My review of Beneath Black Clouds and White By Virginia Crow @DaysDyingGlory @maryanneyarde

Beneath Black Clouds and White

By Virginia Crow

Despite adoring his family and enjoying frequenting gaming tables, Captain Josiah Tenterchilt’s true love is the British Army and he is committed to his duty. As such, he does not hesitate to answer the army’s call when King Louis XVI of France is executed.

Accompanied by his wife to Flanders, Josiah finds his path crosses with a man who could not be more different from him: an apprentice surgeon named Henry Fotherby. As these two men pursue their own actions, fate and the careful connivance of a mysterious individual will push them together for the rest of their lives.

But it is a tumultuous time, and the French revolutionaries are not the only ones who pose a threat. The two gentlemen must find their place in a world where the constraints of social class are inescapable, and ‘slavery or abolition’ are the words on everyone’s lips.

Beneath Black Clouds and White is the prequel to Day's Dying Glory, which was published by Crowvus in April 2017.

Book Title: Beneath Black Clouds and White

Author: Virginia Crow

Publication Date: 11th April 2019

Publisher: Crowvus

Print Length: 637 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction/Military Fiction/Family Saga

MY THOUGHTS

A heart-wrenching story of loss, war and the inequality between black men and white, Beneath Black Clouds And White follows Henry Fotherby as he navigates his life through being an army surgeon, desperate to help people, and the relationships he builds with those he encounters at war.

What to say! When I initially sat down to read this book, I was not expecting what I received. My want to protect Fotherby from all that he experiences was so very immense, as he is a character that doesn’t deserve any of what he gets from life. His only desire is to look after people, to save lives, and what he is given in return is loss and pain, the very loss that he has prevented so often in his work. His friendships with the Tenderchilts and the Portlands were portrayed so beautifully that, at times, I felt like I was friends with them, alongside Fotherby, and I felt the losses and joy as if it were my own. The development of all the characters has been penned so wonderfully, that by the end of the story, it was clear to see how they had all grown and changed. The years of loss, war and friendship had shaped them as people that were barely recognisable from the people they were in the first few chapters.

Alongside Fotherby, the lives of Josiah and Elizabeth Tenderchilt and their three daughters, as well as the extended Portland family, are followed. Josiah Tenderchilt’s desire to be a part of the army and Elizabeth’s gentle and caring nature clash as she worries for his safety and Fotherby’s presence alongside them both leads to a deep friendship and a debt that can never be repaid. I felt deeply for the various members of the Portland family that Fotherby grows close to, especially Delphina and Rosanna, although the terrible curse that the family appears to be under brought heartache alongside the friendships.

The underlying impacts of racism that Fotherby encounters only enhance his character. Who is he to ignore the blatant ill-treatment of men no different than himself, except for in the colour of their skin? Sticking up for those who are used to the abuse is something that many people around Fotherby don’t expect. It is evident by the response of the black servants that Fotherby converses with that they aren’t used to being treated as an equal, much less having a white man talk to them as a friend, which is heartbreaking to read about as they question whether Fotherby is being genuine or not.

If there were ever a book that I would happily read again, as soon as finishing it, this book would be the one. Virginia Crow has written a book that I not only enjoyed every word of, but one that will stay with me for a long time. Don’t let the size of this book fool you, for the time will fly by, as it did for me as I struggled to turn the pages fast enough.

I Highly Recommend.

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Virginia Crow

Virginia grew up in Orkney, using the breath-taking scenery to fuel her imagination and the writing fire within her. Her favourite genres to write are fantasy and historical fiction, sometimes mixing the two together such as her newly-published book "Caledon". She enjoys swashbuckling stories such as the Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas and is still waiting for a screen adaption that lives up to the book! When she's not writing, Virginia is usually to be found teaching music, and obtained her MLitt in "History of the Highlands and Islands" last year. She believes wholeheartedly in the power of music, especially as a tool of inspiration. She also helps out with the John O'Groats Book Festival which is celebrating its 3rd year this April. She now lives in the far flung corner of Scotland, soaking in inspiration from the rugged cliffs and miles of sandy beaches. She loves cheese, music and films, but hates mushrooms.

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