In 1558, while exiled by Queen Mary Tudor to a remote castle known as Perilous Gard, young Kate Sutton becomes involved in a series of mysterious events that lead her to an underground world peopled by Fairy Folk—whose customs are even older than the Druids’ and include human sacrifice.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
68 of 69 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
_The Perilous Gard_ is technically a young-adult book, but don't let that discourage any of you adults out there. Yes, it's totally PG; there is nothing in it that's inappropriate for a middle-schooler. And yet, it is still emotionally complex enough to satisfy an adult; in fact, it's more complex than many "adult" novels I've read.
_The Perilous Gard_ is based on several traditional English and Scottish ballads, mainly Tam Lin. Elizabeth Pope further fleshes out the ballad's structure by rooting its elements in even older legends and traditions; the magical well that is the entrance to the faerie land is straight out of the Mabinogion, and the Faerie Queen's sinister plans for her handsome captive echo the ancient Celtic tradition of the sacred king's sacrifice. And all of this comes together to make perfect sense; the Celtic framework provides the background information that the ballad lacked.
Into this magical world comes Kate, a wonderful heroine who is challenged over and over, and meets every test with amazing emotional strength. She proves herself the equal of the faerie folk when she is kidnapped into their land; later she stands up bravely to save her friend Christopher when he is to be sacrificed. In this version of Tam Lin, the "holding fast" that Kate must do is symbolic and psychological; the guy doesn't actually turn into wild animals and stuff, and what happens instead is even better. And the ending--the ending is PERFECT. I don't think I've ever read a better ending, in any novel. Kate shows her true strength and mettle, and everything turns out exactly right. I won't give it away, but there is a great sense of "rightness" at the end. This is the good stuff.
31 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a wonderful book! It's not just for kids--I'm 25 and I read it for the first time yesterday.
Kate is a lady-in-waiting for Princess Elizabeth during Queen Mary's reign. Her sister gets Kate exiled to the Perilous Gard, a keep in the middle of the Elvenwood. Her new guardian, the sensible yet likeable Sir Geoffrey Heron is called away almost immediately, leaving Kate in the care of the menacing Master John. Christopher Heron, Sir Geoffrey's brother, is a myterious and intriguing shadow around the manor, and there are rumours in the castle that he killed his neice in order to protect his inheritance. The villagers have a different explanation, though: that the little girl was stolen by the Faerie people who tend the Holy Well. As Kate investigates these rumours, she and Christopher are swept into a terrifying and deadly adventure.
The characters of Kate and Christopher are wonderfully round and engaging. Kate is smart, curious, practical and sharp-tongued, while Christopher is honorable, guilt-ridden, and full of dreams. These are two people I wish I knew! Sir Geoffrey, Master John, and the minstrel Randal are also developed well. Kate's sister Alicia, and the old maid Dorothy aren't so well developed, but still serve their functions in the story. The Lady in the Green is a fascinating and mysterious character as the Queen of the Pople of the Hill.
I highly recommend this book - this book is definitely deserving of the Newbery Honor!
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By Lady Anne
Format:Hardcover
My mother brought this book home for me about 8 years ago when I was in high school, and I absolutely could not put it down!!! Without going into too much plot detail (since other reviewers have already done a fine job of this), I would have to recommend this book to anyone with an interest in Elizabethan England, the folklore of Great Britain, or good solid fantasy novels in general. It's a great read for anyone over the age of 12, and it's especially great for girls and young women to read because of the heroine, Kate. There is something so real and appealing about her. She is very strong and intelligent when faced with an impossible situation, and in the end she finally gets recognized for the person she really is. Overall, this is an exceptional book, and will always rank among my all-time favorites.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Childhood Favorite
This book has a great story. I read it when I was a kid and I loved it! I like the characters, especially the main protagonists, Kate and Christopher. Read more
Published 1 day ago by fanofamazon
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Well-written Story that Has It All
Kate Sutton is a very likeable heroine- she's described as physically plain and gangly/clumsy, but smart, determined, brave, independent, practical, and compassionate. Read more
Published 4 months ago by April Knapp
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fairy Tale Lovers Will Be Satisfied!
The Perilous Gard has the feel of an old fairy tale. It contains references to King Arthur and the Tam Lin legend, but is very unique as well. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Megan L Scott
5.0 out of 5 stars
hauntingly vivid and otherworldly depiction of fairies
balanced by a robust and endearing heroine. With her substantive knowledge of the Elizabethan period and interpretion of fairy lore and its pagan conflict with Christianity, Pope... Read more
Published 21 months ago by cmh
4.0 out of 5 stars
Better then I thought it would be
Wonderful, sweet love story. I was expecting something totally different and was so surprised and happy to find I really liked this book.16 and up
Published on March 22, 2011 by BOOKFreak!
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gorgeously Written, Lovely Story
The story was a beautiful tale with a strong female main character who shows courage and wit in unusual circumstances. Read more
Published on November 6, 2010 by V. Canfield
5.0 out of 5 stars
Don't let the title discourage you!
While you may not know what a "gard" is (a medieval castle), this book contains some timeless, relevant themes. Read more
Published on May 18, 2010 by C.J.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Near perfect!
Having offended Mary Tudor through no fault of her own, Kate Sutton is sent from the Princess Elizabeth's exiled side to the remote castle of Perilous Gard as a prisoner. Read more
Published on March 30, 2010 by Jody
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Perilous Gard
This book is a classic that I loved as a girl and still love today. It was written for young adults, but deals with layers of complex themes. Read more
Published on November 7, 2009 by R. Rowe
4.0 out of 5 stars
a time of sacrifice
this is a good book...
dear lovers of faerie lore,
... and while it does not quite capture the fair folk in the light that we know them, it works quite well as a novel. Read more
dear lovers of faerie lore,
... and while it does not quite capture the fair folk in the light that we know them, it works quite well as a novel. Read more
Published on October 26, 2009 by silver elves
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