This historical novel by a pseudonymous author of award-winning sf named Louise Marley (The Child Goddess) is extremely ambitious in its time line, covering the lives of five generations of women. From Brittany to Cornwall and much of Great Britain, and from the mid-1800s to World War II, this tale revolves around the Orchiéres women who have a magical secret that they protect at any cost and who pass down their knowledge and experience from mother to daughter. In each subsequent generation, a new lesson is learned, and usually brought forward. VERDICT While the plot plods a little bit in the beginning, and the jumps forward in time may disconcert casual readers, overall this compelling read will appeal to those who enjoyed the supernatural aspects of Katherine Howe's The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane. Morgan's title, however, has more romance and a heavier emphasis on familial relationships.—Elizabeth McArthur, Bexar Cty. Digital Lib., BiblioTech, San Antonio