Read for the Once Upon a Time VII Reading Challenge.
Just before the invasion of William of Normandy, two sisters live in a Saxon hall in southern England. Allison is the legitimate daughter of the lord, and Wildecent has always been assumed to be his byblow, except that she remembers different parents before her life at Hafwynder Manor. When a young Norman knight seeks shelter after being attacked by bandits, Wildecent recognizes his speech, and wonders what that means about her heritage.
Meanwhile, Allison, while Saxon, is also descended from the Celts by way of her mother, and her mother’s sister has brought her up to be a priestess in the old religion. Both sisters find themselves caught up in the events leading to William taking over England, and they will have a part in how that fate is decided.
What I liked about this book was the authenticity. The author really tried to paint an accurate picture of life in a Saxon manor. It’s winter in the story, and she talks about the cold, and how some rooms would be unbearable to stay in very long. She also paints a good picture of how strictured the girl’s lives would have been, even though they have powers that allow them to side step those strictures. All in all, it was an interesting little book.