SOMERSET by Leila MeachamI listened to the unabridged audiobook of SOMERSET. It has 19 CDs and lasts 22.5 hours.From the cover: "Theirs was an age-old argument. Family was all to Silas's mother. Land, a man's inherent connection to his very being, was everything to Silas. Without his own land to till and sow, a man was nothing, no matter who his family was."SOMERSET is the story of the Tolliver family through several generations. It begins in South Carolina with Silas Tolliver who dreams of owning his own Plantation in Texas. When his father dies and leaves the families South Carolina Plantation to his eldest son, Silas knows he must find a way to leave. He loves the land and farming cotton is in his blood. But, he knows that he will never be content as just a glorified overseer and he and his best friend, Jeremy, plan to lead a wagon train of other settlers to the Territory of Texas. Not only does this story have rich characters who are vividly imagined and described, but it is also filled with historical facts.However, these facts are so perfectly woven into the story that the reader does not realize that he/she is learning as well as being entertained.I found myself endlessly fascinated by story of Silas and Jessica, as well as their children and their children's children. It is so believable that I actually found myself wondering how much of this story was based on reality and how much was from the author's imagination.This is a genuine epic tale that belongs on the shelf with such books as John Jake's "North and South" and Colleen McCullough's "The Thorn Birds."If I could rate this book higher than 5 out of 5, I would give it a six out of five. I highly recommend this book to all readers regardless of their genre preference. This book defies categorization. It is "Historical Fiction", "Southern Literature", ""Romance", "Drama", "Countey Living", "Pioneer Life" and even a small amount of Supernatural as well. I did not know that there was a book before this one called ROSES before I read SOMERSET and I am looking forward to reading Roses as well. You DO NOT need to read Roses before this book as it is perfect as a stand alone novel.You must read this book. You will not be disappointed. 3.5/5.0My ThoughtsIf you want to lose yourself in a good family saga, this is the book to do it with! The story covers three generations and numerous historical occurrences that happens during the ocer years of three families that move west to settle in Texas. From a character perspective, Somerest has it covered - characters to love, hate, cheer for and want to smack.I was initially a bit intimidated by the 600+ size of Somerest, but the story was well paced and held my interest.Many thanks to Grand Central Publishing for allowing me to read this in exchange for an unbiased review.
Do You like book La Plantation (2014)?
excellent historical fiction saga. Read before you read roses
—sandi
