Girl in a Cage

Rating:
Summary: It Was Okay....
Review: "Girl in a Cage" is a fantastic book! It's been a long time since I could not put a book down, and this book broke the drought. Written in a fashion that any historical fiction lover will devour, Yolen and Harris chose to use the reflecting technique that only enhanced the story. You can truly feel for Marjorie. I recommend this book to everyone.

Rating:
Summary: Suspense is Everything
Review: As Jane Yolen and Robert Harris flashback in and out of a young dynamic princess's life, the suspense of foreshadowing at the end of every chapter keeps you engaged and on the edge of your seat.I felt captivated and could almost tune the whole world out just to dive into Jane and Roberts realistic world brought alive by the imagery and strong emotional connotation.I assure you this book is a exciting, intense, sensitive and contains all the components of the real world.Try it out and you'll see!

Rating:
Summary: Very Entertaining
Review: I thought this book was mostly great. I enjoy learning about past histories of countries and I found the story line as well as the facts of the country entertaining. I found myself wanting to read more because I started to feel sympathy for the characters in the book. The only thing that bothered me a little about the book was how the writing went from present to past time but when it all leveled out and was in present then it didn't bother me.

Rating:
Summary: Haunting battle of wills
Review: Jane Yolen and Robert J. Harris serve up a worthy successor to "Queen's Own Fool": "Girl in a Cage," the second of four historical novels taking place during pivotal parts of Scottish history. "Girl" is a great read, funny and chilling and taking readers right into the middle of Scotland during the time of Robert the Bruce.

As the book opens, Marjorie Bruce is being dragged by English soldiers to a small town, where she is tossed into an animal's cage. The villagers treat her with disgust, and she is kept under guard. Her life was turned upside-down when her father confronted and killed Red Comyn, a treacherous lackey of King Edward Longshanks. Now Marjorie's father, Robert the Bruce, has been crowned king of Scotland, and Longshanks is trying to hunt down and kill him.

In flashback, Marjorie reveals the events that turned herself, her stepmother, and her relations into fugitives. In the present, the dying Longshanks visits Marjorie's cage to taunt her, pressing the lonely girl to betray her father in exchange for release. And Marjorie, crown princess of Scotland, is determined to outlast the enemy king, no matter what.

Usually flashbacks stink. But Harris and Yolen pull it off wonderfully, flipping between the past and the present. And even though in the present Marjorie never budges from her cage, there are all sorts of little subplots, such as some peasant children who become her "knights" and "ladies-in-waiting," or the kindly monk who tries to help her in small ways.

Marjorie's character development is absolutely wonderful; at the beginning of the whole adventure, she's a bit immature and petulant. But her rude awakening when she is treated like less than an animal is well-drawn, and her iron-clad determination to outlast Longshanks. Speaking of Longshanks, he is presented as a pretty vile person, but not two-dimensionally so -- one very striking scene near the end has him talking about his dead wife.

The writing isn't too wrapped up in historical details the way most historical novels are. And as with "Fool," Yolen and Harris are careful with the very complex politics of the times. They make all this easy to understand, but never dumbed-down. The descriptions of Marjorie's misery in the cage is haunting.. And the last chapters are incredibly powerful, with Marjorie's last talk with Longshanks and a very unexpected twist. (Whatever it is, you won't expect it)

Adults and kids alike can read "Girl in a Cage" -- like "Fool," it's one of those fantastic historical books that will be as good for any age group, especially for people who love Scotland.

Rating:
Summary: This Book That Make Me Happy, And Stuff Like That !
Review: Now this book like to make me happy cuse this book I read at my
school bus when I got home I was like can you pless give me this
book so I can keep this at the media ctr plessand she said O.K

Rating:
Summary: I wouldn't read it again
Review: There were choppy sentences and there were parts that were a bit too gory. An example of the choppy sentences was right in the beginning. The main character, Princess Marjorie,was imprisoned in a cage, and was talking about how people would throw turnips at her and how she hated it. 'If Father is ever king in more than name, I shall remember those turnips. And the people who threw them.' Throughout the rest of the book, there are many sentences like this that get very annoying to read after awhile.
There are also some unneeded gory parts too. When Marjorie and her family are passing through the Highlands, they are attacked by evil Highlanders. Marjorie gets knocked off her horse and described the scene as,
'All I could see was a blur of legs and horses' hooves and the fine red blur of blood as it spattered the air.'
Later on during the battle, the scene was described as,
'Bleeding horses whinnied and kicked on the ground, wounded and dying men groaned and clutched their wounds in agony.'
I think the authors were trying to be realistic,which is good, but they went a little overboard with the realism.
Overall, it was okay, but I wouldn't read it again.

Rating:
Summary: Historical Novel Brings out the best in yolen and harris
Review: this novel is greatly appreciated, believe you me. i began this book shortly after finishing breath by donna jo napoli (another great read, in a similar time period) and i was engrossed from page one. i finished it within 24 hours, and thanks heavens i had a snow day this week because i read for a few hours and barely lifted my head once to notice anything else.

it can get a bit dragging during the chapters where marjorie and her family (the Bruces) are leading the English through a merry hunt in the Scotish countryside, and i found myself wishing for the captivity days to come sooner. (though all chapters are wonderful, really!) my favorite characters were ultimately Isabel, who reminded me a lot of Alanna from the books by Tamora Pierce, and also Enid, the young snotnosed peasant who visits Marjorie and helps her establish her "court" while she is caged.

Truly a delightful read for young and old!