The Tale of Gwyn by Cynthia Voigt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Tales of the Kingdom
Thursday Quotables: December 1, 2016
This weekly feature is the place to highlight a great quote, line, or passage discovered during your reading each week; whether it’s something funny, startling, gut-wrenching, or just really beautifully written.
Oriel didn’t move. But inside of his head, all was movement, like a river running over rapids, searching for the way through, trying routes around rocks and over shallows, a turbulence of thought more rapid than he could follow. Griff, he knew, would do and say nothing until he heard Oriel’s choice.
Summary:
He was special. Different. Since he first came to the island as a young boy, he stood out among the rest. No matter how torturous the Damall’s beatings were he would not let his fear show. He was brave.
Griff watched from afar – admiring the strength of this boy who didn’t have a name. Griff, instead, hid out of sight, keeping quiet, avoiding attention.
But neither courage nor cowering would spare them from the incessant cruelty of the Damall. When the two unlikely friends realize they must escape or face a lifetime of brutality, they flee from the island, taking with them the most cherished possession of the Damall: the beryl – a green gemstone engraved with a falcon. Soon their prize binds their fates forever as they set off into a world more perilous than either could have imagined.
Thank you Bookshelf Fantasies for this fun book meme!
What Are You Reading Wednesdays: November 30, 2016
What Are You Reading Wednesdays #WAYRW is a weekly feature on It’s A Reading Thing. Everyone is welcome to participate.
Grab the book you are currently reading and answer three questions:
- What’s the name of your current read?
- Go to page 34 in your book or 34% in your eBook and share a couple of sentences.
- Would you like to live in the world that exists within your book? Why or why not?
- The Tale of Birle (Tales of the Kingdom book 2, previously published as ‘On Fortunes Wheel’)
- What he was doing, creeping through the world like a thief – where he was going to, in secrecy – what he might be fleeing from – those questions also she didn’t know the answer to. But she did know that only the Lords went beardless.
- Ha! I like the Kingdom, but I wouldn’t live in any of the places they travel to in this book, not on your life.
WWW Wednesday: November 30, 2016
Welcome to WWW Wednesday! This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at Should be Reading and revived on Taking on a World of Words. Just answer the three W’s!
The Three Ws are:
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
Currently Reading: The Tale of Birle by Cynthia Voigt
This is the second book in the Tales of the Kingdom series and was previously published with the title ‘On Fortunes Wheel’. Birle meets a mysterious stranger when he tries to steal from her father. She chooses to follow him on his travels and this takes her to places she never could have imagined.
For anyone curious about the Tales of the Kingdom books, this is a loosely-connected, non-magical fantasy series.
One of the odd things for me is that I identify less with Birle than I did last time I read this series. I can only chalk it up to the fact that I was still a teenager then. It doesn’t make me like her any less though. Actually, it’s almost making this reread feel more like a first-time read, which I’m very pleased with.
Recently Finished: The Tale of Gwyn by Cynthia Voigt
This is one of the Tales of the Kingdom books, previously published as ‘Jackaroo’. Jackaroo is a sort of Robin Hood/Zorro type hero, and in the Kingdom, he’s just a legend. Gwyn is an innkeeper’s daughter and doesn’t believe in heroes like Jackaroo. But while taking cover in an abandoned home, Gwyn finds a mask and clothes, which leads her down a path fit for a legend.
I like Gwen so much! Ah! Also she and Burl are too precious at the end. I remember liking this book the other times I read this series, but it’s actually become one of my favorites in the series. And like all Voigt’s novels it left me with such a satisfied feeling. I just wanted to sit there holding the book and basking in it.
Reading Next: The Tale of Oriel by Cynthia Voigt
This is the third Kingdom novel, previously published as ‘The Wings of a Falcon’. Oriel and Griff escape the cruelty of the island with a stolen treasure. But it’s not as easy to find a new safer life as they hoped. Their adventure leads them into unknown dangers, like armies and Wolfer raids.
I remember so little about this one for some reason, so I’m very excited. I know I liked it and it was good, but for the most part this will be a fresh story for me. It’s also different from the other three Kingdom novels because the main characters are boys.
Teaser Tuesday: November 29, 2016
Fear lay down on top of her like a black cloud, trying to get into her mouth through her clenched teeth. There was nothing she could do but wait, and hope that the danger – a danger she couldn’t even lift her head to meet – might not notice the little boat, drifting helpless through the fog.
– Cynthia Voigt, The Tale of Birle (previously ‘On Fortune’s Wheel’), page 93
Version:
Paperback, 432 pages
Published May 26th 2015 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books And A Beat.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!
Currently Reading: The Tale of Birle by Cynthia Voigt
What Are You Reading Wednesdays: November 23, 2016
What Are You Reading Wednesdays #WAYRW is a weekly feature on It’s A Reading Thing. Everyone is welcome to participate.
Grab the book you are currently reading and answer three questions:
- What’s the name of your current read?
- Go to page 34 in your book or 34% in your eBook and share a couple of sentences.
- Would you like to live in the world that exists within your book? Why or why not?
- The Tale of Gwyn (Tales of the Kingdom, book 1; previously published as ‘Jackaroo’)
- Behind the mask Jackaroo wore, there could be a face of bone, its flesh long since eaten away. Jackaroo could fight as a trained soldier, with swords and shield; he could ride a horse like a Lord; and he had the knowledge of letters which only the Lords held.
- Nah, I really like technology and indoor plumbing. Okay, but seriously, I might consider living in the Kingdom universe. It’s got pretty much the same problems as modern day America, but it the Kingdom I could disappear to a farm and be anyone, maybe stay out of all the awful crap.
WWW Wednesday: November 23, 2016
Welcome to WWW Wednesday! This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at Should be Reading and revived on Taking on a World of Words. Just answer the three W’s!
The Three Ws are:
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
Currently Reading: The Tale of Gwyn by Cynthia Voigt
This is one of the Tales of the Kingdom books, previously published as ‘Jackaroo’. I got this copy from the public library, because my own books are still boxed up and sad, so this is the first time I got to see the new covers/titles for myself. I had heard of the change back when it was just in the planning stage. They aren’t quite as interesting as the old titles, but at least now you can tell at a glance they are part of a series. As for the new cover… I’ll just say I miss the Vermeer painting covers. I’m pretty excited to reread the Kingdom books. It’s been several years since I picked up a Voigt novel, which is way too long!
Jackaroo is a sort of Robin Hood/Zorro type hero, and in the Kingdom, he’s just a legend. Gwyn is an innkeeper’s daughter and doesn’t believe in heroes like Jackaroo. But while taking cover in an abandoned home, Gwyn finds a mask and clothes, which leads her down a path fit for a legend.
For anyone curious about the Kingdom series, it is a loosely-connected, non-magical fantasy series.
Recently Finished: Forest Born by Shannon Hale
I love the Books of Bayern. I’m clearly on a Middle Grade roll here. This was actually my first time rereading Forest Born (the fourth Bayern novel), and I loved it way more than the first time I read it. I mean I liked it then too, but I was racing through it desperate to know what would happen, and this time I got to take my time and really enjoy Rin and her story.
This book focuses on Razo’s little sister, Rin, a forest girl who isn’t sure the forest wants her anymore. Her desire to find her place is a driving force in her life, sending her on an adventure through Bayern to the neighboring Kel. Rin and her new friends, the magical girls from the three previous novels, must find out who is attacking Bayern cities and prevent a war.
I think my favorite part of this story was the banter between Enna and Dasha, they’re honestly adorable. I also noticed, for the first time, a parallel between the way the various speaking gifts affect a person (when not balanced) and mental illness. I don’t know if it was intentional or not, but it’s fascinating.
Reading Next: The Tale of Birle by Cynthia Voigt
Another Tales of the Kingdom novel, this one was previously published as ‘On Fortunes Wheel’. Birle is a long-time favorite character.
Birle meets a mysterious stranger when he tries to steal from her father. She chooses to follow him on his travels and this takes her to places she never could have imagined.
For anyone curious about the Tales of the Kingdom books, this is a loosely-connected, non-magical fantasy series.
Teaser Tuesday: November 22, 2016
Night’s darkness cloaked Elske, covering her as the winter snows cover mountains, from peak to foot. Elske moved with the weight of darkness on her shoulders, on her head; and she tasted it in her mouth like the flavorless rills that ran so fast in spring melts.
– Cynthia Voigt, ‘Elske‘, page 8
Version:
Hardcover, 256 pages
Published October 1st 1999 by Atheneum Books
Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books And A Beat.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Darkestwings Reads