By moving both stories along in tandem, the author had the opportunity to create resonance between past and present, rising to the point when they nearly merge. The story is also chock-full of history, intrigue, paranormal abilities and the beauty of Scotland. Unfortunately, execution is in the two heart range. At the end of the story, I still could not tell with any certainty what motivated any of them. The book feels as if it had initially been 800 pages long before being cut to 400.
Some scenes show the resolution of a subplot . . .