Tanaqui and her siblings live in prehistoric Dalemark, which is being torn apart by a Heathen invasion. Their father is killed in the battles and their older brother Gull comes back just a husk of himself. When the people of their village turn against them because they look like the invaders, the five children must sail downriver to escape. As they travel on, they learn more about the Undying, their household gods, and the reason they look different from the natives of Dalemark. They are being mysteriously drawn to the sea, and there they learn that the Heathen aren't the real enemies. The sorcerer Kankredin is sucking up the souls of everyone in the land — and because of their unique lineage, Tanaqui and her siblings are the only ones who can stop him.

It sounds rather run-of-the-mill put like that, doesn't it? But Jones manages to make this story something very unique and complex. It is told in the first person by Tanaqui, who is learning about her powers of weaving not just cloth, but stories and even spells. She is a wonderful, honest narrator — and her descriptions of her siblings and their relationships are very realistic.

The writing is very deft and serves the story well. I'm currently wavering between this and the second book to be my favorite of the series. I love the complexity of this one and the believable relationships among the characters. I recommend it. ( )

The Dalemark Quartet: The Spellcoats

Author: Diana Wynne Jones
Review: January 06, 2009
Edition: 2001 printing
Pages: 289
Overall Rating: 4/5 [Good]
Synopsis: Tanaqui and her siblings must face the evil mage who is tormenting the River, and to do so Tanaqui must weave a spellcoat.
Strengths: Strong writing, enjoyable setting, varied cast of characters.
Weaknesses: Ending is abrupt.
Further Review: Sometimes the writing is a bit odd, I suppose because it's written in first person account where the others in the series haven't been. The story, however, is good--it could have ended up being very generic or boring, but it is delightfully original and wonderfully executed. I love the way the characters have a culture respective to their living area along a huge river; the societies in The Spellcoats isn't just lifted off the ordinary fantasy novel fare. It's well thought-out, and it's easy to see how the River is so important to the characters. This novel more reminded me of ancient literature--it seems to have two layers: one a grand adventure story, and another a mythological explanation for physical features about the land. Overall very enjoyable; I think in literary terms, it's superior to either of its predecessors. Diana Wynne Jones also has also made this story unique by the way the main character (Tanaqui) fights her battles. Unfortunately, the ending is abrupt and not terribly conclusive. ( )

Basic Reason for Beginning: Same reason I read the other two books in this series: part enjoyment of Jones' style, part preparation for a possible dissertation.
Basic Reason for Finishing: *points up* Same.

Full review here.

It did seem to lean more towards the cliché of fantasy stories, which is something I am definitely not used to with Jones, but, if it works, it works and I'm not going to complain. I enjoyed this. I came to enjoy Tanaqui's voice, the mixture of past with present (for her) as well as the actual feeling that she is sorting her thoughts and the tale as she weaves. That it isn't a clear-cut retelling of her past, but something she has to think about and doesn't quite understand.

It was a good story. Not my favourite by Jones, but definitely one I'd not mind rereading. ( )

This was my first introduction to Diana Wynne Jones, and it has always been a favorite. I read this as a child and a couple times since then. It always engages me. ( )