A Brave New World

Whispers Through Time by Joni Scott is a fascinating dual timeline novel that grabs the reader’s attention from the start.

The novel is a fictional tale woven around the author’s grandmother’s early life. It began as research with Ancestry, just names and dates. The author wanted to fill in the bare bones of a life.

All the action is set between 1905-1912 and 2014-2016. The two time periods alternate as we see the research in relatively present day, and the story of a life in the past.

Britain in 1905 was teetering on the edge of a brave new world. The old Queen was dead and new inventions would soon catapult all into the modern world. Unfortunately, the world would soon tip into the war to end all wars (but didn’t).

The reader travels from London to Australia via ship, just weeks after the ill-fated Titanic. We see the bravery needed to step on board.

Life for women was constricted in Britain – not yet able to vote, Australia seemed years ahead.

Life was hard. Diseases that people recover easily from now, ended in death then. No family was without tragedy, and for some, tragedy kept on knocking.

I loved the references to the literary classics and popular songs of the time. It gave an air of familiarity to me.

I thoroughly enjoyed Whispers Through Time. It was a fascinating glimpse into a bygone age. I can highly recommend it.

I received a free copy from the publishers. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

JULIA WILSON