Hey ForeverBookers,
I’ve just finished a great book, my first of this new year. “Shaman of Stonewylde” is the last book in the Stonewylde series, which is really sad. I think this is possibly my favourite series, apart from the All Souls Series by Deborah Harkness because it’s got everything I love. A good plot that always keeps you guessing, lovable characters who make mistakes but are redeemable, a lush fantasy like setting, as well as well written, sophisticated prose and you’ve guessed it, a great, realistic romance that’s present throughout every book, even though there are struggles at times for the main characters involved. I found book 1,"Magus Of Stonewylde" in the YA section of my local bookstore but by the end it certainly is NOT YA, not just because of any content, although the characters do grow up throughout (the love scenes aren’t on the page so aren’t explicit,) but because of how mature the writing is. It honestly felt like I was reading a classic at times.
I read “Shaman Of Stonewylde” for a few readathons. They were:
Reading Rivalry on Facebook - This month’s theme is Sailor Moon, which is one of my favourite things EVER! I read the book for the “book featuring a milestone life event,” because there are lots of things that you could consider as milestone life events.
POPSUGAR 2019 Reading Challenge - “A book with a plant in the title or on the cover, as there are tree branches and leaves on the cover. This counts, right?
Litwits on Facebook - A book that I meant to read in 2018 - I would have read this in December had I not been so busy.
As I noted above, the series gets more mature throughout in both content and writing. I therefore wouldn’t suggest anyone under 16/17 reading this because of themes such as death, birth, necromancy, cheating on a partner etc, as these themes are quite grown up.
SPOILERS BELOW:
“He nodded with a smile and Leveret thought for the hundredth time that whatever else had happened, the one good thing to come out of all the horrible events since Samhain was the start of Magpie’s new life.”
Magpie had a major role to play in book 4, Shadows At Stonewylde, where he helped save his friend, Leveret from being depressed and choosing to end her life. Magpie’s life, however was terrible before he met Leveret. He was abused by his grandmother, Vetchling and her friend, Violet. They play a role in “Shaman of Stonewylde”, although it’s not that big. Magpie and Leveret are best friends because of what they both suffered as children. Leveret was abused by her brothers in “Shadows Of Stonewylde”, as well. What “Shaman Of Stonewylde” does is gives both Magpie and Leveret the chance at a new beginning. The cover of the book represents this, with the hare and the bird on it. Is it a happy one though? You’ll have to read to find that out.
Sylvie and Yul, perhaps our main characters from the original Stonewylde trilogy, after going through all that they have gone through in the other books; a tyrannical father, a forbidden relationship, feeling closed off from the rest of the world, still have more to go through in “Shaman Of Stonewylde”, a hell of a lot more in fact. At the beginning of the book, Yul is being dictatorial himself towards his loved ones.
“And I never wanted to live there! I said so from the start but you know how Yul always gets his own way! Honestly, I don’t want to sound disloyal but he’s awful at the moment. I simply can’t take it any longer.”
This is Sylvie, Yul’s sweetheart/wife talking to Maizie, Yul’s mother about how she just can’t live with him anymore. When he was younger he was fun to be around, as well as sweet and caring. In this last book he is totally the opposite, more like his father, the despicable Magus, the villain of books 1-3. He stays working until late and when he comes to bed he’s not passionate like he once was. He and Sylvie just go to sleep without any passion. Yul is like this for the majority of the book. He changes because his daughters make him a better person. It doesn’t get annoying because of the other plots going on at the same time. The author was able to switch up so when we were getting a lot of Yul and Sylvie moments, it switched to a Leveret moment for example.
Sylvie gets a few shocks of her own in this final book. She realises she’s pregnant towards the end from before when Yul started treating her badly, she’s shocked by her husband’s infidelity, and a huge twist at the end that I really don’t want to spoil that has something to do with the wildlife of Stonewylde.
Rainbow, a character from previous books gets a somewhat main role in this fifth instalment. She’s there as an art tutor but she’s the antagonist in the Sylvie and Yul drama. She comes back to Stonewylde, after being sent away with the other Hallfolk after Magus’s death.
“As long as I keep Yul sweet, I can stay.”
This is the start, I believe of Rainbow plotting what she’s going to do to Yul. I don’t want to spoil it completely but as you can probably guess what she does doesn’t bode well for Yul and Sylvie’s relationship. Rainbow also wants to take Magpie’s art to the outside world, the real world beyond the gates of Stonewylde. Magpie couldn’t communicate in the previous books. He still can’t really speak but finds his communication through his artwork. “Be very, very careful of that woman, won’t you,” is Leveret’s warning to Magpie. She doesn’t want him to loose what he’s worked so hard to gain, a voice.
Other characters in “Shaman Of Stonewylde” are Rowan and Faun. Rowan has been present since book 1, in which she was chosen by Sol, the previous Magus (Yul’s father) to be his special girl for one night. In the old days, when Sol ruled he had one night a year where he’s take a girl up to the stone circle and basically have sex with her. These scenes aren’t shown but it’s implied that this is what happened. Faun is the result of that time in the Stone Circle. Faun is very selfish character, who only wants what’s best for her in every situation. According to Sylvie’s thoughts, Faun is “loudly opinionated and ridiculously self absorbed.” This is very much true. With a mother like Rowan who dotes on her at every given opportunity, it’s no wonder, though. Rowan spoils Faun rotten, always giving her what she wants, when she wants it. For example, Faun wants to be a model. Rowan doesn’t tell her to focus on more important things, gosh no! She just lets Faun think everything in life is easy, when it’s not. Rowan is certainly not a character that I’d want to be around in real life, nor Faun come to that!
Another story arc is Clip’s. He’s Magus Sol’s older brother and Sylvie’s father. Yes, Yul and Sylvie’s parents were related so that technically makes them related before marriage but I briefly discussed that in another review so I won’t go over it again here. He’s the shaman of Stonewylde who is always up in his tower, hibernating away from the rest of the Stonewylde population. He’s a very solitary character. That is until Leveret let’s him know that she wants to become Shaman one day. Of course, being Shaman means no husband, lover, children, or life other than Stonewylde but she’s prepared for this.
Clip and Leveret have a really strong bond throughout certainly the second half of “Shaman Of Stonewylde”. This is reflected in
“You’re my niece, my brothers child,” he said happily. “But what you said earlier about me being a father to you - that touched my heart. Thank you, Leveret.
A big reveal in “Shaman Of Stonewylde” is that Leveret is Yul’s full sister and indeed Sol’s daughter, Clip’s niece. I almost cried when I read this part and I NEVER cry in books! Maizie reveals she called her daughter Leveret because of the hares where she and Sol conceived her. He accepted Leveret, not that she ever knew she was his before. When I was younger (14 -16ish) I kind of wanted Leveret and Clip to have a relationship. Of course, now I know how gross and illegal that would be because of the age gap and the familial relationship. What Clip and Leveret have goes beyond anything, apart from maybe Magpie’s tie to her. They’re both magical in the sense that they can predict things before they happen.
“I’ve preserved this for you - tanned it myself, so there’s a lot of my intent and energy in it. It’s for you to wear sometimes when you’re journeying. All the ancient shamans would’ve had something similar.”
Clip gives Leveret a totem of sorts, in the shape of a hares head that she can carry with her for as long as she lives. This is a symbol of achievement for Leveret and that she’s good enough. Clip accepts Leveret. This is all that’s important to her, figuratively speaking.
Dawn, a teacher at the preschool has a sweetheart called David, in this final book. They’re both very much side characters but they often appear, which is why I’m mentioning them. David is from the Outside World but gets inaugurated into Stonewylde before they wed. He’s a teacher who works a lot with Magpie on his artwork. Magpie trusts him. When Rainbow comes, David isn’t sure about her, either.
“He wouldn’t put it past her to exploit or even plagiarise Magpie, and David had no intention of allowing that to happen.”
Of course, there are evil forces/people still at Stonewylde. Rainbow is one, Violet and Vetchling, two old crones that aren’t liked by the majority of Stonewylde are other characters that I’d consider evil. Buzz, Yul and Sylvie’s foe who comes to see Sylvie and is sent away, much to Martin’s dislike and not forgetting Martin too, who is trying to get people to see that he should be Magus and not Yul. He’s willing to do whatever he can to make sure that he is Magus. Does he succeed, though? You’ll need to read the series to find out!
I don’t want to spoil what happens at the end of “Shaman Of Stonewylde” because it’s shocking and not what I expected at all. This is the other part that I almost cried over. I read these books years ago but I don’t think that I finished the book when I read the series for the first time because I certainly don’t remember it ending the way it did...
Overall then, I’m giving “Shaman Of Stonewylde” 5 Stars! This series is one of my favourites because, as I said previously, the plot always kept me guessing, the characters, some of whom are good from the start and some that we’re unsure of. It’s fun trying to work out which characters are good and which are evil. I highly recommend these books if you’re a lover of romance, like I am because certainly in the original trilogy the romance plays a huge role. In the 4th and 5th books, it’s still present but there are other major plots as well. I’d say the original trilogy is YA and the last 2 books are more for an NA audience. The characters are some of my favourite characters of all time, as well. I loved seeing Yul start from a boy, scared of his father to a man, with flaws as well as good points. Of course, there are other points that I haven’t summarised above but if I did we’d be here forever...no joke I had over 20 pages of notes on my laptop. I would really love if the author wrote a new book series or maybe chronicled the life of Leveret as Wise Woman. We’ll have to wait and see, I guess...
Look for another review coming soon...
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