The land of the Silures, 382 AD
Elen is a princess promised to a general of Rome. Macsen came to Wales seeking an alliance that would advance his quest for power.
Despite warnings her marriage is destined for heartache, Elen is determined to honour her vows.
But this union will change her destiny forever…
Camp Meadow, 2024
Cadi is a writer who has discovered Elen’s lost story. As she puts pen to paper, she hears the sound of ghostly marching feet.
Opening the gate to the ancient meadow behind her cottage, could the secret behind Elen’s fate lie closer than she thinks?
But someone is desperate to keep the past buried, plotting to destroy the meadow…
Can Cadi uncover Elen’s story before it’s lost to time?
REVIEW
I’ve read quite a few of Barbara Erskine’s books and this is one of her very best. It has all the ingredients her fans would expect; real history, myth and mysticism all sewn together into a gripping plot.
I love timeslip novels and this is one of the best, incorporating Roman history, the Welsh myths of the Mabinogion and a modern woman’s battle to save the very special landscape where she lives.
The plot centres around a particular location, a field behind a cottage in a small village where it is possible that a Roman villa or palace once stood. There is a mysterious ‘wormhole’ in the field which enables people tp pass from present to past and vice versa when the veil between the worlds is thin.
Cadi, a writer, is fascinated by this but discovers that a developer is about to build houses on this precious site.
The developer turns out to be the main antagonist in the book, and someone who has had dealings with Cadi before and their relationship has what you might call ‘history’.
Both the Roman aspect of the book and the modern day story are equally strong. Cadi and Elen are fantastic characters, each distinct and belonging to their respective periods, and I was particularly fond of Uncle Meryn, a professor who believes in the possibilities others won’t entertain! There is believable history behind the story and it has been thoroughly researched – immersing the reader in the detail of life thousands of years ago, as well as describing the detailed forensic and archaeological information of today.
There are several other lovely characters in the book; Rachel the illustrator, Charles the academic and Kate the Vicar. The sense of community in the village location is very appealing, and I couldn’t help but root for all those who wanted to save the field from being built over.
Special mention must go to Gemma the dog, who found the ‘otherworld’ first of all and lived to tell the tale (or should that be wag the tail?)!
