“We are uprooted. We no longer have the feeling that we belong somewhere or belong to anyone. It must be one of the drawbacks of globalization.”
The sixth book in the acclaimed Seven Sister series by Lucinda Riley had around 900 pages which flew by pretty quickly to my extreme disappointment because it was an absolute pleasure of a read. And the reason for this is simply because Lucinda was among the greatest storytellers of her generation.
I was extremely saddened by the news of her passing, which I heard about right after I completed my 7th book of the series - The Missing Sister. I couldn't help but admire her potent capability of writing such a lengthy series, which is not only exciting to read, but strikes an emotional chord with the readers. Books that are thoroughly researched, analyzed, and put down into paper with such love and care for the present and historical characters are extremely rare. She was an asset to the literary world and I am extremely grateful to God that I was able to stumble upon her work that was no less than a piece of art itself.
Earlier I thought that this particular book was going to be a challenge to read ever since we were first introduced to Electra D'Apliese, back at the beginning of this series, in which, she did not come across as a very likable person. Spoiled, self-centered, and with having so little regard for all the advantages she has had, on top of which she is completely lost to everyone in her life because of her inability to let go of her addictions, which she is so attuned to, makes her deplorable.
Even after the end of the book, I still did not like her as much as I liked the other sisters, but I doubt the author wrote her as a character that would want our sympathy anyway. Her storyline deals with more serious present-day issues of substance abuse, bullying, friendship, and the definition of strength and it was given a full explanation as to why this complicated and hard-to-love woman turned out the way she did.
But, it was Cecily's story that really got me hooked, which shows us the history of life in Kenya under British rule, her selflessness, her unwavering devotion to a Maasai girl, and the sacrifices made by her to overcome racial prejudices and her utmost dedication to provide a better life for black children really warmed my heart.
Electra's transformation in the face of it might seem rather contrived, but as the story has so many depths that take us back to the early days of her childhood and her life with Pa Salt in the family home at Atlantis in Geneva, we begin to understand more about her and the relationship she had with her adoptive father as well as her sisters.
I have been all over the world with Lucinda with this series and learned so much from all of the places I have been. The fact that actual life events and real people are simply weaved into the fictional tale is a testament to the skill of Riley's writing and means that for me she is without a doubt one of my favorite authors.
If anyone wants to learn more about the other books of the series, please check out my blogs on the previous five books:
I am deep in this series now with the last two installments - The Missing Sister and Atlas - The Story of Pa Salt written posthumously by Harry Whitaker, Lucinda's son, and can't wait to share the overall thoughts with you all on this extraordinary series. Ciao!
Happy Reading!!!
