Customer Reviews

East

5 star:		(63)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is a retelling of East of the Sun and West of the Moon. To readers unfamiliar with the Norwegian fairy tale, think of "Beauty and the Beast" with an extra adventure tacked on to the end. (The main character is even named Rose.)

I'll discuss Pattou's version at the end, but the bare bones of the fairy tale goes something like this: In exchange for her family's future well being, the youngest daughter offers to live with a bear in a distant castle, whom she suspects to be a prince under a spell. On a visit home (this is a very gentle confinement: our heroine has servants, good food, and can visit her parents if she promises to return), her mother and sisters question her easy acceptance of everything (rightly so, in my opinion) but can not convince her to stay home and forget the bear.

Here is where the story diverges from Beauty and the Beast. Finally, the girl's mother and sisters convince her that her situation is weird, to say the least. They tell her to sneak up on the bear after dark with a candle and see if, as she suspects, he really does turn into a man at night. Our heroine agrees with predictable results: the bear's human form is very nice but she spills wax on his shirt and wakes him up.

The bear's response is one of the things I've never understood about the fairy tale. Shortly put, "You've ruined everything, now I have to marry a troll and it's all your fault! Bye." When pressed for details, the bear (now in human form) explains about the spell and says if she had waited only one night more, it would have been broken. Now, of course, he has to marry the Troll Queen. He leaves wearing nothing but the night shirt with wax stain, but before he does, he mentions that the troll kingdom lies "east of the sun and west of the moon."

This is very helpful and our heroine sets out immediately to rescue the bear. She has many adventures and finally hitches rides with the west wind and his brother the north wind to get to the Troll palace. After some more adventures, she rescues the prince (with no help from him), kills the queen, and destroys the palace, but not before rescuing some travelers waiting to be eaten. They return home (somehow), The prince formerly known as the bear marries her, and they live happily ever after.
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What makes Pattou's version interesting:

Pattou brings the stock characters of the tale to life and creates backgrounds and motivations for everyone Rose meets, from her family to the Queen to the new patron who helps her family after she leaves with the bear. The book is narrated by several different characters in turn, making for a facinating read. The bear's chapters, for instance, are told in poems.

The best part, though, was finding out how Pattou incorporated all of the unanswered questions of the original tale in. Why did Rose and her family first agree to let her go but later wanted her to stay? Who was the prince and how could he go missing without anyone caring? Why was the Bear living all alone in his house? What did Rose do with herself there? How does Rose find the troll palace? How does she get home? How can you ride on the back of the West Wind? What kind of troll would want to marry a human? Why would a queen willing to wait a hundred years to marry a man agree to let Rose have one more shot at him when she's already won?

If you liked "Wicked" by Gregory Maguire, you'll like the Troll Queen. She hates that her hands are so rough compared to a human's skin and doesn't understand why the rules of her land say she can't marry whom she likes but must allow a human girl a chance at her prince.

My only criticism of this book is that it ends so abruptly. I understand the the book is nearly 500 pages long, but I would have liked a longer chapter about the trip home and what happens to her family.

Ebba Rose - known simply as Rose to her family and friends - was different from the day she was born. It was clear from that tell-tale day that Rose was destined for something great. However, her superstitious mother keeps the strange circumstances of Rose's birth to herself, silencing her husband - Rose's father - from ever telling a soul, in the hopes that she can keep her daughter from leaving home, and fulfilling her destiny for an adventure. But even concealing the truth cannot stop Rose's inquisitive nature. So, one evening, when an enormous white bear appears at Rose's home, asking the teenager to accompany it on a journey to a magical castle in the woods, in exchange for her sister's health, and wealth for her family, Rose accepts the invitation - much to her family's chagrin - and travels the long distance atop the bear's back, to an empty castle, where, each night, a mysterious stranger joins her each night. But when Rose discovers the stranger's identity, she realizes that her journey has only just begun, and that she is destined for even more adventure.

I was instantly attracted to EAST by its wonderful cover illustration, but when I read the back cover, the promise of adventure sealed the deal, and I purchased the book. I think it was one of the best decisions regarding literature I have ever made. EAST reminds you greatly of the story BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, though it is truly based on the fairytale EAST OF THE SUN, WEST OF THE MOON. Rose is an exciting heroine, who takes her daily life in the castle in stride; and the other characters dappled throughout the tale, from Rose's immediate family, to various evils lurking, and a few kind souls, all add to the stories pace, and keep the reader on the edge of their seat. Written in differentiating viewpoints by Rose, her father, older brother Neddy, the Troll Queen, and the White Bear, EAST is a story that will be eaten up by all who love a great fantasy novel. An epic novel that cannot be missed.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

Contrary to what most of the reviewers seem to think, I really enjoyed the book. I love the way Pattou lets us see through the Troll Queen's eyes as well, and thus, she becomes less of a villain, and more of a character you can sympathize with, while recognizing she was wrong. It was great how Pattou put little snippets of the bear-man's memories in the beginning and then we get to see how it all ties together.

A lot of people don't seem to have picked this up, but I felt this was a compilation of three fairy tales: East of the Sun and West of the Moon [which I've always wanted to read, but haven't had a chance to yet], Beauty and the Beast, but also, Psyche and Eros, the greek myth in which a young girl is whisked away to live unknowingly with the goddess of love's son, Eros, who's been smitten with her through his own arrow. The girl becomes curious and gazes upon his face one night and as the hot wax drips on the young god and wakes him, all is thrown into turmoil.

Anyhow, I liked East, and I would recommend reading the Psyche and Eros myth as well. I'm sure the link is quite obvious.

This classic fairy tale, intertwined with the story of Beauty and the Beast, is a truly heartwarming tale. Weaving through the minds of four characters, we get a true narrative from different sides of the story. I am not normally a fan of multiple narratives, but Edith Pattou is brilliant at capturing your attention through this technique.
It all begins with the birth of Ebba Rose. Lies encircle her birth for the sake of her mother's superstitious need to protect Rose...from her true destiny.
As it turns out, covering over Rose's birth does not stop the lies from unfolding and her true destiny being played out. A White Bear offers to exchange good fortune for Rose's family in return for Rose herself. As it turns out, she leaves with the white bear and a whole new adventure begins.
POSITIVE POINTS: Very cozy and adventuresome. I highly enjoyed the use of descriptives and emotions. Pattou did an excellent job at recreating the feeling of a true (classic) fairy tale.
NEGATIVE POINTS: The only reason I gave this book four stars instead of five is because there wasn't much development in friendship between the bear and Rose. At least not much that I could see. And I felt that it could have been better if Edith Pattou had chosen to do it all from the viewpoint of Rose-even though she still did an excellent job at the multiple viewpoints.
RECOMMENDED? Definitely!!!
AGE RATING: [G] All ages. There were no crude or sexual references. The farthest point the characters get to is holding hands. :D
READ WITH: Ice cream. ;) I'd choose peppermint. If you like listening to music while you read, I suggest something with bells and harps. Or classical twists.

"East" is Edith Pattou's retold and fleshed-out retelling of the folktale "East O' the Sun and West O' the Moon", a tale that most cultures and countries have incorporated into their mythology throughout history. Motifs such as the animalistic husband, the vengeful sorceress, an interfering mother who gives dangerous advice, the taboo upon seeing the mystery-man's face, the task that only the "true bride" can perform, and the young woman's quest to reclaim her husband can be found in everything from the Greek/Roman "Cupid and Psyche" to France's "Beauty and the Beast." Details change in every version, but the core of the tale is the same each time.

Edith Pattou uses the Norwegian version as her template, which has the prince changed into a polar bear through the designs of an enamoured troll-queen. In order to break the curse the bear must take a human companion, who is forbidden to see his face for an entire year. Of course, the young heroine Rose breaks this rule; she must do this of course, or else the reader would be deprived of the quest to undo her wrong and save her beloved.

Pattou puts her personal slant on the tale by adding in the superstition concerning "birth-direction." Rose's mother Eugenia lives strictly in the belief that the direction in which an infant is brought into the world has a bearing on the personality and fate of that child. She plans to have only seven children, one for each direction (beginning at north-east and ending at north-west), and missing out on the final compass point: north. The reason for this is that north-born children are wild and reckless, liable to go wandering far and wide. But when her east-born daughter (east-borns being the most sturdy and reliable characters) dies, Eugenia bears another child to take her place. But you guessed it, Rose is a north-born child and so struck with wanderlust.

From here come the typical elements of any fairytale: Rose is a free spirit and comes into contact with a strange white bear, who offers the family wealth in exchange for their youngest daughter. With another child deathly ill and the family set for eviction from their home, Rose takes up the bear's offer and is carried to his underground mountain home. Here she keeps company with the bear and his two strange servants, and each night is visited by an unseen bed-fellow that is gone before the morning light. Curiosity gets the best of her, and with the aid of an ill-favoured gift from her mother, she steals a glance at the person beside her...resulting in him being whisked away by the troll-queen. Needless to say, Rose heads off on a rescue mission.

Pattou saves us from a dull, predictable retelling by telling the story through the points of view of several characters. Thus the tale is told in first-person narrative by Rose, the white bear, the troll-queen, Rose's father and Rose's brother Neddy throughout the book, forming a story that must be pieced together from several different lives and viewpoints. Perhaps most interesting of all is Pattou's take on the troll-queen; not just a vicious creature out for power, but someone who genuinely loves the bewitched young man for himself alone. Likewise, her young heroine Rose is a fine example of a strong, realistic protagonist, who has to *work* for her heart's desire.

However, there are some elements that simply don't work. Often the narrative is plodding and inevitably predictable, and the fairytale plot element in which Rose and the troll-queen were forced to test their sincerity by attempting to remove a stain from the young man's shirt was handled awkwardly and confusingly. The fate of the troll-queen and the ice-palace was quite abrupt, and if one reads carefully, the turning point of the story (when Rose looks at the young man's face) doesn't make a lot of sense. The conditions of the bear's curse are that he mustn't let anyone see his human face. And since he and Rose are not married (his nocturnal visits are strictly rated G), then why does he even sleep in the same bed with her in the first place? In the original folktales, the man and woman are wed, and thus have a very good reason to share a bed, but without this rather crucial plot development both the bear's and Rose's actions before and after the event have no reason to them. Pattou's desire to draw out the love-story, with marriage at its end rather than at its middle makes it somewhat unconvincing overall.

Yet despite this, "East" is still a fine example of a well structured and re-interpreted folktale. The old myths and legends of the world are always fascinating, and therefore in the hands of an adept author nothing major can go wrong.

I was shocked and appalled to see some of the reviews this deliciously chilly book has received. True, the point of view changes, but I never had any trouble following or being bored by the story. Pattou's prose is crisp and clean, but still evocative. The story is set in a Nordic landscape, but the tale is still heartwarming, and in some instances, heartbreaking.

This is one of those books that you finish all giddy and exhilirated. You know, the kind that stops time and pokes at all the shivery places in your soul.

I was disapointed by East. My number one reason being that i never felt any connection between Rose and "The Man who was a White Bear". The person with the most emotion in the book was Rose's brother Neddy, not the girl who was treking the globe in a search to find her lost "friend" who seemed to forget her a bit to easily if you ask me, slank or no slank. Not to mention there just always seemed to be to easy a solution at hand for every problem. I mean, sure there always has to be SOME solution but the way she got into the Ice Palace? *shrugs*. The story definately had it's good points. It was a breeze to read once you started it, and the journey itself was exciting (i loved Malmo the most).

East is one of many books targeted toward teens that reimagines a well-known fairy tale that can either make or brake. While many authors tend to stray away from the material, East has done an excellent job of recreating the Norwegian tale "East to the Sun, West of the Moon" and creating a worthy fantasy novel that anyone can deeply enjoy.

The novel tells the tale of a young teen named Rose who is the youngest child of a farming couple. Her mother is extremely superstitious, sighting that all of her children must be born within the compass range (she believes that the points of a compass determain the personalities of her family). When she gives birth to Rose, she is shocked to discover that her daughter is a "North" born (North children are restless and explorers by nature). Fearing that her daughter will die a premature death, Rose's mother sites that her daughter is an "East" born and attempts to raise her as a quiet, patient girl.

But when a white bear arrives at the family farm years later (admit a string of unforunate events, including a seriously ill family member), he requests that Rose must travel with him to his castle. After arguing with her mother and father, Rose decides to take the bear's offer and goes to his castle, where she discovers a terrible secret about the bear and ultimately begins her journey of self-discovery and purpose.

East is told in a varity of voices, including Rose herself and of the white bear. Many pervious reviewers have complained that this makes the overall pace of the book choppy. I disagree. The various narrators is what gives the novel it's character. It makes the whole reading experience rewarding and provides a wide-range scope on the events that lead up to the ending (which, as many before me have stated, is predicable). Plus, each narrator is very descriptive of thier enviroments and makes the reader engaged in the material. You want to keep reading on what will happen next to Rose and the other characters!

I cannot find anything wrong with this novel (except for the ending, but this is a fairy tale after all; every fairy tale traditonally has a happy ending). If you want a novel that will keep you enterained through a long winter (or a boring summer vacation), East is the book for you!

Me being a fantasy/adventure lover, the book "East" really perked my interest. The author, Edith Pattou, also known for "Hero's Song" and "Fire Arrow", did fantastic on this book. She made me feel like I was right there with Rose, traveling the barren ice lands of Norway.
5 viewpoints make up the book and make it that more interesting. The 3 main viewpoints are that of Rose, who recounts her adventures, Father, who tells of his worries for his youngest daughter and Neddy, who tells of how the farm is doing and how much he fears for Rose's life. The 2 other viewpoints belong to the large white bear, whose entries are mostly in the form of a poem, and the evil Troll Queen, who tells of her past and her lusts.
Rose's journey is the whole reason why you keep flipping the pages. Being the youngest daughter, born to replace her dead sister, She never could keep her feet in one place for long, to the dismay of her mother. When she was born with deep, clear, and rich purple eyes and brown hair the color of chestnuts, her family knew she would be different.
Neddy, Roses older brother Always knew rose was different than the rest of the 7 children, he included. He always thought of himself as Rose's guardian, so he was very protective of her. He too, was born with chestnut hair, so he could relate with her a little bit. They were both the only brunettes in a family of blondes. In spite of this, he leaves his sister to her journey, to go to Oslo to become a scholar.
The whole story, regardless of the viewpoints, is centered on Rose and the white bear. When Sarah falls deathly ill, and is close to death, the white bear comes into the picture and promises to help, but with a price. The family must give him their youngest daughter rose. Father is very hesitant to this, but rose dives at the chance for Sarah getting well and soon finds herself riding on the broad back of the white bear, to a distant and empty castle. The story doesn't end there when a mysterious stranger is visiting Rose at night. When finding out his identity, she loses everything she loved, but also finds her purpose.
This book is one of the best I've ever read and would give it 5 stars easily, but it deserves 10! I would recommend this book to those who loved beauty and the beast and the story of east of the moon, west of the sun. And I would also recommend it to all fantasy and adventure lovers alike. Edith Pattou really outdid her self this time.
-Amanda D. 12

Well written. Short, very short chapters alternating view points with each chapter requires skill to avoid being choppy. The story never feels abrupt but smoothly goes from prose to verse and back carrying the tale smoothly forward with each transition. I thoroughly enjoyed this elaborate fairy tale.