Rating: 
Summary: great historical novel
Review: In 1802 escaped slave Selah Voyager arrives in Paradise near Half Moon Lake, New York. The ailing Selah seeks Curiosity Freeman, but runs into Elizabeth Bonner and her stepdaughter Hannah instead. Because Selah is sick, Hannah a healer insists on helping the runaway slave regain her health.On Selah's tail is bounty hunter and former Paradise resident Liam Kirby, who Hannah loved when they were children. Though Liam's appearance tosses her heart for a loop and avaricious neighbors see reward money for turning in Selah, Hannah believes she must follow her values and do the right thing for the runaway slave. Though her actions are noble, Hannah's endeavor places herself, her school teaching father, and her stepmother in danger. Fans of historical novels need to read LAKE IN THE CLOUD, a tremendous early Americana tale that brings alive the first decade of the nineteenth century as few books have accomplished. Though rich with interwoven detail, the intelligently and exciting plot contains era issues that the strong cast enables the audience to comprehend including how courageous the Bonner family is. Mindful of the great works of Van Reid, Sara Donati continues her epic adventure (see INTO THE WILDERNESS and DAWN ON A DISTANT SHORE) with another winner. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Lake in the Clouds
Review: Loved this one! It was good to have the Bonners back in America and to follow the steps of Hannah as she grows into womanhood. What a strong independent young woman she has turned out to be. Sara Donati is one of today's most brilliant historical fiction novelists.
Rating:
Summary: Lake in the Clouds
Review: Loved this one! It was good to have the Bonners back in America and to follow the steps of Hannah as she grows into womanhood. What a strong independent young woman she has turned out to be. Sara Donati is one of today's most brilliant historical fiction novelists.
Rating:
Summary: Father-Son Relationship
Review: Ms. Donati has yet, again, written another superb book! Having read "Into the Wilderness" and "Dawn On A Distant Shore," I was somewhat disappointed that the relationship between Nathaniel and his newly disovered eldest son, Luke(luc) was not further explored as I had expected it would. I would imagine that meeting a son you have never known for the first time can weave a story of its' own as Luke went from being an only child to having a brother and two sisters. Not to mention the relatives in Scotland. With that aside, the book itself was wonderful, and like the others, I could not put it down. Ms. Donati's writing is so enthralling, no matter what the story line, it just draws you in and makes you wish you were there!...When can we expect the next one?
Rating:
Summary: Father-Son Relationship
Review: Ms. Donati has yet, agian, written another superb book! Having read "Into The Wilderness" and "Dawn On A Distant Shore," I was somewhat disappointed that the relationship between Nathaniel and his newly discovered eldest son, Luke (Luc) was not further explored as I had expected it would be. No to mention how the knowledge of a son impacted the lives of the rest of the family members. I would imagine that meeting a son you have never kown for the first time can weave a story of its' own as Luke went from being an orphan to having brothers and sisters, a family. Including the relatives in Scotland. With that aside, the book itself was wonderful, and like the others, I could not put it down. I enjoyed the increased story line about Hannah, especially her growing relationship with Richard Todd to becoming a married woman. I just love Curiosty and how her life seems to impact everyone elses. Hawkeye is another character that I love, only, I would like his character to be more pronounced. I just think that Ms. Donati's writing is so enthralling, no matter what the story line, it just draws you in and makes you wish you were there! When can we expect the next one?
Rating: 
Summary: A Bit of a Let Down, but Still Entertaining
Review: Of the three books so far in the series, this is my least favorite, and I am sure it is because the focus has shifted from Elizabeth and Nathaniel Bonner to Hannah, Nathaniel's daughter by his first wife, who was an Indian. Hannah is just entirely too noble for this reader to relate to comfortably, and, indeed, I found that the Bonners & many of their neighbors are starting to become a little too politically correct for their time period. In the first book of the series I felt that because Elizabeth was a follower of Mary Wolstonecraft Shelley her feminist point of view was understandable, and her character is still consistent with those principles. The fact that most of the other "good guys" feel the same way is perhaps stretching the truth of the time period a little thin, although Donati does give a more balanced portrait of a conflicted character in bounty-hunter Liam Kirby. Hannah's determination to become a doctor couldn't have arrived at a worse time, as even female midwives were being forced out of practice in the more populated areas because the use of obstetrical forceps were reserved for men. However, in this book Hannah being part Indian is more of a barrier to becomming being a doctor than being a women, which is just not realistic. The fact that she is half Indian and cannot decide for much of the book which side of her heritage has the bigger claim is the main plot driver. That also brings in one of the more appealing characters in the book, the Indian Strikes the Sky. The most interested parts of the book in my opinion are the ones that take place in New York City, and involve the Almshouse, manumission of slaves, and the Tammany Society. In other words, the closer Donati stayed to history the better the book. Still and all, this book is a cut above the run of the mill historical romance -- although Bantam has not, rightly in my opinion, classifed it as a romance novel, but rather as a straight historical. It is full of rich detail, and has an earthy quality that is missing in so many books that deal with this period, when it is dealt with at all. For those who are looking for an enjoyable novel set in post-Revolutionary War America this is a good choice.
Rating:
Summary: Lake in the Clouds
Review: Once again Sara Donati was woven her magic with her new book. I love how all the chacters are interwoven in to the fabric of the book. Hannah comes in to her own and her conflict between her two worlds is superbly told. The resolution is bittersweet as I wanted Liam and Hannah to reconcile. I love this book and would recomend it to all my friends. Sara did an excellent job of writing this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Worthy of 4.5 Stars
Review: Sara Donati has written a great sequel here to Into the Wilderness and On A Distant Shore, worthy of 4.5 stars. Her writing ability carries this book and is pleasure to read. There are no shocking events here, the story simply and beautifully advances the Bonner saga forward. The climax is nicely constructed as Hannah must make a decision on the direction her future heads. The love story for this strong and independent character is nicely developed and builds anticipation for the reader. The author has done a nice job of making us like the next generation that is to follow. Fans of historical romance like the Outlander series will thoroughly enjoy Donati's writing and her characters.
Rating:
Summary: Suprisingly Satisfying
Review: The cadence and sensitivity of Donati's writing subtly infuses the reader with a sense of wonder and admiration for the main characters - the women. Donati's men are ever-present, but supporting characters whose plotting and intelligent involvement in the complexities of the story are hidden from the reader. The women take center-stage and the story focuses on the relationships between them and their families. Elizabeth, the star of the previous novels in this trilogy, seemed a bit easier to relate to than her stoic step-daughter Hannah Bonner. Elizabeth is capable of making mistakes. Her courage is over-coming fear of loss, an even greater challenge after grief has worn her down. Her courage feels human. In contrast, the trials and tests that Hannah faces -- prejudice, the challenges of doctoring, the loss of innocence, the contrast between country and city life, injustice and more -- are enough to cause anyone to weep. But this saintly woman truly breaks down only once in this novel, after the death of a patient and friend acts as the proverbial 'straw that broke the camels back'. Surely it is also true that love is like lightening sometimes, but I did want to better understand what made Hannah's leading man so attractive to her. Especially since all the characters and their relationships were so nicely developed. But perhaps that will be further explored in the next novel. Still, however unbelievable Hannah's strong character seems, by the end of the book, the reader relates to her as a young woman with the same thoughts and desires as any other. She evolves into a credible and inspiring role model -- the way we've felt in the past books and this one about Elizabeth and Curiosity. For me, this book wasn't fast-paced or a page-turner. In spite of the well-designed plot, I was able to put it down. But that is not to say it was boring. I always returned to it because I knew that something new was soon to develop - the introduction of Lily to the joys of drawing, the maternal sacrifice of Selah Voyager, the endearing and tragic Kitty, or the devilish scheming of Jemima Southern. In the end, it was gratifying to see that contributions to humanity and the community do not go unrecognized. That, along with the disturbing and clever justice orchestrated by the men left me unexpectedly satisfied. There were some loose ends, but they were minor compared to the neat conclusion of the main threads of the story and loose ends can always make for nice surprises in a follow up book.
Rating:
Summary: Carefully Crafted Historical
Review: Third in the Bonner family series, following INTO THE WILDERNESS AND DAWN ON A DISTANT SHORE, this latest installment in Ms. Donati's historical saga lives up to reader's high expectations following the first two novels. Set in the early 1800's in Northwestern New York State, Lake in the Clouds is the Bonner's family settlement. Near the fictitious village of Paradise, west of Albany, Nathaniel Bonner, his second wife Elizabeth, and their eight-year-old twins Lily and Daniel, struggle to maintain their principles of equality amidst a world of hatred and prejudice. Nathaniel's daughter Hannah, from his first marriage, is half Mohawk and half white and has apprenticed under the local physician, Dr. Richard Todd. As Hannah journeys to New York City to learn the practice of administering the small pox vaccination, Nathaniel and Elizabeth must deal with a complication of their own. A fugitive slave woman is discovered on Lake in the Clouds, and freed slaves and friends of the Bonners, Curiosity and Galileo Freeman , ask for the Bonners' help. Though their family may be at peril, the Bonners along with Hannah's aunt and uncle, Many- Doves and Runs-from-Bears, must decide what action to take next when a bounty hunter and childhood friend of Hannah's appears in Paradise. Rich historical detail enhances this novel, thereby creating realism that adds power to a story line involving the almost insurmountable obstacles faced by early American settlers. Though romance is found in the ever-changing relationship between Nathaniel and Elizabeth Bonner, Ms. Donati's latest unveiling of the early nineteenth century world dispels notions of romanticism of the times. With a multitude of life-threatening illness and lack of medical care, life on the frontier and in the cities was filled with peril. But the enduring quality of this captivating tale lies in the strength of its characters, as they must face each new challenge with a reliance on friends and self that is not often found in today's world. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title
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