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Saga of the Light Isles #2
Foxmask
Foxmask is the continuation of the tale started in Wolfskin, a story of the clash between the warlike Norsemen and the mysterious and magical people who lived at the top of the world in the land that became Scotland. Young Eyvind wanted to become a great Viking warrior-a Wolfskin-and carry honor out in the name of his god, Thor. He and his kin traveled to a magical land across the sea, a windswept and barren place, but one filled with unexpected beauty and hidden treasure. Eyvind and his people settle and he finds a soulmate in young Nessa, seer and princess. But someone has come along to this new land who is not what he seems. Eyvind's heartfriend Somerled had his own agenda . . . and his machinations nearly destroyed all that the two peoples had built. Truth and honor triumphed and though a terrible price was paid, peace has settled upon the land. A new generation is coming to adulthood: Norse and Orkney folk together. But the past is a thing that may be shunned but not forgotten. And when the terrible secret surrounding one young man's paternity comes to light, it sets in motion a chain of events that could send the best and brightest of the land on a journey to discover the truth. And that truth could destroy whatever joy these people have ever known.
670 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
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January 15, 2020
4.5 stars
Such a terrific book! This was a fantastic follow up to Wolfskin, following the story of some of the next generation - Creidhe, Thorvald and Sam. Having read several of Marillier's previous books I had an idea about how the story would play out, but it turned out very differently than I had initially expected.
This is quite a dense story, with many layers and events, but all as well done as I anticipated it would be. As usual, characterisation is very strong, and the story kept me so interested that I switched from audio to print because I couldn't focus on reading anything else while in the midst of this. That said, the audio was excellent, with narrator Saskia Maarleveld providing a flawless reading.
Such a terrific book! This was a fantastic follow up to Wolfskin, following the story of some of the next generation - Creidhe, Thorvald and Sam. Having read several of Marillier's previous books I had an idea about how the story would play out, but it turned out very differently than I had initially expected.
This is quite a dense story, with many layers and events, but all as well done as I anticipated it would be. As usual, characterisation is very strong, and the story kept me so interested that I switched from audio to print because I couldn't focus on reading anything else while in the midst of this. That said, the audio was excellent, with narrator Saskia Maarleveld providing a flawless reading.
April 19, 2019
If you don’t like the love interest in a Juliet Marillier book, your experience is doomed. This is the first time this has happened to me (or maybe the second, if you count Cybele’s Secret, but that was more ambivalence than dislike, and I disliked the heroine even more, so I don’t think it counts).
The book started out promisingly enough, with a different kind of hero to Marillier’s normal type. He was actually indifferent and even kind of a jerk to the heroine! I thought it would be interesting to see how he grew and developed. Then I became unsure whether he would even be the love interest, or if it might be Sam instead, since he seemed to fit the nice guy mould more. That could set it up for some conflict between Thorvald and Sam and/or Creidhe and her younger sister. I enjoyed the first half of the book as it built up towards the inevitable confrontation.
My expectation was that it would be one of these two men, and I definitely wasn’t expecting some rando guy to come along from nowhere at the halfway mark and have Creidhe fall inexplicably, passionately in love with him in the space of a few days. I mean, sure, there was the episode where he nurses her back to health, keeping her warm with his body and the other intimacies such a convalescence entails. There was also his reverence of her as his “goddess”, which, if you ask me, was a bit much, and his respect for her handicraft (unlike Thorvald). And there was his devotion to his dead sister and nephew. Other than that, and even despite these things, I cannot see what Creidhe saw in Keeper to draw her to him. I remain convinced, despite Marillier’s attempts to persuade me otherwise, that it would actually be possible to have someone of the opposite sex take care of you while you’re sick, and NOT fall in love with them. He sounded completely unattractive to me. I was just like, “girrrrrrl, NO! Ewwww!”Apparently as long as you are ridiculously solicitous, patient, gentle, considerate, constantly gazing at the heroine and asking her personal questions, she will fall in love with you. I need more – some personality, perhaps. Maybe a sense of humour. More than a slavish sense of devotion and fanatical loyalty, anyway. Every time she experienced a moment of physical attraction to him, I was like, “yuck yuck yuck yuck yuck!” And during the hunt I was chanting, “Die die die die die!” Does that make me cold-hearted?
If so, I’m not the only one, because Keeper had an absolute heart of ice towards the men he killed. And this was a big problem for me, that it wasn’t a big problem for Creidhe. She understood why the men of the Long Knife people undertook the hunt, and felt bad for the men Keeper had killed and how they’d been treated after death, but Keeper didn’t fall in her estimation because of it. Shouldn’t his complete lack of sympathy, empathy and remorse towards these men have given her more pause? It seemed to me he was incredibly gentle and protective towards those he loved, but if you harm one of his dear ones, he will hunt you down, torture and kill you if necessary, and hang your body out so you get no rest after death – and it will only be what you deserve. That sounds more like a psychopath to me than potential husband material. There have been many men in our history who have been wonderful towards their wives and children while ruthlessly dispatching their enemies. And they are not good role models. These men were not just coming for the fun of it, but to save their children’s lives; nor am I sure they knew what would happen to Foxmask in the ritual. For him to be so callous towards them sat very badly with me.
Keeper was the main thing that dragged the second half down for me, but he wasn’t the only thing. With the whole book building up to the Hunt, I found the actual event to be quite anticlimactic. I was looking forward to the whole two-day affair, and I couldn’t believe it when Thorvald sent all the men back after the first day. That was the stupidest thing ever, and I’ve started to notice how Marillier gets her characters to do things she wants them to, that seem ridiculous and dumb, simply by them ‘knowing in their hearts’ that it’s the right thing. Even the intellectual ones, like Thorvald, know when to listen to their hearts at the convenient moment to do something that sounds utterly absurd. I’m sure that with the whole contingent to help, Thorvald and his men could’ve got Foxmask out of that cave on the second day without too much trouble. Sure, it all worked out in the end, but Thorvald couldn’t have known that. And sending the men back at the start of the second day just screamed, “It’s a trap!” Stupid, ridiculous and foolish.
I also didn’t appreciate how the three original friends treated each other throughout the book. I know, that was partly the point, but I don’t enjoy reading about friendships gone wrong. Thorvald was a jerk to both Creidhe and Sam, but Sam and Creidhe both repeatedly accused Thorvald of selfish motives in helping out the Long Knife people when, for once, he was actually acting from basically pure motives in that situation. I wouldn’t have minded if their accusations were fair, but it wasn’t pleasant to read the repeated recriminations and attacks of those closest to him – it must have been demoralising, particularly when he was already given to so much self-loathing, doubt and fear.
Speaking of Thorvald’s self-hate, I’m still unclear how exactly he went from being an emo teenager to such a great, encouraging leader. Particularly when he is still such a jerk to Creidhe. I would have thought his transformation would have been more well-rounded?
The most infuriating part of the second half, though (other than Creidhe’s bad love interest), was Thorvald’s Lie. UGH. I had to stop listening for a little bit because I was so vexed. Marillier gives us some insight into why he felt it was necessary, but I didn’t buy it. They were travelling away from the island where the guy lives, the tide to that island was only (normally) passable two days a year, and pretty soon she will be travelling back to her home islands. If there’s one place in all the world where a girl can feel pretty safe from her (alleged) violator, it’s here. Thorvald does NOT need to betray her trust by telling her the guy’s dead. Marillier evidently just thought the story would be improved by Creidhe going home depressed and literally wasting away for a while. No. That was just infuriating too. The whole thing was dumb.
Just one more gripe with the book and then I’m done: I wasn’t on board with the rewriting of history when it came to Somerled. The way his internal monologue went, it made it sound like he was sort of well-intentioned when he was younger, but despite himself, everything he touched turned to ashes. His recent reluctance to act stemmed from his fear that even now he might do terrible things if he gained power, so he couldn’t trust himself. As if that’s how it happened before; he acted like an evil megalomaniac despite himself.
Um, that’s not how I remembered it. He raped women. Repeatedly. He deliberately, systematically usurped his brother’s position to gain power, fomented division between his own people and the natives, burned people to death in their homes and was about to kill his own best friend. That’s no “oops, things didn’t turn out as planned.” It’s not like he was helplessly falling down this destructive path, perhaps being led astray by others or through contrary circumstances. That’s all coldly, calmly premeditated and executed. It’s nice to imagine Somerled turning over a new leaf, but I don’t buy this interpretation of the past, and frankly, I don’t really, truly buy that Brother Neale is Somerled 18 years later. In my mind, they’re two different characters. There is a cognitive dissonance there. Also, as a side note, from what I’ve seen in real life, terrible people can definitely repent and reform, but they tend to energetically devote themselves to doing good afterwards, rather than hold back from any action in fear of what they might do.
In spite of all of this, I definitely won’t give up on Juliet Marillier, because I know she can write amazing stories. Sometimes. I just hope I approve of the next love interest. I could have forgiven all of the other irritations if I’d liked the dude. It makes all the difference!
The book started out promisingly enough, with a different kind of hero to Marillier’s normal type. He was actually indifferent and even kind of a jerk to the heroine! I thought it would be interesting to see how he grew and developed. Then I became unsure whether he would even be the love interest, or if it might be Sam instead, since he seemed to fit the nice guy mould more. That could set it up for some conflict between Thorvald and Sam and/or Creidhe and her younger sister. I enjoyed the first half of the book as it built up towards the inevitable confrontation.
My expectation was that it would be one of these two men, and I definitely wasn’t expecting some rando guy to come along from nowhere at the halfway mark and have Creidhe fall inexplicably, passionately in love with him in the space of a few days. I mean, sure, there was the episode where he nurses her back to health, keeping her warm with his body and the other intimacies such a convalescence entails. There was also his reverence of her as his “goddess”, which, if you ask me, was a bit much, and his respect for her handicraft (unlike Thorvald). And there was his devotion to his dead sister and nephew. Other than that, and even despite these things, I cannot see what Creidhe saw in Keeper to draw her to him. I remain convinced, despite Marillier’s attempts to persuade me otherwise, that it would actually be possible to have someone of the opposite sex take care of you while you’re sick, and NOT fall in love with them. He sounded completely unattractive to me. I was just like, “girrrrrrl, NO! Ewwww!”Apparently as long as you are ridiculously solicitous, patient, gentle, considerate, constantly gazing at the heroine and asking her personal questions, she will fall in love with you. I need more – some personality, perhaps. Maybe a sense of humour. More than a slavish sense of devotion and fanatical loyalty, anyway. Every time she experienced a moment of physical attraction to him, I was like, “yuck yuck yuck yuck yuck!” And during the hunt I was chanting, “Die die die die die!” Does that make me cold-hearted?
If so, I’m not the only one, because Keeper had an absolute heart of ice towards the men he killed. And this was a big problem for me, that it wasn’t a big problem for Creidhe. She understood why the men of the Long Knife people undertook the hunt, and felt bad for the men Keeper had killed and how they’d been treated after death, but Keeper didn’t fall in her estimation because of it. Shouldn’t his complete lack of sympathy, empathy and remorse towards these men have given her more pause? It seemed to me he was incredibly gentle and protective towards those he loved, but if you harm one of his dear ones, he will hunt you down, torture and kill you if necessary, and hang your body out so you get no rest after death – and it will only be what you deserve. That sounds more like a psychopath to me than potential husband material. There have been many men in our history who have been wonderful towards their wives and children while ruthlessly dispatching their enemies. And they are not good role models. These men were not just coming for the fun of it, but to save their children’s lives; nor am I sure they knew what would happen to Foxmask in the ritual. For him to be so callous towards them sat very badly with me.
Keeper was the main thing that dragged the second half down for me, but he wasn’t the only thing. With the whole book building up to the Hunt, I found the actual event to be quite anticlimactic. I was looking forward to the whole two-day affair, and I couldn’t believe it when Thorvald sent all the men back after the first day. That was the stupidest thing ever, and I’ve started to notice how Marillier gets her characters to do things she wants them to, that seem ridiculous and dumb, simply by them ‘knowing in their hearts’ that it’s the right thing. Even the intellectual ones, like Thorvald, know when to listen to their hearts at the convenient moment to do something that sounds utterly absurd. I’m sure that with the whole contingent to help, Thorvald and his men could’ve got Foxmask out of that cave on the second day without too much trouble. Sure, it all worked out in the end, but Thorvald couldn’t have known that. And sending the men back at the start of the second day just screamed, “It’s a trap!” Stupid, ridiculous and foolish.
I also didn’t appreciate how the three original friends treated each other throughout the book. I know, that was partly the point, but I don’t enjoy reading about friendships gone wrong. Thorvald was a jerk to both Creidhe and Sam, but Sam and Creidhe both repeatedly accused Thorvald of selfish motives in helping out the Long Knife people when, for once, he was actually acting from basically pure motives in that situation. I wouldn’t have minded if their accusations were fair, but it wasn’t pleasant to read the repeated recriminations and attacks of those closest to him – it must have been demoralising, particularly when he was already given to so much self-loathing, doubt and fear.
Speaking of Thorvald’s self-hate, I’m still unclear how exactly he went from being an emo teenager to such a great, encouraging leader. Particularly when he is still such a jerk to Creidhe. I would have thought his transformation would have been more well-rounded?
The most infuriating part of the second half, though (other than Creidhe’s bad love interest), was Thorvald’s Lie. UGH. I had to stop listening for a little bit because I was so vexed. Marillier gives us some insight into why he felt it was necessary, but I didn’t buy it. They were travelling away from the island where the guy lives, the tide to that island was only (normally) passable two days a year, and pretty soon she will be travelling back to her home islands. If there’s one place in all the world where a girl can feel pretty safe from her (alleged) violator, it’s here. Thorvald does NOT need to betray her trust by telling her the guy’s dead. Marillier evidently just thought the story would be improved by Creidhe going home depressed and literally wasting away for a while. No. That was just infuriating too. The whole thing was dumb.
Just one more gripe with the book and then I’m done: I wasn’t on board with the rewriting of history when it came to Somerled. The way his internal monologue went, it made it sound like he was sort of well-intentioned when he was younger, but despite himself, everything he touched turned to ashes. His recent reluctance to act stemmed from his fear that even now he might do terrible things if he gained power, so he couldn’t trust himself. As if that’s how it happened before; he acted like an evil megalomaniac despite himself.
Um, that’s not how I remembered it. He raped women. Repeatedly. He deliberately, systematically usurped his brother’s position to gain power, fomented division between his own people and the natives, burned people to death in their homes and was about to kill his own best friend. That’s no “oops, things didn’t turn out as planned.” It’s not like he was helplessly falling down this destructive path, perhaps being led astray by others or through contrary circumstances. That’s all coldly, calmly premeditated and executed. It’s nice to imagine Somerled turning over a new leaf, but I don’t buy this interpretation of the past, and frankly, I don’t really, truly buy that Brother Neale is Somerled 18 years later. In my mind, they’re two different characters. There is a cognitive dissonance there. Also, as a side note, from what I’ve seen in real life, terrible people can definitely repent and reform, but they tend to energetically devote themselves to doing good afterwards, rather than hold back from any action in fear of what they might do.
In spite of all of this, I definitely won’t give up on Juliet Marillier, because I know she can write amazing stories. Sometimes. I just hope I approve of the next love interest. I could have forgiven all of the other irritations if I’d liked the dude. It makes all the difference!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2011
I've read nearly all of Marillier's books, loving the Sevenwaters trilogy and having mixed feelings about the others. I have not read Wolfskin, the prequel to Foxmask, but read this one anyway because so many of Marillier's fans adore it. My reaction: mixed. This book is a good example of Marillier's storytelling skills; it bears more resemblance to the original Sevenwaters trilogy than to the Sevenwaters follow-ups or Heart's Blood, which felt much more commercial (faster-paced, less lyrical, more conventional). Still, it's not one I'll re-read.
Foxmask follows two main characters: Thorvald, who embarks on a quest to a distant island searching for the father he never met, and Creidhe, who follows Thorvald out of infatuation but grows up along the way. Their parallel storylines are set up well, with a slow-paced, immersive start and gradually increasing tension up to the major events of the last third of the book. Creidhe is a decent but not spectacular heroine, and Thorvald was more interesting than I expected; in all the other Marillier books I've read the male lead was also the love interest, but Marillier chose wisely in not casting Thorvald in that role, allowing him to be selfish and pursue his own interests. Ultimately I couldn't tell whether we were meant to like him or not, and was glad of it. But Somerled was disappointing; from what other characters said about him, I expected someone with more drive and conviction, and was sorry to see he'd turned into such a conventional character.
A few more words on the plot and characters. There are several mysteries and puzzles, to which the reader is likely to guess the answers before the characters; but, fortunately (and unlike in the more recent books) Foxmask doesn't depend on mysteries, and characters figure things out as they go rather than wandering about clueless throughout. However, they did frustrate me in that I could often think of several better solutions to their problems than the ones they chose, solutions which tended not to occur to anyone.
And then the romance (which is the reason I keep reading Marillier books after all). This one didn't capture my emotions. It wasn't poorly written; I understood the characters' attraction to each other and liked that they shared many of the same values. But their journey from initial meeting to the consummation of their love happened very quickly and easily (as it had to given the structure of the book and the characters' situations), and for me to care about a romance it generally needs to take longer than that, and have more complications and obstacles. Just because it's not my thing doesn't make it bad, and the romance here is secondary to the larger story of the islanders' plight and the main characters' growth and development, but still I was disappointed.
Finally, there's that larger story; it's difficult to discuss without giving anything away, so some minor spoilers follow. This story felt a bit mythological, although I'm not sure where it came from. I really liked that Marillier managed to make the two major male characters enemies based on their circumstances without making either "evil." The characters face a variety of moral dilemmas, mostly revolving around the question of when it's acceptable to sacrifice the few for the sake of the many (or vice versa). While I would have liked the book to be a bit less conventional in its answers, the end certainly leaves room for discussion about who was in the right and how the characters should have handled their situations, and it isn't all clear-cut. The drawback to all of this is that the situation itself is contrived in a variety of ways, the characters hemmed in by a bunch of arbitrary rules. (The strangest: There's an extremely remote tribe with no blondes, which requires a blonde woman to conceive its seer. How do they typically manage this?) The book has a fairytale resonance that kept this from becoming too annoying, but the setup is not exactly logical.
What really irked me, though, were the modern beliefs of the characters. They're pro-democracy. They're anti-arranged marriage. I have a sneaking suspicion that they also support paternity leave and free universal health care. The phrase "due process of law" is used. (As an American, I'm proud to see phrases from my country's constitution pop up even when an Australian author writes about people living on the Orkney and Faroe Islands over 1000 years ago. But it makes no sense at all, given that these people have neither written laws nor a formal judicial system.) I know Marillier writes feel-good historical fantasy, but this was a bit much.
So this isn't a bad book; I see how it could work for a different reader. The writing style is decent and there's a couple of good coming-of-age stories in there. But readers new to Marillier should be buying Daughter of the Forest, not Foxmask.
Foxmask follows two main characters: Thorvald, who embarks on a quest to a distant island searching for the father he never met, and Creidhe, who follows Thorvald out of infatuation but grows up along the way. Their parallel storylines are set up well, with a slow-paced, immersive start and gradually increasing tension up to the major events of the last third of the book. Creidhe is a decent but not spectacular heroine, and Thorvald was more interesting than I expected; in all the other Marillier books I've read the male lead was also the love interest, but Marillier chose wisely in not casting Thorvald in that role, allowing him to be selfish and pursue his own interests. Ultimately I couldn't tell whether we were meant to like him or not, and was glad of it. But Somerled was disappointing; from what other characters said about him, I expected someone with more drive and conviction, and was sorry to see he'd turned into such a conventional character.
A few more words on the plot and characters. There are several mysteries and puzzles, to which the reader is likely to guess the answers before the characters; but, fortunately (and unlike in the more recent books) Foxmask doesn't depend on mysteries, and characters figure things out as they go rather than wandering about clueless throughout. However, they did frustrate me in that I could often think of several better solutions to their problems than the ones they chose, solutions which tended not to occur to anyone.
And then the romance (which is the reason I keep reading Marillier books after all). This one didn't capture my emotions. It wasn't poorly written; I understood the characters' attraction to each other and liked that they shared many of the same values. But their journey from initial meeting to the consummation of their love happened very quickly and easily (as it had to given the structure of the book and the characters' situations), and for me to care about a romance it generally needs to take longer than that, and have more complications and obstacles. Just because it's not my thing doesn't make it bad, and the romance here is secondary to the larger story of the islanders' plight and the main characters' growth and development, but still I was disappointed.
Finally, there's that larger story; it's difficult to discuss without giving anything away, so some minor spoilers follow. This story felt a bit mythological, although I'm not sure where it came from. I really liked that Marillier managed to make the two major male characters enemies based on their circumstances without making either "evil." The characters face a variety of moral dilemmas, mostly revolving around the question of when it's acceptable to sacrifice the few for the sake of the many (or vice versa). While I would have liked the book to be a bit less conventional in its answers, the end certainly leaves room for discussion about who was in the right and how the characters should have handled their situations, and it isn't all clear-cut. The drawback to all of this is that the situation itself is contrived in a variety of ways, the characters hemmed in by a bunch of arbitrary rules. (The strangest: There's an extremely remote tribe with no blondes, which requires a blonde woman to conceive its seer. How do they typically manage this?) The book has a fairytale resonance that kept this from becoming too annoying, but the setup is not exactly logical.
What really irked me, though, were the modern beliefs of the characters. They're pro-democracy. They're anti-arranged marriage. I have a sneaking suspicion that they also support paternity leave and free universal health care. The phrase "due process of law" is used. (As an American, I'm proud to see phrases from my country's constitution pop up even when an Australian author writes about people living on the Orkney and Faroe Islands over 1000 years ago. But it makes no sense at all, given that these people have neither written laws nor a formal judicial system.) I know Marillier writes feel-good historical fantasy, but this was a bit much.
So this isn't a bad book; I see how it could work for a different reader. The writing style is decent and there's a couple of good coming-of-age stories in there. But readers new to Marillier should be buying Daughter of the Forest, not Foxmask.
October 7, 2016
(review in english below)
Fiquei um pouco confusa com este livro. Até quase meio do livro senti-me desconfortável com todo o mistério e a maldade latente, que não deixaram que a leitura me desse o prazer que costumo sentir com os livros da Juliet. A segunda parte da história já é diferente (para mim quase que começou um novo livro a partir da página 257) mas mesmo assim não chegou para apagar a má sensação anterior.
Para piorar as coisas, a tradução foi ficando cada vez mais descuidada, desleixada, preguiçosa, enfim, incompetente, à medida que a história avançava, ao ponto de algumas frases ficarem quase incompreensíveis ou com um sentido obviamente contrário ao original! E quando se repete o mesmo verbo ou adjectivo duas ou três vezes na mesma frase? Duvido muito que tenha sido uma opção da autora...
A revisão foi, aparentemente, inexistente, apesar de estar creditada. Mas será que foi a revisora que trocou o que devia ser "recontro" por "reencontro" (pág. 178, 1ª linha)?
No final, acabei por ficar com pena que esta história não continue, pois algumas situações seriam seguramente interessantes - ATENÇÃO, POSSÍVEL SPOILER - como o reencontro (este sim) entre Eyvind e Somerled, ou o regresso do Guardião à vida em sociedade.
I was a little confused by this book. Almost until half I felt uncomfortable with all the mistery and latent malignancy, robbing me the pleasure I usually get from Juliet's books. The second part of the story is very different (it was almost like a new book started at page 257) but it wasn't enough to wipe off that bad feeling.
To make things worse, the translation kept getting more careless, sloppier, lazier, truly incompetent, as the story progressed, to the point that some sentences were almost not understandable or had a meaning obviously opposite to the original one. And what about repeating the same verb or adjective twice or thrice in the same sentence? I'm sure that was not the author's choice... Also, proofreading was apparently inexistent, although credited.
In the end, I was sorry that the story doesn't have a follow-up, because some situations would certainly be interesting - ATTENTION, MINOR SPOILER AHEAD - like the reunion between Eyvind and Somerled or the return of the Keeper to living among other people.
Fiquei um pouco confusa com este livro. Até quase meio do livro senti-me desconfortável com todo o mistério e a maldade latente, que não deixaram que a leitura me desse o prazer que costumo sentir com os livros da Juliet. A segunda parte da história já é diferente (para mim quase que começou um novo livro a partir da página 257) mas mesmo assim não chegou para apagar a má sensação anterior.
Para piorar as coisas, a tradução foi ficando cada vez mais descuidada, desleixada, preguiçosa, enfim, incompetente, à medida que a história avançava, ao ponto de algumas frases ficarem quase incompreensíveis ou com um sentido obviamente contrário ao original! E quando se repete o mesmo verbo ou adjectivo duas ou três vezes na mesma frase? Duvido muito que tenha sido uma opção da autora...
A revisão foi, aparentemente, inexistente, apesar de estar creditada. Mas será que foi a revisora que trocou o que devia ser "recontro" por "reencontro" (pág. 178, 1ª linha)?
No final, acabei por ficar com pena que esta história não continue, pois algumas situações seriam seguramente interessantes - ATENÇÃO, POSSÍVEL SPOILER - como o reencontro (este sim) entre Eyvind e Somerled, ou o regresso do Guardião à vida em sociedade.
I was a little confused by this book. Almost until half I felt uncomfortable with all the mistery and latent malignancy, robbing me the pleasure I usually get from Juliet's books. The second part of the story is very different (it was almost like a new book started at page 257) but it wasn't enough to wipe off that bad feeling.
To make things worse, the translation kept getting more careless, sloppier, lazier, truly incompetent, as the story progressed, to the point that some sentences were almost not understandable or had a meaning obviously opposite to the original one. And what about repeating the same verb or adjective twice or thrice in the same sentence? I'm sure that was not the author's choice... Also, proofreading was apparently inexistent, although credited.
In the end, I was sorry that the story doesn't have a follow-up, because some situations would certainly be interesting - ATTENTION, MINOR SPOILER AHEAD - like the reunion between Eyvind and Somerled or the return of the Keeper to living among other people.
March 31, 2017
Originally read in 2005
2017 reread: There is something very heartwarming about returning to a book you remember loving that really heals the soul. After having reread the first book, it was easier for me to get in the right mood and some of the things that bothered me a little in Wolfskin no longer bothered me in Foxmask. It is such a well rounded tale and one of the best sequels I've ever read. The dialogue was also much better in this one. There is some instalove which I know can really bother people, but if you ask me it really fits the story and the pace. A more realistic and slower forming of feelings would have slowed things down and would have been a detriment to the story. It works for me and in spite of it, there are still some, not quite so cliché and interesting notions about love in relationships in these pages when you take the time to really think about it. If you liked the first one, this is an absolute must read.
2017 reread: There is something very heartwarming about returning to a book you remember loving that really heals the soul. After having reread the first book, it was easier for me to get in the right mood and some of the things that bothered me a little in Wolfskin no longer bothered me in Foxmask. It is such a well rounded tale and one of the best sequels I've ever read. The dialogue was also much better in this one. There is some instalove which I know can really bother people, but if you ask me it really fits the story and the pace. A more realistic and slower forming of feelings would have slowed things down and would have been a detriment to the story. It works for me and in spite of it, there are still some, not quite so cliché and interesting notions about love in relationships in these pages when you take the time to really think about it. If you liked the first one, this is an absolute must read.
November 27, 2015
I made a terrible mistake and read it before Wolfskin x, x, nevertheless, I enjoyed it.
I believe I'm developing Juliet Marillier syndrome º♥º, no one so far has me caught up in their world as her. I actually suffered from a headache trying to adjust to my surroundings after finishing it, and felt the moving of the boat and the weariness of the journey (not that she spent a lot of time describing the journey which I'm thankful for). The seal people reminded me of one of Seven waters books (I can't remember exactly their names now).
I believe I'm developing Juliet Marillier syndrome º♥º, no one so far has me caught up in their world as her. I actually suffered from a headache trying to adjust to my surroundings after finishing it, and felt the moving of the boat and the weariness of the journey (not that she spent a lot of time describing the journey which I'm thankful for). The seal people reminded me of one of Seven waters books (I can't remember exactly their names now).
September 29, 2022
Não faço ideia de quantas vezes já terei lido esta saga. Mas é sempre como se fosse a primeira vez. Adorei
May 4, 2010
It all started when Thorvald read the letter holding the long-concealed truth. His father was not the venerable, slain chieftain Ulf who led the expedition and settling of the Light Isles, but Somerled, his hated brother who'd been banished by his blood brother Eyvind from the islands before Thorvald was born. Driven by the anger of his mother Margaret's deceit and the intense need to find his father, Thorvald plots to sail with his friend Sam on Somerled's same course. The two friends aren't the only to sneak away on the journey, however. Creidhe, the daughter of prietess princess Nessa and Wolfskin Eyvind also saw Thorvald storm off. Without asking or being told, she knows exactly what Thorvald will do. For she loves him, and has been his best friend since they were young. It doesn't matter that Thorvald doesn't look at her that way. Creidhe has the faith that one day he will come around to her domestic charms she so values. Besides, he needs her help. And it may also have to do with the small flicker of rightness she feels deep down that this is her path.
I think of all Juliet Marillier's books this one had me from the first sentence. After being left with that sad, lonely image of Somerled and the heartbreaking position of Margaret at the end of Wolfskin, I've never been quite as anxious to open the next book in a Marillier series. The need to find closure with some characters and catch up with others could not be when I get around to it, but immediately. Only winning characters cause this kind of urgency, and as it turns out, seeing these characters find happiness and redemption was the most rewarding part of Foxmask. That and the well-written, suspenseful plot, which had me throwing out all my expectations in turn and biting my nails at the sheer impossibility of the decisions Thorvald, and especially Creidhe, are forced to make. Choosing your love or your friends at the death of the other, or killing your countrymen over and over to protect your kin and live a solitary life, or choosing your family over everything you know - these are far worse than your standard win-lose situations and resulted in strong character development from both Thorvald and Creidhe's characters, who went from childish to incredibly mature. While I was in denial over how things would turn out and would've wanted it different, I had the sense that things ended as they should, maddening misunderstandings and sorely missed chances aside. And this is exactly what I've come to expect from a Juliet Marillier novel.
I think of all Juliet Marillier's books this one had me from the first sentence. After being left with that sad, lonely image of Somerled and the heartbreaking position of Margaret at the end of Wolfskin, I've never been quite as anxious to open the next book in a Marillier series. The need to find closure with some characters and catch up with others could not be when I get around to it, but immediately. Only winning characters cause this kind of urgency, and as it turns out, seeing these characters find happiness and redemption was the most rewarding part of Foxmask. That and the well-written, suspenseful plot, which had me throwing out all my expectations in turn and biting my nails at the sheer impossibility of the decisions Thorvald, and especially Creidhe, are forced to make. Choosing your love or your friends at the death of the other, or killing your countrymen over and over to protect your kin and live a solitary life, or choosing your family over everything you know - these are far worse than your standard win-lose situations and resulted in strong character development from both Thorvald and Creidhe's characters, who went from childish to incredibly mature. While I was in denial over how things would turn out and would've wanted it different, I had the sense that things ended as they should, maddening misunderstandings and sorely missed chances aside. And this is exactly what I've come to expect from a Juliet Marillier novel.
August 6, 2016
I feel like most of the time I am pretty good at finding books that I think I will like. My average rating is pretty high, and it seems more often than not I end up loving a book rather than just liking it. What can I say? I’m easy to please. Even so, it’s not often that I read a book that keeps me up at night. I have a bedtime, and even books I really love rarely stand between me and sleep. But I can certainly say that this book, and its prequel Wolfskin kept me up into the wee hours of the morning.
This series has given me serious book hangover, so much so that I decided to read a nonfiction book next because I thought it might be easier to deal with facts than to get involved in a new story. These books were the perfect blend of original fantasy, old fairy tales, and historical setting. They were also deeply emotional. I’m giving it some time, but all I really want to do now is reread them both.
This series has given me serious book hangover, so much so that I decided to read a nonfiction book next because I thought it might be easier to deal with facts than to get involved in a new story. These books were the perfect blend of original fantasy, old fairy tales, and historical setting. They were also deeply emotional. I’m giving it some time, but all I really want to do now is reread them both.
May 11, 2016
2º livro da duologia A Saga das Ilhas Brilhantes.
Neste livro seguimos a geração seguinte á do 1º livro.
Creidhe segue o seu grande amor Thorvald para uma grande aventura no mar e numas ilhas envoltas em grandes mistérios e rituais macabros, em busca de ...respostas e de um vidente.
Não posso descortinar muito mais, pois vai ser spoiler em realção ao 1º livro.
Não gostei tanto deste livro como gostei do anterior. Pareceu-me que as personagens não tinham a mesma força, o mesmo carisma e para ser honesta preferi o inicio e o fim do livro, onde apareciam os protagonistas do livro anterior. Achei que o inicio e o fim foram dinâmicos, com garra mas que se arrastou um pouco no meio. Ou talvez não fosse a altura certa para ler este livro. O facto é que não me encantou tanto.
Neste livro seguimos a geração seguinte á do 1º livro.
Creidhe segue o seu grande amor Thorvald para uma grande aventura no mar e numas ilhas envoltas em grandes mistérios e rituais macabros, em busca de ...respostas e de um vidente.
Não posso descortinar muito mais, pois vai ser spoiler em realção ao 1º livro.
Não gostei tanto deste livro como gostei do anterior. Pareceu-me que as personagens não tinham a mesma força, o mesmo carisma e para ser honesta preferi o inicio e o fim do livro, onde apareciam os protagonistas do livro anterior. Achei que o inicio e o fim foram dinâmicos, com garra mas que se arrastou um pouco no meio. Ou talvez não fosse a altura certa para ler este livro. O facto é que não me encantou tanto.
March 8, 2016
3º leituras
January 9, 2018
Simply Amazing.
“You've only just discovered you have a heart. Let it beat a little.”
March 13, 2023
Thorvald is basically Somerled without charisma.
I mean, I know that he is his son and very similar to him, especially in his logical mind and ambition, but I swear that sometimes all I could think about was how fucking dumb Thorvald was.
Somerled redemption arc was... well, kinda dissapointing. I'm not averse to cristian redemption arcs but this one just felt forced. You're trying to tell me that Somerled, the same men who valued mastery of one-self and pride above all else decided to be a monk? It just didn't felt like the same character from Wolfskin at all. And his mutilation was just... meh.
Now, I really liked Keeper and Creidhe's relationship. It was sweet. It was actually what I had expected from her and Thorvald when I first started reading. 10/10 wholesome.
I just wished that it had ended in a reunion between Somerled and Eyvind, that would have been a perfect ending.
This felt like a very fairy-tale-like story. I think this was what I liked so much.
I mean, I know that he is his son and very similar to him, especially in his logical mind and ambition, but I swear that sometimes all I could think about was how fucking dumb Thorvald was.
Somerled redemption arc was... well, kinda dissapointing. I'm not averse to cristian redemption arcs but this one just felt forced. You're trying to tell me that Somerled, the same men who valued mastery of one-self and pride above all else decided to be a monk? It just didn't felt like the same character from Wolfskin at all. And his mutilation was just... meh.
Now, I really liked Keeper and Creidhe's relationship. It was sweet. It was actually what I had expected from her and Thorvald when I first started reading. 10/10 wholesome.
I just wished that it had ended in a reunion between Somerled and Eyvind, that would have been a perfect ending.
This felt like a very fairy-tale-like story. I think this was what I liked so much.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 17, 2026
this was so wonderful, excellent; only miss marillier can make me believe in the power of love. gonna go cry now.
June 7, 2014
You close the book, and that's when you wonder : "why in the world isn't this serie as famous as the Sevenwater one?"
Don't get me wrong, I loved Sorcha and her brothers, but you get used to the "not interested in any man - meets soulmate - happy forever after" pattern, even with the trials inbetween. Maybe that's just be, but I think the characters' emotions were better (like, even better than it was before) conducted than before.
As for the plot, switching between different points of view can be tricky and redundant, but Marillier manadged it well.
Well tu sum it up, I loved this book, even more that most part of Marillier's other works.
Or maybe it's just because I hadn't read one of her books in what seems a long time?
Don't get me wrong, I loved Sorcha and her brothers, but you get used to the "not interested in any man - meets soulmate - happy forever after" pattern, even with the trials inbetween. Maybe that's just be, but I think the characters' emotions were better (like, even better than it was before) conducted than before.
As for the plot, switching between different points of view can be tricky and redundant, but Marillier manadged it well.
Well tu sum it up, I loved this book, even more that most part of Marillier's other works.
Or maybe it's just because I hadn't read one of her books in what seems a long time?
November 4, 2021
The writing style and overall mood of the Saga of the Light Isles is reminiscent of Marillier's Sevenwaters series, especially the first three books. If you enjoyed Sevenwaters you will most likely enjoy this duology (set in Orkney and the Faroe Islands). And vice versa.
It will be a sad day the day I'm caught up with Juliet Marillier's books. Only five books left now.
It will be a sad day the day I'm caught up with Juliet Marillier's books. Only five books left now.
September 15, 2015
A new favorite.
I know it is long and wordy, but it was a fairy tale told in a way to make it so believable and so realistic, I almost thought it was something that really happened. It saddens me that words fail me and I can't really describe how I feel about this book, but suffice to say that I love it.
I know it is long and wordy, but it was a fairy tale told in a way to make it so believable and so realistic, I almost thought it was something that really happened. It saddens me that words fail me and I can't really describe how I feel about this book, but suffice to say that I love it.
March 9, 2017
An amazing follow up to Wolfskin. A saga that ranged far and wide, told us where Somerled ended up and continued the story of Evyind and his family. Journeys, discovering who you are when faced with challenge, surprises, violence. Good leadership and bad leadership.
April 28, 2020
Máscara de Raposa - the one that got away. Na altura em que comecei a ler Juliet Marillier e comecei a devorar a sua obra, por algum motivo que não me recordo qual, Máscara de Raposa foi onde parei e assim ficou durante quinze anos (nem é bom pensar nestas passagens de tempo, mas é a verdade). Finalmente, depois de ter de reler o primeiro volume, cheguei ao fim da Saga das Ilhas Brilhantes, e consigo perceber na perfeição por que motivo tanta gente a prefere à série Sevenwaters.
Máscara de Raposa conta a história de Creidhe que, apaixonada por Thorvald, o segue em segredo numa perigosa aventura pelo mar. Thorvald é filho de Somerled, e parte em procura do pai, atormentado pelos fantasmas dessa descoberta. No entanto, o que encontra são ilhas povoadas por povos estranhos, em que a superstição e a magia andam de mãos dadas, e as maldições tornam-se realidade. Cada um à sua maneira, tanto Creidhe como Thorvald vão desempenhar papéis fulcrais no destino das ilhas, embora isso represente um sem número de desafios mortais. Conseguirão encontrar o que procuram?
The feels!
Ler este livro é uma montanha russa de emoções! É impossível não nos apaixonarmos pelas personagens e sofrer com elas, torcer para que tudo corra bem, quase gritar para as impedir de fazer asneiras... É uma leitura bastante intensa e que faz os nossos sentimentos estarem à rubra. Sim, há momentos que vos vão fazer sorrir. E outros que vos vão criar um aperto na garganta.
O tamanho de Máscara de Raposa pode ser intimidador, mas é um livro que se lê bastante bem e que é difícil de largar. Assim que começarem, o vosso coração vai ansiar para saber o que vai acontecer com cada uma das personagens, mas particularmente com Creidhe. Juliet Marillier, mais uma vez, cria uma protagonista memorável e maravilhosa, que sarou todas as feridas deixadas na minha alma por Maeve (A Chama de Sevenwaters). Voltei a encontrar a magia e o encanto que marca a obra de Marillier, e embora a minha opinião possa ser bastante parcial, não posso deixar de continuar a dar-lhe todo o destaque e a atenção que merece. A história de amor que se desenrola, para além de ser algo que eu não estava à espera de início, fez-me suspirar e chegar à conclusão que culpo a Juliet por me ensinar a ter standards tão altos no que toca ao amor nos livros.
A própria narrativa, a maneira como se desenrola, a verdade sobre Máscara de Raposa, é de partir o coração e está tão bem explorada que é impossível apontar-lhe defeitos. Não há nada que tenha ficado por contar... apenas corações por sossegar.
A Saga das Ilhas Brilhantes é magnífica, com um ambiente hipnotizador que nos faz querer mais e mais, e tenho pena que termine por aqui. As suas personagens são mais complexas, mas tão apaixonantes como a autora já nos habituou. É impossível ignorar o dom de Juliet para contar histórias e fazer-nos sonhar.
Tenho pena que, embora a nível gráfico a edição seja lindíssima, com os seus pormenores em cada capítulo, não tenha havido muita atenção no que toca ao texto. Há demasiados erros, mais do que seriam aceitáveis, ao longo da narrativa; embora não me faça gostar menos da história, não é agradável sermos interrompidas de uma leitura tão boa com erros que se tornam cada vez mais frequentes.
Até o dia em que morrer, irei sempre defender com unhas e dentes a obra desta autora, e é com todo o gosto que me continuo a perder nos seus livros e com uma ânsia enorme que antecipo a leitura dos restantes!
Máscara de Raposa conta a história de Creidhe que, apaixonada por Thorvald, o segue em segredo numa perigosa aventura pelo mar. Thorvald é filho de Somerled, e parte em procura do pai, atormentado pelos fantasmas dessa descoberta. No entanto, o que encontra são ilhas povoadas por povos estranhos, em que a superstição e a magia andam de mãos dadas, e as maldições tornam-se realidade. Cada um à sua maneira, tanto Creidhe como Thorvald vão desempenhar papéis fulcrais no destino das ilhas, embora isso represente um sem número de desafios mortais. Conseguirão encontrar o que procuram?
The feels!
Ler este livro é uma montanha russa de emoções! É impossível não nos apaixonarmos pelas personagens e sofrer com elas, torcer para que tudo corra bem, quase gritar para as impedir de fazer asneiras... É uma leitura bastante intensa e que faz os nossos sentimentos estarem à rubra. Sim, há momentos que vos vão fazer sorrir. E outros que vos vão criar um aperto na garganta.
O tamanho de Máscara de Raposa pode ser intimidador, mas é um livro que se lê bastante bem e que é difícil de largar. Assim que começarem, o vosso coração vai ansiar para saber o que vai acontecer com cada uma das personagens, mas particularmente com Creidhe. Juliet Marillier, mais uma vez, cria uma protagonista memorável e maravilhosa, que sarou todas as feridas deixadas na minha alma por Maeve (A Chama de Sevenwaters). Voltei a encontrar a magia e o encanto que marca a obra de Marillier, e embora a minha opinião possa ser bastante parcial, não posso deixar de continuar a dar-lhe todo o destaque e a atenção que merece. A história de amor que se desenrola, para além de ser algo que eu não estava à espera de início, fez-me suspirar e chegar à conclusão que culpo a Juliet por me ensinar a ter standards tão altos no que toca ao amor nos livros.
A própria narrativa, a maneira como se desenrola, a verdade sobre Máscara de Raposa, é de partir o coração e está tão bem explorada que é impossível apontar-lhe defeitos. Não há nada que tenha ficado por contar... apenas corações por sossegar.
A Saga das Ilhas Brilhantes é magnífica, com um ambiente hipnotizador que nos faz querer mais e mais, e tenho pena que termine por aqui. As suas personagens são mais complexas, mas tão apaixonantes como a autora já nos habituou. É impossível ignorar o dom de Juliet para contar histórias e fazer-nos sonhar.
Tenho pena que, embora a nível gráfico a edição seja lindíssima, com os seus pormenores em cada capítulo, não tenha havido muita atenção no que toca ao texto. Há demasiados erros, mais do que seriam aceitáveis, ao longo da narrativa; embora não me faça gostar menos da história, não é agradável sermos interrompidas de uma leitura tão boa com erros que se tornam cada vez mais frequentes.
Até o dia em que morrer, irei sempre defender com unhas e dentes a obra desta autora, e é com todo o gosto que me continuo a perder nos seus livros e com uma ânsia enorme que antecipo a leitura dos restantes!
November 8, 2020
Maybe I read Foxmask too soon after finishing the prequal, Wolfskin, because I just got tired of the world. Both are set in islands north of Britain where a group of Norwegians settle, and focus on the clash of two cultures. But Foxmask especially felt quite childish. Obviously, that isn’t necessarily a bad quality, but here it means a certain lack of nuance to the story. And the main character, Creidhe, seemed too perfect to be relatable. Saga of the Light Isles is my least favorite of Marillier’s series so far, unfortunately.
January 10, 2025
I’ve no words. Actually, I have plenty but they’re all spoilers.
1. Creidhe, your first love is a walking red flag, run, girl!
2. Wait, NOT towards the bloodthirsty hermit who’s lived alone since he was 12 and has been killing invaders with booby traps a la home alone since!!!!!!!!!!!
3. Niall, NO. But wait, I hated him sooo much in the other book! Like more than any villain ever! How am I now CRYING over his cruel fate????
None of that is a review but I needed to say it.
1. Creidhe, your first love is a walking red flag, run, girl!
2. Wait, NOT towards the bloodthirsty hermit who’s lived alone since he was 12 and has been killing invaders with booby traps a la home alone since!!!!!!!!!!!
3. Niall, NO. But wait, I hated him sooo much in the other book! Like more than any villain ever! How am I now CRYING over his cruel fate????
None of that is a review but I needed to say it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2018
I always love Juliet Marillier's work. I love the fairytale feel, the ancient worlds she creates, and the sometimes-subtle, sometimes-obvious magical elements. They are comfort books for me.
If you're familiar with Marillier's style, this book does not disappoint, and delivers the same magic, tragedy, and romance that is her hallmark.
If you're familiar with Marillier's style, this book does not disappoint, and delivers the same magic, tragedy, and romance that is her hallmark.
May 7, 2025
Creidhe—>LOVE! Thorvald—>HATE! Criedhe and Keeper’s story was beautiful and I love that I got to see Somerled. I’m so happy that her really became better. Beautiful redemption for him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 8, 2025
Such an epic tale full of love, adventure, sacrifice, and betrayal. Whereas the story did take some extremely dark turns, there was so much light, so much redemption. Absolutely loved it!
April 8, 2025
Loved the Keeper and Small One. Loved the setting. Loved the Journey. Thorvald and Somerlad were a bit boring. But very enjoyable book.
May 9, 2024
Really enjoyable, cool characters and a very storylike plot!
--- spoiler ahead (?) ---
Could have skipped the detailed sex scene? Can't pinpoint why but reading that part was weird.
--- spoiler ahead (?) ---
Could have skipped the detailed sex scene? Can't pinpoint why but reading that part was weird.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 20, 2020
First, I want to mention that the audiobook's narrator, Saskia Maarleveld, does an excellent job. If Goodreads had the option, I would give the narration 5 stars.
**Now for the review. It contains spoilers.**
While I liked Wolfskin well enough, it never pulled me in. As a result, I was pleasantly surprised when I found myself really enjoying this sequel. Then "Keeper" was introduced. And everything fell apart.
Creidhe's a likeable protagonist. Marillier's protagonists tend to be exceptional in some way, but Creidhe's mostly normal. She excels at typical skills for a woman in her society and is an all-around nice person. She *does* weave prophetic stories on a cloth, but it hardly comes up. I liked how Creidhe's normalcy contrasts with her mother's otherworldliness (her mother, Nessa, is one of the previous book's protagonists). Creidhe's strength comes from her love for her friends/family and her courage in aiding them.
Creidhe is selfless and brave. She sneaks aboard when her friends, Sam and Thorvald, embark on their quest. Thorvald wants to find the man who he's recently learned is his father (Somerled, the antagonist from the previous book). Creidhe, certain that going with them is the only way to keep Thorvald safe, leaves everything behind to join them.
In contrast, Thorvald tends to be selfish and grumpy. But he's young and these traits seem like something the novel is setting up for Thorvald to recognize and overcome over the course of his hero's journey rather than permanent character flaws.
Here's how I assumed the story would go:
(1) Thorvald acts coldly towards Creidhe and takes her for granted.
(2) Thorvald meets his father.
(3) After years of exile and self-reflection, Somerled is a changed man. He helps Thorvald realize selfish ambition can end in one's own destruction.
(4) Thorvald gradually comes to realize the depth of his feelings for Creidhe.
(5) Profit.
The first half of the story unfolded just as I'd thought it would. Thorvald saves Creidhe from falling off a cliff; he shows real fear at the prospect of losing her. Later, Thorvald's told Creidhe has died; he cries (here the story notes Thorvald never cried, not even as a child). Thorvald is showing real character growth. His icy heart is melting. Things are going swimmingly.
Then comes "Keeper." Keeper's lived on his own since he was a child and he shows serious social maladjustment as a result. He's spent his entire late childhood, adescence, and adulthood on a tiny, isolated island with nothing but his mute nephew for company. He treats Creidhe like a goddess to be worshipped rather than like an actual person. His mannerisms are constantly reminding Creidhe of those of a child, not a man. Oh, and he goes on murderous rampages, showing no sympathy for those he kills. In my 21st century opinion, he belongs in therapy, not a relationship.
When Creidhe starts falling for him it's unsettling. She falls for a thoroughly broken man thinking she can change him. No. No. No, Creidhe! Bad, Creidhe! Go for Thorvald. Just look at all that character growth! Or Sam. Sam's nice! Or even that man your father wanted to set you up with. At least that man has property! Anyone but *Keeper.* Creidhe, you deserve better than a man who insists you call him by some name he made up when he was like eight.
I kept reading. I thought: maybe she'll realize Keeper's more friend-material? He needs a friend. Friends would be good.
They got married. Well, I thought: maybe he'll die. Yeah, that would be good. Creidhe will be sad for a while, but she'll get over it. Thorvald or Sam or even that landowner guy can comfort her. Creidhe won't be stuck living in Keeper's filthy cave while dressed in bird feathers. Besides, there was a battle coming up. Keeper was going to be outnumbered. Dying seemed likely. Inevitable even. I could even see the tombstone: Here lies Keeper. Bullet dodged.
But something was wrong. The writing made it feel like this whole Keeper/Creidhe thing was supposed to feel "romantic." I grew worried. So, at 75% of the way through the book, I skipped to the end. Keeper was still there. They "loved" each other. Blech! They were probably still in that filthy cave. I don't know. I immediately deleted the book from my device and returned it to the library.
Someone was waiting to check it out. Poor sod.
**Now for the review. It contains spoilers.**
While I liked Wolfskin well enough, it never pulled me in. As a result, I was pleasantly surprised when I found myself really enjoying this sequel. Then "Keeper" was introduced. And everything fell apart.
Creidhe's a likeable protagonist. Marillier's protagonists tend to be exceptional in some way, but Creidhe's mostly normal. She excels at typical skills for a woman in her society and is an all-around nice person. She *does* weave prophetic stories on a cloth, but it hardly comes up. I liked how Creidhe's normalcy contrasts with her mother's otherworldliness (her mother, Nessa, is one of the previous book's protagonists). Creidhe's strength comes from her love for her friends/family and her courage in aiding them.
Creidhe is selfless and brave. She sneaks aboard when her friends, Sam and Thorvald, embark on their quest. Thorvald wants to find the man who he's recently learned is his father (Somerled, the antagonist from the previous book). Creidhe, certain that going with them is the only way to keep Thorvald safe, leaves everything behind to join them.
In contrast, Thorvald tends to be selfish and grumpy. But he's young and these traits seem like something the novel is setting up for Thorvald to recognize and overcome over the course of his hero's journey rather than permanent character flaws.
Here's how I assumed the story would go:
(1) Thorvald acts coldly towards Creidhe and takes her for granted.
(2) Thorvald meets his father.
(3) After years of exile and self-reflection, Somerled is a changed man. He helps Thorvald realize selfish ambition can end in one's own destruction.
(4) Thorvald gradually comes to realize the depth of his feelings for Creidhe.
(5) Profit.
The first half of the story unfolded just as I'd thought it would. Thorvald saves Creidhe from falling off a cliff; he shows real fear at the prospect of losing her. Later, Thorvald's told Creidhe has died; he cries (here the story notes Thorvald never cried, not even as a child). Thorvald is showing real character growth. His icy heart is melting. Things are going swimmingly.
Then comes "Keeper." Keeper's lived on his own since he was a child and he shows serious social maladjustment as a result. He's spent his entire late childhood, adescence, and adulthood on a tiny, isolated island with nothing but his mute nephew for company. He treats Creidhe like a goddess to be worshipped rather than like an actual person. His mannerisms are constantly reminding Creidhe of those of a child, not a man. Oh, and he goes on murderous rampages, showing no sympathy for those he kills. In my 21st century opinion, he belongs in therapy, not a relationship.
When Creidhe starts falling for him it's unsettling. She falls for a thoroughly broken man thinking she can change him. No. No. No, Creidhe! Bad, Creidhe! Go for Thorvald. Just look at all that character growth! Or Sam. Sam's nice! Or even that man your father wanted to set you up with. At least that man has property! Anyone but *Keeper.* Creidhe, you deserve better than a man who insists you call him by some name he made up when he was like eight.
I kept reading. I thought: maybe she'll realize Keeper's more friend-material? He needs a friend. Friends would be good.
They got married. Well, I thought: maybe he'll die. Yeah, that would be good. Creidhe will be sad for a while, but she'll get over it. Thorvald or Sam or even that landowner guy can comfort her. Creidhe won't be stuck living in Keeper's filthy cave while dressed in bird feathers. Besides, there was a battle coming up. Keeper was going to be outnumbered. Dying seemed likely. Inevitable even. I could even see the tombstone: Here lies Keeper. Bullet dodged.
But something was wrong. The writing made it feel like this whole Keeper/Creidhe thing was supposed to feel "romantic." I grew worried. So, at 75% of the way through the book, I skipped to the end. Keeper was still there. They "loved" each other. Blech! They were probably still in that filthy cave. I don't know. I immediately deleted the book from my device and returned it to the library.
Someone was waiting to check it out. Poor sod.
November 13, 2014
Na het schitterende "Drager van de Wolvenvacht", dacht ik evenveel plezier te beleven aan "Drager van het Vossenmasker", waarin de kinderen van Eyvind en Nessa, en Somerled en Margaret, de hoofdrollen vertolken. Dat bleek een verkeerd gedacht, al was het bij momenten best leuk om lezen.
Ik ga proberen het kort te houden, want ik ben enigszins verheugd dat ik het boek eindelijk uitgelezen heb.
Het is eigenlijk een verhaal over opgroeien, over je plaats in de wereld vinden, over een zoektocht naar jezelf. Wat komt daarvoor in aanmerking? Moed, durf, (zelf)vertrouwen, vriendschap, liefde, pijn, afscheid, enzoverder, enzomeer.
Vanzelfsprekend komen de personages van "Wolvenvacht" ook in beeld, maar hun inbreng is van iets minder groot belang als voorheen. Thorvald (zoon van Margaret en Somerled) leert over zijn vader, besluit hem te gaan zoeken, ondanks tegenadviezen en het relaas over wat voor persoon zijn vader was. Sam, een vriend van Thorvald, dient overtuigd te worden om mee te gaan en dus zijn boot te laten gebruiken zodat Thorvald zijn missie kan uitvoeren. Creidhe, Thorvalds jeugdvriendinnetje en smoorverliefd op hem, sluipt aan boord zonder dat de anderen het weten, tot men al te ver gevorderd is om terug te varen.
Veel discussies en een schipbreuk later, worden ze van elkaar gescheiden, waarbij Thorvald en Sam moeten werken om hout e.d. te verdienen zodat ze weer kunnen wegvaren. Maar dat is buiten een tirannieke leider gerekend, die hen langer "vasthoudt" in het kader van een vredesoperatie met de Onuitspreekbaren, die hun ziener kwijt zijn. Ook daaraan hangt een hele geschiedenis vast, die door de inbreng van de hoofdpersonages echter toch een positief einde kent, ondanks bepaalde opofferingen.
Thorvald is ervan overtuigd dat Asgrim (de leider aka Heerser) zijn vader is, en doet alles om in de gratie te vallen. Zelfs de bende krijgers terdege opleidt en bepaalde vechttechnieken/taktieken aanleert. En dat voor een snotneus. Dat vond ik al een struikelblok. Ook Creidhes kalverliefde was me ook enigszins een doorn in het oog, of eerder, het feit dat Thorvald haar weinig respectvol behandelde, haar afsnauwde, enz... Nuja, Creidhe werd dan ook liefdevol en vredevol opgevoed, kende een luxeleventje (in zekere zin).
Somerled leefde dus nog, zij het als... monnik, jawel. Nu, je komt het niet direct te weten, je moet goed opletten. Ook hij heeft blijkbaar zijn lesje geleerd, maar krijgt er naar het einde toe nog een ferme schep bovenop. Somerled is niet meer, zijn karakter is totaal veranderd. Vandaar ook de naamswijziging in Niall.
Creidhe ontmoet door omstandigheden de liefde van haar leven, ook al is het voor ook een hels avontuur, evenals voor Wachter aka Erling, de zoon van Asgrim. Wachter beschermt kleine, de zoon van z'n zus, Sula, die in een poging de vrede te herstellen, werd verkocht aan de Onuitspreekbaren om een nieuwe ziener te baren, gezien de vorige gestorven was.
Er loopt veel fout, veel misverstanden (vooral van Thorvalds kant, die dacht goed te doen), veel verdriet, maar uiteindelijk komt alles enigszins toch nog goed voor alle partijen. Liefde overwint (ook op de Eilanden van het Licht), de vriendschap wordt enigszins hersteld, ...
----------
Ondanks dat het verhaal wel vlot leest, is het halverwege, of "iets" over halfweg, toch wel wat doorbijten door de vele beschrijvingen en uitwijdingen die eigenlijk niet nodig zijn want reeds vermeld op vorige bladzijden in andere verwoordingen. Daarna betert het weer, echter pas in de laatste 100 blzn. ofzo.
Ook het gedrag van Thorvald was me een doorn in het oog: eerst snotneus, dan even expert in oorlogstechnieken spelen (huh?) voor volwassen mannen, terwijl hij nooit een gevecht heeft meegemaakt of betrokken werd bij dergelijke beslissingen, ... Ook direct conclusies trekken wanneer hij Creidhe plots weer levend aantreft, ipv de zaak in te schatten.
Kortom: "Wolvenvacht" was schitterend, "Vossenmasker" niet zo slecht, maar in vergelijking met het eerste boek eerder middelmatig.
Ik ga proberen het kort te houden, want ik ben enigszins verheugd dat ik het boek eindelijk uitgelezen heb.
Het is eigenlijk een verhaal over opgroeien, over je plaats in de wereld vinden, over een zoektocht naar jezelf. Wat komt daarvoor in aanmerking? Moed, durf, (zelf)vertrouwen, vriendschap, liefde, pijn, afscheid, enzoverder, enzomeer.
Vanzelfsprekend komen de personages van "Wolvenvacht" ook in beeld, maar hun inbreng is van iets minder groot belang als voorheen. Thorvald (zoon van Margaret en Somerled) leert over zijn vader, besluit hem te gaan zoeken, ondanks tegenadviezen en het relaas over wat voor persoon zijn vader was. Sam, een vriend van Thorvald, dient overtuigd te worden om mee te gaan en dus zijn boot te laten gebruiken zodat Thorvald zijn missie kan uitvoeren. Creidhe, Thorvalds jeugdvriendinnetje en smoorverliefd op hem, sluipt aan boord zonder dat de anderen het weten, tot men al te ver gevorderd is om terug te varen.
Veel discussies en een schipbreuk later, worden ze van elkaar gescheiden, waarbij Thorvald en Sam moeten werken om hout e.d. te verdienen zodat ze weer kunnen wegvaren. Maar dat is buiten een tirannieke leider gerekend, die hen langer "vasthoudt" in het kader van een vredesoperatie met de Onuitspreekbaren, die hun ziener kwijt zijn. Ook daaraan hangt een hele geschiedenis vast, die door de inbreng van de hoofdpersonages echter toch een positief einde kent, ondanks bepaalde opofferingen.
Thorvald is ervan overtuigd dat Asgrim (de leider aka Heerser) zijn vader is, en doet alles om in de gratie te vallen. Zelfs de bende krijgers terdege opleidt en bepaalde vechttechnieken/taktieken aanleert. En dat voor een snotneus. Dat vond ik al een struikelblok. Ook Creidhes kalverliefde was me ook enigszins een doorn in het oog, of eerder, het feit dat Thorvald haar weinig respectvol behandelde, haar afsnauwde, enz... Nuja, Creidhe werd dan ook liefdevol en vredevol opgevoed, kende een luxeleventje (in zekere zin).
Somerled leefde dus nog, zij het als... monnik, jawel. Nu, je komt het niet direct te weten, je moet goed opletten. Ook hij heeft blijkbaar zijn lesje geleerd, maar krijgt er naar het einde toe nog een ferme schep bovenop. Somerled is niet meer, zijn karakter is totaal veranderd. Vandaar ook de naamswijziging in Niall.
Creidhe ontmoet door omstandigheden de liefde van haar leven, ook al is het voor ook een hels avontuur, evenals voor Wachter aka Erling, de zoon van Asgrim. Wachter beschermt kleine, de zoon van z'n zus, Sula, die in een poging de vrede te herstellen, werd verkocht aan de Onuitspreekbaren om een nieuwe ziener te baren, gezien de vorige gestorven was.
Er loopt veel fout, veel misverstanden (vooral van Thorvalds kant, die dacht goed te doen), veel verdriet, maar uiteindelijk komt alles enigszins toch nog goed voor alle partijen. Liefde overwint (ook op de Eilanden van het Licht), de vriendschap wordt enigszins hersteld, ...
----------
Ondanks dat het verhaal wel vlot leest, is het halverwege, of "iets" over halfweg, toch wel wat doorbijten door de vele beschrijvingen en uitwijdingen die eigenlijk niet nodig zijn want reeds vermeld op vorige bladzijden in andere verwoordingen. Daarna betert het weer, echter pas in de laatste 100 blzn. ofzo.
Ook het gedrag van Thorvald was me een doorn in het oog: eerst snotneus, dan even expert in oorlogstechnieken spelen (huh?) voor volwassen mannen, terwijl hij nooit een gevecht heeft meegemaakt of betrokken werd bij dergelijke beslissingen, ... Ook direct conclusies trekken wanneer hij Creidhe plots weer levend aantreft, ipv de zaak in te schatten.
Kortom: "Wolvenvacht" was schitterend, "Vossenmasker" niet zo slecht, maar in vergelijking met het eerste boek eerder middelmatig.
November 26, 2009
I quite enjoyed this, although there were some sections that dragged a little (I skipped most of the detailed descriptions of the Hunt on Cloud Island - BORING). But my biggest disappointment in it was that Thorvald AND Somerland got completely ripped off!! I was longing for the moment when Thorvald realised his feelings for Criedhe and let his guard down enough to tell her, but before he could do so she nipped off to Cloud Island and started getting it on with that mangy old 'Keeper'. Tuh! I thought their relationship was completely stupid, one of those "we are physically attracted to each other - it MUST be true love!" things. She was an idiot. I couldn't believe her. I liked the way she broke away from the J.M. mould of being a healer/prophetess/general 'special' person and was good at cooking and weaving and home-making. But her 'journey' thing got on my nerves, and by about the second half of the book SHE was getting on my nerves too. The Foxmask was clearly supposed to and WANTED to go to be the seer for the Unspoken, but when she found out they were going to break its legs and blind it she was like "oh no, that CAN'T happen!!" even though the babies from the whole VILLAGE would die at birth until it did, not to mention all the men that died in the Hunt. And so then when it went there of its own accord she was like "take ME instead!" - SUCH a stupid plan. Of course she would love her own baby even more than the foxmask and be even more upset about its legs being broken and what have you.
AND Somerland, who I love despite everything, should have gone back and gotten with Margaret.
AND Somerland, who I love despite everything, should have gone back and gotten with Margaret.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 17, 2017
After reading Wolfskin I did not expect much from this book, and was not too eager to read it. The first few chapters changed that and it became almost impossible to put down.
What I like most about Juliet Marillier's books are the legends and the old, mysterious places; Wolfskin did not have much of that.
Foxmask, on the other hand, is full of mysteries and secrets.
I was sure Creidhe and Thorvald would be together in the end, just as Creidhe always thought it should be. I really love the fact that it was not so, and from the first moment she spend on the Isle of Clouds with Keeper and Small One, I desperately hoped she would stay with them.
Keeper, Small One and Creidhe are great characters and I loved them from the beginning.
Thorvald, just like Somerled, is one of my favourite characters, especially since he is exactly the man Somerled always aimed to be. Just as Somerled was, Thorvald also is not very good with girls: It is sad that he realised Creidhe only when it was already much too late.
It was great to see what happened to Somerled, especially since I believed in him from the beginning when he first appeared in Wolfskin ;)
Only the ending startled me a little, because it was much too quick. Creidhe believed and forgave too quickly, was herself again and rushed off. Still, I don't think any changes would make the book better. I really enjoyed reading Foxmask, it was gripping and fascinating.
What I like most about Juliet Marillier's books are the legends and the old, mysterious places; Wolfskin did not have much of that.
Foxmask, on the other hand, is full of mysteries and secrets.
I was sure Creidhe and Thorvald would be together in the end, just as Creidhe always thought it should be. I really love the fact that it was not so, and from the first moment she spend on the Isle of Clouds with Keeper and Small One, I desperately hoped she would stay with them.
Keeper, Small One and Creidhe are great characters and I loved them from the beginning.
Thorvald, just like Somerled, is one of my favourite characters, especially since he is exactly the man Somerled always aimed to be. Just as Somerled was, Thorvald also is not very good with girls: It is sad that he realised Creidhe only when it was already much too late.
It was great to see what happened to Somerled, especially since I believed in him from the beginning when he first appeared in Wolfskin ;)
Only the ending startled me a little, because it was much too quick. Creidhe believed and forgave too quickly, was herself again and rushed off. Still, I don't think any changes would make the book better. I really enjoyed reading Foxmask, it was gripping and fascinating.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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