≫ PDF Den of Wolves Blackthorn Grim Juliet Marillier 9780451467034 Books

Den of Wolves Blackthorn Grim Juliet Marillier 9780451467034 Books

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Den of Wolves Blackthorn Grim Juliet Marillier 9780451467034 Books

I was disappointed in this installment of the Blackthorn and Grim series. While the writing was beautiful and the overarching story was intriguing, I felt like the endings of the smaller stories told within this book were very rushed and too neatly tied up.

--SPOILERS--

1) One example is the story of Cara in Wolf Glen. Over the course of the book, we gradually discover that Cara is not actually the daughter of Tola, the landholder of Wolf Glen. She was stolen from Bardan, her real father, by Tola and his wife. The scene where Cara confronts Tola over this revelation was disappointing. Tola is basically interrogated in front of his entire household and a few people from the neighboring village. As a wealthy landholder with many years of experience, it seemed really odd that he didn't have more control over the situation. Where were his men-at-arms? Why did he only have farmhands to aid him in matters of security? Maybe I've just misunderstood exactly what resources a man of his stature would have, but the setting and manner of his interrogation felt off and not as dramatic as it should have been. Throughout the book, we were constantly fed hints as to how "dangerous" he seemed and how the other characters felt like he could easily resort to violence if provoked too much. However, none of that foreshadowing bears any real fruit, despite the fact that we learn he resorts to poisoning people he doesn't like.

Aside from Tola, the ending for Cara and Bardan also felt off. Bardan was labeled as an outsider for YEARS by the local community. And yet, the neighboring village takes him and Cara in just like that, with the issue of Tola being wrapped up in a pretty little bow until Prince Oran's next council arrives. Sure, it was a nice ending, but it was too neat, and didn't have the messiness of reality to it (which has always been a breath of fresh air in most of Marillier's other novels).

Ultimately, this particular story should have ended in the heartwood house. The mystery of this house is played upon quite a bit throughout the book, but at the end it's completely forgotten and cast aside. Grim and Bardan should have been able to finish building it, and the confrontation with Tola should have happened within the house. It would have been satisfying and even a little ironic for Tola to have his lies revealed and his world torn apart in the house he'd been trying to build for years in the hopes that it would give him good fortune.

2) However, the most disappointing part of this book was the way Blackthorn and Grim's story ended. I LOVED the buildup to Blackthorn and Grim finally becoming a couple. It felt realistic, and it would have made a fine ending to this book. However, while Blackthorn and Grim do finally end up together, the other parts of their tale were completely gutted and rushed. Essentially, Conmael releases Blackthorn from her 7 year agreement and magically gets her to a council that's confronting Mathuin (which she was originally supposed to have missed out on because she decided to rescue Grim in Wolf Glen instead). Seriously?

Firstly, I thought this was supposed to be a "series", not a trilogy. Maybe Marillier has some tricks up her sleeve and things have not really ended as neatly as we think, and there will (hopefully) be more books. Secondly, Blackthorn gets a 7 year agreement laid on her, and gets off that easy? If only Sorcha in the Sevenwaters trilogy was so lucky. (If you haven't read those books, read them. They are fantastic). This felt uncharacteristic of the way Marillier usually tells her stories, especially since she delves so heavily into the myths and lore. In the old tales, if the fey or other forces bound you to something for 7 years, then you were bound for 7 years. There were no shortcuts, and if you didn't meet the conditions fully, there were consequences. (Again, Sorcha would know). It just feels like Blackthorn was let off too easily.

Perhaps Marillier just felt like the story needed to end or she wanted to move on to another project. Which is unfortunate since this story had so much more potential. There are so many other adventures that Blackthorn and Grim could have had, so many other ways the conflict with Mathuin could have unfurled, and so many other characters/plots to explore more fully (like the Swan Island men). I hope she will surprise us with another book, but this one feels like it may very well be the end of the series.


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Den of Wolves Blackthorn Grim Juliet Marillier 9780451467034 Books Reviews

This is another great addition to the Blackthorn and Grim saga. Marillier specializes in complex, creative retellings of tradional myths, and this follows that formula. There are two prior books in this series, but there is enough background provided that you don't need to have read the prior tales (although i would recommend them highly). This story develops the relationship, and the characters, while providing a mystery to solve. It is well written, the pace moves well, and the outcome is a satisfying conclusion to the series. The basis for the tale is also interesting, in that it isn't a well-known fable and thus, the discovery of the tale and its place in the book don't rob the suspense of the ending.
DEN OF WOLVES picks up where TOWER OF THORNS left off. Blackthorn and Grim have returned to their cottage, Blackthorn curmudgeonly about her recent revelations and Grim silently and steadfastly enduring.

Once again, their attempt at a quiet life is interrupted, this time by a young girl who has been thrust upon our Prince to chaperone for an indefinite period of time. The girl is a wild thing, despite being the only daughter of a widowed lord, and she escapes into the forest near B&G's cottage whenever she can.

Stuff happens and Blackthorn takes Cara under her wing, and thus begins the slow unraveling of this installment's fairytale-like mystery.

This is going to be a short review, b/c

1. I'm sad the series is over. VERY sad.

2. Fairytale-like mysteries are best unraveled by the reader.

3. It was so damn lovely that I'm having a hard time putting all of my FEELS into words.

I actually read DEN OF WOLVES weeks ago, but it's taken me this long to cobble together even this semblance of a review. Suffice it to say that this was my favorite individual plot.

The outline of the mystery isn't difficult to guess, but the particulars are exceptional, and while it didn't pack the same emotional punch as TOWER OF THORNS, there's something to be said for the perfect ending that creeps up on you---I spent the last hundred or so pages constantly checking my progress, convinced there wasn't enough time to satisfactorily resolve ALL THE THINGS.

*shakes head at self* (B/c Juliet Marillier is a GODDESS.)

Sometimes a series ends and while there are no fireworks, no parade, no idiot celebrities fist-pumping on couches . . . it is perfect. Quietly perfect, but perfect nonetheless. Highly recommended.
Another wonderful tale of mystery and magic, friendship and love and how we fit ourselves into the fabric of our lives.

The inner struggle over identity and relationships, selfish vs selfless love, overcoming trauma and sorrow and rage. The dangers of truth and of lies is another fentral theme of her books and strongly a piece here. And finally after three books a bigger mystery solved and a triumph.

I love how Blackthorn and Grim have survived being stripped bare, tortured, dehumanized in every way possible and found a path back and healing through each other. As a grown woman I find more romantic love here than in any steamy Hollywood movie or fad book of the month.
I hope this isn't the last Blackthorn and Grim book, although if it is, this third book works well as a conclusion. It rounds off a good part of their journey so far and leaves them settled in well-earned safety, the esteem of their communities and deeply healed of much that seemed irreparably twisted and scarred. Marillier knows they'll never be the people they were before they were broken, but as she makes it clear that the people Grim and Blackthorn are learning to be have even more to offer others than they did before the darkness overtook them and tore them away from themselves. The book is beautifully written, of course, and wonderfully satisfying as well. I just do really hope Marillier keeps telling us their story.
I was disappointed in this installment of the Blackthorn and Grim series. While the writing was beautiful and the overarching story was intriguing, I felt like the endings of the smaller stories told within this book were very rushed and too neatly tied up.

--SPOILERS--

1) One example is the story of Cara in Wolf Glen. Over the course of the book, we gradually discover that Cara is not actually the daughter of Tola, the landholder of Wolf Glen. She was stolen from Bardan, her real father, by Tola and his wife. The scene where Cara confronts Tola over this revelation was disappointing. Tola is basically interrogated in front of his entire household and a few people from the neighboring village. As a wealthy landholder with many years of experience, it seemed really odd that he didn't have more control over the situation. Where were his men-at-arms? Why did he only have farmhands to aid him in matters of security? Maybe I've just misunderstood exactly what resources a man of his stature would have, but the setting and manner of his interrogation felt off and not as dramatic as it should have been. Throughout the book, we were constantly fed hints as to how "dangerous" he seemed and how the other characters felt like he could easily resort to violence if provoked too much. However, none of that foreshadowing bears any real fruit, despite the fact that we learn he resorts to poisoning people he doesn't like.

Aside from Tola, the ending for Cara and Bardan also felt off. Bardan was labeled as an outsider for YEARS by the local community. And yet, the neighboring village takes him and Cara in just like that, with the issue of Tola being wrapped up in a pretty little bow until Prince Oran's next council arrives. Sure, it was a nice ending, but it was too neat, and didn't have the messiness of reality to it (which has always been a breath of fresh air in most of Marillier's other novels).

Ultimately, this particular story should have ended in the heartwood house. The mystery of this house is played upon quite a bit throughout the book, but at the end it's completely forgotten and cast aside. Grim and Bardan should have been able to finish building it, and the confrontation with Tola should have happened within the house. It would have been satisfying and even a little ironic for Tola to have his lies revealed and his world torn apart in the house he'd been trying to build for years in the hopes that it would give him good fortune.

2) However, the most disappointing part of this book was the way Blackthorn and Grim's story ended. I LOVED the buildup to Blackthorn and Grim finally becoming a couple. It felt realistic, and it would have made a fine ending to this book. However, while Blackthorn and Grim do finally end up together, the other parts of their tale were completely gutted and rushed. Essentially, Conmael releases Blackthorn from her 7 year agreement and magically gets her to a council that's confronting Mathuin (which she was originally supposed to have missed out on because she decided to rescue Grim in Wolf Glen instead). Seriously?

Firstly, I thought this was supposed to be a "series", not a trilogy. Maybe Marillier has some tricks up her sleeve and things have not really ended as neatly as we think, and there will (hopefully) be more books. Secondly, Blackthorn gets a 7 year agreement laid on her, and gets off that easy? If only Sorcha in the Sevenwaters trilogy was so lucky. (If you haven't read those books, read them. They are fantastic). This felt uncharacteristic of the way Marillier usually tells her stories, especially since she delves so heavily into the myths and lore. In the old tales, if the fey or other forces bound you to something for 7 years, then you were bound for 7 years. There were no shortcuts, and if you didn't meet the conditions fully, there were consequences. (Again, Sorcha would know). It just feels like Blackthorn was let off too easily.

Perhaps Marillier just felt like the story needed to end or she wanted to move on to another project. Which is unfortunate since this story had so much more potential. There are so many other adventures that Blackthorn and Grim could have had, so many other ways the conflict with Mathuin could have unfurled, and so many other characters/plots to explore more fully (like the Swan Island men). I hope she will surprise us with another book, but this one feels like it may very well be the end of the series.