Clare B. Dunkle
Paperback | Pages: 230 pages Rating: 4.08 | 9785 Users | 820 Reviews
Declare Books In Pursuance Of The Hollow Kingdom (The Hollow Kingdom Trilogy #1)
| Original Title: | The Hollow Kingdom |
| ISBN: | 0805081089 (ISBN13: 9780805081084) |
| Edition Language: | English |
| Series: | The Hollow Kingdom Trilogy #1 |
| Literary Awards: | Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children's Literature (2004) |
Commentary Conducive To Books The Hollow Kingdom (The Hollow Kingdom Trilogy #1)
This book is exactly the type of fairy tale that I love the most. Now, I know that I have been outspoken in the past about my dislike of fantasies featuring caveman, bad-boy type hero characters. However, I think that I know and respect dozens of women who melt in the presence of these guys. Do I look down on my friends for their fantasy preferences? Absolutely not, because guess what? We all have a fantasy weakness. We all have that certain fairy tale that bypasses every logical part of our brains and just makes us feel giddy and excited. So, you can safely assume that mine is decidedly not the perfect specimen, territorial, alpha male. This book keys into the fairy tale that’s always turned me into a puddle of goo:
He’s ugly (but only on the outside, of course), a bit ruthless, desperate, smart, and he has one hell of a library. Except that in this book, he’s comfortable in his own skin, and he doesn’t turn into a foppish, effeminate prince in the end (which is what I always wished would happen).
This book is not going to go down in history as one of the greatest works of all time, but I can feasibly see myself re-reading it whenever I need a bit of comfort. It’s like the literary equivalent of a grilled cheese sandwich. I was completely drawn in by the prologue, and by the time the intelligent, practical, and resourceful heroine Kate and her plucky little sister Emily run into the Goblin King Marak I knew that this would become a favorite of mine.
Marak is the ruler of a colorful, dangerous race of goblins, dwarves, and elves who live within Hollow Hill. It is a long and traditional practice for the Goblin King to steal a human or elf bride and imprison her underground until the next King is born and his people are secure. When Kate inherits Hollow Hill after her father’s death, she and her sister become the wards of two elderly great aunts and a shady, pretentious cousin. Kate and her sister soon catch the eye of the Goblin King, but Kate is revolted and determined to escape his grasp at all costs.
As Kate and Marak engage in a battle of wills and wits, this book actually began to remind me of Pride and Prejudice. These two characters have a lot of preconceived notions and ideas about each other, and their verbal sparring is charged and exhilarating. Here is one of my favorite scenes:
”’Indeed it is, Kate,’ Marak agreed. ‘It’s time to plan your revenge. Goblins just adore revenge.’ He grinned. ‘Do you have anything in mind?’
Kate was taken aback. ‘Revenge is wrong,’ she told him solemnly. ‘Vengeance belongs to God.’
The goblin put his head to one side and watched her through narrowed eyes. ‘You won’t even give God a little help?’ he asked softly.”
Kate is independent and powerful, but not unrealistically so. She’s a proper Englishwoman who reacts in realistic ways to her surroundings and the hideous goblin court. And by the end of this book, she fits the specs for all of my favorite female heroines: she’s determined, powerful, a bit merciless and bloodthirsty, and she has a sword (plus the most entertaining magical charm around).
My only “thirty year old woman” type gripe is that this book, despite being what I would class as a romance novel, is clean enough to give to a ten year old. Which is actually great for when my daughters get a bit older, but the lack of anything even mildly suggestive felt like a big gaping omission to me.
Perfect Musical Pairing
Joshua Radin – The Fear You Won’t Fall
This sugary sweet song is not something that I like to listen to all the time, but it’s a definite comfort food song for me. This is a song about falling harder than you thought you could for someone, who may or may not love you back.
Also seen on The Readventurer.
Be Specific About Appertaining To Books The Hollow Kingdom (The Hollow Kingdom Trilogy #1)
| Title | : | The Hollow Kingdom (The Hollow Kingdom Trilogy #1) |
| Author | : | Clare B. Dunkle |
| Book Format | : | Paperback |
| Book Edition | : | First Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 230 pages |
| Published | : | September 19th 2006 by Henry Holt & Company (first published October 1st 2003) |
| Categories | : | Fantasy. Young Adult. Romance. Magic. Fiction. Fairy Tales |
Rating Appertaining To Books The Hollow Kingdom (The Hollow Kingdom Trilogy #1)
Ratings: 4.08 From 9785 Users | 820 ReviewsEvaluation Appertaining To Books The Hollow Kingdom (The Hollow Kingdom Trilogy #1)
3.5 stars. This was a strange read. At times, the author's obvious love for nature swept me away a bit. Until I remembered this story is mostly about the world of goblins. (They are hideous on the outside, but outside and inside don't always match. )I was looking for a humorous, magical fantasy novel, and at times, this was exactly that. And there was a love story off to the side, which I usually enjoy. I'm scratching my head a bit, because there was some humor and at times quite a bit ofAlthough I may have liked this book in my youth, as an adult I found it rather repellent.A young woman is coerced into marrying the Goblin King, Lord of the Hollow Kingdom. This book is unfortunately one of those cases where the two main characters start off hating one another (or rather, the young woman starts off hating the male protagonist), but eventually fall in love. What probably incensed me more than anything is that the male character virtually slings the female character over his
This is what Stolen Songbird should have been. I'm so glad I chose to read this one. It almost makes the other one more tolerable. This book shares the goblin mythology and kidnapped bride, but there the comparisons end. The Hollow Kingdom is the story of a very beautiful, clever young woman determined to outwit the Goblin King. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it. Kate is witty and strong. She does break down occasionally, but it always feels natural. The Goblin King is properly hideous and
Bumping it up to 5 stars, because I've read this YA fantasy again and again. Each time I like it more. "She couldn't move or speak, though she was vaguely aware the ugly creature was watching her with concern." From page one, I was captivated by this award-winning fantasy, written for adolescents. With only a few hugs and kisses, it is unexceptional, but beware the creepy dark magic in the last chapters, where (view spoiler)[an evil sorcerer mutilates animals and even people (ugh). (hide
This book. THIS BOOK. You know those books that come along every once in a while that you utterly fall in love with to the point of hugging them? THIS BOOK. The last occasion I can pinpoint such a reaction was my reading of Howls Moving Castle, so yes, this is BIG NEWS. Theres just something about Clare B. Dunkles writing that is simultaneously starkly real and utterly charmingit hits the heart in ways that so few books have the power to do, no matter how wonderful their stories may be. In fact,
I... well. The beginning is creepy in a good way. The end is creepy in a bad way.The beginning has a sense of danger from a goblin menace. The end is some sort of apologia for rape, abduction, and Stockholm Syndrome.This book just kinda grosses me out.
I have had the entire Hollow Kingdom trilogy sitting in my TBR stack for awhile now and finally settled in with the first one and read it through. The first thing to catch my eye was the dedication. This is often the case with me. I was wandering the bookstore with my cousin just other night, talking about what a sucker I am for a good dedication. I should probably be keeping some sort of top ten list or something. I've fallen in love with many a Lloyd Alexander dedication and that's why this
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