic gifts are evident in her descriptions of the wild coastal landscape and Roy’s measured verse. This poignant, elegant novel delves into the depth of tragedy, the shaky ground of recovery, and the bittersweet memories of lost love. Fans of Jodi Daynard and Susanna Kearsley will adore this.” -Booklist“Hay has lovingly crafted a poignant, character-driven novel filled with heartache and hope, which is transferred to the reader through lyrical prose, poetic dialogue and stunning imagery.” -RT Book Reviews
“Hay is both cerebral and emotional in portraying life's catastrophes and the way people cope. As if her message is too raw to lay out in blazing color, she camouflages it in poetry and half-seen images—and it works. The message is clear, and the shocks are softened but no less there. Multilayered, graceful, couched in poetry, supremely honest, gentle yet jarring, Hay's thought-provoking novel pulls you along slowly, like a deep river that is deceptively calm but full of hidden rapids. Much to ponder.” -Kirkus
“Exquisitely written and deeply felt…a true book of wonders.” –Geraldine Brooks, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Secret Chord
“An absorbing and uplifting read.” –M.L. Stedman, author of The Light Between Oceans
“This is a book in which grief and love are so entwined they make a new and wonderful kind of sense.” –Fiona McFarlane, author of The Night Guest
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound
About the Author
Ashley Hay is the internationally acclaimed author of four nonfiction books, including The Secret: The Strange Marriage of Annabella Milbanke and Lord Byron, and the novels The Body in the Clouds and The Railwayman’s Wife, which was honored with the Colin Roderick Award by the Foundation for Australian Literary Studies and longlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award, the most prestigious literary prize in Australia, among numerous other accolades. She lives in Brisbane, Australia.For more information please visit Ashley Hay's website.
Blog Tour Schedule
Monday, April 18Review at #redhead.with.book
Tuesday, April 19
Spotlight & Giveaway at Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More
Wednesday, April 20
Review & Giveaway at Flashlight Commentary
Thursday, April 21
Interview & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books
Monday, April 25
Review & Giveaway at Poof Books
Tuesday, April 26
Interview & Giveaway at A Literary Vacation
Thursday, April 28
Review at A Silver Twig
Monday, May 2
Review & Giveaway at The Maiden's Court
Tuesday, May 3
Review at Book Nerd
Review at Queen of All She Reads
Thursday, May 5
Review & Giveaway at Bibliotica
Friday, May 6
Review at Back Porchervations
Tuesday, May 10
Review at CelticLady's Reviews
Monday, May 23
Giveaway at Passages to the Past
Giveaway
Passages to the Past has one copy of The Railwayman's Wife by Ashley Hay up for grabs! To enter the giveaway please leave a comment below and leave your email address or alternate way to contact you should you win.Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on June 3rd. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US residents only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.
This sounds lovely. I love to see people heal and their friendship looks special in this one. I've been in a bit of a mood for post-war stories. In fact, I'm reading one now.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway opportunity, Amy!
sophiarose1816 at gmail dot com
I love historical fiction (gives me a feeling that I've learned something when I finish the book.) I have read a number of the reviews during the blog tour and would enjoy reading this. seknobloch(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great giveaway! I can't wait to read this book. Chris327@mac.com
ReplyDeleteRecently saw a tv show where a famous star had an ancestor who was a widowed wife of a railway man. That piqued my interest. Now this book comes along. Would love to win it and review it on my blogspot. Thanks for the opportunity. Julia Faye Smith, jfaye21@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteThanks for this captivating novel which sounds unforgettable and beautiful. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteAs hopefully a future librarian, I love the idea that she takes a job at a library! Overall, it sounds like an awesome story. Thanks for the chance to win!
ReplyDeleteBeth
bharbin07@gmail.com
This historical interests me greatly. The story, era and locale are all wonderful. Many thanks. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI've had my eye on this book for a while. Thanks for the chance to win a copy, I think we'd both enjoy it. crs(at)codedivasites(dot)com
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a good piece of historical fiction, and the post war time period is interesting. Thanks for the chance to win!
ReplyDeleteJHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com
I have been itching to read this one and was reproaching myself for missing the blog tour. It looks like I have one last giveaway hope, thanks of course to you, Amy! if I get lucky, shamy at post dot harvard dot edu; otherwise see our facebook correspondence. Gratefully, Kara S
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a fascinating read -- and it is one of my favorite periods in historical fiction. glindathegood@bellsouth.net
ReplyDelete