stevenlink17's review against another edition
4.0
Great imagery, great imagination, great storytelling. Rooted in history, this novel asks the reader to suspend disbelief, like the protaganist, in order get at the truth and resolve unresolved issues. The storytelling is handled deftly, and the plot continues to advance as quickly as the reader can turn the page. It is a good read and offers a little bit of something for many different genre-lovers.
littlelarks's review against another edition
2.0
There's a good book residing somewhere in the mess that is In Another Life, but it's lost in the stilted dialogue, wooden characters, and Johnson's abhorrent choices in plot structure and pacing. But the bare bones - a time-travel/reincarnation romance - is so appealing I kept reading hoping my gripes would be resolved. As soon as our main 'villain' pulled a Snape I was done. Alas.
lindacbugg's review against another edition
3.0
In Another Life I wanted to love this book with comparisons to Susanna Kearsley having been made but I was confused too often so it loses half a star. Glad to have given it a try.
jfl's review against another edition
3.0
Julie Johnson is a Goodreads friend. She was among the first readers/reviewers that I started to follow when I joined Goodreads in 2012. We shared an appreciation for the writings of Tim Winton and I found her reviews of her readings insightful. I also quickly learned that she was an aspiring writer.
In Another Life is her first published novel. She has given us a journey into the past, built around a Gnostic revival known as Catharism and its followers who lived in the southern region of France, a region known as Languedoc. The action shifts between 1208 and present day. It is a fanciful work--a type of magical realism and historical whodunit.
The story easily engages the reader. Julie gives us a new world largely unknown but certainly intriguing. And she envelops that newness in a style that is, for the most part, natural and flowing.
Great to see that Julie is actively moving ahead with new works.
In Another Life is her first published novel. She has given us a journey into the past, built around a Gnostic revival known as Catharism and its followers who lived in the southern region of France, a region known as Languedoc. The action shifts between 1208 and present day. It is a fanciful work--a type of magical realism and historical whodunit.
The story easily engages the reader. Julie gives us a new world largely unknown but certainly intriguing. And she envelops that newness in a style that is, for the most part, natural and flowing.
Great to see that Julie is actively moving ahead with new works.
booksavvyreviews's review against another edition
4.0
"And yet, eight hundred years after his precious Paloma, Bertran, and Aicelina had burned alive in a church in Gruissan, eight hundred years after a fever had burned him alive in a cave not far from where he now stood, Raoul had returned. If only he could understand why."
You are not alone, Raoul! I also wondered. I wondered a lot of things as I read this book. A very slow, leisurely book. A book that can and should be read next to a crackling fire as you sip tea. This wasn't a fast read for me, it took me a bit to get into it and I found it rather difficult. Here is why.
A majority of the first half and into the second part is all a historical info dump. It's rather intriguing but it reads more like a well-written history of France and the Crusades than anything. If you're into history reads then this book is definitely up your alley, as for me, I require a little more story than just history.
This is an eloquently written tale about how several lives during such a horrible point in time are twined together by fate, guilt, and setting right to wrongs. There is a love triangle of sorts that is rather interesting from an adult perspective, but there is nothing childish about it.
I wasn't too keen on the characters or at least I would have been if the historical info drops didn't interfere with my developing feelings for the characters. The switching to and fro, the bringing up of history made any and all relationships feel a little... off to me. At points it felt rushed and not eased into.
The overall plot was touching, beautiful and the book itself is beautifully written. All of your questions you form as you're reading are answered as the book goes on, and trust me there are a lot of them...
The ending left me feeling unfulfilled for my own selfish reasonings, but it was a beautiful book. So it is well deserving of 3.8 stars!
You are not alone, Raoul! I also wondered. I wondered a lot of things as I read this book. A very slow, leisurely book. A book that can and should be read next to a crackling fire as you sip tea. This wasn't a fast read for me, it took me a bit to get into it and I found it rather difficult. Here is why.
A majority of the first half and into the second part is all a historical info dump. It's rather intriguing but it reads more like a well-written history of France and the Crusades than anything. If you're into history reads then this book is definitely up your alley, as for me, I require a little more story than just history.
This is an eloquently written tale about how several lives during such a horrible point in time are twined together by fate, guilt, and setting right to wrongs. There is a love triangle of sorts that is rather interesting from an adult perspective, but there is nothing childish about it.
I wasn't too keen on the characters or at least I would have been if the historical info drops didn't interfere with my developing feelings for the characters. The switching to and fro, the bringing up of history made any and all relationships feel a little... off to me. At points it felt rushed and not eased into.
The overall plot was touching, beautiful and the book itself is beautifully written. All of your questions you form as you're reading are answered as the book goes on, and trust me there are a lot of them...
The ending left me feeling unfulfilled for my own selfish reasonings, but it was a beautiful book. So it is well deserving of 3.8 stars!
taisie22's review against another edition
5.0
In Another Life tells the story of Lia Carrer, a young widow who lost her husband in a biking accident two years earlier. She returns to the country she loves best, Languedoc in the south of France to work on her dissertation about the Cathars. From her first day, she encounters strange happenings and meets people who seem familiar in ways that they should not. There's Lucas, the enigmatic photographer, with whom Lia is collaborating on a book. There's Raoul, the quiet vintner who lost his own wife and children. And there's devious Father Jordi Bonafe who leaves clues for Lia regarding the Cathars and the murder of Archdeacon Pierre de Castelnau, the event which precipitated the massacre of the Cathar people in 1208.
The Cathars believed in reincarnation for souls that were killed without a chance at redemption. Lia is forced to confront this belief as events unfold and she becomes the instrument for atonement of these lost souls. This is a finely written book, truly descriptive of the beauty of the Languedoc region. I've been to some of the locations in the book and the author absolutely nails the mystical allure of the ruins, countryside, and towns. The story moves along at a good pace, and the two timelines are skillfully woven in to make a cohesive and interesting story. This is a lovely story with themes I will ponder in days to come. I want to thank Netgalley for letting me read this wonderful book.
The Cathars believed in reincarnation for souls that were killed without a chance at redemption. Lia is forced to confront this belief as events unfold and she becomes the instrument for atonement of these lost souls. This is a finely written book, truly descriptive of the beauty of the Languedoc region. I've been to some of the locations in the book and the author absolutely nails the mystical allure of the ruins, countryside, and towns. The story moves along at a good pace, and the two timelines are skillfully woven in to make a cohesive and interesting story. This is a lovely story with themes I will ponder in days to come. I want to thank Netgalley for letting me read this wonderful book.
tmaturino's review against another edition
4.0
In Another Life was rich in historical detail, the landscape was lush, the characters flawed and the romance heartbreakingly beautiful. I enjoyed learning about the Cathar religion and their beliefs in reincarnation and a time in France I knew nothing about.
See my full review and interview with author Julie Christine Johnson originally posted at my blog Mom's Small Victories.
See my full review and interview with author Julie Christine Johnson originally posted at my blog Mom's Small Victories.
beckylej's review against another edition
4.0
In the year and a half since her husband died, Lia still hasn't recovered. It's not that she expects to get over him, or even that she hopes for that. But after losing her job thanks to an unfinished doctorate, a change of scenery is definitely in order. And so Lia picks up and moves into her friends' home in Languedoc. The open ended trip offers Lia two things - the chance to recover in a place she loves with the people she loves and a chance to finish the research for her doctorate.
Lia's research on the Cathars hits a bit too close to home, though, when she begins to think there might just be merit to their belief in reincarnation. Especially when she meets and falls for Raoul Arango, a mysterious winemaker who reminds her of her husband.
Raoul doesn't belong in Lia's time. And neither do two other acquaintances in Lia's life. But how and why they've traveled through the centuries to become entwined in her story is something even they don't know. And so it's up to Lia to figure it out.
This may be Julie Christine Johnson's debut, but you'd never know it. She writes with an assuredness that makes In Another Life quite an enjoyable adventure!
Lia is sure to capture your heart pretty immediately. When the story begins it's been eighteen months since her husband Gabriel died in a tragic accident. In Languedoc. In spite of that, or because of it, France is still where she feels most comfortable. Plus, it's the heart of Cathar history and she's been understandably unable to focus on finishing her dissertation.
Cathar history is fascinating! I think it's been on the periphery of other things I've read but it's not something I know much about at all. It's a wonderful and somewhat unique element here considering the way Julie Christine Johnson uses it to tell her tale. She weaves that history into the story quite smoothly, taking the reader back to 1208 with Roaul, Lucas, and Jordi's origins and the crusade against the Cathars. These flashbacks appear intermittently throughout the book, appearing more frequently as Lia learns or begins to suspect more and more about these three men, ramping up the intrigue and suspense.
In Another Life is the kind of romantic and mysterious read that gives you tingles even from the start. You know, that feeling that tells you you're embarking on a fabulous fictional journey.
Lia's research on the Cathars hits a bit too close to home, though, when she begins to think there might just be merit to their belief in reincarnation. Especially when she meets and falls for Raoul Arango, a mysterious winemaker who reminds her of her husband.
Raoul doesn't belong in Lia's time. And neither do two other acquaintances in Lia's life. But how and why they've traveled through the centuries to become entwined in her story is something even they don't know. And so it's up to Lia to figure it out.
This may be Julie Christine Johnson's debut, but you'd never know it. She writes with an assuredness that makes In Another Life quite an enjoyable adventure!
Lia is sure to capture your heart pretty immediately. When the story begins it's been eighteen months since her husband Gabriel died in a tragic accident. In Languedoc. In spite of that, or because of it, France is still where she feels most comfortable. Plus, it's the heart of Cathar history and she's been understandably unable to focus on finishing her dissertation.
Cathar history is fascinating! I think it's been on the periphery of other things I've read but it's not something I know much about at all. It's a wonderful and somewhat unique element here considering the way Julie Christine Johnson uses it to tell her tale. She weaves that history into the story quite smoothly, taking the reader back to 1208 with Roaul, Lucas, and Jordi's origins and the crusade against the Cathars. These flashbacks appear intermittently throughout the book, appearing more frequently as Lia learns or begins to suspect more and more about these three men, ramping up the intrigue and suspense.
In Another Life is the kind of romantic and mysterious read that gives you tingles even from the start. You know, that feeling that tells you you're embarking on a fabulous fictional journey.
ibeeeg's review against another edition
3.0
I read this book simply based on the description and cover; my interest was piqued. I do love historical fiction especially ones that weave past and present together. I also appreciate romance within the pages when it is done well; when it's not the driving element of the story. I was hopeful, and my hope wasn't entirely misplaced.
In Another Life delivered a twisting plot with a part of history that I am not familiar with - the Cathartic crusades of 1208 in the Languedoc region of France. While I did like learning about this time in history, the details were hard to keep track of, far too much information thrown my way in order for me to have a good grasp of it all. I am typically not a detailed oriented reader so for the details to bother me is a testament to the amount given. The story started to speak to me - I started to enjoy it - once I made a consciousness decision to not concern myself with all the details packed into a small space. I did not come away from this book with a firm grasp on the Cathartic crusades, but I am at least now familiar.
As the history is revealed, grief, love, forgiveness, and redemption are dealt. So, what about the characters? Well, I liked them. At first, I was bit concerned about Lia. I mean, walking around naked in her newly rented house and then seeing a strange man at her window (while she was naked) and not once did she freak out; she never freaked out about that experience! Hmmm. I was like "Uh-oh! This better not be a story driven by sex with the covering of romance." To my huge relief, it was not. Lia did redeem herself, she is intelligent and I liked how she handled her grief while realizing the need to move forward. Raoul intrigued me while Lucas flashed the warning signs "beware". All in all, I really did like the characters and how they interacted. I am a huge sucker for time-travel/ reincarnation, what have you, where characters from the past and present meet or are in some magical way deeply entwined. But I do wish they were developed more, and the relationships deepened.
The ending, I must say, left me sort of hanging, I was like "Wait! No. Wait! That wasn't how it was suppose to work out, but okay, I guess the way it did work out is for the better. But still."
Bottom line: The first thought that came to mind when I read the last line In Another Life - this was a good story. I enjoyed this one more than I thought I would. I do wish the relationships were deepened, but I am good with how they were.
In Another Life delivered a twisting plot with a part of history that I am not familiar with - the Cathartic crusades of 1208 in the Languedoc region of France. While I did like learning about this time in history, the details were hard to keep track of, far too much information thrown my way in order for me to have a good grasp of it all. I am typically not a detailed oriented reader so for the details to bother me is a testament to the amount given. The story started to speak to me - I started to enjoy it - once I made a consciousness decision to not concern myself with all the details packed into a small space. I did not come away from this book with a firm grasp on the Cathartic crusades, but I am at least now familiar.
As the history is revealed, grief, love, forgiveness, and redemption are dealt. So, what about the characters? Well, I liked them. At first, I was bit concerned about Lia. I mean, walking around naked in her newly rented house and then seeing a strange man at her window (while she was naked) and not once did she freak out; she never freaked out about that experience! Hmmm. I was like "Uh-oh! This better not be a story driven by sex with the covering of romance." To my huge relief, it was not. Lia did redeem herself, she is intelligent and I liked how she handled her grief while realizing the need to move forward. Raoul intrigued me while Lucas flashed the warning signs "beware". All in all, I really did like the characters and how they interacted. I am a huge sucker for time-travel/ reincarnation, what have you, where characters from the past and present meet or are in some magical way deeply entwined. But I do wish they were developed more, and the relationships deepened.
The ending, I must say, left me sort of hanging, I was like "Wait! No. Wait! That wasn't how it was suppose to work out, but okay, I guess the way it did work out is for the better. But still."
Bottom line: The first thought that came to mind when I read the last line In Another Life - this was a good story. I enjoyed this one more than I thought I would. I do wish the relationships were deepened, but I am good with how they were.