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Tatterwing #2
The Dark in the Wood - Part 1 of 2
Alternate cover edition for ASIN B01ETUPOQG
For previous cover edition see here
It's common enough for a book of dragons to center on a young wizard harnessing his power, or a knightly lad (usually a farmhand) learning to vanquish evil. The Merlins and Arthurs, if you will. Too rarely do we get to glimpse the other side of the coin. The Madam Mims and Morgan le Fays certainly had their own humble beginnings, but those stories are seldom told. Those climbs to power are somehow neglected.
Within the pages of The Tatterwing Chronicles you'll find such a story. A story of a girl well on her way to becoming the notorious witch known as Tatterwing. A story of her rise to power, her flirtation with the darkness, and her tendency to ride the line between hero and villain as the odds stack against her.
Book 2 - part 1:
Medo Tatterwing still believes she is safe in the ruins of Tornhold. She believes the troubles of two years ago have long since been buried. But things haven't stayed buried like they should.
The shadow of an old enemy has come back to haunt Medo. A pale woman lurking among the trees, striking fear into the surrounding countryside. A woman who should be dead.
For previous cover edition see here
It's common enough for a book of dragons to center on a young wizard harnessing his power, or a knightly lad (usually a farmhand) learning to vanquish evil. The Merlins and Arthurs, if you will. Too rarely do we get to glimpse the other side of the coin. The Madam Mims and Morgan le Fays certainly had their own humble beginnings, but those stories are seldom told. Those climbs to power are somehow neglected.
Within the pages of The Tatterwing Chronicles you'll find such a story. A story of a girl well on her way to becoming the notorious witch known as Tatterwing. A story of her rise to power, her flirtation with the darkness, and her tendency to ride the line between hero and villain as the odds stack against her.
Book 2 - part 1:
Medo Tatterwing still believes she is safe in the ruins of Tornhold. She believes the troubles of two years ago have long since been buried. But things haven't stayed buried like they should.
The shadow of an old enemy has come back to haunt Medo. A pale woman lurking among the trees, striking fear into the surrounding countryside. A woman who should be dead.
410 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 12, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 25, 2020
I have not been so gripped by a YA fantasy like this in ages. It's the perfectly plotted continuation of the Tatterwing series; slow but never dragging because of all those strange, unexpected (though in some cases, very much expected) twists. Whimsical, weird and wonderful, I was enthralled by the gentle warmth of the characters, the moral musings, and the story's eldritch charm.
It wasn’t whether the power was good or bad that mattered. It was what using it would cost you.
Set 2 years after the events of The Dragon Beshrewed, the girl Medo, aka Tatterwing, has been honing her skills in Black Magic while holed up in the old keep at Tornhold. Kept company by the comforting presence of Owyn and her birds, protected by the strong arm of former rebel Cob, things aren't going too badly. Marlin's even managed to turn his sales patter into tidy profits from her less deadly spells. Pity about the angry locals stirred up to think she's the bad kind of witch and want to burn her, but you can't have it all. All seems well enough, until a certain old man turns up on her doorstep. Once again Medo finds herself trapped in the Seer's game, pitted against an enemy who's not all she seems. She's got to defend herself from the poor opinion of others as well as magical threats, and that's before Owyn's past rears it's mysterious head...
I practically devoured this book whole, 400+ pages or not. Some early parts felt a tad wobbly, dropping in hints about history and locations I wasn't familiar with, but as the story goes along and gathers momentum I was gripped by the gradual unfolding of the strange events. It builds on everything from book one, opening up the world, it's history, peoples and attitudes. It may be a slow story, but it's world building is something to be savoured. So many things got expanded on that I didn't realise I needed more of; more physical descriptions of Medo (I hadn't realised how much I relied on the ink illustrations), and the codifying of the magic system (realising that staves were named so because they "staved off" ill physical effects - d'oh!)
The characters are those wonderfully weird types that often populate middle grade novels, but here are definitely more grown up. There's something so genuinely warming about our main trio's relationships. That budding something hinted at with Medo and Owyn is subtle and underplayed to perfection (let us celebrate YA fiction that doesn't shove "romance" front and centre), and the comical banter from Marlin "the grown up" makes him an amusing foil to the sensible teens. The villains of the piece are the usual unfair adults who never listen, or are curiously otherworldly and tinged with madness. You want to know their agenda as much as you do Medo's.
The same magic is worked on the character development and moralising as in book one; nothing overbearingly heavy, but the theme of what makes someone good or evil is very much an overarching theme.
It ends on the gentlest of cliffhangers; the story arc is technically unfinished, but I didn't feel like I was being cruelly ripped away from the world. It feels like a natural pause point to let you sit back, take a breath, think about all that's happened... and then dive straight back in. Going on to part 2 is a no-brainer for me.
It wasn’t whether the power was good or bad that mattered. It was what using it would cost you.
Set 2 years after the events of The Dragon Beshrewed, the girl Medo, aka Tatterwing, has been honing her skills in Black Magic while holed up in the old keep at Tornhold. Kept company by the comforting presence of Owyn and her birds, protected by the strong arm of former rebel Cob, things aren't going too badly. Marlin's even managed to turn his sales patter into tidy profits from her less deadly spells. Pity about the angry locals stirred up to think she's the bad kind of witch and want to burn her, but you can't have it all. All seems well enough, until a certain old man turns up on her doorstep. Once again Medo finds herself trapped in the Seer's game, pitted against an enemy who's not all she seems. She's got to defend herself from the poor opinion of others as well as magical threats, and that's before Owyn's past rears it's mysterious head...
I practically devoured this book whole, 400+ pages or not. Some early parts felt a tad wobbly, dropping in hints about history and locations I wasn't familiar with, but as the story goes along and gathers momentum I was gripped by the gradual unfolding of the strange events. It builds on everything from book one, opening up the world, it's history, peoples and attitudes. It may be a slow story, but it's world building is something to be savoured. So many things got expanded on that I didn't realise I needed more of; more physical descriptions of Medo (I hadn't realised how much I relied on the ink illustrations), and the codifying of the magic system (realising that staves were named so because they "staved off" ill physical effects - d'oh!)
The characters are those wonderfully weird types that often populate middle grade novels, but here are definitely more grown up. There's something so genuinely warming about our main trio's relationships. That budding something hinted at with Medo and Owyn is subtle and underplayed to perfection (let us celebrate YA fiction that doesn't shove "romance" front and centre), and the comical banter from Marlin "the grown up" makes him an amusing foil to the sensible teens. The villains of the piece are the usual unfair adults who never listen, or are curiously otherworldly and tinged with madness. You want to know their agenda as much as you do Medo's.
The same magic is worked on the character development and moralising as in book one; nothing overbearingly heavy, but the theme of what makes someone good or evil is very much an overarching theme.
It ends on the gentlest of cliffhangers; the story arc is technically unfinished, but I didn't feel like I was being cruelly ripped away from the world. It feels like a natural pause point to let you sit back, take a breath, think about all that's happened... and then dive straight back in. Going on to part 2 is a no-brainer for me.
September 22, 2018
Not quite up to par with the first, but I did dive straight into part 2 when I finished, so it couldn't have been all bad. In fact I'd still place it up there with some of my favourites. I love the expanded world building, the story flows well, and the characters are still vivid and memorable.
I've only knocked a star off (and really it's still a 4.5) because the magic system, while more fleshed out, loses some of the folkish mystery that made me love the first book so much.
Edit: Don't forget the inked cover. So bloody good.
I've only knocked a star off (and really it's still a 4.5) because the magic system, while more fleshed out, loses some of the folkish mystery that made me love the first book so much.
Edit: Don't forget the inked cover. So bloody good.
October 3, 2018
Author here again. Ok, so in my quest to revisit these books, ensuring that I wrap up the series in a satisfying way, I found out a few things about this particular book:
1) Honestly, I miss the whimsy from beshrewed. Maybe I've read too many grim things lately, but it was an adjustment getting into this after the fun monstery tone of the first book. That said, parts of this book still really work for me, personally. Though it takes a while to get there... which brings me to...
2) I could have tightened this story up quite a bit. The first 1/2 of this volume takes its time more than I want. I think if I ever go back and make edits for a five-books-in-one-volume edition, I will consider making some heavy changes to this particular chunk of story, just to make it shorter and punchier. Don't know if thats actually a plan that will happen, but who knows. After book 5 is done, I'm probably going to miss Medo and the gang so much that I'll have to go back in. Maybe throw in a few new illustrations too? Ooo.
3) all in all, I really like where the story goes, you know, once the ball gets rolling. But if I'm honest, part 2 of 2 is the stronger half. Its the reason to read this book.
3.5/5 stars. Take that, past self!
1) Honestly, I miss the whimsy from beshrewed. Maybe I've read too many grim things lately, but it was an adjustment getting into this after the fun monstery tone of the first book. That said, parts of this book still really work for me, personally. Though it takes a while to get there... which brings me to...
2) I could have tightened this story up quite a bit. The first 1/2 of this volume takes its time more than I want. I think if I ever go back and make edits for a five-books-in-one-volume edition, I will consider making some heavy changes to this particular chunk of story, just to make it shorter and punchier. Don't know if thats actually a plan that will happen, but who knows. After book 5 is done, I'm probably going to miss Medo and the gang so much that I'll have to go back in. Maybe throw in a few new illustrations too? Ooo.
3) all in all, I really like where the story goes, you know, once the ball gets rolling. But if I'm honest, part 2 of 2 is the stronger half. Its the reason to read this book.
3.5/5 stars. Take that, past self!
October 28, 2024
I loved all the books in this story kept me glued to the book. Hope for more,
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews