One night, in the dead of winter, a mysterious stranger arrives in the small Irish town of Cloonoila. Broodingly handsome, worldly, and charismatic, Dr. Vladimir Dragan is a poet, a self-proclaimed holistic healer, and a welcome disruption to the monotony of village life. Before long, the beautiful black-haired Fidelma McBride falls under his spell and, defying the shackles of wedlock and convention, turns to him to cure her of her deepest pains.

Then, one morning, the illusion is abruptly shattered. While en route to pay tribute at Yeats's grave, Dr. Vlad is arrested and revealed to be a notorious war criminal and mass murderer. The Cloonoila community is devastated by this revelation, and no one more than Fidelma, who is made to pay for her deviance and desire. In disgrace and utterly alone, she embarks on a journey that will bring both profound hardship and, ultimately, the prospect of redemption.

I've read this book because I want it for my Rainbow Bookbox but to be honest I feel a bit guilty about putting it in now as I thought it was awful! Still it has had rave reviews so it's still going in, after all each to their own & all that! Look forward to seeing if anyone else takes it on & what they think.....

(My rant review is here at goodreads but does contain spoilers.)

Added to my Rainbow Bookbox Hope someone else will enjoy it more than I did.....

Taken from the rainbow bookbox!

Adding this as my swap in the Read it, Swap it, Leave it ring!

Added to the Read it, Swap it, Leave it ring!

This was my "read it" choice from the Read It, Swap It, Leave It Bookring.
I have mixed feelings about this, the subjects covered in it are worth talking about but I found it hard to bond with the main character which for me is important in a book.

Going back into the Read It, Swap It, Leave It Bookring.

Chosen as my READ IT choice from the Read it, Swap it, Leave it bookring.

When a stranger comes to a small Irish village as a healer, the locals are entranced and especially Fidelma, whose childless marriage to a much older man has left her unhappy. But Vladimir's mysterious past won't remain there. I didn't quite know what to make of this - it's an interesting concept, and I enjoyed the first part of the book, but then those characters all get dropped for a set of new ones who also just have walk on parts. The horrific actions of Fidelma's attackers seem to have no consequences - are there no police or victim support? - and I don't understand the personality of her strangely changeable husband at all, or what the unsatisfying ending is supposed to mean.

Back into the Read it, Swap it, Leave it bookbox.

This is my "read it" from the "Read it, swap it, leave it" bookring.

I thought this book was awful. I found it very confusing and hadn't a clue what was going on, half the time, and didn't really care.
I didn't like any of the characters.
I haven't read any Edna O'Brien books before and don't think I will read any more.

On the book shelf