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A review by mayflowergirl74
The Gates of Rutherford by Elizabeth Cooke
5.0
To anyone that hasn't read the first two books in the series, I'd really recommend doing so before taking this one on. Some of the more negative reviews of this title describe not getting to know the characters well enough and also having not read the prior books, which introduce most of them to us, especially those in the Cavendish clan. That said, I'd also throw out a bit of another warning. The official synopsis makes it sound as though this book will mainly be about Charlotte, but very little of it actually is. Like the previous books, this story is told from many points of view, Charlotte's being only one of them. There are things about her story that we don't witness first hand but are later told of, and if you are someone that really wants to delve deep into one character, this might not be the read for you.
With all that said, I really enjoyed this last installment in the Rutherford series. It certainly can be a bit of a crowded canvas with no less than ten different points of view. I enjoyed most all of them with only a few that I wanted to speed through in order to get to someone else. There is a great deal about the war of course and the toll it's taken on everyone. There is discussion of shell shock and how it affects some of our characters and what it drives them to. There is a POV from a German prisoner of war who is brought to work near Rutherford, and he's really no different from the peaceful men from England being forced to fight, and at least one person at Rutherford sees that.
It ended well for some characters while not so well for others, as is to be expected at such a tumultuous time in history. There are a few endings that are left up in the air, and I could imagine a few seeds for another novel being scattered, but there can never really be an end for so many characters all at once, so I think some will be left for the reader's imagination.
The rest of my review contains spoilers, so please don't read unless you've finished the book.
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SPOILERS
I don't review many books at all, so I wouldn't feel right in not mentioning one of my favorite characters from this series, John Gould. I don't imagine he's the favorite of many, but even though he helped extricate Olivia from her marriage, he's a good, solid man who fell deeply and madly in love with a woman that he couldn't bear to be without. William had his chance I'd say, but he was too late in taking in. When John had come back at the end of book two, having survived the Lusitania, I'd cheered for him. It's not often someone touches the side of a sinking ship and survives. I half expected him to die in France, to prove that nobody, even someone who survives what he did, is invincible. But thankfully, he made it back to his beloved Octavia. I only hope she won't somehow find a way to blame him for Harry's death, that he didn't try hard enough to get him back. Those things can be tricky.
And as for Harry. I knew he was going to die the moment he left John at the coast. Someone had to die, and I didn't want it to be John or Jack, and so I supposed it would be Harry. The war took a toll on him, and he got so very reckless at the end. He was restless and had survivor's guilt I think, for Emily and for all the men he sent up that never returned. The last bit from the German fighter's POV was quite haunting, and I could practically see Harry waving goodbye. What's sad is that Caitlyn was so close to Rutherford recuperating, and it might have all been all right had he just gone home.
But there is Sessy... and the beautiful horse that returned. Two good things and one very bad one.
I have a great deal of hope for Jack and Louisa. Times are changing, and after losing Harry, I can't imagine Octavia or William would try to actively deny Louisa happiness in being with the man that she loves. If there is to be an objection, I almost see if coming more from Jack's parents!
And I have a little hope for Frederick too, that somehow he can remain in England after the war, a country he seemed to fall in love with. And Jenny needs someone like him. One can imagine.
With all that said, I really enjoyed this last installment in the Rutherford series. It certainly can be a bit of a crowded canvas with no less than ten different points of view. I enjoyed most all of them with only a few that I wanted to speed through in order to get to someone else. There is a great deal about the war of course and the toll it's taken on everyone. There is discussion of shell shock and how it affects some of our characters and what it drives them to. There is a POV from a German prisoner of war who is brought to work near Rutherford, and he's really no different from the peaceful men from England being forced to fight, and at least one person at Rutherford sees that.
It ended well for some characters while not so well for others, as is to be expected at such a tumultuous time in history. There are a few endings that are left up in the air, and I could imagine a few seeds for another novel being scattered, but there can never really be an end for so many characters all at once, so I think some will be left for the reader's imagination.
The rest of my review contains spoilers, so please don't read unless you've finished the book.
*
*
*
SPOILERS
I don't review many books at all, so I wouldn't feel right in not mentioning one of my favorite characters from this series, John Gould. I don't imagine he's the favorite of many, but even though he helped extricate Olivia from her marriage, he's a good, solid man who fell deeply and madly in love with a woman that he couldn't bear to be without. William had his chance I'd say, but he was too late in taking in. When John had come back at the end of book two, having survived the Lusitania, I'd cheered for him. It's not often someone touches the side of a sinking ship and survives. I half expected him to die in France, to prove that nobody, even someone who survives what he did, is invincible. But thankfully, he made it back to his beloved Octavia. I only hope she won't somehow find a way to blame him for Harry's death, that he didn't try hard enough to get him back. Those things can be tricky.
And as for Harry. I knew he was going to die the moment he left John at the coast. Someone had to die, and I didn't want it to be John or Jack, and so I supposed it would be Harry. The war took a toll on him, and he got so very reckless at the end. He was restless and had survivor's guilt I think, for Emily and for all the men he sent up that never returned. The last bit from the German fighter's POV was quite haunting, and I could practically see Harry waving goodbye. What's sad is that Caitlyn was so close to Rutherford recuperating, and it might have all been all right had he just gone home.
But there is Sessy... and the beautiful horse that returned. Two good things and one very bad one.
I have a great deal of hope for Jack and Louisa. Times are changing, and after losing Harry, I can't imagine Octavia or William would try to actively deny Louisa happiness in being with the man that she loves. If there is to be an objection, I almost see if coming more from Jack's parents!
And I have a little hope for Frederick too, that somehow he can remain in England after the war, a country he seemed to fall in love with. And Jenny needs someone like him. One can imagine.