“I’m…doing the thing I love best…telling stories.” ~ Susanna Kearsley

I was delighted when the She Reads July Book Club pick, The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley, arrived in my mailbox. By its heft and the beauty of its cover, I guessed I was in for a luscious read–and I was right. Though this was my first Susanna Kearsley novel, it won’t be my last.  Kearsley is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author whose work has been compared to Mary Stewart (one of her first literary loves) and Daphne Du Maurier. She lives in Canada, near the shores of Lake Ontario.

About this book: Nicola Marter was born with a gift so rare and dangerous, she kept it buried deep. When she encounters a desperate woman trying to sell a small wooden carving called “The Firebird,” claiming it belonged to Russia’s Empress Catherine, it’s a problem. There’s no proof.

But Nicola’s held the object. She knows the woman is telling the truth.

Genre: Fiction

Judge this book by its cover? I think it’s gorgeous, and though the image isn’t a literal representation of the story, it’s evocative of its romantic overtones.

Reminds me of…Diana Gabaldon

Buy or borrow? Buy.

Why did I read this book? As the She Reads July Book Club selection.

Would I read another by this author? Can’t wait…

My take: From its first pages–indeed from the very first line, which I deliciously returned to again and again–Kearsley’s  delectable story draws the reader inexorably in.

The Firebird is a two-in-one tale that weaves together two distinct stories: one belonging to Nicola as she comes to peace with her dangerous gift; the other to Anna, as she lives out her destiny, ultimately crowned with the gift that becomes her legacy.

Kearsley writes in lovely, lilting prose, a line of which on every other page made me pause to wish I’d written. (It takes time to squash pangs of envy.) Her characters are attractively drawn, her plot tightly woven. The historical thread is particularly meticulous not only in its detail, but in its character-depth as well.

It was, however, the contemporary thread belonging to Nicola and Rob that especially captured me. The authenticity of their lives, their fears, and, finally, their attraction felt so visceral, it was hard to tear myself away. If I could name any criticism at all for this novel, it’s that I would have liked even more of their story.

I love immersing myself in a mystical novel that requires a suspension of disbelief. From first page to last, The Firebird is a sensual, richly imagined tale. Though I read it as the days were turning toward summer, it would make a lovely novel to savor during wintry evenings before the fire.

Thanks to She Reads and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me a free copy to review. All opinions are mine.

See what other She Read bloggers are saying about The Firebird here (where you can also leave a comment for your chance to win your own copy–highly recommended–plus read an excerpt of the novel), and visit the author online at www.susannakearsley.