Rating: 
Summary: The myths at the heart of Tanglewood
Review: This lovely little book tells the story of Brown Hannah, a young girl living on the edge of the forest. She lives a simple life with her animal friends. But her hair is magical, because within it bloom flowers and herbs. The villagers seek her help to cure them of their ills, and the wizard at the heart of the forest brews her blossoms into a magical tea. Thus it has been as long as Hannah can remember. But all this changes one day, when a knight arrives on a quest to seek the treasure within the forest. Hannah falls in love with him and discovers the wizard's true nature. Events lead her away from her home on a journey to seek the magic which will cure her enchanted lover. In the process she learns more about her past, the forest, and her true nature."The Treasure at the Heart of the Tanglewood" owes as much to myth as to fantasy. As Hannah changes with the seasons, it becomes apparent that she's not merely a girl on a quest to save her lover. Pierce never explicitly links her story to any mythological tradition, but there are definitely hints of Persephone here. This is a story that can be read on several different levels--a girl's search for identity and journey into adulthood; an allegory about nature, fertility, and the ongoing cycle of the year; or just a modern fairy tale about a girl, a wizard, and her lover. But however you choose to read it, "The Treasure at the Heart of the Tanglewood" has plenty of charm. It's a good book with which to while away a few hours.
Rating:
Summary: The myths at the heart of Tanglewood
Review: This lovely little book tells the story of Brown Hannah, a young girl living on the edge of the forest. She lives a simple life with her animal friends. But her hair is magical, because within it bloom flowers and herbs. The villagers seek her help to cure them of their ills, and the wizard at the heart of the forest brews her blossoms into a magical tea. Thus it has been as long as Hannah can remember. But all this changes one day, when a knight arrives on a quest to seek the treasure within the forest. Hannah falls in love with him and discovers the wizard's true nature. Events lead her away from her home on a journey to seek the magic which will cure her enchanted lover. In the process she learns more about her past, the forest, and her true nature. "The Treasure at the Heart of the Tanglewood" owes as much to myth as to fantasy. As Hannah changes with the seasons, it becomes apparent that she's not merely a girl on a quest to save her lover. Pierce never explicitly links her story to any mythological tradition, but there are definitely hints of Persephone here. This is a story that can be read on several different levels--a girl's search for identity and journey into adulthood; an allegory about nature, fertility, and the ongoing cycle of the year; or just a modern fairy tale about a girl, a wizard, and her lover. But however you choose to read it, "The Treasure at the Heart of the Tanglewood" has plenty of charm. It's a good book with which to while away a few hours.
| 
