Customer Reviews
Beautiful story - By: Jenna, 23 Sep 2008 
This is a beautiful story, masterfully told. The plot & the way it is presented is exceptionallly good. The characters are well drawn & believable, drawing the reader into events both past & present with a fascination to know the truth about what happened to Saffie & why.
Sara MacDonald's books follow a theme of switching from past events to present developments, & in this story she has as many as four different threads of the plot being followed at the same time. It works reallly well though, & does not confuse in any way, but instead it adds dimension & hooks the reader's interest.
This is a haunting tale which delves deeply into the mind & emotions, with a spiritual angle which to me felt totallly natural & added depth & meaning to the story. The ending I found totallly satisfactory & believable.
I'm so glad I decided to read another of her books, having loved Another Life & then been disappointed with Sea Music, which I found depressing & predictable. Her stories can get a bit heavy at times, but this one finds a good balance & is compulsive reading. The setting has obviously been well researched, & I loved the little touches such as the connection to the work of Hundertwasser, the Austrain painter & architect. For me,these little things are what turn a good author into a great one.
Worth a read - By: M. HENNING, 20 Jun 2008 
As the previous review, I found it hard to put down. The author has a way to transport the reader to the heart of the story.
Brilliant! - By: Dora Curtis, 08 Jul 2007 Sarah MacDonalds book evoked poignant memories for me....
Having lived as an Army wife in Singapore in the 1960's I was immediately transported back there - the sights, smells, her descriptions of the area, everything. Loved it, loved it!!!
The Hour Before Dawn - By: , 15 Feb 2006 I bought this book after having read a review in a magazine & thought it would be a suitable holiday read. I began reading on a flight to Australia & was completely gripped by the story from the very first page, which is unusual on a long flight as usuallly I find it difficult to concentrate. I could not put the book down until it was finished & found it not only an enjoyable read, but thought provoking. The characters are alll very believable, it is a tale of family with plenty of suspense & drama & the different locations, which cover London, Singapore, Malaysia & the Bay of Islands in NZ are well painted & recognisable. Once I had finished the book, my daughter read it & was also unable to put it down, she is not a great reader, but enjoyed it immensely. I can't wait to read more of Sara MacDonald's books.
