Windleaf [Hardcover]

Josepha Sherman (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 11 and up

In 1510 eighteen-year-old Thierry, orphaned Count of Foretterre, undertakes a series of difficult challenges in order to free the half-human, half-fairy girl he loves from the hold of her cold-hearted father, Lord of Faerie.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The author of Child of Faerie, Child of Light serves up profoundly satisfying fantasy for fans of the genre. Here, 18-year-old Count Thierry of Forretterre rescues the young lady Glinfinial from a hillside beset with violent lightning during a mysterious thunderstorm. Sherman's readers, unlike Thierry, will immediately suspect that Glinfinial is in fact a princess of Faerie. The subsequent adventures--describing how young Count Thierry must rescue his lady love from the magical snares of the Lord of Faerie--are also heavily and recognizably steeped in the lore of Faerie. However, Sherman's vigorous narrative drive, her fascination with the deep forest which figures so prominently in her conclusion and her dry wit raise this novel to fresh levels of reading pleasure and originality. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-8-As in the author's Child of Faerie, Child of Earth (Walker, 1992), this story involves a part-human, part-faerie who falls in love with a human, against parental opposition, and the mortals must go through a series of trials before winning their hearts' desire. In this book, the romance is between Glinfinial, daughter of Tiernathal, Lord of the Faeries, and purehearted Count Thierry. Tiernathal has big problems. He and his small band of exiled faerie folk have been living in a secluded part of the humans' forest for many years, and can't find their way home. The human world is rough on them-the sun burns their skin and iron weakens their magic. Glinfinial's proposed defection is too much to bear, and Tiernathal spirits her back to his forest hideout. Undaunted, Thierry seeks her out, and her father realizes that under the rules of magic he must give the young man one chance to gain his love. He offers him a quest, finally accepts their betrothal, and soon after remembers how to find his way back to the faerie world. There is enough humor and adventure to keep readers interested, even though the tale is lightweight in comparison to romantic fantasies such as Robin McKinley's Blue Sword (1982) and The Hero and the Crown (1984, both Greenwillow).
Virginia Golodetz, St. Michael's College, Winooski,
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 11 and up
  
• Hardcover: 121 pages
• Publisher: Walker & Co (November 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802782590
• ISBN-13: 978-0802782595
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,742,514 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars A rather slight but charming fairy tale, April 29, 2000

By 

Jennifer Mo - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Windleaf (Hardcover)

Windleaf is a pleasant enough fairy tale. Its plot strongly resembles Lord Dunsany's The King of Elfland's Daughter, but the writing is much more accessible for younger fantasy readers. Although the writing seems occasionally a little contrived and the whole novel is not very thought-provoking, it does have likable characters, a quickly moving plot and plenty of magic. It is a bit on the generic and shallow side, though, and older readers might just as well pass over this one for Neil Gaiman's much more inventive Stardust or Dunsany's beautiful The King of Elfland's Daughter. Another good bet is Elizabeth Marie Pope's The Perilous Gard, which is set in 16th century England and deals with fairies; it's quite a bit deeper than Windleaf and feels much more realistic.

Ailanna

4.0 out of 5 stars Another book from the Realms of Faerie!, March 25, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Windleaf (Hardcover)

This was an interesting book, and I really enjoyed reading it. However, I think it was a bit weaker in plot and character development when compared to Child of Faerie, Child of Earth the first book to enter the Realms of Faerie. Still, Windleaf is a great read, and I recommend it.