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christinecc's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Oh, Joan Aiken. Your trilogy hurt me so much, I couldn't bring myself to write this review for months after finishing this last installment.
"The Teeth of the Gale" is set a few years after the previous book, "Bridle the Wind." We find Felix, now a young man getting through his studies, called to his grandfather's side on urgent business. Political turmoil is in the air. His family's position is uncertain, and treachery lurks nearby. Felix, however, has a seemingly simple task. His beloved Juana, now in a nunnery, has called on him to help a relative of hers whose children have been kidnapped by their reportedly mad father. Felix and his grandfather sense a trap, not from Juana so much as from the timing and the odd circumstances. But Felix would never fail Juana, so he leaves with his family's brave servant, Pedro.
There's something indescribably excellent about Aiken's writing. Is it the tone? The mood? The subtle care that Aiken put into crafting a believable 19th century Spain at the onset of dark, unsettling period of turmoil? I couldn't say. But the net result is that her characters are brave, kind, and faced with difficult decisions that I don't often see portrayed in children's fiction but is, well, very typical of Aiken's work. Did I cry at the tender moments as well as the horrifying ones? I sure did. Why do you think this review is so late?
Recommended if you like Joan Aiken's work, or simply enjoy excellent historical fiction with compelling characters and a plot that isn't afraid to be bittersweet (or downright dark at time). I'll be rereading this trilogy for years to come.
"The Teeth of the Gale" is set a few years after the previous book, "Bridle the Wind." We find Felix, now a young man getting through his studies, called to his grandfather's side on urgent business. Political turmoil is in the air. His family's position is uncertain, and treachery lurks nearby. Felix, however, has a seemingly simple task. His beloved Juana, now in a nunnery, has called on him to help a relative of hers whose children have been kidnapped by their reportedly mad father. Felix and his grandfather sense a trap, not from Juana so much as from the timing and the odd circumstances. But Felix would never fail Juana, so he leaves with his family's brave servant, Pedro.
There's something indescribably excellent about Aiken's writing. Is it the tone? The mood? The subtle care that Aiken put into crafting a believable 19th century Spain at the onset of dark, unsettling period of turmoil? I couldn't say. But the net result is that her characters are brave, kind, and faced with difficult decisions that I don't often see portrayed in children's fiction but is, well, very typical of Aiken's work. Did I cry at the tender moments as well as the horrifying ones? I sure did. Why do you think this review is so late?
Recommended if you like Joan Aiken's work, or simply enjoy excellent historical fiction with compelling characters and a plot that isn't afraid to be bittersweet (or downright dark at time). I'll be rereading this trilogy for years to come.
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