Title: Whisper Falls
Author: Elizabeth Langston
Series: Whisper Falls #1
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy Romance
Publication Date: November 19th, 2013
My Rating: 4 Stars
While training for a mountain bike race, high-school senior Mark Lewis spots a mysterious girl dressed in odd clothing, standing behind a waterfall in the woods near his North Carolina home. When she comments on the strange machine that he rides, he suspects something isn’t right. When Susanna claims to be an indentured servant from 1796, he wonders if she's crazy. Yet he feels compelled to find out more.
Mark enters a ‘long-distance’ relationship with Susanna through the shimmering--and temperamental--barrier of Whisper Falls. Curious about her world, Mark combs through history to learn about the brutal life she's trapped in. But knowledge can be dangerous. Soon he must choose between the risk of changing history or dooming the girl he can't stop thinking about to a lifetime of misery.
When I first read the synopsis, I got curious on how things will end for Mark and Susanna. Entering a long-distance relationship through the barrier of Whisper Falls, along with the differences in culture and tradition, was no easy thing to do.
It's a fun journey with the two main characters, because they are just so likeable. The way Susanna was trying to adapt to the 21st century was really cute. There is a deeper story to her, though, and I found her very selfless, even sacrificing her own freedom for the sake of her sister. She’s brave in withstanding all the pain in her life. Most admirably, though, she values what she has, especially the kids of her master. She is such a kind person that it made me all the more happy to see her change and gradually learn to stand up for herself despite it being unusual during those times. She is also someone who remains strong, and that’s one of the things I love about her. I mean, for her to know what happens in the future and try to change it… that’s quite a bold move, but she’s willing to do it if it will protect the people she loves. It’s awesome that she finds this undeniable connection with Mark, who’s a pretty amazing guy. He never loses patience in dealing with the differences between his and Susanna’s traditions, and he is always there to help her out, teaching her things about the 21st century. Aside from Susanna’s situation, he also has to worry about his own problems with his race, and things just don’t seem to go his way. He also tries very hard to look for the information that Susanna wants, no matter how hard it may be to find, and the things he’d do for Susanna are truly remarkable. The character I got kind of annoyed with is Mark’s mother, especially with the whole wedding issue, because it’s obvious that family should always come first, but I guess I was proven wrong in the end.
The plot is good, but I can’t help but feel like the introduction of the time traveling aspect is a bit sudden. I wasn’t sure if having Mark’s character be from the future was some sort of a blessing in disguise or not. Nevertheless, the story kept me on my toes and had me curious about what was going to happen to Susanna and how the book would end. I felt as though I was experiencing the characters’ adventure with them the whole time. And the ending… it was simply breathtaking. There is some information that’s left out, but it seems like it’s for the best. I like how it adds to the mystery of it all, but at the same time, I can’t help wondering about Whisper Falls.
Elizabeth Langston’s novel teaches about family, sacrifice, and the ability of love to overcome any obstacle. It is a must-read for anyone who’s a fan of historical fiction and romance.
Labels: 4 Stars, Fantasy, Guest Post, Review, Romance, Young Adult
