Scan barcode
synoptic_view's review against another edition
This wasn't to my taste. I don't like the fantasy genre's preoccupation with lineage, and typically dislike "chosen one" stories that aren't working hard to subvert the trope. I had hoped this book would do more subversion, because the setup was there. Maerad's childhood as a slave could have led to a discussion about the differences between slavery and the coercive aspects of being fated to save the world. The characters even started to have a conversation about this somewhere around chapter 20, but it was dismissed after a couple sentences.
charlotekerstenauthor's review against another edition
So What’s It About?
Maerad is a slave in a desperate and unforgiving settlement, taken there as a child after her family is destroyed in war. She is unaware that she possesses a powerful gift, one that marks her as a member of the School of Pellinor. It is only when she is discovered by Cadvan, one of the great Bards of Lirigon, that her true heritage and extraordinary destiny unfold. Now she and her new teacher must survive a journey through a time and place where the forces they battle stem from the deepest recesses of otherworldly terror.
Alison Croggon’s epic fantasy, the first in the Books of Pellinor quartet, is a glittering saga steeped in the rich and complex landscape of Annar, a legendary world ripe for discovery.
What I Thought
I thought this book sounded lovely just from what I’d read about it, and I’m now happy to say that I was surprised by just how lovely I found it to be. The number one thing that you should know is that coziness ABOUNDS! The Naming is crammed full of tasty food and books and soft clothes and music; I want to live in Innail just from how wonderfully it is described; the story is just as much about Maerad feeling full and sleepy and comfortable and loved for the first time as it is about defeating evil. All of this is described oh-so charmingly in Croggon’s beautiful prose, which especially shines in the many samples of lore, poems and songs that are interspersed throughout.
We get to see a great deal of the book’s world as Maerad and Cadvan travel on their quest, and while a book with many travel sections and landscape descriptions sounds pretty boring to me in theory, it inexplicably wasn’t boring at all to me while I was reading this book. The writing is just so evocative and atmospheric that the result is not boredom but a really unique sense of seeing glimpses of an ancient, mysterious, vivid land.
This is something I’ve really only ever seen done comparably in The Lord of the Rings, and that’s definitely not a coincidence. It couldn’t be more apparent that Croggon loves Tolkien and wanted to emulate him here. While her world, plot, characters and mythology are distinct, a handful of scenes did seem a little too familiar to me. Early on in their adventures, Cadvan and Maerad have to make a desperate stand in an abandoned tower where they fight soulless creatures with fire; later, they get waylaid by a mysterious and ethereal ruler of an ancient forest and she gives them gifts to help them on their journey. The most glaring bit to me is the bit where they have a conversation that plays out almost identically to the famous Frodo/Gandalf conversation about wishing that you didn’t have to live through dark times and that the only thing you can do is the best you can with the time given to you etc. etc. etc. Overall, it was enough for me to give Croggon a bit of a mental side-eye a few times.
Perhaps because this book was so evocative of Tolkien, I randomly pictured Cadvan as the guy who played Elrond in Rings of Power - I don’t know that this is important to mention in my review but it’s deeply entrenched in my brain. Character -wise, he’s a great mentor who is still realistically flawed, and Maerad’s growing bond with him is at the heart of the book. I'm like 99% sure is that this is going to be a mentor/mentee to underage-girl-age-gap romance pipeline just like Tamora Pierce’s Wild Magic series with Numair and Daine. THEM’S THE BREAKS HA HA HA.
Maerad is a slave in a desperate and unforgiving settlement, taken there as a child after her family is destroyed in war. She is unaware that she possesses a powerful gift, one that marks her as a member of the School of Pellinor. It is only when she is discovered by Cadvan, one of the great Bards of Lirigon, that her true heritage and extraordinary destiny unfold. Now she and her new teacher must survive a journey through a time and place where the forces they battle stem from the deepest recesses of otherworldly terror.
Alison Croggon’s epic fantasy, the first in the Books of Pellinor quartet, is a glittering saga steeped in the rich and complex landscape of Annar, a legendary world ripe for discovery.
What I Thought
I thought this book sounded lovely just from what I’d read about it, and I’m now happy to say that I was surprised by just how lovely I found it to be. The number one thing that you should know is that coziness ABOUNDS! The Naming is crammed full of tasty food and books and soft clothes and music; I want to live in Innail just from how wonderfully it is described; the story is just as much about Maerad feeling full and sleepy and comfortable and loved for the first time as it is about defeating evil. All of this is described oh-so charmingly in Croggon’s beautiful prose, which especially shines in the many samples of lore, poems and songs that are interspersed throughout.
We get to see a great deal of the book’s world as Maerad and Cadvan travel on their quest, and while a book with many travel sections and landscape descriptions sounds pretty boring to me in theory, it inexplicably wasn’t boring at all to me while I was reading this book. The writing is just so evocative and atmospheric that the result is not boredom but a really unique sense of seeing glimpses of an ancient, mysterious, vivid land.
This is something I’ve really only ever seen done comparably in The Lord of the Rings, and that’s definitely not a coincidence. It couldn’t be more apparent that Croggon loves Tolkien and wanted to emulate him here. While her world, plot, characters and mythology are distinct, a handful of scenes did seem a little too familiar to me. Early on in their adventures, Cadvan and Maerad have to make a desperate stand in an abandoned tower where they fight soulless creatures with fire; later, they get waylaid by a mysterious and ethereal ruler of an ancient forest and she gives them gifts to help them on their journey. The most glaring bit to me is the bit where they have a conversation that plays out almost identically to the famous Frodo/Gandalf conversation about wishing that you didn’t have to live through dark times and that the only thing you can do is the best you can with the time given to you etc. etc. etc. Overall, it was enough for me to give Croggon a bit of a mental side-eye a few times.
Perhaps because this book was so evocative of Tolkien, I randomly pictured Cadvan as the guy who played Elrond in Rings of Power - I don’t know that this is important to mention in my review but it’s deeply entrenched in my brain. Character -wise, he’s a great mentor who is still realistically flawed, and Maerad’s growing bond with him is at the heart of the book. I'm like 99% sure is that this is going to be a mentor/mentee to underage-girl-age-gap romance pipeline just like Tamora Pierce’s Wild Magic series with Numair and Daine. THEM’S THE BREAKS HA HA HA.
elleneam's review against another edition
4.0
This book is set in Edil - amaranoh; an ancient society. It is about a girl called Maerad discovers she is a bard and has powers when Cadvan stumbles upon her, and takes her under his wing.
This book is very good, but it is also very detailed and long and you have to be quite committed to finish it.
This book is very good, but it is also very detailed and long and you have to be quite committed to finish it.
syntara's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
testkristin3's review against another edition
4.0
Loved the series and looking forward to the next re-read!
corners_of_cozy's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
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? It's complicated
5.0
arwenstelter's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
mollyxmiller's review against another edition
3.0
It's like Lord of the Rings but with a female narrator and a lot less boring details about food and language!
theatomicpirategirl's review against another edition
4.0
lots of world building was required for this tale. and the narrator for this audio book was prefect for this tale. a full review to come...some day...
marie101's review against another edition
5.0
I think about this book often. I read this back in High School and I have not forgotten it. I still remember tidbits and someday I hope to do a full re-read. But its reminiscent of the LOTR trope. We get a girl with special powers who goes on a journey to defeat evil. I'm not sure if they are still in print anymore... But I sure hope they are!