"During Gilly Ramsey’s lonely childhood, the occasional brief visits of her mother’s cousin were a delight, seeming like visits of a fairy godmother. Years later, when Gilly inherits Thornyhold, her house, she discovers that her cousin, with her still room and herbalist practices—and her undoubted powers—had long been known to the locals as a witch. She is approached by neighbors, some innocent, some not so innocent, but all assuming that she, too, is a witch, and a possible addition to the local coven. Gilly finds there is some truth in this, for she discovers that she can call on a kind of power in difficult moments. This wonderful novel from bestselling author Mary Stewart is delicate in its perception of a young woman’s falling in love, delightful in its portrayal of the English countryside, and skilled in its creation of a world full of magic."
I was skeptical about this book when I first picked it up. I usually do not read older novels, but I liked the premise of this book and was ready to tackle it. It did start off sort of slowly, setting the scene for which make life for Gilly at Thornyhold so different than what she previously knew. As I reached half way through the book I still did not know which way the story was heading. Was it a mystery, a witch hunt, or something else. Mart Stewart did make me feel connected to the characters and I was able to sympathize with them. As for the romance of the book, it took awhile before you realize who was going to become an item. When you do finally figure it out, the book ends fairly quickly. And I do not mean in a good. Stewart took such a long time to lead up to this point and then ended it to short. There were many ways to end, but it felt rushed as though she had run out of time to write and just ended it. With saying this I did enjoy it, but wish I had more.
I rate this book a three out of five stars.
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