I am a sucker for a beautiful cover, and this book has one. I also love stories about King Arthur and the Outlander books. So when I saw this novel compared to those two, I knew I had to read it. I was not disappointed.
Historical fiction must have a realistic setting that draws you in, and this one does. World War I Wales, 5th century Britain, and World War II scenes all appear. Every one is well researched and compelling. You feel you are time traveling right along with Vala. This novel is the first in a series and left me eager to continue the story.
The Kingfisher begins in 1914, with five spinster sisters in Wales who try to escape war talk by playacting Camelot in their attic. Little do they know they are beginning a journey into the secrets of their family’s past. Each sister is a unique character, and I suspect subsequent books might follow their stories as this one did for Vala, the oldest. All five have roles in the ongoing story that revolves around Britain past, present, and future, but each one has their own dreams and preferences. What I especially enjoyed was the historical thread that allowed one sister to be Vala’s sister as well as Morgan Le Fay and Eva Braun! (I hope you see that as an enticement to read rather than a spoiler!)
At times I was confused by which sister represented which Camelot character, and that was further muddied by adding the World War II layer. It didn’t get in the way of my enjoyment of the story, though. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves Wales, Avalon, Outlander, time travel, or historical fiction in general!