Meh. This book was enough to tide me over on a transatlantic flight and a long layover, but it didn’t grip me like it seemed to do to everyone else. I didn’t care about the modern story line. The feud between Rhona and Andy was kinda stupid and Rhona’s character was more irritating than intimidating. But the setting was lush and immersive and I was rather intrigued by the historical story line. ( )

Edited August 2018 - initially I gave this 3.75 stars because one of the characters really bugged me so much so that I put the book down for several weeks in the middle of it. But since that time the book has stayed with me and so I am upping the rating to 4 star. ( )

I don't really read this genre of writing but this was a gift from a friend, so thought I'd give it a go.
Very much of the chick-lit stable, with a nod to Tom's Midnight Garden, this is the tale of bereaved Miranda ("Andy"), who in the wake of her partner's death accepts the offer of a friend's Welsh manor house while she recovers. Here she rediscovers her artistic career, and enjoys the instant friendship of an unusual bunch of locals- a dashing gardener/psychologist, a Druid/herbalist...and her old Dad, a specialist in the paranormal.
Useful, considering her partner's psychopathic pantomime-villain ex is after her.
Meanwhile, Andy is experiencing increasingly vivid dreams that take her back to the era of Owen Glendower: crabby bard Dafydd dwelt here with his spirited daughter Catrin and the dashing Edmund, as the friction between England and Wales starts to heat up...
Well, it does inform about this period in history. In literary terms it was pretty dire, with entirely 2D characters. The 'strong women' (Andy and Catrin) are a childish, petulant pair who evoke little sympathy. They indicate their contrariness by much stomping, retorting and glaring- sometimes quite unreasonably. You lose all patience with them. The deranged ex is so 100% evil, without one redeeming feature, that she's almost comic. We suspect from the moment we meet Bryn, that he may become Much More to Andy- bound to happen when they so dislike each other at the start... In character terms, I found Bryn and Meryn kind of melded into one - a general desire to put themselves out at all costs to help Andy. Meanwhile our 21st century cast are determinedly aspirational- if they meet a friend in a shop, you can bet she'll be clutching a 'pack of organic pasta'.
Look, it is what it is and I get some enjoy this kind of writing. It's readable- I made it through to the end- but is more like a children's book than one for adults. I think I'd have liked it when I was about 14... ( )

I can't tell you how much I loved this book. Barbara is back at her finest and it was totally compelling. I haven't been overly enthusiastic about her last couple of novels but this one is beyond exceptional. ( )

"Little Welsh children, taken away to England by order of the king".

Reading this book while I'm in Wales and knowing more about the history of this city has been an exciting experience.

This book has it all; Dreams, Day Dreams, Time Travel, Romance, History, Heroes, Two Worlds, Psychology, Crime and more.

Can you imagine reading a book that has everything you like in one place? I enjoyed reading this book a lot, I can't describe my feelings about this, I'm overwhelmed and can't get all the characters out of my mind.

Andy dreams of the past and Catrin dreams of the Future. They cross path in their dreams and meet each other. Shocked by the discovery but not afraid of the abnormal activities happening in Sleeper's Castle where everyone has his own share of dreams. Both woman will deal many things to reach for peace and settle in harmony after struggling with grief and agony.

I loved all the characters, especially Catrin and Edmund; their story was beautifully written and developed. The mains character Andy was ok, didn't have that emotional attachment to her, not like Catrin. I felt that Catrin was stronger and more in control of her life considering the time she has lived in and what she has faced in her life by her father. I guess I wanted to know more about Andy and Bryn but that is left for the reader to imagine and enjoy after finishing this book. And the final discovery about Bryn, didn't see that coming but I LOVED IT.

The dreaming part was so powerfully written in the book, it felt as if it was real, like you (the reader) were there inside the book and inside the dreams. The writing style, the details, the characters, the plot was just perfects. This was my first read for Barbara Erskine but it won't be the last.

Highly Recommended ( )