Call Down the Moon is the sequel to Once Upon a Dream. It is fairly well-written, with interesting – though not always likable – characters. I was alternately sympathetic with the hero as he tried to “grow up,” and impatient that it took him so long. The heroine is charming and intelligent, but it took him a long time to appreciate her for what she was.

After his exile over gambling debts, Hugo Montagu returns to England. As part of his effort to settle down, he purchases an estate called Lyden Hall, but he soon ends up in financial trouble again. If he doesn’t come into some money soon, he’ll lose Lyden Hall. By accident, he learns that Meggie Bloom, the lovely inmate of a sanitarium he visited recently, is a missing heiress. There’s just one catch. Meggie Bloom isn’t an inmate – she is on the staff of the sanitarium, and she has the ability to read minds, which she calls “The Gift.” She is fascinated by the handsome aristocrat who comes out of nowhere and asks her to marry him, and intrigued by him because she cannot read his mind.

Before long, Meggie finds herself married to Hugo and living at Lyden Hall. Meggie becomes great friends with the two elderly sisters living there and learns that they also have the ability to read minds. The sisters are eccentric and outspoken, which drives Hugo to distraction. Soon, Hugo’s solicitor comes with good news – Meggie is a wealthy woman. Hugo manages to act surprised. For now, his secret is safe from Meggie. But how long can he keep up the deception?

Meggie was a very interesting character. Both the circumstances of her birth and her Gift have made her an outcast. Although she endured a terrible childhood, she didn’t let her past diminish her enthusiasm for life. Meggie is a free and caring spirit whose innocence made her a perfect match for the more jaded Hugo. Her Gift was well integrated with her personality, and it seemed as natural as she was.

Though Hugo deceived Meggie for most of the book, he was still a sympathetic character. The reader can easily identify with a man desperate to gain the respect of his family. He also had the good grace to feel guilty about deceiving Meggie. We don’t learn much about Hugo’s childhood at first, but clearly, his past had shaped him. The revelations about his past came too quickly, however, and the conclusion seemed rushed.

Hugo’s lack of perception about Meggie was a little irritating. For most of the novel, he believed she was insane, despite all evidence to the contrary. He often interpreted her candid comments and artless behavior as a sign of insanity. Also, Hugo was rude to the elderly sisters and quick to underestimate them. His attitudes toward women didn’t make much sense once it was revealed that his mother was strong and intelligent.

The point of view was masterfully handled. Most of the scenes were from the point of view of either Meggie or Hugo. Their scenes played on the contrasts between their perceptions. The viewpoint faltered only after a long scene in which Hugo’s mother spoke with her elder son. The sudden switch in viewpoint seemed out of place.

This novel combined good writing with well-drawn characters, and for the most part, I enjoyed it. The novel could have been improved, however, if the secrets of Hugo’s childhood had been better integrated into the narrative. Then, his earlier attitudes about insanity would have made more sense.