In this multiple timeline new historical fiction novel, readers travel to Cumberland Island off the coast of southern Georgia where the Carnegie family vacations in 1932. A cast of rowdy young men, a beautiful debutante, and a young female artist all see an opportunity to have a good time and prepare for their future until it goes horribly wrong. Twenty-seven years later, reclusive painter Cleo Woodbine lives on Kingdom Come, land once occupied by the servants of the wealthy vacationers, when she is disturbed by the man who saved her life. As the past comes back to haunt Cleo, folklorist Frances Flood seeks out the source of a local legend and her mother’s involvement with the party while Audrey Howell, a new widow and owner of a local inn, discovers a strange double exposure photo from that night. As the secrets of 1932 come to life and draw others into the mystery, readers will explore a fascinating combination of historical fiction, local legend, and the history of Cumberland Island in this eerie new historical fiction title. The characters and their involvement in this fateful party are revealed in a fascinating and dramatic way which readers will love (when they get to it, of course), and the mix of characters really adds color to Cumberland Island in this incredible and engaging new release.

A dial timeline book set in the USA we follow three women which is full of mystery, magic and intrigue. But having said that it is a bit of a slow read and I at times found it a bit long-winded and at times confused with the different timelines and where they all fit together.

Overall a good book but not one I found overly enthralling. 2 1/2 stars from me.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Focus | Harper Muse for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

This book is set in the 1960s in the US. The dual timeline takes the story back almost another thirty years to when a group of young people holidayed on an island.

The narrators in the tale are three women. Two who only appear in the 1930s timeline and one who has history with the place. Two boys vanished one night after an incident that we don’t get the full details of until much later on.

There are a lot of moving pieces in the story and the author has written well. The problem was that there were too many issues being highlighted in the plot. They dragged my attention away from one point to another too many times. I enjoyed the writing and found myself feeling for the community at large, but I wish I was more invested in everything after all the things that happen.

I would recommend it to fans of dual timeline narratives. This would work well for those looking for non-war based secret plots set in the past. It was more of an angle to look at the wealthy in a changing world.

I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

I listened to the audio book, and I was immediately immersed in two different timelines. Kimberly Brock did such an amazing job with how beautifully written this story was. I enjoyed every minute of it. The characters were well thought out and descriptive. With the descriptive setting, I felt like I was right there in the moment. I found this to be such a good book, and I can't wait for more from this author. Also, the narrator was epic, and she made this story come to life. I highly recommend this audio book for the history/historical fiction readers.

Thank you Net Galley ARC, Harper Collins Focus, and Kimberly Brock.

Set on a barrier island off the coast of Georgia, “The Fabled Earth” setting was reminiscent of “Where the Crawdads Sing”. The landscape was well described, and the book related the history of Cumberland Island in an impressive and memorable way. Once home to the mansions of the rich who used the island as their summer residences. Two in particular, called Dungeness and Plum Orchard, were the summer homes of some of the members of the Carnegie family.

I personally found the characters likeable, but at times hard to discern from one another. The time periods jumped around with little to delineate the changes. It would have made a good movie, as at least with film there would be visual clues to make it easier to follow. My favourite character was Cleo Woodbine, a woman who was a virtual recluse, who lived in a small cottage on the island where she foraged and painted to earn a meagre living for herself. Her home was once the abode of the negro servants who worked in the big houses of the island’s elite.

The 1930s time period was interesting. It was a time when racial integration was in its infancy – which brought about its own set of problems for the people involved.

The various story-lines, time periods, and viewpoints make for an, at times, complex read. The pace was slow, which added to the southern ambience, but dragged enough that my interest lagged at times.

The book was told via the perspectives of three different women. Cleo Woodbine, whom I’ve mentioned, but also Frances Flood, a folklorist who visits the island to learn more about her mother who had history there. In addition, we have Audrey Howell, a widow who runs an inn on the island.

“That was a thing she’d forgotten about hope, how it serves to remind you there’s so much to lose.”

The author culminates the novel by bringing the narratives of Cleo, Frances, and Audrey together to form a satisfying conclusion. “The Fabled Earth” was a novel with themes of social change, familial ties, racism, history, southern folklore, and the unpredictability of life. A beautifully written novel, but a tad confusing to read and difficult to relate to.

I’m certain my personal opinions are in the minority, so take a stab at this book yourself and see if you disagree with my views.

Kimberly Brock is such a talented storyteller. I love the story within a story she breathes life into. Beautiful writing, melodic prose, and completely immersive.

I was not familiar with Kimberly Brock's previous works so I was not sure what to expect. The description of this book sounded like something I would enjoy.

I have a feeling that I am an outlier on this book. From what I see, most people loved the book. I just found it so so so slow. I listened to the book and found that I often was bored. It didn't help that the story is a bit similar to Where the Crawdads Sing and it is the same narrator. So often, I was momentarily lulled in to thinking I was listing to WTCS but was not.

After 60%, I finally gave up and stopped. Sadly this is a DNF for me.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

In 1959 Southern Georgia, Cleo Woodbine is a reclusive painter in her 50s, spending her time foraging and jarring fruits and preserves from the land. She keeps to herself and brushes off the rumors about her. One day a man who saved her life nearly 30 years ago returns, reminding her of that fateful night in 1932. Then Frances Flood, a folklorist seeking a painting at the request of her recently deceased mother, comes to Cleo for answers. After all, her mother, Joanna Burton, was also there during the summer and left under notorious circumstances. Then local inn runner Audrey Howell shows up on her doorstep with an injured young Jimmy Walker, forcing her to get involved. While Cleo had avoided confronting the demons of her past, these visitors and an oncoming storm threaten to unearth the island’s secrets and change the natural landscape. The Fabled Earth by Kimberly Brock is a dual-timeline, multi-POV novel that explores how three women’s paths intertwine, and how folklore contains truths of the past.

Brock shows of her talent for lush storytelling in The Fabled Earth. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and their troubled histories – with themselves and each other. Readers meet Cleo in both timelines, and it was interesting to see how her behavior and consequences of her actions changed her. And also how the other characters could pull her out of her hermit tendencies. I liked Audrey and Frances, but they weren’t very different from each other. The layers in the story and overall theme of storytelling vs. reality was fun to navigate, however the pacing was slow and I became unengaged at times. Overall I believe that those who love contemporary fiction or Southern folklore will enjoy this one.

*4.5 stars rounded up*

Off the coast of Georgia you’ll find Cumberland Island, as well as another small isle which used to be called Little Marsh Island but is now referred to as “Kingdom Come” ever since Cleo’s grandfather renamed it - and so our story begins…

We go back & forth between 1959 & 1932 (the fable of the past influencing events almost 30 years later) & see the relationship the town of Revery has with the islands. The author zooms in on several citizens, but focuses the most on Cleo (who is there in both timelines), Frances (a woman unsure of her next step in life & seeking answers about her recently deceased mother who was on Cumberland Island the summer of 1932), & Audrey (the new proprietor of an inn in Revery whose life circumstances have been turbulent as of late). The variety of characters paired with the mix of folklore, regrets, ghost stories, & the fairly new concept of integration in 1959 make for a complex tale set in a very interesting locale.

This is the first book I’ve read written by Kimberly Brock & I definitely need to track down others - I was particularly fascinated by the local legend in this story & its origins, but the in-depth look at people in & around Revery was probably the most impressive part of this novel. I would’ve appreciated a map to help visualize the different locations but very much enjoyed this trip back in time to The South.

Thank you to NetGalley & Harper Muse for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.75 stars rounded up. There was so much I enjoyed about this story, including the folktales and myths (loved everything with the Lorelei siren tale) and the vivid descriptions of Cumberland Island and the coast of Georgia in 1932 and 1959. I also enjoyed the stories about the "glory" and the chapters with young Cleo and Audrey, especially.

Some areas that fell flat for me were older Cleo, who I really could not connect with, and the relationship between Cleo and Tate. It's a slow burn Southern historical fiction with a bit of mystery and beautiful writing, but it's probably a bit too long (400 pgs). Overall, I would recommend it to people who like atmospheric writing, getting transported to another place and time, and slow-burn, character-driven novels with local folklore mixed in.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

No one weaves together reality and reverie quite like Kimberly Brock.

For readers who enjoy their dramas laced with historical places and events, female perspectives, dual timelines, and beautiful descriptions of coastal Georgia scenery, The Fabled Earth will not disappoint.

I liked the setting of Cumberland Island.
Brock brings a certain air of mystery, magic, and mystique to her stories and the setting.
The story unfolds in a timely fashion.
I couldn’t fathom living as isolated as Cleo had for all those years.
The book’s plot shows that you really can’t hide from your past because it will catch up with you.

Cumberland Island is off the coast of Georgia and is the setting for the book, it is a dual timeline 1932 and 1959. after a party in 1932 someone dies.. great book.

3.5 stars. There are a number of things I enjoyed about this story. The tender portrayal of the characters and the central mystery of why Cleo began as outgoing and adventurous, then became reclusive. The setting of Cumberland island was like a character in itself - it was fascinating reading about it both visually and historically, the book made me want to know more about it. Cleo was an interesting if somewhat gruff character who stayed true to herself. The 1932 timeline was more engaging than the one in 1959 because it was atmospheric and evocative of a more innocent time, yet one that had darker undercurrents of racism and misogyny. I found some of the other characters less interesting than Cleo and there were a lot of subplots to keep track of that slowed the momentum. There were times when I found the story too slow, especially in the last half. I was hoping for more drama before the narrative wound up. But overall, an enjoyable read with lovely visuals conveying the importance storytelling and place. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Harper Collins Focus for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
This story is written beautifully, it has a musical feel to it.
The story is told in two timelines, 1932 and 1959. The three main characters are women, Audrey Howell who runs the local inn, recently married and newly widowed. Frances Flood has studied folklore, she is a visitor staying at the inn, her mother has recently died and she is searching for information about her mother’s past. Then there is Cleo, the recluse, she is also an artist. All three women are strong interesting characters and they keep the story alive.
For me it was a slow read but I am so glad I persevered. The story is filled with intrigue and mystery, it also include race, class and prejudice.
A interesting and different read well deserving of 4 stars.

1932. Cumberland Island off the coast of Southern Georgia is a strange place to encounter the opulence of the Gilded Age, but the last vestiges of the famed philanthropic Carnegie family still take up brief seasonal residence in their grand mansions there.

1959. Reclusive painter Cleo Woodbine has lived alone for decades on Kingdom Come, a tiny strip of land once occupied by the servants for the great houses on nearby Cumberland. When she is visited by the man who saved her life nearly thirty years earlier, a tempest is unleashed as the stories of the past gather and begin to regain their strength.

I enjoyed Cleo. She is talented, stubborn and eccentric. Cleo is a force to be reckoned with!

This story has some very pretty prose. It is just very slow and a bit wordy in places. I loved the setting of Cumberland Island. I learned a great deal about its history. I had no idea about Carnegie mansions there.

I also enjoyed some of the folklore. But, to me, and I am in the minority, this story could have some more action and less description. As I always say, read it for yourself and form your own opinion.

Need a historical fiction tale on Cumberland Island…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

This is a story about people of privilege in the 1930's and how their actions affect members of the community well into the future. It is a well-written book and an excellent story. The writing presents imagery for me that is unforgettable.

"...but she'd forgotten about that, about how glory could eat a man up..."

I was excited to finally get to this one! I got to attend a workshop with a folklorist and folk art curriculum over my Fall Break, so the nod to folklore seemed like something I would be into. However, I think maybe this one just wasn't for me.

There are very few books where I read a line - and read it again, and read it again - just to think and absorb the words. Kimberly Brock is an author of these type of books, and I was swept away to Cumberland Island and the adjacent sliver of land Kingdom Come in her latest book The Fabled Earth. With a dual timeline, the story begins in 1932. Cumberland Island is the playground for the rich of the Gilded age - the Carnegies built their mansion Plum Orchard there and others followed suit. Cleo Woodbine is hoping to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps there and become a painter, and is thrilled when she’s offered a position as a ladies’s companion to Joanna Burton, who will be there for a few weeks as a guest. However, Cleo quickly realizes she is nothing like the young people there; the young men are interested solely in hunting and drinking, and her companion Joanna is a free spirit who seems to only want to tease the young men. When a late night gathering turns tragic, Cleo retreats to Woodbine Cottage, at nearby Kingdom Come. She becomes a recluse, and her paintings and the figures from therm - her “tagalongs” - are her only friends.

But everything changes in 1959 when Frances Flood, the daughter of Joanna Burton, shows up at Cleo’s doorstep, wanting answers to things her mother said on her deathbed. Woven around the present day is the story of the town of Revery, which seems to be on its last legs, but townspeople are hoping for a rebirth. Set during the segregation era, this story explores race relations, family we have and family we gain by friendships. At its heart, it’s a story of friendship, secrets kept, secrets told, and while the past shapes our future, it doesn’t have to define it. Highly recommend this one - I will be reading it again! Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Muse for an ARC of this book; all opinions are my own.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I found this book to be overly descriptive and rather confusing. It was difficult to follow and ultimately, exhausting. I love southern fiction, yet this one just did not engage.