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The Mistmantle Chronicles #1
Oursin des étoiles
C'était une nuit d'étoiles filantes. Au royaume d'Outrebrume, elles annoncent toujours un événement exceptionnel... Cette nuit-là, un drôle de bébé écureuil au pelage clair est recueilli sur le rivage d'Outrebrume. Baptisé Oursin, l'orphelin grandit en paix parmi les autres animaux de l'île jusqu'au jour où un terrible drame se produit. Culbute, le jeune prince héritier, est assassiné... Oursin des Etoiles doit alors accomplir son destin et livrer la plus dangereuse des batailles. Premier volume de la trilogie, oursin des Etoiles enchantera les jeunes lecteurs et les entraînera dans un roman d'aventures et de chevalerie au suspense haletant.
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 485 reviews
November 8, 2013
The publisher described this to me as "Shakespeare with squirrels," and that's about right. It has elements of Hamlet and Macbeth with the same kind of fantasy world that made Redwall popular. I enjoyed it very much. The book worked so well as a standalone it will be interesting to see what the author does for the next book in the series.
April 11, 2012
As someone who grew up devouring the Redwall books, I was super excited to discover the Mistmantle Chronicles. However, this series is not just a Redwall knock off. The author has her own unique voice and presentation style and deserves full credit in her own right for an imaginative story.
Urchin is a young squirrel discovered orphaned on the seashore during the night of the "Riding Stars" - basically a meteor shower. He is rescued and eventually taken under the wing of Crispin (another squirrel and the King's Captain). But when the baby Prince is found murdered, Crispin is accused of committing the crime and banished from the island. Urchin must find a way to rescue his Captain and prove his innocence before the real murderers take over the Kingdom!
Though Urchin of the Riding Stars is written for a younger audience than Redwall, I highly enjoyed reading about all the inhabitants of Mistmantle. If you're looking for a sweet easy read filled with adventure, mystery, animals, and fantasy, look no farther!
Urchin is a young squirrel discovered orphaned on the seashore during the night of the "Riding Stars" - basically a meteor shower. He is rescued and eventually taken under the wing of Crispin (another squirrel and the King's Captain). But when the baby Prince is found murdered, Crispin is accused of committing the crime and banished from the island. Urchin must find a way to rescue his Captain and prove his innocence before the real murderers take over the Kingdom!
Though Urchin of the Riding Stars is written for a younger audience than Redwall, I highly enjoyed reading about all the inhabitants of Mistmantle. If you're looking for a sweet easy read filled with adventure, mystery, animals, and fantasy, look no farther!
August 22, 2023
A wonderful story with heart and Shakespearean nods, Urchin of the Riding Stars is a brilliant book for children or adults. The story follows Urchin, a squirrel who grows up on the isle of Mistmantle. Not knowing his parents, he is raised on the island by the other squirrels, otters, moles, and hedgehogs. He dreams of being special, of doing something worthy, and of serving others. He gets his chance and is invited to be the page of Captain Crispin, his hero. Tragedies strike, and Urchin must find a way to save his family, friends, and kingdom, but he also learns how to rely on others, sacrifice his own desires, and discern right from wrong.
This book is more than just good vs. evil. M.I. McAllister weaves a tale of the triumph of truth, righteousness, and light against despair, wickedness, and darkness. It deals with heavy themes of death and injustice in a society where the weakest animals are discarded. Don't let the cute animals fool you; this story aims straight for the heart of every reader.
Cleanliness: 5/5 As mentioned above, there are some darker themes, but written in a way that shows the triumph of truth and the defeat of evil (not the final defeat, because there is still work to be done). This book is for anyone who enjoys books like The Chronicles of Narnia, Redwall, or the Wind in the Willows.
Thank you to my goodreads friend Sharon Loves to Read for this recommendation! <3
This book is more than just good vs. evil. M.I. McAllister weaves a tale of the triumph of truth, righteousness, and light against despair, wickedness, and darkness. It deals with heavy themes of death and injustice in a society where the weakest animals are discarded. Don't let the cute animals fool you; this story aims straight for the heart of every reader.
Cleanliness: 5/5 As mentioned above, there are some darker themes, but written in a way that shows the triumph of truth and the defeat of evil (not the final defeat, because there is still work to be done). This book is for anyone who enjoys books like The Chronicles of Narnia, Redwall, or the Wind in the Willows.
Thank you to my goodreads friend Sharon Loves to Read for this recommendation! <3
October 4, 2025
Random thoughts of 2025.
It finally hit me that the first Mistmantle book is a lot like Macbeth! Husk is Macbeth and Aspen is Lady Macbeth. And they have the whole "preposterous prophecy thing" (Macbeth has nothing to fear until he meets a man not born of a woman and Husk has nothing to fear until squirrels fly). Even Padra starting to challenge to Macbeth to mortal combat reminds me of Siward fighting Macbeth first before MacDuff shows up. And, of course, something bad happens to a young royal in the beginning....
Mini Review.
The Mistmantle Chronicles is more than just a "animals with swords book" it is SO MUCH MORE. A beautiful, swirling adventure that sweeps the reader away into a magical and amazing place, this book also paints deep spiritual truths that touched me to the core. From dizzying heights of joy and giddiness to sorrow so deep I actually cried over more than one book - the Mistmantle Chronicles is not "just a children book" - it is a treasure, a classic, a joy. These are my go-to books when I am feeling unwell - because they don't just entertain, they teach me, they illuminate, they guide. They sing the song I was made to sing - a song of Truth and Eternity and the One that I belong to.
It finally hit me that the first Mistmantle book is a lot like Macbeth! Husk is Macbeth and Aspen is Lady Macbeth. And they have the whole "preposterous prophecy thing" (Macbeth has nothing to fear until he meets a man not born of a woman and Husk has nothing to fear until squirrels fly). Even Padra starting to challenge to Macbeth to mortal combat reminds me of Siward fighting Macbeth first before MacDuff shows up. And, of course, something bad happens to a young royal in the beginning....
Mini Review.
The Mistmantle Chronicles is more than just a "animals with swords book" it is SO MUCH MORE. A beautiful, swirling adventure that sweeps the reader away into a magical and amazing place, this book also paints deep spiritual truths that touched me to the core. From dizzying heights of joy and giddiness to sorrow so deep I actually cried over more than one book - the Mistmantle Chronicles is not "just a children book" - it is a treasure, a classic, a joy. These are my go-to books when I am feeling unwell - because they don't just entertain, they teach me, they illuminate, they guide. They sing the song I was made to sing - a song of Truth and Eternity and the One that I belong to.
November 7, 2023
I first read this book in the 4th grade, and all these years later, I feel like I still love this story more than ever.
The characters are well done & the plot isn’t sugar-coated for having it strictly be about woodland creatures. It deals with a sinister villain (or two), darkness & evil, culling (the action of sending an inferior animal to be slaughtered), treason, etc. but in the midst of it all, there is so much goodness and light! There is hope!
Reading Urchin’s story now, I’d honestly classify this in the same category as Redwall, The Chronicles of Prydain, The Chronicles of Narnia, and Lord of the Rings if it have been written for tweens.
Heroism, valor, light, courage, prophecy, action, adventure, high-stakes… this book has it all! Plus, the Christian undertones were beautiful :)
20/10 recommend! Now onto book 2!
The characters are well done & the plot isn’t sugar-coated for having it strictly be about woodland creatures. It deals with a sinister villain (or two), darkness & evil, culling (the action of sending an inferior animal to be slaughtered), treason, etc. but in the midst of it all, there is so much goodness and light! There is hope!
Reading Urchin’s story now, I’d honestly classify this in the same category as Redwall, The Chronicles of Prydain, The Chronicles of Narnia, and Lord of the Rings if it have been written for tweens.
Heroism, valor, light, courage, prophecy, action, adventure, high-stakes… this book has it all! Plus, the Christian undertones were beautiful :)
20/10 recommend! Now onto book 2!
December 13, 2012
Urchin the squirrel was born on a night of riding stars. It was the same night he arrived on the island of Mistmantle, and the same night that his mother died and was washed back out to sea. Discovered by Crispin the squirrel and Brother Fir, Urchin was sent home with kindly but simple Apple to be raised by the community in Anemone Wood. Once Urchin was old enough to enter the island's work parties, he is asked to become Captain Crispin's page, a dream come true. But his dreams turn to nightmares when the King's only son is murdered and the blame falls on Crispin. Tragedy and adventure walk hand-in-hand with Urchin as he tries to protect his captain, himself, and his whole community from a creeping evil that has come into the kingdom.
I knew nothing about this book when I picked it up from the shelf, but it didn't take long before I fell in love with it. There are five things that stood out to me about McAllister's writing that puts it above most other children's books.
- The author isn't afraid of a body count. The book opens with the death of the main character's mother. In the first chapter, the animals are discussing the new and horrible practice of culling (killing off the weak and misformed) that is now practiced in the kingdom. By chapter three, the prince is dead. Death happens and I respect an author who isn't afraid to show how it affects characters differently. Urchin's mother was willing to die in order to rescue her unborn baby. The king is willing to kill because the of the grief of losing his son. Children are just as much affected by the death of loved ones as we are and McAllister gives us a reference to be able to talk to kids about how to feel and how to act.
- The evil is EVIL. When bad things happen in the book, they are very bad. The bad characters are not just mean, but manipulative, sneaky, and murderous. The author helps us hate the evil that exists in the story, and gives us something to root against. Urchin has so much to overcome that when the evil is dealt with, we are not just pleased but elated.
- The good is not without flaws. Urchin is likeable because he is flawed. He cares deeply about the people around him, but he cares just as much about what they think of him. I can relate to this because I know that I am a people pleaser. If put in a situation between doing what is right and doing whatever will make me liked, I have a dilemma. By giving Urchin a flaw, he is relateable. We root for him all the more because he is like us.
- Suspense, foreshadowing, and misdirection are skillfully applied. By having a dire evil to overcome and showing that she isn't afraid to kill off a character or two, McAllister creates real suspense for the story. And she weaves in enough details that when we finally figure out what is happening, we hit ourselves for not seeing it sooner. I love it when an author surprises me with a twist.
- The tension escalates throughout. Like all good fiction, the main character finds himself in increasingly horrible predicaments. Just when you think, "well, at least it can't get worse," you find out that you are wrong.
Like I said, I loved this book. In fact, the whole series is great. I can't wait until my kids are old enough for me to read it to them. I'd start now, but my oldest doesn't have the attention span for chapter books yet and I'd end up just reading it out loud to myself. Then again, it was such a good story that I may just read it anyway. I can always read it again to them later.
I knew nothing about this book when I picked it up from the shelf, but it didn't take long before I fell in love with it. There are five things that stood out to me about McAllister's writing that puts it above most other children's books.
- The author isn't afraid of a body count. The book opens with the death of the main character's mother. In the first chapter, the animals are discussing the new and horrible practice of culling (killing off the weak and misformed) that is now practiced in the kingdom. By chapter three, the prince is dead. Death happens and I respect an author who isn't afraid to show how it affects characters differently. Urchin's mother was willing to die in order to rescue her unborn baby. The king is willing to kill because the of the grief of losing his son. Children are just as much affected by the death of loved ones as we are and McAllister gives us a reference to be able to talk to kids about how to feel and how to act.
- The evil is EVIL. When bad things happen in the book, they are very bad. The bad characters are not just mean, but manipulative, sneaky, and murderous. The author helps us hate the evil that exists in the story, and gives us something to root against. Urchin has so much to overcome that when the evil is dealt with, we are not just pleased but elated.
- The good is not without flaws. Urchin is likeable because he is flawed. He cares deeply about the people around him, but he cares just as much about what they think of him. I can relate to this because I know that I am a people pleaser. If put in a situation between doing what is right and doing whatever will make me liked, I have a dilemma. By giving Urchin a flaw, he is relateable. We root for him all the more because he is like us.
- Suspense, foreshadowing, and misdirection are skillfully applied. By having a dire evil to overcome and showing that she isn't afraid to kill off a character or two, McAllister creates real suspense for the story. And she weaves in enough details that when we finally figure out what is happening, we hit ourselves for not seeing it sooner. I love it when an author surprises me with a twist.
- The tension escalates throughout. Like all good fiction, the main character finds himself in increasingly horrible predicaments. Just when you think, "well, at least it can't get worse," you find out that you are wrong.
Like I said, I loved this book. In fact, the whole series is great. I can't wait until my kids are old enough for me to read it to them. I'd start now, but my oldest doesn't have the attention span for chapter books yet and I'd end up just reading it out loud to myself. Then again, it was such a good story that I may just read it anyway. I can always read it again to them later.
November 15, 2011
I don't think Logan is ready for the Redwall books (too intense), but this was a good in-between series. And what kid-who-adores-Reepicheep could resist a swashbuckling squirrel? (He laughs with delight when I even say the phrase "swashbuckling squirrel.") There were a couple of things that were a bit difficult. The first scene is Urchin's mother giving birth to him and dying alone on the beach, which wasn't glossed over quickly enough for me. And the main evil character, who is crazy, has a recurring nightmare/waking vision of his murdered victim coming after him, which scared Logan. I explained that it was just a vision or nightmare, but I don't think that made it less real for L. Other than that, this was tailor made for L: A youngster (in this case a squirrel) longs to do something heroic, but doesn't think he can. Enter a mentor or two (two captains; a squirrel & an otter) who can help him to draw on his inner resources and provide excellent examples. Throw in a prophecy, a mission, and a despicable and sometimes ridiculous enemy and you have an adventure where the good guys win and Logan's cup is filled. Sounds pretty formulaic, but I actually enjoyed this book myself. The dialog is pretty readable and we both loved Captains Crispin & Padra. It was nice that none of the characters are carnivores, so I didn't have to read so much about killing dinner (which gets rather old in the Warrior series). Yes, hedgehogs are insectivores, but somehow killing a worm doesn't gross me out the way killing a bird does. And I especially enjoyed that you can't tell which characters are good or bad by looking at them. So often, a whole species or race is "bad" or "good," which not only eliminates some of the mystery of a story, but isn't realistic or the way I want to view the world. I liked that there are evil squirrels and good squirrels and you have to get to know them to know which is which. Also, I liked that sometimes, animals evolve from being bad to good.
August 20, 2023
This is a lovely story!
May 14, 2025
My thoughts💭The writing was SO amazing! I JUST found out about this series, and I can’t wait to read the next ones! I would recommend it for ages of 9-12. I enjoyed it quite well though😂
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Favorite quotes:❤️✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
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“Even the Heart that made Mistmantle had to break with love for us. That is how it gave us the mists. But it does not stay broken. The Heart still beats, still loves, still holds us. A true heart survives the breaking.” ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
― M.I. McAllister ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
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❤️❤️❤️“Do you remember,” said Needle, “you said once that you thought you should have something important to do? Well, I think you’ve done it.”✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
“I’m not sure,” said Urchin. “I mean, yes, I know I’ve done some thing. But it doesn’t feel finished. There’s more that I have to do. And more that I have to be. I mean, it’s not as if you can do one special thing, and that’s it. It’s what you go on being that matters. Come to think of it, I don’t know what I am anymore.”❤️❤️❤️
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(FAVORITE)😻✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
“May the Heart keep you, Urchin of the Riding Stars,” he said. “May the Heart guide you, guard you, nourish you, enlighten you. And may the great love of the Heart bring you safely back to Mistmantle.”
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Okay, enough with the quotes🤪🤪🤪
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(FAVORITE CHARACTERS)🤩🙀⚔
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IT’S SO HARD… 1. Urchin is my 1st favorite character in this book. He is so awesome!
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Appearance: 🤨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
well..Urchin is an unusual red squirrel with very pale, honey colored fur, I remember from the book, people said, “Look at that weird colored squirrel”😂😂 ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
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Personality:🥹🥹🥹✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
a very kind and loyal squirrel, and he has been known to take pity on those who were controlled by Lord Husk. He's also a bit proactive and impulsive, such as shown when he was sent to visit King Brushenby Padra to inquire about preparations for the coming winter and ended up persuading the King to put Padra in charge of the stores. ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
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2.My next favorite character would probably be Crispin!! HE IS AWESOME!!! ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
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Personality:✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
Crispin was a very noble and brave squirrel, and was praised as one of the finest Mistmantle Captains. He was also shown to be very kind and didn't think himself any better than anyone else. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
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Appearance: THE BEST SQUIRREL IN MISTMANTLE!!!
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3. We have Padra!!!!!! One of my other favorite characters!!!
Padra was a close friend of Crispin, and remained so after Crispin became King of Mistmantle. Crispin looked to him for help and advice in many situations. After Crispin's death, Padra was distraught about losing his closest companion, and mourned his loss.✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
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So, if your reading this review right now…READ IT!!!✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
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Favorite quotes:❤️✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
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“Even the Heart that made Mistmantle had to break with love for us. That is how it gave us the mists. But it does not stay broken. The Heart still beats, still loves, still holds us. A true heart survives the breaking.” ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
― M.I. McAllister ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
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❤️❤️❤️“Do you remember,” said Needle, “you said once that you thought you should have something important to do? Well, I think you’ve done it.”✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
“I’m not sure,” said Urchin. “I mean, yes, I know I’ve done some thing. But it doesn’t feel finished. There’s more that I have to do. And more that I have to be. I mean, it’s not as if you can do one special thing, and that’s it. It’s what you go on being that matters. Come to think of it, I don’t know what I am anymore.”❤️❤️❤️
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(FAVORITE)😻✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
“May the Heart keep you, Urchin of the Riding Stars,” he said. “May the Heart guide you, guard you, nourish you, enlighten you. And may the great love of the Heart bring you safely back to Mistmantle.”
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Okay, enough with the quotes🤪🤪🤪
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(FAVORITE CHARACTERS)🤩🙀⚔
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IT’S SO HARD… 1. Urchin is my 1st favorite character in this book. He is so awesome!
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Appearance: 🤨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
well..Urchin is an unusual red squirrel with very pale, honey colored fur, I remember from the book, people said, “Look at that weird colored squirrel”😂😂 ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
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Personality:🥹🥹🥹✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
a very kind and loyal squirrel, and he has been known to take pity on those who were controlled by Lord Husk. He's also a bit proactive and impulsive, such as shown when he was sent to visit King Brushenby Padra to inquire about preparations for the coming winter and ended up persuading the King to put Padra in charge of the stores. ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
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2.My next favorite character would probably be Crispin!! HE IS AWESOME!!! ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
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Crispin was a very noble and brave squirrel, and was praised as one of the finest Mistmantle Captains. He was also shown to be very kind and didn't think himself any better than anyone else. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
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Appearance: THE BEST SQUIRREL IN MISTMANTLE!!!
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3. We have Padra!!!!!! One of my other favorite characters!!!
Padra was a close friend of Crispin, and remained so after Crispin became King of Mistmantle. Crispin looked to him for help and advice in many situations. After Crispin's death, Padra was distraught about losing his closest companion, and mourned his loss.✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
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So, if your reading this review right now…READ IT!!!✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
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March 24, 2025
🧁 Muffin's review 🧁
I enjoyed my time reading Urchin of the Riding Stars fairly well; the characters were funny and excellent models of bravery and strength {the good ones, that is}. The interesting thing is, I liked all the characters except Urchin- the main character. He seemed shallow, and even though most of the story was told from his perspective, I felt I knew him less then I did the others! I would have liked to see the little squirrel with a little more personality.
The plot of Urchin of the Riding Stars had strong resemblance to Shakespeare's Macbeth, which I, conveniently, just finished reading. The problem with that plot, however, is that it is rather heavy and dark. Some of the elements in Urchin of the Riding Stars did take me aback slightly.
Now for those of you who have heard this rant before, you will know I am extremely adverse to coddling middle-aged readers. I believe that middle-grade fiction needs to have some theme of evil, or darkness, or heaviness- in order that it may be overcome by goodness, bravery, and light. Because, after all, how is a child supposed to withstand attacks from The Dragon when they didn't know dragons existed in the first place? To see fictional characters fight evil with strength and faith is so important for little minds- which are slowly stepping out from a place of innocence, and growing into what they will become.
However, even with this in mind, there were some moments in which I was surprised at the amount of dark/heavier themes the author inserted. This is not to say the book was overly dark, or promoted any evil. Truth and light do prevail, and it passes just fine for older tweens and teens. However, for ages younger than ten I would argue these elements should have been scaled back. I will provide the content warnings below, but here I will say the book dealt quite strongly with death, murder, and poisonous drugs.
Heavier elements aside, the plot was executed well. I loved the strong themes of good vs evil, endurance, courage, and trust. Additionally, I was not disappointed in the ending- the story wrapped up quite well! Sometimes books are hurried to a close, but the suspense and finale were very well done in Urchin of the Riding Stars.
Read my full review and ALL my thoughts on the blog! https://sunshineandstrawbe.wixsite.co...
Content Warnings {mild spoilers}
Dark/evil magic:
~3/5 intensity level. No spells or incantations
Violence: Lot's here for a middle-grade book
~Any babies who have any physical or mental defect are murdered "culled" by the villain. The actual process is not shown- but there is brief reference to the 'blood', and that it is done by the villain's claw.
~A toddler animal is found with a stab wound in the chest. This was particularly hard for me to read, as I have an infant brother, and have grown quite sensitive to things of that nature happening to babes. The blood is described, and how he must have been lured out. His body was discovered outside his parent's bedroom.
~A character is slowly poisoned
~A final battle occurs- not graphic, but swords and weapons are used.
~Murder is plotted and ordered
~A character is murdered- this one is particularly emotional and upsetting
~A character falls down a pit to their demise
Romance and sensuality:
~Adult characters fall in love, become engaged, marry etc. three couples in all.
Drinking, drugs, and smoking:
~A character is drugged with poison, given a sleeping draft, and constantly fed wine- so he is not in his right mind
Other:
~A female character is told multiple times she should ask a male character to marry her
I enjoyed my time reading Urchin of the Riding Stars fairly well; the characters were funny and excellent models of bravery and strength {the good ones, that is}. The interesting thing is, I liked all the characters except Urchin- the main character. He seemed shallow, and even though most of the story was told from his perspective, I felt I knew him less then I did the others! I would have liked to see the little squirrel with a little more personality.
The plot of Urchin of the Riding Stars had strong resemblance to Shakespeare's Macbeth, which I, conveniently, just finished reading. The problem with that plot, however, is that it is rather heavy and dark. Some of the elements in Urchin of the Riding Stars did take me aback slightly.
Now for those of you who have heard this rant before, you will know I am extremely adverse to coddling middle-aged readers. I believe that middle-grade fiction needs to have some theme of evil, or darkness, or heaviness- in order that it may be overcome by goodness, bravery, and light. Because, after all, how is a child supposed to withstand attacks from The Dragon when they didn't know dragons existed in the first place? To see fictional characters fight evil with strength and faith is so important for little minds- which are slowly stepping out from a place of innocence, and growing into what they will become.
However, even with this in mind, there were some moments in which I was surprised at the amount of dark/heavier themes the author inserted. This is not to say the book was overly dark, or promoted any evil. Truth and light do prevail, and it passes just fine for older tweens and teens. However, for ages younger than ten I would argue these elements should have been scaled back. I will provide the content warnings below, but here I will say the book dealt quite strongly with death, murder, and poisonous drugs.
Heavier elements aside, the plot was executed well. I loved the strong themes of good vs evil, endurance, courage, and trust. Additionally, I was not disappointed in the ending- the story wrapped up quite well! Sometimes books are hurried to a close, but the suspense and finale were very well done in Urchin of the Riding Stars.
Read my full review and ALL my thoughts on the blog! https://sunshineandstrawbe.wixsite.co...
Content Warnings {mild spoilers}
Dark/evil magic:
~3/5 intensity level. No spells or incantations
Violence: Lot's here for a middle-grade book
~Any babies who have any physical or mental defect are murdered "culled" by the villain. The actual process is not shown- but there is brief reference to the 'blood', and that it is done by the villain's claw.
~A toddler animal is found with a stab wound in the chest. This was particularly hard for me to read, as I have an infant brother, and have grown quite sensitive to things of that nature happening to babes. The blood is described, and how he must have been lured out. His body was discovered outside his parent's bedroom.
~A character is slowly poisoned
~A final battle occurs- not graphic, but swords and weapons are used.
~Murder is plotted and ordered
~A character is murdered- this one is particularly emotional and upsetting
~A character falls down a pit to their demise
Romance and sensuality:
~Adult characters fall in love, become engaged, marry etc. three couples in all.
Drinking, drugs, and smoking:
~A character is drugged with poison, given a sleeping draft, and constantly fed wine- so he is not in his right mind
Other:
~A female character is told multiple times she should ask a male character to marry her
November 30, 2017
This is mostly a good book - there's not so much wrong with it, apart from the infanticide/euthanasia fixation, which seems an odd thing to include in a book written for children.
The most obvious parallel is to the Redwall series. Both are vaguely medieval with coalitions of furry animals gathered in a castle/abbey. At least the world of this book has a kind of deity. Seems like the author just did a search and replace, inserting "the Heart" in place of the word "God". Historical tapestries are important to both books. The protagonists of both the first Redwall book and this book are young greenhorns. But Redwall isn't even the originator of some things - C.S. Lewis had the sword-wielding Reepicheep and other animals in Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia.
The plot is full of intrigue and treachery and it's enjoyable. Though Urchin is our primary focus, at times we diverge into several different viewpoints. I was a bit let down with the very end.
The main issue I have is that the book is just so derivative. There is a good deal of Shakespeare (Macbeth) in the plot, but I can almost excuse that. We have a baby with a prophesy (see Jesus Christ). "If the king had heard that, he would surely have the baby killed." (see Herod). Oh - and stars are important to the prophecy and birth (see the Magi). We have a baby rescued from water (see Moses in the bullrushes). We have a king being kept drugged (see Theoden in The Lord of the Rings). Oh, that king is also grieving the death of his son (see Denethor in The Lord of the Rings). The villain suffers from obsessive dreams of the hero (see Cluny the Scourge in Redwall). Large birds play a role in changing the tide of things (see the eagles in The Hobbit).
Without knowing all those antecedents, the book would seem much better - more original, of course. But does one really want young readers to encounter the real sources after reading this and therefore think less of them? It's kind of backwards.
Is this essential children's fiction? No, I don't think so. Certainly others in the same vein from even more recent years (The Green Ember) are not. However, I might say the first Redwall book is (I've not read any of the others, but I understand that at some point they get formulaic). I imagine kids who like this kind of thing - who have already devoured 22 Redwall books and are still clamoring for more - will find much to like about this and probably the rest of the Mistmantle series.
I did listen to much of this in the audiobook version narrated by Andrew Sachs, and the performance was excellent. It's a real shame that they weren't able to get him to do the rest of the series before his death. However, one big attraction of the print book is the illustrations by Omar Rayyan, which are superb.
The most obvious parallel is to the Redwall series. Both are vaguely medieval with coalitions of furry animals gathered in a castle/abbey. At least the world of this book has a kind of deity. Seems like the author just did a search and replace, inserting "the Heart" in place of the word "God". Historical tapestries are important to both books. The protagonists of both the first Redwall book and this book are young greenhorns. But Redwall isn't even the originator of some things - C.S. Lewis had the sword-wielding Reepicheep and other animals in Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia.
The plot is full of intrigue and treachery and it's enjoyable. Though Urchin is our primary focus, at times we diverge into several different viewpoints. I was a bit let down with the very end.
The main issue I have is that the book is just so derivative. There is a good deal of Shakespeare (Macbeth) in the plot, but I can almost excuse that. We have a baby with a prophesy (see Jesus Christ). "If the king had heard that, he would surely have the baby killed." (see Herod). Oh - and stars are important to the prophecy and birth (see the Magi). We have a baby rescued from water (see Moses in the bullrushes). We have a king being kept drugged (see Theoden in The Lord of the Rings). Oh, that king is also grieving the death of his son (see Denethor in The Lord of the Rings). The villain suffers from obsessive dreams of the hero (see Cluny the Scourge in Redwall). Large birds play a role in changing the tide of things (see the eagles in The Hobbit).
Without knowing all those antecedents, the book would seem much better - more original, of course. But does one really want young readers to encounter the real sources after reading this and therefore think less of them? It's kind of backwards.
Is this essential children's fiction? No, I don't think so. Certainly others in the same vein from even more recent years (The Green Ember) are not. However, I might say the first Redwall book is (I've not read any of the others, but I understand that at some point they get formulaic). I imagine kids who like this kind of thing - who have already devoured 22 Redwall books and are still clamoring for more - will find much to like about this and probably the rest of the Mistmantle series.
I did listen to much of this in the audiobook version narrated by Andrew Sachs, and the performance was excellent. It's a real shame that they weren't able to get him to do the rest of the series before his death. However, one big attraction of the print book is the illustrations by Omar Rayyan, which are superb.
January 28, 2020
Wow. This was not what I was expecting. I picked up a tale about talking forest animals, thinking it would be aimed at a pretty young crowd, and was plunged into truly dark stuff--euthanasia, treachery, the murder of babies, and the lure of evil. Definitely not for my four and six-year-old!
Overall I was impressed by the storytelling. It’s fast-paced and engaging; and the characters are memorable. The style was a bit too high-tension for my personal taste (the reader is constantly being told that villains are about to unleash X, Y, or Z upon the good guys), but that’s just me. I also felt that a few of the deaths were gratuitous. However, the material is all handled discretely, and I think most families would consider it suitable for a late elementary audience.
Interestingly, the good characters pray to a Creator called “the Heart,” and the text suggests this deity is to be contrasted with evil and darkness. Very few authors manage to “pull off” prayer in a fantasy novel, but this story is well-written enough to remain broadly appealing. The author is obviously aiming for a mainstream audience. She has created a fight between good and evil, but unlike Tolkien or Lewis, she does not (at least in this book) suggest that good guys might also struggle with sin and a need for repentance, nor does she attempt to address the question of atonement.
Yet despite the darkness of the villains, the main characters fight with the sort of upright courage I tend to associate with older literature. In some ways, their attitude reminds me of the heroes of Narnia. In other ways, though, it is very clear this author is more modern than C. S. Lewis. For instance, the animal society is gender-neutral and no one questions whether females should help fight, govern, or run the military. In addition, telling a lie is not considered beyond the pale of knightly behavior.
I did like the way the villains are basically undone by their own villainy. It's very classical.
If my children do read the book eventually, I’ll want to discuss the way the villain is “culling”--i.e., murdering--the babies he considers weak or unfit. I’d also want to discuss whether or not it taints the good guys that although they attempt to save individual babies “from within the system,” they display surprisingly little shock and outrage, and do not seem to consider this law to be grounds for immediate rebellion. The question would, I think, make for a useful conversation.
3.5 Stars.
Overall I was impressed by the storytelling. It’s fast-paced and engaging; and the characters are memorable. The style was a bit too high-tension for my personal taste (the reader is constantly being told that villains are about to unleash X, Y, or Z upon the good guys), but that’s just me. I also felt that a few of the deaths were gratuitous. However, the material is all handled discretely, and I think most families would consider it suitable for a late elementary audience.
Interestingly, the good characters pray to a Creator called “the Heart,” and the text suggests this deity is to be contrasted with evil and darkness. Very few authors manage to “pull off” prayer in a fantasy novel, but this story is well-written enough to remain broadly appealing. The author is obviously aiming for a mainstream audience. She has created a fight between good and evil, but unlike Tolkien or Lewis, she does not (at least in this book) suggest that good guys might also struggle with sin and a need for repentance, nor does she attempt to address the question of atonement.
Yet despite the darkness of the villains, the main characters fight with the sort of upright courage I tend to associate with older literature. In some ways, their attitude reminds me of the heroes of Narnia. In other ways, though, it is very clear this author is more modern than C. S. Lewis. For instance, the animal society is gender-neutral and no one questions whether females should help fight, govern, or run the military. In addition, telling a lie is not considered beyond the pale of knightly behavior.
I did like the way the villains are basically undone by their own villainy. It's very classical.
If my children do read the book eventually, I’ll want to discuss the way the villain is “culling”--i.e., murdering--the babies he considers weak or unfit. I’d also want to discuss whether or not it taints the good guys that although they attempt to save individual babies “from within the system,” they display surprisingly little shock and outrage, and do not seem to consider this law to be grounds for immediate rebellion. The question would, I think, make for a useful conversation.
3.5 Stars.
July 5, 2024
Expectation: cute little woodland creatures <3 they're going to solve little woodland crimes and save their friends <3 like who stole the king's acorns, or finding a mysterious mole tunnel :0
Reality: infanticide. eugenics. squirrel game of thrones.
Reality: infanticide. eugenics. squirrel game of thrones.
September 10, 2023
As a child talking animals always captured my heart! I feel like this reminds me a lot of Redwall but very different in some respects. I’d definitely recommend if this is our genre of book. Definitely for older children as it tends to dark, macabre in some parts.
April 24, 2025
A great start to the series.
February 23, 2025
This is an all-time classic disguised as if it were a children’s book by the simple fact that the characters are animals. But it’s fifty times better than Watership Down—the characters are some of the richest in any book I’ve read, and the action is actually quite gripping. Wonderful.
August 10, 2023
A really good read-a-loud. My grandson would often say, “Please keep reading!”
October 4, 2025
Absolutely fantastic! I was so invested in this story and these characters! I was so impressed by the depth of the story and how various moments were tied together and carried such importance. I loved how many Providential moments were depicted.
These villains were worthy of Lord and Lady Macbeth or King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. The Evil was extremely evil and the Good combat it valiantly and triumphed. I feel this book would open doors for many excellent family discussions. I could see the need to wait for older children as there is a lot of character death and various horrible, evil acts that could be a bit much for younger readers.
These villains were worthy of Lord and Lady Macbeth or King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. The Evil was extremely evil and the Good combat it valiantly and triumphed. I feel this book would open doors for many excellent family discussions. I could see the need to wait for older children as there is a lot of character death and various horrible, evil acts that could be a bit much for younger readers.
June 8, 2025
I’m not gonna be too harsh on this book because it’s definitely more for younger readers it definitely wasn’t my thing I really had a hard time getting into it if you have younger readers who want to get into fantasy this would probably be a good place to start this just really wasn’t for me though I’m not gonna be too hard on him because I wasn’t for my age group.
August 4, 2025
Excellent!!!!! So fun and deep. Lowkey way darker than I expected for the main character being a tree-rat (squirrel) but I laughed, I cried, I gasped. Very good book. Would read again. Onto the sequel!
November 19, 2024
This book was just brilliantly written and illustrated the illustrations were adorable and I really liked the characters.
I highly recommend to any one who loves talking animals.
I highly recommend to any one who loves talking animals.
December 25, 2025
Wowowow, en bok jeg husket å elske fra jeg var yngre som var enda bedre enn jeg trodde. Jeg er jo ikke så fan av fantasy alltid, men her er det mange store spørsmål om makt, hvem som skal få leve/overleve, og lojalitet samt rase som ble bedre av at de alle var dyr med små sverd og kapper. Veldig mye brutale mord av barn/nyfødte som overrasket meg for husket ikke noe av det. Anbefales for litt Shakespeare vibes fantasy med et ekorn i ledelsen av en revolusjon for å ta ned tyrannen
May 5, 2022
I was so nervous to revisit this book. I read it when I was younger and adored it. But what if it's one of those ones that didn't age well? I wasn't sure I could handle it.
Thankfully, it was just as good as I remembered. Epic, amazing, read long enough ago that I didn't remember anything that would happen. Perfection.
There are so many things I like about this book. Urchin and Padra and Crispin. Animals living in a castle and carrying swords. How there isn't a twist villain. We know who the bad guys are early on. The way there are multiple POVs, but always carefully broken up with a paragraph break so you know who's talking.
I also love the Christian themes woven into this book. Things like honoring those ruling over you, even if they aren't doing the best job. Remaining loyal and true in the face of danger. How there is light even in dark times.
It's a lovely book and now I want to find the rest to reread. If you like things like Redwall, but wish they were shorter, give this book a try.
Thankfully, it was just as good as I remembered. Epic, amazing, read long enough ago that I didn't remember anything that would happen. Perfection.
There are so many things I like about this book. Urchin and Padra and Crispin. Animals living in a castle and carrying swords. How there isn't a twist villain. We know who the bad guys are early on. The way there are multiple POVs, but always carefully broken up with a paragraph break so you know who's talking.
I also love the Christian themes woven into this book. Things like honoring those ruling over you, even if they aren't doing the best job. Remaining loyal and true in the face of danger. How there is light even in dark times.
It's a lovely book and now I want to find the rest to reread. If you like things like Redwall, but wish they were shorter, give this book a try.
October 11, 2025
I had only heard of this series in passing over the years. It seems that a lot of my bookish friends grew up loving it. I heard that there was recently a fancy special edition boxed set released, along with a sixth book in the series, so I was seeing it pop up on my Goodreads and Instagram feed a lot. I finally got curious enough to check my library and discovered it had the audiobooks, so I grabbed the first one to try it out.
I honestly haven’t read any talking animal books in a good long while (and when I was reading them as a kid, it tended to be quirky stuff like “Chet Gecko, Ace Detective” LOL), so this *may* have actually been my first time reading an epic fantasy with talking animals as the characters. (No, I still have not read Redwall.) I have *watched* fantasy with talking animals, like the movie “The Secrets of NIMH” and its sequel, but that was set in a magical version of our world, while Mistmantle seems to be set in a secondary world.
I truly had no expectations going into this, and I didn’t even try that hard to research the series beforehand since my friends who were recommending it were ones I trust a lot, so everything was able to be a surprise. For one thing, I wasn’t expecting it to be quite so epic as it was. Prophecies, court corruption, promised heroes, etc. Quite the drama!
Urchin and Crispin were among my favorite characters, with their nobility and goodness. I also liked other characters like Brother Fir, silly Apple, and those others who were doing their best to help make the kingdom better even while others were plotting and planning evil. It definitely kept me interested and intrigued throughout.
There were honestly times that it had a certain Shakespearean quality to the story that I was not expecting in a children’s book, but the drama was on point. The villain was genuinely villainous, and I thought his end was quite appropriate for everything he’d done.
Overall, while I may not have quite the same affection for this book as those who grew up with it, I definitely had a good time reading it and can see myself completing the series as time allows. Very creative, very deep, and I certainly see why it’s a classic for a lot of people.
Content Advisory:
Language:
None.
Violence/Scariness:
The story opens on a mother squirrel dying in child birth. Description stays minimal, but we know she’s in pain and going to die. Mention of her “cutting the cord” with her teeth. The tiny baby Urchin is then in peril until someone finds him.
There are many threats of violence throughout the story, as well as actual violence and action scenes. Animals get hurt and die sometimes, including good ones, but it’s always only briefly described.
A young hedgehog gets murdered via stabbing. The act of murder isn’t described, but the dead body is. Brief mention of a wound and blood on the chest, but that’s the extent of the description. (Note that the murderer has several hallucinations about his dead victim following him around, so the bloody wound is mentioned more than once, and very young readers might find the hallucinations scary.)
Someone else gets murdered, but it’s only barely described. The surviving characters grieve deeply.
Sometimes, there are brief mentions of blood during sword fights, but it never gets graphic or drawn out.
Someone dies by falling from a height into a pit, but there’s no description of a body.
There is talk throughout about how the king at some point approved the idea of “cullings” where any imperfect newborn animals (like those born too small or with disfigurements) are killed. This act is never described, but we read some talk that the infant animals who get culled are typically killed in their sleep.
It seems that cullings have grown more frequent over the years because of a villainous character who likes controlling and killing things. He has not actually been asking the king’s approval when he does a culling, he just decides for himself who lives or dies. One young character is very afraid that her newborn baby brother will get culled for being too small and having a curled foot. . There are characters who have been hiding and raising imperfect babies to keep them from being culled.
Sexual/Romance:
A couple of animals have feelings toward each other, but it’s a mild side plot and stays very appropriate for a children’s book. There’s a marriage proposal between two characters at the end.
Spiritual/Magic:
I don’t recall any characters having magical abilities, but the island they live on is surrounded by a protective magical mist that makes it difficult (though not impossible) to come and go from it.
There are prophecies about heroes and future happenings. As stated in the book synopsis, Urchin is prophesied to have a great destiny, and parts of certain prophecies come true by the end of the book.
I am very new to this series and had to do a little digging about the author to know what worldview she’s writing from (the “about me” section on her website is pretty short), but I discovered a blog that says she’s a vicar’s wife, and is writing from a Christian worldview even if the series doesn’t appear at a glance to be considered Christian Fiction. But the story so far seems to have a strong sense of good vs. evil, with good being associated with light, prayer, and worship of the “Heart”. (For clarity, they aren’t worshiping their own hearts, “The Heart” seems to be a God-like higher power.)
Meanwhile, evil is associated with darkness, murder, and worship of evil things.
Characters pray multiple times for help and guidance. A priest character says he is going to cleanse an evil location with much prayer and light. He also implies that this location where very bad things happened never should have been shut up and hidden so that evil could just fester and grow in the darkness there.
An evil character seems to be drawn to said evil location, and is ultimately driven mad by it, and by his own evil actions.
I honestly haven’t read any talking animal books in a good long while (and when I was reading them as a kid, it tended to be quirky stuff like “Chet Gecko, Ace Detective” LOL), so this *may* have actually been my first time reading an epic fantasy with talking animals as the characters. (No, I still have not read Redwall.) I have *watched* fantasy with talking animals, like the movie “The Secrets of NIMH” and its sequel, but that was set in a magical version of our world, while Mistmantle seems to be set in a secondary world.
I truly had no expectations going into this, and I didn’t even try that hard to research the series beforehand since my friends who were recommending it were ones I trust a lot, so everything was able to be a surprise. For one thing, I wasn’t expecting it to be quite so epic as it was. Prophecies, court corruption, promised heroes, etc. Quite the drama!
Urchin and Crispin were among my favorite characters, with their nobility and goodness. I also liked other characters like Brother Fir, silly Apple, and those others who were doing their best to help make the kingdom better even while others were plotting and planning evil. It definitely kept me interested and intrigued throughout.
There were honestly times that it had a certain Shakespearean quality to the story that I was not expecting in a children’s book, but the drama was on point. The villain was genuinely villainous, and I thought his end was quite appropriate for everything he’d done.
Overall, while I may not have quite the same affection for this book as those who grew up with it, I definitely had a good time reading it and can see myself completing the series as time allows. Very creative, very deep, and I certainly see why it’s a classic for a lot of people.
Content Advisory:
Language:
None.
Violence/Scariness:
The story opens on a mother squirrel dying in child birth. Description stays minimal, but we know she’s in pain and going to die. Mention of her “cutting the cord” with her teeth. The tiny baby Urchin is then in peril until someone finds him.
There are many threats of violence throughout the story, as well as actual violence and action scenes. Animals get hurt and die sometimes, including good ones, but it’s always only briefly described.
A young hedgehog gets murdered via stabbing. The act of murder isn’t described, but the dead body is. Brief mention of a wound and blood on the chest, but that’s the extent of the description. (Note that the murderer has several hallucinations about his dead victim following him around, so the bloody wound is mentioned more than once, and very young readers might find the hallucinations scary.)
Someone else gets murdered, but it’s only barely described. The surviving characters grieve deeply.
Sometimes, there are brief mentions of blood during sword fights, but it never gets graphic or drawn out.
Someone dies by falling from a height into a pit, but there’s no description of a body.
There is talk throughout about how the king at some point approved the idea of “cullings” where any imperfect newborn animals (like those born too small or with disfigurements) are killed. This act is never described, but we read some talk that the infant animals who get culled are typically killed in their sleep.
It seems that cullings have grown more frequent over the years because of a villainous character who likes controlling and killing things. He has not actually been asking the king’s approval when he does a culling, he just decides for himself who lives or dies. One young character is very afraid that her newborn baby brother will get culled for being too small and having a curled foot. . There are characters who have been hiding and raising imperfect babies to keep them from being culled.
Sexual/Romance:
A couple of animals have feelings toward each other, but it’s a mild side plot and stays very appropriate for a children’s book. There’s a marriage proposal between two characters at the end.
Spiritual/Magic:
I don’t recall any characters having magical abilities, but the island they live on is surrounded by a protective magical mist that makes it difficult (though not impossible) to come and go from it.
There are prophecies about heroes and future happenings. As stated in the book synopsis, Urchin is prophesied to have a great destiny, and parts of certain prophecies come true by the end of the book.
I am very new to this series and had to do a little digging about the author to know what worldview she’s writing from (the “about me” section on her website is pretty short), but I discovered a blog that says she’s a vicar’s wife, and is writing from a Christian worldview even if the series doesn’t appear at a glance to be considered Christian Fiction. But the story so far seems to have a strong sense of good vs. evil, with good being associated with light, prayer, and worship of the “Heart”. (For clarity, they aren’t worshiping their own hearts, “The Heart” seems to be a God-like higher power.)
Meanwhile, evil is associated with darkness, murder, and worship of evil things.
Characters pray multiple times for help and guidance. A priest character says he is going to cleanse an evil location with much prayer and light. He also implies that this location where very bad things happened never should have been shut up and hidden so that evil could just fester and grow in the darkness there.
An evil character seems to be drawn to said evil location, and is ultimately driven mad by it, and by his own evil actions.
February 20, 2023
This story reminded me a lot of Redwall books, but maybe for a slightly more mature audience. The book opens with a squirrel mom in the throws of birthing a baby which she, the mom, doesn't survive. The sadness and evil in this book felt darker than Redwall, but the fact it still featured primarily forest animals created a bit of a conflict in the audience for me. I'm not sure the audience that enjoys animal stories is ready to read about pains of labor, the effects of alcohol and sleep aids layered on top of sorrow and the pain of losing a child. The revelation of the main villain felt abrupt to me and his very internal evil might cause fear in a more immature reader. I did find the themes of bullying and standing up for the weaker and slower members of society valuable. Having neither finished the complete Redwall series, the complete Mistmantle Series or the complete Green Ember series I would rank Urchin comparing only the first books as the darkest thematically.
July 17, 2017
Going into this book I knew nothing about it. I thought it was going to be some cutesy tale about animals on an adventure or something. Instead what I got was a wholly engrossing tale of intrigue, deception, valour, friendship and more. I really recommend this book. I listened to the audio version and the narrator was amazing! Definitely worth the read, or listen.
November 18, 2014
Brilliant! Absolutely lovely. Everything a book ought to be. Proper review to come; I MUST dive right in to the next one.
February 18, 2019
Excellent! Read-aloud to my daughter who loved it as well.
August 30, 2023
This book was a pleasant surprise. I was expecting a knock-off of Redwall, something riding its coattails, and instead I found a quite enjoyable animal fantasy that stands well on its own two paws. Reading this as an adult, there wasn't any especially surprising plot twist or moment that blew me away, but it is a very well executed story for what it is.
The story begins on the night of a meteor shower, the riding stars of the title. A squirrel has washed up on the shore of the island of Mistmantle, giving birth before dying. Her son is found by the priest and one of the captains of the guard, named Urchin, and sent off to be raised in one of the woodland communities. Jump forward to his adolescence and Urchin is resigning himself to a life unloading ships when he's suddenly promoted to page for the captain who found him as a baby. What seems like a dream come true soon turns into a nightmare when the same captain is framed for murdering the heir to the throne and exiled.
From here, a plot with plenty of Shakespearean tones takes form. There's evil plots and prophecies much in the vein of Macbeth. But there's also a bit of magic and what I can really only see as the rise of squirrel fascism, with the evil Husk (which is a great name, if a little on the nose) working everyone to the bone and culling infants that don't meet his idea of perfection. Thankfully the heroes are doing what they can to fight back against him, though it will take the return of an exiled hero and some other clever actions to finally set things to right.
One thing I appreciate about this book is that it has a bit more moral complexity than the Redwall books. Well, maybe not a huge amount by adult fiction standards, but Redwall has the issue that there were good animals and bad animals divide along species lines. This book has heroes and villains across the species depicted - both the title character and the main antagonist are squirrels, and there are moles, otters, and hedgehogs on both sides. I also liked that the animals felt like animals, with Urchin running about the outside of the castle and the hedgehog character using her prickly spines to great advantage at certain points. Redwall still has the force of childhood nostalgia behind it, but I suspect I'll now be recommending this alongside Brian Jacque's works.
I'm glad I finally read this and I actually don't mind I didn't get to it until adulthood. By 2005 I had kinda aged out of the talking animal fantasy genre, so I'm not sure I would've appreciated it as much. But coming to it as an adult I can read it as it's meant to be and not expect something more than it is. I've already ordered the next one from the library and I suspect I will end up reading this whole series.
The story begins on the night of a meteor shower, the riding stars of the title. A squirrel has washed up on the shore of the island of Mistmantle, giving birth before dying. Her son is found by the priest and one of the captains of the guard, named Urchin, and sent off to be raised in one of the woodland communities. Jump forward to his adolescence and Urchin is resigning himself to a life unloading ships when he's suddenly promoted to page for the captain who found him as a baby. What seems like a dream come true soon turns into a nightmare when the same captain is framed for murdering the heir to the throne and exiled.
From here, a plot with plenty of Shakespearean tones takes form. There's evil plots and prophecies much in the vein of Macbeth. But there's also a bit of magic and what I can really only see as the rise of squirrel fascism, with the evil Husk (which is a great name, if a little on the nose) working everyone to the bone and culling infants that don't meet his idea of perfection. Thankfully the heroes are doing what they can to fight back against him, though it will take the return of an exiled hero and some other clever actions to finally set things to right.
One thing I appreciate about this book is that it has a bit more moral complexity than the Redwall books. Well, maybe not a huge amount by adult fiction standards, but Redwall has the issue that there were good animals and bad animals divide along species lines. This book has heroes and villains across the species depicted - both the title character and the main antagonist are squirrels, and there are moles, otters, and hedgehogs on both sides. I also liked that the animals felt like animals, with Urchin running about the outside of the castle and the hedgehog character using her prickly spines to great advantage at certain points. Redwall still has the force of childhood nostalgia behind it, but I suspect I'll now be recommending this alongside Brian Jacque's works.
I'm glad I finally read this and I actually don't mind I didn't get to it until adulthood. By 2005 I had kinda aged out of the talking animal fantasy genre, so I'm not sure I would've appreciated it as much. But coming to it as an adult I can read it as it's meant to be and not expect something more than it is. I've already ordered the next one from the library and I suspect I will end up reading this whole series.
July 8, 2023
Ohhh, how I wish preteen me had read this book! Like Warriors and Redwall, The Mistmantle Chronicles focuses on anthropomorphic animals in a fantasy world, with their own cultures and belief systems, and featuring themes of good vs evil, warfare, and courage of the heart.
And although Redwall holds more sentimental value for me, I give Mistmantle credit for doing the one thing Redwall never did: ANIMAL SPECIES ARE NOT ASSIGNED AS "GOOD" OR "EVIL." In other words, moles, hedgehogs, and squirrels are ALL equally capable of good and bad in this universe, whereas in Redwall, literally ALL of the mice, hedgehogs, squirrels, otters, badgers, etc are Good and Brave and Morally Pure, and ALL of the rats, stoats, weasels, ferrets, etc are Scum and Evil and Cruel.
That said, Mistmantle relies a little too much on "telling" vs "showing" in the narrative. I, the reader, am expected to care for the characters in the beginning because of the protagonist, Urchin's, feelings, despite having very little page-time with him and the rest of the cast when the plot takes effect. It was why the first third of the book was roughest to get through, because I found myself not really caring at the scheming of Husk and the outcome of the Mistmantle residents. But as the book continued, the pacing evened out and I slowly found myself intrigued and invested. I respected that not every scheme is spelled out to the reader, and the author didn't hold back from gruesome imagery for a younger audience.
Really, I just lament over how much more I would have enjoyed this book more in my youth. As it stands, it is a fairly solid read for any younger readers who want something with just a little more grit, a little more intrigue, and an abundance of cute animals.
And although Redwall holds more sentimental value for me, I give Mistmantle credit for doing the one thing Redwall never did: ANIMAL SPECIES ARE NOT ASSIGNED AS "GOOD" OR "EVIL." In other words, moles, hedgehogs, and squirrels are ALL equally capable of good and bad in this universe, whereas in Redwall, literally ALL of the mice, hedgehogs, squirrels, otters, badgers, etc are Good and Brave and Morally Pure, and ALL of the rats, stoats, weasels, ferrets, etc are Scum and Evil and Cruel.
That said, Mistmantle relies a little too much on "telling" vs "showing" in the narrative. I, the reader, am expected to care for the characters in the beginning because of the protagonist, Urchin's, feelings, despite having very little page-time with him and the rest of the cast when the plot takes effect. It was why the first third of the book was roughest to get through, because I found myself not really caring at the scheming of Husk and the outcome of the Mistmantle residents. But as the book continued, the pacing evened out and I slowly found myself intrigued and invested. I respected that not every scheme is spelled out to the reader, and the author didn't hold back from gruesome imagery for a younger audience.
Really, I just lament over how much more I would have enjoyed this book more in my youth. As it stands, it is a fairly solid read for any younger readers who want something with just a little more grit, a little more intrigue, and an abundance of cute animals.
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