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The Prodigal Son

por Anna Belfrage

Séries: The Graham Saga (3)

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Safely returned from an involuntary stay in Virginia, Matthew Graham finds the Scottish Lowlands torn asunder by religious strife. His Restored Majesty, Charles II, requires all his subjects to swear fealty to him and the Church of England, riding roughshod over any opposition. In Ayrshire, people close ranks around their evicted Presbyterian ministers. But disobedience comes at a high price, and Alex becomes increasingly nervous as to what her Matthew is risking by his support of the clandestine ministers-foremost amongst them the charismatic Sandy Peden. Privately, Alex considers Sandy an enervating fanatic and all this religious fervor is incomprehensible to her. So when Matthew repeatedly sets his faith and ministers before his own safety, he puts their marriage under severe strain. The situation is further complicated by the presence of Ian, the son Matthew was cruelly duped into disowning several years ago. Now Matthew wants Ian back and Alex isn't entirely sure this is a good thing. Things are brought to a head when Matthew places all their lives in the balance to save his dear preacher from the dragoons. How much is Matthew willing to risk? How much will he ultimately lose? The Prodigal Son is the third in Anna Belfrage's time slip series featuring time traveler Alexandra Lind and her seventeenth-century husband, Matthew Graham.… (mais)
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Mostrando 1-5 de 6 (seguinte | mostrar todos)
The Prodigal Son is the third installment in Anna Belfrage's Alex and Matthew Graham saga. This novel picks up where the series' second book, Like Chaff in the Wind (click here to read my review), left off, with Matthew returned home to Scotland after having been rescued by Alex from forced indenture in the colony of Virginia. While happy to be home and in the loving embrace of his growing family, Matthew is determined to defy Charles II's edict that requires strict adherence to the Church of England and the outlawing of the Presbyterian faith and its ministers. Raised in the Church of Scotland, and believing strongly in its tenets, Matthew is determined to support outlawed Covenanters. But this support puts Matthew at direct odds with his wife, Alex, who doesn't want Matthew to do anything to risk his own safety or that of their family. Matthew's choice, therefore, will not be an easy one. If he chooses to do nothing he will betray his religious convictions, but if he continues to support the Scottish Church he risks losing the people he most cares for.

Having read and enjoyed the previous two novels in this series, I fully expected to enjoy this one. I wasn't disappointed. In fact, given I'm comfortable with the characters and know what to expect from them, I think this series is getting stronger as it progresses. As Alex is a product of the 21st century, I enjoy how she often butts heads with her husband and other members of her family given her world view has been shaped by modern, and not 17th century, expectations and social mores. I also like how Belfrage has shaped Matthew's character as his beliefs, even though he has accepted his wife is originally from another, much more liberal century, are consistent with those that would have been held by a 17th century male. Matthew's conflict with his brother Luke, a theme that runs throughout the series, is clearly evident in this novel even though it isn't as large a part of the narrative as it was in the previous two novels. The incorporation of religious strife and the struggle to maintain the Church of Scotland in the face of opposition from the King was an interesting and educational aspect of the narrative.

While the previous two novels in the Alex and Matthew saga have included chapters featuring people left behind from Alex's 21st century life, namely her father Magnus and son Isaac, The Prodigal Son does not. By the third novel Alex is quite firmly rooted in the 17th century, and her thoughts of her old life have become more limited. I do wish, however, that more than one line in the novel had referenced Alex's first son Isaac, as no matter how adjusted to 17th century life and her new family she's become I can't believe her heart wouldn't have ached for Isaac from time to time. My only issue with this novel was that the sex scenes were a little too romance novel-like for my tastes.

I look forward to finding out what adventures Alex, Matthew and their family experience next.

Note: I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. ( )
  Melissa_J | Jan 16, 2016 |
How strong is your faith? Would you allow your children to die for your belief in God? There are many intense issues in this story, issues that are not black and white, issues with no solid answers. Personally, I’m not interested in political and religious views and thought I wouldn’t get very far into this book, but I’d read the prequels and wanted to continue the journey with Matthew and Alex. Fortunately for my taste, this book doesn’t focus on culture and community. It is an intimate view of Matthew and Alex. It is a drama, a very intense drama about freedom, about love, about trust, about faith or lack of it. It isn’t a fast moving book, more like a slow boil...and worth every moment. ( )
  LoriCrane | Jul 13, 2015 |
Here we have a tale where a time transported strong woman meets the 17th century and the 17th century just doesn't know what's hit it. Our heroine is out in her third sojourn in this tale, which can standalone, but in the midst of so much entangled in the history of one person and her family might be perceived with greater dimension when encompassed as part of the entire tale.

Alex has come from the future and met a man fully immersed in his own time. The strength of their love story and the building of their family in this time is the story. The surrounding tale of the Scottish Covenanters is nearly secondary, for the struggle of a woman convincing her man that deep seated moral cares become secondary to real fears for the protection and succor of ones family could take place in many settings. The time is not as intrinsic to the plot as is the story of the family and as the subtitle relays, it is the story of the Graham's their saga.

We see this also in that the love between our hero and heroine are present from the beginning of the tale, the subplot of the Covenanters only mildly brought forth, even though it returns and returns, it is never as epic to us as the tale of the interactions of husband and wife. That alone is enough to keep the pages turning. The area where I might fault this, is in the heroine using more modern input to increase the strength of her family. Whether that is a knowledge of history, or technology, little of that is present beyond some adherence to a change in diet and an adherence to cleanliness. Some of my favorite tales are those where an uptime brings knowledge to that previous time and aids themselves and the people there with the changes they can bring. Our heroine seems little inclined to add her knowledge to aid her husband's farm.

Aside from that, one can read the Prodigal Son and become rapt up in the tale of Alex and her family, wanting to quickly discover what has come before and what is to come after if not already a fan of the series. Ms. Belfrage creates a strong woman who loves life, her husband and her children, not necessarily in that order. Strong enough that this is a heroine you'll want to meet and get to know better. ( )
  DWWilkin | Feb 26, 2014 |
The Prodigal Son is the third book in the series by Anna Belfrage. It is a historical fiction novel about the religious persecution in Scotland during the reign of Charles II. First I want to say I love the cover, I think it depicted the story perfectly, showing bleak times and the tombstone representing the deaths of people who only wanted to practice their faith in peace. Second, I love time travel stories. I had not read the first two books in the series, but that did not stop me from understanding what the past story was about. Although there was no traveling back and forth in time in this book, there was enough to let the reader know that Alex was from a different time, such as her independence that was not the norm for women in the 17th century. Matthew is a man who is very determined in his beliefs and he risks his life and those of his family to do what he believes is right. Matthew attends and protects a minister who is wanted by the crown for performing conventicles, holding prayer meeting is secret, against Alex's wishes.

Not only is there the religious aspect to the story, there is also turmoil within the family involving Matthew's first marriage and his brother Luke's vindictiveness towards Matthew, which threatens his family. This is a very well researched and written novel which thoroughly describes the tumultuous times in Scotland's history. between the Coventanter's and England. A story about a family that has it's share of sorrow, but is also about a family's love for each other that sustains them through these hard times. Once I started reading the book I could not put it down, I read it in an afternoon, it was that good. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the period in Scotland and English history. ( )
  celticlady53 | Oct 6, 2013 |
This third installment in the trilogy finds Matthew returned from the plantations. Back in Scotland the relationship with his brother continues to rage in an unhealthy manner, alas that is not the only consideration.

This book is set in the period where we see Charles II restored to the throne and the Country embarking of a period of social, economical and political unrest.

Meanwhile, Alex is frightened as to what the future holds for them and finally issues Matthew with an ultimatum. What will he do?

Reflecting over the trilogy, this book, as with second in the series can be read as standalone books, although the background is entwined within the story line of this book. ( )
  AnglersRest | Oct 4, 2013 |
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Safely returned from an involuntary stay in Virginia, Matthew Graham finds the Scottish Lowlands torn asunder by religious strife. His Restored Majesty, Charles II, requires all his subjects to swear fealty to him and the Church of England, riding roughshod over any opposition. In Ayrshire, people close ranks around their evicted Presbyterian ministers. But disobedience comes at a high price, and Alex becomes increasingly nervous as to what her Matthew is risking by his support of the clandestine ministers-foremost amongst them the charismatic Sandy Peden. Privately, Alex considers Sandy an enervating fanatic and all this religious fervor is incomprehensible to her. So when Matthew repeatedly sets his faith and ministers before his own safety, he puts their marriage under severe strain. The situation is further complicated by the presence of Ian, the son Matthew was cruelly duped into disowning several years ago. Now Matthew wants Ian back and Alex isn't entirely sure this is a good thing. Things are brought to a head when Matthew places all their lives in the balance to save his dear preacher from the dragoons. How much is Matthew willing to risk? How much will he ultimately lose? The Prodigal Son is the third in Anna Belfrage's time slip series featuring time traveler Alexandra Lind and her seventeenth-century husband, Matthew Graham.

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