TITLE: Merlin’s Harp
AUTHOR: Anne Eliot Crompton
PUB DATE: March 1, 2010
PUBLISHER: Sourcebooks Fire
PAGES: 256
GENRE: Young Adult
Among the towering trees of magical Avalon, where humans dare not tread, lives Niviene, daughter of the Lady of the Lake and apprentice to Merlin the mage. Her people, the Fey, are folk of the wood and avoid the violence and of man. But the strife of King Arthur’s realm threatens even Avalon’s peace, and Merlin needs his apprentice to thwart the chaos devouring Camelot. And so Niviene must use her special talents to help save a kingdom and discover the treachery of men and the beauty of love. A mystical love story, now back in print, sure to become a modern teen classic.
MY THOUGHTS:
When I started blogging over a year I told myself that I was going to step outside my comfort zone to read other genres. You never know you could stumble across a certain book that you might not have read otherwise that is a hidden gem.
This is a book that I might not have picked up on my own to read unless it was facing me on the shelf because I have to say that I love the cover. I think its a pretty cover. Don’t you?
The book is about a subject that I know nothing about the King Arthur period. I did recognize quite a few names such as Lancelot, Arthur etc.
Merlin’s Harp is told in the perspective of a woman. Although she isn’t a normal woman she is a Fey. The story is told by Nivienne and she ends up helping Arthur’s kingdom during their war with the Saxons.
I have to admit when I started to read the book for some reason it felt like I was reading another language and had a hard time to get into it. After struggling to get through the first chapter I decided to check what others on the tour were saying so far about the book and I felt much better realizing I wasn’t alone.
I decided that I wasn’t going to abandon the book and that I would push forward in reading it and once I past that hurdle things seemed to be going good. Saying this I liked the book but its not a favorite for me.
Here are some bloggers who enjoyed the book:
Book Journey
Bookalicio
Books and Literature For Teens
Today’s Adventure
Sarah’s Random Musings
Biblio File
I liked the premise of the story and how Anne Crompton told it and I think perhaps if I knew more about that period of time I might have enjoyed it more.
Thanks to Paul from Sourcebooks Fire for sending me this book to read,review and for allowing me to be part of the tour for this book. This is another new release under the Sourcebooks Fire imprint.
If You would like you can read the First Chapter.
UPCOMING STOPS ON THE TOUR:
http://dolcebellezza.blogspot.com/ 23-Mar
http://www.capriciousreader.com/ 24-Mar
http://examiner.com (Portland) 25-Mar
http://www.theveronicaproject.blogspot.com/ 26-Mar
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Hi Cindy, I had a hard time with this book too. I felt a little lost in the woods so to speak. 🙂
Cindy, from your review I think this is one I would enjoy. I tend to like some fantasy and I especially enjoy Merlin stories. Nice review even if it wasn’t a favorite. I find those kind of reviews difficult to do but you did it well.
I know what you mean – being a book blogger really does open you up to books you would not have considered before.
You can’t win them all – I don’t think this would be for me either.
I’ve heard that this book is difficult to read, like you said. I probably won’t be picking it up because it’s not a genre that I enjoy, but nice review all the same!
Emidy
from Une Parole
I haven’t read Arthurian stuff in a while. Good to hear that you’ve taken on a book that you wouldn’t have read otherwise. The cover is pretty… =)
I did love the book. Most people did have a problem with either the language or the world building. I think if I hadn’t read so much Arthurian, I would have had a problem with the world as well. Maybe you should try Mists of Avalon. I am loving it even more.