1: geisphobia
While Lord Trevallyan's reason for not wanting to have a relationship with Ravenna --- he's resisting fate --- is plausible, it gets a zero for dramatic effect. Trevallyan is also in constant battle with his hangup about their age difference (rightfully so) which just made him seem insecure. In turn, Ravenna hates Trevallyan for sending her off to an English school where she was shunned and ridiculed. Again, plausible, but boring. Ravenna's story within the story I simply found distracting from the real story and not particularly interesting.Having no great obstacle but stubbornness and resentment, the story just dragged on and on. Still, no matter how thin the plot, if told well, any story can be great. Unfortunately, this story just did not catch my imagination. And last but not least --- I know it's essential to the plot, but if I had to read the word "geis" one more time . . .
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3: Melodrama Galore
Nobleman Niall Trevallyan is summoned in the middle of a stormy night and told by the county council that he has a geis (pronounced "GAYSH"); if he does not follow it, tragedy will ensue. Not only is Niall eminently sceptical of all Irish lore and superstition, his intended bride is also a baby barely a few days old.He discards the whole idea and proceeds with his life. As you would expect, things do not turn out well, and Trevallyan becomes harder and lonelier as the years go by. Finally unable to stand the living reminder of the geis nonsense, he sends a young Ravenna to a London boarding school. She returns to Lir a beautiful young woman, harboring resentment toward Niall for sending her away from everything she knew. She is articulate and strong, but isolated from everyone because of the circumstances of her birth. As you can predict, Niall is strongly attracted to the older Ravenna. More than that, he becomes obsessed with keeping her his own. He seeks to keep her in his bed and in his castle, while Ravenna predictably rejects this presumptuous high-handedness. She wants nothing to do with Lord Trevallyan, who treats her like a servant and simply uses her body--unfortunately, he can pretty much do as he wishes, since she has no family to protect her. The more he bends her to his will, the more she loathes him. More than just two lovers are at stake, though; the land and all its inhabitants will be affected by their relationship. But if ruin is to be avoided, the last and most important part of the geis must be fulfilled--Niall must get Ravenna to fall in love with him. Add to this conflict Ravenna's search for her father, another story within the story, and the backdrop of Irish Home Rule unrest, and this is definitely a story worth reading. The first few chapters have a wonderful "midnight-on-Halloween" sort of feel to them. But be forewarned--melodrama fairly oozes out of this book, and logic is sometimes sacrificed to it. The emotional ups and downs are nonstop, right up until the end. If you happen to be a drama queen (and I am a bit of one myself), you'll love this book. If you're not, you may want to check it out at your local library.
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