My Brother Michael By Mary Stuart

As a fan of Barbara Michaels/Elizabeth Peters work, this book at first moved slower than I am used to. However, the book delivered on many of the elements that makes me most interested in picking up a mystery novel - historical/archeological/mythological themes, exotic settings well described, a strong female heroine, adventure, and maybe just a touch of romance (not too much). What I found most interesting/facinating was Mary Stewart's ability to paint with words a richly detailed/atmospheric landscape (in this case the rugged mountains of Greece and historically significant center of Delphi) was enough to leave a lasting impression, like snapshots in your mind of time spent in a place that just by being there spiritually uplifted you in some way. Armchair travelers with an interest in experiencing through osmosis impressions left on people upon visiting historical/mythological places will like this book.Other recommended authors: Sharyn McCrumb, Nevada Barr, Jessica Speart, Beverly Connor, Lyn Hamilton, Susanna Kearsley, and Kathleen Skye Moody.

I'm so glad to see some of Mary Stewart's romantic fiction reissued. As a young girl I envisioned Greece while reading My Brother Michael, as a young adult I went there and it was sublime. We read and, then, we experience. If you read to see the world, start at home with Mary Stewart and let your imaginations take you to Europe; her books will grow with you. With Madam Will you Talk in mind, (her best I think) I danced on the entrance to the Pont d'Avignon, I stood on Hadrian's Wall and thought of the Ivy Tree; Corfu did indeed boast men named Spiro, but sadly, no magic dolphin. I wish there were more of her books.

Mary Stewart's knack of taking an ordinary person and placing her in extraordinary circumstances works extremely well in this story of Camilla Haven's vacation to the Greek mainland. Camilla's desire to see the oracle city of Delphi is suddenly facilitated by the appearance of an already-paid-for rental car delivered to her complete with keys as she sits contemplating her boring existence in a cafe on Onomia Square in the heart of Athens. Even though she is not "Simon's girl" --- the person the car is intended for ---- she inpulsively takes the keys and rides off to the fabled city of her daydreams fully intending to meet up with Simon and deliver the car with her apologies. Instead she is drawn into the very personal pilgrimage of a man visiting his brother Michael's grave in a rough and foreign land. Here, on the wild and craggy foothills surrounding Mount Parnassus, the thorny history of Greece meets the present as a mystery surrounding Michael's death is brought to the surface through an earthquake of events in which Camilla finds herself fully entrenched. As with all of Mary Stewart's novels, setting is a character in itself. The descriptions of the wild countryside, lush with wildflowers, yet harsh with both the climate and history transports the reader to the world of the narrator in a fully empathic manner where one actually experiences the book with all five senses. This is a perfect story from start to finish--highly recommended.

35 years ago, as a very young girl, I also dreamed of visiting Greece after reading this book and "The Moonspinners". I see that all this time later, Mary Stewart's wonderful stories are still working the same magic... I love all of her books - she will always have a special place among my favorite authors - for her dry and subtle sense of humor, great storytelling ability and of course... that rich descriptive prose (I can't think of anyone else who does it so well). The Merlin books are being reissued - so should all of the romantic suspense (or should they be in the travel section?) :)

I love all of Mary Stewart's early suspense novels and wish I could buy new copies of them because the battered old ones I have are 20-30 years old, yellowing, and falling apart from repeated re-readings.I particularly loved the ones set in Greece which was a country that had always captured my imagination. This one in particular made me want to go to Greece and see Delphi and The Charioteer. Five years ago when I finally beheld The Charioteer myself and stood on the theater at Delphi and looked out over the mountains my first thoughts were of Mary Stewart. I recommend this book highly to anyone who can find a copy of it. It is well worth because it is a marvelous read as are all of Mary Stewart's earlier books. Sadly it appears that most of her early wonderful books are out of print, and the only ones still available are mainly the later and less skillful novels - though a few of the good early ones are still available.Look for this one. It's a winner.