Eh. Very Norton, with a strong tinge of horror. Poor Gwennan, dragged into this whole tangle - she's never allowed to make any choices, every time she thinks she's escaped they/it drag her back. The ending is highly ambiguous, maybe she's going to come into power and maybe she's only going to be a possession of the latest Lyle. I dislike the plot, as far as I can discern it - it's extremely confusing at best, and highly coercive at worst. I wish Gwennan had been allowed to choose to help, rather than being forced into it every time. Not a story I enjoyed - interesting, but not pleasant. I don't intend ever to read it again. ( )

Despite the fact that I am more of a science fiction reader than a fantasy reader and this book is definitely fantasy, I found it quite a gripping story.

Gwennan Daggert is a small-town librarian who has always been thought of as a little strange. She was raised by her aunt after her parents died in a mysterious accident. She was never told very much about her parents because her aunt disapproved of the marriage. Now, her aunt is dead and she is living all alone in the house on the edge of town where she grew up. She has always been fascinated by the three standing stones on the Lyle property and has started doing some research into standing stones and ley lines. Then in one day she meets Tor Lyle at the standing stones and Lady Lyle who comes into the library looking for the same books Gwennan has been researching. Lady Lyle takes a shine to Gwennan and invites her for dinner. Thus begins a short period of involvement with Lady Lyle which ends abruptly when Lady Lyle is taken ill and leaves town. However, she leaves her pendant for Gwennan and this pendant draws Gwennan into new (and frightening) adventures.

Norton was a master at describing situations that make the reader feel as if they are real, even ones as fantastical as in this book. She died in 2005 at the age of 93 with over 100 published books to her name. ( )