7 Stars
Ten-year-old Pidge picks up a worn, discarded book in an old second-hand bookshop in Galway, Ireland, before returning home. This unwitting action eventually leads him to become the unlikely hero on a quest against the Mórrígan (pronounced MOR-ree-an), the Irish goddess of death and discord. As Pidge, and his younger sister, Brigit, traipse across the realms of the Fey, they encounter both good and evil, learn to trust themselves and each other, and enjoy the kind of adventure all children dream of. The Hounds of the Morrigan was published in 1985, having taken O'Shea ten years to complete. Many characters in the book are culled straight from Celtic mythology. (Taken partially from Wikipedia. And I apologize for the lousy synopsis. I really wanted to just copy the back of the book, but apparently there are NO copies of that description anywhere on the internet. Perhaps I will re-write when my brain is more prepared to do so...)
This book was most definitely worth a read! It pulls you in perfectly. The setting is enchanting and Pidge is just lovable and charming from the outset. The plot's exciting, the history/mythology is unique, the baddies are both truly awful and knee-slappingly funny, and it's just an overall great read. The only reason this was a 7 and not a 9 for me is because it is quite long, and, unfortunately begins to feel its length before too long. Every encounter Brigit and Pidge have would be fascinating on its own, especially if you are at all interested in Celtic or Irish mythology, but taken all at once, it's drags a tad. I almost wish the author had somehow managed to make it into more than one book... Don't really know that that would have worked, but the point is that I want to love this book, and ended up just really liking it, instead. You should definitely read it once, though! It was especially fitting as a Halloween read. (Look at the cover with a little more depth; you'll see what I mean...)
This sounds sweeeeeeet! Do you own it or did you borrow it? And do you agree with Publisher's Weekly "spellbinding"? Or is it more aptly described as "spellbonding" or perhaps "spellbanding"?
ReplyDeleteSpellbanding. Definitely. It's pretty funny to read the reader reviews on Amazon, though. People get really up in arms defending this book against any critique. (So maybe it IS spellbinding!)
ReplyDeleteI checked it out from the Provo Library (tucked in a dark corner of the children's literature section). It really was a fantastic read that I think you would really enjoy, Anthony! It's the kind of book that I might read again, but probably not for several years, so that I have a chance to rediscover it a bit when I do.
Found out that Amy has read it, and was very put out with her for not ever telling me about it. :) Maybe she has some thoughts, too?