Today it's my turn on the BlogTour Children of Sinai by Shelley Clarke. It's an interesting combination of history, theology and biblical tales, genetics and magical realism.
Shelley Clarke was born into a naval family in Kent in 1958, and consequently moved house a lot as a child. She had ambitions to follow in her father's footsteps and join the Royal Navy, and to become a carpenter, but these were not female occupations at that time. So she learned to type... which has come in jolly handy for putting her stories first onto paper, and now onto screen.
Shelley is a keen painter, poet, and karaoke enthusiast; she loves mad family get-togethers, hates olives, ironing and gardening, and currently lives in Devon with her husband Kev, and their two Tibetan Terriers Nena and Pepi, who make them smile every day.
Shelley often forgets she is a grown-up.
Children of Sinai is Shelley's debut novel. The story had been bouncing around her head for many years, and putting it down on paper has been the hardest thing she's ever had to do. She certainly could not have got through this experience without a lot of cursing and chocolate!
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How would you feel if you got caught up in a secret so vast it threatened everything the world had come to believe?
That’s what happened to John Milburn, computer science lecturer, orphan, husband and father, who lived an ordinary life in Haverhill, Suffolk, England.
That is, until the dreams started…
From the idyllic calm of Cambridge, John Milburn is drawn to the dust and the heat of Jericho. Thrown into danger and intrigue, he discovers more than he'd bargained for.
'A wowser of a tale that is exciting and thought-provoking with a cast of characters you'll fall in love with. Inspired by Biblical events, historical finds, theories and the author's own strange imagination.'
John is plagued by recurrent nightmares. In the dream he is climbing a mountain towards a cave. He sees no connection between his life and the dreams. No Freudian connection or repressed desires or fears. There is simply no reason he can think of to explain the dreams. Then something happens to make him realise that the dream is something powerful enough to change life as he knows it.
He is reluctant to admit fate is holding the winning hand in his game of cards, despite the fact the events that unfold suggest exactly the opposite. Was it always meant to be? Written in the stars, the sand and in the dreams of many?
Clarke lets each element meld perfectly into one story, and by not letting one overshadow the other, it becomes a read you can enjoy regardless of which genre you prefer as a reader. The biblical elements don't veer off into a question of religion or faith, they are merely used as historical references in relation to the storyline.
I liked the way Clarke drew parallels to biblical figures and stories without pointing a big arrow at them. They are self-explanatory and well-known enough for readers to get the reference even if you only have basic knowledge and aren't a bible-thumping zealot.
It's an interesting combination of history, theology and biblical tales, genetics and magical realism. It has a wee bit of a Dan Brown meets genetics and encounters the fantastical vibe. To counter the parts that stretch the imagination the author gives us scenarios that are and could be a reality. The balancing act really sets the tone of the piece.
Buy Children of Sinai at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com.
Thank you Cheryl, I'm over the moon! I appreciate the time you've taken to read my first novel and to write such a fab review.
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