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gabriele_queerbookdom's review
4.0
ARC provided by Candlewick Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Good Hawk by Joseph Elliot is the compelling start to a trilogy set in a mythic Scotland.
It revolves around two members of the Clann a Tuath, set on the island of Skye. Agatha is a Hawk, a sentinel, considered incapable because of her birth condition, and Jaime is an Angler, an anxious teen who isn’t fond of the sea, chosen by the clan’s elders for a long-unneeded ritual. Unexpectedly, the clan is kidnapped by the barbaric deamhain and Jaime and Agatha set up on a tortuous journey to save them.
I’m really looking forward to knowing how this incredible story will continue. I was fascinated by the pace, which kept me biting my nails, and the nuanced characters the author created. I loved every second of it.
The Good Hawk by Joseph Elliot is the compelling start to a trilogy set in a mythic Scotland.
It revolves around two members of the Clann a Tuath, set on the island of Skye. Agatha is a Hawk, a sentinel, considered incapable because of her birth condition, and Jaime is an Angler, an anxious teen who isn’t fond of the sea, chosen by the clan’s elders for a long-unneeded ritual. Unexpectedly, the clan is kidnapped by the barbaric deamhain and Jaime and Agatha set up on a tortuous journey to save them.
I’m really looking forward to knowing how this incredible story will continue. I was fascinated by the pace, which kept me biting my nails, and the nuanced characters the author created. I loved every second of it.
astehling's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
melcolourful's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
themoonkestrel's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 I enjoyed reading this book but it wasn't anything amazing or that blew me away. I liked Agatha's voice because it made sense for her voice to be exactly as it was. My struggle was that Jaime's voice was TOO similar to Agatha's and he has no reason to be that similar. At times I couldn't tell it was his chapter because it sounded too close to Agatha. Which meant I basically could've done without Jaime since he felt just there for the use of "not being Agatha" but nothing beyond that. And a few of the characters felt like plot points rather than actual people (probably except the bo riders, but you can see that was probably the part most enjoyed to write and read) which meant what happened to them was pretty much a "meh, okay" rather than a "what is going to happen".
hazelalaska's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
3.75 stars
This was an interesting read, and I ended up enjoying it. It wasn't what I expected it would be, but that was actually good.
One thing of note that the synopsis doesn't explicitly say is that Agatha, one of the main characters, has Down Syndrome. Her narration initially threw me off because I didn't know this and she sounds a lot younger than she is, so I was a bit confused. Once I learned this, though, her voice made sense and I came to enjoy her point of view.
I did see people shelving this as middle grade, and while I don't necessarily want to put a label on it, I think it would fit more with YA since the main characters are in their teens and there are pretty gruesome descriptions of murder and bodies. I think some might see this as middle grade since Agatha's voice seems younger.
I did wish there was a bit more worldbuilding in relation to the clans, and the Skye clan specifically. Jamie mentions that they don't do marriage even within their own clan, and I was wondering if they had any formal recognition of romantic relationships and how they handle childcare, since the kids don't live with their parents and don't even know who their parents are. Everyone is given a job, but how do they determine who gets what job? It doesn't seem like they match people's interests, because Jamie had no desire to be an Angler.
Spoilers
I was sad when Lileas died because I wanted to see her become integrated into their clan, despite the rough beginning that they had, but I guess it was realistic for someone to die, plus there's the fact that Jaime is in love with Aileen. I was also a bit sad when Knutr died, because even though he was a jerk the whole time, I was sort of hoping he would survive and be redeemed, at least a little bit.
This was an interesting read, and I ended up enjoying it. It wasn't what I expected it would be, but that was actually good.
One thing of note that the synopsis doesn't explicitly say is that Agatha, one of the main characters, has Down Syndrome. Her narration initially threw me off because I didn't know this and she sounds a lot younger than she is, so I was a bit confused. Once I learned this, though, her voice made sense and I came to enjoy her point of view.
I did see people shelving this as middle grade, and while I don't necessarily want to put a label on it, I think it would fit more with YA since the main characters are in their teens and there are pretty gruesome descriptions of murder and bodies. I think some might see this as middle grade since Agatha's voice seems younger.
I did wish there was a bit more worldbuilding in relation to the clans, and the Skye clan specifically. Jamie mentions that they don't do marriage even within their own clan, and I was wondering if they had any formal recognition of romantic relationships and how they handle childcare, since the kids don't live with their parents and don't even know who their parents are. Everyone is given a job, but how do they determine who gets what job? It doesn't seem like they match people's interests, because Jamie had no desire to be an Angler.
Spoilers
I was sad when Lileas died because I wanted to see her become integrated into their clan, despite the rough beginning that they had, but I guess it was realistic for someone to die, plus there's the fact that Jaime is in love with Aileen. I was also a bit sad when Knutr died, because even though he was a jerk the whole time, I was sort of hoping he would survive and be redeemed, at least a little bit.
ternary's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
fairislemeadow's review
4.0
A promising start to a new trilogy. I have to say, this book surprised me a lot - mostly for good, although it turned out to be a little too violent for my taste. Instead of being a fantasy book about a girl with special needs, it turned out to be a gritty adventure with well-written characters, one of whom just happens to have special needs. It was so refreshing to see a book written like that. Looking forward to the next installment.
Thank you to Walker Books US and LibraryThing for the advanced copy of this book!*
*This did not affect my review or rating.
Thank you to Walker Books US and LibraryThing for the advanced copy of this book!*
*This did not affect my review or rating.
erweatherburn's review against another edition
5.0
It is an impressive skill to write a book from a perspective that is so different to our own, and reading such a narrative can both distort and enhance our reading experiences. It is for this reason that stories such as Stephen King’s The Shining (1977) and Helen Oyeyemi’s The Icarus Girl (2005) are so interesting; these gothic books are narrated by young children, and their innocence — and, at times, their ignorance — is what makes these stories so powerful.
Joseph Elliott’s debut novel, The Good Hawk, is not told from the perspective of a young child: the heroine was, as is noted in the book’s afterword, “inspired by some of the incredible children [Elliott] taught … particularly those with Down’s syndrome.” This heroine, who is named Agatha, is both brave and intelligent, yet even from Elliott’s writing style, it is clear that she does not always think or express herself in the way many of us do. Elliott uses repetition and simplistic language to explore Agatha’s thoughts and concerns in a unique way. These thoughts are made all the more interesting once it becomes clear that The Good Hawk is a dual narrative; half of the story is told from Agatha’s perspective, while the other half is told from the perspective of one of her fellow clan members — a young man called Jaime. Together, these protagonists create a varied and interesting narrative that is strengthened by the distinctive writing style Elliott uses to explore Agatha’s private thoughts.
The plot of The Good Hawk is just as entertaining as its characters: Agatha and Jaime live in a small tribe on the Isle of Skye, an island off the coast of Scotia. In this fantasy world devised by Elliott, those who once lived on mainland Scotia died during a brutal plague, but those who lived on the Isle of Skye survived. The tribe has never been too concerned about the outside world, but then, on one fateful day, the brutal inhabitants of Norveg attack the island, and Agatha and Jaime are forced to watch as their clan is captured and enslaved. Yet the hero and heroine of this novel cannot accept that everything they know has gone forever, and so the pair set off after their clan, navigating the harsh seas and even helping to uncover the truth about the mainland as they attempt to rescue their friends.
Simultaneously an action-packed young adult adventure story and a fascinating insight into Scottish culture and modern prejudices, The Good Hawk comes as a pleasant surprise. It is refreshingly original yet fits neatly into the young adult market, weaving a story that is sure to keep its readers entertained. Featuring magical creatures, fictional languages, and fascinating characters, this is a book that should not be underestimated. The Good Hawk is the first novel in a new trilogy of books, which surely means this will not be the last we hear of Joseph Elliott.
Joseph Elliott’s debut novel, The Good Hawk, is not told from the perspective of a young child: the heroine was, as is noted in the book’s afterword, “inspired by some of the incredible children [Elliott] taught … particularly those with Down’s syndrome.” This heroine, who is named Agatha, is both brave and intelligent, yet even from Elliott’s writing style, it is clear that she does not always think or express herself in the way many of us do. Elliott uses repetition and simplistic language to explore Agatha’s thoughts and concerns in a unique way. These thoughts are made all the more interesting once it becomes clear that The Good Hawk is a dual narrative; half of the story is told from Agatha’s perspective, while the other half is told from the perspective of one of her fellow clan members — a young man called Jaime. Together, these protagonists create a varied and interesting narrative that is strengthened by the distinctive writing style Elliott uses to explore Agatha’s private thoughts.
The plot of The Good Hawk is just as entertaining as its characters: Agatha and Jaime live in a small tribe on the Isle of Skye, an island off the coast of Scotia. In this fantasy world devised by Elliott, those who once lived on mainland Scotia died during a brutal plague, but those who lived on the Isle of Skye survived. The tribe has never been too concerned about the outside world, but then, on one fateful day, the brutal inhabitants of Norveg attack the island, and Agatha and Jaime are forced to watch as their clan is captured and enslaved. Yet the hero and heroine of this novel cannot accept that everything they know has gone forever, and so the pair set off after their clan, navigating the harsh seas and even helping to uncover the truth about the mainland as they attempt to rescue their friends.
Simultaneously an action-packed young adult adventure story and a fascinating insight into Scottish culture and modern prejudices, The Good Hawk comes as a pleasant surprise. It is refreshingly original yet fits neatly into the young adult market, weaving a story that is sure to keep its readers entertained. Featuring magical creatures, fictional languages, and fascinating characters, this is a book that should not be underestimated. The Good Hawk is the first novel in a new trilogy of books, which surely means this will not be the last we hear of Joseph Elliott.
wyllow_tree's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0