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New Legends of the Southwest #1
Coyote's Daughter
"What a pleasure Coyote's Daughter was to read." Bookish Ardour Trapped in a world where the legends of Tewa mythology walk free, a young girl must solve an ancient mystery in order to return to her own world. It is the beginning of summer, and twelve-year-old Maggie is angry about her family's move from San Diego to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Lonely and resentful at her new circumstances, Maggie and her dog Jack explore their new neighborhood and soon find the shady trail leading up to the Rio Grande. While playing by the river, Jack startles a strange young boy, Ash. Maggie is slowly drawn away from the real world of her family and into Ash's land, one populated by myths and legends. Threatening all is Shriveled Corn Man, a powerful sorcerer in search of vengeance for wrongs long past. Guided by the trickster Coyote and the cryptic Spider Old Woman, Maggie and Jack must travel across Ash's world in order to free their new friend and his people.
152 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 30, 2011
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280 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
August 23, 2012
Perhaps I've spent too much of my life running and participating in writing workshops. Maybe that's why I didn't start reading this book the instant I downloaded it. The author is someone I've come to deeply respect as a smart friend and creative collaborator. What would I say if I didn't like her book? How would I frame my "dangerous but useful" feedback? Luckily, my fears were for naught.
Coyote's Daughter takes place not far (and yet very far) from where I live, so I appreciated the careful and detailed rendering of this beautiful landscape. The writing is evocative and beautiful and uncluttered. The story is so engaging that I found myself thinking about the novel when I wasn't reading it. The characters are skillfully drawn; I especially liked Maggie's voice. She's a kid I'd like to meet (not to mention accompany on a hike in the bosque).
I recommend this book to readers who love to be transported to new and unfamiliar worlds near and far.
Coyote's Daughter takes place not far (and yet very far) from where I live, so I appreciated the careful and detailed rendering of this beautiful landscape. The writing is evocative and beautiful and uncluttered. The story is so engaging that I found myself thinking about the novel when I wasn't reading it. The characters are skillfully drawn; I especially liked Maggie's voice. She's a kid I'd like to meet (not to mention accompany on a hike in the bosque).
I recommend this book to readers who love to be transported to new and unfamiliar worlds near and far.
November 23, 2014
This excellent young adult fantasy struck me as the reverse of 'Twilight' in that Maggie leaves coastal San Diego for arid New Mexico. Her father will be working in an Anthropology Department and her mother with rockets in a lab. So it's just Maggie and her collie-cross Jack who will be displaced.
Maggie is a seasoned hiker as she and Jack wander off along irrigation channels in Albuquerque, but not without telling her parents where she will be and bringing a pack of essentials including drinking water and a dish for the dog. Lonely Maggie chats to a silent boy who sits gathering mud near the Rio Grande, and helps to free his hand from a rabbit snare.
Maggie joins her parents in a museum the next day, getting a sense of the three-hundred-year built history and people of the surrounding area. She seems to see a man reflected in glass, with sharp teeth, but nobody is there when she looks. When she meets the boy by the river again he says his name is Ash and thanks her for helping, giving her a turquoise necklace for good luck. That night she hears coyotes howling. Next Ash takes her to his home... an old-style Pueblo village, with ladders to the high doors and roofs. Only, this village isn't findable on any map. She starts dreaming about the village and a man who shapechanges into a coyote. He tells her Ash needs her help. If Maggie is to walk between two worlds to give aid, she'd better pack carefully.
I liked a lot about this book. Maggie's parents are cautious about where she goes and who she meets, but talk about this instead of issuing orders, and set sensible rules such as being back by dark and not going inside other houses. Having visited Southwest states I did think more heat and thirst would be evident; I got dehydrated fast. Maggie is admirable; an organised, self-reliant young woman who cares for others but doesn't always get things right or know what to do. She is lucky to have a loyal, herding dog, very much part of the story. The antagonist Shrivelled Corn Man has human, understandable reasons for becoming bitter and depraved; he's still a thoroughly nasty piece of work.
Corrie Weaver's writing style is admirable and the tale grabs us immediately, building up tension, location and a sense of other-worldliness. We can quickly see it's going to be a cracking adventure. Her cast - Bear Girl, Shrivelled Corn Man, Spider Old Woman - are at home in their world and teach us, along with the heroine, strength and survival.
This may well be the best YA book you'll read all year.
Maggie is a seasoned hiker as she and Jack wander off along irrigation channels in Albuquerque, but not without telling her parents where she will be and bringing a pack of essentials including drinking water and a dish for the dog. Lonely Maggie chats to a silent boy who sits gathering mud near the Rio Grande, and helps to free his hand from a rabbit snare.
Maggie joins her parents in a museum the next day, getting a sense of the three-hundred-year built history and people of the surrounding area. She seems to see a man reflected in glass, with sharp teeth, but nobody is there when she looks. When she meets the boy by the river again he says his name is Ash and thanks her for helping, giving her a turquoise necklace for good luck. That night she hears coyotes howling. Next Ash takes her to his home... an old-style Pueblo village, with ladders to the high doors and roofs. Only, this village isn't findable on any map. She starts dreaming about the village and a man who shapechanges into a coyote. He tells her Ash needs her help. If Maggie is to walk between two worlds to give aid, she'd better pack carefully.
I liked a lot about this book. Maggie's parents are cautious about where she goes and who she meets, but talk about this instead of issuing orders, and set sensible rules such as being back by dark and not going inside other houses. Having visited Southwest states I did think more heat and thirst would be evident; I got dehydrated fast. Maggie is admirable; an organised, self-reliant young woman who cares for others but doesn't always get things right or know what to do. She is lucky to have a loyal, herding dog, very much part of the story. The antagonist Shrivelled Corn Man has human, understandable reasons for becoming bitter and depraved; he's still a thoroughly nasty piece of work.
Corrie Weaver's writing style is admirable and the tale grabs us immediately, building up tension, location and a sense of other-worldliness. We can quickly see it's going to be a cracking adventure. Her cast - Bear Girl, Shrivelled Corn Man, Spider Old Woman - are at home in their world and teach us, along with the heroine, strength and survival.
This may well be the best YA book you'll read all year.
August 27, 2017
Coyote's Daughter by Corie J. Weaver is filled with magic and adventure in a tightly woven story that's nearly impossible to put down.
What Rick Riordan has done with Greek, Egyptian and Norse mythology, Weaver does with the legends of the native culture of the American Southwest, blending the stories and characters of old with a modern, young protagonist into books that are both compelling and (say it softly) educational.
Even better, Weaver applies her writing craft with as much style and talent as Riordan. In Coyote's Daughter, the first of her New Legends of the Southwest series, we meet Maggie, just graduated from sixth grade, and leaving her home in San Diego, California, when her father takes a new job in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Maggie misses her California life—a Victorian home with its detailed woodwork, the ocean, “beautiful, big and open,” and her best friend, Jenna. In Albuquerque, she sees a landscape “empty, barren and ugly,” a plain house, low and long, and unfriendly “friends,” who barely seem aware of her existence.
But she still has her faithful dog Jack, a border collie mixed with something or other. And soon, while hiking near the Rio Grande, she meets a strange boy, who would prove to be stranger than she could ever imagine. That begins Maggie’s adventure into a place of magic and lore, and of discovery of other cultures—and of who she really is, deep inside.
To say much more would risk spoiling the fun, but I can say that Coyote’s Daugher is a page-turning read for middle-graders and older. It's a bargain at $2.99 on Kindle, and an even bigger bargain (free!) on Kindle Unlimited.
What Rick Riordan has done with Greek, Egyptian and Norse mythology, Weaver does with the legends of the native culture of the American Southwest, blending the stories and characters of old with a modern, young protagonist into books that are both compelling and (say it softly) educational.
Even better, Weaver applies her writing craft with as much style and talent as Riordan. In Coyote's Daughter, the first of her New Legends of the Southwest series, we meet Maggie, just graduated from sixth grade, and leaving her home in San Diego, California, when her father takes a new job in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Maggie misses her California life—a Victorian home with its detailed woodwork, the ocean, “beautiful, big and open,” and her best friend, Jenna. In Albuquerque, she sees a landscape “empty, barren and ugly,” a plain house, low and long, and unfriendly “friends,” who barely seem aware of her existence.
But she still has her faithful dog Jack, a border collie mixed with something or other. And soon, while hiking near the Rio Grande, she meets a strange boy, who would prove to be stranger than she could ever imagine. That begins Maggie’s adventure into a place of magic and lore, and of discovery of other cultures—and of who she really is, deep inside.
To say much more would risk spoiling the fun, but I can say that Coyote’s Daugher is a page-turning read for middle-graders and older. It's a bargain at $2.99 on Kindle, and an even bigger bargain (free!) on Kindle Unlimited.
November 22, 2017
Summary: Young Maggie has just moved from California to New Mexico. To her, the move couldn’t have been any more dramatic. Now she has to get used to arid desert with a Native American flair as well as attempting to make new friends. But try as she might, she can’t seem to break into the friendship groups already formed between the neighborhood children, so she finds herself exploring and taking long walks with Jack, not only her dog, but her constant companion and without him she really would be alone in this new world. Until she meets a strange boy during her exploration. The boy takes her back to his home, which looks oddly like an ancient Native American dwelling, but yet the village looks only recently vacated. He tells her that the village is plagued by an evil sorcerer named Shriveled Corn Man and that all of the villagers had been turned into ravens. The strange boy entrusts the oxuwa, the small statue that embodies the power of the village, to Maggie while he battles the sorcerer. But Maggie eventually ends up having to face him herself, with only guidance by the spirits and the hopes of her friends bolstering her.
Comments: This was a fascinating blending of paranormal/time travel mixed with Native American culture. Jack, Maggie’s faithful dog, was an inspiration to include in the story and brightened up every scene he was in. The only quibbles I had with it was the cover sold me on this being a YA story, so I was more than a little surprised to find the heroine was very young with the maturity of a pre-teen (I was wavering throughout the story of this feeling too young for my tastes, but I do like wholesome stories and this certainly is one with her making very imaginative friends along the way -though I had to groan at the bear-shifters. The market is positively flooded with bear-shifter stories right now- and introducing her to a new culture), and I felt the final showdown with just Maggie on her own felt more than a little cliché as in she had made all these friends along the way, but then when it came down to the final battle, they all too-conveniently couldn’t accompany her. In all, it’s a fun, entertaining adventure with an exotic flair and plenty of shape-shifting and magic.
Comments: This was a fascinating blending of paranormal/time travel mixed with Native American culture. Jack, Maggie’s faithful dog, was an inspiration to include in the story and brightened up every scene he was in. The only quibbles I had with it was the cover sold me on this being a YA story, so I was more than a little surprised to find the heroine was very young with the maturity of a pre-teen (I was wavering throughout the story of this feeling too young for my tastes, but I do like wholesome stories and this certainly is one with her making very imaginative friends along the way -though I had to groan at the bear-shifters. The market is positively flooded with bear-shifter stories right now- and introducing her to a new culture), and I felt the final showdown with just Maggie on her own felt more than a little cliché as in she had made all these friends along the way, but then when it came down to the final battle, they all too-conveniently couldn’t accompany her. In all, it’s a fun, entertaining adventure with an exotic flair and plenty of shape-shifting and magic.
August 16, 2017
I really enjoyed the lore and premise behind the story. My only disappointment was that the main character and "savior" was an outsider.
November 7, 2013
Coyote's Daughter by Corie Weaver is an urban fantasy with deep roots in Native American legends for the middle grade through high school set. In the middle of summer twelve year old Maggie and her family move from San Diego to Albuquerque, New Mexico. She is less than thrilled about the move, but is an experienced hiker and explores her new world with her dog Jake. While exploring around the Rio Grande the pair discover Ash, a strange boy stuck in a trap. After freeing and befriending him Maggie is slowly drawn into a world of Tewa mythology and legend in which Ash is trying to defeat the twisted Shriveled Corn Man, who seeks to destroy Ash's village for their treatment of him as a child. Can Maggie get the help of the trickster Coyote and powerful Spider Old Woman by traveling through Ash's world, or will she and Jake fall prey to evil magic and stay captive with no hopes to return home.
Coyote's Daughter is a great book for readers that enjoy being introduced to mythologies that they did not know previously. The characters come to life on the page, and I had trouble putting the book down when I needed to do important things, like cook dinner or get some sleep. Maggie is a strong character, and even though she is not happy about her families move, after she expresses her feelings and knows that she cannot change her situation, she makes the best of it. I like her attitude and ability to do what needs to be done rather than whining about things beyond her control. She takes action, prepares herself well even when she thinks it might not be necessary (just in case), and generally thinks before she acts. I liked that she uses her intelligence and spunk to get things done rather than relying on luck or someone else to save her. Ash is a appropriately mysterious and sympathetic character, with motivations and adventures of his own.
I really know my Roman and Greek mythology, and bits of Native American legends, so I recognized bits and pieces of the legends used. However, I am much more aware of the legends from the Native American tribes in my area, that I was glad to learn bits from other regions. Getting these glimpses of legends always inspires me to learn more about the related culture and more legends from the area. I look forward to seeing where Weaver takes her New Legends of the Southwest series next in Bear's Heart.
Readers that like action, adventure, mythology, magic, survival, and coming of age tales will find something here that they can enjoy. There is a little bit of everything here, and the combination is just right as far as I am concerned. I think that middle school and high school students will enjoy this the most, but adults that enjoy children and teen literature should give this series a chance as well. I downloaded this book for free for my Kindle application through Amazon.
Coyote's Daughter is a great book for readers that enjoy being introduced to mythologies that they did not know previously. The characters come to life on the page, and I had trouble putting the book down when I needed to do important things, like cook dinner or get some sleep. Maggie is a strong character, and even though she is not happy about her families move, after she expresses her feelings and knows that she cannot change her situation, she makes the best of it. I like her attitude and ability to do what needs to be done rather than whining about things beyond her control. She takes action, prepares herself well even when she thinks it might not be necessary (just in case), and generally thinks before she acts. I liked that she uses her intelligence and spunk to get things done rather than relying on luck or someone else to save her. Ash is a appropriately mysterious and sympathetic character, with motivations and adventures of his own.
I really know my Roman and Greek mythology, and bits of Native American legends, so I recognized bits and pieces of the legends used. However, I am much more aware of the legends from the Native American tribes in my area, that I was glad to learn bits from other regions. Getting these glimpses of legends always inspires me to learn more about the related culture and more legends from the area. I look forward to seeing where Weaver takes her New Legends of the Southwest series next in Bear's Heart.
Readers that like action, adventure, mythology, magic, survival, and coming of age tales will find something here that they can enjoy. There is a little bit of everything here, and the combination is just right as far as I am concerned. I think that middle school and high school students will enjoy this the most, but adults that enjoy children and teen literature should give this series a chance as well. I downloaded this book for free for my Kindle application through Amazon.
February 22, 2014
My copy was provided by Netgalley.
Maggie just moved to New Mexico because of her parents. She lost all her friends except for her dog Jack and she isn't sure she wants to make any new ones. To occupy her time, Maggie and Jack explore the woods near her new home. What they discover change their lives forever.
One day, they find a boy named Ash who comes from a different world entirely different from Maggie's. In Ash's world, there is magic, shape shifters, and power. Myths and legend come alive in this land which is threatened by the Shriveled Corn Man. He wants revenge on all who wronged him and he will stop at nothing until his vengeance is sated. Maggie must stop the Shriveled Corn Man and save Ash before the Shriveled Corn Man destroys this land that Ash loves.
The mythology in this book was very interesting. I always love to learn about mythology and these myths were definitely unique. This book helped me see what the magic is like in the Tewa mythology. I'm now inspired to learn more about these legends that just came alive in this book.
Maggie was relatable to me. I moved a lot when I was little and I felt just like Maggie did: not happy. She was also brave and strong. She never whined or gave up. Even when she could've died, she rose above the challenge and never backed down. Instead of relying on others or some special "powers", Maggie relied on her own intelligence and cunning to face her challenges. It was fun to see what Maggie came up with. She made complicated things seem so easy.
Jack was awesome. He was so loyal and would help Maggie no matter what, even though he is a dog and if it meant risking his life. He seemed to be able to understand Maggie and you could really feel not just the loyalty he felt for Maggie, but the friendship and love they both shared with each other.
Ash was mysterious and filled with secrets. He was interesting and I loved to learn more about him because he never revealed much about himself. He wasn't some dumb jock who wants to protect Maggie from everything. He would do anything to save his family and his village, even if it meant sacrificing himself.
The end seemed a little too quick for my tastes. All the action in the book ended pretty quickly and I wasn't entirely satisfied with it. Also, sometimes the legends were a bit confusing. I think it would've helped if the reader was eased into the legends rather being thrust head first into them.
But I will definitely read the sequel and I can't wait to learn what happens next!
Maggie just moved to New Mexico because of her parents. She lost all her friends except for her dog Jack and she isn't sure she wants to make any new ones. To occupy her time, Maggie and Jack explore the woods near her new home. What they discover change their lives forever.
One day, they find a boy named Ash who comes from a different world entirely different from Maggie's. In Ash's world, there is magic, shape shifters, and power. Myths and legend come alive in this land which is threatened by the Shriveled Corn Man. He wants revenge on all who wronged him and he will stop at nothing until his vengeance is sated. Maggie must stop the Shriveled Corn Man and save Ash before the Shriveled Corn Man destroys this land that Ash loves.
The mythology in this book was very interesting. I always love to learn about mythology and these myths were definitely unique. This book helped me see what the magic is like in the Tewa mythology. I'm now inspired to learn more about these legends that just came alive in this book.
Maggie was relatable to me. I moved a lot when I was little and I felt just like Maggie did: not happy. She was also brave and strong. She never whined or gave up. Even when she could've died, she rose above the challenge and never backed down. Instead of relying on others or some special "powers", Maggie relied on her own intelligence and cunning to face her challenges. It was fun to see what Maggie came up with. She made complicated things seem so easy.
Jack was awesome. He was so loyal and would help Maggie no matter what, even though he is a dog and if it meant risking his life. He seemed to be able to understand Maggie and you could really feel not just the loyalty he felt for Maggie, but the friendship and love they both shared with each other.
Ash was mysterious and filled with secrets. He was interesting and I loved to learn more about him because he never revealed much about himself. He wasn't some dumb jock who wants to protect Maggie from everything. He would do anything to save his family and his village, even if it meant sacrificing himself.
The end seemed a little too quick for my tastes. All the action in the book ended pretty quickly and I wasn't entirely satisfied with it. Also, sometimes the legends were a bit confusing. I think it would've helped if the reader was eased into the legends rather being thrust head first into them.
But I will definitely read the sequel and I can't wait to learn what happens next!
February 27, 2015
An Engaging Modern Reinterpretation
For a younger reader it can be hard to read original myth and legend collections. Often the stories are incomplete, allegorical, or ambiguous - which can be frustrating for a reader who is just starting out on more demanding fare. I sometimes think this accounts in part for the popularity of modern books that recast Grimm fairy tales, or rework old Celtic and Arthurian tales.
Well, that can be true for Native American, and especially Puebloan, stories. You have numerous origin stories, Kokopelli and Trickster stories, Coyote stories, Spider Woman tales, and so on. And, of course, if you read the originals they aren't tied at all to the modern world.
In this book we have a modern girl, Maggie, who can travel between our world and the world of myth and legend. A reader is grounded in today's Albuquerque, (which is interesting itself), and then transported, like our heroine is, into an older, deeper and more mystical world. As a result you get a fine "time travel" adventure, some action and suspense, and a decent introduction to some of the major figures in Southwestern, and especially Tewa, traditions.
The book is crisply written, with a direct style and fast pace. There are some nice grace notes and marginal bits, (like Maggie's relationship with her parents), that add a bit of depth and realism to the story. That makes the mystical events even more dramatic and other-worldly. Our heroine is smart and resourceful, without being some sort of super-heroine, which also makes the story seem more plausible and the heroine's adventures more accessible.
The upshot for me is that this book seemed like an entertaining and manageable and generally well-crafted way to introduce a reader to Southwestern myth and legend, and to do so in a clear and satisfying way. A nice find for a younger reader.
Please note that I found this book while browsing Amazon Kindle freebies. I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
For a younger reader it can be hard to read original myth and legend collections. Often the stories are incomplete, allegorical, or ambiguous - which can be frustrating for a reader who is just starting out on more demanding fare. I sometimes think this accounts in part for the popularity of modern books that recast Grimm fairy tales, or rework old Celtic and Arthurian tales.
Well, that can be true for Native American, and especially Puebloan, stories. You have numerous origin stories, Kokopelli and Trickster stories, Coyote stories, Spider Woman tales, and so on. And, of course, if you read the originals they aren't tied at all to the modern world.
In this book we have a modern girl, Maggie, who can travel between our world and the world of myth and legend. A reader is grounded in today's Albuquerque, (which is interesting itself), and then transported, like our heroine is, into an older, deeper and more mystical world. As a result you get a fine "time travel" adventure, some action and suspense, and a decent introduction to some of the major figures in Southwestern, and especially Tewa, traditions.
The book is crisply written, with a direct style and fast pace. There are some nice grace notes and marginal bits, (like Maggie's relationship with her parents), that add a bit of depth and realism to the story. That makes the mystical events even more dramatic and other-worldly. Our heroine is smart and resourceful, without being some sort of super-heroine, which also makes the story seem more plausible and the heroine's adventures more accessible.
The upshot for me is that this book seemed like an entertaining and manageable and generally well-crafted way to introduce a reader to Southwestern myth and legend, and to do so in a clear and satisfying way. A nice find for a younger reader.
Please note that I found this book while browsing Amazon Kindle freebies. I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
August 25, 2023
First of all I don't know if I was just too old to appreciate the book for it seems like it may have at one time caught my attention. That and the fact that it reminded me of yet another book that is similar but more related to adult reading while taking place on the Pacific Coast instead of in the Southwest Desert.
The idea was charming and original otherwise while bringing in a new type of environment for a genre that has seen plenty of readers. Although it holds similarities to may other books from the same class there was enough creativity and new elements to allow it hold its own.
Unfortunately to me the characters didn't seem really well developed while there were a few tendencies for them to be truly irritating. Instead when it came to the characters they seemed like there were some parts that may have stood out but altogether they were completely annoying.
I would have loved to know the backstory to Ash instead of having it implied about his origins. What could have made him different when compared to Young Corn Man? Was he really one of the Animal Folks? And who was the sister of his that they chose to give him yet wasn't important enough to end the story with? Meanwhile the hundred dollar question is why is this book called what it is when we weren't given any suggestions - could it just be a honorary title due to the way she helped the book come to its end?
Otherwise the plot ran rather slow at times and seemed to be kind of repetitive. Only towards the end do things seem to pick up and hold the attention of the reader who wants to know what is going on and how it will all finish.
In the end it was a good story with both its good and bad parts so it will be up to the individual reader on whether the book is a good fit or not. The second book looks like it may be from Bear Girl and it sounds a bunch more interesting so I may have to keep my eye out for that since even for a cheap price I cannot really afford it with all that is going on right now.
The idea was charming and original otherwise while bringing in a new type of environment for a genre that has seen plenty of readers. Although it holds similarities to may other books from the same class there was enough creativity and new elements to allow it hold its own.
Unfortunately to me the characters didn't seem really well developed while there were a few tendencies for them to be truly irritating. Instead when it came to the characters they seemed like there were some parts that may have stood out but altogether they were completely annoying.
I would have loved to know the backstory to Ash instead of having it implied about his origins. What could have made him different when compared to Young Corn Man? Was he really one of the Animal Folks? And who was the sister of his that they chose to give him yet wasn't important enough to end the story with? Meanwhile the hundred dollar question is why is this book called what it is when we weren't given any suggestions - could it just be a honorary title due to the way she helped the book come to its end?
Otherwise the plot ran rather slow at times and seemed to be kind of repetitive. Only towards the end do things seem to pick up and hold the attention of the reader who wants to know what is going on and how it will all finish.
In the end it was a good story with both its good and bad parts so it will be up to the individual reader on whether the book is a good fit or not. The second book looks like it may be from Bear Girl and it sounds a bunch more interesting so I may have to keep my eye out for that since even for a cheap price I cannot really afford it with all that is going on right now.
October 19, 2011
What a pleasure Coyote’s Daughter was to read. Here is an example of why self-published authors should not be stigmatised and instead given a go. Straight away I was appreciating several elements of the story; being able to see how well written grammar and sentence structure wise it was within the first few pages, being introduced to the main character Maggie and being able to glean an idea of her personality while the story was carried forward as opposed to pausing the narrative to introduce the character, having surroundings described without being inundated with detail. All of this was enough to sell the story to me and get me hooked within the first five pages.
It does help that I’m a sucker for folklore and mythology, especially with Spanish folklore, combined with modern world perspective. I love how the fantasy setting isn’t what’s now a cliché, such as Pict and Celtic backgrounds, and what I appreciated even more was the story took place mostly at her house, on this trail, around and in Ash’s village, but didn’t feel as though the story was restricted because of it.
Maggie is a likeable character and yes she is unhappy about her family moving, but I picked up more loneliness compared to resentment. In fact, the impression I have of Maggie is of someone who is very thoughtful, worrying about how her parents were feeling, and able to move on from negative feelings brought about by the move. It probably helps the other characters she meets are just as likeable and readable.
For the rest of the review please visit www.bookishardour.com
It does help that I’m a sucker for folklore and mythology, especially with Spanish folklore, combined with modern world perspective. I love how the fantasy setting isn’t what’s now a cliché, such as Pict and Celtic backgrounds, and what I appreciated even more was the story took place mostly at her house, on this trail, around and in Ash’s village, but didn’t feel as though the story was restricted because of it.
Maggie is a likeable character and yes she is unhappy about her family moving, but I picked up more loneliness compared to resentment. In fact, the impression I have of Maggie is of someone who is very thoughtful, worrying about how her parents were feeling, and able to move on from negative feelings brought about by the move. It probably helps the other characters she meets are just as likeable and readable.
For the rest of the review please visit www.bookishardour.com
December 18, 2014
As an avid sci-fi/fantasy reader, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. With the believable characters and smooth story line I was engrossed in the story so much I could not put the book down.
I found Maggie easy to relate to on many levels, and drew similarities between her decisions and my own. This was an easy enjoyable read that can be appreciated by all ages.
The ONE thing I would change about this book... it seemed to end too quickly. After all the suspense and the long and treacherous journey to the finish line, I felt a little empty about how swiftly things were tied up.
Thank you Corie for a great read! I look forward to the next adventure you send us on.
I found Maggie easy to relate to on many levels, and drew similarities between her decisions and my own. This was an easy enjoyable read that can be appreciated by all ages.
The ONE thing I would change about this book... it seemed to end too quickly. After all the suspense and the long and treacherous journey to the finish line, I felt a little empty about how swiftly things were tied up.
Thank you Corie for a great read! I look forward to the next adventure you send us on.
July 15, 2013
I really enjoyed this book, yet as I try to write about why, I am finding it difficult to do so without spoiling the plot. It is a journey of adolescent self-discovery with all of the required elements, and the First People's theme makes it a refreshing read. The story moves along in a gentle and entertaining way, and suddenly the book was over and I was left wondering where the time went. Suitable for even the youngest YA readers, this book could easily become a classic.
December 10, 2012
don't know why it was called coyote's daughter. but anyway. this is a brilliant book that I just happened to find for free on amazon.
only took an hour to finish, but don't let that put you off. as I found this book to be wonderfully original and a bit of fresh air. will be looking forward to more from this author.
only took an hour to finish, but don't let that put you off. as I found this book to be wonderfully original and a bit of fresh air. will be looking forward to more from this author.
February 2, 2013
I picked it up on a whim. I'm a mythology nut, so when I read the synopsis, I liked the idea, and I wasn't disappointed. It's obvious it's a YA novel, but the plot, mythology and writing's all good enough that I'm giving serious thought to buying the next one(s) in the series. We'll see how my finances pan out in the next couple weeks.
August 16, 2012
Simple, lovely, vivid. So nice to have a YA fantasy with a female protagonist who isn't dithering over this boy or that boy. Nicely crafted in setting and mythology.
January 12, 2013
Is a great book to read
October 21, 2015
Engrossing story. Well written.
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