Named of the Dragon

Rating:
Summary: Page Turner with Arthurian Flavor and Poetic Prose
Review: In this offering, Susanna Kearsley introduces us to Lyn Ravenshaw, a literary agent who, plagued by a past tragedy involving her deceased child is coerced by her man-hungry client, children's author, Bridget, in spending her Christmas holiday observing Bridget's manhunt in Wales. With her usual flare and ease, Kearsley introduces us to an odd combination of guests/inhabitants in an isolated setting that is reminiscent of that of Mary Stewart's in her novel, "Wildfire at Midnight". Among the cast of well-drawn characters are the two "hunted" men, James and Gareth, who provide some provocative mind-candy for the female readers and Elen, the fanciful young mother who is certain that her baby is "Named of the Dragon" in the Arthurian sense and claims that Lyn has arrived in role of her baby's protector. Of course, this proves unsettling to poor Lyn who plunging headlong into her own memories of the loss of her own child, must finally face her demons as she unravels the mystery surrounding the threat to Elen's child. The mystical Arthurian themes as well as the reclusive personalities of the more shadowy characters in this story add to the rather misty ambiance and act as an enjoyable foil to Lyn's reemergence into the light of life. Great story with a fantastic setting which I heartily recommend.

Rating:
Summary: My Favorite Book Ever!
Review: Lyn is a literary agent who has been haunted by the death of her baby for a long time. Lyn's friend Bridget writes children books. Bridget is tough, mad about men and loves to create scandals. She invites Lyn to spend Christmas in Wales with her and two other writers, James and Gareth. Bridget has her reasons for inviting Lyn along, but my impression is that a power much stronger than a best selling writer has something to do with her trip. Lyn feeling a trip would do her good accepts Bridget's offer. Once there she meets a neighbor who swears Lyn was sent to be a guardian and a writer who believes she is only there to convince him to sign with her company. Lyn finds herself pulled into a mystery that is beyond her control. Now her dreams are not just disturb by the haunting cries of her own lost baby, but by someone else's child as well. What do they want? Why does she keep seeing people in her dreams that do not exist?

Susanna Kearsley's writing impressed me greatly! The first page captured me immediately; once drawn in I couldn't let go. Although Named the Dragon is a contemporary novel, the historical aspects of Wales, its castles, its myths and its royalty, along with the quotes at the beginning of each chapter by Shakespeare, W.B. Yeats, and Lord Tennyson made the read that much more delightful for me as a historical buff.

Susanna Kearsley's writing has been compared to Barbara Michaels and Mary Stewart. I have to agree - it is that good.

Rating:
Summary: Sweet Romance for Anglophiles
Review: Set in Wales, this modern gothic is long on atmosphere and short on plot. If you can swallow the angle--bad dreams clear up when vaguely Arthurian mystery is solved--you will enjoy a sweet love story and a likeable heroine. Setting it a Christmas is a tad too much, however, as you will see.

The author, who is Canadian, uses a vocabulary that may confuse a few Americans, but is pure nostalgia if you have ever lived in Great Britain. Well written---I will read more of the author's work.

Rating:
Summary: HAUNTING...EVOCATIVE...RIVETING
Review: This is yet another beautifully written book by Susanna Kearsley. Almost as good as "Marianna" and better than "The Shadowy Horses", both by Ms. Kearsley, this book is a highly entertaining gothic style novel.

A literary agent with a sad past, her client who is a children's author, another author romantically linked with the agent's client, and his brother, all spend the Christmas holidays together in the two brothers' farmhouse in Wales. Our literary agent starts having vivid dreams in which a woman from the past keeps asking her to protect a beautiful child she has with her. Meanwhile, a local, somewhat eccentric neighbor also perceives this literary agent to be someone sent to guard her own child from danger. She, too, has had haunting dreams.

Throw in a brooding Welsh playwright, some atmospheric surroundings, a lonely, wild country side, some romantic yearnings, haunting legends, and mysterious, inexplicable occurrences, and what you have is a gripping page turner. It is a book well worth reading.

Rating:
Summary: HAUNTING...EVOCATIVE...RIVETING
Review: This is yet another beautifully written book by Susanna Kearsley. Almost as good as "Marianna" and better than "The Shadowy Horses", both by Ms. Kearsley, this book is a highly entertaining gothic style novel.

A literary agent with a sad past, her client who is a children's author, another author romantically linked with the agent's client, and his brother, all spend the Christmas holidays together in the two brothers' farmhouse in Wales. Our literary agent starts having vivid dreams in which a woman from the past keeps asking her to protect a beautiful child she has with her. Meanwhile, a local, somewhat eccentric neighbor also perceives this literary agent to be someone sent to guard her own child from danger. She, too, has had haunting dreams.

Throw in a brooding Welsh playwright, some atmospheric surroundings, a lonely, wild country side, some romantic yearnings, haunting legends, and mysterious, inexplicable occurrences, and what you have is a gripping page turner. It is a book well worth reading.