100 Pages A Day...Stephanie's Book Reviews

 Gruah knew she was destined for greatness from a young age from seeing her destiny after touching the Stone of Scone.  However, Scotland is treacherous and after watching her mother murdered, Gruah escapes to the forest and is taken care of by outcasts, Hecate and her daughters.  Gruah and Hecate practice the old ways of Cailleach.  The Goddess keeps a flame burning in Gruah.  When Gruah is married off by her father to Gille Comgain, Gruah knows that she must find a way to be with her true love, Macbeth in order to fulfill her destiny.  Through brute force, manipulation and violence, Gruah claims what is hers, but at a price.

History and literature combine to tell the tale of a woman who helped to shape Scotland's history and later become immortalized through Shakespeare's work.  Through DK Marley's writing, the life of 11th century Gruah comes to life.  Gruah's character is strong and unbending, stopping at nothing to fulfill her destiny that will end with her enemies dead and her and her true love as King and Queen of Scotland.  However, Gruah is so filled with vengeance that her destiny will come with a high cost.  Gruah's path seemed like such a slippery slope where one death only causes more death.  In this sense, the realities of 11th century Scotland are brought to life.  With every decision Gruah made, I kept waiting for her to learn her lesson and finally reach contentment and peacefulness, this is a long journey for Gruah.  I enjoyed the continued theme of a woman's will guiding the men of Scotland who believed that they held control.  From Gruah to her unassuming cousin Donella to the 'witches' Hecate and her daughters, it was their will that drove the actions of others.  


This book was received for free in return for an honest review.