West of the Moon [Paperback]

West of the Moon (WotM) is the one-volume version of Katherine's trilogy (Troll Fell, Troll Mill, and Troll Blood) - none of which I have read in their separate incarnations. WotM combines these tales flawlessly, in a coming-of-age tale where the supernatural aspects of trolls and house-spirits are as readily accepted as the more usual fishing and milling exploits that one might expect from a Viking Age settlement.

The trilogy begins with a funeral, Peer Ulfsson's father is sent on "the long journey to the land of the dead" on the very first page. Immediately, the reader sits on Peer's shoulder and watches with increasing trepidation as he finds himself in the hands of his hitherto unheard of half-uncles, Baldur and Grim. I was hooked from that fiery beginning, thrilled when the free-spirited Hilde swept her way into his life, and grinned like a loon with Hilde and Peer's quick thinking against the trolls of Troll Fell (who might be as common as pigeons are today, but seem to be both infinitely more troublesome and slightly less intelligent in Katherine's Scandinavian world!).

The second installment opens as years have passed, and characters who were once heroically worshipped are now honoured friends ... although that friendship is tested before this part is finished! Peer, now a somewhat gawky teenager, has to contend with the terrifyingly coherent Granny Greenteeth (again!) the lakewife of the millpond, the trolls (again, and with a twist!), and the realities of growing up and finding out things aren't quite what he expected.

Finally, Peer ventures across the sea - a voyage that promises little but uncertainty from the outset. The group of voyagers range from now-familiar Troll Fell folk, `revered` warriors, seasoned seamen, and more than one with supernatural blood! If the first book is rooted in the earth (underground trolls, earth spirits, and literal changes of land) and the second flows with water (Granny Greenteeth, seal-lore, and fishermen galore!), then this third book combines those two elements expertly as we are carried with Peer to Vinland - the land "east of the sun, west of the moon".

Katherine Langrish has created a world where today's myth and reality walk side by side (although, the mythic parts might be lurking in the shadows next to you!) and you barely realise that this is new and different. If these books had been written a decade earlier, I'd have chewed my way through them then and probably spent hours trying to draw scenes from them (as I might have done with a certain Tamora Pierce's characters back in the day!) and yet more time imagining the place I'd have held in this well-crafted world. As it is, I might have spent some time doing the latter, and I look forward to my son growing up enough to appreciate these, as I know that he will. The myths intertwine together, magic and realism holding hands, in a way that I love.

Recommendation: If you're intrigued by Vikings, love myths, and want to step into a world where the supernatural creatures are a day to day occurrence (and often an unwanted one!) then you might be intrigued by this trilogy. Combine this with a coming-of-age tale that will stay with you, and West of the Moon is a book to read, enjoy, and read again!

Rating: 5/5

You know when you read a book and you dread reaching the last page, because you instinctively you will miss the characters and the fantasy world they live in, well this is one of those books. I felt emotionally attached to the characters and wanted to know whether they ever returned to their original lives.

As an abridged version of three books,the book is an epic 614 pages, allowing you to have plenty of time to make yourself comfortable in a world where Vikings, Trolls and Yetis all coexist, if not always happily together. The book is split into three parts with follow different events in Peer's life. The first part deals with Peer's relationship with his uncles and his need to escape their evil clutches before being handed to the Troll King as a slave. The second part shows Peer's desperation to appear more grown up in front of Hilde, by trying to bring the mill back to life. The last part follows Peer and Hilde as they travel to the land that is east of the Sun and west of the Moon. Each part, blends beautifully into the next one, leaving me disappointed at the end to find out there was no more.

The first pages of the book lift you up and throw you straight in the horror that is to become Peer Ulfsson's new life. His father has died and his uncles whom he has never met before take him home to use as a slave. It is heart wrenching to read how they treat them. You find yourself gasping with horror with each incident. The darkness envelops you and you become desperate for Peer to escape his miserable life.

Peer's only salvations are his dog, Loki and his new found friend, Hilde. Peer's relationship with Hilde is beautiful to watch as it blossoms from childhood friendship to love. Throughout the book they are constantly thrown into difficult situations to tackle and work together to solve each problem. You are repeatedly urging Peer and Hilde to rebuild their friendship with love,as you can see they are suited to each other.

Kathleen Langrish has created a beautiful landscape through her extensive world building. The attention to detail gives this fantasy land such an air of authenticity. You can easily picture the mill, the farm and Troll Hill as the hill becomes raised for each special occasion.

There is a character within the book called the Nis, who I adored on contact. In my eyes, I viewed him to be a bit like Dobby from the Harry Potter films, only smaller. He helped with the cleaning and looking after the babies. He also becomes a sailor in the last part of the book. He is just a wonderful character to meet and definitely my favourite within the book.

Out of the three parts of the book, I would say that I loved the first part the best. The introduction of the Troll King and his family had me enthralled. In this part, we also see that Peer's uncles get just what they deserve, after such ill treatment of Peer. I hated his uncles as soon as they turned up in the book and couldn't wait to see them suffer.

I have never read anything about Vikings and trolls before, but Katherine has left me with a thirst for more information. I will be seeking out other Viking books to help calm my curiosity.

I am also very curious about Katherine Langrish's future books as she will definitely be an author I will want to read again.

I was a fan of Katherine Langrish's troll trilogy as soon as I started reading it two summers ago, but this revised and improved edition is definitely something special and should bring her many new fans. For a start (and this is important in getting readers to pick up the book in the first place), the new cover is simply marvellous--icy and enticing, with just a hint of the stark landscapes inside the book. But of course, one shouldn't judge by appearances. What I was surprised by was how well West of the Moon reads as one big book instead of three separate ones--how each part flows smoothly and seamlessly into the next.

Peer Ulfsson's journey from boy to young man takes him from his father's funeral pyre to the forests of a strange new land. What happens along the way is a story in the best traditions of Viking saga fantasy with a good dose of fairytale mixed in. His childhood is plagued with wicked uncles and trolls--Norse folklore is a constant undercurrent running through these books--but this is also a coming-of-age novel. Peer has to deal with his growing feelings for the beautiful and resourceful Hilde--not always easy when she scorns him as a little boy who looks like a heron, quite unlike the blue-eyed, handsome Arne. I'm not going to put up any plot spoilers, so you'll have to believe me when I say that the culminating part of West of the Moon, where Peer and Hilde travel to Vinland is a truly breathtaking and original tale of two differing cultures meeting--but also a story of how the past catches up with the present, not always happily or tidily.

What struck me again as I read was the quality of the writing and how marvellously Langrish has created the feel of the Viking period. No horned helmets here, thank goodness, just lots of well-researched small and fascinating details scattering the text like gracenotes. I was also delighted to meet the eccentric Nis again--and wished, as I have before, for a Nithing to live my own house with its housekeeping skills and its red hat. If you like Vikings, trolls and adventure, leavened with a good dose of subtle humour, then this is the book for you. Highly recommended for both teens and adults who enjoy good storytelling.