While this middle chapter of the Chronicles of Prydain featured some lovely moments, especially pertaining to characters’ discoveries of the hidden deWhile this middle chapter of the Chronicles of Prydain featured some lovely moments, especially pertaining to characters’ discoveries of the hidden depths of their courage and generosity, it felt a bit less finely crafted than the first two books had. Since much of this book is spent following the travails of Taran and his companions trying to rescue Eilonwy, I dearly missed her presence in the middle chapters; she is such a delightful character, by far my favorite, and my overall enjoyment of the book suffered for her absence.
But I look forward to reading these books to my sons Rai and Keony, and/or gifting a collection to them for them to read. These books are filled with wisdom and adventures and humor and no small amount of heart, and I think my sons will learn a great deal about what really matters in life from reading them. ...more
It’s delightful for me to revisit, 40 or so years later, the adventures of Taran and his companions in this, the second novel in Lloyd Alexander’s claIt’s delightful for me to revisit, 40 or so years later, the adventures of Taran and his companions in this, the second novel in Lloyd Alexander’s classic Chronicles of Prydain. In these uncertain, fraught times, I am comforted by the wisdom, warmth, wit, and courage depicted in these pages. Simply delightful. ...more
I adored this series when I was a kid, and I was in the mood for some comfort food reading, and deeply curious to see whether reading it would still hI adored this series when I was a kid, and I was in the mood for some comfort food reading, and deeply curious to see whether reading it would still hold any pleasure for me decades later. I’m happy to say that it did indeed hold many pleasures. There is an abiding sense of compassion and humor coursing through this book, even as its band of misfit adventurers face peril and hardship. It never reaches the poetic heights of Le Guin’s Earthsea Trilogy, another classic of children’s fantasy literature, but it ceaselessly entertains and enchants nonetheless. Alexander was especially adept at creating indelibly individual characters, most especially the hilarious, courageous, talkative, wise Eilonwy.
I look forward to making my way through the rest of the series....more
I was actually a bit underwhelmed by this, and became more so the more I read. I enjoyed the establishing chapters, finding the sense of place and mooI was actually a bit underwhelmed by this, and became more so the more I read. I enjoyed the establishing chapters, finding the sense of place and mood and political situation to be pretty compelling. And the games themselves were appropriately brutal and darkly realized. Where it went off the rails a bit for me was in Suzanne Collins' depiction of Katniss's voice. When I'm reading a first-person narrative, I really want to feel like it's the character, and not the author, speaking to me, and in this case it never fully clicked that it was Katniss's authentic voice. Also, (slight spoiler alert), the handling of her feelings -- or lack of feelings -- for Peeta didn't track for me in an honest way, and I was a bit disappointed to see the story devolve into a not very fully realized possible romantic triangle. I will still continue to read the trilogy, because it has come so highly recommended, but I do hope it gets better....more
I will never lose my awe of the late, great Ursula K. Le Guin’s immense talents. Her precision, her depth of feeling, her abiding subtlety, her faciliI will never lose my awe of the late, great Ursula K. Le Guin’s immense talents. Her precision, her depth of feeling, her abiding subtlety, her facility of grappling with profound questions of what it means to be human, her regard for the inherent mysteries involved in being human, her love of language and of the power of storytelling, are all on beautiful display in this, one of her later works.
I look forward to continuing this trilogy. ...more
Loading...
