The Perilous Gard

Having angered Queen Mary Tudor in 1558, young Katherine Sutton finds herself exiled to the northern castle of Perilous Gard in this historical-fantasy. Confused when her appearance precipitates panic and anger in the nearby village, and horrified to hear of the disappearance of four-year-old Cecily, the daughter of her nominal captor, Sir Geoffrey Heron, Kate soon discovers that she has stumbled onto an ancient and well-guarded secret.

The inhabitants of Perilous Gard have for centuries guarded the holy well at which pre-Christian pagans supplicated the Fairy Folk, a beautiful but inhuman race of beings whose customs include the "paying of the teind," a ritual involving human sacrifice. When Sir Geoffrey's brother Christopher Heron show more offers himself in exchange for the kidnapped Cecily, Kate, who witnesses his actions, is also taken prisoner by the Fairy Folk. Forced into a life of drudgery deep underground, Kate struggles to hold on to her humanity, and to find a way to rescue Christopher, the intended teind...

This outstanding novel, which was a Newbery Honor Book, has clear parallels to the old Scots border ballad, Tam Lin, in which a young human woman must rescue the man she loves from the Fairy Queen. It is also one of the few works I have read that despite its obvious Christian sympathies, nevertheless depicts something of value in certain pagan beliefs, most notably those concerning the environment, and does not try to demonize what it condemns. The discussion of the teind between Kate and the Green Lady offers an intelligent snapshot of some of the similarities and dissimilarities between paganism and Christianity, particularly as regards the concept of sacrifice. Nor does Pope seem to glory in the downfall of the Green Lady and her kind, recognizing a tragedy in the destruction of a people...

The illustrations by Richard Cuffari are simply gorgeous, and really amplify the eerie atmosphere of the story. His depiction of the Green Lady is superb! show less

When her sister Alicia thoughtlessly sends a note to Queen Mary about how abominable the castle where Princess Elizabeth is kept, her sister Kate is exiled. She is sent to the remote Perilous Gard, where she soon finds out that the gruff but kind Sir Geoffrey and a young man named Christopher Heron have a secret. Some of the people of the castle seem afraid to tell her too much, and only reference Those in the Well with a bit of awe. Kate can't help but get involved, whatever Christopher Heron may tell her!

This was a Newbery Honor book in 1975, and it's too bad it's not better known because it's a really enjoyable book, and didn't feel dated at all. This was the sort of book that I hesitated to put down at the end of my breaks and show more wanted to pick up whenever I had a free moment. The plot is generally compelling, as the tension builds and time is running out. "Those of the Well" had a deliciously creep other-worldliness to them. Kate's as strong a character as some heroines of modern fantasy. She and Christopher were fabulous characters, and I enjoyed their banter. I would unhesitatingly read it again. show less

Thanks to the obliviously seditious actions of her sister Alicia, Queen Mary I exiles pragmatic Kate Sutton to a remote castle. Kate discovers treachery, superstition, a secret enclave of "fairies," and the sarcastic, tormented Christopher Heron.

This was pretty fabulous, and it's so full of great lines that I couldn't begin to quote them all (My favorite is Chistopher's "Kate! Unkind! How can you? Marry Alicia? Think of it!" but it requires the rest of the book for context). Kate and Christopher are wonderful characters: she is stern, relentless and loyal, while he's flippant, caustic, and wounded.

Like the best books, this one manages to hit all the right notes - a familiar yet fascinating setting, the discovery of a magical world, a subtle love interest, and humorous dialogue. In fact, I think Kate's blunt and often hilarious descriptions are what had me loving this book by the end. I read it based on a friend's recommendation and because (while it's fantasy) it's also historical fiction set during one of my favorite periods. The early chapters when Kate arrives at the castle known as the Perilous Gard also have a bit of a gothic novel-feel to them, so essentially this book is a combination of all my favorite genres. Not to forget, the illustrations in the book go a long way to helping the reader picture what is happening in the show more story. Overall, a great read and one I hope more people enjoy. show less

A young adult version of Tam Lin done as a novel set in tudor England. The heroine, snappish but intelligent, is sent into exile from court because of her (simpering idiot) sister's error. Alone in a strange castle, she seems to have stepped into a gothic novel with ruffs - a handsome man who is blamed for a child's death, a staff who are shifty, a lord of the manor who hates his home, and haughty gypsies.. who turn out to be remnant pagans.

There is a very low magic count in this fantasy, and a lot of the mystery is open to a scientific explanation if you squint, but it's a deeply satisfying story - the explanation in this of who the sidhe were was original and functional, both, and the irritable courtship of the romantic leads rereads show more well.

The current paperback cover is hideous. show less

There are several hidden, almost vintage (at this point), YA authors that I wish had written more and Pope is one of them. She only wrote one other novel but the caliber of those novels is higher than most.

Kate is banished to Derbyshire by Queen Mary (daughter of Henry and Catherine of Aragon), due to a letter sent by her blundering sister. Life at the small castle is dull and the only thing that sparks her interest is the mysterious behavior of Christopher Heron, the young brother of the master. But not like that. Why is it that he lives the life of an ascetic hermit, out by the well? And why do pilgrims throw their precious gold into the well and come away looking so exalted and ecstatic? And why do the women in the village treat her show more as if she were a witch? And is there some sense in what old Dorothy says regarding "the Fairy Folk"?

What follows is a suspenseful tale of old magic and new magic, with a tiny bit of transformation too. But what I love about the transformation is that it isn't used for the Eliza /Freddy sort of effect. It has a much more useful plot point than that. I also love the history that is painted all over the book. Not to the extent that, say, Goudge does in her overwrought history of Oxford, but enough to give it a good atmosphere.

I love Kate's spunk and Christopher's bluntness. And I had forgotten about Kate's speech before the teind. It is a beautiful thing that tries to blend old ways and new ways together.

I have two minor quibbles. The names "Alicia" and "Jennifer" are a bit too modern for the time period(at least according to Google). It should probably be Alice and Jane. But that's really less than a .5-star worth of a quibble. So 4.80 stars? show less

After stumbling upon The Sherwood Ring last year and loving it, I was excited to see the author had written a fantasy too. Like The Sherwood Ring, this felt like very tame YA, like what I would have read when I was a teen in the eighties. Kate is my kind of heroine: smart, forthright, and brave. I liked her immediate compassion for Christopher when she heard his story and the unique way they got to know each other. I didn’t always get their vibe, but I was still rooting for them.
If you’re into fairies, you’ll probably dig this book. There’s a mix of the familiar and the new, with a few ideas I’d never seen before.
I probably liked The Sherwood Ring a little more, but both are worth the read.