The Magpie's Tales - Origins
SYNOPSIS - Canadian, Historical, Fiction
The setting of this story takes place in the late 19th and early 20th century in the North-West Territory of Canada, focusing on the struggles of the Davis family. The story explores themes of family, duty, ambition, and loss as the family faces several challenges, including a stock roundup, a conflict in South Africa, and World War I.
William Davis, the head of the family, is a natural gambler who risks everything to sell his cattle and horses to the British Army. His actions could either make or break him. His son, Sam, enlists to fight in South Africa without discussing it with his wife, leading to tension within the family.
William takes his then fifteen-year-old son to the battlefield, where Sam narrowly escapes death in the battle of Fish Creek in 1885. Elizabeth Davis is furious that her husband would risk their son's life again. William is convinced that Sam's involvement will bring influence, the one thing he desperately wants. Meanwhile, John, the younger son, sees Sam abandoning the family during a critical time.
Through Sam's infrequent letters from South Africa, his confidence and sense of duty are replaced by criticism of British conduct, and he returns a changed man. John and Jennie suffer an unspeakable loss, but Sam and John reconcile, realigning their goals. Sam helps Jennie, John's wife, move on from her grief and into a potentially dangerous affair.
The story introduces new characters, including Cecilia and Bert, who become part of the Davis family through unusual circumstances and happenstance. Overall, "The Magpie's Tales - Origins" is a complex and engaging family drama that delves into the intricacies of human relationships and emotions. It offers a compelling insight into the challenges faced by families during times of conflict and upheaval and highlights the importance of loyalty, trust, and forgiveness in keeping families together.
The Magpie’s Tales - Origins
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Available in eBook format
Reviews
writerjump
I've had the pleasure of reading Cheryl's book and here's my honest review.
There's something really intoxicating about the narrative flow of Magpie's Tales. The author's choice of descriptive detail makes me feel like I'm there, both in the world we are walking through and inside the thoughts and feelings of the storyteller. Gritty, intimate, beautiful in its description and the no-nonsense dialogue of the times, I love the way it flips from past to present and back again. It's like floating through the dreamlike, time-travelling nature of memory as characters try to connect not only with their own past, but the past of their ancestors in the search for meaning and belonging. So much here about legacy, family, and where we each fit in the grand scheme of things. Highly recommend.!
Pamela Tudge
Raw and Real: Exploring the Lives of Our Canadian Ancestors
Reviewed in Canada on August 30, 2024
Like many of my friends whose families migrated to Canada a few generations ago, I often wonder what life was like for them 100 or 150 years ago. What was farming like back then? How did family relationships endure in early Canada? Did my ancestors have meaningful interactions with Indigenous Canadians? I can only hope so. This novel provides an opportunity to explore the lives of ancestors in remote areas, living the life they had envisioned when they left their home nations.
With a mix of family drama, historical events, and a glimpse into a life many of us have left behind for the comforts of modern cities, the novel offers a raw yet deeply inspiring portrayal of a family in a different era. It’s a compelling read for late nights and quiet weekends.
Sunny Day
Reviewed in Canada on May 4, 2024
This is very fine, unromanticized, depiction of life for one extended family on the prairies of a young Canada. I found myself drawn in immediately and engaged all the way throughout this story. The characters come to life; authentic and complex, with their human flaws and virtues. I aslo learned things about Canadian history that in was unaware of. The book left me wanting to know more about these characters so I'm really looking forward to the sequel
Melissa
Reads like a dream, rich with personal stories
Reviewed in Canada on March 3, 2024
There's something really intoxicating about the narrative flow of Magpie's Tales. The author's choice of descriptive detail makes me feel like I'm there, both in the world we are walking through and inside the thoughts and feelings of the storyteller. Gritty, intimate, beautiful in its description and the no-nonsense dialogue of the times, I love the way it flips from past to present and back again. It's like floating through the dreamlike, time-travelling nature of memory as characters try to connect not only with their own past, but the past of their ancestors in the search for meaning and belonging. So much here about legacy, family, and where we each fit in the grand scheme of things. Highly recommend.
Mira Sibany
Reviewed in Canada on March 4, 2024
The Magpie's Tales is a masterfully crafted historical fiction novel that seamlessly blends history and storytelling. With richly developed characters and an engaging plot, it stands as a testament to the author's skill in transporting readers to a different era while leaving them with a lingering appreciation for the human experience across time. Highly Recommend!
Irving Tudge
Best historical Canadian novel of 2024!
Brilliance mixture of fact and fiction This is an intensive and insight about the challenges a rural family faced at the end of the 19th c
entury and the beginning of the 20th century. Women are expected to remain at home and raise children while men and boys were off to adventures. There was a desert of information regarding news which lead to both anticipation of heartbreak.
The Magpie's Tales - Saints and Sinners
PREVIEW
The next installment of The Magpie's Tales, For all those Saints and Sinners, takes us back to the Fall of 1916 and sets the stage for more conflict and drama for the Davis family in post WW1 period.
With Bert, Joe, and Walter fighting on the western front, the war adds to the family's struggles to maintain their farm in Saskatchewan. Mary's engagement to a doctor and her determination to join her brothers in battle despite her family's objections further complicates things. Meanwhile, James, the youngest Davis sibling, is eager to prove himself and be a part of the action.
As Elizabeth and William Davis feel the effects of aging, they are unable to repair their daughter Sarah and son-in-law Sam's broken marriage. Tommy Taylor's bootlegging business only adds to the family's troubles, yet Sam is willing to do whatever it takes to keep the farm, even if it means working with Taylor's shady dealings.
During the War John Davis continues to grow the family business and pursue a political career. The significant political and social challenges pit John ambitions against his son and nephews as the retuning soldiers' expectations and reality clash in post-World War I Saskatchewan.
The Magpie's Tales - For all those saints and sinners is a captivating and emotional continuation of the Davis family's story. It will be intriguing to see how their struggles intersect and how they confront the obstacles they face.
