Women of the Dunes
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15
Ratings1
Average rating5
A beautifully told and intriguing mystery about two generations of Scottish women united by blood, an obsession with the past, and a long-hidden body, from the author of The House Between Tides. Libby Snow has always felt the pull of Ullaness, a headland on Scotland’s sea-lashed western coast where a legend has taken root. At its center is Ulla, an eighth-century Norsewoman whose uncertain fate was entangled with two warring brothers and a man who sought to save her. Libby first heard the stories from her grandmother, who had learned it from her own forebear, Ellen, a maid at Sturrock House. The Sturrocks have owned the land where Ulla dwelled for generations, and now Libby, an archaeologist, has their permission to excavate a mysterious mound, which she hopes will cast light on the legend’s truth. But before she can begin, storms reveal the unexpected: the century-old bones of an unidentified man. The discovery triggers Libby’s memories of family stories about Ellen, of her strange obsession with Ulla, and of her violent past at Sturrock House. As Libby digs deeper, she unravels a recurring story of love, tragedy, and threads that bind the past to the present. And as she learns more of Rodri Sturrock, the landowner’s brother, she realizes these forces are still at work, and that she has her own role to play in Ulla’s dark legend.
Reviews with the most likes.
Legends are just that - legends. As the stories are passed down from generation to generation, pieces of the stories get lost, but other stories are added in. But what if some of the family legends had more truth than originally thought?
Libby was drawn to the area where the legend started. With an archaeological dig planned there for the summer, she is excited to get started and uncover more about the stories that Ellen used to share. As her Nan shared the stories from Ellen, Libby was drawn in as a kid. But there are some surprises that are still waiting to be discovered.
Rodri is managing the estate for his brother, the current baronet. Yet there are things on his end that still shrouded in mystery. His brother has been absent for many years, and his wife, the Lady Sturrock is obsessed with wealth and material items. She is trying to sell off the estate a piece at a time, while Rodri tries to keep it intact.
What starts as an innocent encounter, quickly turns into much more. A body is revealed, but one that is much later than the time period Libby is studying, and yet, there is so much more than archaeology drawing her time and time again to the house...
The Women Of The Dunes drew me in from the beginning. Ulla, Ellen, and Libby all draw together to bring this story that spans centuries to a thrilling and exciting conclusion.
I honestly LOVED this book. I started and finished in one sitting. I could NOT put it down! Perfect for a weekend read!
