Customer Reviews

Far Traveler

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is Tingle's second book about 10th century England; I eagerly await a third. Once again, the central figure is a young girl making her way in a man's world -- in this case, Aelfwyn of Mercia, who disguises herself as a boy "scop" (wandering storyteller and singer) to escape the political control of her uncle, King Edward. The story is rich in details about medieval life (the sort that make me long for time-travel), and although it's hard to imagine a girl as bookish and sheltered as Aelfwyn being able so successfully to transform herself into a scop, the momentum of the story carried me forward and over my doubts. I think I fell in love with her accidental protector, Wil, before she did.

One tiny complaint: there's no reason for this book to be marketed to a teenage audience. Adults are sure to enjoy it as well. I certainly did.

This book was moderatley exciting and enjoyable. However, it could get quite boring at times. It's the story of a girl who disguised herself as a boy to escape an unwanted marriage. But, Elfwyn, this girl has no self confidence, no spunk and I found myself feeling bored as I followed the story of her half hearted attempts to escape and find herself. The climax of the book proves that she is yielding and supports the king who wanted her to marry a man old enough to be her grandfather. I was dissapointed by this book as a story, but I'm sure as another reviewer remarked that the historical information in this book was interesting even if I personally did not appreciate it.
I think I might be a little too old for this book as it is recommended for ages 9-12. Being 14 myself I was not so enteretained by it.

This book was good, but started out pretty slow. I enjoyed the middle and end of the book much more than the beginning. I realize that the author was basing the book on historical accounts, but I frequently found myself confused and bored. The middle and end gets better, but I don't think that many people under the age of twelve would enjoy the book because of its difficulty level. Overall, it was interesting, but there could have been a little more romance between Wil and Aelfwyn. I also wondered why her cousin went from being her best friend, to hardly showing any kindness or interest in her at all. I give this book four stars, becuase all though it was well written, it was a little lacking in exitement

Fast, easy, interesting read. Certainly recommend this story for young girls middle school and up. It would be a great summer read for them. This is not to say-- it is not a story for adults. I enjoyed it very much. But it is a fast moving and interesting story that I feel would hold the attention of the younger reader. I really appreciate the reviews presented by Amazon on all the books they make available to us. No small thing. Thanks Amazon. [And YES! I still LOVE my Kindle]. And for an ole 'book packing-stacking hound' that thought she would never go for e-reading-- well that is history. I still buy 'em and stack'em, but I go to bed every night with my Kindle. It goes to the dentist, the doctor, everywhere I think I might be bored! Bet I have "sold" more Kindles than-- a few!

Aelfwynn is the bookish daughter of one of the great women warriors in English history, Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians. At her mother's sudden death she is at the mercy of her uncle, King Edward (I, who will come to be called "the Elder".) Though an archbishop and a ddispossessed king come to ask her to help them against the Danish incursions in Northumbria, she is unable to act and is taken from Mercia to Wessex to be married off. She runs away, disguised as a boy, (where have I heard that one before?) Her learning causes her to think she can be a storyteller and entertainer, but her talent is only for farmers. When she runs into the dispossessed king, Wilfrid, he takes her under his arm to teach her how to be a real skald but also, though he does not know she is Aelfwynn, to use her against her uncle.

The real historical Aelfwynn is unremarked in the chronicles after her uncle removes her from Mercia, and this is what the author, Tingle, took as her starting place. In her author's note she talks more about the possibility that the girl might have been able to pass as a skald than the likelihood she would manage to travel in the world as a boy. Unfortunately that is the problem with this book, its credibility. Yes, it's fiction, but fiction needs at least to follow logically within the confines of its two covers.

For one, Aethelflaed appears not to have copied raising of her daughter as her own father, Alfred the Great, raised her, to lead and be a fighter and general in her own right. Aelfwynn, on hearing the story of Judith and Holofernes is amazed that Judith would use a sword. Was she kept in willful ignorance, and, if so, why? Aelfwynn in herself is not inspiring. She is prone to gloominess and reluctance to face facts. She lacks the ability to act on duty. I found it hard to believe that she would up and put on boy's clothes and head out of town to escape the unwanted marriage.

Her decision that she might have what it takes to be a storyteller brings us into the only real interest in this young adult novel. Tingle obviously knows a great deal about Anglo Saxon England and about the arts thereof. The exposure you get here to riddles, music and musical instruments, storytelling tradition, poetry, and the skaldic life is fascinating.

Then it all falls apart again with an Aelfwynn ex machina that follows some highly disorganized reasoning on the girl's part and and even less credible apotheosis. Tingle tries to get some insight into Edward and his war-like "diplomacy" but that's all the scraps you will find on the table as the book comes to an end.

I am sorry I felt this way about this novel. I like Tingle's other work. But I cannot even imagine caring for it at fourteen or fifteen. Perhaps it appeals to girls who want to believe that in spite of their passibity they too can be carried off and loved by the loser king of Northumbria.

I purchased this novel to read on my Kindle. I thank the publisher and/or author for making the book text to speech enabled so I could listen to it.

~ from That's All She Read [...]

I picked up this book thinking that I would give it to my young teen to read but I started reading it before I passed it along. The book has vivid descriptions of life in 800 AD England while giving a glimpse into the history of England along with an interesting tale to make you not want to put it down. After reading this book, I went to find the 1st book in the series, The Edge on the Sword, which I also enjoyed. I am looking forward to a 3rd novel by the same author.