I still have mixed emotions about Shreve, but this book was definitely better than _The Pilot's Wife_. In the process of alternating between the two stories, the book moved too briskly to adequately develop the characters and story line. Like another book I read recently (_Bel Canto_), the ending seemed contrived, as though the author had run out of steam, but thought some sort of dramatic action should be shuffled in. I did like the historical details, and found the 19th century characters more interesting.
