REVIEW: Atlas – The Story of Pa Salt by Lucinda Riley

The 8th and final book of the Seven Sisters series Atlas – The Story of Pa Salt by Lucinda Riley was a bittersweet end to a fantastic adventure, written with love, care and warmth which finally shed light on Pa Salt’s true identity and his journey in adopting his 6 girls.

From the onset we were thrust into the true historical context of Pa Salt, a man who had been previously shaped as an enigma wrapped in a mystery and one who had travelled the world to fulfil his mission in finding his daughters as prophesided in the deep belly of Spain. As his daughters gather to finally lay their father to rest we are thrust into the strange reality wherein Merope, aka Merry joins the family at long last and who has the task of reading Pa Salts diary first, except of course, she wants her 6 sisters to read it simultaneously with her so they can uncover the identify of their father together.

As each chapter unfolds it is clear that Pa Salt is truly remarkable and having followed the wisdom of the greater powers in the universe lived a life on the run from his arch nemesis and once childhood friend in Russia. As always, Riley wove an intricate plot; sewing historical fiction with modern love, a doozy wherein love and hope sat like a beacon drawing every reader into the maelstrom and not giving pause to catch breath.

Undoubtedly it was worth the wait and whilst the loss of Riley from the writing world was ever-present throughout the pages, this book truly is a celebration of her writing, her gift and her ability to create a world where love, tenderness and care are things worth believing in. From beginning to end, this was a delight and one I feel blessed to have had in my life.

Book Info:

Publication: 8th May 2023 | Blue Box Press | #The Seven Sisters

1928, Paris
A boy is found, moments from death, and taken in by a kindly family. Gentle, precocious, talented, he flourishes in his new home, and the family show him a life he hadn’t dreamed possible. But he refuses to speak a word about who is really is.

As he grows into a young man, falling in love and taking classes at the prestigious Conservatoire de Paris, he can almost forget the terrors of his past, or the promise he has vowed to keep. But across Europe an evil is rising, and no-one’s safety is certain. In his heart, he knows the time will come where he must flee once more.

2008, the Aegean

The seven sisters are gathered together for the first time, on board the Titan to say a final goodbye to the enigmatic father they loved so dearly.

To the surprise of everyone, it is the missing sister who Pa Salt has chosen to entrust with the clue to their pasts. But for every truth revealed, another question emerges. The sisters must confront the idea that their adored father was someone they barely knew. And even more shockingly: that these long-buried secrets may still have consequences for them today.
Spanning a lifetime of love and loss, crossing borders and oceans, Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt draws the Seven Sisters series to its stunning, unforgettable conclusion.