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Felix Brooke #2
Bridle the Wind
After visiting his family in England, Felix is on his way back to Spain when he's shipwrecked off the coast of France. He is taken in by monks to recover from his ordeal--but it soon becomes clear to him that he is actually being held prisoner. Felix encounters an injured boy, Juan, on the grounds of the monastery and saves him from death. The two boys escape and continue on to Spain together--but a gang is pursuing Juan, and the journey is more dangerous than they imagined.
386 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1979
3 people are currently reading
251 people want to read
About the author
Joan Aiken
331 books600 followersJoan Aiken was a much loved English writer who received the MBE for services to Children's Literature. She was known as a writer of wild fantasy, Gothic novels and short stories.
She was born in Rye, East Sussex, into a family of writers, including her father, Conrad Aiken (who won a Pulitzer Prize for his poetry), and her sister, Jane Aiken Hodge. She worked for the United Nations Information Office during the second world war, and then as an editor and freelance on Argosy magazine before she started writing full time, mainly children's books and thrillers. For her books she received the Guardian Award (1969) and the Edgar Allan Poe Award (1972).
Her most popular series, the "Wolves Chronicles" which began with The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, was set in an elaborate alternate period of history in a Britain in which James II was never deposed in the Glorious Revolution,and so supporters of the House of Hanover continually plot to overthrow the Stuart Kings. These books also feature cockney urchin heroine Dido Twite and her adventures and travels all over the world.
Another series of children's books about Arabel and her raven Mortimer are illustrated by Quentin Blake, and have been shown on the BBC as Jackanory and drama series. Others including the much loved Necklace of Raindrops and award winning Kingdom Under the Sea are illustrated by Jan Pieńkowski.
Her many novels for adults include several that continue or complement novels by Jane Austen. These include Mansfield Revisited and Jane Fairfax.
Aiken was a lifelong fan of ghost stories. She set her adult supernatural novel The Haunting of Lamb House at Lamb House in Rye (now a National Trust property). This ghost story recounts in fictional form an alleged haunting experienced by two former residents of the house, Henry James and E. F. Benson, both of whom also wrote ghost stories. Aiken's father, Conrad Aiken, also authored a small number of notable ghost stories.
She was born in Rye, East Sussex, into a family of writers, including her father, Conrad Aiken (who won a Pulitzer Prize for his poetry), and her sister, Jane Aiken Hodge. She worked for the United Nations Information Office during the second world war, and then as an editor and freelance on Argosy magazine before she started writing full time, mainly children's books and thrillers. For her books she received the Guardian Award (1969) and the Edgar Allan Poe Award (1972).
Her most popular series, the "Wolves Chronicles" which began with The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, was set in an elaborate alternate period of history in a Britain in which James II was never deposed in the Glorious Revolution,and so supporters of the House of Hanover continually plot to overthrow the Stuart Kings. These books also feature cockney urchin heroine Dido Twite and her adventures and travels all over the world.
Another series of children's books about Arabel and her raven Mortimer are illustrated by Quentin Blake, and have been shown on the BBC as Jackanory and drama series. Others including the much loved Necklace of Raindrops and award winning Kingdom Under the Sea are illustrated by Jan Pieńkowski.
Her many novels for adults include several that continue or complement novels by Jane Austen. These include Mansfield Revisited and Jane Fairfax.
Aiken was a lifelong fan of ghost stories. She set her adult supernatural novel The Haunting of Lamb House at Lamb House in Rye (now a National Trust property). This ghost story recounts in fictional form an alleged haunting experienced by two former residents of the house, Henry James and E. F. Benson, both of whom also wrote ghost stories. Aiken's father, Conrad Aiken, also authored a small number of notable ghost stories.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
August 5, 2018
In the chaotic years that are the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars young Felix Brooke is journeying from England to his home in Galicia in Spain when he is shipwrecked off the Basque coast of France, thus precipitating the strange sequence of events in this novel. He convalesces at the fictional Abbey of St Just de Seignanx, on the French coast near Bayonne (very much like Mont-St-Michel in France or St Michael’s Mount in Cornwall) but finds that due to a form of amnesia partly brought on by a supernatural happening he has lost three months of his life. Rescuing Juan, a youngster his own age, from hanging, he helps them both escape the terrifying Abbot Father Vespasian by trekking east before crossing the Pyrenees on their way to hoped-for freedom in Spain. But, not unexpectedly, things don’t go to plan as they are haunted by the memory of the Abbot and chased by a group of brigands.
As always with Joan Aiken there is a comforting depth of assurance in her handling of people, places and plotting. Her evocation of the early nineteenth-century Basque country feels very realistic, both through historic details such as costume and language as well as through geography (it’s possible to follow most of the two youngsters’ journey on modern maps); having done family walks on the French side of the Pyrenees and gone skiing on the Spanish side, I loved being reminded of the wild, picturesque and still very Romantic scenery typical of these mountains. Aiken also conjures up an authentic sense of the supernatural, from folk charms to Felix’s sense of Fate, from Gothick descriptions of landscape to physical portrayals of their pursuers who uncannily appear when least expected.
Into all of this she weaves sheer poetry, from short epigrams through snatches of ballads to epic prose, as the two fugitives traverse the singular terrain of the Atlantic Pyrenees. This is magic realism of a distinct quality, all the more effective for being aimed without condescension at a young adult audience. Aiken doesn’t minimise the existence of cruelty and death in her world, but she does so without gratuitous violence or crudity.
The middle tale of a trilogy featuring Felix Brooke (Go Saddle the Sea was the first of the three), Bridle the Wind also introduces us to the intriguing figure of Juan, whose secret we discover in the closing pages of the novel. Having invested so much in the latter, we are to hope that we will meet Juan again in the final part, The Teeth of the Gale. That this is virtually certain to be the case is suggested by Aiken’s elder brother John being the dedicatee; Juan is of course the Spanish form of John, while Joan is the female version of the same name. Investing your fiction with aspects of your personal life and experiences is often a guarantee of commitment to your creations and, as here, inspires confidence in your readers that behind the fiction lie authentic emotions.
The Puffin edition has the wonderful line drawings of Pat Marriott which add hugely to the atmosphere of the books. The illustrations reminded me somewhat of the equally wonderful Edward Ardizzone; but though it’s been claimed that American artist Edward Gorey illustrated early Joan Aiken books “as Pat Marriott”, the truth of the matter is that Pat Marriott did indeed produce the pictures credited to her (she died in 2002, two years before Aiken) while Gorey illustrated many of the US editions of Aiken’s Wolves books. (I am indebted to Ann Giles, aka as Bookwitch, for putting me right on this.) I would strongly recommend searching out illustrated editions of these works because, as a certain young lady said, what is the use of a book without pictures? But, at the very least, seek out these new editions.
http://wp.me/s2oNj1-bridle
As always with Joan Aiken there is a comforting depth of assurance in her handling of people, places and plotting. Her evocation of the early nineteenth-century Basque country feels very realistic, both through historic details such as costume and language as well as through geography (it’s possible to follow most of the two youngsters’ journey on modern maps); having done family walks on the French side of the Pyrenees and gone skiing on the Spanish side, I loved being reminded of the wild, picturesque and still very Romantic scenery typical of these mountains. Aiken also conjures up an authentic sense of the supernatural, from folk charms to Felix’s sense of Fate, from Gothick descriptions of landscape to physical portrayals of their pursuers who uncannily appear when least expected.
Into all of this she weaves sheer poetry, from short epigrams through snatches of ballads to epic prose, as the two fugitives traverse the singular terrain of the Atlantic Pyrenees. This is magic realism of a distinct quality, all the more effective for being aimed without condescension at a young adult audience. Aiken doesn’t minimise the existence of cruelty and death in her world, but she does so without gratuitous violence or crudity.
The middle tale of a trilogy featuring Felix Brooke (Go Saddle the Sea was the first of the three), Bridle the Wind also introduces us to the intriguing figure of Juan, whose secret we discover in the closing pages of the novel. Having invested so much in the latter, we are to hope that we will meet Juan again in the final part, The Teeth of the Gale. That this is virtually certain to be the case is suggested by Aiken’s elder brother John being the dedicatee; Juan is of course the Spanish form of John, while Joan is the female version of the same name. Investing your fiction with aspects of your personal life and experiences is often a guarantee of commitment to your creations and, as here, inspires confidence in your readers that behind the fiction lie authentic emotions.
The Puffin edition has the wonderful line drawings of Pat Marriott which add hugely to the atmosphere of the books. The illustrations reminded me somewhat of the equally wonderful Edward Ardizzone; but though it’s been claimed that American artist Edward Gorey illustrated early Joan Aiken books “as Pat Marriott”, the truth of the matter is that Pat Marriott did indeed produce the pictures credited to her (she died in 2002, two years before Aiken) while Gorey illustrated many of the US editions of Aiken’s Wolves books. (I am indebted to Ann Giles, aka as Bookwitch, for putting me right on this.) I would strongly recommend searching out illustrated editions of these works because, as a certain young lady said, what is the use of a book without pictures? But, at the very least, seek out these new editions.
http://wp.me/s2oNj1-bridle
February 3, 2016
Aiken is such an unusual author, mixing realism with supernatural in a way that is never silly, though it may (as in some of her Dido books) be difficult to disentangle -- rather like Juan's poetry, which Felix struggles to understand like a story.
I read this book not knowing it was part of a series, but I felt it stood well on its own. It was a little slow and confusing at the start, but by the end of the first chapter, the characters had taken on life and drew me in to their story. Although I was expecting some kind of twist at the end of the story, I never suspected what, looking back, should have been the obvious surprise.
I read this book not knowing it was part of a series, but I felt it stood well on its own. It was a little slow and confusing at the start, but by the end of the first chapter, the characters had taken on life and drew me in to their story. Although I was expecting some kind of twist at the end of the story, I never suspected what, looking back, should have been the obvious surprise.
May 27, 2012
This book is fantastic--but it takes a little time before the magic has fully kicked in. I read this book out of order, so I can't comment on how it fits in the series...so it's even more impressive how much I enjoyed it.
Cons: The beginning often feels cliched and heavy-handed, and you don't really know what kind of story it's going to be for a while. Characters seem super one-dimension. All these problems are resolved quickly. (YES!)
Pros: Fascinating portrayal of Basque-landia, great scenes that genuinely spooked me out, nice character relationship growth, and nice pacing overall. The end of the book is so satisfying I wanted to immediately read on, but of course my library doesn't have the other books, so immediate gratification was not obtained. BUT. What I truly enjoyed (and I'm hoping that this plays out in the other books as well) is the crossroads of supernatural badassery and genuine faith in a higher power. In a way, it hits that same sweet spot that Madeleine L'Engle books often do. Felix enjoys a relationship with God that is very believable, and while it was only a small part of the book overall, it added this great layer of growing in your beliefs to an already captivating travel tale.
Cons: The beginning often feels cliched and heavy-handed, and you don't really know what kind of story it's going to be for a while. Characters seem super one-dimension. All these problems are resolved quickly. (YES!)
Pros: Fascinating portrayal of Basque-landia, great scenes that genuinely spooked me out, nice character relationship growth, and nice pacing overall. The end of the book is so satisfying I wanted to immediately read on, but of course my library doesn't have the other books, so immediate gratification was not obtained. BUT. What I truly enjoyed (and I'm hoping that this plays out in the other books as well) is the crossroads of supernatural badassery and genuine faith in a higher power. In a way, it hits that same sweet spot that Madeleine L'Engle books often do. Felix enjoys a relationship with God that is very believable, and while it was only a small part of the book overall, it added this great layer of growing in your beliefs to an already captivating travel tale.
August 24, 2021
In which I remember that Joan Aiken's writing is a force with which to be reckoned; find myself crying over descriptions of poetry; fail to see the really obvious big twist until approximately three pages before its discovery; and sit on the book for about a month before writing the review.
(Sorry, just a little joke. Each chapter in the book begins with description like this, so I thought I'd give it a go.)
I will always regret the fact that I have only discovered Joan Aiken in adulthood and never experienced her books as a child. I wonder if they would have traumatized me. Hmm. Food for thought.
This is the second book in Aiken's "Felix" trilogy, set in post-Napoleonic Spain, to which Felix is sailing back when his ship is caught in a storm and wrecked near a mysterious abbey in Basque country. Once there, Felix has a strange vision of a person crying for help, but there isn't anyone around! Was it a ghost? Was it a dream? And soon after, Felix falls into a coma, which is later revealed to be a trance-like state. He has been at the abbey for months. The abbey is run by THE creepiest head monk, and Felix has no idea how he can get away... until he follows a dreadful instinct and returns to the clearing where he heard the voice, only to find a young boy hanging by his neck, struggling to live.
The boy is a Basque named Juan, and he is now Felix's new companion as they escape the abbey and make their way across dangerous wilderness, in search of friends along the way, with bandits in pursuit, not to mention what most definitely seems to be a man possessed by a devil. Because why not.
I loved this book. Aiken recreates a ghostly, beautiful version of historical Spain, filled with real people who have both good and bad in them. Juan and Felix butt heads and are far from the perfect travel companions, but they are also children, and more importantly, they are in grave peril. Aiken lets them act their age and also show immense maturity, which we can see comes with a great deal of effort on both of their parts. They form such a wonderful, hard-won friendship by the end of their odyssey, one that will link them forever.
Where were we? I did not know.
Sometimes I heard Juan murmuring words; I had no strength to follow the meaning, but the sound of them filtered slowly into my throbbing head like flakes of snow:
'The wind is rising
While I am falling
While I am listening
The wind is calling...'
Then he would break off and say, 'Felix? Can you hear me? Are you strong enough to keep on--to go a little farther?
(...)
'While I am laughing
The wind is weeping
The wind is sighing
While I am sleeping'
The lilt of these words, of Juan's voice, somehow formed a band of curving smoothness, like a path over gently rounded hills, which my spirit could follow while my wretched body obediently, doggedly continued to sit on the pony and submit to endless pain. Could it have been like this for Juan, I wondered, when he was dangling by his neck from the branch of that tree? Did he suffer so> Why did I never think of that before?
Highly recommended for anyone who loves books with adventure, well-developed characters (warts and all), and a ghostly presence tracking you over the hillside.
(Sorry, just a little joke. Each chapter in the book begins with description like this, so I thought I'd give it a go.)
I will always regret the fact that I have only discovered Joan Aiken in adulthood and never experienced her books as a child. I wonder if they would have traumatized me. Hmm. Food for thought.
This is the second book in Aiken's "Felix" trilogy, set in post-Napoleonic Spain, to which Felix is sailing back when his ship is caught in a storm and wrecked near a mysterious abbey in Basque country. Once there, Felix has a strange vision of a person crying for help, but there isn't anyone around! Was it a ghost? Was it a dream? And soon after, Felix falls into a coma, which is later revealed to be a trance-like state. He has been at the abbey for months. The abbey is run by THE creepiest head monk, and Felix has no idea how he can get away... until he follows a dreadful instinct and returns to the clearing where he heard the voice, only to find a young boy hanging by his neck, struggling to live.
The boy is a Basque named Juan, and he is now Felix's new companion as they escape the abbey and make their way across dangerous wilderness, in search of friends along the way, with bandits in pursuit, not to mention what most definitely seems to be a man possessed by a devil. Because why not.
I loved this book. Aiken recreates a ghostly, beautiful version of historical Spain, filled with real people who have both good and bad in them. Juan and Felix butt heads and are far from the perfect travel companions, but they are also children, and more importantly, they are in grave peril. Aiken lets them act their age and also show immense maturity, which we can see comes with a great deal of effort on both of their parts. They form such a wonderful, hard-won friendship by the end of their odyssey, one that will link them forever.
Where were we? I did not know.
Sometimes I heard Juan murmuring words; I had no strength to follow the meaning, but the sound of them filtered slowly into my throbbing head like flakes of snow:
'The wind is rising
While I am falling
While I am listening
The wind is calling...'
Then he would break off and say, 'Felix? Can you hear me? Are you strong enough to keep on--to go a little farther?
(...)
'While I am laughing
The wind is weeping
The wind is sighing
While I am sleeping'
The lilt of these words, of Juan's voice, somehow formed a band of curving smoothness, like a path over gently rounded hills, which my spirit could follow while my wretched body obediently, doggedly continued to sit on the pony and submit to endless pain. Could it have been like this for Juan, I wondered, when he was dangling by his neck from the branch of that tree? Did he suffer so> Why did I never think of that before?
Highly recommended for anyone who loves books with adventure, well-developed characters (warts and all), and a ghostly presence tracking you over the hillside.
December 30, 2024
This one gets a 5 star review for nostalgia. I have been trying to figure out the name of this book for YEARS, after joining goodreads and trying to add the books I loved as a kid/teenager.
All I could remember of this book was the name "Father Vespasian", some monks, and a scene in a tower (that's actually from book 3).
I have spent hours and hours searching online in book- finding sites, and mentioned it in passing to my sister, who applied better sleuthing skills than me and surprised me with a copy for Christmas.
After having this book on my mind for years, it was so nice to read it again and remember these characters and this plot from so many years ago.
Now off to read book 3 ♥️
All I could remember of this book was the name "Father Vespasian", some monks, and a scene in a tower (that's actually from book 3).
I have spent hours and hours searching online in book- finding sites, and mentioned it in passing to my sister, who applied better sleuthing skills than me and surprised me with a copy for Christmas.
After having this book on my mind for years, it was so nice to read it again and remember these characters and this plot from so many years ago.
Now off to read book 3 ♥️
April 18, 2025
like the first novel we go with Felix in a long adventure, it is tiring to be honest, that kid just decides and go, this time he is accompanied by Juan , and sadly reading the synopsis from the the third novel ,with the given hints spoiled the surprise, but man that would have been a good plot twist.
I liked the danger threat which was dark and supernatural, this novel would be amazing if read while rain in pouring out, and you are huddling under your blanket with a mug of hot chocolate.
one piece of an advice to NOT read the title of each chapter, cos it simply a spoiler.
I wonder what the third will have for Felix, but right now I will let him rest before going into another adventure.
I liked the danger threat which was dark and supernatural, this novel would be amazing if read while rain in pouring out, and you are huddling under your blanket with a mug of hot chocolate.
one piece of an advice to NOT read the title of each chapter, cos it simply a spoiler.
I wonder what the third will have for Felix, but right now I will let him rest before going into another adventure.
March 13, 2019
I wasn't sure about this one because I've read other things by Joan Aiken that I didn't like at all but I was pleasantly surprised. True to form (as far as I've noticed) she included a lot of dialect from the different cultures represented In the story, but it was not so heavy that it became tiresome to read (like with other books I've read of hers). The characters were strong and the plot moved along nicely. And the twist at the end, I shouldve totally seen coming but I didn't at all! It made for a very pleasant light read.
March 3, 2022
Joan Aiken era una de mis autoras preferidas de jovenzuela. Esta saga me gustó muchísimo. Es una novela "de viajes" en el que el protagonista ha de emprender un viaje que le lleva muy lejos de su casa y vemos como va madurando con los conflictos que va encontrando.
June 14, 2020
Historical adventures this good don't come along very often - and how great is it that this is a trilogy?
July 24, 2018
I am always drawn to quests, particularly when the protagonist travels on foot or on horseback. My love for these kinds of adventures probably began with reading The Hobbit. Of the many meaningful relationships detailed in Aiken's books featuring Felix Brooke, those between him and his mule in Go Saddle the Sea, and then between his companion Juan and his mountain pony in Bridle the Wind are similarly satisfying. The very sound and physical sensation of hoof footfalls permeated the reading experience for me.
A broad spectrum of human connections abound in Bridle the Wind: growing friendship rooted in shared trauma and survival, skilled care giving (the monks and their medicine and spiritual guidance at the Abbey of St. Just), intense enmity and ruthless murder plots from family members, and a terrifying pursuer and the pursued. Those met along the trail (fated encounters) fill in the gaps of the overarching story lines: Juan's abduction, mysterious identity, and reunion with his uncle, the evil Abbot's possession by an evil spirit that leaves him to inhabit another, the tale of the jealous admirers of a woman named Laura (a tale within a tale--an epic convention), Felix's commitment to accompanying Juan to his uncle's home as a generous detour before returning to his grandfather, and, most importantly, the growing friendship between the two youths who are enigmas to each other and confused by each one's motivations.
Ponies, mountain remedies, goats' milk, hot chocolate, bread and sausage, wool, leather, sleeping in hay and under tree roots--the visceral elements along with Aiken's adept and never overbearing descriptions of the landscape of the Pyrenees and surrounding regions and towns in France and Spain-- form the physical body of the read, and the wonderfully entwined plots enriched by strong characters form the soul.
The force of spirituality is another moving element throughout, Felix's ongoing dialogue with God especially. His God is a father, a listener, a guide, and a fellow appreciator of life's absurdities. This is well matched with Juan's prowess as a poet and a linguist and the power of his words, his knowledge of legends, and his "poet voice," which has the power to vanquish evil. Juan's hidden identity as a girl is very well handled. I knew from the beginning that Juan was female because I had read two plot summaries of two of the books in the series referring to a "Juan" and a "Juana," and I guessed, but I wonder if I'd have figured it out before the end otherwise. The revelation via letter from Juan's uncle was a skilled choice, leading to Felix's next adventure.
Which I can't wait to read.
A broad spectrum of human connections abound in Bridle the Wind: growing friendship rooted in shared trauma and survival, skilled care giving (the monks and their medicine and spiritual guidance at the Abbey of St. Just), intense enmity and ruthless murder plots from family members, and a terrifying pursuer and the pursued. Those met along the trail (fated encounters) fill in the gaps of the overarching story lines: Juan's abduction, mysterious identity, and reunion with his uncle, the evil Abbot's possession by an evil spirit that leaves him to inhabit another, the tale of the jealous admirers of a woman named Laura (a tale within a tale--an epic convention), Felix's commitment to accompanying Juan to his uncle's home as a generous detour before returning to his grandfather, and, most importantly, the growing friendship between the two youths who are enigmas to each other and confused by each one's motivations.
Ponies, mountain remedies, goats' milk, hot chocolate, bread and sausage, wool, leather, sleeping in hay and under tree roots--the visceral elements along with Aiken's adept and never overbearing descriptions of the landscape of the Pyrenees and surrounding regions and towns in France and Spain-- form the physical body of the read, and the wonderfully entwined plots enriched by strong characters form the soul.
The force of spirituality is another moving element throughout, Felix's ongoing dialogue with God especially. His God is a father, a listener, a guide, and a fellow appreciator of life's absurdities. This is well matched with Juan's prowess as a poet and a linguist and the power of his words, his knowledge of legends, and his "poet voice," which has the power to vanquish evil. Juan's hidden identity as a girl is very well handled. I knew from the beginning that Juan was female because I had read two plot summaries of two of the books in the series referring to a "Juan" and a "Juana," and I guessed, but I wonder if I'd have figured it out before the end otherwise. The revelation via letter from Juan's uncle was a skilled choice, leading to Felix's next adventure.
Which I can't wait to read.
October 19, 2024
Another wonderful picaresque tale
Oh my goodness, what a talent was Joan Aiken! Her stories are woven together on beautiful strands plucked from her astonishingly vast treasure store of knowledge, experience and skill. Her ability to move her characters through and around, in and out of the tales is so cleverly crafted.
I had read all the Wolves Chronicles as a child and then all of them again including the ’new’ ones again as an adult. I’d always avoided the Felix trilogy because I couldn’t imagine it being as good and as absorbing as the Wolves books. I was so wrong! Joan Aiken’s gift as a writer shines in these mesmerising stories. She places an annoying character into the narrative and you wonder, why has she done this? The character seems to jar but then gradually all unfolds beautifully and you realise that Felix, Juan and you, the reader, all needed to grow together towards the story’s bittersweet conclusion. Her knowledge of the natural history of the regions the characters travel through is breathtaking and beautifully written. The fascinating exposition of the Basque language and culture is wonderful. I am so looking forward to reading the last book in the trilogy and I wish I could tell Joan Aiken the great happiness her books have brought me over the years. Magical!
Oh my goodness, what a talent was Joan Aiken! Her stories are woven together on beautiful strands plucked from her astonishingly vast treasure store of knowledge, experience and skill. Her ability to move her characters through and around, in and out of the tales is so cleverly crafted.
I had read all the Wolves Chronicles as a child and then all of them again including the ’new’ ones again as an adult. I’d always avoided the Felix trilogy because I couldn’t imagine it being as good and as absorbing as the Wolves books. I was so wrong! Joan Aiken’s gift as a writer shines in these mesmerising stories. She places an annoying character into the narrative and you wonder, why has she done this? The character seems to jar but then gradually all unfolds beautifully and you realise that Felix, Juan and you, the reader, all needed to grow together towards the story’s bittersweet conclusion. Her knowledge of the natural history of the regions the characters travel through is breathtaking and beautifully written. The fascinating exposition of the Basque language and culture is wonderful. I am so looking forward to reading the last book in the trilogy and I wish I could tell Joan Aiken the great happiness her books have brought me over the years. Magical!
August 27, 2020
My teens and I agreed: the Felix Brooke series should be made into movies! This one is delightfully creepy in spots.
Felix, having dicovered his English roots and found them wanting, sets out on a return journey to Spain. This adventure has the added interest of a traveling companion about the same age as Felix, brought into his life by mysterious circumstance and divine intent.
My daughter and I both remarked on Felix's growth in maturity between the first novel and this one. He is far more sensitive to and considerate of others and in better control of his emotions. He is self-sacrificing and protective.
I saw glimmers of former read-alouds in this novel. The poetry to ward off evil and encourage a companion in distress reminded me of Curdie in The Princess and the Goblin. The horrifying images of a demoniac's masklike face and unnatural speech recalled Weston in Perelandra.
Two thumbs up from each of us!
Felix, having dicovered his English roots and found them wanting, sets out on a return journey to Spain. This adventure has the added interest of a traveling companion about the same age as Felix, brought into his life by mysterious circumstance and divine intent.
My daughter and I both remarked on Felix's growth in maturity between the first novel and this one. He is far more sensitive to and considerate of others and in better control of his emotions. He is self-sacrificing and protective.
I saw glimmers of former read-alouds in this novel. The poetry to ward off evil and encourage a companion in distress reminded me of Curdie in The Princess and the Goblin. The horrifying images of a demoniac's masklike face and unnatural speech recalled Weston in Perelandra.
Two thumbs up from each of us!
October 12, 2025
Read this as a kid and loved it. Second time through as an adult was just as good! Perfect reading for walking the Camino.
March 19, 2025
I remember reading this as a child, and I have a feeling that I read it *before* subsequently getting hold of the previous book in the series, Go Saddle the Sea, so that I originally jumped into the story at this point. It really doesn't matter; the story tells you everything you need to know about Felix's past, although I have a vague memory that reading the first book after this one does come as a bit of a culture shock, given that his grandfather's house throughout his adventures in this story represents a longed-for haven, but apparently appears in a very different light in the earlier novel.
Ironically enough I suspect this ancient ex-library edition may even have been the physically identical volume that I originally read; it carries the stamp of the right library service, and judging by the price on the fly leaf was withdrawn a long time ago before recently making its way back onto the second-hand book market, probably as the result of a house clearance from my parents' generation!
The setting is a unusual one in that the characters are travelling from France over the border into post-Napoleonic Spain, and there is basically no English content in it at all, apart from the fact that Felix is said to have been travelling back from England when he was shipwrecked in the opening scene. The first book is much more 'identifiable' for the readers in that respect, in that you get the half-English Felix befriending Bob the English groom and Sam the English sailor, before arriving in England to find his relatives there; this book is very much written from the cultural perspective of a Spaniard travelling homeward through Basque country, which was quite a bold move from a marketing perspective. It's also an unusual period to choose, though I suspect the dates were probably constrained more by the backstory already established in "Saddle the Wind" (in which Felix's father takes several years to return after the Napoleonic wars) rather than by a specific desire to feature political activity under the restored Spanish monarchy.
One element I didn't remember at all and rather liked was Felix's very straightforward and literal religious faith, which helped for me to anchor the story in its era; he has a direct personal relationship with his God and gets worried if he doesn't hear from him. (It's something that I don't think is encountered in any of Joan Aitken's other children's books, so doesn't come across as the author simply trying to push her own beliefs onto the readers; it's a part of Felix's own characterisation and upbringing.) And it helps to make the appearance of what seems to be a very literal demon credible as part of the story; nobody in Felix's world doubts the potential existence of such things.
Either the big twist is pretty obvious from the start, or else I had remembered it from my original reading of the book; it's not an uncommon plot point in children's historical novels of this era, and I was in no doubt as to Juan's secret from the very first scene. (Sufficient hints are dropped from early on that I had simply assumed you were supposed to guess...)
Overall it's a vivid and gripping thriller that felt convincingly accurate to the period; the protagonists are not modern children in fancy-dress, but share the perspective of their era. Apparently there was a second sequel, but I'm not sure I ever read that one at all.
Ironically enough I suspect this ancient ex-library edition may even have been the physically identical volume that I originally read; it carries the stamp of the right library service, and judging by the price on the fly leaf was withdrawn a long time ago before recently making its way back onto the second-hand book market, probably as the result of a house clearance from my parents' generation!
The setting is a unusual one in that the characters are travelling from France over the border into post-Napoleonic Spain, and there is basically no English content in it at all, apart from the fact that Felix is said to have been travelling back from England when he was shipwrecked in the opening scene. The first book is much more 'identifiable' for the readers in that respect, in that you get the half-English Felix befriending Bob the English groom and Sam the English sailor, before arriving in England to find his relatives there; this book is very much written from the cultural perspective of a Spaniard travelling homeward through Basque country, which was quite a bold move from a marketing perspective. It's also an unusual period to choose, though I suspect the dates were probably constrained more by the backstory already established in "Saddle the Wind" (in which Felix's father takes several years to return after the Napoleonic wars) rather than by a specific desire to feature political activity under the restored Spanish monarchy.
One element I didn't remember at all and rather liked was Felix's very straightforward and literal religious faith, which helped for me to anchor the story in its era; he has a direct personal relationship with his God and gets worried if he doesn't hear from him. (It's something that I don't think is encountered in any of Joan Aitken's other children's books, so doesn't come across as the author simply trying to push her own beliefs onto the readers; it's a part of Felix's own characterisation and upbringing.) And it helps to make the appearance of what seems to be a very literal demon credible as part of the story; nobody in Felix's world doubts the potential existence of such things.
Either the big twist is pretty obvious from the start, or else I had remembered it from my original reading of the book; it's not an uncommon plot point in children's historical novels of this era, and I was in no doubt as to Juan's secret from the very first scene. (Sufficient hints are dropped from early on that I had simply assumed you were supposed to guess...)
Overall it's a vivid and gripping thriller that felt convincingly accurate to the period; the protagonists are not modern children in fancy-dress, but share the perspective of their era. Apparently there was a second sequel, but I'm not sure I ever read that one at all.
November 6, 2019
I think, of all the dreams and nightmares Aiken worked into fiction, this contains the most nightmarish scene. Maybe it's just me. "Go Saddle the Sea" was a straight historical adventure novel, about as unlikely as Gil Blas (and probably inspired by Gil Blas). "Bridle the Wind" starts out as a sequel, another adventure story, and then turns into horror with a mad monk who channels the Powers of Evil toward the end. It's well done, but readers should be warned about this genre switch.
April 1, 2019
The strong characters, quick-moving plot, and exciting adventure in this book make it a great choice for any middle-grade reader. And wait til you get to the twist at the end! I really enjoyed it. Find it at the Giddings Public Library under JF AIK. -Miss Taylor
March 18, 2023
Slow burner compared with the previous book in the trilogy, and I was falling out of love with it as I read it with my kids, so I read on ahead last night and finished it, just to see if it was actually worth persisting. So glad I did!
May 30, 2023
Some aspects of this book were wonderful, other I think could have been removed. At times it was wordy and boring which dropped my rating. But there were several aspects of the book that balanced the bad parts so I gave it 3/5.
March 23, 2019
Loved it. Re read after visiting the Basque island of Gaztelugtxe.
Want to read
December 31, 2019It is very interesting and its fun to read.
July 26, 2022
Yep. It's still good! Keep reading - on to book three!
Read
January 28, 2017What a charming, exciting, imaginative book! I read book 1 in this series last year and enjoyed it very much, but this one is possibly better. Joan Aiken blends history and the supernatural in this tale of a boy's travels through Spain and France with a mysterious companion during the 1820's. The companions brave lightning storms, hunger, high mountains, poisonous snakes, and an assortment of frightening enemies yet overcome through wit, courage, and the help of Providence.
May 13, 2012
Liked the first book only slightly better than this one- another great adventure and so many endearing characters. Can't wait for book three, and can't believe this series doesn't get more publicity. The entire Salt Lake County Library system only has one copy of each book and I don't get it. Again maybe the difficulty, I don't know.
February 14, 2014
Felix Brooke #2. If you're a militant atheist, you might be annoyed at the religious stuff (a fair bit more than in "Go Saddle the Sea") but, other than that, if you liked "Saddle", you'll like this. Felix decides to go back to his Spanish family and has adventures in Basque country in the course of getting there.
December 3, 2015
Even faster-paced than the first novel in the trilogy, Saddle the Sea, and just as well-written. I liked this one even more. Even fewer slow parts. Same type of story--high adventure and action and good, decent morals. Looking forward to the final novel in the series, Teeth of the Gale. Again, ages 8 and above.
January 31, 2009
I read this series out of order--this is the second one, and, I think, my favorite. Great adventure, fabulous plot twists, and an ending that completely took me by surprise and made me want to read it again on the spot.
August 27, 2013
I liked this one better than the first one...maybe I'd give it 3.5. There was a twist at the end that I didn't figure out, which is always fun.
January 24, 2015
Another eventful "road movie" novel, with some suspenseful moments and a blindingly obvious final twist. But Aiken's writing style is always interesting.
March 23, 2015
Different to the first in the series - this one is focussed on the supernatural. Interesting interactions between the protaganist and his fellow traveller.
December 17, 2024
I loved the first one in this series and didn't like this one as much, but then I don't always enjoy JA's magical realism quite so much.
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