Customer Reviews

Rowan of the Wood

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
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Title: Rowan of the Wood
Authors: Christine Rose and Ethan Rose
Grade: B+
Ideal Audience: Boys & Girls, 10-15 (and advanced 9 year olds)
Reading Type(s): The Fantastical Reader

Summary: Books are the only things that save Cullen from his depressing life. However, when his foster father forces him to burn almost all of his books, Cullen doesn't have much left to cheer him up.

One day, he ventures into the woods surrounding his house and finds a stick that, as it turns out, is an ancient wand! He unknowingly releases Rowan, a wizard who has been trapped in the wand for over 1000 years. Now, Rowan and Cullen share Cullen's body, and have internal conversations. Cullen doesn't know whether he has gone crazy, or if everything is true and magic doesn't only exist in books.

Rowan became trapped in the wood when he and his wife, Fiana, were forced to separate only moments after they were wed. As the reader learns (but Rowan and Cullen don't), Fiana has spent the centuries searching for her lost love and eventually becoming an evil, cruel creature to pay for an immortal life.

Not knowing about Fiana's fate, Rowan and Cullen attempt to find Fiana so that the couple may be re-united.

My thoughts: Although it took me about 100 pages before I really got into the book, after that, I couldn't stop. I especially loved all the characters, and seeing their desires, fears, motivations, etc. The problems that time created also kept me entertained: Fiana's battle with her approaching death, and Rowan's confusion with the modern world that Cullen lives in.

I found Cullen's quick acceptance of Rowan a bit unrealistic. He did wonder if he were crazy a few times, but if a thousand year old wizard started talking to me about his lost love in my head, I'd run screaming to the nearest mental facility. (Although I guess that would kind of ruin the plot of the novel...)

I ran across this book at the Irish Festival in Dallas - the authors had a booth there. It turned out their whole booth was themed around their book, Rowan of the Wood. I thought that was awfully creative and picked up the book.

I am glad I did. Although I am an adult, it carried me back to being a young boy on the edge of being a man when magic seemed all around. It was a great read and I'm looking forward to sharing it with my daughter when she gets a little older.

The strongest point of the book are the characters who really come to life and grab your attention.

The weakest point of the book was the setting - a young man about to stumble onto magic, living in a home with an mean and uncaring stepfamily and a son who picks on the boy. When I read the bio of Ethan Rose it made more sense (he lived with foster families) but it was still very reminiscent of Harry Potter.

Don't let that stop you from getting the book - it is a good one and worth checking out!

This book reads quickly. If the same plot had been dragged out an extra 50% it would have suffered.
As it was, there was an interesting plot and all of the characters roughly came into their own as pieces more or less fit themselves together with not too much prodding from the author.
I would recommend it to those with a penchant for "magic is here, just hidden and forgotten" tales, which would generally include myself.

I didn't expect much from this little book at first. I'd read about it on twitter, and was just curious.

My initial reaction was that it was an unusual hybrid, with elements of 12-year-old main character, adult romance, and YA fantasy. Most publishers would never risk putting out a mash-up like that, but more of them should - because this book is proof that it can really work!

I was surprised to find myself rapidly devouring the whole book, followed by its two sequels, and am eagerly awaiting the fourth in the series. In fact, I finished reading the second book on Kindle on the elliptical trainer at the gym and immediately bought and started reading the third, without ever pausing in my workout.

I'm guessing Rowan of the Wood would appeal most to Harry Potter fans. I love Harry Potter myself, and found several attributes of this book that were reminiscent of those stories - although Rowan of the Wood is definitely it's own unique, and very cool thing.

Really enjoyed the book. Kept my attention the whole way which is hard to do.

Wow. That is all I have to say, apart from this landing 2nd in my favourite books.
(The first is Witch On The Water, the sequel to this Fa-Bu-Lus book

I rought the book from the authors at the Kansas City Renaissance fair. I normally would not have done this but the bbok sounded interesting. If you like the Harry Potter books you like this one. I love this more then the Harry Potter books. Rowan is a great character. Can't wait for the next book.

Rowan of the Wood is the hybrid book which the fantasy genre has been sorely lacking. It successfully manages to bridge the gap between the world of Harry Potter, Twilight, and Celtic lore. In the beginning Cullen's story seems eerily reminiscent to Harry Potter due to the similarities of both being mistreated orphans, but that is where the similarities end. The authors bring you fully into each of the characters worlds using beautiful imagery and in-depth character development, each character is so charming it is hard to pick a favorite. I even found myself rooting at times for the evil Fiana! Each characters story is totally captivating but none loses interest when their worlds meet, instead the plot intensifies and draws the reader further in. The twist ending leaves the reader waiting with baited breath for the next installment of this series. Rowan of the Wood does not disappoint.

Rowan of the Wood is the type of book that makes you want to sit down and read it over and over again. It's full of lush imagery, strong character development, and the beauty of traditional and original Celtic myth.

Authors Christine and Ethan Rose have built a world that dares readers to step inside, beyond the suspension of disbelief, and really become involved with Cullen, their young hero, and his struggle with the sad and mundane life he lives as an orphan and then, after his forest discovery, the magic that could potentially take over his world.

The title character, Rowan, is compelling and strong. His quest to be reunited with his true love is timeless, but the twists and turns the story will take in getting there are unique and incredibly interesting.

Reading Rowan of the Wood with my children led us all to want to further explore the world of Celtic myth and magic, and we're waiting in anticipation for the release of the next book in this series in October!

Gold Star Award Winner!

I really enjoyed reading ROWAN OF THE WOOD. It is the first in a series and I can't wait for the next one to come out.

It starts with two Celtic wizards, Rowan and Fiana, on their wedding day. They have been waiting for this day for many years. Once they are married their power will double. Just as they have been declared married, a band of Christian invaders attacks the ceremony. Fiana manages to escape to the otherworld but Rowan, through magic, seals himself in his wand.

Now we go to modern day. Cullen is a foster child living in Northern California among the Redwood trees. He has survived losing his family and is now living in an abusive foster home. What he loves most are the Redwoods which are behind his house and his fantasy books, especially The Hobbit, which had belonged to his father.

In one horrific scene his foster father makes him burn all of his fantasy novels. That one scene was very hard to read.

Well, Cullen then finds a strange sort of wooden wand and out comes Rowan. He had been trapped there for over a thousand years. But he and Cullen are one person. Rowan can only come out when Cullen is scared or threatened.

Fiana has also returned, but she came back a hundred years after the incident. She has been looking for Rowan for thousands of years. In order to stay young and beautiful she has made a deal with dark magic - and she has turned evil!

All of this makes a fantastic and believable read. The love that doesn't really die between Rowan and Fiana is powerful. The loneliness of Cullen and his love of doing what is right is wondrous. I loved this book and anyone who loves fantasy will love it, too.

The authors have gotten this one right and I highly recommend it.

Reviewed by: Marta Morrison