A failed marriage, the death of her daughter, her surviving
son off at boarding school, and dangerous Epileptic
seizures sets a tragic backstory for our heroine, Maggie, in
VEIL OF TIME. An upcoming and potentially life-altering
surgery to treat Maggie's seizures is on the horizon. This
is her chance to have a normal life, but the medication she
is prescribed leaves her hazy and unfocused. She escapes to
a small cottage in Dunadd, Scotland as a retreat from the
world where she hopes to find time to finish a post-graduate
thesis she started prior to her marriage. Her only real
interactions seem to be with a stray cat and a reclusive
neighbor, an older widower who is somewhat of an expert on
all the local historical information.
Reality and fantasy soon merge when she wakes from a dream
to find herself in the eight-century. The romance she finds
with Fergus, the king of Dunadd's brother, and the growing
love for his child Illa who bears an uncanny resemblance to
her late daughter leaves Maggie wondering which world she
belongs in. Each time she returns to the past, the more she
grows closer to Fergus and Illa and the less she wants to
deal with the demands of her present. Can she leave her love
behind to live in the present?
As far as the history in VEIL OF TIME, the Druid religion
and culture of the place and time intrigued me. Bridging the
present and past through dreams is brilliant. Who doesn't
want to stay in their dreams when faced with an uncertain
and painful reality? Unfortunately, the romance between
Maggie and Fergus left me wanting more, and Maggie's
encounters with the older widow and his attempts at awkward
flirtation are quite uncomfortable. Maggie is definitely not
the typical, active heroine, nor did she really strive to
become one. I have to wonder why Fergus, who is of course
intrigued by this woman initially, doesn't compare Maggie to
the women of his time and the strength they would have
needed to survive. While the historical background of VEIL
OF TIME is fascinating, the romance is
not for me, but that's not to say you won't enjoy VEIL OF
TIME by Claire R. MacDougall.
A compelling tale of two Scotlands—one modern, one
ancient—and the woman who parts the veil between them.
The medication that treats Maggie’s seizures leaves her in a
haze, but it can’t dull her grief at losing her daughter to
the same condition. With her marriage dissolved and her son
away at school, Maggie retreats to a cottage below the ruins
of Dunadd, once the royal seat of Scotland. But is it
fantasy or reality when she awakens in a bustling village
within the massive walls of eighth-century Dunadd?
In a time and place so strange yet somehow familiar, Maggie
is drawn to the striking, somber Fergus, brother of the king
and father of Illa, who bears a keen resemblance to Maggie’s
late daughter. With each dreamlike journey to the past,
Maggie grows closer to Fergus and embraces the possibility
of staying in this Dunadd. But with present-day demands
calling her back, can Maggie leave behind the Scottish
prince who dubs her mo chridhe, my heart?
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