Nectar from a Stone
A Novel
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4.5 • 2 Ratings
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- $15.99
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- $15.99
Publisher Description
It is 1351 in Wales, a country subjugated by England, beaten down by superstition, war, and illness. Elise, prone to strange visions and the sole survivor of a plague-ravaged family, has fled her village for distant Conwy with her servant Annora, running from a murder she was forced to commit in self-defense.
On the road, they cross paths with Gwydion, a moody Welshman seeking to avenge his murdered family and reclaim his estate, and are drawn into a bloody confrontation with another traveler. In its aftermath, Elise and Gwydion find themselves shocked by their developing feelings for each other, and they part.
As the women ultimately reach Conwy, a menacing shadow from Elise's past creeps toward her, and she must face it to find the peace she longs for, and help Gwydion recapture his home, and her heart, in the process.
In a dazzling narrative where mysterious visions, powerful desire, and dark secrets from the past converge, Jane Guill spins a masterful tale of romance, revelation, and breathtaking suspense.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
It's Wales in 1351, and across a plague-infested, often brutal landscape, Elise a spirited young woman prone to visions and her servant/surrogate mother Annora flee the scene of an unplanned crime: Elise has killed her evil husband, Maelgwyn, and dumped his body in a river. On the run, she crosses paths with a mysterious rider named Gwydion who immediately intrigues her with his lordly composure and brooding manner. As Elise and Gwydion's travels further converge, it emerges that they have an enemy in common: the repellent Sir Nicholas, who murdered Gwydion's father and sister and who, with his henchman Dexter, came perilously close to raping and killing Annora and Elise in a previous encounter. Gwydion's and Elise's interest in each other grows, and their passions are stoked when Elise tends to the wounded Gwydion. Meanwhile, it's revealed that Maelgwyn is actually alive and intent on vengeance. What works in Guill's debut is the nicely developed chemistry between Elise and Gwydion and the numerous historical details that create vivid snapshots of life in medieval Wales. But the book suffers from too many plot lines, over-the-top villains, heavy-handed symbolism and pacing hobbled by well-written but tangential sections. The plot twists also prove predictable. But the main characters are loyal and good-hearted certainly likable enough to follow on a few adventures.
