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Circle of Stones
Three interwoven, spine-tingling historical thrillers from the New York Times bestselling author of Incarceron.
Suspense, mysticism, and history encircle three separate but related narratives in this fantasy novel. Today, Sulis, a teenage girl with a mysterious past, arrives in Bath with a new identity, trailed by the person she's trying to outrun. In 1740, Zac is apprenticed to an architect obsessed with Druidic mysteries, but has his own secret—and destructive—agenda. In ancient England, a druid king discovers the healing waters of a magical spring, where he founds a great city, and the heart of Fisher’s story. Through each voice, the mysteries are revealed, linking Sulis, Zac, and the king through the circles of time.
Suspense, mysticism, and history encircle three separate but related narratives in this fantasy novel. Today, Sulis, a teenage girl with a mysterious past, arrives in Bath with a new identity, trailed by the person she's trying to outrun. In 1740, Zac is apprenticed to an architect obsessed with Druidic mysteries, but has his own secret—and destructive—agenda. In ancient England, a druid king discovers the healing waters of a magical spring, where he founds a great city, and the heart of Fisher’s story. Through each voice, the mysteries are revealed, linking Sulis, Zac, and the king through the circles of time.
298 pages, Hardcover
First published November 13, 2013
11 people are currently reading
312 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Fisher
65 books1,609 followersCatherine Fisher was born in Newport, Wales. She graduated from the University of Wales with a degree in English and a fascination for myth and history. She has worked in education and archaeology and as a lecturer in creative writing at the University of Glamorgan. She is a Fellow of the Welsh Academy.
Catherine is an acclaimed poet and novelist, regularly lecturing and giving readings to groups of all ages. She leads sessions for teachers and librarians and is an experienced broadcaster and adjudicator. She lives in Newport, Gwent.
Catherine has won many awards and much critical acclaim for her work. Her poetry has appeared in leading periodicals and anthologies and her volume Immrama won the WAC Young Writers' Prize. She won the Cardiff International Poetry Competition in 1990.
Her first novel, The Conjuror's Game, was shortlisted for the Smarties Books prize and The Snow-Walker's Son for the W.H.Smith Award. Equally acclaimed is her quartet The Book of the Crow, a classic of fantasy fiction.
The Oracle, the first volume in the Oracle trilogy, blends Egyptian and Greek elements of magic and adventure and was shortlisted for the Whitbread Children's Books prize. The trilogy was an international bestseller and has appeared in over twenty languages. The Candleman won the Welsh Books Council's Tir Na n'Og Prize and Catherine was also shortlisted for the remarkable Corbenic, a modern re-inventing of the Grail legend.
Her futuristic novel Incarceron was published to widespread praise in 2007, winning the Mythopoeic Society of America's Children's Fiction Award and selected by The Times as its Children's Book of the Year. The sequel, Sapphique, was published in September 2008.
Catherine is an acclaimed poet and novelist, regularly lecturing and giving readings to groups of all ages. She leads sessions for teachers and librarians and is an experienced broadcaster and adjudicator. She lives in Newport, Gwent.
Catherine has won many awards and much critical acclaim for her work. Her poetry has appeared in leading periodicals and anthologies and her volume Immrama won the WAC Young Writers' Prize. She won the Cardiff International Poetry Competition in 1990.
Her first novel, The Conjuror's Game, was shortlisted for the Smarties Books prize and The Snow-Walker's Son for the W.H.Smith Award. Equally acclaimed is her quartet The Book of the Crow, a classic of fantasy fiction.
The Oracle, the first volume in the Oracle trilogy, blends Egyptian and Greek elements of magic and adventure and was shortlisted for the Whitbread Children's Books prize. The trilogy was an international bestseller and has appeared in over twenty languages. The Candleman won the Welsh Books Council's Tir Na n'Og Prize and Catherine was also shortlisted for the remarkable Corbenic, a modern re-inventing of the Grail legend.
Her futuristic novel Incarceron was published to widespread praise in 2007, winning the Mythopoeic Society of America's Children's Fiction Award and selected by The Times as its Children's Book of the Year. The sequel, Sapphique, was published in September 2008.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
December 30, 2018
Rating: 1.5 stars
This was...not good lol. Certainly not worth keeping on my shelf for 4-5 years. I did appreciate what the author tried to do with the circular, reflective storylines (the author’s note at the end is pretty much the only reason I gave this 1.5 stars instead of just one), but the ending as a whole was majorly unsatisfying and honestly just stupid. The characters were all boring, annoying, or misogynistic/racist. Oh yeah, there was a lot of that in this book and it was so blatantly unnecessary and random that I wanted to scream every time Zac (one of the three main perspectives) made some comment about how “women don’t have the brains for architecture” or some bullshit along those lines. I get it was the 1700s, but why do you have to make your characters so problematic and unlikable for absolutely no reason?? The ancient/mythical perspective did nothing for me and Sulis’ entire storyline was over dramatic and frankly, stupid as hell. I thought originally that she was 12/13 just based on her narration (I think making this a middle grade book would’ve been a lot more effective), but I was abruptly informed about a quarter of the way in that she’s 18. So overall, I will not be reading any other books by this author and I highly recommend you never give this book another thought.
This was...not good lol. Certainly not worth keeping on my shelf for 4-5 years. I did appreciate what the author tried to do with the circular, reflective storylines (the author’s note at the end is pretty much the only reason I gave this 1.5 stars instead of just one), but the ending as a whole was majorly unsatisfying and honestly just stupid. The characters were all boring, annoying, or misogynistic/racist. Oh yeah, there was a lot of that in this book and it was so blatantly unnecessary and random that I wanted to scream every time Zac (one of the three main perspectives) made some comment about how “women don’t have the brains for architecture” or some bullshit along those lines. I get it was the 1700s, but why do you have to make your characters so problematic and unlikable for absolutely no reason?? The ancient/mythical perspective did nothing for me and Sulis’ entire storyline was over dramatic and frankly, stupid as hell. I thought originally that she was 12/13 just based on her narration (I think making this a middle grade book would’ve been a lot more effective), but I was abruptly informed about a quarter of the way in that she’s 18. So overall, I will not be reading any other books by this author and I highly recommend you never give this book another thought.
March 5, 2015
Bladud is a Druid king forced out into the wilderness because of an illness. After wondering in the wilderness he finds a healing spring that cures his illness. He builds a temple to the goddess Sulis in appreciation for her healing. He erects a circle of stones and his people return to him.
Zac is apprenticed to architect Jonathan Forrest who is going to build the King's Circus in Bath. Forrest is obsessed with druids and designs the Circus to mimic ancient druid structures. Zac is down on his luck after his father gambled away their fortune. He resents his lack of means and being the assistant to a mad man like Forrest. He has to decide if he is loyal to his master or to his idea of who he should be.
Sulis has just moved to Bath and into one of the houses on the Circus. There was a tragedy in her past that has put her in witness protection for the last ten years. Bath offers a fresh start with new foster parents in a new city and a new name. However, she believes she is being stalked by the man from her past. She has to come to terms with the truth of her past in order to create a new future.
These three stories all revolve around the same place but are very different. I thought some of the stories worked better than others. I loved Sulis's tale and thought the reveal about the tragedy in her past was really well done. I like how her story tied in the story of the Circus and the other two characters. I wasn't that interested in Zac's story mainly because I really didn't like him as a character. I wanted more information about Forrest and less whining from Zac. Bladud's story was the briefest with the least amount of details. The three characters each had their own style of chapters with different fonts and styles of writing. I was also occasionally thrown by the probably historically accurate spelling, punctuation and writing of the Zac chapters. I thought this was an interesting, different type of novel and quite enjoyed the uniqueness of it even if I didn't enjoy every part as much as the whole.
Zac is apprenticed to architect Jonathan Forrest who is going to build the King's Circus in Bath. Forrest is obsessed with druids and designs the Circus to mimic ancient druid structures. Zac is down on his luck after his father gambled away their fortune. He resents his lack of means and being the assistant to a mad man like Forrest. He has to decide if he is loyal to his master or to his idea of who he should be.
Sulis has just moved to Bath and into one of the houses on the Circus. There was a tragedy in her past that has put her in witness protection for the last ten years. Bath offers a fresh start with new foster parents in a new city and a new name. However, she believes she is being stalked by the man from her past. She has to come to terms with the truth of her past in order to create a new future.
These three stories all revolve around the same place but are very different. I thought some of the stories worked better than others. I loved Sulis's tale and thought the reveal about the tragedy in her past was really well done. I like how her story tied in the story of the Circus and the other two characters. I wasn't that interested in Zac's story mainly because I really didn't like him as a character. I wanted more information about Forrest and less whining from Zac. Bladud's story was the briefest with the least amount of details. The three characters each had their own style of chapters with different fonts and styles of writing. I was also occasionally thrown by the probably historically accurate spelling, punctuation and writing of the Zac chapters. I thought this was an interesting, different type of novel and quite enjoyed the uniqueness of it even if I didn't enjoy every part as much as the whole.
June 22, 2016
I got the hardcover on Book Outlet, since it was only $0.99, and it ended up being a super quick, fun read. While the writing can only be described as okay, the story itself left little to be desired. I didn't necessarily like getting to the end just to be left without the answer to one of the more interesting questions in the story, but, overall, I was satisfied with the ending. The author chose to tell three different stories that are only slightly intertwined, but I loved seeing how she wove the influences of the past into the other stories. I do wish we had learned a little more about Bladud, but I really felt for most of the characters, and I was fairly surprised by what I suppose could be called the plot twist in Sulis's story. The blurb doesn't really prepare you for what you'll get into, but I would definitely recommend it, if only to a YA audience.
October 8, 2014
This book was an okay read, but it really didn't grab my attention like I was hoping it would.
I'm a big fan of all kinds of mythologies, and I was really hoping this book would have had more Druidism in it than it did. Instead, what I got was a series of three sort-of connected stories that hinted at a variety of secrets, many of which were never completely spelled out. I also felt like I was reading a Diana Wynne Jones copycat that wasn't nearly as good as the real thing.
The characters were also barely fleshed out--kind of like they were secondary to the story--and it made it hard for me to "get into" their parts of the story.
This is the first work I've read by Catherine Fisher, and I'm not sure if I'll read more by her or not.
I'm a big fan of all kinds of mythologies, and I was really hoping this book would have had more Druidism in it than it did. Instead, what I got was a series of three sort-of connected stories that hinted at a variety of secrets, many of which were never completely spelled out. I also felt like I was reading a Diana Wynne Jones copycat that wasn't nearly as good as the real thing.
The characters were also barely fleshed out--kind of like they were secondary to the story--and it made it hard for me to "get into" their parts of the story.
This is the first work I've read by Catherine Fisher, and I'm not sure if I'll read more by her or not.
December 15, 2023
Its a 2/5 read for me but honestly i wanted to just get the book over with asap. It made me want to give up multiple times. I'm not a big fan of the writing style personally. The last 50 or so pages, were really good, I wish the whole book made me feel this way. I was able to read it in only 2 days though so it wasn't a long read for me.
June 30, 2016
Stars: 3.5/5
October 25, 2023
Catherine Fisher does it again with a compelling read that I gobbled up in two days. This is three stories from three eras, connecting and twisting around. I liked the main characters, the eccentric side characters, and the mystery and resolution. It is based on a true person from history. Well done.
January 31, 2024
Dnf at 30%
Didn't hold my attention or interest me at all.
Didn't hold my attention or interest me at all.
March 2, 2019
This review is also posted on my blog Mad Scibrarian.
I’ll be honest; I almost donated this book to my library without having read it. I tried the first 2 chapters and thought maybe I shouldn’t bother. But I kept it for over 4 years and still the premise of 3 characters from 3 different times being weaved together into one story just sounds so cool (and Furyborn was a disappointment in that area). So I added this book to my “Top 12 to Read in 2019” and thus committed to either finally reading the book or unhauling it for good. This was the first book off that list I committed to reading and, well, it seems like I should’ve just donated it instead.
The 3 characters and their timelines was confusing and just felt disjointed from one another. The druid king’s inclusion, in particular, really didn’t fit; his chapters were just so short they felt like they were haphazardly thrown in. Sulis is a mysterious girl trying to run from her past, which seems to be blown out of proportion. It’s partially due to Sulis’s PTSD from her past, but that’s not good enough so we need the media to further mess the poor girl up. Zac’s story was probably my favorite, but he was slightly hard to follow since it focuses more on the architect and not Zac himself.
It was cool to learn more about the history of the city of Bath, England. As an American, I did not know that much about the city other than it having cool architecture. This book, with one character being the architect’s apprentice, obviously goes into more detail about it, but it also covers the Roman history of the city and the baths behind the name. Yes, I can always find other sources to read for Bath’s history, but I don’t think I would’ve done it on my own time (unless some other media better brought it to my attention), so it’s always nice to have it incorporated into stories read for fun.
I think it does slightly better incorporate the multiple timeline aspect of the story than Furyborn, but in the end I still need to be on the hunt for an excellent book that is able to do this without it being confusing. Any recommendations, anyone?
I’ll be honest; I almost donated this book to my library without having read it. I tried the first 2 chapters and thought maybe I shouldn’t bother. But I kept it for over 4 years and still the premise of 3 characters from 3 different times being weaved together into one story just sounds so cool (and Furyborn was a disappointment in that area). So I added this book to my “Top 12 to Read in 2019” and thus committed to either finally reading the book or unhauling it for good. This was the first book off that list I committed to reading and, well, it seems like I should’ve just donated it instead.
The 3 characters and their timelines was confusing and just felt disjointed from one another. The druid king’s inclusion, in particular, really didn’t fit; his chapters were just so short they felt like they were haphazardly thrown in. Sulis is a mysterious girl trying to run from her past, which seems to be blown out of proportion. It’s partially due to Sulis’s PTSD from her past, but that’s not good enough so we need the media to further mess the poor girl up. Zac’s story was probably my favorite, but he was slightly hard to follow since it focuses more on the architect and not Zac himself.
It was cool to learn more about the history of the city of Bath, England. As an American, I did not know that much about the city other than it having cool architecture. This book, with one character being the architect’s apprentice, obviously goes into more detail about it, but it also covers the Roman history of the city and the baths behind the name. Yes, I can always find other sources to read for Bath’s history, but I don’t think I would’ve done it on my own time (unless some other media better brought it to my attention), so it’s always nice to have it incorporated into stories read for fun.
I think it does slightly better incorporate the multiple timeline aspect of the story than Furyborn, but in the end I still need to be on the hunt for an excellent book that is able to do this without it being confusing. Any recommendations, anyone?
October 1, 2017
First I want to say that I really related to the architect's apprentice. He's basically spoiled. He's disgusted by the "menial" work he must endure and the "lowly" people he must be in company with. In reality though, he should stop complaining and be thankful. Nobody is entitled to anything... or beyond any work or environment. When I take the public city buses I often raise my nose and wrinkle it in disgust. I'm like: l don't belong here with all these lowly... but then I try to catch myself and I'm like: what are you saying? You think your better than these people? Why? Stop complaining and be thankful.
"...but men are ruled by walls and corridors and streets and roads. If these are in harmony, so will the people be. The architect is a magician, and a king." (Quote from Bladud pg. 162)
I would say that one of the major themes (or at least something I felt) of this novel is that of the harmony and interconnectedness of all things. The novel switches off between 3 stories: a first person account from a king of myth: Bladud (according to the author's note, "Bladud is mythical; his tale can be found in old chronicles."), a first person account from an architects apprentice, and a third person narrative about a girl with a haunting and mysterious past.
There was a lot that I liked in this novel: wisdom, real feeling descriptions, dramatic dialogue, different personalities and of course... magic. The story gave me the sense that the past, future and buildings (or lack thereof) that surround us have a real effect on us. It gave me the sense that the world is a delicate place and any tweaking of it by anyone can change everything for everyone forever. Another thing I really appreciated was the ending: it was one of hope and belief in the goodness of people despite their many failings.
Anyway, there's my imperfect review for you.
"...but men are ruled by walls and corridors and streets and roads. If these are in harmony, so will the people be. The architect is a magician, and a king." (Quote from Bladud pg. 162)
I would say that one of the major themes (or at least something I felt) of this novel is that of the harmony and interconnectedness of all things. The novel switches off between 3 stories: a first person account from a king of myth: Bladud (according to the author's note, "Bladud is mythical; his tale can be found in old chronicles."), a first person account from an architects apprentice, and a third person narrative about a girl with a haunting and mysterious past.
There was a lot that I liked in this novel: wisdom, real feeling descriptions, dramatic dialogue, different personalities and of course... magic. The story gave me the sense that the past, future and buildings (or lack thereof) that surround us have a real effect on us. It gave me the sense that the world is a delicate place and any tweaking of it by anyone can change everything for everyone forever. Another thing I really appreciated was the ending: it was one of hope and belief in the goodness of people despite their many failings.
Anyway, there's my imperfect review for you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 30, 2014
Three lives intertwine in the history of the city of Bath. In Druidical times, the exiled king Bladud finds the magically healing waters and builds its first city and stone monuments. In 1754 young apprentice architect Zac (who is an arrogant piece of work) watches his brilliant and unconventional master Jonathan Forrest as he begins building his masterwork, the King's Circle of houses in Bath. No one else really believes in his greatness, and the evil Lord Compton is out to make his own name by stealing Forrest's work--and wants Zac to help, willingly or not. In modern times, orphaned Sulis has spent most of her life in fear, shuttled in secret from foster home to foster home. When she was a child, she witnessed something, and is always certain that someone is watching her. When she finally reaches Bath, she feels safe--until she sees the man again. What is really going on?
I really wanted to love this book since I love many-layered stories, stone circles, England, Bath, mysteries, magic, mystical history, etc. I did enjoy it, and especially liked that when one story was getting too fraught, it would switch to another one so you got a break. I liked the character of Sulis, and her story. Zac was pretty awful, and not much fun to spend any time with--I just don't enjoy jerks, even if they improve later. What didn't work for me was that in the end, at least half of the mysteries were still mysteries. What was up with Forrest's mysterious gatherings? What did the metopes mean? What was the big deal with the hidden chamber? All unanswered questions, unless I just didn't read carefully enough. But fans of Midwinterblood should like this one.
I really wanted to love this book since I love many-layered stories, stone circles, England, Bath, mysteries, magic, mystical history, etc. I did enjoy it, and especially liked that when one story was getting too fraught, it would switch to another one so you got a break. I liked the character of Sulis, and her story. Zac was pretty awful, and not much fun to spend any time with--I just don't enjoy jerks, even if they improve later. What didn't work for me was that in the end, at least half of the mysteries were still mysteries. What was up with Forrest's mysterious gatherings? What did the metopes mean? What was the big deal with the hidden chamber? All unanswered questions, unless I just didn't read carefully enough. But fans of Midwinterblood should like this one.
December 2, 2014
Three stories, one place.
First there is a dying, presumably leprous, Druid king, Bladud, who leaves his people to go die on his own. As he wanders off into the wilderness, he discovers a hot spring that heals him. The goddess of the spring urges him to build a circle of stones to encircle the spring.
Then there is a young man named Zac who is apprenticed to a mad genius of an architect, Jonathan Forrest. Forrest has dreams of creating a round circle of houses, soon to be known as the King's Circus. Forrest is obsessed with the Druids and their connections to this space.
Finally, there is Sulis, a teenaged girl who moves to modern-day Bath. Her past is distinctly mysterious; even her name is a fabrication. Something terrible happened in her childhood and landed her in a type of witness protection. She has been through numerous foster situations, but still feels as though she's being followed. She is, however, genuinely fascinated by the circular street on which she's now living.
Each story is distinct and independent of the others, though the setting is the same in each. The hot springs and circular stone structures built around it are the connections that pull the trio of narratives together. Each narrative builds the sense of mysticism and gravitas to King's Circus, which is an actual place and described exactly as it appears in real life. Circle of Stones effectively melds together history, mystery and mythology in one intriguing novel.
First there is a dying, presumably leprous, Druid king, Bladud, who leaves his people to go die on his own. As he wanders off into the wilderness, he discovers a hot spring that heals him. The goddess of the spring urges him to build a circle of stones to encircle the spring.
Then there is a young man named Zac who is apprenticed to a mad genius of an architect, Jonathan Forrest. Forrest has dreams of creating a round circle of houses, soon to be known as the King's Circus. Forrest is obsessed with the Druids and their connections to this space.
Finally, there is Sulis, a teenaged girl who moves to modern-day Bath. Her past is distinctly mysterious; even her name is a fabrication. Something terrible happened in her childhood and landed her in a type of witness protection. She has been through numerous foster situations, but still feels as though she's being followed. She is, however, genuinely fascinated by the circular street on which she's now living.
Each story is distinct and independent of the others, though the setting is the same in each. The hot springs and circular stone structures built around it are the connections that pull the trio of narratives together. Each narrative builds the sense of mysticism and gravitas to King's Circus, which is an actual place and described exactly as it appears in real life. Circle of Stones effectively melds together history, mystery and mythology in one intriguing novel.
December 22, 2014
Sulis, a teenage girl being handed off to another set of new foster parents, arrives in Bath, England, ready to leave the past behind her. Within minutes, she is already nervously looking over her shoulders at every opportunity. Linked with her story is that of Zac, the assistant to the man who aims to invent the world's first circular street, King's Circus, in which Sulis lives in the future. Also interlaced with these two stories is the creator of the city of Bath, a druid king who discovers the healing powers of the water. I found these stories particularly interesting because I've been to Bath, England, but if I hadn't spent a weekend there in 'real life' I'm not sure I would have enjoyed this book as much as I did. Either way, I really loved delving into Sulis's past, and finding out who she was constantly watching for, and what in her past had brought her to Bath.
Sarah M. / Marathon County Public Library
Find this book in our library catalog.
October 12, 2014
Three stories in different times, all in England and all connected. Bladud is an ancient Durid King who discovers the magical waters that heal. Zac is an apprentice, in the 1700, who is an apprentice to a builder.Forrest, who is buiding homes in the Circus. This is the same area of Bladud's magic spring. Skip forward to modern times to Sulis. Sulis is an assumed name. She is a girl with a hidden past. A girl who is "running" from someone who "killed" her friend. She is relocated to Kings Circus at Bath to live with new forest parents, Hannah and Simon. It is here that she meets Josh who helps her untaggle the past.
Excellent job of connecting the stories of Bladud, Zac and Sulis. Good YA book
Excellent job of connecting the stories of Bladud, Zac and Sulis. Good YA book
December 31, 2020
really 2 1/2 *
middle & upper grades
third-person POV
standalone
Three separate stories - a Druid king (pre-Roman times), an architect building the King's Circus (1754), and a contemporary girl with a sad past. All are set in Bath, England, and describe the same area but the stories only marginally connect. The character's name heads each chapter about him/her and the font changes for each person which makes the stories separate, but even without that it's easy to tell them apart. Circles are a big motif.
I was interested because we have been to Bath and seen all the buildings and areas described. It's a beautiful city, but if you haven't been there I think you would need to search for images to better understand the descriptions.
middle & upper grades
third-person POV
standalone
Three separate stories - a Druid king (pre-Roman times), an architect building the King's Circus (1754), and a contemporary girl with a sad past. All are set in Bath, England, and describe the same area but the stories only marginally connect. The character's name heads each chapter about him/her and the font changes for each person which makes the stories separate, but even without that it's easy to tell them apart. Circles are a big motif.
I was interested because we have been to Bath and seen all the buildings and areas described. It's a beautiful city, but if you haven't been there I think you would need to search for images to better understand the descriptions.
September 23, 2023
The only reason why I continued reading the book in the first place, was because of Zac and his chapters. They were *way* more interesting than Sulis' chapters. The first two Sulis chapters were interesting but then, to me, they just got boring. Honestly, there was a certain point (perhaps around halfway through) where I was tempted to just skip all of Sulis' chapters and just read all the ones titled Zac. Though, it was interesting to learn about King's Circus and Forrest with his obsession with Druids and various other things.
September 22, 2014
When I first picked up this book and began to read it it I found it very interesting, I liked the concept that it held with Sulis and Blaudad and Zac, I thought Zac's story was not to great at the beginning and got better, with the opposite for Sulis' story, it was really good at the beginning and got worse. With Blaudad's story my opinion did not change as much, over all I thought it was an okay book, but it wasn't that good, and was definitely not Catherine Fisher at her best.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 17, 2014
I didn't really feel engaged by the characters or even get that invested in their stories. However, I did like the symbolism, the mirroring of characters, the three intertwining narratives -- structurally, a lot of this really pleased me (I love seeing patterns emerge in stories and how authors manipulate those patterns to suit their needs). It's just too bad that I couldn't get more into what was actually happening.
January 5, 2015
Truthfully, I wasn't expecting to make it all through this novel. I've read several books by Catherine Fisher in the past, but I never really liked them, and I gave up part-way through Incarceron. So imagine my surprise when I blew through Circle of Stones, finishing it in less than a day! Though I don't think I LOVED it, I enjoyed it. The story was well-paced and the alternate view-points and times really added to the story as a whole. Would recommend.
April 8, 2015
I started this book out with 3 stars, but the more I think about it I had to mark it down to two and here's why. First of all, I really despised Zak. Talk about a cry baby. Also, I didn't like where Sulis' story ended up. It was just weird and sad, in a creepy sort of way.
The one thing that I did like were the references to the King's Circus and architecture and Druids, although I got to where I was only skimming the old king's story too.
The one thing that I did like were the references to the King's Circus and architecture and Druids, although I got to where I was only skimming the old king's story too.
September 5, 2022
Catherine Fisher is a brilliant writer. Brilliant! Very Welsh in a Alan Garner fashion, and he's great, too. This one was fascinating.
One of Fisher's series is one of the best series I've ever read, you feel you're in ancient Cypress or Greece: The Oracle Trilogy
The Oracle 2003, The Archon 2004, The Scarab 2005
Another series starts with Incarceron, mind-blowing twists. Read her books! I want people to learn about Catherine Fisher and read everything she wrote!
One of Fisher's series is one of the best series I've ever read, you feel you're in ancient Cypress or Greece: The Oracle Trilogy
The Oracle 2003, The Archon 2004, The Scarab 2005
Another series starts with Incarceron, mind-blowing twists. Read her books! I want people to learn about Catherine Fisher and read everything she wrote!
February 18, 2021
I read and loved Fisher's Incarceron series, but I feel that was the only one I will ever like because I've read multiple others from her, and I can't seem to like a single one. This could have been a very interesting book, but it felt like it dragged and was bland and confusing with everything going on. Wasn't a fan, sadly.
November 6, 2014
I enjoyed this book, but I would have liked the three stories to entwine a bit. The only thing that I found confusing was that in Sulis's story, it seemed like it happened over the span of about a month, when in reality, I think it must have been less than a week. It just seemed from the way the characters acted that they'd been together a lot longer ...
May 3, 2017
2.5/5. This story was very bland to me. I understood what it was trying to do, but it just didn't accomplish it. The three points of view were unnecessary. I wasn't left yearning for more as I read more, even as "the plot thickened". This book tried to be too many things, and in doing so, it lacked in so many of the areas.
December 16, 2014
The elements in play were all promising, and I usually like Fisher's writing, but I never got hooked in to this story. Zac, the main voice for the 18th Century section of the three-way narration, was especially uninspiring and not compelling for me.
January 8, 2015
Intersecting stories bring the foundations of Bath in Somerset into relief with a modern-day girl, an 18th century resentful apprentice, and a prehistoric, mystical Druid all grappling with how to live the authentic life.
January 29, 2016
A good read for those that are interested in mystery, intrigue, and history. Three stories from three different points in history, but all in the same place. In a circle of stones, that would come together in a way to reflect. The circles of the characters and stories would close as of one.
April 27, 2015
Hard to get through, and hard to feel the characters. Three stories in different time periods taking place in the same area: Bath, England. The story(ies) felt chunky and there seemed to be no continuity even though you knew it was there somewhere.
March 10, 2022
Better than all the American changes made it seem.
I am so cross that Americans feel they have the right to make silly changes, which they do, because American readers are not as educated as those of the writer's original country?
However, Fisher's genius shines through
I am so cross that Americans feel they have the right to make silly changes, which they do, because American readers are not as educated as those of the writer's original country?
However, Fisher's genius shines through
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews