Liam MacGregor is cursed. Haunted by the wails of fantastical Bean Sidhes and labeled a demon by the villagers of Dòchas, Liam has accepted that things will never get better for him—until a wealthy heiress named Annabel Leighton arrives on the island and Liam’s fate is changed forever.
With Anna, Liam finally finds the happiness he has always been denied; but, the violent, mythical Otherworlders, who inhabit the island and the sea around it, have other plans. They make awager on the couple’s love, testing its strength through a series of cruel obstacles. But the tragedies draw Liam and Anna even closer. Frustrated, the creatures put the couple through one last trial—and this time it’s not only their love that’s in danger of being destroyed.
Based on Edgar Allan Poe’s chilling poem, "Annabel Lee," Mary Lindsey creates a frighteningly beautiful gothic novel that glorifies the power of true love
I wish I could give this novel more than 3.5 stars. I really
wish I could, but I can’t. Annabelle Lee is my all time
favorite Edgar Allen Poe story/poem. It is haunting and beautiful.
Ashes on the Waves was not as haunting or
beautiful but it was good. Liam, a poor
boy born with a birth defect and who the villagers think is evil falls in love
with the beautiful and wealthy Anna. Their paths and lives are linked together
through tragedy, murder and mystery.
Liam was a great character, soft spoken, hard working,
loving, caring and smart. Anna was funny, loud, outspoken, and a little vain
and vapid, however falling in love with Liam in the short span of about five
days changes her completely into a character you can really get behind. (Though
a tad unbelievable)
Everyone in their little backwards seaside island village
thinks Liam is a demon and killed his mother at birth, only a kind family and
the love of Francine (an older woman who becomes a surrogate mom to him) keep
the villagers from killing him. on a regular basis
There was a lot of celtic/irish folklore in this novel that
I enjoyed. Selkies, Bean Sidhe, evil Na Fir Ghorm and the sea God Manannan mc
Lir. I love anything that has to do with mythology so these creatures were
great. In fact the Selkie Muireann was probably my favorite character.
There were several villains in this story and most made no
sense. The villagers should have just had pitch forks and torches they were all
so hate filled, superstitious and stupid. I really wonder in small towns away
from society if people are that evil, I mean many get away with murder in this
story without any sort of law enforcement which I find absolutely ridiculous.
The main villain Brigid Ronan (Yeah obvious to me too….If you didn’t want me to
guess what she was don’t assume I am stupid and have never heard the word Ronan
before) is just nasty and her reasons behind being horrible are not even that
great! If your sister died in child
birth to a babe she begged you to save and loved, why would you treat him like
shit and try to get him killed all the time?
The insta-love in this book was HORRIBLE! Ok, I’ll give you
Liam pinning for Anna since he was a boy, but Anna falling for him so fast? It
was almost too much, and I give a TON of leeway on insta-love. Also they get hot and heavy and into the sex
pretty fast too, sure they are both 18 so ok…love+high hormone level = lust. I
will give you that…But marriage>? As in for like,
eternity, souls bonded together? Yikes... I am 30 and just getting ok to the
idea that my Boo and I will be together forever.
Lastly, before you jump all over me…I know this poem is
about death ok? That still does not change the fact that a teen girl
dying/murdered is so sad and creepy for the YA genre. It hurt to even read it,
it upset more to watch a love sick boy basically commit suicide to be with
her. There’s the rub, is it good because
it stays fairly true to the tale? Or is it sick and giving the wrong impression
to our youth? Suicide and death should not be romanticized….Interesting, sure,
a basis for conversation and thought? Why not… A viable option? Hell no.
I liked this book, but it bothered me in some areas too much
to give a higher rating than this.