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Beyond the Dark Oceans
Beyond the Dark Oceans
Alison Huntingford | 2026 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
BEYOND THE DARK OCEANS is a standalone family saga that follows the life of Georgy Huntingford and his family, from his childhood through to adulthood.

He was born in England and spent part of his childhood there before, for various reasons, his family moved to Canada. Life was still hard, but the family drew together, as they always had. You really get a feeling of what it was like, the hardships faced and endured. You also get a front row seat into the dynamics of the Huntingford family, with the relationships between siblings, as well as with their parents. You also get a wider dynamic with other family members, too.

I found this to be an interesting read that kept my attention from beginning to end. I would have loved to have known for sure what happened to William, but art imitated life in this regard, and I'm left not knowing, as were so many other families.

A thoroughly enjoyable, well-researched historical story that I definitely recommend.

** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
 
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
 
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 21, 2026
  
House of Rougeaux
House of Rougeaux
Jenny Jaeckel | 2018 | Fiction & Poetry
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Beautifully Interwoven Stories of Family & Spirit (0 more)
A Bit Hard to Keep Track, Non-Linear, Lots of Characters (0 more)
A Family Saga Spanning Generations and the Globe
I won a copy of House of Rougeaux through a Goodreads Giveaway (my first time winning!) I don't think I would have normally picked this up - and I try to enter myself in giveaways for just this reason - to discover new authors and read stories I wouldn't normally seek out.

House of Rougeaux was a wonderful story of a family spanning across the globe and across generations. The saga is non-linear, so it jumps around a bit. I had a hard time following in the beginning and there are quite a few characters to keep straight. But once I got a few chapters in, it was fairly easy to keep track. The family tree illustration in the beginning is super helpful and I fell in love with this family - and the way the author connected the generations was clever and didn't feel forced at all.

From the early 1800's at a sugar plantation in Martinique with Abeje, a healer, and her brother - facing tremendous brutality and loss - only to survive and start the legacy of this story and this family. To more present day with Eleanor, a musician in Canada - faced with a harrowing situation and tough choices, coming full circle.

There is magic and wonder, healing and suffering, as well as music and love. You see these aspects reflected across bloodlines, across generations, from slavery to freedom and across the world. Things are passed down, and you see a bit of some characters in other, through an intricate weaving of layers. But it's easy to see how this family changed and progressed over 100 years, and the spirit that lives within them all.

The story was captivating and the writing, eloquent. Thanks to Goodreads, Jenny Jaeckel and Raincloud Press for the opportunity to read and review.