Review of The Storyteller's Daughter by Victoria Scott
Release date: January 15th, 2025
Publisher: Boldwood Books
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REVIEW
The Story Teller’s Daughter by Victoria Scott is a highly moving and uplifting dual timeline that handles some difficult topics extremely well. Beautifully written, this story set in 1940/41 and 2008/09 takes us on a journey of two resilient women, Nita and Beth, who are from the same family but a few generations apart. We learn so much about their lives: their challenges, mistakes and choices concerning the situations they face. They handle those bumps along the road with determination and fervour. I was completely caught up in both of these women’s lives in different timelines equally. The pacing is perfect and the character building is highly developed so I felt I truly knew each of them thoroughly by the end of their stories. I love how the beginning and ending are finely laced together to create a touching whole picture.
Nita of 1940/41 timeline, has a secret that she wishes to share with her great niece Beth. Just before she passes, she tells her to look for a box in her old homestead. She has grown up in quite a prominent and controlling family. But in 1940 she is offered a chance to work at a newspaper which gives her the independence she craves. But her role begins and progresses quite differently than expected. She meets some interesting people, both at work and outside the office. A romance begins she never expected. But with the war on, will her new love be called away and taken from her? In the meantime, she pursues a story that suspects a German spy in their midst and goes about trying to uncover the truth of Mr X. In time, the revelations will both shock and rip her heart apart. Nita’s life will change drastically and her future will be altered as she finds herself standing in unknown territory.
Beth of 2008/09 timeline, is married with two children but her husband decides he wants to separate. This sends her into a state of turmoil and confusion. Why is this happening now? Her parents have never thought her husband was good for her and it seems now they might have been right. She has always done what they wanted but this one time she went against their wishes and now her marriage is in shambles. Even so, she does not regret her choice of loving her husband and the two beautiful children that their union provided. Far worse is the fact she has been under her parents controlling influence a long time. They have governed her every move, including making her ignore her own career choice. Instead she is pushed to work in Stellar, the family’s property business. Until of late, Beth has done what they asked but an incident occurs that puts her on the outs. Her parents aren’t as perfect as they would like everyone to think, either. Her mother is a successful novelist but has an alcohol problem and her father is a workaholic. Business is all he breathes and knows. Until something happens that shakes his less than solid foundation—exposing his own social and emotional deficits.
Once Nita passes, Beth is left tending to her great aunt’s dilapidated family manor. While getting appraisals and sorting out other affairs, she learns a lot about Nita and this place she loved so much. There is an enchanting forest around the property where spiritual pagan activities occurred. And while there, Beth learns all about it, after she meets Nita’s best friend’s daughter. This place was very special to Beth, too, and while tending to her great aunt’s affairs, she reconnects with those feelings she had as a child. She learns a lot about her great aunt’s pastoral and writing activities and pursuit of uncovering a spy.
This story has many layers concerning family and marital relationships, friendships and secrets. Also, added to the mix are mysterious elements of WW2 spies and Wiccan practitioners with plenty of surprises and dramatic plot twists! I truly enjoyed every minute on these pages that kept me pinned in suspense. Nita and Beth, two related women of amazing courage and strength, were fantastic characters who pushed boundaries, found solutions and achieved positive results in the end. There is also an excellent supporting cast, too. The Story Teller’s Daughter is a wonderful mesmerising, atmospheric tale I highly recommend. Without question, this a riveting 5 Star read! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for a review copy.
