Naomi Mitchison (1897–1999)

At not quite 150 pages, many fantasy lovers will not want to engage, but I encourage you to. The story is . . . utterly beguiling. Tiny Halla is put out in the forest to die by her new step-mama the Queen, who wants no competition. Her nurse, who just happens to be able to shape-shift, becomes a bear and takes her to live among bears. Once she is half-grown, the bears are no longer the right caregivers and Halla is taken up by the dragons. She comes to detest 'heroes' who are always coming show more along to kill dragons and take their treasure, which they do not deserve since they haven't the least idea how to properly treasure, uh, treasure, that is, to hoard it properly in a deep dark cave where they can gloat and lie about on it. Then Halla meets the All-Father and she finds herself in the company of three good men (from Somewhere between the Black Sea and the North Sea) on their way to petition the Emperor in Byzantium for a better Governor than their cruel and corrupt one. I was most beguiled by the language, which hovers around the archaic, but not annoyingly, and by Mitchison's ability to be funny and serious at the same time and by the absolute charm, wisdom, and joyfulness of the writing. Seriously wonderful. I have read none of Mitchison's other work, rather serious novels, I gather. This was most likely written for older and savvy children, or who knows, perhaps for her own delight. A postscript is that the forward by Isobel Murray is awkwardly written -- maybe worth glancing over after you read the story. This edition has a pathetic and unworthy cover also as well as a squib of a story at the end called "The Varangs' Saga" definitely written to charm family and friends. ***** show less

At not quite 150 pages, many fantasy lovers will not want to engage, but I encourage you to. The story is . . . utterly beguiling. Tiny Halla is put out in the forest to die by her new step-mama the Queen, who wants no competition. Her nurse, who just happens to be able to shape-shift, becomes a bear and takes her to live among bears. Once she is half-grown, the bears are no longer the right caregivers and Halla is taken up by the dragons. She comes to detest 'heroes' who are always coming show more along to kill dragons and take their treasure, which they do not deserve since they haven't the least idea how to properly treasure, uh, treasure, that is, to hoard it properly in a deep dark cave where they can gloat and lie about on it. Then Halla meets the All-Father and she finds herself in the company of three good men (from Somewhere between the Black Sea and the North Sea) on their way to petition the Emperor in Byzantium for a better Governor than their cruel and corrupt one. I was most beguiled by the language, which hovers around the archaic, but not annoyingly, and by Mitchison's ability to be funny and serious at the same time and by the absolute charm, wisdom, and joyfulness of the writing. Seriously wonderful. I have read none of Mitchison's other work, rather serious novels, I gather. This was most likely written for older and savvy children, or who knows, perhaps for her own delight. A postscript is that the forward by Isobel Murray is awkwardly written -- maybe worth glancing over after you read the story. This edition has a pathetic and unworthy cover also as well as a squib of a story at the end called "The Varangs' Saga" definitely written to charm family and friends. ***** show less

Naomi Mitchison read "Voyage of the Space Beagle" and recognised that book's fundamental flaw: nothing but conflict. "Memoirs..." is her reply, and her Spacewoman a professional communicator. This is one of my all time favourites, and the more I like something, the harder it is for me to talk about it. If I had a million dollars, the house I'd buy would be that of a publisher so I could keep this book in print.

I read this book because it was mentioned as a sort of prequel to Travelling Light. As Travelling Light was a tiny light fairy story of a read, I was quite surprised when 750 pages of historical fiction in a dense font landed on my doorstep.

What is this book? It is a big historical fiction. It starts in the barbarian land of Marob, where the Corn King and Spring Queen lead their people in rituals, but becomes the whole history of Kleomenes, king of Sparta. My classical education is sorely show more lacking, which made the book much more of an emotional rollercoaster than it would have been if I’d known the tragedy at the start.

There is a lot of complexity in the relationships - Erif and Tarrik as a destined couple, despite his rape and her attempt to kill him and all their infidelities. The foursome of Kleomenes, Panteus, Agiatis, and Philylla. There is grief and loss and honour and magic and pain.

It is a very good book for a long train journey, but quite a hard book to read in snatches around everyday life. show less