The Forgotten Beasts of Eld

“Come with me tomorrow through the forest; we will gather black mushrooms and herbs that, crushed against the fingers, give a magic smell. You will feel the sun on your hair and the rich earth beneath your feet, and the fresh winds scented with the spice of snow from the hidden places on Eld Mountain. Be patient, as you must always be patient with new pale seeds buried in the dark ground. When you are stronger, you can begin to think again. But now is the time to feel.”

This book was surprisingly excellent! The writing was beautiful and the dialogue was great. The world and magic was enchanting. LOVED all the magical creatures. Honestly it's length works against it, in my opinion, because expanding out some of the conflicts would have been great. But I think she was very intentional with how long she made it.

My only issue is how much the second half focused on romance. It was still well done but for how short the book is, I would have liked a little more focus on the mother/son dynamic.

Still an excellent book that holds up very well.

9/10

Books like this one is why I read. I'll read a hundred books in the hope that even just one of them is like this.

EDIT: after re-reading, it's somehow more beautiful than I remember it being. I know what happens now and I've read some of her other books, which really enhanced my re-read.

See my full review at The Emerald City Book Review. Though McKillip's early novel has become a classic of fairy-tale-flavored fiction, a favorite genre of mine, I've somehow managed not to read it until now. I'm so glad I finally did, thanks to a new, beautifully designed paperback and e-book edition from Tachyon books. This is a lyrical, thoughtful exploration of love and power, pride and forgiveness and freedom, rich with evocative imagery and resonant language. I've already read it twice in a row, and I'm sure I'll be returning to it again.

It was long time ago, and perhaps it's time to reread them... but I think I loved them.