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Longbow Girl
A stunningly exciting and dramatic story set in the wilds of the Welsh mountains, where the brave and beautiful Merry Owen, the Longbow Girl, travels back in time to the autocratic kingdom of King Henry VIII to save her ancestors.
Steeped in history, ancient lore and crackling with tension between the central characters Merry and James, Longbow Girl explores the themes of who we are and who we can become when fighting for those we love and for our very lives. Are we prisoners of our history or can we break free? Can we become all that we need to be to meet the ultimate challenge of life and death in the King’s Tournament and in the dungeons of the Black Castle?
Steeped in history, ancient lore and crackling with tension between the central characters Merry and James, Longbow Girl explores the themes of who we are and who we can become when fighting for those we love and for our very lives. Are we prisoners of our history or can we break free? Can we become all that we need to be to meet the ultimate challenge of life and death in the King’s Tournament and in the dungeons of the Black Castle?
336 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2015
46 people are currently reading
1545 people want to read
About the author
Linda Davies
19 books83 followersWith the publication of her debut novel, Nest of Vipers, a book that would become a celebrated international bestseller, Linda Davies launched a new genre and a new career. But long before the global book deals and stellar reviews in the New York Times, Linda was logging 80 hour work weeks as one of the first women investment bankers in the City of London. At nights and weekends, she’d squeeze in time working on her first novel.
Born in Scotland and raised in South Wales, Linda inhaled books as child and dreamed of becoming a writer. But she was the daughter of an economist and a homemaker, and therefore, raised to be practical. So she went into investment banking instead. For the next eight years she worked in the City of London where she saved her running away money. One day, to her horror, she figured out a way to commit the perfect financial crime. After considering it for 3 seconds, she opted to instead write a novel about it.
18 months later, she decided to confront reality and test whether it really had been wise to give up her day job. She pitched her book to an agent... A week later he presented her with a stunning book deal that would see Nest of Vipers published in over 30 territories and optioned by MGM Studios. Since publishing Nest of Vipers, Linda Davies has gone on to publish twelve more books, seven for adults and five for children, which collectively have sold millions of copies and won various awards.
She has lived in Peru and the Middle East with her husband and three children. In 2005, in what could have been ripped from the pages of her own books, she and her husband were kidnapped, interrogated and held prisoner in Iran. She went on to write about this experience and what she learned from it in her first work of non-fiction, Kidnapped: The true story of my captivity in Iran.
Linda’s fast-paced page turners explore risk, identity, temptation and who we really are, when the things we value most have been taken away.
Born in Scotland and raised in South Wales, Linda inhaled books as child and dreamed of becoming a writer. But she was the daughter of an economist and a homemaker, and therefore, raised to be practical. So she went into investment banking instead. For the next eight years she worked in the City of London where she saved her running away money. One day, to her horror, she figured out a way to commit the perfect financial crime. After considering it for 3 seconds, she opted to instead write a novel about it.
18 months later, she decided to confront reality and test whether it really had been wise to give up her day job. She pitched her book to an agent... A week later he presented her with a stunning book deal that would see Nest of Vipers published in over 30 territories and optioned by MGM Studios. Since publishing Nest of Vipers, Linda Davies has gone on to publish twelve more books, seven for adults and five for children, which collectively have sold millions of copies and won various awards.
She has lived in Peru and the Middle East with her husband and three children. In 2005, in what could have been ripped from the pages of her own books, she and her husband were kidnapped, interrogated and held prisoner in Iran. She went on to write about this experience and what she learned from it in her first work of non-fiction, Kidnapped: The true story of my captivity in Iran.
Linda’s fast-paced page turners explore risk, identity, temptation and who we really are, when the things we value most have been taken away.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews
January 4, 2024
One of the coolest things about Longbow Girl is that while the events happen in present day, one character lives in an actual castle and another on a working farm; so it feels a bit like it is set in the past. A pretty groovy way of lending an authentic feel to a story entrenched in history.
When an old tomb is inadvertently uncovered, Merry discovers an old book that appears to be one of the tomes from the Middle Welsh collection known as Mabinogion. Although some folks believe whole-heartedly that the narratives are filled with truths, many others insist there are only myths. Either way, there is no argument as to the value of the text. Merry’s find may be the very thing to save the farm that has been the life and heart of her family for more than seven hundred years.
Of course there are challenges with having the artifact authenticated and obstacles in the way of proving it was found on her family’s land. Weighing heavier than the legal red tape is the unshakable feeling that disturbing the grave will exact a higher price than the book could bring. Nothing about this “solution” is sure or easy.
Fortunately, Merry is vibrant, fierce, cunning, and strong. Often, a heroine struggles to come to terms; drum up courage to conquer that which seems insurmountable. Merry does not. It’s not that she’s oblivious. For her, doing the right thing is intuitive. She is aware of the risks and possible loss, personally; but that is of small consequence when compared to the potential greater good for the masses.
Longbow Girl is a spectacular smash-up of Historical Fiction, Action and Adventure, Mystery and Suspense, with a shot of Science Fiction that features heroes, heroines and horses and touches on relatable social issues, family feuds and friendships. And that’s just a few of the things that I dearly loved about it.
This review was written for Buried Under Books by jv poore.
When an old tomb is inadvertently uncovered, Merry discovers an old book that appears to be one of the tomes from the Middle Welsh collection known as Mabinogion. Although some folks believe whole-heartedly that the narratives are filled with truths, many others insist there are only myths. Either way, there is no argument as to the value of the text. Merry’s find may be the very thing to save the farm that has been the life and heart of her family for more than seven hundred years.
Of course there are challenges with having the artifact authenticated and obstacles in the way of proving it was found on her family’s land. Weighing heavier than the legal red tape is the unshakable feeling that disturbing the grave will exact a higher price than the book could bring. Nothing about this “solution” is sure or easy.
Fortunately, Merry is vibrant, fierce, cunning, and strong. Often, a heroine struggles to come to terms; drum up courage to conquer that which seems insurmountable. Merry does not. It’s not that she’s oblivious. For her, doing the right thing is intuitive. She is aware of the risks and possible loss, personally; but that is of small consequence when compared to the potential greater good for the masses.
Longbow Girl is a spectacular smash-up of Historical Fiction, Action and Adventure, Mystery and Suspense, with a shot of Science Fiction that features heroes, heroines and horses and touches on relatable social issues, family feuds and friendships. And that’s just a few of the things that I dearly loved about it.
This review was written for Buried Under Books by jv poore.
February 1, 2016
I knew I would probably enjoy Longbow Girl, but I wasn’t expecting to fall utterly head over heels in love with it!
Longbow Girl is a tale of one young women in two different times. After losing her eye continuing her families heritage of producing longbow men, 16 year old Merry’s fierce independence puts her family's farm at risk to the neighbouring de Courcys, who are still holding a centuries old grudge over what they see as their land in the first place. To save it, Merry discovers not only a pathway back to Henry VIII’s tudor Britain, but that her part in her family's history goes back further she could have imagined.
Longbow Girl is a beautiful story. If you’re looking for a fast paced, edge of the seat page turner, then this book isn’t for you. The time travel aspect doesn’t happened until well over halfway through the story, far later than I was expecting. But I was enjoying it so much I hardly noticed. Set in the beautiful Brecon Beacons, the casual, almost meandering story follows Merry through her life, letting the reader discover the world, rather than being subjected to endless info dumps or a rushed set up to get to the action. Merry is a fantastic heroine, I absolutely love her! She’s badass! Handy with a longbow as per tradition, she also brave, resourceful, adventurous and smart. When she discovers the portal to the past, she doesn’t stumble ass backwards through it and get by on luck over judgement. She stops, she thinks and she prepares. In so many books, the protagonist gets a pass on stupid behaviour that would get them killed in real life just by virtue of being the main character. I love stories that give the heroine enough credit for you to believe in them, rather than rob the book of any tension because you know that the character is bullet proof regardless of what poorly thought out actions they take and how (in)capable they are of taking them. Although she’s described as beautiful, it’s refreshing to read about a protagonist with a physical imperfection (in this case, a missing eye from a snapped bow) that isn’t their defining characteristic. Her relationship with her parents and fierce loyalty to her family is the beating heart of the story, maybe that’s why I loved the book so much! There’s such a warm, comforting feeling when you read it, even when the tension is amped up.
Once the story moves back in time, and Merry realises how much is at stake, the action starts to come thick and fast. I love anything old timey England, and I love the girl power as Merry takes a stand against those persecuting her family in a world where a longbow girl is unheard of. There are shades of William Manchester's A World Lit Only By Fire in the past setting, it's fittingly brutal and authentic, rather than coming across as a writer's impression of a medieval renaissance fair that so many tales set in the past tend to do (a pet peeve of mine!).
The story is told from the pov of Merry and her best friend, the de Courcy’s son James. There’s a brief mention towards the end of romance in their future, but their relationship is wonderfully simple and completely believable. I’ve just about had my fill of insta-love and love triangles lately, so it was great to read about a girl and a boy who are just friends. Believe it or not writers, it can happen! The ending is just perfect, although it did make me almost cry in public. I know it’s a bit early in the year to be talking about best reads, but Longbow Girl currently holds the title of my favourite book of 2016 so far.
Longbow Girl is a tale of one young women in two different times. After losing her eye continuing her families heritage of producing longbow men, 16 year old Merry’s fierce independence puts her family's farm at risk to the neighbouring de Courcys, who are still holding a centuries old grudge over what they see as their land in the first place. To save it, Merry discovers not only a pathway back to Henry VIII’s tudor Britain, but that her part in her family's history goes back further she could have imagined.
Longbow Girl is a beautiful story. If you’re looking for a fast paced, edge of the seat page turner, then this book isn’t for you. The time travel aspect doesn’t happened until well over halfway through the story, far later than I was expecting. But I was enjoying it so much I hardly noticed. Set in the beautiful Brecon Beacons, the casual, almost meandering story follows Merry through her life, letting the reader discover the world, rather than being subjected to endless info dumps or a rushed set up to get to the action. Merry is a fantastic heroine, I absolutely love her! She’s badass! Handy with a longbow as per tradition, she also brave, resourceful, adventurous and smart. When she discovers the portal to the past, she doesn’t stumble ass backwards through it and get by on luck over judgement. She stops, she thinks and she prepares. In so many books, the protagonist gets a pass on stupid behaviour that would get them killed in real life just by virtue of being the main character. I love stories that give the heroine enough credit for you to believe in them, rather than rob the book of any tension because you know that the character is bullet proof regardless of what poorly thought out actions they take and how (in)capable they are of taking them. Although she’s described as beautiful, it’s refreshing to read about a protagonist with a physical imperfection (in this case, a missing eye from a snapped bow) that isn’t their defining characteristic. Her relationship with her parents and fierce loyalty to her family is the beating heart of the story, maybe that’s why I loved the book so much! There’s such a warm, comforting feeling when you read it, even when the tension is amped up.
Once the story moves back in time, and Merry realises how much is at stake, the action starts to come thick and fast. I love anything old timey England, and I love the girl power as Merry takes a stand against those persecuting her family in a world where a longbow girl is unheard of. There are shades of William Manchester's A World Lit Only By Fire in the past setting, it's fittingly brutal and authentic, rather than coming across as a writer's impression of a medieval renaissance fair that so many tales set in the past tend to do (a pet peeve of mine!).
The story is told from the pov of Merry and her best friend, the de Courcy’s son James. There’s a brief mention towards the end of romance in their future, but their relationship is wonderfully simple and completely believable. I’ve just about had my fill of insta-love and love triangles lately, so it was great to read about a girl and a boy who are just friends. Believe it or not writers, it can happen! The ending is just perfect, although it did make me almost cry in public. I know it’s a bit early in the year to be talking about best reads, but Longbow Girl currently holds the title of my favourite book of 2016 so far.
April 10, 2018
My 6th grade son and i listened to the audio because it is a Lone Star book. Even though the title has "Girl" in it, I think it appeals to both genders because the girl is far from a princess. She has a supporting character male friend. The book involves mystery, time travel, archery and more to keep everyone interested.
August 28, 2021
8-28-21
reading this again is like going through your old diary entries. some moments were really nice but the rest just felt kinda cringey? i do love how it was set in wales, a place i would love to visit one day, and the setting just made the story come alive. there are a few times where it felt like merry was trying to be this "not like other girls" persona that irks me but other than that, a pretty solid story.
Goodness there are a lot of words for this book. One in particular would be: OUTSTANDING! Sorry I had to use all capitals because this book is probably my favorite book in 2016. That said let's get on with the review.
The book starts out with a girl named Merry Owen who can use a longbow and is superb with it. These days you don't see girls (in books) who use a bow either that or they hardly use it in the book. I was so excited when I saw this on Barnes and Noble. All I did was read a few pages and it instantly made me want to buy it. All the characters are excellent and fell right in place with the story. There's some Welsh history in it also. Another thing I loved about this story was that it was set in Wales. Someday I would like to live in Wales so when I saw that the story was in Wales, how could I refuse? If you haven't bought this book I strongly urge you to buy it! ;)
reading this again is like going through your old diary entries. some moments were really nice but the rest just felt kinda cringey? i do love how it was set in wales, a place i would love to visit one day, and the setting just made the story come alive. there are a few times where it felt like merry was trying to be this "not like other girls" persona that irks me but other than that, a pretty solid story.
Goodness there are a lot of words for this book. One in particular would be: OUTSTANDING! Sorry I had to use all capitals because this book is probably my favorite book in 2016. That said let's get on with the review.
The book starts out with a girl named Merry Owen who can use a longbow and is superb with it. These days you don't see girls (in books) who use a bow either that or they hardly use it in the book. I was so excited when I saw this on Barnes and Noble. All I did was read a few pages and it instantly made me want to buy it. All the characters are excellent and fell right in place with the story. There's some Welsh history in it also. Another thing I loved about this story was that it was set in Wales. Someday I would like to live in Wales so when I saw that the story was in Wales, how could I refuse? If you haven't bought this book I strongly urge you to buy it! ;)
October 19, 2015
A great stand alone story. The world Linda Davies builds really drew me in and Merry was a great character, it was easy to stand with her and get behind her on her adventure. (little bit of a spoiler here) I do like a good romance story but most books with a female protagonist really tend to over-do the whole star-crossed lovers thing and this book handled the romance subtly and as a sub-plot which really appealed, their friendship, their heritage and the story came first!
I'll definitely be re-reading this, it already feels like an old favourite!
I'll definitely be re-reading this, it already feels like an old favourite!
May 20, 2016
To be honest, I am not at all impressed. It was kind of slow in the beginning and confusing. But, I did find out that this is Linda's first young adult novel. So, I am giving her some slack. Even with that, I still didn't enjoy that much.
November 22, 2018
This is a review of the audiobook.
I'm told this is a YA novel, but as a 40-something adult I found it immensely entertaining. The protagonist, Merry, is a fifteen-year old Welsh girl who trains as archer (the titular 'Longbow Girl') a family tradition going back centuries. Her best friend is an aristocrat boy named James from a nearby castle, and their families have had issues over land rights since the time of Herny VIII. When an ancient tome is found in an ancient grave in a forest near the boundary between the two estates, both families claim the book, though it is clearly Merry's family that are the rightful owners.
How the plot proceeds from there would constitute spoilers, but both family history and the history of the region play a part in a gripping outcome that sees both Merry and James tested about how much the past should influence their futures (both apart and together). Ms. Davies plays with the shadows of the past often and ably, so that the reader, while well aware they are in a modern tale, also feel like they are reading a work of well-researched historical fiction. And there are fantasy elements that come into play for those who love a bit of magic in the narrative, though those are fairly sparse and occur only in one spot as I recall.
What makes it all worthwhile is the quality of writing from Ms. Davies, and two of the most likable, well-realized protagonists I've read in a book this year - YA or adult. We immediately gravitate to Merry. She is likable, resourceful, intelligent and yet still portrayed as a youth learning about her world, her past and herself. James is equally well-developed as he fights with his
aristocratic family to let his life unfold as he wishes. The mantle of responsibility of their families weighs on each, and they handle it in very different ways.
The detail, both in description, and in historical research is also commendable.
It does take a bit of getting used to the cadence of the narrator's voice, but once that's done, there's nothing better than to kick back and let Linda Davies and Emily Wilden take you into new worlds. Easily the best YA book I've read since "Where the Red Fern Grows" way back in the day. Recommended for readers of all ages.
I'm told this is a YA novel, but as a 40-something adult I found it immensely entertaining. The protagonist, Merry, is a fifteen-year old Welsh girl who trains as archer (the titular 'Longbow Girl') a family tradition going back centuries. Her best friend is an aristocrat boy named James from a nearby castle, and their families have had issues over land rights since the time of Herny VIII. When an ancient tome is found in an ancient grave in a forest near the boundary between the two estates, both families claim the book, though it is clearly Merry's family that are the rightful owners.
How the plot proceeds from there would constitute spoilers, but both family history and the history of the region play a part in a gripping outcome that sees both Merry and James tested about how much the past should influence their futures (both apart and together). Ms. Davies plays with the shadows of the past often and ably, so that the reader, while well aware they are in a modern tale, also feel like they are reading a work of well-researched historical fiction. And there are fantasy elements that come into play for those who love a bit of magic in the narrative, though those are fairly sparse and occur only in one spot as I recall.
What makes it all worthwhile is the quality of writing from Ms. Davies, and two of the most likable, well-realized protagonists I've read in a book this year - YA or adult. We immediately gravitate to Merry. She is likable, resourceful, intelligent and yet still portrayed as a youth learning about her world, her past and herself. James is equally well-developed as he fights with his
aristocratic family to let his life unfold as he wishes. The mantle of responsibility of their families weighs on each, and they handle it in very different ways.
The detail, both in description, and in historical research is also commendable.
It does take a bit of getting used to the cadence of the narrator's voice, but once that's done, there's nothing better than to kick back and let Linda Davies and Emily Wilden take you into new worlds. Easily the best YA book I've read since "Where the Red Fern Grows" way back in the day. Recommended for readers of all ages.
April 2, 2017
Despite a little clunky exposition early on, Longbow Girl has everything you need for a classic YA adventure: action, mystery, and a protagonist with a unique and interesting skill set. In this case, the protagonist is Merry Owen, a modern-day Welsh 15-year-old whose family land depends on a centuries-old commitment to be longbow archers for the British Crown.
Merry's bow skills, sharp eye, and a tendency to be in the right place at the right time leads her back to the 16th century and a challenge before Henry VIII, which should strain credibility but flows naturally from the events as they happen. The plot takes some nice twists along the way, the characters are engaging, and there's plenty of lore about bows and Welsh ponies. This is the kind of adventure story that thrilled me as a kid, and I enjoyed it even more when my daughter waved it under my nose and ordered me to read it.
Merry's bow skills, sharp eye, and a tendency to be in the right place at the right time leads her back to the 16th century and a challenge before Henry VIII, which should strain credibility but flows naturally from the events as they happen. The plot takes some nice twists along the way, the characters are engaging, and there's plenty of lore about bows and Welsh ponies. This is the kind of adventure story that thrilled me as a kid, and I enjoyed it even more when my daughter waved it under my nose and ordered me to read it.
January 23, 2018
I really really enjoyed reading this book for many reasons, the main being that Merry is amazing, but another is that it took place in Wales! The author did an amazing job describing the scenery and introducing you to the folk lore and history.
Merry was a great character, she was badass, fearless but willing to admit when she was scared. She took chances but properly prepared for them before just jumping in. She learned from her mistakes and cared for her family and friends. Also she is a BAMF with the longbow!!
Also thank god for a normal romance that didn't at all take over the narrative, yay for being friends first!
Merry was a great character, she was badass, fearless but willing to admit when she was scared. She took chances but properly prepared for them before just jumping in. She learned from her mistakes and cared for her family and friends. Also she is a BAMF with the longbow!!
Also thank god for a normal romance that didn't at all take over the narrative, yay for being friends first!
July 18, 2023
I read Longbow Girl a few years ago and fell in love with it. When I reread it a few months ago, I remembered how much I freaking love it. One of my only critiques is that I wish there were more Merry and James scenes because they were always so cute and make an amazing couple. I also wish Jacintha, Merry's horse, was involved more, but that may just be because I love horses! Overall a great historical fiction starter book and would definitely recommend!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 27, 2017
What most attracted me to the Longbow Girl was the setting. Fans of fantasy/historical fantasy will be well aware of some of the genres main influences; Nordic, Greek and Roman mythologies are so often used and deeply ingrained in the genre most fans will know the ancient gods, even if they’ve never picked up a history book in their life. So I was intrigued that the Longbow Girl was set in Wales, and flirting outrageously with the line between fiction and historical fiction.
In this at least, I was not let down. You can read in the acknowledgements that Linda Davies is very personally familiar with the countryside and the activities Merry, our protagonist, revels in, riding her horse across the hills and practising at her Longbow with her father. But this much is obvious anyway, as Linda’s descriptions of the countryside and the feeling of that relaxed exhilaration you find in nature leap off the page and infect the reader.
In that way it reminds me strongly of another fiction, The Green Rider series by Kristen Britain, both books put a strong emphasis on expressing the exhilaration of the wind in your hair, and enjoying something as simple as walking in the hills, which I quite liked.
However, Longbow Girl raises itself well above the Green Rider, for starters the plot a thousand times better, well paced and enjoyable. Our protagonist Merry is sent back in time to 16th century Wales, Davies makes the most of this, the back in time portions of the book are equal parts epic, and grounded in what (from an outsiders perspective) looks like a soul-crushing amount of research. There are two segments that stick in my mind that I thought were incredibly well written and intriguing, a bit near the end that I won’t spoil, and truly scary bit at the start where Merry wakes up, aware that she went to bed with an empty house, but not so sure that it is anymore.
That’s not to say the book is perfect, I enjoyed the heart of the filler segments and I did enjoy the plot while it was happening, however, this is one of those books where you’re more taken for a ride than are actually invited to understand how to drive, as it were. A lot of things happen because they need to happen, not because it makes sense that they happen. To give an example, the first time Merry goes back in time she sees her ancestor being imprisoned and she decides to go rescue him with the throwaway explanation of ‘What could happen to my family in the future?’ Then she gets into the castle, sets off a chain of events that will come back to haunt her and leaves without achieving her goal. The event chain she sets off becomes very dramatic and exciting later, but at the time I was just sat there thinking ‘Why did we end up here?’ Perhaps this is the problem with time travel, everyone understands it differently because from my perspective I would have simply gotten involved with everything as little as possible for fear of changing something, I just didn’t get what she was doing and why – something that happened more than once.
The writing style, as I've mentioned above was great at expressing the feeling of freedom and describing the landscape, and was pretty good in some of the more high-pressure scenes. But when neither of the above criteria is met... well, it doesn't fall apart but if it was the standard of writing for the rest of the book this review would certainly not have been as complimentary. One of my problems was, it seems the author is terrified the reader get bored and wonder off if we aren't assured that very exciting things are happening. I think about ten chapters end with the sentiment of 'And Merry was happy for it had been a good day - If only she knew what was in store!' It's not piquing my interest, perhaps try a different method, like making something fun happen.
The relationships between the characters are also a bit strange in that they were kind of badly defined, Merry’s best friend was a nice addition plot wise, but in their actual interactions I didn’t get the sense she liked him very much, and at a point near the end we’re supposed to feel a surge of positive emotion towards a little girl we’ve seen for about five pages. The book itself seems more concerned with flying free through forest path and over hill, so I don’t see why I should care about the character segments when the author clearly doesn’t.
The Longbow Girl is a book of great strength’s; the plot is very enjoyable if you’re the kind of person who can ignore the slew of issues that avalanche in with time travel. The book loses some of its charm if you’re a very character-centric reader, but saying that I’m a very character-centric reader and I still enjoyed it, even though I won’t be reading it again. There’s a lot to be said for a good plot spiced with history and originality.
In this at least, I was not let down. You can read in the acknowledgements that Linda Davies is very personally familiar with the countryside and the activities Merry, our protagonist, revels in, riding her horse across the hills and practising at her Longbow with her father. But this much is obvious anyway, as Linda’s descriptions of the countryside and the feeling of that relaxed exhilaration you find in nature leap off the page and infect the reader.
In that way it reminds me strongly of another fiction, The Green Rider series by Kristen Britain, both books put a strong emphasis on expressing the exhilaration of the wind in your hair, and enjoying something as simple as walking in the hills, which I quite liked.
However, Longbow Girl raises itself well above the Green Rider, for starters the plot a thousand times better, well paced and enjoyable. Our protagonist Merry is sent back in time to 16th century Wales, Davies makes the most of this, the back in time portions of the book are equal parts epic, and grounded in what (from an outsiders perspective) looks like a soul-crushing amount of research. There are two segments that stick in my mind that I thought were incredibly well written and intriguing, a bit near the end that I won’t spoil, and truly scary bit at the start where Merry wakes up, aware that she went to bed with an empty house, but not so sure that it is anymore.
That’s not to say the book is perfect, I enjoyed the heart of the filler segments and I did enjoy the plot while it was happening, however, this is one of those books where you’re more taken for a ride than are actually invited to understand how to drive, as it were. A lot of things happen because they need to happen, not because it makes sense that they happen. To give an example, the first time Merry goes back in time she sees her ancestor being imprisoned and she decides to go rescue him with the throwaway explanation of ‘What could happen to my family in the future?’ Then she gets into the castle, sets off a chain of events that will come back to haunt her and leaves without achieving her goal. The event chain she sets off becomes very dramatic and exciting later, but at the time I was just sat there thinking ‘Why did we end up here?’ Perhaps this is the problem with time travel, everyone understands it differently because from my perspective I would have simply gotten involved with everything as little as possible for fear of changing something, I just didn’t get what she was doing and why – something that happened more than once.
The writing style, as I've mentioned above was great at expressing the feeling of freedom and describing the landscape, and was pretty good in some of the more high-pressure scenes. But when neither of the above criteria is met... well, it doesn't fall apart but if it was the standard of writing for the rest of the book this review would certainly not have been as complimentary. One of my problems was, it seems the author is terrified the reader get bored and wonder off if we aren't assured that very exciting things are happening. I think about ten chapters end with the sentiment of 'And Merry was happy for it had been a good day - If only she knew what was in store!' It's not piquing my interest, perhaps try a different method, like making something fun happen.
The relationships between the characters are also a bit strange in that they were kind of badly defined, Merry’s best friend was a nice addition plot wise, but in their actual interactions I didn’t get the sense she liked him very much, and at a point near the end we’re supposed to feel a surge of positive emotion towards a little girl we’ve seen for about five pages. The book itself seems more concerned with flying free through forest path and over hill, so I don’t see why I should care about the character segments when the author clearly doesn’t.
The Longbow Girl is a book of great strength’s; the plot is very enjoyable if you’re the kind of person who can ignore the slew of issues that avalanche in with time travel. The book loses some of its charm if you’re a very character-centric reader, but saying that I’m a very character-centric reader and I still enjoyed it, even though I won’t be reading it again. There’s a lot to be said for a good plot spiced with history and originality.
March 9, 2023
What I liked: The main character is a 15-year-old girl who is a crack shot with a longbow, despite having lost one eye in an archery accident. She is home-schooled, and her best friend is a boy with whom she shares almost no interests whatsoever, but they have played sociably side by side all through childhood and have a strong sense of one another.
I love time-travel stories. I like that the way out has a built-in way back, so it doesn't expire, there's no risk of getting stuck, and you can bring as much as you like in a backpack. It's a little weird that the passageway only goes to one specific time & then pops you back to your present time, but I'm probably over-thinking that part.
What I didn't like: Intentionally or not, the author has constructed a story in which the protagonist, the entire supporting cast, and all but one of the several nasty villains have weak intellects. Only 1 character is clever enough to stay one step ahead of the others, and he is nearly confused (by both the protagonist & the reader) with a benign character who has a similar name & similar job & role in the story. Why is everyone so dim-witted? It may be because the plot only works if nobody (especially Merry & her parents) takes a minute to think things through, and the author had to make everyone equally clueless so the main character wouldn't be seen as incredibly gullible and vacuous.
If I were this author's editor, I would suggest she focus on giving the characters specific salient & unique personality traits in addition to their hair & eye color so that readers have more to connect with, deeper investment in the social & relational dynamics, and a stronger sense of the drama of the story.
As it is, the story relies heavily on the pursuit-based plot, while other elements (like potential financial ruin) are too simplistic to be believed. For the target readers, this will probably be good enough, but why not give young readers a fully-developed, cohesive story? I haven't read this author's books for adults, but given that she writes financial thrillers, she could have constructed that aspect more carefully.
(On that topic, I was horrified that time-traveling Merry - without a second thought - took home ALL 10 gold coins, when she knew that half that would have amounted to a fortune for her ancestors, and the patriarch of the family was at that moment still in a dungeon.)
Finally, three very small points:
1. Oddly, when the scholar translates two passages from the found book (written in ancient Welsh text) into modern English, it rhymes perfectly.
2. When Merry receives a brand-new (never used before), stronger (50-pound draw-weight), hand-made bow from her father, the very first arrow she shoots with it hits dead-center. This strains credulity.
3. The process Merry describes (p. 28) as her oft-repeated technique to shoot an arrow is something I have never seen any serious archer do; nock the arrow, sight the target, bend at the waist, then "in a fluid motion" straighten up, pull to full extension, and then let the arrow fly. (I have seen misguided amateurs do this.) In reenactments of medieval archery techniques, they don't seem to do this, either. I may be misunderstanding her description, or it's possible that ancient Welsh archers had an unusual technique that isn't widely known and that the modern Welsch characters are mimicking.
The author is described on ITV (a television network in the UK) as an "expert" archer, but I don't find anything to back that up either within this book or on the internet.
This review based on an ARC.
I love time-travel stories. I like that the way out has a built-in way back, so it doesn't expire, there's no risk of getting stuck, and you can bring as much as you like in a backpack. It's a little weird that the passageway only goes to one specific time & then pops you back to your present time, but I'm probably over-thinking that part.
What I didn't like: Intentionally or not, the author has constructed a story in which the protagonist, the entire supporting cast, and all but one of the several nasty villains have weak intellects. Only 1 character is clever enough to stay one step ahead of the others, and he is nearly confused (by both the protagonist & the reader) with a benign character who has a similar name & similar job & role in the story. Why is everyone so dim-witted? It may be because the plot only works if nobody (especially Merry & her parents) takes a minute to think things through, and the author had to make everyone equally clueless so the main character wouldn't be seen as incredibly gullible and vacuous.
If I were this author's editor, I would suggest she focus on giving the characters specific salient & unique personality traits in addition to their hair & eye color so that readers have more to connect with, deeper investment in the social & relational dynamics, and a stronger sense of the drama of the story.
As it is, the story relies heavily on the pursuit-based plot, while other elements (like potential financial ruin) are too simplistic to be believed. For the target readers, this will probably be good enough, but why not give young readers a fully-developed, cohesive story? I haven't read this author's books for adults, but given that she writes financial thrillers, she could have constructed that aspect more carefully.
(On that topic, I was horrified that time-traveling Merry - without a second thought - took home ALL 10 gold coins, when she knew that half that would have amounted to a fortune for her ancestors, and the patriarch of the family was at that moment still in a dungeon.)
Finally, three very small points:
1. Oddly, when the scholar translates two passages from the found book (written in ancient Welsh text) into modern English, it rhymes perfectly.
2. When Merry receives a brand-new (never used before), stronger (50-pound draw-weight), hand-made bow from her father, the very first arrow she shoots with it hits dead-center. This strains credulity.
3. The process Merry describes (p. 28) as her oft-repeated technique to shoot an arrow is something I have never seen any serious archer do; nock the arrow, sight the target, bend at the waist, then "in a fluid motion" straighten up, pull to full extension, and then let the arrow fly. (I have seen misguided amateurs do this.) In reenactments of medieval archery techniques, they don't seem to do this, either. I may be misunderstanding her description, or it's possible that ancient Welsh archers had an unusual technique that isn't widely known and that the modern Welsch characters are mimicking.
The author is described on ITV (a television network in the UK) as an "expert" archer, but I don't find anything to back that up either within this book or on the internet.
This review based on an ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 1, 2019
3.5 stars
I don't really remember why I put this book on hold :'D I saw it somewhere...
Anywho let's start with setting
The setting felt a little awkward to me (). Cottages, castles, longbows, and.... texting? My mind was a kinda like whattt?!?!? Even though I was a little weirded out by modern Wales, the author would know her stuff, since she lived there. Still, a little odd.
Characters
Merry. I think Merry was pretty cool. I like her determination. Her POV was really well written. Since it was from her POV, there wasn't as much character description, and not a ton of character development either. Would've liked more of that.
James was also neat. He wants to play for Manchester yasss :)) Soccer ftw. He could've used a little more character development as well.
Storyline
Plot was pretty good. The whole thing with the bad guy dude was a little weird and somewhat predictable. I liked the minor details (and the minor characters).
I don't really remember why I put this book on hold :'D I saw it somewhere...
Anywho let's start with setting
The setting felt a little awkward to me (). Cottages, castles, longbows, and.... texting? My mind was a kinda like whattt?!?!? Even though I was a little weirded out by modern Wales, the author would know her stuff, since she lived there. Still, a little odd.
Characters
Merry. I think Merry was pretty cool. I like her determination. Her POV was really well written. Since it was from her POV, there wasn't as much character description, and not a ton of character development either. Would've liked more of that.
James was also neat. He wants to play for Manchester yasss :)) Soccer ftw. He could've used a little more character development as well.
Storyline
Plot was pretty good. The whole thing with the bad guy dude was a little weird and somewhat predictable. I liked the minor details (and the minor characters).
March 21, 2021
Longbow Girl | Linda Davies
4 / 4.5 Stars!
(This review might be all over the place as I haven't taken the time to properly identify each element I liked ^.^)
Enjoyed this book a lot more than I expected to! Can we just take a moment to appreciate the cover?! It's so pretty!
The description was so intriguing, especially when it mentioned going back to the sixteenth century and archery tournament. I enjoyed that Merry's focused is on her family. After all, she did everything she could to earn money and gain back their farm and land. I also liked how the author Linda Davies included the nature and tales of Wales, which contributed a lot to the "atmosphere" and "mood" of the book.
Regarding the characters, I adored Merry seeing as she's adventurous, bold, and PLANS and RESEARCHES before doing anything drastic. It's also refreshing to have a main character with a physical disability (she'd lost her left eye due to her old longbow breaking in half). Her parents, Caradoc and Elinor are really sweet as well. (I honestly didn't pick up the significance of Gawain's character in the book...) James is aslo a character I liked. I appreciated that James decided to do what HE loves, which is soccer, instead of walking the path his parents already laid out for him. Even though Merry and James' parents are enemies, these two continued their friendship.
The romance between Merry and James was something I had expected from the start. But it wasn't annoying or cringy seeing as they have been bestfriends for years. I also liked how the romance was only a minor plot, and seen at the last few chapters.
The action or fight scenes were actually believable, considering how Merry's been trained for years and can shoot an arrow accurately.
There were plenty of quotes, which I enjoyed.
"If you can, run. If you can't run, then fight. But fight clever. Fight dirty."
"Fear is good... Fear keeps you alive."
"Survival had rules of its own."
I read the Acknowledgements and found out that this book is based on her childhood. She was given longbows, had a pony named Ceulan Jacintha, etc. This book became even more special to me seeing that Linda Davies connected her childhood with this book.
Unfortunately, it didn't just make sense to me how Caradoc, Elinor, and Gawain always leave Merry alone. I understand that they care for and love their daughter a lot but after many accidents like her almost drowning in the river, how could they still leave Merry alone at the house..? Merry was only FIFTEEN! It felt like Linda Davies forcefully sent Merry's parents away just so she could go have secret adventures without anyone noticing.
It was also slow paced. The first half of the book was focused on finding, translating, selling the mysterious book. The time travel aspect came on the other half of the book.
Additionally, the ending sentences of some chapters were either exciting or down right annoying. There were some sentences like:
"...oblivious to the fact that she'd left the doors unlocked.",
"...as if something were happening, something she couldn't see, wouldn't see, until it was too late."
"....she didn't hear the soft, persistent sounds of pursuit."
Like seriously, I still haven't decided if I like these supposed-to-be suspenseful foreshadowing.
Overall, this book definitely had some issues but it is still great and inspiring!
4 / 4.5 Stars!
(This review might be all over the place as I haven't taken the time to properly identify each element I liked ^.^)
Enjoyed this book a lot more than I expected to! Can we just take a moment to appreciate the cover?! It's so pretty!
The description was so intriguing, especially when it mentioned going back to the sixteenth century and archery tournament. I enjoyed that Merry's focused is on her family. After all, she did everything she could to earn money and gain back their farm and land. I also liked how the author Linda Davies included the nature and tales of Wales, which contributed a lot to the "atmosphere" and "mood" of the book.
Regarding the characters, I adored Merry seeing as she's adventurous, bold, and PLANS and RESEARCHES before doing anything drastic. It's also refreshing to have a main character with a physical disability (she'd lost her left eye due to her old longbow breaking in half). Her parents, Caradoc and Elinor are really sweet as well. (I honestly didn't pick up the significance of Gawain's character in the book...) James is aslo a character I liked. I appreciated that James decided to do what HE loves, which is soccer, instead of walking the path his parents already laid out for him. Even though Merry and James' parents are enemies, these two continued their friendship.
The romance between Merry and James was something I had expected from the start. But it wasn't annoying or cringy seeing as they have been bestfriends for years. I also liked how the romance was only a minor plot, and seen at the last few chapters.
The action or fight scenes were actually believable, considering how Merry's been trained for years and can shoot an arrow accurately.
There were plenty of quotes, which I enjoyed.
"If you can, run. If you can't run, then fight. But fight clever. Fight dirty."
"Fear is good... Fear keeps you alive."
"Survival had rules of its own."
I read the Acknowledgements and found out that this book is based on her childhood. She was given longbows, had a pony named Ceulan Jacintha, etc. This book became even more special to me seeing that Linda Davies connected her childhood with this book.
Unfortunately, it didn't just make sense to me how Caradoc, Elinor, and Gawain always leave Merry alone. I understand that they care for and love their daughter a lot but after many accidents like her almost drowning in the river, how could they still leave Merry alone at the house..? Merry was only FIFTEEN! It felt like Linda Davies forcefully sent Merry's parents away just so she could go have secret adventures without anyone noticing.
It was also slow paced. The first half of the book was focused on finding, translating, selling the mysterious book. The time travel aspect came on the other half of the book.
Additionally, the ending sentences of some chapters were either exciting or down right annoying. There were some sentences like:
"...oblivious to the fact that she'd left the doors unlocked.",
"...as if something were happening, something she couldn't see, wouldn't see, until it was too late."
"....she didn't hear the soft, persistent sounds of pursuit."
Like seriously, I still haven't decided if I like these supposed-to-be suspenseful foreshadowing.
Overall, this book definitely had some issues but it is still great and inspiring!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2024
This one is quite a ride! Merry and James are two characters to love. The first thing that struck me (when I first read this book) were the chapters from James' point of view. For some reason I'd had this idea that Merry would be the only one getting a POV, and I thought that was a bit of a shame. Davies must have read my mind, it seems. Merry does have more chapters than James, but that's fine. I just like reading from his viewpoint every once in a while.
Merry does act a bit too weird and rash for my liking at times, though. Some of her decisions are clearly too much a 'spur of the moment' act even though her brains are good enough to think twice about stuff if she wants to. So that sucks a bit. James is better that way, he thinks before he acts.
The setting is fun and interesting; after all, most Belgians don't have a clue about Wales and its history. It doesn't always have to be an imaginary fantasy world or New York or something.
It's an easy, quick read and exciting as well. Maybe everything that happens is not that surprising; it's all rather straightforward, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing. This is just one of those books you start reading in the morning and finish in the afternoon, and you've had a good day with a good read that makes you feel happy.
I did wonder what all the fuss is about James and Merry's friendship. It's clear that there's more going on between the two of them, especially at the end, so if the de Courcy's just want their land back from the Owens - get them to marry and you'll have your land! Ugh. But fine. I guess Merry is too far below their standards.
The ending has always kept me a bit mistified. That final paragraph makes it seem as if the author had some kind of idea for a sequel, or even a sequel in the works, but clearly that never happened. Which, truth be told, is a shame - I would have loved to read more about the Longbow Girl...
7.8/10
Upstarred from 7/10
Merry does act a bit too weird and rash for my liking at times, though. Some of her decisions are clearly too much a 'spur of the moment' act even though her brains are good enough to think twice about stuff if she wants to. So that sucks a bit. James is better that way, he thinks before he acts.
The setting is fun and interesting; after all, most Belgians don't have a clue about Wales and its history. It doesn't always have to be an imaginary fantasy world or New York or something.
It's an easy, quick read and exciting as well. Maybe everything that happens is not that surprising; it's all rather straightforward, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing. This is just one of those books you start reading in the morning and finish in the afternoon, and you've had a good day with a good read that makes you feel happy.
I did wonder what all the fuss is about James and Merry's friendship. It's clear that there's more going on between the two of them, especially at the end, so if the de Courcy's just want their land back from the Owens - get them to marry and you'll have your land! Ugh. But fine. I guess Merry is too far below their standards.
The ending has always kept me a bit mistified. That final paragraph makes it seem as if the author had some kind of idea for a sequel, or even a sequel in the works, but clearly that never happened. Which, truth be told, is a shame - I would have loved to read more about the Longbow Girl...
7.8/10
Upstarred from 7/10
March 8, 2016
This book surprised and deeply pleased me. Merry is a courageous, intelligent, practical young woman. She has trained since the age of five on the traditional Welsh longbow. Merry is not planning to win the Olympics, she is carrying out a family legacy that was set into motion over 500 years ago, when the land her family lives on and owns was granted to them with the caveat that a member of the family would always be available to protect the sovereign with a longbow. Merry, despite a bow injury that cost her an eye in childhood, is a superb "Longbow Girl."
James is the boy next door. He is also the heir to the Black Castle, a future earl, and is desperate to pursue his dream to play professional soccer. He and Merry are lifelong friends, and now, as they are coming of age, there is the promise of romance. Inseparable, it is unsurprising that James shares Merry's timetraveling adventures.
Through a series of unfortunate circumstances, Merry's family is about to lose their farm. When Merry discovers an ancient book and attempts to solve its riddles, she is propelled into the past, where she meets King Henry VIII and sets events into motion that affect the future and the past. Merry becomes the legend she read about in the ancient tome, managing not only to secure her family's home for future generations through her actions in Tudor times, but also in contemporary Wales.
Merry is a strong female role model, yet she is a likeable, engaging character. Readers will immediately be on the side of Team Merry-James. The time travel takes place deliberately, with planning and precautions on Merry's part. Rich historical details are skillfully woven into the fabric of this absorbing tale, along with fascinating longbow lore, and evocative descriptions of the Welsh countryside.
James is the boy next door. He is also the heir to the Black Castle, a future earl, and is desperate to pursue his dream to play professional soccer. He and Merry are lifelong friends, and now, as they are coming of age, there is the promise of romance. Inseparable, it is unsurprising that James shares Merry's timetraveling adventures.
Through a series of unfortunate circumstances, Merry's family is about to lose their farm. When Merry discovers an ancient book and attempts to solve its riddles, she is propelled into the past, where she meets King Henry VIII and sets events into motion that affect the future and the past. Merry becomes the legend she read about in the ancient tome, managing not only to secure her family's home for future generations through her actions in Tudor times, but also in contemporary Wales.
Merry is a strong female role model, yet she is a likeable, engaging character. Readers will immediately be on the side of Team Merry-James. The time travel takes place deliberately, with planning and precautions on Merry's part. Rich historical details are skillfully woven into the fabric of this absorbing tale, along with fascinating longbow lore, and evocative descriptions of the Welsh countryside.
April 30, 2020
Fifteen-year-old Merry Owen is keenly aware of the bad blood that exists between her family and their wealthier neighbors, the de Courcys. Despite that animosity and the ancient history between the two Welsh families, she and James, the heir to all that wealth, are great friends. He supports her independence, and she supports his dreams of playing soccer professionally. After the loss of the stallion her father was relying on for stud fees to pay the family's debts, they are struggling financially. When Merry finds a chest with an ancient book in it, she is sure that it could be the answer to their prayers and might yield a great sum of money. But others desperately want that book and will do anything to steal it. Merry is fascinated by the translation of some of the passages and decides to look for the place described in the book. She ends up traveling back in time all the way to the sixteenth century where her talents as a longbow girl will come in handy. I enjoyed this book and the plot, but at one point I was starting to think it was getting mighty crowded back in those earlier times what with all the individuals from the future visiting. The idea of being accused of stealing something that actually belonged to you in the future was an interesting one. The book also contained great period details related to King Henry VIII.
October 3, 2015
I really enjoyed this story!
Also, the cover is so beautiful! Has to be one of my favourites of this year so far.
It took me awhile to get into the story but once I did, I couldn't put it down and I loved every second of it.
I really liked Linda's style of writing. The way she describes things in this book makes you feel like you are there yourself and it is wonderful.
What I really loved about this book was the history and mythology. The past and present collide and untold danger, secrets and of course treasure! It is packed with action and mystery that will have you wanting to keep on reading until the very end. Even when I got to the end I didn't want it to be over!
I thought the character of Merry was really great. She is very smart and strong-willed. She is also very talented with a Longbow, a tradition that has been passed down through her family. Her family are having financial problems, until one day she finds a book of Welsh legends and hopes this will be able to help her family out with their problems.
All in all, this was a fantastic page-turner that will keep you reading until the very end!
Also, the cover is so beautiful! Has to be one of my favourites of this year so far.
It took me awhile to get into the story but once I did, I couldn't put it down and I loved every second of it.
I really liked Linda's style of writing. The way she describes things in this book makes you feel like you are there yourself and it is wonderful.
What I really loved about this book was the history and mythology. The past and present collide and untold danger, secrets and of course treasure! It is packed with action and mystery that will have you wanting to keep on reading until the very end. Even when I got to the end I didn't want it to be over!
I thought the character of Merry was really great. She is very smart and strong-willed. She is also very talented with a Longbow, a tradition that has been passed down through her family. Her family are having financial problems, until one day she finds a book of Welsh legends and hopes this will be able to help her family out with their problems.
All in all, this was a fantastic page-turner that will keep you reading until the very end!
Read
January 20, 2016Fifteen year old Merry Owen has been learning how to master a longbow since she was five years old. She loves riding through the woods and mountains on her horse, Jacintha, and having adventures. On one of her adventures Merry finds a centuries old book. Merry takes her book to her best friend James De Courcy and figures out that the book is worth some money, which is helpful because her family is in need of money. However, flipping through the pages of the book, Merry finds a page that talked about a "riddle pool." As curious as she was Merry set off to find the "riddle pool" and finds that what was on the other side of the pool was very amazing.
The book Longbow Girl by Linda Davies is extraordinary with many page-turning actions, and other amazing descriptions so that I could almost see the different places where the book took place. The book has small excitements and heart attacks for the reader to enjoy. The author took a little bit of time for the book to get going but the rest of the book is great! At some parts the book gets confusing, but in the end makes sense. I had a lot of fun reading this book, and would DEFINITELY recommend it.
The book Longbow Girl by Linda Davies is extraordinary with many page-turning actions, and other amazing descriptions so that I could almost see the different places where the book took place. The book has small excitements and heart attacks for the reader to enjoy. The author took a little bit of time for the book to get going but the rest of the book is great! At some parts the book gets confusing, but in the end makes sense. I had a lot of fun reading this book, and would DEFINITELY recommend it.
April 11, 2016
LONGBOW GIRL by Linda Davies is the first book in an exciting time-travel adventure trilogy.
Merry lives in the mountains of Wales where she’s the latest in a long line of archers. When she stumbles upon an old book in the woods and discovers an underground river into the past, Merry must use her archery skills to save her ancestral land.
With lots of action, intrigue, and hint of romance, librarians will easily find an audience for this engaging mystery fantasy. Many young adults will be attracted to the Welsh setting, strong female lead, and autocratic kingdom of King Henry VIII. Of particular note is the effective way the author weaves the protagonist’s loss of sight in one eye into the storyline without making it the focus of the novel.
To learn more about the author, go to http://www.lindadavies.com/.
Published by The Chicken House, an imprint of Scholastic. ARC courtesy of the publisher.
Merry lives in the mountains of Wales where she’s the latest in a long line of archers. When she stumbles upon an old book in the woods and discovers an underground river into the past, Merry must use her archery skills to save her ancestral land.
With lots of action, intrigue, and hint of romance, librarians will easily find an audience for this engaging mystery fantasy. Many young adults will be attracted to the Welsh setting, strong female lead, and autocratic kingdom of King Henry VIII. Of particular note is the effective way the author weaves the protagonist’s loss of sight in one eye into the storyline without making it the focus of the novel.
To learn more about the author, go to http://www.lindadavies.com/.
Published by The Chicken House, an imprint of Scholastic. ARC courtesy of the publisher.
March 4, 2016
2.5 stars. Oh, Longbow Girl, it is so hard to express how, exactly, I feel about you. I liked the Welsh lore, the sprinkling of historical figures, and the whole concept of a longbow girl. But the constant foreshadowing, the storytelling style (and the way it made it hard for me to really connect to the characters), and the strong feeling that this would be suitable for younger readers (except for a few moments) just really affected my entire reading experience in the end.
September 15, 2015
Gripping from the very beginning. Merry is a great character and the dual narrative works really well. Plus, this book has one of the most convincing and considered time-slip devices you are likely to find. The last section was riveting. I loved it!
November 8, 2015
I love this book. Merry is a heroine to admire and aspire to. Longbow Girl has a bit of everything; history, adventure, action, Henry VIII, drama, intrigue, family secrets, myth, legend, folklore and the scenic setting of the Brecon Beacons as the back drop for the story. Highly recommend.
August 4, 2015
Book review will be posted on blog first..... http://www.mrripleysenchantedbooks.com/
May 15, 2016
I adored this book. Amazing female protagonist, a mysterious book, adventure and horses. My only complaint is that it wrapped up too fast. Sequel, please!!
December 12, 2017
This book was FANTASTIC I LOVED IT
November 6, 2019
I loved this book.
From the adventure to the romance. I loved the characters as well. Good pace to the story as well.Highly reccomend
From the adventure to the romance. I loved the characters as well. Good pace to the story as well.Highly reccomend
October 4, 2017
Fifteen-year-old Merry Owen is the longbow girl.
Her father has trained her since she was five years old to shoot straight and true following a tradition that has been passed down the Owens family line for seven hundred years. When her family risks losing their farm Merry is determined to find a way to save the farm and the way of life the Owens family has known for centuries.
James de Courcy is the son of the Earl de Courcy.
The Owens and de Courcy families have been at logger heads from the time King Edward awarded the Owens family part of the de Courcy land in 1346. During a battle at Crecy in France one of Merry's ancestors, a longbow man saved the kings life.
James and Merry are best friends but can their friendship survive hundreds of years of animosity?
Merry makes a thrilling discovery, a treasure that offers her the chance to save her families farm. She is thrust back to the time of King Henry the VII, a time when peasants are at the mercy of the royalty. Can she survive this strange, harsh time and can she save her families farm from being swallowed back into the de Courcy stronghold?
Mysterious and fun, Merry Owen is a heroine full of spunk and stubborn pride.
She’s an amazing horsewoman and a skilled archer. Will her strength be what saves her family’s honour or will it get her killed? James knows that Merry is up to something and he’s determined to protect her from the scorn of his family and from her own recklessness. Can he save Merry? Does she even need him to save her?
Longbow Girl is a thrilling adventure. Linda Davies has written a tale that it is so much fun to read. Archery, time travel, Wales, it’s got it all.
The characters are great, well thought out and believable. Merry is very determined and a little socially inept. James can’t wait to be old enough to make his own decisions away from his overbearing parents.
Knowing it was a book about time travel I was surprised to find that the actual travelling back in time doesn’t take place until halfway through the book. So it’s not the main theme, which was a nice surprise.
Her father has trained her since she was five years old to shoot straight and true following a tradition that has been passed down the Owens family line for seven hundred years. When her family risks losing their farm Merry is determined to find a way to save the farm and the way of life the Owens family has known for centuries.
James de Courcy is the son of the Earl de Courcy.
The Owens and de Courcy families have been at logger heads from the time King Edward awarded the Owens family part of the de Courcy land in 1346. During a battle at Crecy in France one of Merry's ancestors, a longbow man saved the kings life.
James and Merry are best friends but can their friendship survive hundreds of years of animosity?
Merry makes a thrilling discovery, a treasure that offers her the chance to save her families farm. She is thrust back to the time of King Henry the VII, a time when peasants are at the mercy of the royalty. Can she survive this strange, harsh time and can she save her families farm from being swallowed back into the de Courcy stronghold?
Mysterious and fun, Merry Owen is a heroine full of spunk and stubborn pride.
She’s an amazing horsewoman and a skilled archer. Will her strength be what saves her family’s honour or will it get her killed? James knows that Merry is up to something and he’s determined to protect her from the scorn of his family and from her own recklessness. Can he save Merry? Does she even need him to save her?
Longbow Girl is a thrilling adventure. Linda Davies has written a tale that it is so much fun to read. Archery, time travel, Wales, it’s got it all.
The characters are great, well thought out and believable. Merry is very determined and a little socially inept. James can’t wait to be old enough to make his own decisions away from his overbearing parents.
Knowing it was a book about time travel I was surprised to find that the actual travelling back in time doesn’t take place until halfway through the book. So it’s not the main theme, which was a nice surprise.
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April 15, 2021Merry Owen is the Longbow girl. Her mastery in Longbow is brought about by her intensive training from her father as part of the family's tradition to produce Longbow men. Her family's farm is in danger from being taken away by the bank and, the de Courcys are eagerly waiting to get the land back to them. Wanting to help her family, Merry discovered a centuries old book and an encrypted text lead her to find the River of Time and time travels into the 16th century and hopes to find treasures to save her family's farm.
I patiently waited for the story to transform and take up a notch. But it was just too slow for me.
I was halfway through the book and was beginning to lose interest. Finally, I said, The River of Time! The story should be about to get better. Almost.
I've had high hopes because it's a middle grade book and it speaks about myths and legends and different timelines. I love Merry and how she thinks and acts. I love her friendship with James de Courcy. I love how Merry does not cower over the de Courcy's threats to her family. I love the mysterious book and its link to all the adventure that Merry went through. BUT the pacing of the story was just dragging. 😔
So I put the book down and did not try to finish it. My excitement has died down. I will probably get back to the book some other time.
I guess this book is not for me.
I patiently waited for the story to transform and take up a notch. But it was just too slow for me.
I was halfway through the book and was beginning to lose interest. Finally, I said, The River of Time! The story should be about to get better. Almost.
I've had high hopes because it's a middle grade book and it speaks about myths and legends and different timelines. I love Merry and how she thinks and acts. I love her friendship with James de Courcy. I love how Merry does not cower over the de Courcy's threats to her family. I love the mysterious book and its link to all the adventure that Merry went through. BUT the pacing of the story was just dragging. 😔
So I put the book down and did not try to finish it. My excitement has died down. I will probably get back to the book some other time.
I guess this book is not for me.
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