Book rec
Not sure if I've recc'd this here or not, but anyway I found myself reading it again yesterday, and remembered how much I love it.
The Perilous Gard, by Elizabeth Marie Pope - YA historical fiction with some supernatural and mystery elements. Through no fault of her own, Kate Sutton (a lady-in-waiting to the future Elizabeth I) draws the ire of Queen Mary. Promptly banished from Lady Elizabeth's tiny court at Hatfield, Kate is given into the custody of Sir Geoffery Heron, the master of Elvenwood Hall, deep in the wilds of Derbyshire. Sir Geoffery is a good man, but there's plenty of trouble brewing in the ancient Elvenwood - some of it domestic, some of it said to be the work of the Fairy Folk who live under the Hill. And of course Kate finds herself caught in the middle of it all.
This is a well-crafted story, with beautiful atmosphere and solid characters. Kate walks the fine line between independent and believably-16th-century, and she does it with aplomb. (She is also, unquestionably, the hero of the story. Even when circumstances force her into dire situations, she's never passive.) Christopher, Randal, Master John, Alicia, the Lady - they're all splendid (and some splendidly villainous). The historical characters are handled well in their brief appearances. The treatment of the Fairy Folk will probably be a surprise to most folks, though it's a welcome one as far as I'm concerned. The plot snaps right along, but never so fast that you can't soak in the details. This is an oldie, first published in 1974, so perhaps that's why the romance is realistically developed and free of any major geometry problems.
And - bonus! - it's illustrated.
The Perilous Gard, by Elizabeth Marie Pope - YA historical fiction with some supernatural and mystery elements. Through no fault of her own, Kate Sutton (a lady-in-waiting to the future Elizabeth I) draws the ire of Queen Mary. Promptly banished from Lady Elizabeth's tiny court at Hatfield, Kate is given into the custody of Sir Geoffery Heron, the master of Elvenwood Hall, deep in the wilds of Derbyshire. Sir Geoffery is a good man, but there's plenty of trouble brewing in the ancient Elvenwood - some of it domestic, some of it said to be the work of the Fairy Folk who live under the Hill. And of course Kate finds herself caught in the middle of it all.
This is a well-crafted story, with beautiful atmosphere and solid characters. Kate walks the fine line between independent and believably-16th-century, and she does it with aplomb. (She is also, unquestionably, the hero of the story. Even when circumstances force her into dire situations, she's never passive.) Christopher, Randal, Master John, Alicia, the Lady - they're all splendid (and some splendidly villainous). The historical characters are handled well in their brief appearances. The treatment of the Fairy Folk will probably be a surprise to most folks, though it's a welcome one as far as I'm concerned. The plot snaps right along, but never so fast that you can't soak in the details. This is an oldie, first published in 1974, so perhaps that's why the romance is realistically developed and free of any major geometry problems.
And - bonus! - it's illustrated.