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Keeper of Tales Trilogy #2
The Chronicle of Secret Riven
An uncanny child born to brilliant parents, befriended by a prince, mentored by a wise woman, pursued by a powerful man, Secret Riven has no idea what destiny will demand of her or the courage she must have to confront it in the breathtakingly epic, genre-spanning sequel to The Mapmaker’s War.
One thousand years after a great conflict known as The Mapmaker’s War, a daughter is born to an ambitious historian and a gifted translator. Secret Riven doesn’t speak until her seventh year but can mysteriously communicate with plants and animals. Unsettled by visions and dreams since childhood, she tries to hide her strangeness, especially from her mercurial father and cold mother. Yet gentle, watchful Secret finds acceptance from Prince Nikolas, her best friend, and Old Woman, who lives in the distant woods.
When Secret is twelve, her mother receives an arcane manuscript to translate from an anonymous owner. Zavet suffers from nightmares and withdraws into herself. Secret sickens with a fever and awakens able to speak an ancient language, one her mother knows as well. Suddenly, Zavet dies. The manuscript is missing, but a cipher has been left for Secret to find.
Years later, Secret becomes a translator’s apprentice for Fewmany, an influential magnate, who has taken an interest in her for reasons she cannot discern. Before Secret learns why, Old Woman confronts Secret with the truth of her destiny—a choice she must make that is tied to an ancient past.
Overflowing with spellbinding storytelling, vivid characters, and set in a fascinating world, The Chronicle of Secret Riven explores the tension between love and hate, trust and betrayal, fate and free will.
One thousand years after a great conflict known as The Mapmaker’s War, a daughter is born to an ambitious historian and a gifted translator. Secret Riven doesn’t speak until her seventh year but can mysteriously communicate with plants and animals. Unsettled by visions and dreams since childhood, she tries to hide her strangeness, especially from her mercurial father and cold mother. Yet gentle, watchful Secret finds acceptance from Prince Nikolas, her best friend, and Old Woman, who lives in the distant woods.
When Secret is twelve, her mother receives an arcane manuscript to translate from an anonymous owner. Zavet suffers from nightmares and withdraws into herself. Secret sickens with a fever and awakens able to speak an ancient language, one her mother knows as well. Suddenly, Zavet dies. The manuscript is missing, but a cipher has been left for Secret to find.
Years later, Secret becomes a translator’s apprentice for Fewmany, an influential magnate, who has taken an interest in her for reasons she cannot discern. Before Secret learns why, Old Woman confronts Secret with the truth of her destiny—a choice she must make that is tied to an ancient past.
Overflowing with spellbinding storytelling, vivid characters, and set in a fascinating world, The Chronicle of Secret Riven explores the tension between love and hate, trust and betrayal, fate and free will.
385 pages, Hardcover
First published May 20, 2014
14 people are currently reading
805 people want to read
About the author
Ronlyn Domingue
10 books203 followersRonlyn Domingue is the internationally published author of The Mercy of Thin Air and the Keeper of Tales Trilogy (The Mapmaker’s War, The Chronicle of Secret Riven, and The Plague Diaries). Her short work has appeared in print and online publications including New England Review, Lion’s Roar, and New Delta Review. CRONE ENERGY, her newsletter, is on Substack.
She writes about deep, sensitive people in strange, transformative circumstances. Through sense-filled storytelling, Ronlyn’s visionary fiction and essays explore profound themes grounded in beauty, wonder, and compassion. Her layered stories entertain at the surface and inspire at the depths. Readers will feel enchanted and transported as they enter new relationships with themselves and the world.
She writes about deep, sensitive people in strange, transformative circumstances. Through sense-filled storytelling, Ronlyn’s visionary fiction and essays explore profound themes grounded in beauty, wonder, and compassion. Her layered stories entertain at the surface and inspire at the depths. Readers will feel enchanted and transported as they enter new relationships with themselves and the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
May 31, 2014
I LOVE THIS BOOK.
Ever have such high expectations for a book that you are actually a little afraid to start reading it? That was me with this novel. Good news though, this book not only met those expectations, but far exceeded them.
It is not too often that I find a main character that I not only love, but feel so much kinship with that I feel like I am connected to them in some way. Secret is that character. When you get to know her, you can't help but love her. Perhaps it is her gentle nature in the beginning, or the way she grows into a strong woman capable of protecting all she holds dear without losing that gentle nature,either way, she is unforgettable.
This story is interesting right from the beginning and pulls the reader into a world where just about anything is possible. I love that Ronlyn Domingue did not begin this book with huge magical elements and (gulp) dragons, wizards and the expected fantasy brood, but rather with characters who could have been any of us, allowing the fantasy elements to happen naturally and at their own pace.
This book was a lot of fun from the beginning to the end, and I am thrilled that I had the chance to read it. If you love adventurous stories with wonderful fantasy elements, this is a book you cannot miss.
This review is based on a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
Ever have such high expectations for a book that you are actually a little afraid to start reading it? That was me with this novel. Good news though, this book not only met those expectations, but far exceeded them.
It is not too often that I find a main character that I not only love, but feel so much kinship with that I feel like I am connected to them in some way. Secret is that character. When you get to know her, you can't help but love her. Perhaps it is her gentle nature in the beginning, or the way she grows into a strong woman capable of protecting all she holds dear without losing that gentle nature,either way, she is unforgettable.
This story is interesting right from the beginning and pulls the reader into a world where just about anything is possible. I love that Ronlyn Domingue did not begin this book with huge magical elements and (gulp) dragons, wizards and the expected fantasy brood, but rather with characters who could have been any of us, allowing the fantasy elements to happen naturally and at their own pace.
This book was a lot of fun from the beginning to the end, and I am thrilled that I had the chance to read it. If you love adventurous stories with wonderful fantasy elements, this is a book you cannot miss.
This review is based on a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
March 26, 2014
This second book in the Keeper of Tales trilogy is my favorite so far! It's lush and entertaining: a sweeping and epic coming of age tale, set in an inventive world, with a deeply sympathetic heroine.
Born a thousand years after the Mapmaker's War to selfish, brilliant parents, Secret Riven cannot speak, although she can mysteriously communicate with plants and animals. Unable to hide her strangeness, she finds herself ignored by her parents and ostracized by her peers. Frequent readers of literary fantasy and fairy tales will be pleased to recognize a few familiar archetypes: the one true friend Secret makes in childhood, the Old Woman who lives in the distant woods who gives Secret advice. But the setting is like nothing you've seen before. In the thousand years since the Mapmaker's War, the civilization of book one has advanced technologically. There's an almost steampunk feel to this period: "newsboxes" give the latest gossip from storefront windows; everyone wears "Tell-a-bells" behind their ears to remind them of the items on their daily to do lists; and a powerful corporation known only as Fewmany, Inc. controls almost everything about the economy in Town.
From the depth and complexity of its characters, to the pleasure of watching Secret, the quintessential outcast, slowly come into her own as a heroine, this is a book I will read and reread, the kind of book you look forward to slipping into all day while you're at work. Rather than writing the same old story we've all read a thousand times before, in The Chronicle of Secret Riven, Domingue has written a novel that subverts fantasy reader expectations, questioning why we expect the things we do from heroines at the same time as it offers one such heroine's genesis tale. Recommended for fans of literary fantasy, fairy tales, steampunk, Ursula Leguin, and Margaret Atwood.
Born a thousand years after the Mapmaker's War to selfish, brilliant parents, Secret Riven cannot speak, although she can mysteriously communicate with plants and animals. Unable to hide her strangeness, she finds herself ignored by her parents and ostracized by her peers. Frequent readers of literary fantasy and fairy tales will be pleased to recognize a few familiar archetypes: the one true friend Secret makes in childhood, the Old Woman who lives in the distant woods who gives Secret advice. But the setting is like nothing you've seen before. In the thousand years since the Mapmaker's War, the civilization of book one has advanced technologically. There's an almost steampunk feel to this period: "newsboxes" give the latest gossip from storefront windows; everyone wears "Tell-a-bells" behind their ears to remind them of the items on their daily to do lists; and a powerful corporation known only as Fewmany, Inc. controls almost everything about the economy in Town.
From the depth and complexity of its characters, to the pleasure of watching Secret, the quintessential outcast, slowly come into her own as a heroine, this is a book I will read and reread, the kind of book you look forward to slipping into all day while you're at work. Rather than writing the same old story we've all read a thousand times before, in The Chronicle of Secret Riven, Domingue has written a novel that subverts fantasy reader expectations, questioning why we expect the things we do from heroines at the same time as it offers one such heroine's genesis tale. Recommended for fans of literary fantasy, fairy tales, steampunk, Ursula Leguin, and Margaret Atwood.
August 13, 2020
Seeing that The Mapmaker’s War was one of my favorite 2013 reads, I was certainly eager to read this sequel. The world and mythology of this series is excellent, and Ronlyn Domingue tells her stories in such a way that defies specific categorization. The Chronicle of Secret Riven didn’t quite live up to the first book, but it was still a good story.
This book takes place 1,000 years after the events of book 1, so it could almost be considered a standalone, though I believe certain aspects of the book would work better if you read the first book. In either case, The Chronicle of Secret Riven deals with a young girl, named Secret Riven, who’s different from her peers, and how those differences play out in her coming of age. The book ends when she’s 16, with the expectation that the final book in the trilogy will complete her story.
A lot of the same things I liked in The Mapmaker’s War came into play with its sequel. Domingue’s writing is atmospheric and evocative, and she establishes her characters and setting in a unique way. Secret was an intriguing character, and the events of her childhood weren’t boring at all. I liked the presence of myth and fable in the story, though some things were left too ambiguous for me.
Where I was disappointed with The Chronicle of Secret Riven, though, is that I thought it ended before it truly began. Domingue spents the entirety of the book establishing who Secret is, what her goals are, who her friends are, her struggles. Then, at the very end, she is told what her “purpose” in life is…and that’s it. The meat of the story will be contained in the following installment (I assume). While Secret is an interesting character, and her overarching story is doubtless well told, this book does not stand up well individually. It’s very much a bridge book, and I somewhat question if its length is necessary, and if Domingue couldn’t have told all of Secret’s story in one volume. As it is, I’m not sure what happened in this book is deserving of its own novel.
But, in any case, The Chronicle of Secret Riven is a unique, thought-provoking sort of fantasy(?) novel that stands out from the pack, though perhaps we could compare this series to Juliet Marillier’s writing. I’m interested to see how Domingue concludes things in the trilogy’s final installment, at the very least.
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This book takes place 1,000 years after the events of book 1, so it could almost be considered a standalone, though I believe certain aspects of the book would work better if you read the first book. In either case, The Chronicle of Secret Riven deals with a young girl, named Secret Riven, who’s different from her peers, and how those differences play out in her coming of age. The book ends when she’s 16, with the expectation that the final book in the trilogy will complete her story.
A lot of the same things I liked in The Mapmaker’s War came into play with its sequel. Domingue’s writing is atmospheric and evocative, and she establishes her characters and setting in a unique way. Secret was an intriguing character, and the events of her childhood weren’t boring at all. I liked the presence of myth and fable in the story, though some things were left too ambiguous for me.
Where I was disappointed with The Chronicle of Secret Riven, though, is that I thought it ended before it truly began. Domingue spents the entirety of the book establishing who Secret is, what her goals are, who her friends are, her struggles. Then, at the very end, she is told what her “purpose” in life is…and that’s it. The meat of the story will be contained in the following installment (I assume). While Secret is an interesting character, and her overarching story is doubtless well told, this book does not stand up well individually. It’s very much a bridge book, and I somewhat question if its length is necessary, and if Domingue couldn’t have told all of Secret’s story in one volume. As it is, I’m not sure what happened in this book is deserving of its own novel.
But, in any case, The Chronicle of Secret Riven is a unique, thought-provoking sort of fantasy(?) novel that stands out from the pack, though perhaps we could compare this series to Juliet Marillier’s writing. I’m interested to see how Domingue concludes things in the trilogy’s final installment, at the very least.
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July 5, 2014
The Chronicle of Secret Riven must have been written to solely frustrate the reader. The story keeps building and building, but nothing ever happens. The main character Secret spends the entire book in denial, about everything. When she was born she was mute, but she was able to communicate with animals. She befriends a squirrel who leads her to secret woods where an Old Woman is there to tell her stories and give her guidance. She also befriends the prince of the kingdom and at times he accompanies her to the woods. As Secret gets older she becomes aware that her abilities and friends are not "normal" and begins to close herself off from her friends and even herself. The story never reaches any kind of climax or conclusion and I realize this the second in the series, but really you need to give the reader a tidbit of something. I kept waiting for Secret to have an epiphany, some realization and come out of her bubble wrapped life, but unfortunately it never happened.
December 30, 2018
Lots of build up, with a quiet, uneventful end. Would have liked some warning that this was part one of a story, and not a self-contained story, like the first in the series.
September 19, 2014
Book Two of The Keeper of Tales trilogy takes place 1000 years after The Mapmaker's War. Secret Riven is the daughter of an ambitious historian and a gifted translator. She is silent as a baby, toddler, and young child, not speaking until she is in second grade.
Her silence is only an outward manifestation of Secret's differences. She can communicate non-verbally with plants and animals. She also suffers from unsettling visions and dreams, many of which leave her either ill or in pain. Ronlyn Domingue has an exceptional ability to make you feel Secret's uniqueness and what it is like for her when she is too young to comprehend what is happening.
"Secret's whole body vibrated with the sound, her being a bell struck with full force. She felt suddenly heavy and strong, as if her body were no longer her own."
The novel's subtitle is An Account of What Preceded the Plague of Silences. Exactly true because the account of Secret's first seventeen years occasionally mentions this plague but by the end of the book the plague is still to come. It did not occur to me until just now that Secret will be especially suited to survive a plague of silences.
In such an eerie story, even more fairytale-like than The Mapmaker's War, every chapter is some degree of strange. A mysterious manuscript sent to Secret's mother to translate causes illness and terrible challenges for both of them. The mother is cold and distant toward her daughter but beloved by the father. A set of myths in an appendix explains the mystical history of Secret's country. She is led into a forest by a red squirrel where an old woman teaches her these myths and provides some much needed mother love. Whenever Secret returns from afternoons in the forest, no time has passed in her world.
The life of this unique and amazing girl is revealed chapter by chapter, year by year, as she grows. In fact, the format is similar to the way I am constructing my memoir. Both mine and Secret's birthdays are in late summer, shortly before a new school year begins, an uncanny coincidence for me.
The pace is slow and dreamy, now and then relieved by incidents between Riven and the country's Prince, who becomes one her best friends. Secret's oddness and psychical suffering are intense, her life unpredictable even as it follows the patterns of daily life, school, and yearly growth. Thus the book contains a never ending tension.
I was made part of this girl's life so deeply and intimately that when the book ended I felt adrift. The conflicts she carried with her for 18 years are by no means resolved. Obviously that will happen in the final volume, still being written according to a recent interview with Domingue, but due to be published next year.
I am fairly sure I will not forget anything about Secret Riven and when I start the next book, her story, her chronicle, will be right there.
Her silence is only an outward manifestation of Secret's differences. She can communicate non-verbally with plants and animals. She also suffers from unsettling visions and dreams, many of which leave her either ill or in pain. Ronlyn Domingue has an exceptional ability to make you feel Secret's uniqueness and what it is like for her when she is too young to comprehend what is happening.
"Secret's whole body vibrated with the sound, her being a bell struck with full force. She felt suddenly heavy and strong, as if her body were no longer her own."
The novel's subtitle is An Account of What Preceded the Plague of Silences. Exactly true because the account of Secret's first seventeen years occasionally mentions this plague but by the end of the book the plague is still to come. It did not occur to me until just now that Secret will be especially suited to survive a plague of silences.
In such an eerie story, even more fairytale-like than The Mapmaker's War, every chapter is some degree of strange. A mysterious manuscript sent to Secret's mother to translate causes illness and terrible challenges for both of them. The mother is cold and distant toward her daughter but beloved by the father. A set of myths in an appendix explains the mystical history of Secret's country. She is led into a forest by a red squirrel where an old woman teaches her these myths and provides some much needed mother love. Whenever Secret returns from afternoons in the forest, no time has passed in her world.
The life of this unique and amazing girl is revealed chapter by chapter, year by year, as she grows. In fact, the format is similar to the way I am constructing my memoir. Both mine and Secret's birthdays are in late summer, shortly before a new school year begins, an uncanny coincidence for me.
The pace is slow and dreamy, now and then relieved by incidents between Riven and the country's Prince, who becomes one her best friends. Secret's oddness and psychical suffering are intense, her life unpredictable even as it follows the patterns of daily life, school, and yearly growth. Thus the book contains a never ending tension.
I was made part of this girl's life so deeply and intimately that when the book ended I felt adrift. The conflicts she carried with her for 18 years are by no means resolved. Obviously that will happen in the final volume, still being written according to a recent interview with Domingue, but due to be published next year.
I am fairly sure I will not forget anything about Secret Riven and when I start the next book, her story, her chronicle, will be right there.
November 16, 2017
On the one hand, I highly recommend that you read the first book in the trilogy before this one. Though this book might barely stand alone, you will lose a good amount of valuable context if you don't start with number 1.
On the other hand, this second installment pales by comparison to that first book. Maybe you should only read that one.
I had a hard time with this one. There was much that I liked, but more that I found annoying.
I liked Evensong/Secret... until I didn't, so much - her character arc was there, but it sure wasn't appealing (which is fair). And I found many small annoyances throughout. "The color of his eyes was myth"? I guess its supposed to be poetic, but it just sounds silly. I have seen other stories use the sort of "what is going on in the greater world" inserts to better effect than she does with those brief chapters about the vibe of the town in general - these were just distracting.
I also felt like the story undermined itself in trying to give Secret - and even her mother - a non-traditional path for women, but then when Secret and Nikolas go to the woods, he only meets a man and she only meets a woman. What happened to the gender equality piece that seemed to be a primary message of this story?
Lastly, it was lame that she foreshadowed events that don't occur until the last book. Better to tighten this one up and combine the two, since it seems like really they are going to be a continuous cohesive whole (while the first one stands alone).
Overall, I was aware that The Mapmaker's War is a hard act to follow, so I can't say I was surprised. I will see how the last book in the trilogy works out, but for now I am tempted to prefer the first book as a stand-alone...
On the other hand, this second installment pales by comparison to that first book. Maybe you should only read that one.
I had a hard time with this one. There was much that I liked, but more that I found annoying.
I liked Evensong/Secret... until I didn't, so much - her character arc was there, but it sure wasn't appealing (which is fair). And I found many small annoyances throughout. "The color of his eyes was myth"? I guess its supposed to be poetic, but it just sounds silly. I have seen other stories use the sort of "what is going on in the greater world" inserts to better effect than she does with those brief chapters about the vibe of the town in general - these were just distracting.
I also felt like the story undermined itself in trying to give Secret - and even her mother - a non-traditional path for women, but then when Secret and Nikolas go to the woods, he only meets a man and she only meets a woman. What happened to the gender equality piece that seemed to be a primary message of this story?
Lastly, it was lame that she foreshadowed events that don't occur until the last book. Better to tighten this one up and combine the two, since it seems like really they are going to be a continuous cohesive whole (while the first one stands alone).
Overall, I was aware that The Mapmaker's War is a hard act to follow, so I can't say I was surprised. I will see how the last book in the trilogy works out, but for now I am tempted to prefer the first book as a stand-alone...
May 9, 2014
I received this book as a Goodreads First Read giveaway.
Quick disclaimer: I have not read the first in the series.
I have strongly mixed feeling about this book. First, the good stuff:
1. There is something very engaging about the writing style in the main story. At some point, I got hooked and couldn't put the book down.
2. This part of the trilogy is setting up a potentially very great conclusion.
3. There's a dragon. Maybe. Probably. We're not sure, but one can hope. Dragons can't be bad, right?
4. The appendix stories were very well written and really added something to the world.
5. The main character is very engaging, and all of the mystery associated with her was enough to keep me engaged.
Now, the stuff I'm not sure about:
1. The interlude sections. I'm not sure where they fit in, how they advanced the story, or why the writing style changed to second person. These sections really lost me.
2. This is definitely a middle book. I feel there was a lot of set up, and I'm left in the dark. There was a ton of set up and no conclusions. Even though it's part of a trilogy, there should be some conclusion to plot points.
3. The development of the main character has yet to take off. There's a possibility she can end up being a strong female character, or just end up being a crying weak mess. I hope she will grow up into a strong female character, but nothing in this book indicated that might happen.
Middle books tend to have a slump, this one suffers from it. There's a lot of potentially good things going on, but some of the negatives created problems for me. As a standalone story, this one is lacking something.
Quick disclaimer: I have not read the first in the series.
I have strongly mixed feeling about this book. First, the good stuff:
1. There is something very engaging about the writing style in the main story. At some point, I got hooked and couldn't put the book down.
2. This part of the trilogy is setting up a potentially very great conclusion.
3. There's a dragon. Maybe. Probably. We're not sure, but one can hope. Dragons can't be bad, right?
4. The appendix stories were very well written and really added something to the world.
5. The main character is very engaging, and all of the mystery associated with her was enough to keep me engaged.
Now, the stuff I'm not sure about:
1. The interlude sections. I'm not sure where they fit in, how they advanced the story, or why the writing style changed to second person. These sections really lost me.
2. This is definitely a middle book. I feel there was a lot of set up, and I'm left in the dark. There was a ton of set up and no conclusions. Even though it's part of a trilogy, there should be some conclusion to plot points.
3. The development of the main character has yet to take off. There's a possibility she can end up being a strong female character, or just end up being a crying weak mess. I hope she will grow up into a strong female character, but nothing in this book indicated that might happen.
Middle books tend to have a slump, this one suffers from it. There's a lot of potentially good things going on, but some of the negatives created problems for me. As a standalone story, this one is lacking something.
April 3, 2019
This is young girl, Secret Riven's coming of age story in a fantasy, far-away place, before the time of cars, at least. She has a brilliant linguist as a mother and a historian as a father. She has her own special powers, and she is ambivalent about them. I love that she is given the stresses and problems of a modern teenager, trying to get into a good college, not really knowing the right thing to wear.
She torn between doing what is expected of her, and both trying to repress and follow her own path. An evil man is trying to lure her with the promise of a dream job.
Not perfect, but I really enjoyed this book.
She torn between doing what is expected of her, and both trying to repress and follow her own path. An evil man is trying to lure her with the promise of a dream job.
Not perfect, but I really enjoyed this book.
June 14, 2020
While the author does a beautiful job of developing characters and places with delightfully intricate ties to one another, the book feels shallow. As if it stays surface level from the first to the last page. The main character has lots of potential but one feels outside of her, even in moments that are intended to be introspective and touching. I do not usually read trilogies but made an exception after enjoying the first book so thoroughly. Sadly the second book is a bridge. It could have been an extra chapter or two at the start of the third - assuming the third book picks up the storyline meaningfully. I have not read it yet and now feel obliged rather than excited to do so.
September 28, 2018
I read The Mapmaker’s War a few years ago and absolutely loved that book. This book takes place a thousand or so years after the first one. I didn’t enjoy it as much as TMW, but the author’s writing is just ridiculously beautiful; I love the nature imagery and how her books just make me think of dawn. Does anyone else feel this way?
I can’t wait to read the final book of the trilogy and hopefully have some questions answered that were not addressed at the end of this book.
I can’t wait to read the final book of the trilogy and hopefully have some questions answered that were not addressed at the end of this book.
March 18, 2018
Decent read, not as good as first
This is a good book, but slow to get there. I enjoyed the characters, good depth. I feel like there were in depth descriptions of the world, almost too good. I could have used more story and less description. Overall, this is a good middle book. I’m looking forward to the final book.
This is a good book, but slow to get there. I enjoyed the characters, good depth. I feel like there were in depth descriptions of the world, almost too good. I could have used more story and less description. Overall, this is a good middle book. I’m looking forward to the final book.
May 14, 2018
This book was an interesting narration of a young girl's life. The issue I have is that there was no resolution or progress in this book. At the end, it felt like it was all just backstory for book 3.
January 2, 2018
well written but depressing and dark, was expecting a similar uplifting and optimistic vibe that the first book had.
February 28, 2019
Really a very bland book. It felt like it has all been done before, but better. One sentence in the whole book had some disturbing content.
May 22, 2014
A thousand years after the Mapmaker’s war (described in a previous novel by this same author), Secret Riven is born to a historian father and a mother who is able to translate multiple languages. Secret cannot speak for years, a lack that seems to strengthen her talent for telepathically communicating with plants and animals. Her contact with nature is limited at first until her father receives a plush job that enables them to move to a town bordering on multiple forests and groves, filled with animals that are totally unthreatened by Secret. In fact their love for each other as well as respect is obvious on their every meeting.
During these later years her mother’s emotional attacks increase. They seem somehow to be related to her own mother, Zavet, but nothing is ever described to clarify what these attacks are, why they occur and how she can be helped since Secret immediately hides as soon as these horrible episodes occur and her father is almost completely unaware of their occurrence.
Secret does have two very special friends, one Prince Nicholas, the son of the kingdom’s ruler and the other an old woman who lives in the forest. Nicholas accepts Secret exactly as she is, even after she develops a sickness with an extremely high fever and awakens to discover she can translate an old, almost unknown, language. At the same time, her mother dies and Secret believes the two events of illness and death are connected. The old woman in the forest is there for Secret but all of a sudden Secret seems to be reluctant to share all of her thoughts and feelings with her former friend.
The rest of the novel concerns an attempt by a powerful man to “use” Secret’s skills for a secret purpose. The novel is rather vague from this point on, but Secret has several fearful experiences that increase her suspicion that an evil battle is nearing, one she can’t pinpoint but feels in every fiber of her sensitive being!
The Chronicle of Secret Riven…is an interesting read but is rather slow-moving and never seems to provide enough clues to keep the reader’s interest. The development of her special skills is what holds the reader’s attention. More clues and action are needed and hopefully will be provided in the sequel to this novel.
During these later years her mother’s emotional attacks increase. They seem somehow to be related to her own mother, Zavet, but nothing is ever described to clarify what these attacks are, why they occur and how she can be helped since Secret immediately hides as soon as these horrible episodes occur and her father is almost completely unaware of their occurrence.
Secret does have two very special friends, one Prince Nicholas, the son of the kingdom’s ruler and the other an old woman who lives in the forest. Nicholas accepts Secret exactly as she is, even after she develops a sickness with an extremely high fever and awakens to discover she can translate an old, almost unknown, language. At the same time, her mother dies and Secret believes the two events of illness and death are connected. The old woman in the forest is there for Secret but all of a sudden Secret seems to be reluctant to share all of her thoughts and feelings with her former friend.
The rest of the novel concerns an attempt by a powerful man to “use” Secret’s skills for a secret purpose. The novel is rather vague from this point on, but Secret has several fearful experiences that increase her suspicion that an evil battle is nearing, one she can’t pinpoint but feels in every fiber of her sensitive being!
The Chronicle of Secret Riven…is an interesting read but is rather slow-moving and never seems to provide enough clues to keep the reader’s interest. The development of her special skills is what holds the reader’s attention. More clues and action are needed and hopefully will be provided in the sequel to this novel.
June 26, 2014
This book is the sequel to The Mapmaker's War but unlike most sequels it takes place 1,000 years in the future from the end of the first book of the trilogy. Our heroine, Secret Riven is born to a social climbing father who feels he belongs to a higher class and lost this prestige through time and a mother with very unique talents who lives in fear of some great unknown. Secret is silent for the first seven years of her life but she is by no means dumb. She also seems to have an affinity for understanding what animals and plants have to say.
This is another book that pulls me out of my reading comfort zone but I so adored The Mapmaker's War and Ms. Domingue's writing that I knew I wanted to continue along with her fantasy tale. She has a way of creating a world and mythology in which you find yourself fully immersed and completely believing in all that is occurring. When a squirrel talks to Secret it doesn't seem odd at all. I fell in love with this little girl and wanted so much for her even when I knew that there was something in her future that might not be good.
The whole book had a sense of foreboding that somehow managed to almost be a character. It would hide in the background or come to the forefront at different points and yet never full reveal what was waiting for Secret. I am now anxiously awaiting the third book in the series so I can find out what the future holds for this young woman. There is magic in this book - dark magic at times, but magic nonetheless. I will note that I did prefer The Mapmaker's War but the story is not over yet. Who knows what is yet to come and the middle of any tale is often the part that leaves us wanting. And I am definitely wanting more of this fantasy world. I rarely enjoy the fantasy genre - I am very, very picky in my reading of these types of books but I find that I love the world that has been created by Ronlyn Domingue.
4.5
This is another book that pulls me out of my reading comfort zone but I so adored The Mapmaker's War and Ms. Domingue's writing that I knew I wanted to continue along with her fantasy tale. She has a way of creating a world and mythology in which you find yourself fully immersed and completely believing in all that is occurring. When a squirrel talks to Secret it doesn't seem odd at all. I fell in love with this little girl and wanted so much for her even when I knew that there was something in her future that might not be good.
The whole book had a sense of foreboding that somehow managed to almost be a character. It would hide in the background or come to the forefront at different points and yet never full reveal what was waiting for Secret. I am now anxiously awaiting the third book in the series so I can find out what the future holds for this young woman. There is magic in this book - dark magic at times, but magic nonetheless. I will note that I did prefer The Mapmaker's War but the story is not over yet. Who knows what is yet to come and the middle of any tale is often the part that leaves us wanting. And I am definitely wanting more of this fantasy world. I rarely enjoy the fantasy genre - I am very, very picky in my reading of these types of books but I find that I love the world that has been created by Ronlyn Domingue.
4.5
May 6, 2024
A review from Any Shearn on the front cover declares that it "Hypnotizes with the cadence of a fairy tale and the sweeping scope of an epic." It's true.
Domingue's characteristic prose, strangely detached yet oddly poetic, continues beyond the second-person narration of The Mapmaker's War into the third-person in this volume. Occasionally, the marriage feels slightly awkward, but the minor poorly chosen word here or there is overshadowed by the well-chosen others.
I actually like The Mapmaker's War better than this one; its echoes permeate The Chronicle of Secret Riven, though, which is probably its most positively distinguishing feature. Although rarely overt, most of the book is a reference to the events and characters of the first volume, which ties together the two novels beautifully despite the millennium that passed between them.
Secret is a great MC for the most part, but it does eventually get tiresome to constantly hear of her "eyes the colors of night and day," the word choice never even changing slightly. Secret also becomes less reasonable as she ages, her choices evolving into more plot-fulfilling functionality rather than their former natural flow. Some interpersonal relations could use a bit of cleaning up, but I hope that takes place in the third installment.
One other small nitpick: this book is longer than it should have been. It could easily have dropped fifty to a hundred pages without any loss of characterization or quality. Or substance, for that matter. Many sentences, paragraphs, and even chapters seem only to exist longius ut sit opus. The much shorter length of The Mapmaker's War fits Domingue's style more naturally.
Overall, a worthy addition to this spellbinding series. Looking forward to the conclusion.
Domingue's characteristic prose, strangely detached yet oddly poetic, continues beyond the second-person narration of The Mapmaker's War into the third-person in this volume. Occasionally, the marriage feels slightly awkward, but the minor poorly chosen word here or there is overshadowed by the well-chosen others.
I actually like The Mapmaker's War better than this one; its echoes permeate The Chronicle of Secret Riven, though, which is probably its most positively distinguishing feature. Although rarely overt, most of the book is a reference to the events and characters of the first volume, which ties together the two novels beautifully despite the millennium that passed between them.
Secret is a great MC for the most part, but it does eventually get tiresome to constantly hear of her "eyes the colors of night and day," the word choice never even changing slightly. Secret also becomes less reasonable as she ages, her choices evolving into more plot-fulfilling functionality rather than their former natural flow. Some interpersonal relations could use a bit of cleaning up, but I hope that takes place in the third installment.
One other small nitpick: this book is longer than it should have been. It could easily have dropped fifty to a hundred pages without any loss of characterization or quality. Or substance, for that matter. Many sentences, paragraphs, and even chapters seem only to exist longius ut sit opus. The much shorter length of The Mapmaker's War fits Domingue's style more naturally.
Overall, a worthy addition to this spellbinding series. Looking forward to the conclusion.
August 8, 2015
Yes, it’s a fantasy. But it’s as far from a LotR-style sword and sorcery fantasy as you can get. As the title suggests, this book chronicles the young life of a girl named Secret Riven, from her birth to her teenage years. Thus is sort of a school story, sort of a coming alf age tale, and sort of a introduction to a larger world through Secret’s eyes. It’s hard to say what book is about, because it’s really all about Secret. Obstensibly, there’s a mysterious manuscript that needs to be deciphered, and some suspicious characters who might want to exploit Secret… but really it’s all about Secret growing up, meeting friends and enemies, and learning how to negotiate that pesky thing called life. She has certain gift that help her (she can communicate with animals and find her way into a sort-of mystical pocket world where a wise Old Woman lives), but her struggles are still that of the introverted smart girl. Think "A Little Princess meets Dickensian Fairy-Tale London.” The writing is very literary in style: lots of pretty phrases and slow-paced passages that evoke a mood rather than propel the plot. This will undoubtably frustrate some readers. It is NOT an action packed adventure tale. There are dragons in this world, but the reader doesn’t get to see them…at least not for a long while. Readers who just want to get lost in description will be happy. Did you think *Jonathan Strange & Mr Norell* was *tres* awesome? You’ll like this. Did you think *The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland* was too short? You’ll like this. Do you set a book down when ten or twenty pages pass without much happening? You’ll want to pick up another book then.
January 12, 2015
Secret Riven, born with eyes the color of night and day, is the daughter of a gifted translator who can read any language. As she grows, Secret proves to have gifts of her own. She can understand and speak in the silent language of plants and animals. Secret matures surrounded by mysteries and dreams she does not understand, destined for a fate she may want no part in.
I have not yet read the Mapmaker's War (book one in the Keeper of Tales trilogy), but this did not stop me from enjoying this book. The setting is creative and different, reminding me a bit of Ursula LeGuin's work, especially in the myths in the appendix. I wish these had been integrated into the story somehow, as I felt they added to the world of the story and to its fairy tale feel.
While I understand this is the second book in a trilogy and Ronlyn Domingue has more in store for Secret, I was frustrated that this segment of Secret's life was unresolved. This book seemed more like the first half of a book, not an entire book on its own. However, I found many aspects of it intriguing, especially the ambiguous relationship between Secret and her enigmatic mother Zavet. There were many tantalizing mysteries and clues given for the future (hence much of my frustration). Secret is a powerful character in a quiet, introverted way, which I found appealing. I look forward to reading the rest of her story.
I won a copy of this book in an online giveaway.
I have not yet read the Mapmaker's War (book one in the Keeper of Tales trilogy), but this did not stop me from enjoying this book. The setting is creative and different, reminding me a bit of Ursula LeGuin's work, especially in the myths in the appendix. I wish these had been integrated into the story somehow, as I felt they added to the world of the story and to its fairy tale feel.
While I understand this is the second book in a trilogy and Ronlyn Domingue has more in store for Secret, I was frustrated that this segment of Secret's life was unresolved. This book seemed more like the first half of a book, not an entire book on its own. However, I found many aspects of it intriguing, especially the ambiguous relationship between Secret and her enigmatic mother Zavet. There were many tantalizing mysteries and clues given for the future (hence much of my frustration). Secret is a powerful character in a quiet, introverted way, which I found appealing. I look forward to reading the rest of her story.
I won a copy of this book in an online giveaway.
May 18, 2014
I can remember reading The Mapmaker's War and falling in love with the book and the author. I thought that Ronlyn brought something new and refreshing that I had not read in a long time. While The Chronicle of Secret Riven is the second book in this trilogy, it is completely different from the first book. So if you have not read The Mapmaker's War then you would be fine reading this book. Although, I have to tell you that you should go back and read the first book. You will be hooked.
In this second book, readers are introduced to Secret Riven. Right from the beginning I liked Secret Riven. She had a quite gift. I almost liked her better when she did not talk. She spoke bigger volumes when she was silent. However as much as I liked Secret Riven. I did not feel like the story really took off until half way. Then it was nothing but smooth sailing from this point until the ending. I can not wait to get my hands on the third book.
In this second book, readers are introduced to Secret Riven. Right from the beginning I liked Secret Riven. She had a quite gift. I almost liked her better when she did not talk. She spoke bigger volumes when she was silent. However as much as I liked Secret Riven. I did not feel like the story really took off until half way. Then it was nothing but smooth sailing from this point until the ending. I can not wait to get my hands on the third book.
June 12, 2014
I loved following the life of Secret Riven throughout the years. I was always anxious to continue reading to find out what life held for her in her future years. She was an awesome character with many talents, not the least of which was her ability to understand thoughts and feelings of plants and animals around her. Very strained relationship with her mother maybe contributed to her wild escapes into her fantasy land, (or was it)? Had several unanswered questions at the end of this story.
Some chapters I was a bit puzzled by and thought maybe I was just not a sophisticated enough reader to completely understand the hidden meanings of certain passages. Upon finishing this book I was more confused than ever. I loved the story but felt cheated by the ending. Perhaps the third edition will answer my questions.
Some chapters I was a bit puzzled by and thought maybe I was just not a sophisticated enough reader to completely understand the hidden meanings of certain passages. Upon finishing this book I was more confused than ever. I loved the story but felt cheated by the ending. Perhaps the third edition will answer my questions.
May 19, 2014
I received this book as a Goodreads First Read giveaway.
I just want to say first that I have NOT read the first book in this series, and this was the first Fantasy story I have EVER read!
When I started reading The Chronicle of Secret Riven (Keeper of Tales Trilogy, #2), I had a really hard time getting into it. I got confused and still am confused about the interludes although they were very well written and very descriptive.
My favorite thing about this book though was Secret, the main character. I couldn't help but to be fascinated by her and fall in love with her at the same time. For her alone I will read the first book and the next in the series.
Overall I love how descriptive the writing is, and how different it is from anything I've ever read before.
I just want to say first that I have NOT read the first book in this series, and this was the first Fantasy story I have EVER read!
When I started reading The Chronicle of Secret Riven (Keeper of Tales Trilogy, #2), I had a really hard time getting into it. I got confused and still am confused about the interludes although they were very well written and very descriptive.
My favorite thing about this book though was Secret, the main character. I couldn't help but to be fascinated by her and fall in love with her at the same time. For her alone I will read the first book and the next in the series.
Overall I love how descriptive the writing is, and how different it is from anything I've ever read before.
May 23, 2014
This book is a page-turner that will live on in your mind long after you've finished reading it. It's one of my favorites and I know I will re-read it. Secret is an outcast of sorts with an ailment that turns into a gift. She rises from her strained circumstances and grows into a thriving young woman in control of her gift. The story is rooted in a realistic setting, yet has a feeling of fables and fairy tales as well. Reading this book is like having a secret world to retreat into after a hard day, one that you can return to mentally even after you are done reading. I often find myself thinking of Secret, who has become one of my favorite heroines. I simply cannot wait for the next part of the trilogy.
June 10, 2014
I savored every page of this magical tale. I was transported to a magical land of constant wonder. As a child, I was quite shy and introverted, spending much of my time with just myself for companionship. I was often to be found in a wonderful old mimosa tree with a book, or lost in my own imagination. This book transported me back in time to that sense of wonder and awe which we tend to lose as we grow up. It was so very nice to return there, and I am thankful to Ronlyn Domingue for the journey.
August 16, 2014
Book 2 in the The Keeper of Tales Trilogy thoroughly entranced me, with its melding of fantastical elements, an old-world folkloric feel, and Domingue's beautiful lyrical writing. Read about Secret Riven and find out her destiny. I recommend this for those who love discovering new fantastical worlds, those who have (and haven't read The Mapmaker's War, as well as those looking for something totally different.Full review on my blog Guiltless Reading.
July 7, 2014
I was very disappointed in this book. It had such high ratings and while the story was interesting, it was nothing like the book jacket implied. I found the writing to be a bit tedious and Secret became annoying. I kept expecting it to get a little further in the story and it just never did. I'll probably read the next one because the overall concept was good but I will probably wait for the paperback as the $24 hardback was a little steep for a book I'm just not sure of.
May 31, 2014
This is my favorite book of hers this far! I found myself reading the story and feeling that obsessive desire to know what is going to happen next. I felt like I was reading a true story instead of a work of fiction which is incredibly difficult to accomplish given the fantasy elements of the character's abilities. I truly loved this novel. I plan to read it again.
February 9, 2019
Easy to like and understand the main characters, but the flow, other characters, and the meaning of events were hard to follow. It was almost as if most of the book was a set up for a following book, and it seemed a bit artificial and forced. However, I enjoyed many aspects of it and will definitely read book #3 in the trilogy.
March 10, 2014
I think the premise of the story and the overall plot ends up working. I think my main issue was that at times the story jumps from scene to scene without necessarily fully developing the idea in one scene.
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