Celandine

Touchstone Trilogy #2

by Steve Augarde

Set seventy years before The Various, the second book in the trilogy follows the adventures of young Celandine at the onset of the First World War. Having run away from her detested boarding school, Celandine is too afraid to go home in case she is sent back. As she seeks shelter in the Wild Wood near her home, little does she think she will encounter a world where loyalty and independence is fiercely guarded, and where danger lurks in the most unlikely of places. Celandine's troubled character finds both refuge and purpose among the secret tribes of little people that she alone believes in.The novels of the Various trilogy are full of mystery, beauty and adventure; this second novel is both page-turning and life-affirming.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Childrens, Adventure, Fairies

496 pages, Hardcover

First published November 3, 2005

About the author

I began writing children's books when I was at art college, which means that I’ve spent over thirty years as a children's author. Must be nearly time to grow up. About eighty titles published to date, I think. These include story books and pop-ups for younger readers, as well as my more recent novels for older children. I'm also an illustrator and paper-engineer, and you can see examples of this type of work around the site.

Sometimes I provide the paper engineering for pop-up books by other artists and children's authors - Jan Pienkowski, for example, Emma Chichester-Clark and Damien Hirst.

Finally I'm a semi-pro musician, playing mostly jazz. I provided the music and artwork for two BBC children's television series of Bump the elephant. Mind you, that was ages ago, and so it's high time somebody sampled it for a dance track and made me a fortune.

My first major work for older children was The Touchstone Trilogy, completed in January 2008, the three titles being The Various, Celandine and Winter Wood. The Various was an award winner in The Nestle Smarties Book Prize 2003. Both Celandine and Winter Wood have been nominated for the Carnegie Medal.

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was the first of the series. I'll have to go find the first one now. That says something about it though, that it can be the second and not be dependent on the first. That's rare sometimes in a middle book. I wonder what the first is about?

[Aleshanee · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Sterne für eine bezaubernde und spannende Fortsetzung!

Der erste Band hat mich ja schon total verzaubert und auch die Fortsetzung konnte mich wieder total mitnehmen!

Alles dreht sich um den Howardshügel nahe der Mill Farm in Somerset, England. Während man im ersten Teil allerdings die 12jährige Midge auf ihren Abenteuern begleitet hat, reist man hier in die Vergangenheit ins Jahr 1914, in der das Geheimnis um Celandine gelüftet wird. Ihren Namen hat man schon gehört und ich fand es klasse, dass der Autor den ganzen Band diesen Ereignissen gewidmet hat, wie es dazu kam, dass das Elfenvolk auf dem Hügel entdeckt worden ist.

Doch die Elfen sind keine Gemeinschaft, die zusammenhalten, zumindest nicht alle, denn sie nennen sich selber auch die "Verschiedenartigen", weil sie in unterschiedliche Völker aufgeteilt sind und nicht immer Einigkeit unter ihnen herrscht. Vor allem die kriegerischen Ickri, die auf der Suche sind, scheinen das gefundene Gleichgewicht durcheinander zu bringen.
Auch erfährt man mehr über den "Prüfstein", ein magischer Gegenstand, eine Art Orakel, der seine Wirksamkeit allerdings nur zusammen mit dem "Orbis" entfalten kann - doch die Zusammenführung dieser beiden Relikte geht mit viel Macht einher und wessen Recht es ist, diese zu gebrauchen, macht die Elfen uneins.

Diese Uneinigkeit, das Streben nach Macht und die Abgrenzung spiegelt der Autor auch wider durch den Krieg, der ja zu dieser Zeit begonnen hat und auch Celandines Familie wird hier direkt betroffen.

Die Situation in der Familie an sich wirkt aber schon schwierig für Celandine. Währen die zwei großen Brüder ihren Weg gefunden zu haben scheinen, ist sie mit ihren 13 Jahren gefangen in der konventionellen Erziehung, die damals üblich war. Vor allem mit ihrer Hauslehrerin kann sie sich gar nicht anfreunden und als sie auch noch auf ein Internat geschickt wird, bedrücken sie die Normen und Regeln immer mehr.
Den Abschnitt über das Internatsleben fand ich übrigens besonders spannend, auch wie der Autor sehr deutlich aber feinfühlig gezeigt hat, welche strengen Erziehungsmethoden damals üblich waren und wie die Kinder funktionieren mussten. Ein Umstand, der sich leider immer noch fortsetzt, nur heutzutage auf subtilere Art und Weise.

Insgesamt hat Steve Augarde jedenfalls eine tolle Art zu erzählen, die unaufgeregt und dennoch fesselnd ist. Seine Ideen faszinieren mich sehr und auch die Feinheiten, mit der er seine Botschaften rüberbringt, haben mich tief bewegt.
Ich freu mich jetzt jedenfalls schon auf den dritten und letzten Teil und bin gespannt, wie diese Geschichten enden wird!

"... es gibt für alles eine Erklärung, auch wenn wir nie eine Erklärung für alles haben werden. Wir können nicht alles in der Welt verstehen und sollten es auch nicht. Es ist nicht nötig." Zitat Seite 453

Weltenwanderer

[James Comey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steve Augarde writes with remarkable brushstrokes of color and character. He blends frail and strong people and "Little People" with unexpected story lines that encircle with cords of concern. Imagery, rich in the smells and sounds of the land, contrast with the brutal behavior of girls in an austere boarding school. In this second offering of the Touchstone Trilogy, Augarde successfully mixes psychology, mysticism, war(on many levels), family, loss and discovery, and the fierce determination to be independent when culture seeks to inhibit. The heroine, Celandine, is remarkable in her vulnerability and strength. Her emotional journey explains the origin of practices of The Various in the first book, at the same time sweeping the reader along through marvelous adventures as this young girl is forced to discover her "witci" ways.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rarely do I enjoy the sequel more, but this time I surely did. Celandine comes after The Various and follows the childhood of its titular character and great, great, etc relative of Midge, the protagonist in the first novel. For Celandine, we’re back in WWI England when she, too, encounters the mythical creatures and tribes her descendant eventually will.

But let me tell ya, for a YA novel, Augarde gives just the right amount of dark intensity. We have boarding school bullies, vicious governesses, violent emotional reactions, and wartime fear all against a backdrop of your everyday adolescent and family issues.

Celandine is a force to be reckoned with; yes, she’s young and impulsive, but she’s also reasonable and compassionate. She’s a leader and a warrior who sees things — literally and figuratively — others don’t. And I’m so eager to see where the final novel of The Touchstone trilogy leads us.

[Chris Cowan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Has some grit in it and the school parts are good. But as with The Various, nothing that special

[Rosie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say that when I first picked up 'The Various' around age ten, I found the book rather tedious despite my love of the subject matter - fairies, or 'the little people'. I, however, persisted, and made my way through 'Celandine', the prequel to 'The Various' and 'Winetr Wood'. I enjoyed 'Celandine' much more than 'The Various' yet failed to pick up a copy of 'Winter Wood' until sometime earlier this year. Having reread the first two books in the trilogy, I can now appreciate the near-flawless writing stlye, somewhat let down by the simple plot line. 'Celandine' still remains the best of the three by far, and, while 'Winter Wood' is also better than 'The Various', one feels it tries a little too hard to be mysterious and complex, focusing too much on the theme of reincarnation with a slight anticlimax followed by several tying of loose ends.
Overall, I would recommed this book to slightly older readers than one would expect, so as the writing style can be properly appreciated. This is not to say I did not enjoy the trilogy - 'Celandine', at least, is a brilliant read - I just felt it could have been better. Nevertheless, I am sure many young girls will enjoy these books, rewarding the trilogy a four overall.

[Nilsson]

I remember this story about a girl who gets sent to boarding school. What a nightmare. Just writing the word causes my stomach to go in knots. Of all the things. A school you can never leave. No wonder she ran away to live with the fairies! Pity nobody else believed in them; though I must say it's not so scandalous that someone would make something up just to get out of school either, and that's the truth.

[Dianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazingly good. The characters, the story, the dialect all blew me away. It's better than the first in the series: cleverer, more engaging. I can't wait for Winter Wood to come in through interlibrary loan.

[Valérie Montour · Rating 5 out of 5]

9/10. C'est un livre que j'ai trouvé dans une librairie seconde main, donc je ne m'attendais pas à autant apprécier! L'univers est incroyable. C'était vraiment addictif et réconfortant à la fois (make sense?) Ça se passe pendant la première guerre mondiale et ça a rendu le livre encore plus interessant pour moi. Les différents passages, entre Minuscules et École, permettaient au livre de garder un bon rythme. Le seul point négatif, c'est probablement le manque d'informations! Mais c'est un tome 2 (relativement indépendant) donc ça explique des choses ahaha!

[lola · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! It was really interesting to read from the perspective of Celandine, and to find out what had happened all those years ago, and how The Various had come to the forest. The beginning was really interesting and I was immediately captivated. I loved the school bits, and especially when she was with The Various... Definitely recommend!

[Calais Reed · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quite depressing, I did not like it nearly as much as I liked the first book.

[Madeleine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Borrowed from library.

[Pip · Rating 5 out of 5]

complements 'the various' in such a fleshed out way that it entirely outshines it, this is an instant and heart-rending favorite

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up

[Robert Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enchanting read making you realise what is possible if only we know how to look for it, if indeed we know what to look for.
I look forward to reading the last in the trilogy.

[Ruby J · Rating 2 out of 5]

just excessively long and pretty boring. also the Various have terrible grammar and spelling and that's super annoying and hard to read

[Smiley C · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so sorry I forgot to click the 'hide entire review due to spoilers' box! Spoilers scattered like chocolate blocks throughout, read on at your own risk.

Here's a quality piece of children's fiction. Following a young girl through her struggles, both mundane and otherworldly, but equally hard, foreshadowed by Britain at war with the loss of her brother -- it is beautifully written, poignant and hypnotic.

Part of me read this because of her name, really. Isn't Celandine a pretty name for a girl?

She may seem stupid at times, her decisions really exasperating (oh just GO when Micas tell you to! Just leave the school!), but her character does grow on the reader. I find her quite relatable at times, and you've got to admit her bravery's utterly admirable (love how she stand up for Nina, and isn't it satisfying to see her prank on the dreadful headmistress?) Of course I'm also fascinated by the ghost girl, Celandine's gift and how that reminds me of Una. Talking of which, oh please, Una, stop dropping the ball!

The storytelling is superb. The flashbacks, her thought processes, and bringing back old characters -- oh Tommy! And Nina! -- all makes the story juicier.

There's depth too, when we get a taste of the horrible times of war.
There were too many new angels here, too many bright stone crosses, too many polished headstones and fresh wreaths. There were too many Freddies.
And it's heartbreaking to remember all this had happened: war, fire and blood and anguish, of all boys far too young being robbed of their innocence and lives.

Before I end this review, did I mention what a COINCIDENCE it's set in SOMERSET countryside and even mentions TAUNTON where I'm currently studying in a wonderful BOARDING SCHOOL?? While I didn't even look for this book! I just picked it up in Bristol central library where it winked at me! (and how funny I read it on a trip to Cardiff haha)

[Zosi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've finally managed to read the book all the way through this time (I think I started it twice but I kept getting sidetracked by other books and then forgetting about it) and I'm so glad I did because I really enjoyed it. Steve Augarde has such beautiful writing and I love the way he's able to paint vivid pictures of magical forests and austere boarding schools with just a few swipes of his pen.

However, I was kind of disappointed to find that most of the book was not about fairies. Rather, it was about the main character Celandine's life in an awful English boarding school-which was interesting in and of itself, but not what the book was marketed as. The fairies were really only in it for the last one hundred pages or so and even then they didn't really do much-the story doesn't have much by way of a final act. However, the story and characters are engaging enough that it was still a very fun read.

The multiple POVs, while interesting, were a bit confusing at times-especially at the beginning. When all the plot lines do intersect, they do it in very interesting ways-but it takes a long time for all of the pieces to add up and the book definitely has a few slow parts.

I hadn't read the first book in the series before I read this one, but I don't think I needed to. This is a prequel to the series, so I wasn't at all confused. In fact, I think the first book made more sense to me knowing what I know about the world in the book now.

SPOILERS
Although I was confused about how Celandine got her powers and how they work. Why does she have them? What are their limits? I would have liked to see more explanation.

END SPOILERS

The world building in this world is very good. It definitely does feel like the British countryside in the World War One era-and the real war versus the world of the fae provides an interesting contrast. Unfortunately, I would have liked to see more of the latter and less of the former. I did enjoy seeing the different varieties of the Various, which the author does such a good job developing.

In short, this book isn't exactly what I was expecting but I enjoyed it just the same. I'm definitely planning on reading the others in the series. It had enough magic to make it qualify as a fantasy book, but I would have liked to see more of it-it read a little bit like a historical fiction read to me. However, the writing quality was excellent and made the unreal seem even more magical. It's a nice book-just not what it's marketed as.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed by Joan Stradling for TeensReadToo.com

In book two of THE TOUCHSTONE TRILOGY, we are introduced to Celandine and her life in 1915.

Her governess is horrible and enjoys making her life miserable. When she's sent off to boarding school, she hopes things will be better. Instead, she discovers things can and do get worse. She's bullied and accused of being a witch, and to make matters worse, her country is at war with Germany.

When Celandine has the chance, she runs away from school and goes to the only place she thinks she'll be safe - the secret world of the little people.

Unfortunately, her existence among the Various doesn't stay safe. A new tribe, the Ickri, descend upon the forest. They bear the Touchstone and are seeking the Orbis. Unbeknownst to the tribe, their king has gained his power through deceit and murder. Now he's willing to do anything to obtain the Orbis, even if it means killing Celandine and the other tribes.

Like THE VARIOUS, CELANDINE is a thrilling book told from several different points of view as we are taken back in time before Midge's adventure to learn how the Various and Celandine became acquainted and come to a better understanding of the events mentioned in THE VARIOUS.

I enjoyed being introduced to CELANDINE, though I missed Midge and the characters in THE VARIOUS. I am looking forward to seeing how Midge and Celandine's stories wind up in WINTER WOOD, Augarde's final book in the trilogy.

[jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 2 in this series was definitely better then Book 1. The storyline is beginning to take more shape and it becomes clear that this book is not really about "faires" or "The Various" as they are called in the book, but instead about the family on who's land they reside, and the relationship that develops with this family across generations. In this light, this story, and this book in particular, is more about a young girl's struggles in her life and how her relationship with the little folk help her deal with who she is and the struggles that are happening for her. Subsequently, it is also about her impact on these people and their own struggles to find out who they are. I would again suggest this book to an older or more mature reader. It's quite a dense read and the themes are darker and there is much saddness and loss. But, it was good, the story does finally begin to take a more concrete shape, and I really, really liked the main character, Celandine, and found her situation to be very relatable, even across different time periods/generations. I would read book 3.

[Joani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now that I'm nearly done reading 'Celandine' I am wishing I had gone back and read 'The Various' to refresh my mind, which is rarely compared to a steel trap. However, there's always next time, and there will be a next time. 'Celandine' is the second in a trilogy which crosses the borders of time, existence and reality. In it, we get to meet Celandine, Midge's predecessor, made famous in 'The Various'. I always like a heroine who is extraordinary but even more ordinary and Celandine is that.
This second book takes us back to WWI and creates two very different worlds, which seem to mirror one-another despite the apparent contrasts. I enjoyed how Augarde was able to take this book, which is very much fantasy, and fill it with a strong sense or reality.
Perhaps I will have more to say when I am finished. In the meantime I am trying to figure out how to get my hands on the third book, which was just released in England...

[Purlewe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful story of the Various. There are 2 tales in this book. One is of the Ickri and their journey back to the Naiad to find the Orbis and reunite the Touchstone with it. The other of Celandine, which starts out as a little girl who fell down the hill during the Coronation party. While laying in the shade she first spies the Various in the trees.

The story follows Celandine while she is tormented in a horrible boarding school (being Austrian during WW1 was no picnic, but this school was already horrible before that!) She finally runs away to the Various.. who keep her safe and care for her.. until the day the warring tribe of Ickri show up. Then all falls over into confusion.

I won't give anything away after this.. but this 2nd book really keeps you interested to read the 3rd book. I am now searching to find myself a copy and find out the conclusion!

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sequel to 'The Various' or, actually, prequel: this takes us back to 1915 and the story of Celandine, Midge's ancestor and the first of her family to encounter the Various. This is very much a book of two halves: the story of Celandine, which is largely taken up with a long, miserable period of exile at a strictly-run boarding school peopled by hateful fellow-students and teachers who are little better and, running alongside that, the Ickri's pilgrimage from the cold north in search of their lost brother tribe, the Naiad. It's Celandine's escape from school that makes her seek refuge with the Various, and the arrival of the Ickri that leads to her banishment from their world the reason for which only becomes apparent to her too late.[return][return]Set against the background of the Great War, this is an unusual and poignant children's fantasy.

[Lire_o_clair_de_lune · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peut-être même meilleur que le premier, j'ai adoré.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rather more substantial than the first book in the series, this deals with the history hinted at in 'The Various' - Midge's great aunt Celandine and her encounters with the 'little people' (and various others, including the dreadful lot at Mount Pleasant school).

I found this book completely engrossing, and the depictions of the little folk are unlike most found in books. These are no charming, pretty little fairies or elves, but ragged little tribes eking out a meager existence in the woods, lives fraught with danger of discovery by the 'Gorji' (us) aswell as that posed by other tribes. Can't wait to complete the trilogy!

[Carly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely am in love with this book and Celandine and the Various themselves. I realize I started the series on the second book, but hopefully (it being a prequel) it didn't spoil too much fun. I found myself browsing the Teen section of the library and am surprised by the intriguing books I have added on my to read list. This book tells a timeless ageless story. I will be encouraging my 8 year old son to read it as well. For a "children's" or "teen" book it has absolutely no cheesiness whatsoever and is a really truly enjoyable read.

[Khizra Munan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book 12 years ago after finding it by chance at a flea market (I had read The Various previously), I had fallen in love with the books all those years ago because they gave me an escape into a world of my own in which I have spent the better of many days daydreaming in. I related to Celandine years ago as a young girl and now in my twenties, I find myself rereading this book to sometimes escape to a world in which only I knew of. I have probably reread it over 10/15 times and I will never forget this book ever.

[Yasmin]

I picked this up having no idea what it would be: no dust jacket information, the back cover only says, "Not everything in this world should be seen by us, nor should it be...", and I didn't have the time to read the first pages or find a book I'd actually heard of. If I had read the first few pages, I probably wouldn't have read it, but then I'd miss out on something amazing.

[Cupcake Girl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Celandine is a rather naughty girl which is half of what made this book so fun. When she attacks her evil governess, Miss Bell, and makes her leave, Celandine is sent to a boarding school. With Horrible teachers and nasty girls how will Celandine survive? Answer: She runs away 3 times. Once she runs away she seeks refuge with the various.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't wait to get my hands on this after finishing The Various, and it lived up to the anticipation. Definitely up there with The Stolen Child and every other wonderful magical children's adventure tale.