Water, Stone, Heart: Summary and book reviews of Water, Stone, Heart by Will North, plus links to an excerpt from Water, Stone, Heart and a biography of Will North.
Water, Stone, Heart A Novel
by Will North
Hardcover: Apr 2009,
288 pages.
Paperback: Apr 2010,
288 pages.
Newly divorced, Andrew Stratton lives in his head and not with his heart. He teaches architectural theory but has never built a building. He writes about “The Anatomy of Livable Places”– communities where form and material are in harmony–but has no sense of where he belongs. He is capable of deep, tender emotions but is unable to express them. When his wife leaves him for another man and excoriates his cautious nature in the process, Andrew is like a house shaken off a faulty foundation. Sifting through the rubble, he must figure out what should be salvaged and what should be scrapped.
Escaping from the predictable routine of his university life in Philadelphia, Andrew travels to England and channels his pain into a weeklong course on building stone walls. In the village of Boscastle, he discovers a magical landscape of dizzying cliffs, jagged coastline, lush valleys, and hills lined with stone hedges that have stood the test of time. At the Stone Academy, Andrew immerses himself in the grueling task of piecing together rock into intricate walls. Under the tutelage of his weathered instructor, he learns there is more to laying stone than hard labor. And he soon falls under the spell of Boscastle’s rhythms and quirks, which include a weekly sing-along, a museum devoted to witchcraft, and a colorful group of residents ranging from a precocious nine-year-old girl who communes with nature to an offbeat reverend who has been known to give referrals to the town witch.
Moved by the warmth and connectedness of the village, Andrew begins to shed his sheltered self. But his willingness to open his heart is tested when he falls for Nicola Rhys-Jones, an American expatriate seeking to escape a history of abuse. Thorny, sarcastic, and sexy, Nicola is an artist who paints tranquility panels for hospitals. But her life before Boscastle has been anything but peaceful. As their verbal sparring veers into darker territory, Andrew grapples with his status in Boscastle. Is he just a tourist on holiday or does he now have a stake in the village that has welcomed him?
Readers new to Will North’s work as well as fans of The Long Walk Home will be swept away by this bittersweet novel about love, loss, and the power of nature to alter our lives.
Publishers Weekly
The love story has some great moments, but these aren't enough to overpower the flood of treacle and lethargic storytelling.
Booklist
North deftly creates an enchanting and touching love story reminiscent of those by Nicholas Sparks.
Patricia Gaffney, New York Times bestselling author of Mad Dash
If you like Nicholas Sparks, you will love Will North–he is a strong, vivid writer with a romantic’s heart.
Recent Reader Reviews
Rated of 5
by Mary M. Water, Stone, Heart I loved Will North's novel. I was attracted by the main character Andrew who found himself shattered when his first wife opted out of their marriage. I loved the location of the story in Bocastle, England. The locals were easy to like, and I... Read More
Rated of 5
by Michele I'm ready to move to Boscastle! This book is principally about two people finding themselves and their way back after heart-breaking life events. I loved all of the quicky characters and the descriptions of the artistry involved in stone hedge building. I did find the quickness... Read More
Rated of 5
by Megan Water, Stone, Heart This book made me want to move to Cornwall and live amongst the characters in the book. Will North does a terrific job of making the characters come to life. The notes about the flood at the beginning of each chapter help build up to an exciting... Read More
Rated of 5
by Christine Water, Stone, Heart Thanks to Will North my next vacation may be to the coastal villages of Cornwall. I loved this book from the very beginning and I rushed through it in the way a fast moving river makes its way to the sea, much like the rivers did in the... Read More
Rated of 5
by Dixie Water, Stone, Heart by Will North This book grabbed me from the start. It reminded me of Maeve Binchy's style of writing. The reader is taken into the psyche of the characters immediately and shown their vulnerabilities, defenses, and perspective on life. The setting is a real... Read More
Rated of 5
by Diane Really Good Book! I just didn't want to put this book down, because there was always something new on the next page. I really didn't know what to expect, and the characters were fascinating.
At the beginning of each chapter, there is a report of rains for the... Read More
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Publishers Weekly
Patricia Gaffney, New York Times bestselling author of Mad Dash
of 5
by Mary M.
of 5
by Michele
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