I don’t think I’ve ever been more appreciative to a book tour exposing me to a novel before. I love historical fiction but I’ll admit I gravitate towards a handful of time/locations when choosing: WWII, English monarchy, colonial America. Beneath The Veil Of Smoke & Ash was a bullet out of nowhere for me, set in the early 1900’s in steel and coal country. The story follows an immigrant family trying to capture the American dream but never quite grasping it.
The characters drew me in right away, I haven’t read many stories that I was so invested in or so conflicted by. There are some unusual circumstances that you can totally believe could have played out in real life. Abuse and neglect and xenophobia that certainly defined the growth of America and yet we are only just beginning to unfold and understand these stories. People faced with impossible decisions to try to survive and yet no one lost the hope of the potential to thrive. I was so intrigued by the harshness of the era and understanding how people coped with the constant tragedy and hardship their lives entailed. I appreciated the storyline of mental illness and how it impacted everyone around that character.
I absolutely devoured this novel. I would love a sequel to understand where each of the characters went after the story ended. If you enjoy historical fiction by authors like Kristin Hannah, Phillippa Gregory or Gill Paul then you should definitely check this one out. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Booksparks for a copy of this novel. All opinions above are my own.
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