Customer Reviews

The Perilous Gard

5 star:		(67)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

_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.

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!

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.

I stumbled on a copy of this book in the library and read it when I was 12. I must have checked it out dozens of times over the years until I finally got a copy of my own. It has become one of those books that I take with me wherever I go, from college to Europe, through med school and back again. And it's one of those books I look forward to passing on to my daughter. The story is well written, well-paced, full of twists and turns. Kate, the heroine, is wonderful, a character with whom we can all identify. She's intelligent, down-to-earth, and struggles to do the right things even when she's scared and mad and feeling all too human. My only regret is that Ms. Pope did not write more books.

My daughter kept me entertained in the car this summer with Loreena McKennitt music on her Mp3 player. While I was reading The Perilous Gard I kept hearing that music in my head.

Kate Sutton, a lady in waiting to Princess Elizabeth, is exiled to Elwenwood Hall when her pea-brained sister gets her in trouble with Queen Mary (Tudor.)

On the journey there she sees a mysterious lady in a green cloak and is soon embroiled in the secrets and terrible history of the castle also known as Perilous Gard. Her new guardian, Sir Geoffrey, cannot wait to get away from the place. His brother, Christopher, is filled with guilt over the disappearance of Sir Geoffrey's young daughter years earlier.

The local villagers fear the fairy folk who live under the hill and supposedly kidnap children. The inhabitants of the castle are rumored to be in league with them.

When Kate stumbles into the underground realm of the Lady In Green she must work to keep a hold on reality while looking for a way to escape.

I enjoyed this read a great deal.

Due to a message board rec, I picked up a copy of this old Newbery honor winner by Elizabeth Marie Pope. What an interesting book this is! I'm continually amazed at what a treasure trove YA lit is. I go there whenever I'm burned out on romance or regular fiction, and I can always find something imaginative or funny or touching.

The Perilous Gard is the story of Kate Sutton, lady in waiting to Princess Elizabeth (who is under house arrest by her sister Mary). Kate's foolish sister Alicia writes an ill-advised letter to the Queen complaining of the conditions in Elizabeth's house, and Kate gets blamed for it and shunted off to be under house arrest herself at the old manor house, Perilous Gard. Kate is very bright and doesn't believe the tales of fairy folk and magic and baby stealing that the townspeople tell her, so when strange things begin to happen, she swiftly comprehends that dangerous things are afoot - kidnapping, murder, chicanery, and old, old religious rites. But she doesn't expect to get swept into those rites herself...or bring anyone with her into the danger.

I have to say - wow! This book is really imaginative. I love how the author takes the old myths of the fairy folk and gives them new (or older, depending on how you look at it) sinister meaning. (It's also really nice that in this book, unlike so many "literary" books today, Christianity doesn't equal evil.) I started this book yesterday and have had real difficulty putting it down to work or sleep. It's so nicely taut and suspenseful.

I also like that Kate is so bright - she's not taken in for a moment by the superstitions or the old stories, and she knows how to be brave, bold, and devious when the situation requires. There is a romantic subplot that involves a boy she meets at Perilous Gard, and that is nicely done; the two of them fall for each others minds and characters since they are unable to see each other for much of the story.

And, oh, the ending on this one: perfect! Very sweet. Well done!

I don't think I have gone a year without re-reading this book at least twice, ever since I found it on my 5th-grade teacher's shelf and loved it too much to return it to her. "Whoops..."

The Perilous Gard plays on the classical taken-beneath-the-hill scenario of older fairy stories by making the protagonist cynical, clumsy, short-tempered Kate Sutton, banished from the court of Queen Mary for her feather-brained sister Alicia's actions. Trapped first in the gloomy Perilous Gard in the wilderness of England, then by the fairy folk who hold sway over the Gard, Kate is ever headstrong, never letting her captors get the best of her, and always willing to question and doubt that which she sees. At one point she raises the intriguing question of whether or not the fairy folk are indeed fairies, but the remnants of pagan people unwilling to relinquish their faith.

The characterization in the novel is flawless, with Kate and her fellow captive Christopher serving as admirable foils for each other. I also feel that the historical setting is interwoven extremely well with the fantasy aspects, offering details and explanations for the plot (I love the initial scene with Princess Elizabeth) without overwhelming it. The language is very well done, remaining appropriate to the period while eschewing gimmicky "thee's" and "thou's."

Really, The Perilous Gard has it all: exciting plot, strong characters, believable romance, and a bittersweet but quietly triumphant ending.

I honestly like The Perilous Gard better each time I read it. I don't think I appreciated it enough the first time--I found the fairies so different from my Peter-Pan-ish idea of fairies. But this is a fairy tale in the best sense. Not only is the entire story "realistic" (at least more so than most fairy tales), but I find the mood so captivating. Imagine a dark woods, deep in Northern England, a Medieval party on horseback, the haunting sound of a far-off voice chanting a ballad, and the sight of a mysterious and beautiful woman in a long green cloak. I love anything Medieval, and this book captures some of my favorite Medieval topics: romance, Christianity (especially the part about the "cold iron" drew me in), paganism, ballads...together these create a thoroughly medieval mood. And the references to Tam Lin are wonderful. I can't wait to read Pope's other novel, "The Sherwood Ring."

Those of you who are Tam Lin fans will also enjoy "Fire and Hemlock" by Diana Wynne Jones. That book approaches the ballad of Tam Lin in a completely different way--and it's so complex and so compelling!

It is the year 1558. The spiteful Queen Mary has sent her sister, Princess Elizabeth has been sent to live at the dreary Hatfield. Lady-in-waiting Kate Sutton, finds out that her sister, Alicia, impulsively sent a complaint letter to the Queen Mary about the Princess Elizabeth. Kate finds herself blamed for her sister's actions and is exiled to Elvenwood, 'the Perilous Gard' to be kept under watch by the master of the isolated castle, Geoffrey Heron. She finds the place shrouded with mystery and is intrigued by the handsome but strangely silent brother of Geoffrey, Christopher. She hears rumors that Christopher had killed his niece to ensure that he would get the inheritance from his brother. Kate, determined to find out the truth, stumbles into a dark secret about the People of the Hill. Kate and Christopher are quite suddenly plunged into the otherworldly province where they just might lose their lives...

Totally wonderful book! I'm not in the least surprised this is a Newberry Honor book! I must warn you though that this book is for ages 12 and up. Not at all appropriate for kids younger than 12. But because of the intriguing plot, the well-developed characters, and the fact that it is so much fun to read makes it even enjoyable for adults!

The characters of Kate Sutton and Christopher Heron are wonderful! I immediately fell in love with them. They are both stubborn, very determined, and faithful friends. The humor and banter are very witty and makes me laugh all the time! Though I have to tell you that the book is over-all pretty serious.

I strongly recommend "The Perilous Gard" and I'm most assured that everyone who will read it will put it on your favorites list!

I've been interested in the Tam Lin legend since reading Jane Yolen's excellent version of it in "Tam Lin" with lush illustrations by Charles Mikolaycak (see my review). The next time I came across it was Pamela Dean's inventive adaptation of the legend for Terry Windling's Fairy Tale series (again see my review). The Perilous Gard is another fine reworking of this legend.

My email group was discussing fairy tales and fairy tale adaptations and a member mentioned this book after my post regarding the books above. I purchased it and read it. What a wonderful story. I'm always pleased to see strong female characters. For years while growing up, all I had the opportunity to read in school was books with male protagonists. That's not to say that I didn't enjoy these books, but the chance to read books with female protagonists, and strong, capable women or girls at that, is a pleasure.

It's funny, after purchasing this book, I found out that I had read another of Pope's books "The Sherwood Ring." I read it ages ago and enjoyed it very much.