Customer Reviews

Glencoe, A Romance of Scotland

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Rivalry, romance and Scotland. They all seem to fit neatly into this Scottish Highland historical novel. The survivors of the Glencoe Massacre in 1791, the MacDonalds, and the young wards of the Campbell of Argyle, are brought together to redefine the definition of honor. Sure the hero and heroine fall in love, but it is a long and dangerous journey through a highland winter. Muireall Donald paints a vivid picture of the Highlanders and their way of life. A good read for a cold winter's night by the fire. If ye kin.

Glencoe, a Romance of Scotland by Muireall Donald is a wonderful story. I love Scottish history and bought this book due to the title. Looking for another account of the Glencoe massacre, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Yes it is a love story, but it is also a great account of survivors of the Glencoe MacDonalds trying to survive in the hills a year after the massacre. The main character is Niall MacDonald and his 4 younger brothers and a small collection of survivors trying to make it through one day at a time in the fall out after the massacre.
Niall then takes the lovely Meg Campbell and her younger sister Elizabeth, who are wards of the Campbell Earl of Argyll, hostage. Meg and her sister's captivity in the beautiful but wild highlands with the remnants of the Glencoe MacDonalds is the meat of the story. As we get a wonderful and view of the wonderfully simple but harsh life of the Scottish highlander.
More comes to light into who Niall and Meg really are as people and a final confrontation of love, revenge, hate, deceit, jealousy, acceptance and forgiveness swirl into a truly great tale. More than another telling of the Glencoe massacre this takes it to the next chapter of survival and redemption.

Muireall Donald has accomplished what every writer hopes to achieve. Using one of the 17th century Scotland's most brutal massacres, she takes the soul of the Scot and bares it for us in a tale of love that transports us back in time. Skillfully woven into this compelling love story is political intrigue and a realistic view of life during a time when the Scottish Highlanders were struggling to maintain their clan against an increasingly hostile reign. Ms. Donald creates characters with depth and dimension. Her words paint a picture so real that the reader feels a part of the story rather than a passive bystander. This is a book for everyone. It's certainly a book that will have you searching the racks for the next offering by this talented writer.

The most realistic fictional account of life in 17th century highlands that I have ever read! I felt that I was there.

I loved reading Muireall Donald's description of the highland and the detail of the way the people lived. I loved her hero, Niall McDonald. I'm sending a copy of this book to my friend in Scotland, hoping she will love it as much as I did.

I didn't read the reviews on this book before I bought it, and was surprised that the story took place after the "Massacre". However, I was not in the least disappointed. Yes...it was a quick easy read, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the Highlander's every day life. I loved the characters and think it's a shame that I've not found a Niall MacDonald for myself! I was pleasantly surprised that it was really romance oriented. I wonder why it's not classified as historical romance instead of historical fiction. Either way it was definatley a good read. Enjoy!

When I bought this book, I was going to read it then donate it to my local library. Well, I've read it and I'm keeping it! This book is a quick read, especially if you're a Scottish history buff. Even if the history of the Glencoe Massacre is unknown to you, you can pull enough information from the book to give you a fair idea of what transpired. I don't often read books twice, but this is one book that will remain in my own library to be picked up again.

The two things I liked most about this book are these: 1. Setting/atmosphere was excellent and did not falter through the whole story. and 2. Some of these heroines are so shallow and we're supposed to like them on the thin basis of beauty and feistiness. Meg (the heroine)seemed like someone I could actually be friends with and she also was very adaptable; she coped with her circumstances, like a real woman. I thought that was admirable in her character and found it very easy to empathize with her. I also thought it was a hoot that she had a good rapport with the bad girl -- that was a nice and unexpected turn of events.

Ms. Donald's unique style and attention to detail bring alive this tale spun from Scotish history capturing not only your imagination but your heart as well. She incorporates a well balanced mix of history, myth, romance, and adventure sure to lift any reader's spirits. This is a book worth reading.

Muireall Donald's romance, is not just a bunch of fluff like most romances. This is serious literature. Donald does a wonderful job of making the reader feel the dilemma of the two protagonists. The action is subtle, and the violence is implied, making this novel suitable for all ages. It is also historically accurate in its depiction of the Hitlarian way in which England has always treated its subjects. The massacre at Glencoe is an irrefutable part of Scottish history, and is wonderfully and perfectly portrayed in Glencoe. This is hands down the best romance I have ever read.