Publisher's Synopsis
In the time of the Black Death, a small Roma family travel halfway around the world till they arrive at a cold muddy island in Northern Europe. Their journey, as always, is dogged by suspicion, danger and a new plague that is laying waste to the world. When they finally stop in a small English village and the pestilence catches up with them, they find themselves surrounded by fear and ignorance. Not just fear and ignorance of the exotic, but also of the encroaching disease. The villagers do not know whether to blame the newcomers for the deaths or ask for their help, for their magic. In the shadow of the Manor, dominated by the feudal Lord and watched over by his beautiful daughter, Lady Eleanor, they fight for survival. When the Manor gates are locked to save those inside from the Plague, the peasants are left outside the walls to die. Eleanor's fascination for the new arrivals, especially the wild Roma boy, tips the scales of justice. If this plague is bringing her world to an end then perhaps she should abandon her family, forego her destiny and surrender to her passion... The Sister And The Daughter is an historical novel that offers a rich portrait of the life and death of a fourteenth century English village. But it is also a vibrant study of cultures clashing, xenophobia, and class that offers keen insights into how we live today. It is a remarkable achievement.
