Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read and review this ARC. Full review to be found on Goodreads and on my website.

This was an interesting, unusual read which I would recommend to crowd who like to ponder about the evil and good in the world, the depth of heart and overall about the psychological aspects of life (some maturity and knowledge of the ways of the world is recommended). It is not mystery per se, even if there is a mysterious aspect, more it is about uncovering of what has really happened and why.
Told by a priest, the story offers many real; true food for thought - because this priest is human in all the aspects. The Father Reve’s teachings were so often very moving and deep and some of them will stay with me. Some will not.
The language is lyrical and rich, the characters and environment are drawn by an experienced hand.

Unfortunately, the plot is also quite prolonged and repetitive (I get where the authoress is going with it, but the less is more here in my opinion). The ending is also not as satysfying as it could be. But even with that critique said, I consider this novel bring quite an interesting read.

I didn't enjoy this as much as I did The Wildnerness - I found it difficult to get into and the prose was not quite as engaging. The flow was a bit off given the timeline and at times the pace was too slow. Just okay.

Not a book for me unfortunately. It’s a well thought out story and setting but I think that someone who appreciates medieval settings and historical dramas will really enjoy this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin books for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an impartial review. The language in this book is poetic and lyrical and I really enjoyed reading parts of it aloud. Having said that, I think it needed to have more structure in the sense that the story kept jumping about and I couldn't get a sense of the characters, least of all the narrator.

I didn't connect with this book as I had hoped when I initially read the blurb on it. The premise (man dies under mysterious circumstances) sounded intriguing and it made me want to find out more, but once I got a few chapters in, I didn't care about any of the characters or what was going on. I think this one just wasn't for me. *Advance copy provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

The Western Wind is a rich story using the framework of 15th century England as its setting. John Reve is the priest of a small town, and we observe events in the days immediately before Lent.

When the richest villager dies, the priest and the dean are seeking out whether it was accidental or, if not, whether he was murdered or committed suicide. The story is told in reverse order - the first chapter is Day 4: Shrove Tuesday, the next chapter is Day 3, and so on. Even the chapter's sub-headings are mirror opposites. This technique suited the storytelling well. We gain more insight as we read the preceding day, filling in the blanks or unknowns that were mentioned in passing.

Due to the timing of the church calendar, as well as an offer of a pardon, we are witnessing the priest hearing confessions in each section, and through his words and actions, it's evident he dearly loves his village and wants to do what is best for them. I found the lists of confessions at times amusing, provocative, or heartbreaking:

"Father, I slept all day, I cut a hole in a wall to spy on a woman, I shovelled some of my no-good-clay onto my neighbour's plot, I stole the last spoonful of honey instead of offering it to my husband, I ate the lucky egg, I cursed my father, I swore, I snored, I farted, I doubted."

This is a well-written, thoughtful book that takes on themes of guilt, forgiveness, grief, and secrecy. When you finish, you will be tempted to read it again, this time in reverse (and, thus, in chronological) order and find someone to process it with you. It's a beautiful read.

(I received a digital ARC from Grove Atlantic via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.)

The book is a beautiful account from the perspective of a priest who explains what happens to the man who disappeared in the town. But everyone has secrets. Is he telling the truth?

A good mystery read that keeps you guessing till the end. I would have liked more character development but it's definitely worth a read

In love with this story and its reverse telling, from day 4, to day 3, etc. Found the humor a breath of fresh air for the middle ages setting and dreary, wet slum-like village. Incredible characters, all given their own space and details to evolve and become their own person to the reader. Very likable, very believable, very satisfying. Already recommending it.

I am not sure my comment is in place, as I have had no time to read the whole story. But I like it, The Western Wind, by Samantha Harvey should be read and particularly when all the world seems 'far and busy' and one chooses to care for his/her own wellbeing. Thanks for the allowance, anyway.

Fierce and fresh and deeply original, with a wonderfully nuanced cast of characters and a powerful emotional heartbeat.

Although this book was well written and convincingly atmospheric, I was ultimately disappointed.

The story is told backwards over the course of four days. John Reve, the parish priest has a confession to make about the death of Thomas Newman, late of his parish. He is guilty of so much, and perhaps most of that guilt comes from his belief that he should be “more than a man”, really "part angel, part man”. The complicated stories of the parish, under the uncompromising stare of the rural dean, who has come to investigate the death, (and probably sell off the assets of the dead man) are medeival in their conglomeration of superstition, belief, guilt and a host of other human “sins”.

In the end, the story is left hanging. Not a mystery, not a historical novel, but perhaps a novel about the loss of faith in a world with only faith as a watchword?

In a small medieval village in England, a priest narrates his story backwards, allowing the reader to linger on simple words and constructions that slowly reveal the story as a whole. A man has died. But how, and why? And
who surrounds the man, and the priest, in the village? Who is touched and touched by this tale? Harvey's language is ravishing and spare and evocative and perfect for the ekphrasis of this novel. Balancing between narrative and description and prose poetry and incorporating the everyday misery and joy of life, this novel is one to savor and treasure and teach and share.

A strangely compelling story set in fifteenth century England, in a small remote village, cut off from most of society by a river which as yet does not have a bridge. In the early hours of Shrove Saturday, the wealthiest man in the village is swept away by the turbulent waters, and the questions begin,- accident, murder or suicide?
in a reverse chronology, told from the perspective of the village priest, Reve, we learn much about the inhabitants of the village, their fears and faith, and their superstitions , and eventually we learn the truth about the tragedy.
In the pages of this book, the author has created a self contained world, populated by richly crafted and well realised characters, none more so than the narrator John Reve. The prose style is dense, but lushly so, rich and earthy as the soil of Oakham itself. As a reader I found myself transported back in time, and lost in the world she had created.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Set in a remote village in the late 15the century the book explores themes like confession, trust and guilt. Unfortunately, the execution didn't really convince me.

This book was not for me. Deathly slow. I didn't care about any of the characters. It's set in the 15th century in a small town that's very isolated. It unravels how a man died.

Told in reverse timeline over a period of four days through confessions to a priest, this is more the story of a small village than a mystery. It's set in 1491 and, to be fair, it's not really accurate from a historical aspect but it does have terrific atmosphere. John Reve, the priest, is an intriguing character, willing to both listen to and argue with his parishioners as they unwind. The dead man, Thomas Newman, incited strong feelings and while you think you know what happened, the fullness of the story is not clear until the end. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. Good writing and an interesting plot device made this a well done read.

Even if it could be classified as historical mystery there is much more in this book.
First of all it's a wonderful book, one those book you read slowly, savouring the style of writing and the development of characters.
I read somewhere that there are some historical inaccuracies but that's something that has no meaning in such a complex and enthralling work.
It was my first book by this writer but it surely won't be the last as I was fascinated by this atmospheric and engaging work.
It's one of those book that helps you rediscover the pleasure of reading a well written and complex book.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Grove Atlantic and Netgalley for this ARC

Let me begin by saying that I liked this book okay and I didn’t hate it but it’s so much easier to write about things that didn’t work out versus what did when it’s a book that makes you go, “eh.” And because this review skews negative I want to start with my lone compliment: our main man, John Reve, is a killer character. You want a character study? Samantha Harvey’s got your back. She’s got you covered. She bought a birthday gift for a mutual friend and offered to co-sign your name on the card.

Ahem. Okay. To the criticism!

There’s 0% chance I would have known this takes place in 1491 without being told. Descriptions about daily village living are sparse and scarce, and as someone who knows absolutely nothing about medieval times I probably would have pegged this for sometime in the early 19th century? I guess? My point is: this could have been a seriously fascinating look into what life was like in the late 1400s but it’s sort of vague. They had dirt floors back then, I guess.

The writing was nice enough. Seemed sometimes unnecessarily fluffy without adding anything relevant to the plot or world building. Harvey kept me interested in the story while reading it, but I never felt a strong desire to pick the book back up after setting it down for a while. I think the lack of atmosphere, of feeling, of anticipation, was a killer.

Because that lack of anticipation is the obvious result of a story told backwards. Which is a cool concept, but must be handled very carefully. Harvey, going backwards, unraveled John Reve’s character in these small ways that actually hints at where the story would have gone in the future (er, the past?) and it’d all come together more clearly if I reread it again, I imagine. I don’t really want to reread it again though, is the problem.

For a dark plot and a dark setting, this book could have really used some good ol’ fashioned dread and general creepiness. Make some of these villagers absolutely disturbing and the village eerie, Harvey! Get weird with it!