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Miscellaneous Nectar from a Stone by Jane Guill $15 / Simon & Schuster / 2005 Set in 14th-century Wales, Nectar from a Stone follows the journey of the young mystic Elise as she flees from her attempt at murdering her sadistic husband. The journey is dangerous. Wales is almost lawless under the English occupation; it groans under constant threat of warfare and plague. Yet through Elise's eyes, we see how ordinary people lived under such conditions. From poor villagers to money-hungry innkeepers, every minor character is brought vividly to life. The reader is submerged in a culture of violence, superstition, and death, where roads are no more than rocky footpaths and waterfalls are almost certainly inhabited by fairies. Unfortunately, the story weakens when Elise's love interest, Wyden, appears. Although he is the son of a murdered Welshman out to reclaim his inheritance, the character never develops beyond a romance novel stereotype. His father's murderer, Sir Nicholas, is similarly one-dimensional. These characters and their conflict are an unnecessary distraction from Elise's far more compelling quest for redemption. When Gwydion saves the day, one is disappointed that Elise did not rescue herself. In spite of these missteps, Nectar from a Stone is a rare treat for anyone interested in medieval culture. Guill sumptuously resurrects the world of 14th-century Wales with an unparalleled eye for detail. Her writing is so seductively smooth that its essence lingers long after the final page. —Shantel Sellers

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