Review: Echoes on the Wind by Russell Dean

Blurb:

The second novel in the bestselling Borrowed Time series

It’s been two years since Tom Jacob was thrust back through time, but the echoes of the past still linger, as does his determination to return there.

Desperate to find a way back, he's on the verge of giving up when a mysterious letter offers a final glimmer of hope. The path that it sets him on will change everything, but his reckless determination could have devastating consequences for those he loves the most.

How far will he go to reclaim the life that he built for himself in the past? And even if he can get there, will his old life still be waiting for him?

Echoes on the Wind, a thrilling tale of hope, love, sacrifice and destiny, is the follow up to the best-selling debut novel, Borrowed Time, and the second book in the series.

Review:

This is the second book in the Borrowed Time series, and if you haven’t read my review of Borrowed Time already I’d suggest doing so before this so it makes more sense. Let’s be honest, I loved this book so much it’s bold of me to assume it’ll make any sense and not just be appreciative screaming. Russell Dean is fast becoming one of my top indie authors and the more people who pick up his works, the more people I am sure will agree with me.

When we left Tom he was back in the present, by which I mean the 1990s and we pick up the story two years later. This is two years that Tom has had indoor plumbing, electricity, modern-by-90s-standard medical care and everyone uses deodorant but he hasn’t had Gwyn. Alongside his conspiracy nut wall of tracking anything and everything about this ring, he’s doing anything and everything to figure out a way back to 1890’s Wales. I know people that won’t take the bus to go see someone and Tom is forgoing semi-modern luxuries! That is love. 

Alongside Tom in his desperate endeavor to go back in time, we get a lot more Lee in this novel. Lee is great as it turns out. Lee is remarkably supportive of the whole thing. By the ‘whole thing’ I mean literally everything Tom gets him into, including not punching Tom in the face when I 100% thought he was going to punch Tom in the face, and also the surprise five-hour drive to a care home in Brighton. Both Lee and the care home visit bring up a new mystery with the time travel and it’s one I am so looking forward to unravelling more of. “This feels vague.” I hear you murmur. It has to be or I will ruin the *gasp* moment. And it was a genuine moment. 

I’m going to detour on this review. The scene in the care home is not brilliant in how it brings up new questions and leaves you wondering who knew what when Tom’s father and Ellinor made their time journey. Tom meets with an elderly [name redacted] and while this character kind of converses with him we also have this glimpse of an elder in the stages of dementia. “My heart hurt for her in her confusion, and I couldn’t bring myself to tell her of his death again.” Anyone who has a loved one struggling with this knows exactly what this feels like. And it’s a small line in a much bigger book but the emotion behind it is so, so real. 

It will absolutely surprise no one to find out that Tom goes back in time. I’m starting to get an idea of how/why it happens, what triggers the jumps, but the important thing is: it happens. Who do we first meet back in Wales? The one and only Mair. God I love Mair. I said to Russell “That woman could put out a fire just by telling it off” and I stand by it. We also get a small reunion with Mrs Hopkin and between both fill in some blanks on what’s been going on since Tom was last there. Then it’s off to Bryncoed! (Please don’t ask me how that’s actually pronounced.)

This is where we spend the rest of the book, and dare I say, Tom may spend the rest of his life? I have no idea. We’ll all have to read and find out for that. It is however where we spend a May Day celebration, which leads to a fortune teller dropping some intense warnings to Tom I am dying to know more about. You might be with Mair thinking it’s just vague nonsense but definitely not. There is more to it, I’m sure of it and I am desperate to know.

It’s not just reunions, May Day celebrations and vague omens from fortune tellers in the town! We’ve got unhealthy obsessions, Tom’s experience of being stalked and the victim of attempted murder (again), insurance fraud attempts, the further destruction of the Welsh language due to English investment in dangerous coal mining, and racism. “Racism? Against the English? Against the Welsh?” No, this one character from Mauritius, Joseph. (Don’t worry, we do tease Tom for being English again. That is a staple of his experiences.)

I’m not just bringing up the racism in Bryncoed because it’s relevant to the story, the cast of characters and highlights how wonderfully open minded the Hopkin family, Griffiths and everyone that Tom lucked into knowing and loving. This is actually a part of Russell’s family history. There is a note in the back about who Joseph was, and how he is remembered and his story told through his relationship with Betty Hopkin. Borrowed Time was obviously close to Russell’s heart in his love of Wales, the Welsh culture and its history. Echoes on the Wind is close for these same reasons but also because it is a kind of gift to his 2x great-grandfather. And I think that really brings something extra to this book, and the wider story.  

I was so excited to get into this book and I tore through it in like three days. The story continues to grow and evolve into something special I cannot get enough of. The cast keeps growing as we pick up new side plots, more characters to the growing family and more things to overcome. 19th century Wales has never looked interesting to me. I thought it was a duology, I was crestfallen to think my time with Tom, Gwyn, Mair, Nellie and everyone was ending. I know re-reads exist but it’s not the same. Thankfully, when you fall in love with the story, characters and writing, you’ll be delighted to know that there is a teaser that we are returning with Borrowed Time book 3 Traveller. And to that I say, as I did last time: can I please have it now? 

(And if you extra can’t wait after finishing this, Russell has written a short story following Gwyn that takes place between Borrowed Time and Echoes on the Wind. It’s super seasonal and festive too!)