From A to Z: The Riddle by Allison Croggan

Dear Z,

My last book of 2014 was the first book of this series, The Books of Pellinor, and my first review of 2015 is of The Riddle the second book of the series. The Riddle follows Maerad and Cadvan immediately after the events of The Naming. However in The Riddle we learn a lot more about the diversity of the world Croggan has built and there is less focus on Barding in general. To understand the references in this review I do recommend reading my review of the first book here.

Maerad and Cadvan start the second book out at sea as they travel to the island of Thorold. Thorold also has a Bard school but the customs are varied from those in Annar that Maerad visited in the first book. Thorold reminded me of a mix between a Spanish coastal town and Norway. The people are boisterous and mostly very joyful. Their streets are filled with colors and there is an extended mid day break from work, similar to Spain. However they are also at the foot of large mountains and many goat herding villages abound in Thorold. In Thorold the reader gets a peak into how thing are going to turn sour between Cadvan and Maerad. As was said often in the first book, the ways of the heart are hard to understand.

However Thorold is not the only place Maerad travels in the Riddle. She returns to Annar though not for long and the reader gets a glimpse fo the Bard school Gent. Then she goes to the far North as is foretold in her foredream and sees Zmarkan, and goes to the winter hub Murask of the Pillanel people. Maerad herself is half Pilanel. The Pilani peoples travel in caravans doing trade in the southern lands and come back to the Zmarkan for the Midwinter Festival. Maerad has the chance to travel on boat, on horse, and by dog sled. She visits Bards who were not schooled in the Annarien traditiona sense. She even finds family.

And beyond her travels Maered meets another Elidhu, Arkan the Winterking. The Winterking’s reach is far and she comes up against his power throughout the book. He controls storm dogs with baying thunder and paws of cloud that can destroy forests. He also controls Iridugals mountain giants made of stone.

Overall The Riddle is thus far my favorite book of this series. Mind you I have not read the final book so i will give my final verdict then. But having read the first three previously I can say it is still the best one so far! If you love high fantasy you will love this series. It’s buy an esteemed Australian YA author! Go check it out!

Until the Next Read,

A

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From A to Z: Her Dark Curiousity by Megan Shephard

Dear Z,

Earlier this year I went nuts over the first book in this series, The Madman’s Daughter, and now I’ve finally finished the sequel. Her Dark Curiosity brings us back to Victorian England, in the cold of winter. Juliet has left her father’s island and has become the ward of an old professor who was once a family friend. She balances trying to be a woman of society again, trying to find a cure for her illness, and to understand why she is still curious about her mad father’s work. Her dark Curiosity admittedly starts out a little slowly, but about halfway through things pick up pace again in the wonderful way Megan Shepherd has of writing suspense.

Shepherd’s series is a re-imagining of suspense/ thriller classics and urban stories. Her Dark Curiosity is a play on Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as well as the Jack the Ripper legend. We as the reader get to explore Juliet’s London, England and her own illness as well as a deeper look at Edward Prince. The love triangle is still alive, though I didn’t waver in my ship (Juliet x Montgomery forever!). The tangled web of atrocities Juliet’s father committed becomes even larger and Juliet realizes she didn’t leave all the monsters on the island.

Shepherd in this series really attacks madness versus genius, love versus obsession, and what exactly makes a monster. All of these things are tackled by Juliet throughout the story. Her father was mad, but was also a genius, and where does that line lie exactly?. Edward is man and beast, but where is that line drawn? Overall in the setting of a cold, dark alley filled London we watch all the shades of grey of the human condition be played out by Shepherd’s characters.

Now here I sit eagerly awaiting the third installment (because of course the book ended with a cliff hanger) which is to be a re-imagining of Frankenstein. So if you enjoy romance, and historical fiction, as well as suspense and thriller definitely pick this series up, you won’t regret it.

Until The Next Read,

A

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