Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Bethany House Publishers (2016), 432 pages
Description
"Despite her business success in Washington, DC, a woman troubled by questions about her roots and identity receives a surprising letter from a solicitor's firm; meanwhile, the death of a clan patriarch in Scotland's Shetland Islands paralyzes the economy of an entire community"--
User reviews
LibraryThing member lanehillhouse
Thursday, April 7, 2016
The Inheritance by Michael Phillips, ©2016
Secrets of the Shetlands, Book 1
My Review:
As the music drew her, Loni Ford came to an antique furniture shop. Somehow it soothed her. Calling to her deeper than she had ever felt before. To a homeland of the heart.
"Welcome to you
--The Inheritance, 244
As the long winter and spring have passed, entering into summer and the annual June solstice activities, David Tulloch longed for an end to the hold of finances resulting from the lack of a will at laird Macgregor Tulloch's passing. As clan chief, he oversees the people and holdings of the island. The main source of employment is the woolen mill, especially for the widows of fishermen lost at sea.
Generations back the composing of lairdship and chief rested upon one person. Because of the absence of an elder son, the duties and responsibilities were divided between two remaining sons, and trickled down between following heirs. This generation, the question is who is the continuation going to be through?
This is the first book I have read by Michael Phillips and I look forward to the series following in book 2, The Cottage. I especially liked the history of the generations, placing each one, and the follow-up discovery of their lives. This will carry over well into the second book. David Tulloch has wisdom beyond his years in knowing what is worthy and attainable to be spoken of, when to speak and when to be silent. I thought the book flowed very nicely, interweaving between Loni's story and the island happenings. There is a family tree and a map of Whales Reef in the front I found very helpful in sorting out heritage of generations. I would like some recipes from the bake shop! This book was a hit with me, and... I would give it a ten rating.
***Thank you to author Michael Phillips and to Bethany House Publishers for my review copy of The Inheritance, Book 1 in the Secrets of the Shetlands series. This review was written in my own words. No other compensation was received.***
Michael Phillips Continues His Sweeping Shetland Islands Saga
Book 2, The Cottage, releases in October 2016
The Inheritance by Michael Phillips, ©2016
Secrets of the Shetlands, Book 1
My Review:
As the music drew her, Loni Ford came to an antique furniture shop. Somehow it soothed her. Calling to her deeper than she had ever felt before. To a homeland of the heart.
"Welcome to you
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all!" David called out. "Especially to you who have come from throughout Shetland to join us, and also from mainland Scotland and England. As chief of our small but proud island clan, I extend hearty greetings on behalf of the people of Whales Reef. May you find the warmth of our hearts refreshing to your spirits, and may your parting be no longer as strangers but as friends."--The Inheritance, 244
As the long winter and spring have passed, entering into summer and the annual June solstice activities, David Tulloch longed for an end to the hold of finances resulting from the lack of a will at laird Macgregor Tulloch's passing. As clan chief, he oversees the people and holdings of the island. The main source of employment is the woolen mill, especially for the widows of fishermen lost at sea.
Generations back the composing of lairdship and chief rested upon one person. Because of the absence of an elder son, the duties and responsibilities were divided between two remaining sons, and trickled down between following heirs. This generation, the question is who is the continuation going to be through?
This is the first book I have read by Michael Phillips and I look forward to the series following in book 2, The Cottage. I especially liked the history of the generations, placing each one, and the follow-up discovery of their lives. This will carry over well into the second book. David Tulloch has wisdom beyond his years in knowing what is worthy and attainable to be spoken of, when to speak and when to be silent. I thought the book flowed very nicely, interweaving between Loni's story and the island happenings. There is a family tree and a map of Whales Reef in the front I found very helpful in sorting out heritage of generations. I would like some recipes from the bake shop! This book was a hit with me, and... I would give it a ten rating.
***Thank you to author Michael Phillips and to Bethany House Publishers for my review copy of The Inheritance, Book 1 in the Secrets of the Shetlands series. This review was written in my own words. No other compensation was received.***
Michael Phillips Continues His Sweeping Shetland Islands Saga
Book 2, The Cottage, releases in October 2016
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LibraryThing member SAMANTHA100
The Inheritance, by Michael Phillips, is set in Whales Reef which is part of the Shetland Islands. Life in Whales Reef has been overseen by a clan for centuries. The story opens in 1924 and then jumps ahead to 2005 which is where we meet the protagonists. After the current head of the clan,
I found this book to be elegantly written. It is a powerful story about family, buried secrets, heredity and the power of legacies. The characters are well drawn and through them the reader is placed into their very special world. Highly recommended!!
I received this book for free from Bethany House and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
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Macgregor Tulloch, dies it is learned that he didn't leave a will. It was commonly thought throughout Whales Reef that his estate would automatically pass to his beloved grandnephew David. David is respected, admired and trusted. David's abrasive cousin, Hardy, not so much. Hardy quickly files claim to the estate. While the estate is in probate there are no funds coming forth and the financial stability of Whales Reef is threatened. The residents know that if David is named heir their way of life will continue. If Hardy is named heir, the village has well founded fears for their future. At the same time readers are introduced to Loni Ford, who lives in Washington, D.C.. She was orphaned at a young age and she was raised by her father's parents. She was told very little about her parents and as a result she has struggled to understand who she really is. Loni knows nothing about Whales Reef, but unexpectedly that changes and with that change comes the possibility of a new life.I found this book to be elegantly written. It is a powerful story about family, buried secrets, heredity and the power of legacies. The characters are well drawn and through them the reader is placed into their very special world. Highly recommended!!
I received this book for free from Bethany House and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
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LibraryThing member lamb521
Title: The Inheritance (Secrets of the Shetlands #1)
Author: Michael Phillips
Pages: 432
Year: 2016
Publisher: Bethany
My rating is 5+ stars.
Many undertake to share stories with people through writing novels with various points of view, themes, and different genres. Few books are able to touch the soul
In a way that I haven’t come across in many books, both fiction and nonfiction, Michael Phillips shares a very heart-gripping tale. At first I wrestled with some of the language spoken by characters on Shetland Island, even though the author wrote it with more of an English dialect. I am not gifted in languages, even English, so it is a blessing to have a friend who edits my reviews! Part of the story takes place on the island or the mainland; other parts take place in America.
What struck me hardest was the more I read, the deeper the story went to encompass more themes and characteristics. At first it seemed there was a hint of something special in the story with the Prologue, then the sense of mystery came out of nowhere as an added pull to keep reading. It is a rich, historical piece of fiction to be sure; yet, don’t be surprised to see aspects and themes such as ancestors, treasures, love, tension and more.
Faith is one of the themes that shows up later in the book, and I am sure you will understand why when you sit to enjoy the novel. Personally, I eagerly await the sequel to book one as the story continues and perhaps to a third installment. The chapters are very short which moves the story along at an engaging pace without losing readers. The plot is complex, the characters intriguing and there are a multitude of themes. However, there is a richness to the novel that will definitely leave an imprint on the heart and mind of readers for a long time as there is a message that can be understood and practiced in anyone’s life if they so choose to do so.
To me this is the best of Michael Phillips that I have read and thoroughly loved in a long time, and I hope you will enjoy the book too!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Author: Michael Phillips
Pages: 432
Year: 2016
Publisher: Bethany
My rating is 5+ stars.
Many undertake to share stories with people through writing novels with various points of view, themes, and different genres. Few books are able to touch the soul
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of a reader deeply; perhaps a few will still be remembered for a long time. Books take the audience to all sorts of places, on adventures and beg the reader to release the mind’s ability to “imagine”.In a way that I haven’t come across in many books, both fiction and nonfiction, Michael Phillips shares a very heart-gripping tale. At first I wrestled with some of the language spoken by characters on Shetland Island, even though the author wrote it with more of an English dialect. I am not gifted in languages, even English, so it is a blessing to have a friend who edits my reviews! Part of the story takes place on the island or the mainland; other parts take place in America.
What struck me hardest was the more I read, the deeper the story went to encompass more themes and characteristics. At first it seemed there was a hint of something special in the story with the Prologue, then the sense of mystery came out of nowhere as an added pull to keep reading. It is a rich, historical piece of fiction to be sure; yet, don’t be surprised to see aspects and themes such as ancestors, treasures, love, tension and more.
Faith is one of the themes that shows up later in the book, and I am sure you will understand why when you sit to enjoy the novel. Personally, I eagerly await the sequel to book one as the story continues and perhaps to a third installment. The chapters are very short which moves the story along at an engaging pace without losing readers. The plot is complex, the characters intriguing and there are a multitude of themes. However, there is a richness to the novel that will definitely leave an imprint on the heart and mind of readers for a long time as there is a message that can be understood and practiced in anyone’s life if they so choose to do so.
To me this is the best of Michael Phillips that I have read and thoroughly loved in a long time, and I hope you will enjoy the book too!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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LibraryThing member vintagebeckie
I was really excited when I was offered the chance to review The Inheritance by Michael Phillips. This novel looked exactly like books that I enjoy most — multi-generational, interesting setting, complex characterization and written by an author known for literary excellence. Then . . . I started
Whales Reef is a remote island in the already remote Shetland Islands. Fierce winds and waves create a daunting landscape for the hardy people that cling to tradition, both Celtic and Norse. Survival is always tenuous, but with the death of the laird, the future for the citizens of Whales Reef and the Tulloch Clan is in doubt. With greedy North Sea oilmen, feuding cousins and an unknown American claimant to the inheritance, uncertainty abounds and a rich heritage may come to an end.
The Inheritance has a complex structure — multiple settings, multiple time periods and multiple characters’ perspectives. And while a little daunting to a reader expecting to breeze through the novel, it provided this reader a rich reading experience. Phillips is a master at conveying the people and place of The Shetlands. I could almost feel the mist on my face and the smell of the sea in the air. His writing is a bit dense, but I found myself lost in David’s rambles across the island of Whales Reef. And while it took some time to get used to the patois of the native speech, I got the hang of it and enjoyed the local flavor. Characterization is strong. I loved David’s strong sense of duty to his people and his home. Loni struggles with identity and a yearning for a family. The villains of the novel were easy to dislike, but also are well-drawn. Dependence on a sovereign God is an underlying theme.
The Inheritance is just the first book in a planned series. A lot is accomplished in the story, but there is so much more to come. I eagerly await revisiting Whales Reef.
Highly Recommended.
Audience: adults.
(Thanks to Bethany House and LitFuse for a review copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
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hearing a buzz of negative reviews. Note to self: don’t read reviews! Just kidding! However, I did face the reading of this book with trepidation. But from the first page I was captivated. Phillips’ prose is lyrical, his characters are compelling, the setting is magnificent. I loved The Inheritance!Whales Reef is a remote island in the already remote Shetland Islands. Fierce winds and waves create a daunting landscape for the hardy people that cling to tradition, both Celtic and Norse. Survival is always tenuous, but with the death of the laird, the future for the citizens of Whales Reef and the Tulloch Clan is in doubt. With greedy North Sea oilmen, feuding cousins and an unknown American claimant to the inheritance, uncertainty abounds and a rich heritage may come to an end.
The Inheritance has a complex structure — multiple settings, multiple time periods and multiple characters’ perspectives. And while a little daunting to a reader expecting to breeze through the novel, it provided this reader a rich reading experience. Phillips is a master at conveying the people and place of The Shetlands. I could almost feel the mist on my face and the smell of the sea in the air. His writing is a bit dense, but I found myself lost in David’s rambles across the island of Whales Reef. And while it took some time to get used to the patois of the native speech, I got the hang of it and enjoyed the local flavor. Characterization is strong. I loved David’s strong sense of duty to his people and his home. Loni struggles with identity and a yearning for a family. The villains of the novel were easy to dislike, but also are well-drawn. Dependence on a sovereign God is an underlying theme.
The Inheritance is just the first book in a planned series. A lot is accomplished in the story, but there is so much more to come. I eagerly await revisiting Whales Reef.
Highly Recommended.
Audience: adults.
(Thanks to Bethany House and LitFuse for a review copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
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Language
Original language
English
Physical description
8.5 inches
ISBN
0764217488 / 9780764217487
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