An epic sweeping story that covers many years but also makes the story feel close and intimate without feeling small. I highly recommend pretty much everything this author writes because she has a wonderful style. ( )

Another page turner. ( )

A richly detailed sequel to Wild Swan, which covers the lives of the family during the mid 19th century, taking them through the end of the Civil War. Like its predecessor, it is long enough to be a leisurely exploration of both characters and themes, a refreshing change from the often hectic pace of today's novels. Again it is dominated by Alexandria, now a matriarch of a large family and manager of a successful farm and racing stable.

But while the themes of family and finding soulmates, love and grief, and the cycle of llife, are still much a part of this book, it is inevitably dominated by the looming Civil War. I dreaded it and decided that when it came I would skim or skip over those parts dealing with the war, but when I got there I couldn't put it down. I got more of a sense of the reasons and chronology of the war, placed in a human context, from this book than I think I've gotten from any book I've ever read about it, fiction or non-fiction. (But the Civil War isn't my area of expertise.)

We need more of this type of historical fiction published today. ( )

Swan's Chance begins in 1836 and takes up the story of the Alex and Rane Falconer where Wild Swan left off, as the Falconer family continues to expand their line of Thoroughbred Horses at their farm Wild Swan, along with Rane's ship building enterprise. Their children grow to adulthood, marry and have children of their own as the tensions between the North and South heat up over the issue of slavery. Alex's beloved granddaughter Gincey works with the Underground Railway and during a mission gone awry meets Virginian Travis Culhane (sparks fly of course). The remainder of the book details the lives of the Falconer family are entwined with the horrors of the Civil War and it's aftermath.

All in all a very entertaining read, although I did find some slow spots -especially when the author was recounting the historical events of the Civil War. It was more like being told than being shown, although I don't see how she could have done otherwise without making it into a book as cumbersome as House Divided, and that's the last thing I want to attempt again (only made it as far as 700 out of 1400 pages, should have been book divided).

If you're looking for an action packed, racy page turning read this probably isn't the book for you, but if you do enjoy a well told story spanning multiple generations in a solid historical setting this series is worth checking out. As in the first book, my only minor quibbles are that unless you are a "horsy" person (which I'm not) there are some spots that become a bit slow (but you can skip them) and some of the sex scenes, while not gratuitous, were a bit...well...ahem....just a tad too detailed for my tastes. If it had been a "true" bodice ripper than I wouldn't have minded, but eventually enough is enough and I would not recommend this series for younger readers because of that. Otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and am looking forward the completion of the trilogy as the Falconer family and the nation begins the healing process in A Season of Swans. ( )

Voor de ontembare Alexandria Falconer speelt het leven zich af op het uitgestrekte Amerikaanse landgoed 'Wild Swan'. Daar biedt zij haar echtgenoot, kinderen en kleinkinderen een warm thuis en daar fokt zij haar prachtige volbloedpaarden.
In haar hart is Alex nog steeds de jonge bruid in wier armen Rane Falconer eens de liefde ontdekte in al zijn sensuele schoonheid. Deze vurige verbintenis schenkt het Engelse immigrantenechtpaar blijvende kracht en zal hen door de jaren van triomf en tragedie voeren.
De mensonterende slavernij en de verwoestende werking van de Amerikaanse Burgeroorlog bedreigen echter allen die Alex liefheeft en dwingen haar de strijd weer op te nemen.
'Wild Swan' wordt een toevluchtsoord voor ontsnapte slaven. Onvermoeibaar zet Alex zich in om de wonden te helen van een strijdende natie.

Ondanks de geliefde familiebanden gaan de kinderen van Alex en Rane hun eigen weg. Morgan deelt de passie van zijn vader voor de zee en reist naar verre landen. Nigel gaat als arts onder de allerarmsten werken en Flora kiest voor de moeizame strijd van de opkomende vrouwenbeweging.

Maar het is Gincie, de temperamentvolle kleindochter van Alex, die bereid is zelfs haar leven op het spel te zetten voor haar idealen. Met haar ingeboren moed en dapperheid is zij de geestelijke erfgename van haar grootmoeder. Tenslotte vindt ook Gincie de liefde van haar leven, en wel in de persoon van haar aanvankelijke tegenstander, Travis Culhane.

De Falconers kunnen niet voorzien wat de toekomst hen zal brengen, maar één ding weten ze zeker: een deel van hun hart zal voor altijd verbonden blijven met de goede aarde van 'Wild Swan'. ( )