The River's Gift (Hardcover)

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Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Fifteen-year-old Ariella, lady-to-be of medieval Swan Manor, possesses magical healing abilities that she practices on the animals in the forest adjacent to her father's lands. One day a magnificent black horse emerges from the nearby river in need of her ministry. The horse is Merod, and he is a more-than-mortal Kelpie, a magical being who converses telepathically with Ariella. Distrustful at first, he warms to Ariella gradually, which is vital to her when, after her father's sudden death, she is taken away by a brutish cousin to be his bride. Prolific fantasist Lackey deviates from her 400-plus-page norm to write a story that, in development, tone, and scale, harks back to the fairy tales of George Macdonald. If it doesn't match the charm of those Victorian gems, it is agreeable enough, perhaps best in the descriptive passages about the harvest at Swan Manor and the journey of Ariella's virtual abduction by her cousin. Ray Olson

From Kirkus Reviews

New fantasy, with few and tiny pages, from the author of The Black Swan (p. 496), etc. Beautiful 15-year-old Ariella of Swan Manor likes to don workaday clothes, run off into the forest, and use her magic gifts to heal sick and injured animals. One day a magical Kelpie named Merod rises from the river; from his foot Ariella withdraws the iron nail that's poisoning him, and the two become friends. Soon, Ariella is healing outlandish Faerie creatures as well as animals and the local serfs. Then her beloved father Lord Kaelin drops dead. Females can't inherit, so Kaelin arranged for a cousin, Lord Lyon, to marry Ariella. But Lyon is large, loud, brutal, and cares nothing for Faerie or Swan Manor; he drugs the confused, grieving Ariella and carries her off to his own castle, where he restrains her and prepares her for marriage. At last, using magic given him by a Great One, Merod arrives in human guise to rescue Ariella by transforming them both into swans. Fluffy no-brainer evidently aimed at a youngermuch youngerfantasy audience. -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Roc Hardcover (October 2, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451457595
• ISBN-13: 978-0451457592
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 5.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #353,001 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A short fairy tale for young adults, November 7, 1999

By	Claire Maier (USA) - See all my reviews

Mercedes Lackey fans, please do not be fooled into thinking this is a typical novel of hers. It is a short story (or novelette at most), geared toward young adult readers. While it isn't bad, it certainly isn't what I expect from a typical Lackey read!

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars You have to give it a chance, June 18, 2000

By A Customer

This book was not intended for the authors normal readers. When you pick up the book you can tell it will be short. I read it in an hour. However for what it is intended to be it is wonderful. Yes I would like her to extend the story to give the reader a little more to chew on. However you know it is a short story when you pick it up to read it and they rarly are in depth as a novel.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Misty Lite, February 13, 2000

By	Jennifer Mo - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The River's Gift is a rather predictable short fairy tale (Mistified, of course). The characters all seemed exceptionally two-dimensioned, and Ariella was particularly annoying. She just HAD to be smart, brave, altruistic, Talented, lucky and beautiful. A little original character is surely not too much to ask? If possible, the men were developed even worse, and Merod, while interesting, needed much more exposure. The plot was also predictable, though charming in a slight sort of way. Fluffy, even by Lackey standards. Oh well. If you can stave off the cynicism and are in a mood for unrealistic fairy tales, you might try this one. However, I much preferred her longer retellings, such as The Fire Rose and The Firebird.