The Keys of the Watchmen by Kathleen C. Perrin

The Keys of the Watchmen by Kathleen C. Perrin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Katelyn Michaels plans on hating every moment of her visit to Mont Saint Michel with her father’s new French wife. Once there, she is confused when she experiences sensations of déjà vu as she and her younger brother explore the medieval village and abbey. She is even more disturbed when she is confronted by two unusual young men, one who insists she has a sacred mission, and the other who will stop at nothing, even murder, to prevent her from fulfilling her destiny.

When the oddly-dressed but alluring Nicolas slips Katelyn a strange medallion, she is whisked back through time where her Watchmen hosts tell her she is the only hope to save Mont Saint Michel. Even worse, she learns that those trying to destroy the mount are led by a fallen angel intent on learning the mount's closely-guarded secret.

Katelyn is torn by feelings of anger at being taken back in time, inadequacy at finding a modern solution for a medieval problem, and responsibility for the mount’s starving inhabitants. She is also perturbed by her surprising attraction to the ill-tempered Nicolas. Will she stay to learn why she was chosen by the Archangel Michael and find a way to save his mount? 

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This book was really good. I was a bit afraid it would be a bit preachy in the beginning when they started talking about the Bible and fallen angels. Nothing wrong with that, but I have kind of read a little too much theology that I need a break from it. But after a while, my worry about it just melted way and I found myself really enjoying the story.

Katelyn Michaels is a wonderful character. She isn't perfect; she had problems adjusting to having traveled in time like any seventeen-year-old girl would have. Heck, I would have had problems with that. But after a while, she slowly starts to adapt, to mature and while she is stuck in the past trying to save Mont Saint Michel she also learns to forgive her father. In many ways, this trip to the past teaches this modern girl how to become a better person, less egocentric. It was interesting to read how Katelyn, Jean (the old Watchman, Nicholas teacher) and Nicholas worked together to save Mont Saint Michel, things that we take for granted, modern inventions can be really terrifying for people in the year 1424.

I was a bit torn about the Nicolas and Katelyn's relationship. It started with loathing and ending with them falling in love. Not instalove perhaps, but it went very quickly. But even I'm the world pickiest person when it comes to romance liked the couple towards the end.

I would have loved to know more about the medallion, how it came to be able to make someone travel in time. I wonder how it came to be for instance and have it ever been used before and why. Hopefully, the next book will explain more about the origin of the medallion.

Kathleen C. Perrin has written a very wonderful book about a young girl whose destiny is so much grander than she ever could expect and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.