Review: Rich & smooth, like a good cup of coffee
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 9, 2013
This is a smoothly-written, detailed and satisfying story. It's set in the old Celtic British Isles, and it's easy to become totally immersed in that world, with its tinge of superstition, smoky homes, bracken-covered slopes, and suspicion of strangers.  Although there's a lot of life detail, there's never too much; just when it might get boring, the author deftly moves on to other things, so you get a rich impression of the daily lives of the characters without it becoming mundane. Everyone stays in character; there are no anachronisms, no illogical jumps in understanding, and the protagonists are normal and believable people.I actually read this book word-for-word. It's pretty typical for me to skip paragraphs here and there, but in this case I didn't, even at the end. I didn't want to miss the vital little clues hidden in the rich descriptions, and I really enjoyed the style.There's not a huge amount of action, but things pick up in the second half.  The ending is realistic, if not high on the happy scale. It left me wondering about the lives of some of the characters, curious to find out more. Fortunately, it looks like there's more to this series, so I can satisfy my curiosity!