What do readers think of Lamp Black, Wolf Grey by Paula Brackston? Write your own review.

I love reading books that take place in the rural UK at any time period. Our heroine, Laura, is a gifted award winning artist who yearns to find inspiration on a Welsh mountain while living on it in a remodeled cottage. Her husband Dan visits on weekends from London. There's the requisite artistic local guy and she dreams of Merlin the Magician, and his Times because he is a local legend.

There's too much plot but not enough development. Everything is too pat and made me wonder how we got to where we were. There are reminiscences of Anya Seton' s Green Darkness and Mary Stewart's Merlin trilogy and Daphne DuMaurier' s Rebecca but the magic in this book never takes full shape.

The author drew me in with deft and lyrical prose. She does a wonderful job of setting the scene in language that supports her characters. She describes the dramatic Welsh landscape as would a painter.

That said, the modern-day storyline felt more contrived than that of Arthurian times. I could not sympathize with any of the characters in Laura's storyline. I didn't quite buy any of the characters' motives, and I doubted their responses. The Megan storyline, on the other hand, seemed more lively, and I was more apt to buy into it because of its timeline and the mythology attached to its characters.

I imagine this book might appeal to readers interested in Welsh myths and history. Travelers to Wales might enjoy reading a novel set in the landscapes through which they're venturing.

It was a quick read, and a semi-boring one at that. At least, that is my opinion. Very seldom, if ever, do I get a book with First Impressions that wasn't worth my time - this was one of them.

The premise was interesting, but it needs a lot of editing.

I really wanted to love this book but it was disappointing. The premise sounded great, Merlin appears in 21st century to connect with the reincarnation of his first love. But that was not really the plot. Merlin was an incidental character.

I don't know how I would describe this book. It's a little bit mystery, romance, fantasy, and the paranormal. A number of plots and sub plots but none were fully developed. Dissapointing.

An easy read. If you like Brackston's other books, you'll like this one. A few key characters aren't as well developed as I'd have liked and at least one major problem was solved by a character I didn't realize could solve it, but this book has possibilities.

At best this was average. It was an easy read, and the premise rather interesting, but I didn't feel any real connection with the characters. I thought the Welsh
countryside sounded lovely although this is hardly enough to give it more than a 3 rating.

The story takes place in the Welsh mountains and intertwines modern day with centuries-old legends and characters.
The author's tale was interesting and enjoyable to read, but I wasn't taken into it as I expected to be.
I felt the characters had little depth. A really great story will pull you into the time and place and put you behind the characters, enabling you to experience their experiences. This was not a really great story. Unfortunately, it was just average for me.

I had high hopes for this book based on the intriguing cover and interesting title. The first two lines of the Prologue grabbed my attention immediately. My interest was piqued. Who is this girl and why is she trapped in that small room with no way out? I settled in for a journey of mystery, drama and damsels in distress.

Brackston cleverly keeps my questions at bay by switching back and forth between feudal and contemporary Wales, telling the tale of two women whose infatuations lead them on a path of potential destruction.

The author excels at descriptions of the Welsh countryside and does a good job of setting the stage for both stories. Where the book faltered for me was in effectively intertwining of the two stories. It was unclear whether the author thought this was a historical novel, a fantasy or psychological thriller. It would have been a stronger story if the author had focused on one or two genres, but not all three.

More character development would have been helpful in understanding the plot directions. The male characters in particular were poorly developed. Merlin serves as the link between the two stories, but he is relegated to a minor character. He mesmerizes both women without much explanation. It was also difficult for me to understand why Laura, who is trying to have a baby with her husband, would find herself entangled with other men. Perhaps more information about Dan or Rhys might have made Laura a more sympathetic character.

It is unfortunate that a book with such potential would end so predictably. It left me disappointed and thinking about how it could have been a better book. The book was a quick read and I enjoyed the historical plot focusing on Megan much more than its contemporary counterpart. That may be enough for fans of Ms. Brackston.