Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience

The Ninth Child by Sally Magnusson is a masterful historical novel, seamlessly weaving together the supernatural with gritty industrial landscapes.

We are drawn into the captivating world of Victorian Scotland, specifically to the waters of Loch Katrine which is being transformed into an industrial wasteland. Amidst this upheaval, Isabel Aird arrives with her husband and faces her own journey as a woman denied motherhood in a world that doesn't fully accept her.

In the Highland region between the worlds of the seen and the unseen, supernatural events threaten to shape the future of the world Isabel knows. With elements of folklore at play, Isabel's inner strength and her eventual rebirth leads her to face a dark force that has emerged from the gunpowder smoke.

The Ninth Child is a fascinating and often ethereal story. As she expertly captures the mystical aspects of her setting and time period, Magnusson poignantly illustrates the power of female strength, even in the face of injustice. Her words echo of a strength so universal it feels almost otherworldly.

I was really looking forward to this one after loving The Sealwomans Gift, but this one didn't quite hit the mark for me. A very different story, I found it quite difficult to get in to and found myself falling asleep most times I picked it up to read! Still needed to know what happened though.

Thanks to the publisher for an eArc in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a mix between real life events and people and a fantasy novel. I really enjoyed the genre, it is the first I have read that integrated the two together so seamlessly.

The narrative can be a bit confusing at times, the reader must concentrate properly as it switches without warning. Sometimes we are hearing Kirsty retelling a tale, sometimes it feels like we are hearing from Isabel directly, then we have Robert Kirk and the fairies. On top of that there are letters and narratives from Prince Albert and Queen Victoria. It is done very well, but it does swap between them all from one paragraph to the next.

The pace of the novel can be slow at times and can feel bogged down with detail either of the waterworks or the land of the fairies. However, I really enjoyed the premise and the plot is so well constructed.

The characters all felt as real as the monarchy who part narrate this book - as if they did all exist in the same plane of existence and that this is a historical retelling rather than fiction.

I really enjoyed this book and would re-read.

Wow! Gorgeous writing and totally engaging story.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy of this book in exchange for my feedback.

The Ninth Child by Sally Magnusson
Very well researched, bringing to life and making the trials and tribulations of bringing fresh, safe water to Glasgow from Loch Katrine to combat the deadly diseases due to dirty, contaminated water. “The Loch Katrine waterworks was one of the most ambitious civil engineering schemes in Europe, during the reign of Victoria and Albert, since antiquity”.
The novel is about Dr Alexander and Mrs Isabel Aird who relocate to the area around Loch Katrine to follow his vocation to look after the medical needs of the staff and the “navvies” employed to work on the waterworks.
Mrs Aird having suffered many miscarriages is strangely calmed by the lochs and local area. Here she meets a mysterious man in old fashioned clothing, who turns out to be Reverend Robert Kirke.
“He was an Episcopalian minister whose tolerant views and scholarly achievements have been eclipsed by the legend that curled itself around him after his death”.
Do not be lulled into thinking this is about fluffy, smiling “faeries” it certainly isn’t.
The history of the era is brought to life with the skill and talent of Sally Magnusson. It is neither dry or complicated. It is enhanced with the parallel story of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
I loved the character of Kirsty McEchern; down to earth, no nonsense mother to a large brood and married to a Navvi. Mr McEchern is trying to eke out a living with his children working on the waterworks.
Ms Magnusson depicts quite clearly what it was like to live in poverty.
Recommended reading. If there is another novel including Kirsty McEchern, I’ll be pre-booking my copy.
Thank you to Sally Magnusson, Two Roads/Harper Collins and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read The Ninth Child. In return I have I have given an honest and unbiased review

This book is a retelling of a Scottish folktale.
The writing in this book is mesmerising and so beautiful.
The story was gripping and had traces of magical realism within it.

I did not get into this book so I did not finish it. Thank you for the opportunity to review this book.

I found this story quite difficult to engage with in the first instance- but my was it worth it. I loved the characterisation and Magnusson has wonderful power of descriptive writing, It is a fantastic read and I will be looking out for anything else by her.

3.5*
An engaging mix of folklore/fairytale and history that beautifully weaves fiction with real Victorian events.
The Ninth Child is a novel about the places where different worlds collide: folklore and myths and the spreading of industrialisation; royalty and poverty; water and land; faery, church and science and medicine.

I’m not sure if the formatting was slightly off due to this being an ARC. I found reading it at times slightly frustrating. One second the narration would be from one characters point of view and would then suddenly switch to another’s, without a distinctive line break as is generally the norm. The change would occur on the same line which was quite annoying. This may not be an issue in the actual published kindle format.

Leaving the formatting aside, this book is a good read. I found it dragged slightly at times with the explanations of the construction of the aqueducts and tunnels. I would have preferred more to have unfolded about the connection between Robert Kirke/Albert. I’m not sure what that was about and I’m slightly unsure as to what it brought to the storyline, apart from a sense of unease and eerie sense of menace.

I would recommended if you enjoy folklore, mystery and historical fiction with a particular interest in the evolution of the supply of fresh clean water from the lochs, down to Glasgow.

With many thanks to NetGalley and John Murray Press, Two Roads for the opportunity to read this ARC, in return for an honest and unbiased review.

Where do I start?

What a wonderful book.

The Trossachs hold a special place in my heart, and Sally Magnusson captures the beauty and magic of the lochs so masterfully in this book.

Set during Victoria's reign, Ninth Child blends science, mystery and magic so seamlessly and truly transports you to this wonderful place. The language used is evocative, and the characters believable and truly human. The story is told from a variety of viewpoints which can be tough to get to grips with, but each characters voice is so unique it's easy to work with once you're familiar with it.

The research is evident in the book; it is set over the course of true events, and nothing feels artificial or glanced over.

I felt the ending was a little rushed, it all comes to a head rather quickly, but nonetheless I was left wanting more of this world. I could not put it down.

What a fantastic read. I downloaded this because I was interested in the location of the book and the Glasgow Water Works, which is not something I ever thought I would say!

If you like folklore and faeries you'll like this, if your Scottish you'll feel oddly engrossed and proud of the mystical tales (or facts?!) of Loch Chon and Loch Katrine.

The writing is fun, quirky and entertaining. I wont describe the plot as talking about the Glasgow Waterworks makes it sound dangerously boring which it isn't.

Many thanks to NetGalley and John Murray Press for the ARC.

In Sally Magnusson's "The Ninth Child" historical fiction meets magic realism in a splendid blend. It is a 19th-century tale taking place in the Scottish Highlands around 1856-59, in the era of Queen Victoria. The characters are relatable and the author manages to present their struggles, challenges and point of views via their distinctive narrative voices. The novel was a bit slow in its start but after a while, I managed to pace through and I couldn't take it off my hands until the end. I am happy I got acquainted with the work of Sally Magnusson and I will definitely keep an eye on her future works, and will probably seek out her first novel, "The Sealwoman's Gift", as well.

I absolutely ADORED The Sealwoman’s Gift..so much so that I made it my personal mission to tell as many people as I could about this truly exceptional reimagining of true life events and a part of history I was unaware of and I really felt this should have gotten much more attention when all the book awards came around!! I haven’t had a chance to get around to The Ninth Child yet (Covid has basically scuppered everything the last few months) but just want to add my praise for Sally Magnusson as an author, The Sealwoman’s Gift is outstanding and was my book of the year when it came out and on that basis I am sure I will love this book too and I will update this review when I get around to it on my TBR pile and I t’s at the top of the pile after my bookclub read)

This is a historical fiction, with an element of make believe. Definitely not my usual type of book but I decided to read it as I’ve been to Loch Katrine and was interested to read a novel set there.

The story is set in the 1850s and follows Isabel and her husband, Alexander. Alexander is a doctor and very interested in public health and the creation of a waterway to supply Glasgow. He’s appointed as the doctor whilst the project is ongoing.
Isabel meets Robert Kirke, a very tall, sinister man. However, he’s pleasant towards her and she often meets him for a walk. Kirsty, Isabel’s friend, feels there’s something off about him and tries to discourage Isabel from meeting him.
Isabel has sadly lost eight babies and when she becomes pregnant again, her husband and Kirsty are anxious she rests and takes care of herself.
Robert Kirke encounters Isabel after the baby is born, and events take a tragic turn.

This is what I think inspires the title of the novel, The Ninth Child.

The characters in this story are good and well developed.
Initially, I didn’t warm to Isabel but I found she changed and became more likeable once she befriended Kirsty. She was left to deal with her grief on her own as her husband felt he’d failed and this was sad.

The pace of the novel is rather slow and about halfway through it seemed to drag and then picked up a bit towards the end.

Some of the writing style I found difficult to follow and understand. The story also jumps from character to character so it can take a paragraph or so to work out who’s narrating. The folklore and make believe wasn’t really for me.

However, the setting was well described and the book has clearly been well researched.

Thanks to John Murray Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book for review.

This is a well-written book with intertwining threads of history and fantasy that blend well together. Set in the mid to late 1850's, The Ninth Child sits squarely in Queen Victoria's reign as the country suffers from epidemics of cholera with death tolls rising. A very clever and informative narrative. A most enjoyable read.

I wasn't a fan of Magnusson's former work, so was a bit wary of giving this one a try, but I'm so glad I did.

This was a really evocative, enjoyable read. The sense of place and time is strong, and the lead character's tangible grief and tentative hope make even the slower parts of the narrative unputdownable.

There's an eerieness on every page which is so cleverly rendered - for long stretches, nothing actively spooky happens, but you can almost feel it pressing at the corners of the pages, waiting to come on stage.

Excellent.

An interesting and unusual book. Set around area that I grew up in, the writing effectively captured the scenery well. It is well thought out with excellent descriptions of the lifestyle that was prevalent in the 1800's and added to that the interwoven folklore of fairies in the hill.

Unfortunately I hated this book. I will not post a public review as I feel it is unfair on the author.
This just hasn’t been the right book for me

I must admit to struggling with this book a bit. I did enjoy it by the time I got to the end but it wasn't an easy read. The book jumped about between the character stories and I had to concentrate hard at points to realize the narrative had changed.
Izzy has lost so many children through miscarriage or still birth & finally the ninth child eventually comes along. Along with making a deal with devil - or fairies as known in the highlands where the book is set. A bit of historical accuracy thrown in surrounding Queen Victoria & Robert Kirke to add interest & intrigue.