The Silver Witch
Set in both present-day Wales and in the 10th century, The Silver Witch tells the stories of Tilda Fordwells and Seren Arianaidd, two women linked by place, powers, and possibly bloodline. After moving into a secluded cottage overlooking Llangors Lake, while grieving the loss of her husband, Tilda begins to have visions of people from another time and of a woman who bears a striking resemblance to her. The crannog in the lake, which once held the palace of Prince Brynach and his clan, sparks latent powers in Tilda that connect her to Seren, a witch and shaman of the clan. Dark magic linked to an ancient grave is released by an archeological dig. To fight the magic, which may be related to Seren and her time, and avoid death, Tilda must put together the meaning of her visions, her newfound powers, and the myths of the lake.
Brackston blends history with myth and introduces an engaging heroine with albinism. In understanding herself, Tilda begins to understand her condition, too. Even though I found the author’s use of the present tense with the past tense to deliver Tilda’s narrative jarring, the novel pulled me in and made for an entertaining read.
