What the Wind Knows

Spellbinding.....Enchanting....Transporting !! the wind and water know all the earth’s secrets. They’ve seen and heard all that has ever been said or done. And if you listen, they will tell you all the stories and sing every song. The stories of everyone who has ever lived. FABULOUS story from the esteemed coffers of Harmon, excelling in narration, plot and impact. ALL her books are seeped in colourful emotions, she has a piece of her soul invested in each book. But this book goes a step further. Or should I say several steps backwards!! This book's predominant emotion is HEARTACHE. For lost love, for the beloved country, for road back home. It's not just a simple love story between two people who meet like ships passing in the night of different eras, it's a deep connection that a person has with one's soil, roots that tether you to your heritage. “Don’t let the history distract you from the people who lived it,” It's not only historical, it's HISTORIC. Events we read about in yellowed pages are soaked crimson with blood, charred black with soot and disintegrating under water. Set against the backdrop of Irish uprising, the story is about deep love that Anne shares with Eoin, with Thomas. Friendships she shares with Maeve, Mick & Robbie. Her heart pulls her back and fate moves her forward, and somewhere in between is the Lough Gill. I've never had the pleasure of reading such a unique storyline. Not sure I'd ever try it, BUT for Amy Harmon. I trust my reader heart in her hands, assured that she would fill it with love in all its colours. It was the legend of Oisín and Niamh, where time was not flat and linear but layered and interconnected, a circle that retraced its path again and again, generation after generation, sharing the same space if not the same sphere. Harmon's words are wizard's spells, hypnotic and magnetic, once they're imprinted on your brain, you just stand there stupefied and stunned. I could decipher the story but couldnt believe my brain what i was reading, I actually had an out of body experience. My eyes were reading them, dancing on the curves and sharp edges of the alphabets, but they spring alive like a theatre reel in all Technicolor in front of me. The line between the world's blurred, past and present, fact and fiction. Was I living now or then, was I my own ancester,my predecessor, I was a descendant or precursor? Amy can tell you a tale set in 1912 in Ireland, or 1935 Italy or present day America, she makes you BELIEVE in its authenticity. Carefully weaving threads of fact and fiction, the tapestry she creates is colossal and breathtaking. “Faeries, come take me out of this dull world, For I would ride with you upon the wind, Run on the top of the disheveled tide, And dance upon the mountains like a flame.” I felt my soul swooping over the fog choked Lough, over the bogs, green rolling hills and in Gravagh Glebe. I became Anne Gallagher, a woman lost between parallel worlds, she is losing her beloved grandfather -Eoin Gallagher and a promise made to him, to transport his ashes to Eirèan, his beloved Ireland. His soul has unfinished business, there is somebody waiting for Anne on the other side of time and Lake........he loves her too much, misses her too much and sheds tears for her. “There are some paths that inevitably lead to heartache, some acts that steal men’s souls, leaving them wandering forever after without them, trying to find what they lost,” As Anne steps on Irish Soil, her fate is sealed. The ashes swirling in the Lough grow wispy tendrils of fog so dense, her past and present lose boundaries and Eoin's plan is set into motion I can't even begin to describe what is the context and precis of the story. You wouldn't believe me if I told you, so you must go and read it yourself. The FEELINGS are all IN CAPS. There's NOTHING that won't touch you deeply, each mishap, each danger, each dread, multiplies till it just fills you to the brim. I fell in love, like absorbing, all encompassing, to-die-for love with Ireland. The land, the lore, the legend, the loughs. “Don’t let the history distract you from the people who lived it,” Thomas Smith crept in my heart, softly and slowly. Dignified and diligent, he's all that is good in the world Anne, the one I met, is serene, kind, compassionate. Her soft smile, reticent love, powerful words just stole my breath. How strong is her mettle that despite finding herself misplaced and displaced, she strives to adjust her constitution. Hangs on to Eoin with focused love. Michael, I'd like to have read more as a man, rather than a political figure. Maeve is most sassy and Robbie the ever loyalist. I'm telling you, this book is literally OUT OF THIS WORLD. It took me a while to get into because the beginning is expansive and overwhelming. But as you read on, it's like you get closer to a huge painting. The characters etch out, their colours get more vibrant, the scenes become clearer and when you reach the halfway mark you will what to widen your eyes to take all of it in. Take your time to read. Don't rush it, savour the words, re-read some, let Yeats soak in your senses, join the dots of prose, poems, history and feelings. Now let me be, I want to stand on the shores of Lough Gill, strain to hear the whistling again.... “They can’t forget, they never will, the wind and waves remember Him still.” Bless your beautiful heart and God bless your mighty pen Mrs. Harmon. 6 stars for the Travelling Countess

I’d call this a “paranormal historical love story” set in 1921 in battle-torn, patriotism-whipped Ireland-- and also in 2001 USA. Two nations and two ages separated by a lake in Ireland. OVERALL What drew me to this book? (1) The author is talented with a breadth of wisdom not always seen in novels. (2) The history and people of Ireland have always had a grip on my spirit. Irish dancers, writers and poets imbue the people. I love the mood-setting quotes from William Butler Yeats. (3) The narrator, Anne Gallagher, has an endearing and unassuming quality to her, a spirit of adventure and deep emotions. TIME AND PLACE. It seems to me the author patterned her story after Madeleine L’Engle’s A WRINKLE IN TIME which used quantum physics to credibly explain time and place travel for her characters. The incredulous twists and timelines in WHAT THE WIND KNOWS didn’t have that kind of support. Can your grandfather become your son? And can a woman get pregnant in the transported world and then give birth 80 years later in her first world? Hmmmm…fantastic! PLOT. Historical events and characters make the plot, not tightly woven, many twists, and long pauses for displays of love in families, among the Irish rebels, and the two main characters, Anne and Thomas. This is the kind of plot I like best – real life and unpredictable. SUSPEND DISBELIEF—for a time readers need to emotionally believe the world the author has created and live in it. But the new world has to “hang together.” Did it? For me in places it didn’t. Still, I enjoyed how the author tried to overcome that difficulty. An admirable job, she did! AND YET – I surely enjoyed the history made alive in characters who seemed real to me, heroes, villains, just people trying to cope with harsh and oppressive times. I PLAN TO READ THIS BOOK AGAIN. It is artistic with many passages that offer poignant and lasting truths. I revel in those. The prose is usually factual and straight-forward, although the author at times overdoes it: “…playing Russian roulette with my heart….tears leaked from my eyes.” Minor stuff. TRUE HISTORY. “This was a hard novel to write,” the author admits and gives credit to people who helped her to “get it right.” Although a few characters are fictional, and some a blend of real and imagination, the main ones are true to history. As a writer myself, I envy the skill displayed. RECOMMEND? YES, for most readers. Is this a perfect novel? Not quite. It’s meant for imperfect readers like me! True—I felt at one with the author and plan to read her other books. Thanks so much, Ms. Amy Harmon.

My grandfather was born in Dublin in 1904 and although he wasn't Irish (German ancestry), I'd always wondered about his history in Ireland and how it fits into my own life story. I decided a pilgrimage of sorts was necessary to figure it out. I took my sister with me and we visited site after site, enjoying as much of Ireland as we could in a 3 week period. We visited every tourist site we could, and some usual locations on a whim. Many of those sites are mentioned in this book. We started at the Cliffs of Moher, spent days visiting Malahide Castle, Dublin castle the national museum's, New Grange and Galway, Cork, Muckross House and Middleton. We skipped the Blarney stone (who really wants to kiss something thousands of others had kissed in the last week?? It sounds unsanitary to me). We also skipped Waterford, but visited the Drombeg standing stones, the Ring of Kerry and the Giants Causeway. We traveled east to west, south to north and still didn't have time to see it all. We never did learn about our heritage, but I'm guessing that will be another opportunity. Another trip. Another adventure. Ireland is a beautiful place with a LOT of history, from the famine to the loss of the Titanic, its played its part in our lives. I wish I'd read this book before our trip. It would've explained a little more of the political conflicts that remains today. Belfast and northern Ireland remain part of the British empire and there are still some who are angry with the capitulation and presence of British influence on "Irish soil". As few as 20 years ago there were bombings and killings in protest of British rule. The Irish are a proud and traditional people. Wool sweaters, caps, fried fish and potato dishes, traditional music and dance are all present, but a new element has been added in spades: tourism. It seems that Ireland has recently increased 10x its business in tourism. It's growing as well. You can't see a clear skyline anymore, every city is dotted with cranes as they tear down the old and rebuild modern structures. This book was wonderfully written, making all of the history come to life. I enjoyed the characters, the plot (the conflict, the history, the romance), the language & tradition, the recollection of a past that isn't my own, but it felt SO real. Reading this story placed me there in the middle of the love, laughter, & heartache. I enjoyed the book tremendously. I WILL look for other books by this author. I'm usually content with a book when I'm done, this book made me crave more of Ireland. Maybe I'll get to visit the Emerald Island again someday.

What the Wind Knows ESPECTACULAR!!! I love everything about this book, the cover, the writing, the story, the characters.. everything was amazing.. this is the type of story that will leave you speechless and wanting more, with your feelings all over the place because is just beautiful and emotional.. Amy has a way to take you into beautiful journeys, with intriguing characters that will unfold and come alive with each chapter of the story.. What the wind knows was not the exception, it had so much depth and love.. I felt like it was about trusting blindingly in the people you care and love.. but also how love is so powerful that can transcend walls, people, wars and even time. “It is as if we always were and always will be, as though our love and our lives sprang from the same source and will return to that source in the end, intertwined and indistinguishable. We are ancient. Prehistoric and predestined.” Anne was a strong heroine, trying to find her place in life after her grandfather passed, she was desperate to find a connection to his grandfathers' memories and her roots. she travels to Ireland not knowing what she will find, not knowing if she will get those answer she has been seeking, but life has something ready for her, or someone who will bring back all those moments but also something more.. “Faeries, come take me out of this dull world, For I would ride with you upon the wind, Run on the top of the disheveled tide, And dance upon the mountains like a flame." Anne and Thomas, the love, the understanding the intensity of what they felt were always very present in the pages of the book a very beautiful relationship that transcended in every way possible.. one of those loves that is not repeated and so rare to find. “He would be the character that grew on the reader, making them love him simply because he was good. Decent. Dependable.” I fell in love with Amy's word since the very first time I read one of her books and What the wind knows just made me love her writing, even more. I highly recommend this book, especially to all of us who feel and love so strongly.. Everything about it is so magical and deep. is a very romantic novel with the right amount of angst and situations that will make you want to know more. “we keep the people we love in our hearts. We never lose them as long as we can remember how it felt to be loved by them.”

This book has been in my possession for more than three months and I just decided to read it this week. You might not understand how that could be unless you have the same appreciation for Amy Harmon's novels as I do. I knew What the Wind Knows would both demand and deserve my full attention and I didn't feel like I could give it it's proper due until now. Well, it was not only worth the wait, it was one of the most extraordinary experiences I've ever had while reading a novel. I'm in absolute awe as I sit here, contemplating what I can possibly say that hasn't already been said. I sit here in awe because Amy Harmon is so far on another level of storytelling and world building and character development, I feel as though she's our own Anne Gallagher, too big and too magical and too extraordinary for this tiny corner of the book world I exist in. Instead she drifts away, leaving in search of ideas and personalities and truths bigger than what most writers are able to conjure, and she returns with stories so profound, so perfect, so outside the realm of what we're used to it's literally beyond my comprehension. It's absolutely BREATHTAKING what she continues to do and what she's accomplished with What the Wind Knows. There's a scene early on in this book where Anne is looking at photos, not yet understanding the significance of the images she's looking at. As a successful author with a burning passion to know more about her family's history, she's contemplating a trip to write a story of the history of Ireland. Her grandfather tells her not to write about Ireland's history, but instead to write a love story. Who whispered those words to Amy Harmon as she set off to unearth the secrets of her family, returning with a story so rich with romance but woven seamlessly and remarkably with the history of that land? Or was it just a voice in the wind? I couldn't help but wonder how much of the author's own story is peppered within these pages. I think that made it even more beautiful... the knowledge that the souls of those long passed live on in these words, just as they did in the journals of one Thomas Smith. I refuse to go into the story details here, I just need you to know that this book is BEYOND EPIC. It's quite possibly the most MASTERFUL story this author has written, the details so painstakingly stitched together with truth and historical accuracy and raw, devastating emotion. It's full of twists and turns, things that I never saw coming that left tears streaking my face as I read. I can't properly convey how MAJESTIC this book is. It's so special, so unbelievably extraordinary. It's an ode to loss, to life, to true love and family and the importance of family history. It's TOO MUCH to whittle down into a few meaningless words in a book review and because of that you MUST experience it for yourself RIGHT THIS MINUTE.

Well researched historical fiction/romance involving time travel and Irish history in the Irish revolutionary period (1919-1922)

This is the kind of book that forces those who are strictly anchored in the real world to accept and go along with strange and occult-like events. So, I did exactly as what the author would wish her readers do and I am really glad for it because the novel is written well and I enjoyed reading it very much. As writing a decent enough review for this book without referring to the plot has been impossible for me, the rest of this review refers to some of the events in the novel, but I did not fully summarize everything. The novel is much more interesting and original than what I will be saying next. In the story, the part of it that takes place in 2001, Anne Gallagher who is raised by her grandfather Eoin feels a strange affinity to Ireland as her grandfather has told her so much about it. Just before Eoin dies, he asks Anne to write a love story about Ireland and to scatter his ashes in County Leitrim in the middle of Lough Gill. After Eoin’s death, Anne takes his ashes to Ireland to Lough Gill. While in the middle of a lake, some weather event with thick fog takes place. Then a man in a boat shoots Anne, causing her to fall into the Lough. When she opens her eyes again, she finds herself in 1921 hurt and with Dr. Thomas Smith who found her in the lake. Thomas Smith is the guardian of a young boy with the name Eoin. Since Anne looks a lot like the boy’s mother, she takes on her identity and a love story between her and Thomas begins. There is a lot of Ireland’s history in the book after this, as Thomas works closely with Michael Connely, the hero of the 1916 uprising. Anne will eventually write that love story in 2001, but how this will be possible and will she still be able to return to Thomas? This is for the reader to find out. The characterization is first-rate as each character is unique and well presented. Dialogues are believable if not authentic of the older times, and the historical facts have been researched satisfactorily. This isn’t just a love story between a man and a woman but also a love story of people for their country and their freedoms, and of people for their families. As I am not too big on just romance stories, the inclusion of other themes and feelings in the novel made this love story a delight to read for me. The story is told beautifully and it flows very well, even though some of the time travel events might be a bit difficult to wrap one's mind around.

3.4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ Stars “I can’t imagine all men love their women the way I love Anne. If they did, the streets would be empty, and the fields would grow fallow. Industry would rumble to a halt and markets would tumble as men bowed at the feet of their wives, unable to need or notice anything but her. If all men loved their wives the way I love Anne, we would be a useless lot. Or maybe the world would know peace. Maybe the wars would end, and the strife would cease as we centred our lives on loving and being loved.” Writing 5 Stars - Amy Harmon’s writing is absolutely beautiful and brilliant per usual. Zero complaints in this department. “It is as if we always were and always will be, as though our love and our lives sprang from the same source and will return to that source in the end, intertwined and indistinguishable. We are ancient. Prehistoric and predestined.” Characters 3.5 Stars - The characters were GOOD, but for the most part I felt fairly neutral about them. “Thomas was laughing, his hair falling into his face, and I couldn’t look away. I was dizzy with love and faint with hopelessness.” Plot 3 Stars - This story was very historical, and based around various incidences in Irish history. The time travel was cool, but I wasn’t satisfied with the lack of explanation of HOW it happened. Many of the historical aspects bored me, to be perfectly honest. “I’d often wondered, absorbed in piles of research, if the magic of history would be lost if we could go back and live it. Did we varnish the past and make heroes of average men and imagine beauty and valor where there was only dirge and desperation?” Setting 3 Stars - Ireland in the early 1900s. It was nice, but definitely didn’t feel rich and vivid to me. While reading, I didn’t want to *be* there myself. “But loving him—knowing him—was as implausible as loving a face on a screen. We were impossible. In a moment, in a breath, it could all be over.” Unputdownable factor 2 Stars - This book took me MONTHS to get through. I like history when it’s presented in an engaging way. Morgan Llywelyn has written some fantastic Irish history and folklore books that I have loved. But with this one, many times I felt as if I were in class hearing a lecture or reading a history book. Yes, Amy’s writing made many of the scenes engaging, but then there were others that just dragged. Dialogue 4 Stars - No complaints, really. I wish there were more dialogue and less narrative. The historical narrative is where I got bogged down most of the time. I never thought I’d 3 Star an Amy Harmon novel, but here we are. Overall, the writing was beautiful. Anyone who loves Irish history will enjoy this story.