This was a book I savored over two months of slow, delicious reading. Set in England in the 7th Century it follows Hild, a niece of King Edwin of Northumbria, and her family as they scramble to survive in a politically dangerous climate. Hild's mother dreamed that she would be a light of the world and manipulates the King into believing she has the gift of prophesy. In reality, Hild is fluent in four languages and exceptionally skilled at observing and eavesdropping. When her prophesies come true, she gains status and power- but also the enmity of the new Christ Priests who are beginning find places of influence in the royal court as well. This book swings back and forth between tense scenes of violent battle and long dreamy passages that celebrate the richness of the English land and the labor that went into making a living from it. The flowing of creeks, the bending of grain, the rustling of birds in the forest and the crash of waves make the constant peaceful backdrop of Hild's precarious life. A book to re-read, for sure.