The Water Devil

Funny, wonderful, feminist, saint, medieval.

Ghosts, a water spirit. Riley makes me smile, and lets me live in a world where god sighs when a sort of saint is arguing with him...

I didn't intend to reread these, they attacked me and sucked me in.

“The Water Devil” is the third novel in Riley’s Margaret of Ashbury trilogy, but it stands by itself just fine. Set in 1360 England, it combines the supernatural, mental illness, a love story and much plotting and counterfeiting.

With her family finally back all together after the war with France, Margaret- who not only talks to God, but has God answer her) is happy at home. That doesn’t last long, though, as her father-in-law promptly, Sir Hubert, invades her house with his rude manners and his problems. It seems that the abbot wants some of Sir Hubert’s ancient woods and sacred spring for himself and has come up with a bogus deed to them. The only defense against one bogus deed is another, so off Margaret goes to her old show more friends, Brother Malachi the alchemist and Mother Hilde the midwife, to one up the abbot. But too many people are plotting and things spin wildly out of control…

The book is a fast, short read, but it is full of the flavor of medieval time, rich in detail, with characters that are complex. Very enjoyable! show less

I was actually very disappointed with this book. It didn't have the development of the characters or the storyline that many of her other books seem to incorporate. It seemed like she got bored and just wanted to finish it.

Wonderfully satisfying end to the trilogy. But I am sorry to see the series end. Margaret is an engaging character and I would like to read more about her adventures in medieval England.

The last in the trilogy was almost as good as the others. But like most good stories, I wasnt ready for it to end, and it ended quickly!