Set the Stars Alight

Amanda Dykes

June 2020 · Baker Books

About this eBook

Lucy Clairmont's family treasured the magic of the past, and her childhood fascination with stories of the high seas led her to become a marine archaeologist. But when tragedy strikes, it's Dashel, an American forensic astronomer, and his knowledge of the stars that may help her unearth the truth behind the puzzle she's discovered in her family home.

Two hundred years earlier, the seeds of love are sown between a boy and a girl who spend their days playing in a secret sea cave, while the privileged young son of the estate looks on, wishing to join. As the children grow and war leads to unthinkable heartbreak, a story of love, betrayal, sacrifice, and redemption unfolds, held secret by the passage of time.

As Lucy and Dash journey to a mysterious old estate on the East Sussex coast, their search leads them to a community of souls and a long-hidden tale that may hold the answers--and the healing--they so desperately seek.

Ratings and reviews

Words cannot aptly describe this fabulous novel that lifts the reader from ordinary days to the height of wonder, adventure, and what many call impossible. The author is a natural storyteller, drawing the reader in with engaging, delightful characters with unplumbed depths and a riveting tale that begins over 200 years ago with a lad, a telescope, a shepherd, and a fiery sprite in East Sussex, England. Ultimately, it is about God, who continues “pursuing you with tenderest grace.” The watchmaker and story keeper, Simon, and his wife have one daughter, Lucy, raised far different than her peers in the early 21st century. She has more than any girl could want in terms of a loving, close-knit family. Simon spent evenings telling stories and riddles. When she was ten, her family welcomed Dash, an orphan from America who lives with his aunt in the flats Simon is caretaker for. Like Lucy, Dash is very well-read. He is as obsessed with the lights in the sky as Lucy is with maps and oceans. The stories Simon tells mesmerize Dash also, and he becomes like a member of the family. Simon teaches what he knows of the stars and helps them build a telescope. After the death of her mother, Lucy and her father recover as best as they can. Dash and Lucy are good for each other, special companions. Until the day he did not come at the usual time. The door of the flat he and his aunt lived in was open, and a note for her on the table. His aunt moved them to America, and he would write to her. The hurt and loss cut deeply, and the solitary girl grew into a solitary young woman. In 1802 East Essex, Frederick is a ten-year-old boy growing up at Edgecliffe Estate. His bitter, angry father, an admiral in a long line of Navy men, was injured and no longer able to serve in the Napoleonic battles. Frederick did not know what it was like to have a friend. He had a glimpse of what a real family was like when he escaped the estate one night and fell asleep. He was found by a shepherd, a tenant of his father, and breakfasted with his wife and daughter. When he collapsed of the fever that killed his mother, the shepherd carried him to the estate. The shepherd later died of the fever, and Frederick determined to find a help his daughter and later, the man of her heart. This is a novel best enjoyed by slowly savoring, even re-reading, a beautiful Christian classic. One will ponder the beautiful images and ideas of prose that sings, for moments of the sheer wonder we lose in the weariness of daily living. See how lives are entwined from one generation, one century, to those far off in the future. While I am not always a fan of dual-timeline novels, this author does an excellent job as she glides from one to the other. Each transition between the 19th and 21st century is easy for the reader. Spiritual lessons abound and may be different for each reader. One thing for certain is that most will put this on their “to keep” shelf. I highly recommend this novel to everyone who ponders whether the Lord is present in our lives, who seeks a childlike wonder and adventure, and enjoys historical and contemporary fiction. Reach for the stars and find His hand! From a thankful heart: I received a copy of this from the author, publisher, and NetGalley, and this is my honest review.

About the author

Amanda Dykes is a drinker of tea, dweller of redemption, and spinner of hope-filled tales who spends most days chasing wonder and words with her family. She's a former English teacher and the author of Whose Waves These Are, a Booklist 2019 Top Ten Romance debut, as well as three novellas. Find her online at www.amandadykes.com.