M.L. St. Sure

This story begins with various events in the life of Christina Cross, many of which are heart wrenching. Christina does what she can to honor her father (which was killed by lightening) and take care of her family through tragic events that occur. She is a very strong and determined lady. She desires to help her family and provide the best she can for them. She soon finds herself working in a hotel providing for her mother, sister and brother. She tries to offer her love and support even if they don't realize it. Christina has a passion to sing as her father did, and uses that gift to the approval of Senator Caradine. While Senator Caradine looked at Christina as a daughter figure, she looked at him romantically. However, Laurent a gentleman seeking Christina's attention soon enters the picture causing greater confusion. This story provides much historical data of which I am typically not a fan of, but I do enjoy the storyline that follows Christina and continue to follow it at a fast reading pace.
Right in the middle of the war with trouble on every hand, Christina was told something pretty profound. "The important thing is that you keep love in your heart. Strife separates man from principle, but love mixes them together again." Later in the book we find Christina within blockhouse #7 speaking to the prisoners, encouraging them and rallying them together urging them to not lose hope in the midst of such a terrible situation. This is what one must do today when faced with difficult situations, be strong, courageous and encourage others.
The amber fossil that Christina found while on the farm with her father made it many miles, through wars and later ended up in the hands of her sister Nicolette as she drew her last breath. This is how love travels it appears. When one falls in love with someone even the ills of life can't steal the love and admiration that one has for another.
While I really enjoyed the story of Christina, I'm not much of a history buff and didn't enjoy all the details of the war, etc... however for anyone that enjoys history and war stories I'm sure you will find this a very refreshing read. There is great history concerning people, location, war, that I'm sure a history buff would find very interesting and entertaining.
I would give this book 4 of 5 stars.… (más)

I requested this first-reads novel based on this description: “M.L. St. Sure's Evensong is a powerful and captivating historical romance novel, set in World War II, about a beautiful, celebrated opera singer forced to sing the singspiel before Hitler. Amidst terrible consequences, after heartbreaking conflict and loss, the heroine's voice carries the ultimate message of courage and freedom.“

I am interested in WWII, I love opera, and I expected to like the book, I wanted to like it. It has received several good reviews. However, I'm afraid the book just isn't for me. There is too much romance for my taste, and not enough historical fiction. The romance is superficial, not enough development of the relationships. The characters seem flat and unfinished to me, and some of the plot is quite improbable with much of the historical parts glossed over. Characters introduced early as significant parts of the story just disappear later in the story.

I believe the author has talent and I hope she hones her skills. I'm sure the book, a quick read, will appeal to an audience with tastes other than mine. I wish I had been able to give a more positive review, but I just did not enjoy the book nearly as much as I had anticipated.… (más)

"Evensong," a blending of historical fiction, romance novel and war thriller, is set during the period in which Hitler conquers France and begins his bloody effort to keep her. Americans Christina Cross and her young sister have only recently arrived in the country but soon find themselves caught up in the struggle and fighting for their lives.

Christina’s story begins on a miserable farm in Kelly Flat, Missouri, where her father, a European opera singer and World War I veteran, started a new life with Christina and his French wife. Despite the near impossibility of eking a living from the farm, things suddenly get even worse and Christina is forced to take a job in town in order for her family to survive.

Senator Liam Caradine, owner of the small luxury hotel employing Christina, is struck by her resemblance to his lost daughter and decides to do all he can to make life easier for Christina and her family. Caradine quickly realizes that Christina is a remarkable singer and he takes advantage of an opportunity to have her sing at a West Point event, an event which just happens to include Laurent de Gauvion Saint Cyr in its audience. Laurent, a French army officer sent to West Point to collaborate with like-minded American military officers, is immediately attracted to Christina. Christina, however, knows that she loves the elderly senator and rejects the advances of the young Frenchman.

It is only when Christina and Nicolette, her little sister, go to France to live with their uncle, General Petain, that she becomes reacquainted with Laurent through a chance encounter. Despite the loyalty Christina feels toward her uncle, she soon finds herself in complete disagreement with his strategy to pacify Hitler and allows Laurent to recruit her into the French resistance.

As France and its allies fight the German army, Christina, Laurent, and even Nicolette, find themselves in the thick of things. Laurent is so in love with Christina that he is willing to risk his troops in an attempt to rescue Nicolette from the Nazi experimental death camp in which she has become a prisoner. Christina, unaware that Laurent is preparing to infiltrate the camp, decides to rescue Nicolette on her own. What happens next leads to an ending that is not what most readers will expect to read.

"Evensong" is an exciting, but seldom completely realistic, adventure. Much of its continuing action depends on extremely unlikely last-second rescues and superhuman endurance and strength from men who have been shot multiple times, burned by flame throwers or had limbs completely blown off them. The storyline depends so much on coincidence to move it along, and the situations and characters are handled so melodramatically, that the book seldom reaches the level of realism needed to give it the emotional depth demanded by its plot. The most compelling reason to read "Evensong" is for the way it describes the horrors of how children were handled and exploited in the Nazi death camps. That portion of the book is, indeed, very powerful.

Rated at: 3.0… (más)