Hello there!
This past week I finished reading Foxmask by Juliet Marillier,
and, while I thought it started out a bit slow, at the half way mark it got really interesting, and by the end I was in tears, which is very rare for me. The love story was so convincing, that I just felt so much for the characters in the last pages. Brilliant!
Influenced by Nordic folklore, the story centres around Thorvald, who takes to the seas with his friend Sam, to search for his father who was banished from the Light Isles 18 years earlier. Creidhe, a long admirer of Thorvald stows away on the ship, to remain close to him. Once found she is seen as a hindrance but they continue on their journey until the ship is wrecked against the Isle of Stormss. Here Thorvald and Sam are virtually held captive by the leader of the Long Knife tribe, Asgrim, who Thorvald suspects may be his father. They become part of Asgrim's army and prepare for the annual hunt on the Isle of Clouds, for the great seer, Foxmask, who was kidnapped from them and is kept hidden there. Creidhe meanwhile is kept separate from the men, and lives with the women of the island who act somewhat suspiciously around her. Eventually it is revealed that she will be a human sacrifice to the tribe of the Unspoken as a trade for the seer. Creidhe escapes Asgrim's hold with the help of the kind priests from a nearby settlement and makes her way to the Isle of Clouds. There she discovers Foxmask, and plays a part in protecting him from Asgrim's army. This is where the book becomes really exciting, as all the characters are now established and the fight for survival becomes paramount. The second half of the book races along and emotions run high. It was captivating!
In other news, I received a big pile of books from my Mum
and one, which I've been wanting to read, from my sister.
I've heard great things about The Light Between Oceans, so I'm pretty sure I'll start with that one.
Have you read any of these books? Which ones do you recommend highly?
I'm popping over to visit Book Journey now, to see what all my bookish friends have been up to!
See you there!
xx
