12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The price of eternal life in the land of faery, August 8, 2004
This review is from: The Isles of the Blest (Paperback)
Morgan Llewelyn is the author of several very good historical novels, mostly set in Ireland. The Isles of the Blest is one of her shorter and lesser known novels, but, along with Bard, it is probably my favorite. The story itself is not original; it is taken from a very old and well known Irish tale. This retelling of it, however, is the best I've read.
The story is about a young warrior named Connla who falls in love with Blathine, a faery woman who takes him to her home, The Isles of the Blest. In this faery world, no one ages, time does not pass and pain, suffering and death are unknown. Morgan Llewelyn explores a complex metaphysical dilemma in this book, so it is more than a simple fantasy or folk tale. Connla must choose between mortal life, with all its pain and challenges and this ideal eternal life on the Isles of the Blest. If he chooses the latter, he will lose all of his earthly memories. What makes him reluctant are not only his fond memories of people and places he loved, but the realization that something is lacking in a world of total perfection. Wars are fought, but no one really dies; games of chance are played, but no one can really lose. Connla finds that this takes some of the meaning out of life. On the other hand, he very much loves the beautiful Blathine. Llewelyn has taken a traditional tale and filled it out with more details and speculations than such tales usually contain, at least in the versions that have survived over the years. As much as I enjoyed this book, the ending was a little less conclusive than I would have liked. On the other hand, it may have been the author's intention to leave the reader with a sense of ambiguity about Connla's dilemma.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in fantasy, Celtic myths or faeries. In particular, this book contains some valuable insights and poses some fascinating questions (some of which, perhaps inevitably, remain unanswered) about the mysterious world of faery.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great story of the Magic of Erin, December 14, 1997
This was a very easy read, and keeps in line with the rest Of Morgan Llwelyn novels.. This is nice because it is a break from her lenghtier novels.. I enjoyed very much, and would highly recommend it to any one interested in Myth, Legend, History or just plain enjoyment...
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fun and Philosophical, January 23, 2006
This review is from: The Isles of the Blest (Paperback)
This is a very interesting book. I was attracted to it because I am always interested in stories about people wandering into the land of faerie, but it turned out to be so much more. Despite its simplicity, it is actually a very philosophical book, raising many questions about the nature of humanity. Connla gets to see what it is like to live in a "perfect" land, but he also comes to appreciate the unique gifts that come with being human and being mortal. It also presents the best description I have ever read of what the Sidhe, or fairies, are like, how they live in the moment because their lives are so long that they have little use for memory, and how they are not really capable of feeling love as humans do. Besides making me think, it was a fun read as well.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
