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Heart's Blood (Hardback)
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- Paperback $7.49
Short Description for Heart's BloodThe national bestselling fine folklorist and gifted narrator ("Publishers Weekly") of the Sevenwaters novels conjures a new sweeping romantic fantasy.
Full description- Publisher: Roc
- Published: 03 November 2009
- Format: Hardback 416 pages
- See: Full bibliographic data
- Categories: Fantasy
- ISBN 13: 9780451462930 ISBN 10: 0451462939
- Sales rank: 164,006
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Reviews for Heart's Blood
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Reviewed by Candace Cunard for TeensReadToo.com
In medieval Ireland, eighteen-year-old Caitrin is an anomaly. Before he died, her scribe father not only taught her how to read and write, but allowed her to actively participate in his trade and supported her in the face of those who scorned the idea of a female intellectual. However, with his death, Caitrin is left at the mercy of her cruel and abusive aunt and cousin, whose treatment forces her to flee from her home with nothing but her scribing tools and the clothes on her back.
She manages to find employment with Anluan, the mysterious and solitary clan chieftan of Whistling Tor. She stays with him and his household, reading, translating, recopying, and categorizing the contents of his library, for which he promises to pay her both in silver and in the elusive plant heart's blood, used to produce a rare and priceless ink. However, things at Whistling Tor are not quite what they seem, and Caitrin's work brings her into contact with a fantastic history of the place that its ruler would prefer be kept silent.
I have read Marillier's work before, but unlike others who compare HEART'S BLOOD unfavorably to her SEVENWATERS books, I found myself much more caught up in Caitrin's story. Part of that has to do with her character; like most of Marillier's heroines, she's intelligent, plucky, and though she's dealing with her own personal demons, she has an infectiously dazzling strength of spirit.
And although the story is told from Caitrin's first-person point of view, Marillier manages to portray with equal depths the complexity of Anluan's hidden past. Although the plot does perhaps lag in the middle in the sense that there is little outward action taking place, I felt like every single scene was significant for character development even if it didn't immediately advance the plot.
By the end of the first chapter, I felt like this book had been written specifically for me. As a huge fan of the story of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, I saw HEART'S BLOOD as both an obvious and clever retelling that played fast and loose with some of the plot points of the original tale in order to convey the right feeling and allow the characters to gain more complexity of motivation. It's certainly nothing like the Disney version (well, except that there is a magic mirror), but I liked it better for that.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a compelling historical fantasy with strong characterization and beautiful writing.
*Gold Star Award Winner! by TeensReadToo -
Heart's Blood, by Juliet Marillier
Marillier's latest novel takes us to Whistling Tor, a settlement haunted by an invisible though much feared evil. It is in this unlikely place that Caitrin, an orphan abused by those who were supposed to take care of her, finds safety and protection. Being a skillful scribe, she's hired by Anluan, the cursed and crippled chieftain, to sort out some family documents.
Going through the mess in the library, Caitrin starts unravelling the dark secrets of that eerie place and the strange beings that are part of it. She brings change and hope, despite the forces working against her. Slowly, she gains their trust, finding friendship and loyalty even among those who are percieved as the most wild and terrible creatures. Working against the clock, the heroine threatens her own life to save her new family and free them all from the curse that has been cast upon them three centuries ago. If she doesn't succeed she will lose those who she holds most dear, Anluan included.
Readers will recognize the backbone of Beauty and the Beast, but this is not a retelling of the classic tale. This story is about finding the strenght to overcome your fears; it is about love, hope and acceptance, all wrapped up in a mysterious, supernatural and exciting setting.
Marillier's experienced writing carries us at a pleasent pace, making this story and it's uncanny characters increadibly humane and relatable. The beauty of this novel can be compared to that of Daughter of the Forest, and all you Marillier's fans out there know that means a lot. New readers: Heart's Blood is a great novel that will make you fall in love with this author's writing, leaving you thirsty for more. by Rahima Mussa
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