Dealing with Utter Blog Neglect and The Ivy Tree

In truth, what I'm dealing with is what I'm hoping will be a temporary divergence from reading for pleasure. I do read before bed for about a half hour, but that's nothing compared to my January and February reading.

 I became immersed in several projects this month, during this so very long month of waiting for spring in the North Country, where we have continued to have near zero and zero nighttime temperatures. But the sun! The glorious sun warms the house in the afternoons. This weekend and next week we will be boasting about temperatures in the 40s. I pray we don't become too warm too soon, so that we can have our multi-feet of snow melt gracefully.

I'm nearing the end of The Ivy Tree by Mary Stewart. I was perplexed with the characters at first, and I'm still at sea with Mary Grey who is posing as Annabel Winslow, one of the likely heirs to Whitescar in Northumberland. It is summer there now, which is lovely. I am enjoying it, though I have been scratching my head over all the characters who remain elusive, even at this late point of the novel. There's Con, the cousin, who is determined to inherit the estate,  his sister Lisa the housekeeper, Adam Forrest on the neighboring estate, Lisa (Annabel's cousin and another likely inheritor), and Mary Grey herself posing as Annabel. Who is Mary Grey, anyway? Have you read this book? What were your thoughts? Yes, I recommend it wholeheartedly, though you'll be perplexed the entire time!