The Druid's Gift

by Margaret J. Anderson

Given the gift of seeing the future, a young girl, living on the tiny and remote island of Hirta at the time of the Druids, is able to travel forward in time and experience some of the important events that shape the history of her island home.

Genres: Time Travel, Fiction, Fantasy, Juvenile, Historical Fiction, Young Adult

211 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1989

Reviews

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

very good this was in my high school library

[Bethany Ackerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in grade school and it had quickly became my favorite book back then. Even before The Farthest Away Mountain (another good read) and Ella Enchanted (though this one is a close second). When I was older I had looked far and wide for this book (before internet was easy to find anything and everything like it is now) and I could never find this! So I took to the World Wide Web and found the authors address and wrote her asking if she had any copies. I had found out that the book was discontinued because of the whole Druid idea of the book. Not only did she sign the book but she also wrote me a letter and read a rough copy of a story I was writing. This made me love the book even more since the author took the time to write to write to a probably 19 year old at the time. It’s a very good young adult book. A little challenging with some of the names. If you love fantasy this would be an awesome book to read!

[Cait Prigge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first discovered this book and devoured it when I was in high school at our local library. I wanted to read it again for some time, but could not remember the name of the book and felt like the book itself was a fever dream. I later learned that the library not only lost the book, but that it was out of print. Fast forward to adulthood, found a library copy on Abebooks and the rest is history. I would recommend this book to EVERYONE.

[Lulu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read a whole slew of fantasy with my dgtr back in the day...what fun!

[Phil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great YA tale. I'm fond of druids and peeking into the future.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

History is often uninteresting and inaccessible for young minds, so I appreciate that this book weaves solid research into an imaginative story for the YA audience. As an adult, I found the pace a little slow, but I remember being captured by the fantasy and transported right along with Caitlin when I read this in my early teens. The story was just suspenseful enough. There are themes of living in harmony with others and the natural world, religious tolerance, and self-acceptance blended throughout without seeming didactic.

[Kieran Alexander · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was slightly juvenile, but had a dreamlike quality of mystery, calm, and terror, sometimes all at the same time. Other concepts were déjà vu and the mysteries of ancient times.

I enjoyed the references to the Vikings and the islanders, and grew quite attached to the little blind boy in one of the "alternate times", and to Feadhair the bard. However, the Druids' personalities were oversimplified and too "evil", and the Anglicization of "Samhain" to "Samain" was a bit painful to read.

[Jenn Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read! Give you a look at this tiny Scottish island's history as it left it's druid roots and slowly developed into its modern day self. The magic is incredibly alive in this book. I recommend it to anyone.

[Smudge · Rating 2 out of 5]

The idea is good but it gets confusing.