Book Review: Dreamer's Pool by Juliet Marillier

Friday, September 26, 2014
I love reading. Books are amazing. They are a form of escapism, yes, but they are also inspiration, joy, and... well. Goodness. I think in some ways I have used my appetite for reading to define parts of my personality, so it made sense for me to review some of what I read! Here we go...



Title: Dreamer's Pool
Author: Juliet Marillier
Series: Blackthorn and Grim
Publication Date: October 1st 2014 (Pan Macmillan)

Synopsis: "Embittered healer Blackthorn, wrongly condemned to death, is offered a lifeline by a mysterious stranger. In return, she must set aside her bid for vengeance against the man who destroyed all that she once loved. Not only that: for seven years she must agree to help anyone who asks for her aid. She and her companion Grim settle on the fringes of a mysterious forest in Dalriada, far from the place of their incarceration, and start a new life.
Oran, the crown prince of Dalriada, is waiting for his bride-to-be, Lady Flidais. Her letters and sweet portrait have convinced him that she is his destined true love.
But letters can lie.
To save Oran from disaster, Blackthorn and Grim will need courage, ingenuity, and more than a little magic."

My thoughts: Can we just take a moment to admire this beautiful cover? How wonderful is that? I have heard quite a few people complain about how Marillier does not get the covers her beautiful stories deserve (aside from a select few, such as Prickle Moon. SO beautiful.) and so here is a beautiful cover to admire. Huzzah!

Anyway, on to the story contained within. Blackthorn and Grim are complex characters with dark back-stories, just trying to make a new life for themselves. You can feel the emotions that course through Blackthorn when you read - she has been broken in the past, leaving her a very angry individual indeed. When she agrees to the deal that saves her life, she does not undergo a complete change and start loving everyone everywhere - and I loved this. People who have been hurt so deeply don't just change that way, overnight. The characters in this book felt real and emotional.

The story itself gripped me from the beginning and I always wanted to be reading it. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it. I love how Marillier weaves character, story, and a sense of the Other together and creates stories you just want to disappear into. This one was no different - she seems to just keep getting better.

I will admit that my thoughts are a little jumbled on this book, as I want so much just to dive right back in to the story and keep reading, even though I've already finished it. When I finished the book, I wanted to hug it. Or, at least, keep it close by for a while. Just in case I opened it once more to find I had missed another chapter or two at the end. I love that this is the first book of a new series - but I do fear that I will become exceptionally impatient for the next one.


I received a copy of this book for review from Pan Macmillan. (THANK YOU.)

You would like this book if: you like Juliet Marillier's other books; you enjoy deep characters with just a hint of Otherness.

Rating:  10/10

If you'd like to keep up to date with what I'm reading, follow me on Goodreads here!

1 comment:

  1. Do you remember how old Blackthorn and Grim are, aroundabouts? Or is it never really said?

    ReplyDelete

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