3.5 stars

This is a short book describing the castles in Victoria, B.C. It describes the architecture, as well as the history of the castles and the people who lived there.

I bought this book as a souvenir the first time I visited Victoria and have finally gotten around to reading it. I saw two castles while I was there (Craigdarroch Castle and Hatley Castle) and apparently there is one more still standing. I enjoyed the book, particularly the histories of the people who lived in them - some politicians, some businessmen. The book was short, and of course, included photos of the castles. ( )

A short history of several notable houses built in Victoria B.C. during its short history. Castles they are not. A couple of these large homes still exist and function as museums of the 19th and 20th Century history in this area dominated by coal mining, railroad building, lumber and fishing industries. A helpful companion book for tourists in Victoria but I imagine a more complete history of the city can be found elsewhere. ( )