Hilary Scharper

Perdita is the type of story that leaves readers scratching their heads in confusion upon finishing it. There is no real closure, nor is there an appropriate number of explanations to go along with the wealth of questions. Given how immensely enjoyable Marged’s story is, as told through her journal entries from long ago, the lack of answers and of a satisfactory ending to Marged’s story is tremendously disappointing.

There is no indication that the story will fizzle so severely either, further compounding a reader’s disappointment. Marged’s story of her life on the Georgian Bay, her independence and growing love for a fellow inhabitant are all fascinating. The descriptions alone are breathtaking, with vivid imagery that paints explicit pictures for readers of everything from the landscape to the mundane details of life on the bay to her winter in Toronto. The storytelling is effortless and engaging.

Whereas Marged is a brilliantly described, three-dimensional character, Garth never becomes quite as vibrant or defined. When Marged’s history draws to a close and the story turns to more present-day scenes involving Garth, the story loses its way. Gone are the impressive details and clarity of character. In their place is a muddy plot so convoluted and ill-defined that readers can only forge ahead or get caught in a mire of confusion. This is also the point at which Perdita becomes a more prominent element/character of the story, whereby the entire story loses all cohesion.

Perdita is the type of story that does not need anything supernatural to enhance it or set it apart from other novels. The story itself is extremely strong, well-written and a thoroughly engaging piece of historical fiction. The addition of the supernatural in the form of the mysterious Perdita essentially ruins the story not only because she never receives an adequate explanation for her appearance but also because the moment she becomes a character the entire feel of the novel changes. The story loses the charm that makes it so enjoyable to become something less believable and much more forced. To have such a wonderful story abruptly change as much as it does as suddenly as it does is a disappointment that leaves readers feeling more than a little upset at the loss of what was for what took its place.… (plus d'informations)

As a historian Garth Hellyer has met people from all walks of life. One of the many things he does in his work with the Longevity Project is validating and confirming the ages of people over the age of one hundred. Garth enjoys the work and the people he meets, but Marged Brice is quite unlike anyone he's ever met before. First of all she claims to be 134 years old and even produces a birth certificate to prove her age. Unfortunately that one piece of paper isn't enough to confirm her age or identity. The only other thing she has to offer are her diaries . . . and Perdita.

Perdita is a story of the early 1890s and the present. Marged's story is told via diaries written over the course of a few years in her young adult life. She writes of living with her father, mother, aunt and uncle, as well as her father and uncle's job tending the lighthouse. Marged is an intelligent young woman and seems to be one with the wild nature she is surrounded by on the bay. She tutors the children of visiting summer families and works with one of Canada's famed naturalists, Dr. McTeague. She also falls in love with a beloved Canadian artist, George Stewart, as well as with a physician, Dr. Andrew Reid. Her story is unusual only in that she has lived for so long. Garth's story is the contemporary tale and is filled with his attempts to uncover the truth about Marged. Garth's story is also about love and loss, just as much as Marged's story. The final element in this story is Perdita. There are bits of the superstitious and paranormal woven into Marged's story -- ghosts in the graveyard and a ghostly presence at a séance, but these pale in comparison to Perdita. Is Perdita the ghost of a dead child? Is she the love-child of a Greek god? Or is she the figment of Marged's imagination?

I enjoyed reading Perdita although I felt it dragged at times, namely in a few of Marged's diary entries. Ms. Scharper has done an amazing job of creating images within this reader's mind of the beauty and savagery of the Georgian Bay with her highly descriptive words. I liked getting to know about the daily duties of Marged's life in the late 1890s. Perdita is not just a story within a story, but a story within a story within a story as the reader learns about Marged, Garth, and the lost tale of Perdita. Would the story have been the same without the supernatural presence of Perdita? Could Marged's story have been as convincing without Perdita? Probably not. What I can say is that if you enjoy reading books that combine historical and contemporary storylines then you'll definitely want to grab a copy of Perdita to read.… (plus d'informations)