Review: Sophisticated and charming
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 10, 2012
The rich layers and textures to be found here were a wonderful discovery. The writing explodes with energy for life and love. This isn't the ordinary, everyday romance novel. Weaved into it is the mysticism of dreams and past lives, the pull of history, the poignancy and grace of poetry: "Death, oft I've feared thy fatal blow, Now, fond, I bare my breast, O, do thou kindly lay me low, With him I love, at rest!"Contains a host of interesting characters the reader comes to like--Jessie the MC and psychic artist, Douglas, the phantom figures of Muriall and Duncan, among others, all integral to the plot as the author explores through them whether there's any truth in dreams or past lives--two stimulating and fascinating themes that writers never tire of writing about and readers never tire of reading of.The differences in settings--New York, United States where we first meet Jessie, then Rhonan Manor in 1810 Scotland with heated issues surrounding the poor tenants, inequality and women's rights as well as the introduction to Muriall and Duncan, and then back to Rhonan in 2010 with Douglas and the Rhonan Manor Hotel and talk of exorcism of ghosts, et cetera, were all a wonderful treat.Enjoyed immensely the comic scenes with father O'Reilly, the sprinkling of holy water, the black cat forming in the mist--"Some ghosts can be murderous"! Shall not say more to ruin the many discoveries in this book that will cheer, entertain and fascinate.This sophisticated and charming novel takes the reader on a very pleasant journey that shouldn't be missed.