I bought this book with the expectation that it would be another "Mists". Unfortunately, I was quite mistaken. I found this book to be so boring that I didn't even make it through the whole thing--I kept putting it down and picking it up a few weeks later thinking I would eventually finish it, but I never did. For one, Helena may start off as a strong character, but once her husband and son enter the picture, she becomes content to just sit back and watch all of the excitement happen to them. I found it odd that a woman with such intellect and education would quietly retire to her country house, only kept informed by letters and the once-every-few-years visit of her son. I'd recommend not reading this one. Read "The Mists of Avalon" again instead!