The False Men - Mhairead MacLeod (Blog Tour)

Date of Reading: 11/08/2018

Author: Mhairead MacLeod

Publisher: Thunder Point Publishing

Year: 2017

Rating: 4/5

(This review is part of the blog tour organised by Love Books Group)

About the book:

North Uist, Outer Hebrides, 1848

Jess MacKay has led a privileged life as the daughter of a local landowner, sheltered from the harsher aspects of life. Courted by the eligible Patrick Cooper, the Laird's new commissioner, Jess's future is mapped out, until Lachlan Macdonald arrives on North Uist, amid rumours of forced evictions on islands just to the south.

As the uncompromising brutality of the Clearances reaches the islands, and Jess sees her friends ripped from their homes, she must decide where her heart, and her loyalties, truly lie.

Set against the evocative backdrop of the Hebrides and inspired by the true story of Jessie Balranald, The False Men is a compelling tale of love in a turbulent past that resonates with the upheavals of the modern world. 

My Review:

       I approached this book with trepidation since it is based on a real story. Being not a firm believer of happily ever after in real life, I was dreading a tragic end and was much relieved by the turn of the story. Fortunately, this is not another 'Braveheart' where I will have to cry my heart out.

      Set in the backdrop of Highland Clearances, MacLeod produces a fine specimen of historical fiction centred around a brave heroine who is endowed with a wisdom far beyond her age and time period. While the nobility and the clergy fail to empathise with the farmers, Jess takes a firm stand which according to my pragmatic brain was a foolish decision. But I was glad to see Jess following her heart to give the Highlanders a romantic tale to pass through generations.

       My only trouble was with the abrupt ending. The story had all the potential of being a historical saga otherwise. I could only hope that there will be a sequel wherein Jess reminiscence her struggles in the new found land. Leaving this aside, this was a wonderful tale, told with all the charm of a Scottish fairytale and will capture your attention from the outset.

Meet the Author:

Mhairead MacLeod was born in Inverness, Scotland and spent her early childhood on the Isle of South Uist in the Outer Hebrides.

She now lives in Brisbane, Australia where she worked as an ethics lawyer, investigator and university lecturer. She holds Masters degrees in both Law and in Creative Writing.

An earlier draft of The False Men was short-listed for a HarperCollins Varuna Award for Manuscript Development and also won a Hachette Manuscript Development Award.