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Summary: Incredible!
Review: This book is, without a doubt, one of my favorite books. It illustrates wonderfully the way life was in that time period, as well as the fears of people who know little or nothing about Juniper's religion--which is very similar to modern-day Paganism. As Wise Child learns, the reader learns along with her: what life was like, and how the witch-hunts were often unjustified and sometimes outright lies. The thread of the stroy is not lost, nor does the author wander too much from the story at hand; we are drawn into the world where Wise Child and Juniper live. In short, it is an excellent book.
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Summary: The Book That Will Take You Soaring Into Another Time
Review: Wise Child is one of two FANTASTIC books by Monica Furlong. If you like adventure, suspense and magic, this is a book you'll want to buy. There was point in my childhood where I needed to find out what direction my life was going to be headed in. This story taught me about tolerance and nature, but most of all, it taught me a lot about myself. I know that if it wasn't for this book, I'd still be looking for a place to go when I dream. Monica Furlong has given me that place. If you need a peaceful place to go when the world gets hectic, read _Wise Child_ and _Juniper_ and find that place in these books
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Summary: One of the best young adult fantasies ever
Review: I really regret not being in the age group this book was written for when it first came out. Think of all the extra years of dreams and imaginations it could have inspired! I'm sure _Wise Child_ would have become one of those very few books that I read until the bindings fell apart, then had to buy a fresh copy as an adult. As it was, I didn't run across the book until I was "all grown up", but that didn't stop me from loving it immediately, nor from buying a copy for my best friend. When Wise Child's grandmother dies, she is taken in by Juniper, a very wise and gentle woman who is rumored to be a witch. In truth, Juniper is a *doran*, a person who takes her power from the natural world and works magic only for the good of all. With Juniper, Wise Child learns the ways of such magic, and begins to understand her own inner powers. Then the black sorceress Maeve appears...
Magic and adventure is written into _Wise Child_'s every line. But there's a lot of wisdom too. Tolerance for diversity is a big theme, as well as respect for nature. And Juniper is about as good a role model as a young woman can ask for. If you're a parent, buy this book for your child and borrow it when they're not looking-- there's a lot in it; you won't regret it. If you're a kid, trust me, this book really is worth spending your allowance on. (You'll want to make sure your flashlight has extra batteries.) And for everyone else who loves a good fantasy, _Wise Child_ is as good as it gets. I hope you'll give it a try.
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Summary: I don't like reading, and I loved reading this book...
Review: When I was younger, I hated reading, I wasn't slow at it--I just didn't like it. But I absolutely loved this book. It is, to this day, still my favorite book, and I'm a young adult now. I highly recommend this book to anyone of any age just interested in a good read to take them back to those imaginative times of youth.
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Summary: The Best Book Ever!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: I really love Monica Furlong's books, both Juniper and Wise Child. But her fantasy world is NOT the historical one. It has ties to early Ireland (before Christianity fully took hold), and so if it were historical it would be set before 1000 A.D. But Furlong introduces a witch-hunting inquisitor; the inquisition in the real world was only started in 1213, well after Christanity had taken over in Ireland. By the time that the witch-accusations start to be part of church activity (in the 1400s) no-one in Britain was admitting to the Old Religion. There are other touches that indicate that Furlong's fantasy world is not historical, but only the ones dealing with inter-religious conflicts are truly troubling-- because they may lead young people to have a inaccurate and possibly prejudiced view of the history of religion. (No, I'm not a Christian...)
Anyway, the book itself is a great fantasy and I love it. It should just not be read as resembling real history.
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Summary: This book is an absolute Gem!
Review: To begin, I direct you to the original cover. Let's take a gander at the beauty of this cover, ladies and gentlemen. First of all, it's beyond beautiful. It's stunning. Two women, one grown and one small, gaze coolly at the viewer. They are surrounded by the elements of their trade, namely herbs with a pistle & morter. I salute the cover artist in this case. Both characters are unaccountably and undeniably right.
Wise Child lives in an early Scottish community. Her mother left her long ago and her father is a shipman, ever away at sea. When her grandmother dies of old age, Wise Child is nine years old and utterly alone in the world. Taken in by the local witch, Wise Child is initially reluctant to live with someone potentially evil. In time, however, she comes to love her guardian, Juniper, and the two become close. Even as Wise Child's mother, an evil sorceress, lays claim on her child and the villagers grow restless at having a witch in such close proximity the two stick together. This is a story about finding the person who loves you and bearing with them through thick and thin. It's about love.
Furlong's an elegant writer, and this was an amazingly well wrought tale. Juniper is almost without fault, though she is by no means unlikable because of her perfection. Certainly I felt the woman's hands off approach towards raising a willful child was a little bizarre. Juniper is almost never angry with the initially spoiled Wise Child, and one has to wonder what a less well-behaved tyke would have done in her place. Wise Child herself is entirely human and full of the kind of flaws that make her real and interesting. She's rarely in complete control of any situation, but she knows her own mind. The book itself is very appropriate for younger viewers. There's relatively little violence and zippo inappropriate language. Even Wise Child's flighty parents were married when she was born. You probably would have a hard time finding a book more appropriate for those kids that want a fantasy but are also attached to stories with a good solid grasp on reality. I myself was drawn to the idea of the strong wise woman raising a girl child on her own. The book works best when it recognizes different points of view and calmly points them out without screaming or battering you over the head with the moral. In fact, even as I write this, I realize that this is a story about morality in the finest sense. It's about accepting others and being true to what is good and pure in human beings, regardless of religion or beliefs. And in today's madcap world, that's exactly the kind of message we should be striving to get out there more and more. A gem.
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Summary: wicked good!!!! The best!
Review: Honest to whatever God you believe in, this book changed my life. Reading it in 6th grade put things in perspective, and helped me to grow, just as does the main character.About a girl growing up under the tutalage of the mysterious herbalist\witch, Juniper, Wise Child is a spellbinding, lucidly written, and relatable novel. Some elements are quite fantastical, others disturbing, but most are painfully realistic, particuarly the trial. I should mention that those who are offended by paganism and witchcraft ought not to read this book, for it deals with such. It also might help, especially in the end, to know a bit of Celtic mythology.
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