The Perilous Gard (Puffin Newbery Library)

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Summary: A book fo all ages...THAT IS GREAT!!!!
Review: "The Perilous Gard" by Elizabeth Marie Pope was a thrilling read that i could not put down from the moment i picked it up.
This book combines wonderfully the traights of historical fiction, a romance, mystery, and of course, magic.
The story is about unremakable Kate sutton who is banshed by Queen Mary Tudor to the dismal castle Perilous Gard. There Kate must uncover the dreadful secret that haunts the castle and its woods, while finding the power within her to outsmart the cold hearted Queen of the fairies and save the man she loves from commiting the ultimate sacrifice, to right the wrong he commited years ago...
The characthers in the book are well developed and you feel something for each of them from the witty and brave Kate, to the dark and troubled Christopher. This book weaves and extrodinary tale about the power of love and redemption and the courage to fight the fears in one's self.


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Summary: Whither shall I follow follow thee?
Review: By hook or by crook I've somehow managed to read quite a few children's books containing fairies, elves, little people, Old Ones, etc. in my day. From the haunting "The Moorchild" to the technologically advanced "Artemis Fowl", I've had the pleasure of witnessing a wide spectrum of intriguing takes on classic sprites. Yet it wasn't until "The Perilous Gard" that I read a story that not only presented the Fairy Folk in a realistic way but gave them a historical background as well. Part historical drama part fantastical romance, "The Perilous Gard" is an entirely original story with a merry style of its own.

Meet Kate Sutton. Lady-in-waiting to the exiled Princess Elizabeth (future queen) and sister to Alicia Sutton, her flutterbrained little sib. When Alicia sends a foolish letter to Queen Mary, it is Kate who takes the blame. She is swiftly banished to the estate of Sir Geoffrey Heron, a kind and noble man with huge tracts of land. This land was left to him by his dear departed wife and has been referred to as the "perilous gard". Many mysteries surround the area. Rumors speak of wild fairies in the woods and disappearing children. Left on her own, Kate slowly unravels the mystery of the land and befriends Christopher Heron, younger brother of Geoffrey. When the boy makes a pact with the People of the Hill, Kate must use all her cleverness and strength to save him from forces she does not yet understand.

I loved the use of conspiracy in this book. Suddenly fairies aren't necessarily the mysterious creatures they usually are. Instead, they've a pact with the servants of the castle and are willing to use extortion, kidnapping, and bribery to get what they want. In fact, they're basically human with a few mysterious ways and fun potions at their disposal. I was especially taken with Kate's explanation of fairies in the first place. To her mind, the pagans that inhabited Britain were driven underground (literally) with the coming of Christianity. Therefore, the People of the Hill are merely a race of people desperately trying to hold onto some semblance of their own land.

One of the nice things about this book was the personality of the protagonist herself. Kate's logical sensibilities (she's not exactly a romantic) end up saving both her and those she loves time and time again. She's a wonderful balance to the crazy things and people around her. Whenever Christopher goes into a moody pattern of thought, it's Kate that can make him either laugh or growl with her down-to-earth practicalities. Author Elizabeth Marie Pope is wonderful at creating characters that stick with you. Alicia, Kate's sister, is such a horrible floozy you wouldn't mind a bit if Kate decided to smother her with a pillow on page 3. As for the Lady of the Fairy Folk, she meets her match when she decides to go head-to-head with the incomparable Kate Sutton.

The heroine of this tale bears more than a passing resemblance to a more recent fantastical tale. Also containing a hero named Kate, "The Hollow Kingdom" by Clare Dunkle has more than one similarity to "The Perilous Gard". Be that as it may, they are both wonderful tales, and I highly recommend you go out and read them both immediately. They would pair excellently together. Definitely consider purchasing them. "The Perilous Gard" has never garnered the attention it so rightly deserves, but I feel it's truly coming into its own. Do yourself a favor and read a copy for your own enjoyment. You won't be disappointed.


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Summary: Holy Cow, it blew my socks off!
Review: I absolutely adored this book! It holds true to many of the ballads about the Fair Folk that I have heard of, and many of the books I have read about them. Also, I loved the heroine, Kate. She was refreshingly real, with as many pitfalls as you or I, but she had a strength of will to be envied. It made my heart race in anticipation for the conclusion. You got to know Kate so well that your heart ached with hers when it ached. An excellent book.

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Summary: Sets the standard for faerie worlds everywhere
Review: I have to admit that I was at first a little reluctant to read this book. It sounded like it was more historical fiction than fantasy, and I'm a fantasy buff. But I finally started in on it and I was surprised! Very surprised........don't even ask how often I've re-read it.

Elizabeth Marie Pope creates an interesting world that is set in Tudor England. This is really only the backdrop for the story, however. I would definitely consider it fantasy rather than historical fiction, and it has some of the best Faerie people I've ever read.

The basic plot summary is this: Kate Sutton, a plain, awkward girl who feels overshadowed by her beautiful, oblivious younger sister, gets sent to a remote manor house because of something that really isn't her fault. The lord of the manor leaves right after he has escorted her there, and she quickly realizes that all is not as it seems. The cast at the house includes a cold steward, a frightened old serving-woman, and the brother of the lord, who is blaming himself for something... The villagers all talk of a woman in green who is seen in the woods, and at the castle, hints are dropped about the lord's young daughter, who disappeard years ago. Kate pokes her nose into what is not her business and ends up a prisoner of the 'faeries', in a strange underground world....

There is also a very nice bit of romance, and parts of the story are reminiscent of Tam Lin. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a good fairy-tale.

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Summary: Paganism, Christianity, and a Medieval mood
Review: I hoenstly like THe Perilous Gard better each time I read it. I don't think I appreciated it enough the first time--I found the fairies so different from my Peter-Pan-ish idea of fairies. But this is a fairy tale in the best sense. NOt only is the entire story "realistic" (at least moreso than most fairytales), but I find the mood so captivating. Imagine a dark woods, deep in Northern England, a Medieval party on horseback, the haunting sound of a far-off voice chanting a ballad, and the sight of a mysterious and beautiful woman in a long green cloak. I love anything Medieval, and this book captures some of my favorite MEdieval topics: romance, Christianity (especially the part about the "cold iron" drew me in), paganism, ballads...together these create a thoroughly medieval mood. ANd the references to Tam Lin are wonderful. I can't wait to read Pope's other novel, "THe Sherwood Ring."

Those of you who are Tam Lin fans will also enjoy "FIre and Hemlock" by DIana Wynne JOnes. That book approaches the ballad of Tam Lin in a completely different way--and it's so complex and so compelling!

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Summary: A Kid's Review
Review: I liked this book because I think Elizabeth Marie Pope did a VERY good job describing things although she used some very hard words, indeed!! Zippy

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Summary: An Inspiring and Gripping Book
Review: I probably read The Perilous Gard for the first time about ten years ago. I still love it!! It proves that women can be strong, smart, and courageous. The characters are awesome, and the ending is perfect. The book is mystical, historical, and a lot of fun to read. Greatly recommended!!

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Summary: Faeries Forever
Review: I read this book two years ago and I still constantly think about it! It was such a great read, and it opened up the door of Faerie for me! Before then I had always considered faeries the kind with wands and magic glitter! How wrong I was! I also fell in love with Christopher, a young man who in the story is captured by the Faeries. I love this book and it is one of my favorite stories of all time, along with the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. Now I'm a faerie fanatic, and I think that if you read this book, you will become one too!

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Summary: Great book!
Review: I was skeptical about getting the book at first. I am interesting in Tuodor England, but Fairy Folk? Well, I finally got it, and it's a great book. I've always loved historical fiction, but now I'm getting into fantasy. It has romance, action, magic, mystery, and includes everyone's favorite holiday, Halloween.

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Summary: Great Historical Fantasy!!!!!!
Review: My mother brought this book home for me about 8 years ago when I was in high school, and I absolutely could not put it down!!! Without going into too much plot detail (since other reviewers have already done a fine job of this), I would have to recommend this book to anyone with an interest in Elizabethan England, the folklore of Great Britain, or good solid fantasy novels in general. It's a great read for anyone over the age of 12, and it's especially great for girls and young women to read because of the heroine, Kate. There is something so real and appealing about her. She is very strong and intelligent when faced with an impossible situation, and in the end she finally gets recognized for the person she really is. Overall, this is an exceptional book, and will always rank among my all-time favorites.