Castles In the Air

Starred review from July 15, 2005
When Judy Corbett and her husband to be, Peter, dreamed of finding a historic old house in the Welsh countryside to restore, they couldn't possibly have realized what they were letting themselves in for. Gwydir Castle, nestled under a hill on the edge of Gwydyr Forest in north Wales, dates from the 16th century and has suffered, in the last 90 years alone, a devastating fire and conversion to a seedy nightclub. Bats, rats, and other wildlife had the run of the place, the roof was falling in, and the air reeked of beer, urine, and damp. In their efforts to restore this romantic old house to something of its former glory, Judy and Peter, along with colorful friends and local contractors, battle floods, a vindictive ghost, and an often nonexistent bank balance. Today the castle is their home, as well as a bed and breakfast. Judy neatly weaves the past and present together in a well-written, heartfelt story that is alternately romantic, eerily mysterious, and very funny. Highly recommended for all public libraries. -Linda M. Kaufmann, Massachusetts Coll. of Liberal Arts Lib., North Adams

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