After reading Dykes latest book Set the Stars Alight I am convinced she is not a story teller but a story weaver, combining plot threads and ideas into a wondrous narrative that draws readers into a world of her creation.
Dykes starts weaving her threads by introducing two stories, that of Lucy Claremont and Dashel Greene as well as that of Frederick, Juliette, and Elias two hundred years prior. I've seen these alternating time periods done badly, I've seen them transition well but, again, Sykes weaves the time periods together in an almost dance as each shift in era doesn't leave you jarred but simply reveals the next step in the story (and yes this does make it ridiculously hard to keep the one more chapter promise before bed).
I'll admit, it took me awhile to get into the pacing and narrative that Dykes creates at first. It was hard to connect the two stories in my mind.
On one hand we had Dash and Lucy, one looking to the stars, the other to the past grieving the loss of Lucy's father and reuniting after years apart to chase down The Jubilee, a long unsolved naval mystery. On the other, you have Fredrick a privileged son weighed down by guilt, Elias the peasant he was press ganged into naval service with, and the young woman who connects them Juliette. However, slowly but surely, Dykes weaves her connectors bringing past and present into light to create a rich, engaging story.
Dykes doesn't shy from deeper themes within her work, in fact, she uses the different eras and their context to further hone in on them. Here readers are invited to explore grief, identity, and restoration with a wide range of characters who feel fully fleshed, making readers feel invited into their world. Honestly, the little details like the dove, the star parties, or even the ball just added so many honest elements which made the book better.
I'm also glad to say this was one of the most satisfying conclusions I've encountered in a novel this summer (and honestly this is the year where I crave a satisfying ending). Dykes ability to weave her narrative meant that the characters plots were well resolved with a few twists at the end that made it extra sweet.
4.5 out of 5 stars
"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc."
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