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unicornteeth 's review for:
The Castle of Llyr
by Lloyd Alexander
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm not sure that this book is the strongest of the series so far; The Black Cauldron is kind of a tough act to follow. In this installment Eilonwy is kidnapped and most of the story is devoted to Taran and the companions journeying through peril to stage a rescue operation. Since I regard Eilonwy to be such a great spitfire character it's hard to see so little of her in a story that's mainly about her. While Taran is still the principal character, a lot of what the companions learn and discover is about Eilonwy's past and potential.
The plot is also driven via a series of a lot of really convenient coincidences which isn't necessarily as satisfying as the characters succeeding despite impossible odds. It feels very much like a D&D campaign in which the players make incredibly good dice rolls the entire time. I will say that the character of Glew was completely fantastic and so hilarious. I'm interested to see if he reappears later; I have the feeling that the purpose of this book was mainly to set up events that occur later on.
This book is good sword and sorcery comfort food at the end of the day, and gets an extra half star for the appearance of an enormous cat.
The plot is also driven via a series of a lot of really convenient coincidences which isn't necessarily as satisfying as the characters succeeding despite impossible odds. It feels very much like a D&D campaign in which the players make incredibly good dice rolls the entire time. I will say that the character of Glew was completely fantastic and so hilarious. I'm interested to see if he reappears later; I have the feeling that the purpose of this book was mainly to set up events that occur later on.
This book is good sword and sorcery comfort food at the end of the day, and gets an extra half star for the appearance of an enormous cat.
Content Warnings
Minor: Violence, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt