Rating: 
Summary: A Very Great Book
Review: Read this book if you enjoy reading Celtic-like fantasy and appreciate a beautiful writing style.
Rating:
Summary: Another Very Good Australian Author
Review: A truly amazing book. The storyline, centring around the ill-made mute of the title, has its own uniqueness, but it is evident that this is not the only book of what is planned as a trilogy, as the characters still have room to be developed. Because of this, the plot meanders gently, leaving room for description, which is not boring as large blocks of description so often are. The beauty of Cecilia Dart-Thornton's language is breath-taking as wonderful images are conjured up in the reader's mind. Similes and metaphors can often be glaringly obvious and grate on a readers nerves if used excessively but not so here. The eye simply slides over them, drinking them in and bringing forth vivid images of the world the mute foundling lives in - a world of wights and horses that fly. With no memory of life before coming to remote Isse Tower and a face scarred beyond recognition, he faces prejudice and the life of an outcast. Until a turn of events sees the foundling gain a name, a friend and a mode of speech. He also is told the shocking fact that he is actually a she! While journeying through the perilous wilderness, Imhrien faces the danger of unseelie (evil) wights and finds the friendship she has been starved of for so long. This fantasy is different in that it doesn't have the 'great evil' that the characters must face to ensure their/the world's survival. Of course it is likely that there is one, but it creeps in quietly from the background. Influences of Celtic and Welsh mythology are evident as well as the author's own special touch. While the story doesn't end on a cliff-hanger as such, I was left thoroughly annoyed that the second instalment of the trilogy wasn't nearby when I read the last page of this one. I will be buying it ASAP nonetheless. Not perhaps since Tolkien's Lord of the Rings has book been so enjoyable on so many levels.
Rating: 
Summary: The Ill-Made Book
Review: I love fantasy, when it's well-done, but this is apalling. While the main character is engaging at the first, the rest is extremely repetitive, with enough figurative language to choke a bard. However, were it not for all the reptition and figurative language, the book would only be fifty pages long. Also, she takes the convention of inventing new words for the new world too far, and as a result, it is extremely hard to read. Moreover, any interest the main character generates at the beginning is quickly lost when first Truth is discovered, as it becomes a matter of stereotyping, rather than playing with the rather role-reversals that could have been. If you are very hard-pressed for good fantasy, hold out but a little until something better can be found!
Rating: 
Summary: A dissatisfied reader
Review: I also am at a loss as to the reason that this book was rated so highly by so many people. I purchased this book because of its high ratings. I won't make that mistake again.
The concepts and the storyline of 'The Ill-Made Mute' are excellent. Unfortunately it was not supported by the writing. It seems that one "big" word is better than several smaller simpler words. I've been an avid reader for over fifty years with what I believe is a good vocabulary but I've never had to go to the dictionary as often as I did with this book. I also felt that somewhere in learning to write the author was told to use "plenty of similes and metaphors". She did this to the extreme which detracted greatly from the story line.
Why would you go to the trouble of creating a wonderful character like Sianadh only to kill him off in the first book of a trilogy? Why would the main task of the chief character, to find a cure for her facial disfigurement, be solved in just a few short pages at the end of the book. I felt as though I was reading a child's story who upon running out of ideas writes "then we all went home"
This book had so much promise and I was left greatly disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: The I'll Made Mute
Review: The series of the books are great and I can not wait for the third book The Battle of Evernight to come out. I congratulate you on such a terrific series in which I have become an avid fan and would like a copy of the third addition as soon as possible.
Rating:
Summary: grrrrrrrrrr too wordy
Review: I do not understand the ratings on this book. I tried to like this book.I kept thinking in the next chapter the story will get interesting. Never happens.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent, richly written!!
Review: The author writes with a richness of description that is sadly missing from many contemporary works, especially in genre-fiction. As a reader, you care about the characters, and she often hits you with unexpected twists. I found the ending of this, the first book, a touch anti-climactic after all the characters had been through, but am still eagerly awaiting my chance to read the second, and will no doubt go nuts by the time the third is out.
Rating:
Summary: The Ill-Made Mute
Review: This book was a totally awesome read. It begins a little slow, but rollercoasters once you really get going. Its a story of a girl with no history and no memory, and worst of all does not know what she is! What begins as a frightful experience becomes the journey into her past. Anyone who has been looking for an entrapping new read from a fabulous new author to acquire this book as soon as possible. Also, the second installment to the series is out and should definitely be read too!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent fantasy novel..
Review: The start can be distracting, a lot of history and background work needs to get laid and I found that frustrating to say the least.. that was until I got a couple of chapters into the book and found myself in Erith.. and reading the best book I've read in a very long time.. Wonderfully written, you get to end and are craving another dose of Erith.. of Imhrein/Rohain and of Thorn.. would recommend this read to anyone...
Rating:
Summary: i LOVED this book
Review: All of my friends and family think I am a sci-fi/fantasy book worm. I have read so many fantasy books it's not even funny(well...maybe it is) and although I really liked all of them, I've never really found one that I could call my favorite. I've never really had a favorite author either. I borrowed this book from one of my teachers that had checked it out from out public library and unfortunately it was due back before I had even got a chance to begin reading it, but after reading the summary inside the cover I was determined to read it. I checked it out from the library my self and renewed it twice. I've read The Ill-Made Mute about three times and I cannot wait until the sequel comes out.
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