Customer Reviews

Stolen Years

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Ms. Hood-Stewart, in only her second book, has written a story on par with Belva Plain and Barbara Taylor Bradford. Her talent in weaving a story is exceptional.

The book begins in World War I and goes up to present day. It revolves around the lives of twin brothers Gavin and Angus MacLeod and Angus's wife Flora.

Gavin believes he has been betrayed by Angus and Flora, who in turn think Gavin has been killed by a German barrage. At the end of the War Gavin comes to America where he begins building a new life under a new name, with plans for revenge against Angus. Ms. Hood-Stewart takes us on a fabulous journey interwining the lives of Gavin, his family and friends, Angus and Flora and their family, plus an array of remarkable, vivid characters. Its exciting, sensual, witty and Gavin is dangerously alluring.

Ms. Hood-Stewart is the cause of my sleepless night. I started reading The Stolen Years and couldn't put it down. I didn't want it to end. I highly recommend this book. Just make sure if you start reading it in the evening, you don't have to be up early the next morning.

In 1917, fraternal twins Angus and Gavin MacLeod fight side by side in the trenches in France when a German grenade strikes their foxhole. A badly wounded Gavin turns to Angus for comfort, but his brother stands frozen a mindless victim of battle fatigue syndrome. Angus is transferred to a medac facility where he meets his brother's fiancé Flora Finley, a nurse. A guilt-stricken Angus informs Flora that Gavin died on the battlefield. Not long afterward, Angus returns to Scotland to inform his family of his twin's death. Angus and Flora marry, but unbeknownst to both Gavin survives his ordeal, loathing his brother for failing. Gavin goes to America without informing anyone he lives.

In the 1930's, a wealthy Gavin works to undermine Hitler. However, revenge towards his sibling still eats at his soul. When he sees Flora for the first in years, Gavin knows he still loves her. He also worries that she or his family will recognize him though two decades have passed since everyone believed he died and compromise his mission.

THE STOLEN YEARS is a deep historical relationship drama that hooks the audience from the start due to the divergent personalities of the MacLeod twins. Though the novel spans most of the twentieth century and ends in the nineties, the tale mostly takes place from World War I to World War II with Gavin being the prime focus. The story line is character-driven, but contains action to keep most readers satisfied. A relatively newcomer, Fiona Hood-Stewart provides a strong soul searching novel.

Harriet Klausner

This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. Ms. Hood-Stewart took us from 1917 to 1998 without feeling rushed.There is so much detail that you feel like you are fighting in the war along with the characters. When you are finished with the book you will feel like the characters are part of your family you care so much about them.

Amazing, simply amazing. If I could I would give this book NO stars. The story is SO illogical -- the characterizations so inane -- the whole plot SO unbelievably bad, melodramatic and without sense, HOW can anyone think this book was worthy of the four or five star ratings it has received here??

First of all, Gavin wasn't given even a minimal facial wound, just to make it difficult for his family to recognize him???

And as another example--just one more example of the illogical nature of this story--Gavin has a reasonably affectionate, normal relationship with his brother Angus. We are told that they enlisted together, we are shown that they are friendly, even protective of each other in the trenches. Yet, Gavin is instantly, and I do mean instantly, ready to believe that his brother wanted him dead at the Front, and in fact, abandoned him to die. And even later on, when someone he trusts points out to Gavin how RIDICULOUS it is that he could think such a thing of his brother--HE STILL THINKS IT, and is STILL determined to "revenge" himself on Angus! What a dope!

The back-cover blurb and the reviews try to play this up as a "revenge" story; i.e. Gavin seeks revenge on his brother for leaving him to "die"--yet, Gavin, from the instant he realizes no one knows he's alive, finds excuse after excuse after excuse, NOT to contact his family, and lets 14 (count em, 14) years go by before he attempts to seek out the woman who cared for & hid him after he escapes from a POW camp in Germany.

Gavin is more than willing to give up his inheritance, his title and his family's coal mining business, in order to get involved in his American sponsor's china-making business. Please, a British milord, born & bred to "duty", would NEVER give up his heritage!

And the way the character of Flora was presented! Don't get me started! She could "sense" everything, except her own stupidity. Gavin supposedly "loves" Flora like he loves no other woman, yet he doesn't find it difficult to sleep with his German girlfriend; his best friend's mother, or his lesbian wife & HER girlfriend. Bleh.

Through the story, characters are raised up, dropped down & killed off to suit the author's purpose; the author shows no grasp of time or any feeling for these characters, or interest in making them anything NEAR realistic. In particular, Angus & Flora are left dangling in mid-story for 14 years before we see anything of them again!

The discerning romance reader should avoid this book at all costs. I only wish I had -- and saved my precious pennies for something better!

I found the premise of this book totally unbelievable! Two brothers go off to war, one comes back, the other presumed dead. No problem so far. Dead brother is not dead, but still alive. When he reenters the picture (under a new name/identity) no one recognizes him for who he is/was. They merely think he bears a strong resemblance to the man they all knew and loved. Yeah right. I don't buy it. Especially with Flora, the woman who loved Dex. If I ran into an old boyfriend from high school, I'd still be able to recognize him today, even if he changed his name!

This was the first book I read by this author. I certainly hope her other works are better.

It was my first time reading this author. I was totally taken into the story. I felt I was part of it. It is so brilliantly written and I just couldn't put it down, I just had to keep reading until I finished it. I hope her other books live up to this one as I intend to read others.

If you are looking for a romance novel, do not read this book. If you are looking for a heart-warming story of a family overcoming hardships and sorrow, do not read this book. If, however, you are looking for a book that makes you feel like there's no hope left for humanity, then go ahead and read this book. This story was disgusting. The two lead characters come together at the expense of every single other person in the story. Nearly eveyone dies- except for the disgusting main character who should have. There is no love in this book- not romantic love or family love. The female lead is an idiot, and the male lead is beyond words in his despicability. He sleeps with several women and disappears for decades, despite the fact that he's in "love" with his long-ago girlfriend. This book left a bad taste in my mouth. Unless you like books full of despair and crappy characters, find something else to read.