I was unsure about this book at first. Its allusive rather than direct style early on led to lack of clarity but it improved and I was glad to have read it.
Set during the first world war and in North Edinburgh (where I live so that places referred to were familiar) it deals with the horrors of war and the damage done both physically and psychologically. The actors are mainly in the present but the ancient castle harks back to the time of the crusaders and there are strong hints of crossovers.
This is an adventure story and a love story with an element of mystery and imagination. Overall it works well. It is well written and the characters are credible.

We are on the Scottish coast; Jacob arrives at the fortress he has inherited.
There is a myth around a howling hound, World War I has still not ended, mysteries unravel.

The prose was interesting. The author did a pretty good job of creating the atmosphere and I liked the intricate details in the myth that is at the core of this book and how it overlaps with historical circumstances.

This book has a lot of potential - 2.5 stars rounded up.

I just could not get into the characters in this story. I am familiar with Craiglockhart in Edinburgh which was a military hospital around the time of WW1. Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon were both there. The story I think is loosely based on it. There are many similarities : seriously wounded soldiers, large house commandeered, extensive grounds, volunteer nurses, poetry. The narrative just did not grab me. Maybe I was making too many comparisons. This book will appeal to those interested in the timeframe and early efforts with PTSD.