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The Books of the Wode #5
Wyldingwode
Robyn Hood has vanished, and the mystic trine of the Old Religion—Archer, Maiden & Knight—has been broken. Or has it?
Rumours abound as to a hooded man wandering the Shire Wode. Marion holds both the Wode’s magical influence and the castle of Tickhill with shield, sword, and wit—not only for love of her covenant and her children, but as a weapon to bring her brother Robyn back. And Robyn’s lover, Gamelyn, plays a dangerous game with his Templar masters. They believe he has delivered the Wode’s Pagan rites to their use, all the while unaware that Gamelyn has sworn an even deeper oath: he will realise his own power and find Robyn, whatever the sacrifice.
Yet it is Robyn’s to wield the deepest magic of all—he is the Sacrifice, and Undying King of the Wylding Wode.
____________________________
Book Five of the Wode
With a truly original take on the Robin Hood legends, this historical fantasy series sets Robin the outlaw archer as a queer, chaotic-neutral druid; Marion as pagan queen who is sister but not wife, and their consort a Christian--and thusly conflicted--nobleman.
Rumours abound as to a hooded man wandering the Shire Wode. Marion holds both the Wode’s magical influence and the castle of Tickhill with shield, sword, and wit—not only for love of her covenant and her children, but as a weapon to bring her brother Robyn back. And Robyn’s lover, Gamelyn, plays a dangerous game with his Templar masters. They believe he has delivered the Wode’s Pagan rites to their use, all the while unaware that Gamelyn has sworn an even deeper oath: he will realise his own power and find Robyn, whatever the sacrifice.
Yet it is Robyn’s to wield the deepest magic of all—he is the Sacrifice, and Undying King of the Wylding Wode.
____________________________
Book Five of the Wode
With a truly original take on the Robin Hood legends, this historical fantasy series sets Robin the outlaw archer as a queer, chaotic-neutral druid; Marion as pagan queen who is sister but not wife, and their consort a Christian--and thusly conflicted--nobleman.
398 pages, Paperback
First published August 3, 2020
4 people are currently reading
125 people want to read
About the author
J. Tullos Hennig
8books111followersJ Tullos Hennig likes BIG books.
Her award-winning historical fantasy series, The Books of the Wode, is BIG... and a truly innovative re-imagining of the Robin Hood legends, with the notorious outlaw archer as a queer, chaotic-neutral druid.
Active in genre literature and conventions in the 70s/80s/90s, JTH returned to the publishing fold in 2013, and in 2018 was chosen to receive the Speculative Literature Foundation’s juried Older Writers Grant.
Her award-winning historical fantasy series, The Books of the Wode, is BIG... and a truly innovative re-imagining of the Robin Hood legends, with the notorious outlaw archer as a queer, chaotic-neutral druid.
Active in genre literature and conventions in the 70s/80s/90s, JTH returned to the publishing fold in 2013, and in 2018 was chosen to receive the Speculative Literature Foundation’s juried Older Writers Grant.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 23, 2021
1.5 stars
I think if I read this book independently of everything that came before it, I would have enjoyed it a lot more. Because there was a lot of stuff to enjoy, and the writing is still up there amongst the best. Despite our heroes being separated for much of it, that sense of adventure that permeated the first two books was back, and Hennig is at her best when she’s developing scenery and landscapes and the physical world where her tales take place.
Now granted, in this scenario where I pick this book up cold, sure, it would have been a tad confusing, but no more confusing than it was reading it with knowledge of the previous books. It just would have been confusing for where the plot failed and nothing else. But I did read it knowing what came before, knowing how this started and seeing where it had gone, and the threads that were set up for the future, and I can’t divorce that from my reading experience - and trust me, I tried HARD to do just that. Nor can I consolidate this with the promises of the previous books.
Let me backtrack a little (and I will try to keep this from getting too long. I joked with my BR pals this could turn into a master thesis, but I will do my best to keep this as short as possible). I knew from the get-go that this series was not Romance(�) and I read the books the first time through with that expectation - and in fact didn’t enjoy Greenwode that much the first time around because it read like so many other YA Romances I’ve read before it. But on this reread, something shifted. I saw the groundwork the author was laying out for the mythos of this world and the arcs of these characters, Gamelyn and Robyn in particular, and how it was all tied together in those first two books and the two that followed, and it blew my mind. Greenwode became a five-star read for me, and Shirewode remained 5-star. They are truly phenomenal and I can’t say enough good things about them.
Then we went a few months before jumping into this final trilogy of the series since this book was delayed, and when I picked up Winterwode to reread it, I was going through some personal stuff that prevented me from fully immersing into it. I was fine by Summerwode though. Now, over the years since I first read these, I forgot a lot of what happened in these two books - or I thought I did. Turns out, there was a lot of filler in them, Winterwode especially, but they did have a story. They were building toward something, or appeared to be. And then this book finally comes out and failed to deliver on so many things, I’m boggled on how this could happen. This final trilogy just doesn’t feel the same as the first two books, like these are different characters almost, and not in the character growth and character arc way, but in an “I need them to do this, so I’m going to have them act this way� kind of way.
So in short, while there were several elements to the story that I enjoyed quite a lot, the whole is definitely lesser than the sum of its parts.
I have no idea who I would recommend this trilogy to. But I do still and will recommend Greenwode and Shirewode to anyone looking for an epic M/M retelling of Robin Hood, and make sure they understand if they continue past that, they do so at their own risk. They’re not going to get the story that the first two books promise, but thankfully, that duology can be considered more or less a complete arc, despite a few minor plot threads left dangling (especially since this book also leaves plot threads dangling). For me personally, I’m happy to end this in Summerwode
Super thanks to my buddy readers, Rosa and Elena, for holding my hand through this read. As always, you made my reading experience better and more fun.
So to sum it all up:
(Man, there really is a SPN quote for all occasions, lol.)
I think if I read this book independently of everything that came before it, I would have enjoyed it a lot more. Because there was a lot of stuff to enjoy, and the writing is still up there amongst the best. Despite our heroes being separated for much of it, that sense of adventure that permeated the first two books was back, and Hennig is at her best when she’s developing scenery and landscapes and the physical world where her tales take place.
Now granted, in this scenario where I pick this book up cold, sure, it would have been a tad confusing, but no more confusing than it was reading it with knowledge of the previous books. It just would have been confusing for where the plot failed and nothing else. But I did read it knowing what came before, knowing how this started and seeing where it had gone, and the threads that were set up for the future, and I can’t divorce that from my reading experience - and trust me, I tried HARD to do just that. Nor can I consolidate this with the promises of the previous books.
Let me backtrack a little (and I will try to keep this from getting too long. I joked with my BR pals this could turn into a master thesis, but I will do my best to keep this as short as possible). I knew from the get-go that this series was not Romance(�) and I read the books the first time through with that expectation - and in fact didn’t enjoy Greenwode that much the first time around because it read like so many other YA Romances I’ve read before it. But on this reread, something shifted. I saw the groundwork the author was laying out for the mythos of this world and the arcs of these characters, Gamelyn and Robyn in particular, and how it was all tied together in those first two books and the two that followed, and it blew my mind. Greenwode became a five-star read for me, and Shirewode remained 5-star. They are truly phenomenal and I can’t say enough good things about them.
Then we went a few months before jumping into this final trilogy of the series since this book was delayed, and when I picked up Winterwode to reread it, I was going through some personal stuff that prevented me from fully immersing into it. I was fine by Summerwode though. Now, over the years since I first read these, I forgot a lot of what happened in these two books - or I thought I did. Turns out, there was a lot of filler in them, Winterwode especially, but they did have a story. They were building toward something, or appeared to be. And then this book finally comes out and failed to deliver on so many things, I’m boggled on how this could happen. This final trilogy just doesn’t feel the same as the first two books, like these are different characters almost, and not in the character growth and character arc way, but in an “I need them to do this, so I’m going to have them act this way� kind of way.
So in short, while there were several elements to the story that I enjoyed quite a lot, the whole is definitely lesser than the sum of its parts.
I have no idea who I would recommend this trilogy to. But I do still and will recommend Greenwode and Shirewode to anyone looking for an epic M/M retelling of Robin Hood, and make sure they understand if they continue past that, they do so at their own risk. They’re not going to get the story that the first two books promise, but thankfully, that duology can be considered more or less a complete arc, despite a few minor plot threads left dangling (especially since this book also leaves plot threads dangling). For me personally, I’m happy to end this in Summerwode
Super thanks to my buddy readers, Rosa and Elena, for holding my hand through this read. As always, you made my reading experience better and more fun.
So to sum it all up:
(Man, there really is a SPN quote for all occasions, lol.)
August 31, 2020
1.5 stars
Stories don’t have to make sense at the beginning, but they surely have to make sense at the end. And I don’t need all that much hand-holding, I can be confused for most of the book and still enjoy it and love it when it all comes clear, because I am capable of sorting it out on my own.
The problems arise when I have to come up with convoluted explanations as to why things are happening the way they’re happening and why the characters, characters I’ve ‘known� for four books already and whose motivations and decisions should make sense to me, are making the choices they’re making and, if I’m very lucky, some of those things will be explained in a brief sentence at the end of the book and I’ll have to be grateful they weren’t left dangling like so many other loose ends. That’s not storytelling, that’s just putting words on paper.
In case you didn’t notice already, I’m bitter, and maybe I’m being unfair, regarding the end of this series. Maybe it would’ve been a passably good story if the last three books had been taken by themselves, but it’s really hard not to regret what could’ve been, after those vibrant first two books.
And maybe you shouldn’t take my opinion too seriously, since I was disenchanted with the series by the end of the previous book and I would’ve likely DNFed this one if the friends I’ve been reading it with hadn’t made up for the book’s lacking with their insights and much more interesting conversation. Too bad I can’t rate books as I would buddy reads, they would all be 5 stars.
So, yes, don’t take my opinion too seriously, but just let me tell you that I was happy with one thing about this book. Unlike the two previous ones, at least here some things happened and things more or less moved forward. I almost enjoyed parts of it, if I could take a step back and see those things outside of this specific story. The writing was still technically good, but without great character dynamics and a great story behind it, it just felt hollow.
And since not much of what happened made much sense to me, that pro isn’t exactly a big win.
And there was so much focus on religion/magic, but not in the good, interesting way of the first two books. One of the things I liked most in those was the way the characters approached their religion, the way they interacted with the gods, the way Robyn challenged the Horned Lord and made decisions for himself, going against the way things had always been done.
From the third book, and particularly in the last two, I’ve lost every respect I had for the characters when it comes to their religion, so the subject just bored and/or annoyed me.
I could say more about the huge disappointment of seeing Robyn and Gamelyn’s relationship reduced to a pale shadow of what it was, but I really can’t do it. I’ve wasted enough time on this and I just need to move on and try to forget everything after the second book ever happened.
“Since when do stories have to make sense at the beginning? Or hold your hand and lead you through all careful when you’re capable of sorting it on your own? En’t it the point of a truly fine tale, to wend you through some answers as sprout hard questions? Mayhap to break you, so’s you can sort the pieces and figure what they mean?�I absolutely agree, Robyn. Stories that make me ask the hard questions, make me challenge my beliefs and my view on life, are the best. Stories that make me scratch my head and wish for some real, actual brain bleach…not so much.
Stories don’t have to make sense at the beginning, but they surely have to make sense at the end. And I don’t need all that much hand-holding, I can be confused for most of the book and still enjoy it and love it when it all comes clear, because I am capable of sorting it out on my own.
The problems arise when I have to come up with convoluted explanations as to why things are happening the way they’re happening and why the characters, characters I’ve ‘known� for four books already and whose motivations and decisions should make sense to me, are making the choices they’re making and, if I’m very lucky, some of those things will be explained in a brief sentence at the end of the book and I’ll have to be grateful they weren’t left dangling like so many other loose ends. That’s not storytelling, that’s just putting words on paper.
In case you didn’t notice already, I’m bitter, and maybe I’m being unfair, regarding the end of this series. Maybe it would’ve been a passably good story if the last three books had been taken by themselves, but it’s really hard not to regret what could’ve been, after those vibrant first two books.
And maybe you shouldn’t take my opinion too seriously, since I was disenchanted with the series by the end of the previous book and I would’ve likely DNFed this one if the friends I’ve been reading it with hadn’t made up for the book’s lacking with their insights and much more interesting conversation. Too bad I can’t rate books as I would buddy reads, they would all be 5 stars.
So, yes, don’t take my opinion too seriously, but just let me tell you that I was happy with one thing about this book. Unlike the two previous ones, at least here some things happened and things more or less moved forward. I almost enjoyed parts of it, if I could take a step back and see those things outside of this specific story. The writing was still technically good, but without great character dynamics and a great story behind it, it just felt hollow.
And since not much of what happened made much sense to me, that pro isn’t exactly a big win.
And there was so much focus on religion/magic, but not in the good, interesting way of the first two books. One of the things I liked most in those was the way the characters approached their religion, the way they interacted with the gods, the way Robyn challenged the Horned Lord and made decisions for himself, going against the way things had always been done.
From the third book, and particularly in the last two, I’ve lost every respect I had for the characters when it comes to their religion, so the subject just bored and/or annoyed me.
I could say more about the huge disappointment of seeing Robyn and Gamelyn’s relationship reduced to a pale shadow of what it was, but I really can’t do it. I’ve wasted enough time on this and I just need to move on and try to forget everything after the second book ever happened.
August 29, 2020
It's over and first came denial, then anger, later bargaining followed by depression, and at last acceptance. It's been a hard process from book three to here, thinking on what could have been and wasn't in the end, but once I made somewhat peace with how different the first two books feel from this last trilogy, I enjoyed the ride, more or less. SPOILERS again, beware!
Well, it's been a ride, that's for sure, sometimes enjoyable, and at times, only bearable thanks to my fellow BReaders :)
Well, it's been a ride, that's for sure, sometimes enjoyable, and at times, only bearable thanks to my fellow BReaders :)
August 11, 2020
Wow, what an ending. It's a perfect ending and this is a marvelous book. This story and these characters have been living in my heart for years and I feel a little bereft at the ending of The Wode, but so very satisfied. This is arguably my favourite series ever. It's very special to me and I'm sad it's over, but how incredibly excited am I to re-read the whole *complete* series in one go?! I think most anything I could say about the plot would be a spoiler, so I'll keep quiet on that front. It's a wonderfully long book, like all the books in this series, and I swam in it for a week and it was glorious. I absolutely loved it and I don't think I'm able to be objective at all, or able to say anything remotely useful. The best books are the hardest to say anything useful about, aren't they? This is the capstone on a stunning piece of work. It fulfilled my very high expectations. I am so eager to find out what's next for this author.
August 28, 2022
⛔️ Warning: If you love and cherish Greenwode and Shirewode - DO NOT READ THIS BOOK. It will ruin your enjoyment of the original duology.
Since the book turned out to be such a shit show, I will content myself pretending there were only two books in the series, the rest is garbage.
I pretty much pointed out in my review to Winterwode where things were going and I did not care for that direction. To me there is Greenwode and Shirewode duology and that’s it.
And to paraphrase one of the main characters - “stories don’t have to make sense�, they do however need not to be forced in nonsensical directions with ridiculous endings.
P.S. For actual plot details, please read Linda’s, Elena’s and Rosa’s reviews. They very eloquently pointed out all the terrible flaws I wholeheartedly agree with and feel no need to repeat.
UPDATE
08/27/2022
I was re-reading the original Wode books and it made me so angry. What happened to the “star crossed lovers� who found their way to each other again? What happened to the “gay Robin Hood� retelling the author was so frequently talking about in the first two books? One of the greatest tales I have read is stained, soiled now with the disaster that followed.
Now, almost 10 years after Greenwode, I feel so duped.
If I could give books 3-5 negative star rating I would.
P.S. Now, this makes sense. SO MUCH.
Since the book turned out to be such a shit show, I will content myself pretending there were only two books in the series, the rest is garbage.
I pretty much pointed out in my review to Winterwode where things were going and I did not care for that direction. To me there is Greenwode and Shirewode duology and that’s it.
And to paraphrase one of the main characters - “stories don’t have to make sense�, they do however need not to be forced in nonsensical directions with ridiculous endings.
P.S. For actual plot details, please read Linda’s, Elena’s and Rosa’s reviews. They very eloquently pointed out all the terrible flaws I wholeheartedly agree with and feel no need to repeat.
UPDATE
08/27/2022
I was re-reading the original Wode books and it made me so angry. What happened to the “star crossed lovers� who found their way to each other again? What happened to the “gay Robin Hood� retelling the author was so frequently talking about in the first two books? One of the greatest tales I have read is stained, soiled now with the disaster that followed.
Now, almost 10 years after Greenwode, I feel so duped.
If I could give books 3-5 negative star rating I would.
P.S. Now, this makes sense. SO MUCH.
August 16, 2020
I can’t deny that having the three MCs apart for so much of this final book was a disappointment. And the riddle-speak of the gods & fae left me unclear as to the oath that had trapped Robyn and the bargain that released him. Or what Gamelyn had to accomplish on his pilgrimage. But the writing was exquisite as usual so I’m not going to dock it a star because it didn’t conform to the imaginary book in my head.
Reading this wonderfully long series has been an extraordinary experience. I have loved these characters like few others I’ve ever encountered and I’ll be mourning the end of this epic story for some time to come.
Reading this wonderfully long series has been an extraordinary experience. I have loved these characters like few others I’ve ever encountered and I’ll be mourning the end of this epic story for some time to come.
June 24, 2020
Wyldingwode (Book 5 of the Wode series)
J. Tullos Hennig
Forest Path Books, 2020
Five stars
So, Sherwood Forest (Shire Wode) survives, among the oldest forested regions of England, but a shadow of its earlier self. Tickhill Castle exists only as a historical memory and a name, its Norman gatehouse serving a later manor house. The castle itself was torn down in 1648, precisely because it had always been such a go-to stronghold for rebellious noblemen.
How does one build a happily-ever-after knowing what we know? Yes, yes, J. Tullos Hennig’s brilliant re-telling of the Robin Hood story is fiction; but it is fiction deeply rooted in cultural and historical realities of the late 12th and early 13th centuries. This is not Disney; this is not a Harlequin Romance. From the very first page, my mind was asking: what is the author going to do? How will she pull this off?
We start into the narrative six years after Robyn mysteriously disappears into the Barrow Mere in the heart of Shire Wode � dragged off by the Goddess, whose relationship with the Horned Lord seems, well, fractious. Her brother gone, Marion finds herself in an unimaginable position � mistress of Tickhill Castle—a lady!—chatting comfortably with the Earl of Huntingdon and King John of England.
What?
Gamelyn reappears from his mysterious duties at Temple Hirst, only long enough to defeat King John at a Beltane contest (what?) and impregnate his redhaired lady with a third child. Yes, third. Five-year-old Aderyn, the spitting image of her uncle Robyn, whom she’s never met; and toddler Robyn, the spitting image of his mother’s husband � the Templar priest who is also Robyn’s fated lover. (In modern terms: Robyn’s the gay one, Marion, his sister, is the straight one, and Gamelyn is the bi-guy who binds them into a critical, magical triangle). But Gamelyn has realized that the path to his ultimate union with Robyn (who’s gone) and Marion (his wife) is through his Christian vows � which are also at the core of the institution trying to crush all of them and their magic with their “iron and bells.� Just when Marion’s life gets really complicated, Gamelyn takes off to Outremer—Syria—with a holy relic so powerful that only he can find the place where it must be returned.
So that’s the layout: Robyn hidden somewhere by the Fae; Gamelyn off to the desert to find himself (if he survives); and Marion, crofter’s daughter turned chatelaine, holding down the fort (literally) and finding herself the target of every ambitious sexist nobleman (meaning every nobleman) within an arrow’s flight.
Yikes. What a hot mess.
Hennig’s path is torturous and literate. She uses language to set the mood, set the various scenes, and paint her characters in vivid colors. How could I love Marion and Robyn and Gamelyn any more? Even more, I loved Aderyn and Robbie � who’s a toddler, for Goddess’s sake!—who become the most interesting children I’ve encountered in a book in years. We learn about confusing and mysterious magical worlds; we learn about medieval life in amazing detail; and we learn about the Syrian tribe who gave us the word “assassin.� Hennig is astonishing in her breadth of detail and imagery � she makes this difficult, complicated world feel alive and immediate.
Hennig makes me weep in frustration and anxiety and, finally, happiness. This series has been astonishing in its writing, its storytelling, and its emotional richness. We all know what happened in Great Britain because we all know the history. But we also know that plenty of people in the UK still celebrate Beltane, Samhain, and the Solstices. The magic has not died. The Wode series gives us a unique entry into a long-lost world and brings the world and the magic to life.
J. Tullos Hennig
Forest Path Books, 2020
Five stars
So, Sherwood Forest (Shire Wode) survives, among the oldest forested regions of England, but a shadow of its earlier self. Tickhill Castle exists only as a historical memory and a name, its Norman gatehouse serving a later manor house. The castle itself was torn down in 1648, precisely because it had always been such a go-to stronghold for rebellious noblemen.
How does one build a happily-ever-after knowing what we know? Yes, yes, J. Tullos Hennig’s brilliant re-telling of the Robin Hood story is fiction; but it is fiction deeply rooted in cultural and historical realities of the late 12th and early 13th centuries. This is not Disney; this is not a Harlequin Romance. From the very first page, my mind was asking: what is the author going to do? How will she pull this off?
We start into the narrative six years after Robyn mysteriously disappears into the Barrow Mere in the heart of Shire Wode � dragged off by the Goddess, whose relationship with the Horned Lord seems, well, fractious. Her brother gone, Marion finds herself in an unimaginable position � mistress of Tickhill Castle—a lady!—chatting comfortably with the Earl of Huntingdon and King John of England.
What?
Gamelyn reappears from his mysterious duties at Temple Hirst, only long enough to defeat King John at a Beltane contest (what?) and impregnate his redhaired lady with a third child. Yes, third. Five-year-old Aderyn, the spitting image of her uncle Robyn, whom she’s never met; and toddler Robyn, the spitting image of his mother’s husband � the Templar priest who is also Robyn’s fated lover. (In modern terms: Robyn’s the gay one, Marion, his sister, is the straight one, and Gamelyn is the bi-guy who binds them into a critical, magical triangle). But Gamelyn has realized that the path to his ultimate union with Robyn (who’s gone) and Marion (his wife) is through his Christian vows � which are also at the core of the institution trying to crush all of them and their magic with their “iron and bells.� Just when Marion’s life gets really complicated, Gamelyn takes off to Outremer—Syria—with a holy relic so powerful that only he can find the place where it must be returned.
So that’s the layout: Robyn hidden somewhere by the Fae; Gamelyn off to the desert to find himself (if he survives); and Marion, crofter’s daughter turned chatelaine, holding down the fort (literally) and finding herself the target of every ambitious sexist nobleman (meaning every nobleman) within an arrow’s flight.
Yikes. What a hot mess.
Hennig’s path is torturous and literate. She uses language to set the mood, set the various scenes, and paint her characters in vivid colors. How could I love Marion and Robyn and Gamelyn any more? Even more, I loved Aderyn and Robbie � who’s a toddler, for Goddess’s sake!—who become the most interesting children I’ve encountered in a book in years. We learn about confusing and mysterious magical worlds; we learn about medieval life in amazing detail; and we learn about the Syrian tribe who gave us the word “assassin.� Hennig is astonishing in her breadth of detail and imagery � she makes this difficult, complicated world feel alive and immediate.
Hennig makes me weep in frustration and anxiety and, finally, happiness. This series has been astonishing in its writing, its storytelling, and its emotional richness. We all know what happened in Great Britain because we all know the history. But we also know that plenty of people in the UK still celebrate Beltane, Samhain, and the Solstices. The magic has not died. The Wode series gives us a unique entry into a long-lost world and brings the world and the magic to life.
June 9, 2020
I was lucky enough to read an early draft of Wyldingwode and....
Oh. NONE OF YOU ARE PREPARED FOR THIS RIDE!
Oh. NONE OF YOU ARE PREPARED FOR THIS RIDE!
May 10, 2021
God, this book was gorgeous and tense and cathartic. It wasn't perfect, but it was exactly right.
~*~ Oh boy, apparently this book is controversial. ~*~
A more coherent review:
I skimmed through some of the other reviews on here and they bring up valid points. It's funny what makes or breaks a book for different readers. I essentially agreed with a lot of the criticism that other reviewers brought up: yeah the relationship between Robyn and Gamelyn was relegated in favor of the poly dynamic, yes there were parts of the narrative that were confusing, absolutely yes the focus on reproduction and religious rights and forced coupling of the lord and lady was problematic. I agree with all of that, but those issues don't outweigh, for me, the strength of the characters who I love so much or the gorgeous (just freakin' beautiful, ya'll) writing.
Wyldingwode is what happens when fate rips the Ceugant apart again, but this time our characters are a little bit older and a lot more mature. At the end of Summerwode we saw our three main characters separated by fate: Robyn pulled into Barrow Mere, Galelyn under the yoke of the Templars, and Marion left to manage hearth and home at Tickhill with new baby Aderyn. At the outset of this tale, we’ve moved forward a few years in time, but not much else has changed. Robyn is still missing, Gamelyn is still being drawn away by his Templar masters, Marion is still occupied defending Tickhill and her status as a peasant and a woman among the lords of the land.
J Tullos Hennig is an outstandingly talented writer. Her prose is gorgeous and evocative of life in a Medieval castle, in Outremer, or even in a magical fae cavern.
Read more at my blog: BooshelfSOS:
~*~ Oh boy, apparently this book is controversial. ~*~
A more coherent review:
I skimmed through some of the other reviews on here and they bring up valid points. It's funny what makes or breaks a book for different readers. I essentially agreed with a lot of the criticism that other reviewers brought up: yeah the relationship between Robyn and Gamelyn was relegated in favor of the poly dynamic, yes there were parts of the narrative that were confusing, absolutely yes the focus on reproduction and religious rights and forced coupling of the lord and lady was problematic. I agree with all of that, but those issues don't outweigh, for me, the strength of the characters who I love so much or the gorgeous (just freakin' beautiful, ya'll) writing.
Wyldingwode is what happens when fate rips the Ceugant apart again, but this time our characters are a little bit older and a lot more mature. At the end of Summerwode we saw our three main characters separated by fate: Robyn pulled into Barrow Mere, Galelyn under the yoke of the Templars, and Marion left to manage hearth and home at Tickhill with new baby Aderyn. At the outset of this tale, we’ve moved forward a few years in time, but not much else has changed. Robyn is still missing, Gamelyn is still being drawn away by his Templar masters, Marion is still occupied defending Tickhill and her status as a peasant and a woman among the lords of the land.
J Tullos Hennig is an outstandingly talented writer. Her prose is gorgeous and evocative of life in a Medieval castle, in Outremer, or even in a magical fae cavern.
Read more at my blog: BooshelfSOS:
March 9, 2021
I really struggled with the language in this book. Found it rambling and meandering, too slow for me. I think this was a problem for me in earlier books too, but I got used to the writing style and enjoyed the stories. Maybe I had too long a break after the last book.
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