I finished this remarkable little book in one sitting. Narrated by a poor elderly woman in the Middle Ages, this distinctive voice of Gude, as much as the story itself, offers a window to a not so long ago word world where pagan and early Christian mythologies compete for hearts and minds challenged by ignorance and starvation. The characters are knowable and memorable and the story-telling is well-paced, suspenseful and engaging. I hope that this author keeps writing as her gift is rare.