Ambitious ... The novel’s overall ride is enjoyable enough, but I often got tripped up by specifics ... North is making some thoughtful arguments here, loosely likening Brexit’s anti-European Union stance to the Celtic hesitation about the Roman Empire, but it all gets wrapped up hastily. The opposition is never clearly voiced, probably to preserve mystery about the druid’s ultimate demise, but the village is enjoyable enough that I think I just wanted more time there.
A strangely beguiling tale that celebrates perseverance, scientific inquiry, environmentalism, progress, and cooperation ... North keeps readers turning pages to find out whether Agnes will prevail and solve the mystery ... Unfortunately, the chapters in which the author attempts to animate the bold young druid’s life are less compelling and convincing, often bordering on hokey ...
In another risky but more successful move, North gives both the first and last word…to the book’s true hero: the moss.
