REVIEW: The Swift and the Harrier (Minette Walters)

Book: The Swift and the Harrier

Author: Minette Walters

Premise: Dorset, 1642. Civil war has divided England. However, Jayne Swift chooses neutrality. Through her position as a physician, she becomes witness to the brutality of war. Yet her recurring companion at every event is a man who embraces the war as a means to the end. She knows him as William Harrier but who is he really?

I found this really interesting. I didn't know much about the civil war, only who the sides were and who won. This book covers the events that happened within Dorset across the 7 years of the war. I learnt about some of the factors contributing to the Royalist defeat and about the Clubmen, who banded together to defend their land from all soldiers, regardless of which side they were.

Jayne is a strong female lead who won't let men push her around and continually proved her worth. My only qualm was that sometimes she felt too naive and trusting, which didn't quite tie up with the division the country experienced during the war. I liked how respectful William was of Jayne and other women. The love story was as expected but it took a back seat which I preferred. The story did get a tad dull at some points. After the siege of Lyme Regis, there weren't any big events so the plot dragged a bit while we waited for something to happen.

But overall, an interesting read.