Two girls are missing, given up for dead. A year later, one returns with a story no-one will believe.
Peggy Lightborne has travelled through time and everyone thinks she's lost her mind. The world found a way to manage without her. It's her return that's raising inconvenient questions.
Rose would understand, but Rose is lost in history, with no idea how to get home and no-one to rely on but herself. Time-travel is proving to be more challenging than she thought, but there must be a reason for it.
A low fantasy family saga. Sequel and prequel to the best-selling The Changeling Tree and The Time Before.
Readers on The Changeling Tree series
"The author's skill is sublime ... high fantasy meeting Jane Austen."
"An escape from reality with a resonance of things lost. Beautifully written, characters finely drawn. Wonderful."
"Ordinarily, I'd have run a mile before reading this book. LeGuin, Shambleu, Tolkien, even Rowling ...you show me a magic world of faeries and suchlike, and I leave town. Quickly.
HOWEVER...
I read The Time Before from cover for cover, and loved it.
No spoilers, but Frances's even, calm, lucid prose gives you a magic world which appears perfectly normal, populated with characters who you understand, who you can believe in, and who you root for.
This is a great read, beautifully written. No hesitation in giving it 5 stars.
READ IT."
Another Winner!
"I am surprised that a book in a genre that I don't normally read can keep me so engrossed! I find it difficult to put it down and are just as anxious to get to book 3 in the series! I love the how the queen screws up every quote she throws about like 'the kettle calling the kitten black', or 'let's call it today'. It's quite funny! There is a serious side to the book as well and you will find yourself running through a gamut of emotions. Loved it! On to the next!"
