Join BookBrowse today and get access to free books, our twice monthly digital magazine, and more.

Lamp Black, Wolf Grey: Book summary and reviews of Lamp Black, Wolf Grey by Paula Brackston

Lamp Black, Wolf Grey

by Paula Brackston

Lamp Black, Wolf Grey by Paula Brackston X
Lamp Black, Wolf Grey by Paula Brackston
  • Readers' rating:

  • Published Aug 2015
    336 pages
    Genre: Historical Fiction

    Publication Information

  • Rate this book


Buy This Book

About this book

Book Summary

Artist Laura Matthews finds her new home in the Welsh mountains to be a place so charged with tales and legends that she is able to reach through the gossamer-fine veil that separates her own world from that of myth and fable.

She and her husband Dan have given up their city life and moved to Blaencwm, an ancient longhouse high in the hills. Here she hopes that the wild beauty will inspire her to produce her best art and will give her the baby they have longed for. But this high valley is also home to others, such as Rhys the charismatic loner who pursues Laura with fervor. And Anwen, the wise old woman from the neighboring farm who seems to know so much but talks in riddles. And then there is Merlin.

Lamp Black, Wolf Grey tells both Laura's story and Merlin's. For once he too walked these hills, with his faithful grey wolf at his heel. It was here he fell in love with Megan, nurse-maid to the children of the hated local noble, Lord Geraint. Merlin was young, at the start of his renowned career as a magician, but when he refuses to help Lord Geraint it is Megan who may pay the price.

From New York Times bestselling author Paula Brackston, Lamp Black, Wolf Grey is an enchanting tale of love and magic featuring her signature blend of gorgeous writing, an intriguing historical backdrop, and a relatable heroine that readers are sure to fall in love with.

Membership Advantages
  • Reviews
  • "Beyond the Book" articles
  • Free books to read and review (US only)
  • Find books by time period, setting & theme
  • Read-alike suggestions by book and author
  • Book club discussions
  • and much more!
  • Just $45 for 12 months or $15 for 3 months.
  • More about membership!

Reviews

Media Reviews

"Brackston's characters possess intriguing and ambiguous true natures, and her lush prose imbues the Welsh landscape with an enchantment all its own." - Publishers Weekly

This information about Lamp Black, Wolf Grey was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.

Reader Reviews

Write your own reviewwrite your own review

Aneisha

Lamp black, Wolf grey
I really like this because it is so interesting. Paula Brackston is a really good author!

Diana C. (Delray Beach, FL)

A Welsh Mystery Steeped in Arthurian Legend
From the start, this story captured my imagination. Alternating between present day Wales and medieval Wales, the story interconnects the lives of a 21st century artist and Merlin the wizard from Arthurian legend. Although parts of the story are fantastical and force the reader's imagination, the story has several twists and turns that keep the interest level high and cause the characters to develop more fully. As a result, it is a quick and enjoyable read that is highly recommended.

Mistina P. (Kinnelon, NJ)

An enjoyable, imaginative tale
Lamp Black, Wolf Grey was the first Paula Brackston book that I've read, although The Silver Witch is sitting on my bookshelf, still waiting. The writing is vivid and lovely, and she immerses readers in the beauty of the Welsh countryside. I found myself quickly captivated by both Laura, the modern-day protagonist, and Megan, Merlin's love. The supernatural elements are subtle, and the author does a nice job of blurring the lines between the normal, rational world and the unseen and inexplicable. Her storytelling style is natural and comfortable, gently urging readers to discover the secrets of the past as the modern heroine makes sense of her present and future. Secondary characters could have been more fully fleshed out. At one point, Laura and her husband start to have an honest, albeit heated exchange about their situation, and they stop, choosing not "to get into it." More messy honesty would add depth to the story, but it was still a fun read and I look forward to additional books by Brackston.

Cynthia C. (Peekskill, NY)

Wales, magic & Merlin
This was another enjoyable book by Paula Brackston. The author drew me into the story with her description of Wales, both past & present, and with Merlin, as a young man.

The paranormal plot features two heroines, one from the past & one from the present, and intertwines their stories.

I rated it 4 stars, instead of 5, because I realized very early on where the author was taking the characters, although there was a surprise at the end (no spoilers).

Overall, a good, if slightly predictable, read.

Fannieforrest

Loved it
I judge most books to be sister worthy or not! I would definitely share this one with her. We both love to escape into a book. This book has it all but not too much. I have always enjoyed stories of Merlin. I am not great at reviewing without giving away plot. Just take my word that if it is sister worthy ....it is good. Thanks BookBrowse!

Rebecca J. (Knoxville, TN)

Lamp black, wolf grey
When I received this book and saw references to Merlin and myths and fables, I did not want to read it. I had never read anything like this, but surprisingly, I liked it! It had a nice love story in the past and the present along with being well-written and well-paced. Once I started the book, I could hardly put it down. For fantasy romance readers and for those ready to read something different, this is a good read.

...19 more reader reviews

Membership Advantages
  • Reviews
  • "Beyond the Book" articles
  • Free books to read and review (US only)
  • Find books by time period, setting & theme
  • Read-alike suggestions by book and author
  • Book club discussions
  • and much more!
  • Just $45 for 12 months or $15 for 3 months.
  • More about membership!

Author Information

Paula Brackston Author Biography

Paula Brackston lives in a wild, mountainous part of Wales. She has an MA in Creative Writing from Lancaster University, and is a Visiting Lecturer for the University of Wales, Newport. Before becoming a writer, Paula tried her hand at various career paths, with mixed success. These included working as a groom on a racing yard, as a travel agent, a secretary, an English teacher, and a goat herd. Everyone involved (particularly the goats) is very relieved that she has now found a job she is actually able to do properly.

When not hunched over her keyboard in her tiny office under the stairs, Paula is dragged outside by her children to play Swedish tennis on the vertiginous slopes which surround them. She also enjoys being walked by the dog, hacking through weeds ...

... Full Biography
Link to Paula Brackston's Website

Other books by Paula Brackston at BookBrowse

6 more...

Membership Advantages
  • Reviews
  • "Beyond the Book" articles
  • Free books to read and review (US only)
  • Find books by time period, setting & theme
  • Read-alike suggestions by book and author
  • Book club discussions
  • and much more!
  • Just $45 for 12 months or $15 for 3 months.
  • More about membership!

More Recommendations

Readers Also Browsed . . .

more historical fiction...

Membership Advantages
  • Reviews
  • "Beyond the Book" articles
  • Free books to read and review (US only)
  • Find books by time period, setting & theme
  • Read-alike suggestions by book and author
  • Book club discussions
  • and much more!
  • Just $45 for 12 months or $15 for 3 months.
  • More about membership!

Support BookBrowse

Join our inner reading circle, go ad-free and get way more!

Find out more


Top Picks

  • Book Jacket: Table for Two
    Table for Two
    by Amor Towles
    Amor Towles's short story collection Table for Two reads as something of a dream compilation for...
  • Book Jacket: Bitter Crop
    Bitter Crop
    by Paul Alexander
    In 1958, Billie Holiday began work on an ambitious album called Lady in Satin. Accompanied by a full...
  • Book Jacket: Under This Red Rock
    Under This Red Rock
    by Mindy McGinnis
    Since she was a child, Neely has suffered from auditory hallucinations, hearing voices that demand ...
  • Book Jacket: Clear
    Clear
    by Carys Davies
    John Ferguson is a principled man. But when, in 1843, those principles drive him to break from the ...

BookBrowse Book Club

Book Jacket
A Great Country
by Shilpi Somaya Gowda
A novel exploring the ties and fractures of a close-knit Indian-American family in the aftermath of a violent encounter with the police.

Members Recommend

  • Book Jacket

    The Flower Sisters
    by Michelle Collins Anderson

    From the new Fannie Flagg of the Ozarks, a richly-woven story of family, forgiveness, and reinvention.

  • Book Jacket

    The House on Biscayne Bay
    by Chanel Cleeton

    As death stalks a gothic mansion in Miami, the lives of two women intertwine as the past and present collide.

Win This Book
Win The Funeral Cryer

The Funeral Cryer by Wenyan Lu

Debut novelist Wenyan Lu brings us this witty yet profound story about one woman's midlife reawakening in contemporary rural China.

Enter

Wordplay

Solve this clue:

M as A H

and be entered to win..

Your guide toexceptional          books

BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.