The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley

I liked this book quite a bit more than the last one I read by Susanna Kearsley (The Shadowy Horses). My main complaint about that one was the lack of character development. I think The Firebird did a much better job, not only with character development, but also establishing relationships between people that were meaningful and believable.

I liked the historical elements of this novel, especially the parts involving St. Petersburg, since I am intrigued by Russian history. It was interesting to read about the developing relationship between Nicola and Rob as they were watching the developing relationship between Anna and Edmund. Nicola & Rob following Anna to make the connection between the Firebird and Empress Catherine was a clever way to share Anna's story. I was surprised that they couldn't make a clear connection between the two, but I happy that Rob found the James Bond books so that Margaret Ross (poor thing) could go on her well-deserved trip! :)

Susanna Kearsley obviously writes a lot about the Jacobites and their fight for King James to claim the throne as his birthright. I have come to the conclusion that no matter how many times I read about James (First-Eighth!), the Morays, Colonel Graeme, King George, the fight between the Catholics and Protestants, Scotland and Ireland, this is just not a part of history that I am familiar enough with to be able to remember it all. I am not sure I am clearer on the history of Scotland in the late 1600s-early 1700s than I was when I read my first Susanna Kearsley book! Slow learner I guess. I did like how Colonel Graeme from The Winter Sea was also a character in this book.

The only thing I took exception to was Rob's insistence that Nicola speak publicly about her "gift". Why? Why couldn't she keep that information private and them still be together? If I were Nicola, I would not want to be "used" by people (ie Sebastian) for my gift. Now that she has exposed her gift, she WILL be used by others. As much as I liked Rob, I did not agree at all with him forcing that issue.

I suspected early on that Captain Jamieson may be Anna's father, but when he pretty much disappeared from the story, I forgot about my suspicions. So, I wasn't surprised to find out that he was indeed her father, but I really thought he was a Jamieson, not a Moray! It didn't occur to me that he would be disguised, since I really believed that he was dead.

All-in-all, a good story.

Wendy's Rating: ****