khoar's review against another edition
3.0
Set in 13th century England, this book tells the story of Megge - one of the women of Bury Down - healers and protectors of the Book of Seasons. At six years old, Megge is expected to accept a vow to protect the book. When she touches the book, it burns her hand and she refuses to take her vow. Will family tragedy force her to take her place as protector of the book?
A bit of a slow start, but it grabbed my interest and held it through the rest of the book. The book is well-written with a rich cast of strong women characters - Megge, her mother, Brighida, Morwen and Aleydis. The book ends on a cliffhanger, but I am looking forward to book 2 - The Lady of the Cliffs.
(NETGALLEY AUDIOBOOK - I RECEIVED A COMPLIMENTARY ADVANCED READER COPY OF THIS BOOK THROUGH NETGALLEY. OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS REVIEW ARE COMPLETELY MY OWN.)
A bit of a slow start, but it grabbed my interest and held it through the rest of the book. The book is well-written with a rich cast of strong women characters - Megge, her mother, Brighida, Morwen and Aleydis. The book ends on a cliffhanger, but I am looking forward to book 2 - The Lady of the Cliffs.
(NETGALLEY AUDIOBOOK - I RECEIVED A COMPLIMENTARY ADVANCED READER COPY OF THIS BOOK THROUGH NETGALLEY. OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS REVIEW ARE COMPLETELY MY OWN.)
readinggrrl's review against another edition
4.0
Megge wants nothing to do with her families legacy. After she touched her mothers Book of Seasons she heard someone whisper "murderer" and she has refused to touch it ever since. But it is always there taunting her, talking to her. So she tries instead to focuses on herding and learning to weave and spin wool. Her Aunt has a Book of Time both books handed down through generations and protected by a guardian who can unite both books. But Megge is frightened of them both, she seems to have a natural affinity for healing and helping her mother tend to the sick but Megge continues to refuse to touch or even look on her mothers book. She is worried what it would mean for her to take it up. When an Abbot comes and starts asking questions about her family she knows they are all in danger but doesn't know what to do.
The narrator has a wonderful lilting brogue that gives life to this story of a young Megge and her family. Steeped in superstition and folklore, this is the perfect setting for this tale of a family cursed and a young girl with a huge weight thrust upon her and her not sure if she wants or can handle it.
I thought the book was a bit slow to start but then got sucked into the story and very much enjoyed it. There are a lot of characters and some have lived before thus having 2 different names so you really need to pay attention. I was a little taken aback by how abruptly this first book ended but it did make me look forward to the 2nd in the series.
The narrator has a wonderful lilting brogue that gives life to this story of a young Megge and her family. Steeped in superstition and folklore, this is the perfect setting for this tale of a family cursed and a young girl with a huge weight thrust upon her and her not sure if she wants or can handle it.
I thought the book was a bit slow to start but then got sucked into the story and very much enjoyed it. There are a lot of characters and some have lived before thus having 2 different names so you really need to pay attention. I was a little taken aback by how abruptly this first book ended but it did make me look forward to the 2nd in the series.
michellini90's review
4.0
I received a free ARC via Netgalley.com in exchange for my honest review.
I adored this book! I fell in love with the characters and the story line from the very first sentence! Well worth the read!
I adored this book! I fell in love with the characters and the story line from the very first sentence! Well worth the read!
tpaulschulte's review against another edition
4.0
Well done historical fantasy fiction that takes place in Cornwall in the 1200"s. Very well written.
jasbeingjas's review
5.0
I really loved this book, I honestly think this could become my new favorite series, and definitely in my top 5 favorite series. It actually reminded me a lot a book I read when I was younger that I loved, called Witch Child. This didn't have the same story or format, but I enjoyed the magic behind the more common story of women healers being accused of witchcraft. There were a lot of things that I would wonder and want to know more about, but the pace of the book, and the timing of things being revealed was perfect. I cannot wait for the second book in the series to come out. I went and followed the author on Goodreads before I even finished the book.
sirah's review against another edition
3.0
In this tale, we follow Megge as she grows from a 6 year old child who is afraid of ghostly whispers to a young woman who is prepared to stop at nothing to save the people she loves. Narrator Jen Cramer's voice skips along with a poetic rhythm through picturesque descriptions of the Cornish countryside and thoughtful tales of castles, sailors, medieval craftsmen and wise women. Along the entirety of the novel, one can feel the heavy weight of destiny that follows Megge in the secrets of her mother's magical book, which Megge is afraid to open. Tragic loss pierces the soft flow of a gentle childhood until Megge has no choice but to stand up and do something. What will she do? We don't know because apparently it happens in the second installment of this series.
I have mixed feelings about this book. The first half of it was nearly an idyllic bedtime story with soothing language and only the occasional discomfort as Megge's mother continued to push the child into a confusing and sometimes terrifying future. Somewhere around the middle of the book, things suddenly get a lot worse for the characters, and after the soft beginning, I felt that loss very acutely. This novel has a unique style that I found definitely worthy of thought but which I'm still struggling to make peace with. Rebecca Kightlinger definitely has a way with words, but I'm less confident in her way with parenting advice and plot formation. Although the main character is a child under 15, the themes of witchcraft, inquisition, parenting, crafting, loss and medical concerns plant this novel firmly in the adult category, mostly because even most teenagers wouldn't be comfortable grasping the subtleties in sensation that trickle through the pages.
stacyroth's review against another edition
2.0
I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion.
Megge of Bury Down is old enough to become an apprentice to her mother, which means accepting and vowing to protect the Book of Seasons. However, when she touches the book at her vowtaking ceremony, she hears a voice hiss murderer, and her fingers get burned. Convinced that the book is cursed and she will be too, she refuses even to look at it. When her mother and aunt are arrested for not handing over their books, will Megge find the courage she needs to look in the Book of Seasons?
This book is a bit slow at the beginning but eventually picks up its pace toward the end. I didn't realize before starting the book that Megge is only 6 years old when she goes through her vow-taking ceremony. Even at the climax of the book, she is only 13. Her immaturity definitely shows in the book and put me off her a bit. I would have preferred to follow her mother and aunt through the story more than Megge. Maybe this is a sign that I am getting old? LOL I felt like things were just getting started when the book ended, so I am curious to see what happens in the sequel!
Megge of Bury Down is old enough to become an apprentice to her mother, which means accepting and vowing to protect the Book of Seasons. However, when she touches the book at her vowtaking ceremony, she hears a voice hiss murderer, and her fingers get burned. Convinced that the book is cursed and she will be too, she refuses even to look at it. When her mother and aunt are arrested for not handing over their books, will Megge find the courage she needs to look in the Book of Seasons?
This book is a bit slow at the beginning but eventually picks up its pace toward the end. I didn't realize before starting the book that Megge is only 6 years old when she goes through her vow-taking ceremony. Even at the climax of the book, she is only 13. Her immaturity definitely shows in the book and put me off her a bit. I would have preferred to follow her mother and aunt through the story more than Megge. Maybe this is a sign that I am getting old? LOL I felt like things were just getting started when the book ended, so I am curious to see what happens in the sequel!
louisekf's review against another edition
2.0
Megge of Bury Down is the first in a fantasy/historical fiction series that takes place in 13th century Cornwall, England. Unfortunately, this book just didn’t work for me, even though historical fiction with a bit of magic or fantasy is one of my favorite genres. I listened to the audiobook, narrated well by Jan Cramer. The first half was very slow, consisting of a lot of family history, with not a lot happening. It was a bit difficult to keep all the names and relationships straight - I am not sure if it would have been easier if I were reading rather than listening. At about halfway, the story finally picked up and then it was a rush of events to the end of the book, which ended on a bit of a cliffhanger. I did really enjoy learning about how the women in the book did their healing and how they lived.
Thank you to NetGalley and Rowan Moon for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and Rowan Moon for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook. All opinions are my own.
annarella's review
4.0
Even if I sometimes confused the names and found hard to keep track of the characters this is an interesting and entertaining read, well researched and well written.
I liked the vivid descriptions of the historical background, the storytelling and the character development.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
I liked the vivid descriptions of the historical background, the storytelling and the character development.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
chloesbook's review against another edition
4.0
4,5 Stars. Megge of Bury Down was such a whimsical read. In my case I listen to the audiobook. The narrator did a fantastic job in portraying the magic behind the story of women healers. I enjoyed every bit but the thing that I missed was a little bit of action in the middle of the audiobook.