Aillil, future laird of the Callaghan clan, hates everything English. When his father brings in Englishman Malcolm Byerly as teacher to his younger sons, Aillil is determined to dislike the man. Yet, he can't fight fate which forges the two together over a shared passion for the violin. When Malcolm dies from a fever, Aillil only wants to follow his love into the grave. But ancient Druid magic promises him a second chance at life, and Aillil grabs it without hesitation. Two hundred years later an American violinist comes to Callaghan Castle for a concert. Strange things happen to Billy Byerly from the moment he sets foot on Scottish soil, beginning with a violin he doesn't so much find in an Edinburgh music shop as the instrument finds him, to strange melodies he's never heard before yet plays perfectly on the antique instrument up to an oddly familiar dark-haired, kilted man who haunts Billy's dreams. Slowly, reluctantly at first, but with growing certainty Billy comes to belive the old legends must be true, and Aillil Callaghan has been waiting for him for two centuries. This was a really outstanding book. The concept alone was intriguing, not your garden variety ghost story but with the music as vessel to transport feelings, memories and magic, just fitting the way Aillil and Malcolm connect with each other. Not only the main characters, but also the secondary cast was colorful, lively and well-drawn, with the motive of rebirth repeated within them. (I particularly liked Ian and Ethan making an appearance in the present, although I missed Rory.)Duets is another one of Eden Winter's books with the "from the heart feeling" this author creates so well with her distinctive and true voice. The narrative flowed, in simple words without florish, it sucked me in after the first chapter, so much that by the end, my own heart beat faster with Malcolm's driving urgency to reunite with Aillil. Everyone who takes up this book needs to make sure to have a lengthy stretch of reading time ahead of them, it's impossible to put down. Highly recommended.
Feliz Faber
I'm Feliz Faber, writer, translator, proofer--and reader.
Aillil, future laird of the Callaghan clan, hates everything English. When his father brings in Englishman Malcolm Byerly as teacher to his younger sons, Aillil is determined to dislike the man. Yet, he can't fight fate which forges the two together over a shared passion for the violin. When Malcolm dies from a fever, Aillil only wants to follow his love into the grave. But ancient Druid magic promises him a second chance at life, and Aillil grabs it without hesitation. Two hundred years later an American violinist comes to Callaghan Castle for a concert. Strange things happen to Billy Byerly from the moment he sets foot on Scottish soil, beginning with a violin he doesn't so much find in an Edinburgh music shop as the instrument finds him, to strange melodies he's never heard before yet plays perfectly on the antique instrument up to an oddly familiar dark-haired, kilted man who haunts Billy's dreams. Slowly, reluctantly at first, but with growing certainty Billy comes to belive the old legends must be true, and Aillil Callaghan has been waiting for him for two centuries. This was a really outstanding book. The concept alone was intriguing, not your garden variety ghost story but with the music as vessel to transport feelings, memories and magic, just fitting the way Aillil and Malcolm connect with each other. Not only the main characters, but also the secondary cast was colorful, lively and well-drawn, with the motive of rebirth repeated within them. (I particularly liked Ian and Ethan making an appearance in the present, although I missed Rory.)Duets is another one of Eden Winter's books with the "from the heart feeling" this author creates so well with her distinctive and true voice. The narrative flowed, in simple words without florish, it sucked me in after the first chapter, so much that by the end, my own heart beat faster with Malcolm's driving urgency to reunite with Aillil. Everyone who takes up this book needs to make sure to have a lengthy stretch of reading time ahead of them, it's impossible to put down. Highly recommended.
