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Powell's Q&A: Norberto Fuentes

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   Norberto Fuentes

Synopses & Reviews

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Average customer rating based on 4 comments:

Amara_starleaf, November 19, 2007 (view all comments by Amara_starleaf)
This enchanting tale by Monica Furlong is sure to keep readers hooked. Told in Wise Child's point of view it is a tale of preserverance, in which a small girl must choose between the likes of good and evil. I am reminded of a quote by Rainer Marra Rilke, "For Beauty is nothing but the beginning of terror we can just barely endure, and we admire it so; because is calmly disdains to destroy us."

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crowyhead, October 18, 2007 (view all comments by crowyhead)
This is a vibrant fantasy about a girl who, when her grandmother dies, falls under the tuteledge of Juniper, the village witch/wise woman. At times it is rather slow-moving and dreamlike, but the descriptions of Wise Child and Juniper's everyday life as they gather herbs and care for the animals of their homestead help ground what could otherwise turn into an overly mystical fantasy.

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halofriendly, June 23, 2007 (view all comments by halofriendly)
I'm a pretty firm believer in "if the book art is stunning, the story will be also"...it's back-fired on me a few times, I'm sure, but in this case, it doesn't. If you're picking up Wise Child, go ahead and pick up Juniper. And while you're at it, find a copy of Colman too (the third book in the trilogy that came out 14 years after Juniper - side note: I only learned of this book the other day, so I have yet to read it).

Wise Child is taken in by Juniper, the village healer, who is feared by the townspeople because of her powers as a doran (or witch, as they call her). Set in what feels like medieval Britain, the story follows Wise
Child as she shuns her teacher, yet slowly learns to love and admire her. It's only when Wise Child's biological mother, Maeve, (a beautiful, yet darkly self-absorbed sorceress) arrives to tempt Wise Child to follow her way of life that Wise Child learns what she is capable of and who she wants to become.

Captivating story + great fantasy setting + strong women = a book you need to buy.

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Product Details

ISBN:

9780394825984

Author:

Furlong, Monica

Publisher:

Random House Books for Young Readers

Location:

New York, N.Y.

Subject:

Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic

Subject:

Witchcraft

Subject:

Fantasy

Subject:

Legends, Myths, & Fables - Arthurian

Subject:

Occult fiction

Subject:

Witchcraft -- Fiction.

Subject:

Fantasy & Magic

Edition Number:

1st Laurel-Leaf ed.

Edition Description:

1st Knopf paperback ed.

Series Volume:

no. 01-6

Publication Date:

November 1989

Binding:

Mass Market Paperbound

Grade Level:

- Up

Language:

English

Illustrations:

Yes

Pages:

240

Dimensions:

7.08x4.34x.65 in. .26 lbs.

Age Level:

12-UP