Foster Robinson, a handsome, charismatic devil, lures Anna into a life she promised herself she would never live. After a whirlwind romance and a wedding befitting the son of the elite Robinsons, Anna learns Foster's reason for choosing her to marry. With the help of a friend, she leaves her abusive husband and marriage and begins a new life far away from his clutches. She'd told no one her plans, but the worry is always there that her abusive husband will find her. She settles in to her life and throws herself into the work she loves. As a reader, I couldn't help but love a story with such emotional depth and a character (one who possesses the ability to "see" the story behind the artefacts she unearths) who is as real as Anna. I highly recommend The Clay Remembers and I’m looking forward to reading Book II in the series.
In the Arizona desert, Anna Robinson sifts through layers of the past, bringing lost objects to the light of day. But she’d prefer it if her own past stayed below ground. Husband Foster has demeaned and assaulted her, even interfered with her work. Yet the artifacts she unearths, which women before her have shaped and woven, give her the strength to evade him for now.
The treasures Anna lights upon are no fabulous devices, nor is she a mere ‘psychic’ archaeologist. Her empathy, her bond with our forebears, is a gripping metaphor for the need of women down the years for recognition of their joy, skill and creativity, which enrich the lives of all. Sharon K. Miller shows how pressing that need can be, ranging against Anna a belittling archaeologist husband whose family is incapable of seeing beneath the surface, and whose greatest talent, ironically, consists of burying secrets. That’s but one of the subtle oppositions that set this novel apart, like the skyward reach of the Robinsons, living well above ground on the fourth floor of their property, or Foster’s inability to appreciate the simple and natural (such as Anna’s need for a child) in telling contrast with Nick Anderson - with whom Anna falls in love - and his easy connection with a world of real things about him: soil, animals, a woman who knows who she is, the birth of new life.
The Clay Remembers honors that continuity - the positive, the intimate, the beautiful and sustaining. The voices of the past, caught with deftness and sensitivity, guide Anna in her quest to restore balance to the present - to find her place in a tradition she can see and hear, and happiness with a man whose past is as haunted as her own. Alive with the light, scent and grit of the desert, this first volume compels from the outset. Its successors promise to uncover more of time, craft and enduring love.
The Clay Remembers, by Sharon K. Miller, is the first novel in The Clay Series. Anna Robinson has a strong connection to the past. While at college studying archaeology, she meets Foster, a well-to-do man studying the same subject. They marry, Anna feeling very spoiled by the lifestyle Foster can offer. However, all is not as it seems. Her marriage is oppressive, with Foster controlling her life completely and not allowing her to practice her skill. In fact, he is violent, subjecting her to physical and sexual abuse if she defies him in any way.
Fearing for her safety, Anna flees, travelling to Tucson, Arizona, and taking a job with an archaeology company working on a dig site in the desert. She meets new friends, including a forensic anthropologist, Nick. Filing for divorce, Anna cannot shake the nagging feeling Foster will hunt her down and seek retribution for disobeying him.
A beautifully composed novel, The Clay Remembers was a pleasure to read and review. Ms. Miller has done a great deal of historical research on a unique topic, all the while weaving together a fictional story surrounding it. I loved the romantic undertones as Anna learns to accept others into her life. I felt the friends around her really empowered her to stand firm in her decision to leave Foster. I felt pride when she stood up to him. I also enjoyed the historical aspects of the novel. I feel that learning about the people of the past is just as important as learning about greater historical events. I look forward to reading the next book in this series. The author should be immensely proud of this work of art.
