The Book Dragon received a copy of Blood of the Lily directly from the Author via the Voracious Readers website.
This book is a Young Adult fantasy, heavily influenced by the mythical and magical.
The author lets us know at the beginning of the book that the stories and tales within are based on ancient narratives in Irish myth, language and history.
As soon as the story begins, with an intriguing scene in the forest, it is clear that unusual and unfamiliar words and phrases will appear throughout. There are many.
SD Huston acknowledges that a reader may appreciate some help with these names and phrases by including a comprehensive and extensive glossary at the end of the book. This glossary provides a list of names as well as a guide to pronunciation.
The story is a well written, wide-ranging fantasy with many mythical characters, creatures, transformations and lots of surprises.
At its heart is the bond of twin sisters, Lily and Rose. Their relationship has been further strengthened by the tragic loss of another sister, Marigold, who we learn about in the very first chapter.
To maintain this bond, enormous bravery is required in the face of constant adversity.
Lily is the main character. Her language and interior monologue is powerful, and moves the narrative along well. The story often switches location, however, to where Rose is central. This creates an interesting and effective device and is stronger for it. The atmosphere and settings are well drawn, taking the reader into a believable world despite the fantasy, rich with magic and myth. Use of the senses adds to the scenes. Smells and sounds are particularly vivid. They give us a powerful connection to the locations which are often (mostly) fantastical.
The characters and creatures really come alive and remain strong in the imagination. New characters continue to appear as the story progresses. Some do not stay long but have a memorable impact. They will (no doubt) appear again as the series continues.
The use of Irish mythology is interesting and blends with the story even though the unfamiliar names may cause the reader to pause and wonder. They may, at this point, need to refer to the many names laid out in the glossary.
Universal themes of love, bravery, grief, guilt, fairness and the defeat of evil are well woven into the narrative. We come to care about the characters and become interested in their motives. We worry how they will solve their many difficulties.
Teaser:
“Pursing her lips, Rose unsheathed a dagger from her wide belt, moving between the thorny bush and fern, keeping the weapon by her side so as not to alarm the small man. Not being so discreet, Lily held the spear by the shaft, her lean body taut and ready for any adversary. The spear had been meant to catch food today. That would have to wait.”
I award this book 4 stars.
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