The Amber Owl by Juliet Marillier

What a thrill to have a new fantasy from Juliet Marillier, who is a favourite author of mine. The amber owl is the first in a duology featuring a young woman, Stasya, who lives alone on the edge of Heartwood Forest with her strange little dog Flip after her grandmother had died when she was young. Her only friend is Lukas a goatherd who shares her love of the forest and storytelling. The villagers tolerate her as she works hard and possesses a gift for helping ailing animals, one she is careful not to display overtly as it is dangerous to be labelled a witch. The peace of the forest and village is destroyed by a group of soldiers led by Rihard, the Commander, who have orders to hack down the trees to make a path to the Hermit in search of treasured amber. No one has ever returned from this place deep in the heart of the forest. The mighty Ancestor tree guarding the entrance to the forest is razed to the ground and Stasya knows that only evil can come from its destruction. Standing up to the soldiers results in her being taken to the court by Aleksis who is Lady Elisabeta’s advisor. Here she is imprisoned and told she must find a way to the Hermit, although she knows she cannot break her vow to protect the forest.

Told in multiple points of view by Stasya, Rihard, Lukas and Aleksis the reader is drawn into a wonderful world of giant trees and magical beings, of feelings of guilt and growing love, of power-hungry rulers and warrior monks, of secrets and stories. Keeping the forest safe is a key theme and as Stasya and her companions travel through the forest, she communicates with the trees and animals that live there. She also has the power of telling stories that lighten the hearts of her group on their dangerous quest and communicate feelings and hope that she has difficulty articulating aloud. Gradually secrets are peeled away leaving the reader satisfied and hoping for the next in the duology.

Marillier’s world building and character development is outstanding. Readers who are new to this author and enjoyed The amber owl with its strong young woman and melancholy atmosphere, will want to read her Sevenwaters and Warrior bards series while older readers might like the Blackthorn and Grim series.  Others could try books by Emily Lloyd-Jones, The bone houses and The drowned woods.

Themes: Fantasy, Magic, Forests, Storytelling.

Pat Pledger