In The Shadow of Your Wings is an historical novel set in England, France, and Germany during WWI. An intense read with very realistic details of the ugly stuff of war — zeppelin attacks, trench warfare, and the effects of Germany’s poisonous gas weapons — this book also deals with the ugliness and beauty of the human soul. The contrast between the many characters, both historic figures and fictional, is stark. Spies determined to devastate their enemy’s defenses, scientists with personal glory as their goals, and those who depend only on self populate the pages of this book. But there are also those who rely on God, even in the most unimaginable circumstances. I’m not sure enjoyment would be a good word for my reading experience, but I will say the fight between good and evil as detailed in the book was intriguing and got me thinking. The complex structure of the book involves multiple story lines — the list of characters and their relationships at the beginning of the book is very helpful. It’s worth the time to review it. The ending of the book leaves a number of threads left dangling, so be prepared to plunge into book 2, In The Midst of Flames. All three titles in the series are available, so you may want to schedule a little binge-reading time.

Audience: adults.

(I purchased the ebook version from Amazon. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) ( )

Wow! Wow! Wow!! It's been awhile since I've had a novel capture my imagination and heart like In the Shadow of Your Wings did. JP Robinson, where have you been all my life???

Typically World War I is not a subject that I feel drawn to, and honestly haven't read too many historical novels from this setting, but Mr. Robinson changed all that! Though heavily character driven, I never felt lost, and was instantly entranced in this war saga that shows multiple, diverse characters amid a truly depressing backdrop: the heart of World War I.

As you witness members of the British and German communities coming into the war in various roles, you see a first-hand account of each individuals points of view. So many lives changed, and so much war, but the author does a magnificent job of keeping things PG without losing the impact of the ravages of war. There are some pretty gruesome subject matter that is tackled, but that's to be expected during a war.

So many emotions swirled through me as I read each account, hungry to find out each outcome, the suspense sheer perfection. Not everything is resolved within this novel, and I actually ended this book and instantly downloaded the next installment and continued my reading. Gotta love technology!!

One thing that really struck me in In the Shadow of Your Wings was the pride that several individuals had from killing so many people. Truly sickening yet sadly many have felt that way, which boggles my mind.

I lost so much sleep reading this novel, the writing absolutely incredible. I highlighted so many inspiring quotes that it's almost overwhelming to pick which one was my favorite. I was absorbed like no other and cannot wait to see the saga continue in In the Midst of the Flames.

*I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of each book which I read through Kindle Unlimited for JustRead Tours. All views and opinions are completely honest, and my own. ( )

Thomas Steele, the head of the Bank of England and the Earl of Northshire, hopes the Great War will finally give his wayward son and heir, Malcolm, a meaningful occupation. Leila Durand, a German spy, finds her mission and her conscience are compromised when she falls in love with Malcolm Steele. And the war seems ripe to rip away everything Eleanor Thompson, a young wife and mother, loves…In the Shadow of Your Wings by author JP Robinson.

It didn't take long for this first book in the Northshire Heritage series to draw me in. The author effectively sets a stage both vivid and ominous, and he gives close attention to atmospheric detail all the way through the novel. Violence, danger, and pain pulse off of the pages, and flashes of wisdom and hope bring sparks of light at moments in the story.

Unfortunately, as interested as I was to find out where the story was going, it didn't quite reach a place where I fully enjoyed it. On a technical note, numerous errors and inconsistencies in punctuation and grammar throughout the book took a toll on my reading experience.

For me, the story's points of light didn't quite balance out the depictions and weight of gloom, tragedy, and human depravity. Given the ruinous note on which one of the storylines cut off well before the end of the book, I wasn't sure what the related characters' personal lives really added to the plot, besides showing the characters' dysfunction and corruption. As for a few of the other main players, they didn't arrive at convincing or compelling enough places for me to feel more satisfied and intrigued than tense and ungratified by all of the unresolved matters at the book's finish.

While it's unlikely I'll continue the series, I do see the appeal this novel may have for other fans of historical ChristFic and wartime sagas, and hopefully some of the technical issues in the writing will improve in the future.
________
I received a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review. ( )