The Lost Years of Merlin by T. A. Barron

(Cover picture courtesy of Winter Park Public Library.)

Washed up on the shores of ancient Wales, the boy had no home, no memory and no name…

He was determined to find all three.

Under the wing of the mysterious Branwen, who claims to be his mother, the nameless boy learns the lore of such ancient peoples as the Celts and the Druids.  But to discover his identity and the secret of his own powers, he must escape to the mist-shrouded isle of Fincayra, an enchanted land between earth and sky that is being destroyed by blight.  With this land’s inhabitants to guide him, the boy will learn that Fincayra’s fate and his own quest are strangely intertwined…

He is destined to become the greatest wizard of all time.

History will name him Merlin…

I’ve always been fascinated by the Arthurian legends and in particular with the mysterious sorcerer, Merlin.  And this book is what sparked my fascination.

It’s the Dark Ages in ancient Wales, after the Roman Empire has withdrawn and nothing is truly certain.  Emrys lives with Branwen, a woman that claims to be his mother, but because he lost his memory when they washed up on shore five years ago, he does not believe her.  But their life together is happy until the people of their small village turn against them and accuse Branwen of witchcraft.  This is when Emry’s life changes irrevocably and he sets out on a journey to learn about his past.

I read this book when I was quite young and now that I’ve re-read it, I have gotten a lot more out of it.  T. A. Barron intertwines old Arthurian legends with Celtic mythology to create a beautifully written, enchanting story.  All of the characters—especially Emrys—are very sympathetic and will definitely hold your attention.  The land of Fincayra is very well-developed and it’s where Baron’s wonderful imagination really shines through.  For anyone who likes fantasy, this is a worthwhile read.

I give this book 5/5 stars.

Amazon     Barnes and Noble

The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory

(Cover picture courtesy of Whitcoulls.)

Heiress to the red rose of Lancaster, Margaret Beaufort never surrenders her belief that her house is the true ruler of England.  Ignored by her sainted cousin Henry IV, mocked by her mother, married at age twelve, and endangered by childbirth, she sets her heart on putting her son on the throne regardless of the cost to herself, to England, and even to the little boy.  She names him Henry, like the king; sends him into exile; and pledges him in marriage to the daughter of her sworn enemy, Elizabeth of York.

Margaret charts her own way through loveless marriages, treacherous alliances, and secret plots.  Finally, gambling her life that her husband, the ruthless, deceitful Thomas, Lord Stanley, will support her, she masterminds one of the greatest rebellions of all time—all the while knowing that her son has grown to manhood, recruited an army, and now waits for his opportunity to win the greatest prize.

My overall impression of the second book in The Cousin’s War is one of indifference mingled with boredom.  For once, I’m actually reading a series in order and I think The White Queen was much better.  Perhaps it is the fact that I can identify more with the enchanting Elizabeth Woodville than my ruthless ancestor (according to family legend) Margaret Beaufort.

I really do feel sorry for Margaret—she is married at the age of 12 for goodness sake!  But my sympathy pretty much ends there as she schemes her way to the top with a single-minded focus that even I am surprised at.  I respect her determination, but her ruthlessness is too much, even for me.  I understand Genghis Khan better than I understand her because of Conn Iggulden’s wonderful portrayal.  Maybe my lack of understanding is partly because of Margaret’s obsessive piety, something that is foreign to me.

Like The White Queen, the plot is not exactly fast-paced, but I don’t really expect fast plots in historical fiction—unless the author is Conn Iggulden, of course.  I can’t quite sympathize with all of the characters, but I do understand what drives them.  Maybe I will be able to understand them better on a second read through, but for now my ‘meh’ judgment stands.

I give this book 3/5 stars.

Amazon     Barnes and Noble

Cleopatra’s Daughter by Michelle Moran

(Cover picture courtesy of Fyrefly’s Book Blog.)

The marriage of Marc Antony and Cleopatra is one of the greatest love stories of all time.  Feared and hunted by the powers in Rome, the lovers choose to die by their own hands as the triumphant armies of Anthony’s rival, Octavian, sweep into Egypt.  When their orphaned children are taken in chains to Rome, only two—the ten-year-old twins Selene and Alexander—survive the journey.  As they come of age, they are buffeted by the personal ambitions of Octavian’s family and court, by the ever-present threat of a slave rebellion, and by the longings deep within their own hearts.

Based on meticulous research, Cleopatra’s Daughter is a fascinating portrait of imperial Rome and of the people and events of this most tumultuous period in human history.  Emerging from the shadow of the past, Selene must confront the same forces that destroyed her mother and struggle to meet a different fate.  A young woman of irresistible charm and preternatural intelligence, Selene will capture your heart.

So much is made of Antony and Cleopatra’s relationship that it’s almost sickening.  But very few novels follow the story of Cleopatra Selene and Alexander Helios, the son and daughter of this famous couple.  Michelle Moran has finally shed light on these obscure people and really brings ancient Egypt and ancient Rome to life.  She has obviously done her research and unlike Conn Iggulden’s Emperor series, I did not find one single historical inaccuracy.  In fact, I actually learned quite a bit, which is the point of historical fiction.

The book is told from the point of view of Selene, who is a wonderful narrator.  The young daughter of a powerful queen, she behaves more like an adult than a child, despite being only ten years old at the beginning of the story.  This makes the book much more appealing for older teens as well as the younger ones because she is a very interesting character.  The plot is not exactly fast-paced, but it’s rare to find such plots in historical fiction.  Overall, it was a very enjoyable read.

I recommend this book to any teenage girl, even if they are not interested in history.  Once Michelle Moran’s amazing writing sucks them into the world of Selene, they won’t even notice they’re learning about history.  As a bonus, this novel may spark an interest in history that could last a lifetime—it started my little sister’s interest in history.  Just days before she read it, she proclaimed, “I hate history!  It’s so boring!”  Now I dare you to try to take away her precious historical fiction novels.

I give this book 5/5 stars.

Amazon     Barnes and Noble

Is YA Fiction too Dark?

(Picture courtesy of Bottom of the Glass.)

This rant article was prompted by Emma Waverman over at Embrace the Chaos writing an article about how she finds YA fiction too dark.  This would be okay as it is her own opinion, but what irks me is that she has condemned the YA genre without having read much of said genre.  Here are some of my thoughts on the matter:

Ms. Waverman has absolutely every right as a parent to be concerned about what her twelve-year-old son is reading.  She has said that she thinks the YA genre is generally dark (particularly since it has books like The Hunger Games) without having read any YA books, aside from a little bit of Harry Potter—at least that she mentions.  My problem is that she seems to dismiss the whole genre out of hand without even truly sampling it.  She proclaims she is an avid reader and a ‘book snob’, but why has she not read these books along with her son if she is so concerned?  Despite what people think, YA fiction is not all that different from adult fiction, which brings me to my next point. Continue reading →

Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz

(Cover picture courtesy of Book County.)

They told him his uncle Ian died in a car accident.  But fourteen-year-old Alex Rider knows that’s a lie, and the bullet holes in his uncle’s windshield confirm his suspicions.  But nothing prepares him for the news that the uncle he always thought he knew was really a spy for MI6—Britain’s top-secret intelligence agency.  Recruited to find his uncle’s killers and complete Ian’s final mission, Alex suddenly finds himself caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse, with no way out.

The first thing you need to know is that the Alex Rider series is basically a James Bond series for teenage boys.  And you know, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.  There are very few YA novels aimed at young boys, but Anthony Horowitz is a good writer that has tried to tap into this market.  The James Bond movies depict a cold, calculating, womanizing super-spy while the Alex Rider series depicts a young boy who wants nothing more than to have a normal life.  What stops Alex from becoming a true Gary Stu despite all of his talents is that he really, really does not want to be a spy.

Alex is a decent enough character, but he seems a little too perfect for my liking.  He accomplishes a lot of amazing things because his uncle trained him all his life to be a spy, but he is still a bit perfect for a fourteen-year-old boy.  He is admittedly a bit of a cardboard cutout, although Alex does improve as the novel progresses.  The other characters like Herod Sayle, Alex Blunt and Mrs. Jones are very obviously cardboard cutouts, but what do you expect from an action book?

The plot is fast-paced and exciting, Anthony Horowitz’s writing is excellent and Alex Rider is an interesting character.  I think Stormbreaker is a bit clichéd and predictable, but it was written to appeal to a completely different audience.  It can be a bit violent, so I would recommend it for ages 12+.

I give this book 3/5 stars.

Amazon     Barnes and Noble