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5.0 out of 5 stars
Courtesy of Teens Read Too, 27 April 2007
Sixteen-year-old Elaine of Ascolat is amazingly beautiful with her long red hair and her soft natural face. Living in an army camp full of all guys, Elaine figures the handsome Lancelot to be her true love. Until her troubles and daydreams get the best of her, when even prettier Gwynivere arrives at the camp and is immediatley drawn to Lancelot - even though she is engaged to Arthur.
Gwynivere's mean remarks but beautiful outer self makes Elaine jealous enough to play a cruel prank on her, but when her friends and family leave her to go fight the Saxons, her heart tells her to pack a bag and go with them to heal the wounded. Shot by arrows and cut by a knife, Elaine gains both friendship and confidence in herself.
This exciting book by Lisa Ann Sandell makes you feel like you are back in olden times, right there fighting with Elaine. This is a VERY well-written book and I recommend it to all. A great read!
Reviewed by: Holly
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5.0 out of 5 stars
"She hath no loyal knight and true / The Lady of Shalott" - Alfrd Lord Tennyson, "The Lady of Shalott", 14 Aug 2007
SONG OF THE SPARROW tells the story of Elaine of Ascolat, or as she is better known as, The Lady of Shalott.
Elaine, motherless and sisterless, lives within a camp full of Arthur's men. Having been brought to the camp when she was a little girl, Elaine has learnt to fit in by finding company from the many men - she learns how to swim like them, her brothers watch over her as she plays, and she quickly becomes a friend to all that surround her. As the only other female is the mysterious Morgan, Elaine learns the art of healing with plants and flowers, so that she is able to give the men something back when they need a healing hand to help after the ravages of war.
But Elaine desperately wants the company of another female friend. After a life among men, Elaine feels comfortable running around wild, but as she starts to grow into a young woman, and she becomes aware of men for a very different reason, she is so unsure of herself that she does not even know if she would be considered beautiful by the men she has come to view as her friends.
This problem is exacerbated when Elaine realises that she has fallen in love with her childhood friend, Lancelot. She yearns for him to look upon her as a woman, rather than as a young girl. As she struggles to decide whether she should tell him about her feelings, Lancelot is sent on a mission to bring Lodengrance back to Arthur's side. Upon his return, Elaine has her wish fulfilled - a woman also accompanies them, Gwynivere. At first Elaine is thrilled; Gwynivere is described as being the most beautiful creature she has set eyes upon, and she believes that she will be able to pass on tips, allowing Elaine to show Lancelot that she is no longer a mere girl. But, Gwynivere's beauty does not seem to touch her soul; although she is beautiful on the outside, she is cruel to Elaine and she has stolen Lancelot's heart.
Little do they know that in time, they shall both depend upon the other in order to survive.
This is a beautiful book. Because it is written in the style of a long lyrical poem (which doesn't rhyme, thankfully), Sandell does not waste any words. She manages to create a fantastic sense of place and time, making you feel as though Elaine is someone you could almost reach out and touch.
Although the story is quite predictable, the charm of the story makes up for this. And despite there being no surprises at the close of the book, Sandell does leave the suggestion that there is much more to this story than that which appears in this text - in regards to Arthur and Lancelot and their relationship, Sandell describes Lancelot as a "brewing storm" when he pledges his allegiance to Arthur and his dream of building Camelot.
I think for anyone who loves the Camelot stories and Arthurian legends, SONG OF THE SPARROW is a fine addition to their collection.
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by Maria V. Snyder
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by Maria V. Snyder
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by Maria V. Snyder
