The Secret of Dreadwillow Carse

Recommended for grades 4 and up. This is a terrific read. I thought I might enjoy it but i actually really loved it. It is a timeless, dark fairy tale-like book of bargains and choices; questions, loyalties, and leadership. The Queen is dying and Jeniah, the Queen Ascendent is 12, grieving, and terrified. Her mother brings in a final tutor, but he is one of those maddening types who answers questions with questions, and imparts lessons like "You are your own best teacher." What Jeniah wants to know is how to rule, how to be a good monarch, and how to maintain the peace and happiness of her monarchy. She also wants to know why the Dreadwillow Carse at the heart of the realm is forbidden to her, and the source of the warning that if a show more monarch enters it the monarchy will fall. Princess Jeniah has a chance meeting with a village girl named Aon, who is actually drawn to the Carse and the girls strike a bargain. Aon will try to uncover the secret of the mysterious, foreboding carse, and Jeniah will try to restore Aon's father to her, as he has recently been "taken" supposedly into the service of the monarchy. When Aon fails to return from the carse, Jeniah risks the monarchy to rescue her friend.

The book is really well done, and without being too didactic, prompts both its characters and its readers to grapple seriously with Big Questions about choices, responsibility, happiness, learning, and leadership. Highly recommended. show less

This was not nearly as fluffy as I was expecting, and I loved that about it.

It seemed like the sort of thing that would be a light, frothy children's adventure story, and I was up for that. The premise of a strange wood and a princess and peasant girl who are interested in the mysteries behind it was probably going to end up with them learning the value of friendship or something.

Well, they probably did learn that, in the end, but wow, getting there was an entirely different story than the one I thought I was setting out to read.

This was dark.

I mean that in the best possible way. In fact, I'm rather awed by the ability to handle darkness and human nature and the idea of control and healthy emotions without it ever seeming to be too show more adult. These are absolutely adult ideas, and they don't feel dumbed down at all, but they also manage to be appropriately handled for children. This is a children's book--the protagonists are 12--but it's one of those children's books that transcends age in a way you don't see often in modern books. It is unapologetically dark and thoughtful, the sort of book I would have loved as a child and the sort of book I would love a child of mine to read.

The revelations genuinely surprised me a few times, though I had some pretty good guesses. Weaving my way through the mysteries was enjoyable enough that I followed the time-honored tradition of not putting the book down until I was done, to the detriment of my sleep. I don't regret it a bit.

This book was provided to me for free via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. show less

Find this review at Forever Lost in Literature!

While perusing my Goodreads shelf for this year, I realized I have read quite a few younger-aged aimed books this year - and that I have been enjoying it immensely. These books aren't just fun to read, they are also extremely well-crafted stories that handle a variety of difficult topics in a way that younger audiences can understand. The most interesting aspect in each of these books, however, is that they seem to have messages for all ages and can be easily enjoyed by adults as well as younger kids.

The Secret of Dreadwillow Carse is an exciting fairytale that unfolds itself in a variety of delightful layers as the story progresses. It covers a variety of heavy topics in imaginative ways show more with such a deft hand that I am simply in awe of Farrey. The story focuses on Aon, a girl living in the town of Emberfell, and Jeniah, the princess of the land who is soon to become queen as her mother passes on.

Everyone in Emberfell is happy. If someone dies or goes away, that person is basically forgotten about so as not to have any sadness regarding their loss. Sad things do not happen and there is no crying because everything is happy. This sounds like it could possibly be a good thing, but it also sounds, quite frankly, creepy. Aon, however, does feel sadness, which thus makes her feel like an outcast and that something within her is 'broken.' I assume the author intended to use this as a metaphor for depression, but even if he didn't, I think it works itself into the storyline extremely well. While awareness for depression is increasing in the media, it is still somewhat of a taboo in certain families and culture, which makes those that do experience such negative feelings feel like there is something wrong with them. I felt that Aon's struggle with feeling differently than the rest of her town shed an interesting light on how experiencing different moods or emotions than what others think of as 'normal' can really make you feel alienated. I think this book does a good job showing that feeling differently from others is not wrong, but is instead normal and it is important to talk to others about these topics.

Jeniah, on the other hand, is largely separated from the town (until she goes to explore the Carse and meets Aon) and struggles to come to terms with her impending status as queen. Jeniah does not feel that she is mature enough to yet be queen - which I actually find to be quite mature of her - and she struggles to come to terms with how to be responsible for an entire kingdom, as well deal with her newly appointed tutor that does nothing but frustrate her. Throughout the course of the story, Farrey subtly and expertly crafts Jeniah's character from an insecure and unaware girl into a more self-aware and knowledgeable young woman.

Farrey's writing style is very accessible and a joy to read. It is not written in an overly simplistic manner, nor is it too advanced. His words flow smoothly, and there are moments of true beauty within his writing.

I feel as though every kid - or adult - should read this at some point because of the important topics it covers and for its reminders that it's okay to be sad, it's okay to be inexperienced, and it's okay to not always have the answers.

As a result, I am giving The Secret of Dreadwillow Carse five stars! show less

An interesting and original world, with a plot that hinges on depression, oddly enough, as a kind of superpower. In some ways, the rules of the world and the direction of the plot seemed a little too arbitrary for me at times, but it does tie up neatly in the end. I also really like a story where the main character makes a good choice even when it is the hardest thing to do.

Advanced Reader's copy provided by Edelweiss

Princess Jeniah is only 12 years old. Because her mother is dying she will soon become Queen. Jeniah does not feel like she is prepared to be Queen, it is too soon!
Aon Greenlaw is a villager only a few months younger than Jeniah. Everyone in the Monarchy is happy, they never feel sadness. Except Aon.
Jeniah wants to know the secret of the Dreadwill Carse, but she has been warned - If any monarch enters Dreadwillow Carse, then the Monarchy will fall.
Aon & Jeniah hatch a plan, Aon can enter the Carse (she has gone in before) and report back to Jeniah.
Jeniah & Aon write to each other, they each find in the other girl the only other person who can understand their feelings of lose and sorrow.
Together they have to face the terrible secret of show more the Carse and the fate of the Monarchy will be decided.
Very well done and exciting. With the question - what price are you willing to pay? Especially when it other people's lives. show less

3.5 stars
It's a solid middle-grade read.
But speaking personally, I would have enjoyed it more without the POV switches.

Also. Apparently my mind decided that Neil Gaiman is the perfect narrator for the story, except for the character bits. (It's awesome. And puzzling. I don't even know.)

The story itself feels very traditional. Which can be both good and bad.
Good - It feels familiar and comfortable. Everyone likes a good classic.
Bad - It's rather predictable. There are no surprises or unexpected twists.

There are many good lessons here for children and adults alike.
Overall, this was a rewarding read, falling just a little short of my expectations. Even so, I think many people will truly enjoy it.

FINAL VERDICT : GIVE IT A TRY!

I have just come through a period where several of the books I was reading and reviewing had similar themes of magic, secrets, and discovery.

The protagonist of this book is only 12, and I kept thinking she was 14. She acted much older than most 12-year-old girls I know, but then, most girls that age aren’t about to inherit a throne. Still, I appreciated Jeniah’s deep need to figure out what was truly going on, and she used the resources around her, not just relying on others to answer her questions. It is also nice to see a main character of color—the author mentions the deep color of her skin and her mother’s a couple of times. It isn’t integral to the plot in any way; they just happen to have dark skin.

Even more than Jeniah, show more I appreciated Aon, who, of all the people she is surrounded with, feels sorrow and despair, and considers herself to be broken because of it. I think this speaks deeply to the way any of us may feel when we don’t live up to social “norms.”

But, at its deepest (and at the risk of giving a little bit away), I think the fact that the people’s ability to feel sad is taken away from them is the biggest message of all. It goes to an important truth that, without pain, how can we appreciate joy? It also causes Jeniah to make a huge decision, one that generations of kings and queens before her were forced to make.

This is a work of fantasy, filled with realistic characters with real problems and motivations. Secondary characters, particularly Laius, were well-drawn. The writing was descriptive without overdoing it, particularly when dealing with the carse. And—yay!—the book is well-edited, too.

Possible Objectionable Material:
Minor disobedience. Frightening and spooky situations. No romance at all. A character’s father is taken away from her. Another parent is dying. Very mild violence.

Who Might Like This Book:
Fantasy fans. The publisher’s age range is appropriate. Male characters in the book are minor and secondary, so getting boys interested could be rather a challenge, though there’s nothing really “girly” about the book. Approximate Lexile: 660

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC. show less