Thornyhold by Mary Stewart, Meg Cabot (Foreword by)

Product Details

Synopsis

During Gilly Ramsey’s lonely childhood, the occasional brief visits of her mother’s cousin were a delight, seeming like visits of a fairy godmother. Years later, when Gilly inherits Thornyhold, her house, she discovers that her cousin, with her still room and herbalist practices—and her undoubted powers—had long been known to the locals as a witch. She is approached by neighbors, some innocent, some not so innocent, but all assuming that she, too, is a witch, and a possible addition to the local coven. Gilly finds there is some truth in this, for she discovers that she can call on a kind of power in difficult moments. This wonderful novel from bestselling author Mary Stewart is delicate in its perception of a young woman’s falling in love, delightful in its portrayal of the English countryside, and skilled in its creation of a world full of magic.

Annotation

Stewart's last novel before The Stormy Petrel is a bestselling story of a modern woman and a dark desire. Thornyhold had been left to Gilly by her mother's cousin. From the start, the place exerted a mysterious influence over her . . . as did a handsome stranger. Reissue.

Library Journal

Stewart is known for her novels set in 5th century Britain, e.g., The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills . Here, after a five-year hiatus, she shifts skillfully to the 20th century, mixing magic, witchcraft, and romance. Readers will be hooked from the very first line, ``I suppose that my mother could have been a witch if she had chosen to.'' The speaker is Gilley Ramsey, who has inherited her cousin's house in the English countryside. The opening promise of an engaging story is not broken. An enchanting novel that should have broad appeal. Renee Erman Lipman, Miami

Biography

Mary Stewart is the author of 20 novels, including The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills, The Ivy Tree, The Last Enchantment, The Moonspinners, Nine Coaches Waiting, and The Wicked Day. Meg Cabot is the author of Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls: Moving Day and the Princess Diaries series.