Song of the Sparrow by Lisa Ann Sandell
Mild Fantasy/Historical Fiction. 394 Pages. 5 Stars
Synopsis:
The year is 490 AD. Fiery 16-year-old Elaine of Ascolat, the daughter of one of King Arthur’s supporters, lives with her father on Arthur’s base camp, the sole girl in a militaristic world of men.
Elaine’s only girl companion is the mysterious Morgan, Arthur’s older sister, but Elaine cannot tell Morgan her deepest secret: She is in love with Lancelot, Arthur’s second-in-command. However, when yet another girl — the lovely Gwynivere– joins their world, Elaine is confronted with startling emotions of jealousy and rivalry. But can her love for Lancelot survive the birth of an empire?
My Review:
I absolutely adore this book!!! This is another childhood favorite of mine. I read it early in high school and have reread it several times since. The book is beautifully written with marvelous moments that will warm your heart. I will read this book over and over again until the day I die.
I’ve always been a fan of Camelot and Arthurian legend, Celtic stories, and Greek mythology. And I have always been enchanted by the Lady of Shalott. Ms. Sandell weaves all of these elements into one of the most stunning books I’ve ever read. The story is written as an epic poem, but I never once had difficulty reading it. Nor did I ever find myself bored or wading through stanzas aimlessly. The book is a bonafide page-turner! It’s a relatively quick read, but boy does it pack a punch! The plot is intense and thrilling. She never explicitly follows any of the known legends, but creates her own version of the stories. And, man, does she know how to tell a story!
The writing itself is gorgeous. Sandell has created a lovely balance of proselike poetry that adds an whole new element to the story and gives us yet another way to get inside of our MC, Elanie’s, head. She writes from the first person pov and in the present tense. The story centers around powerful themes of love, bravery, and friendship. The themes are one of the reasons I love this book so much. Sandell tugs at my heart strings and speaks to my very core. I particularly love the imagery and symbolism she uses, both in her descriptions and in her themes. Sandell carries the theme of Elaine’s little sparrow throughout the book and uses it to express Elaine’s deepest fears, hopes, and desires to us. She develops the sparrow through circumstance and action, providing difficult choices for Elaine to struggle through. Another one I enjoyed was the little turtles from her past. Sandell expertly used that in key points in the book to show her readers exactly how Elaine felt. The whole story is riddled with calculated repetitions woven with precision to build an enchanting story.
The characters are golden in this book. Other than the writing itself and the themes, I have to say the characters are the third thing that make this book so classic and so amazing. Investing in Elaine, her band of brothers, and her conflicts is no difficult feat. Sandell portrays classic, legendary characters in her own unique and phenomenal way. We see Arthur before he is the beloved king of legend. We are given view of his insecurities, his passion, and his nobility at work in the man long before he had a name known the world round. We see his most loyal and closest companion, the famed Lancelot. We are given wild and loving Elanie and shown how she found her place with such an uncharacteristic upbringing for the time. And, of course, we have the Merlin, Morgan, and the lovely Gwynivere. Gwynivere was such a delight in this tale. The character development in Elaine, Gwynivere, Lancelot, Tristan, and also Elaine’s brother Lavain is what makes this book shine. You also have supporting characters like Gawain that melt you into a puddle and give you warm and fuzzy feelings. The characters display Sandell’s powerful themes and their relationships drive this story. This is one of, if not the, very best parts of the book.
The setting is realistic, set in about 500 AD in a time of war and disruption while the Britons fought against the invading Saxons. I appreciated the historical influences in this novel. It made the story all the more endearing.
There is no foul language and no explicit romantic content. However, there is a little bit if violence and a few bloody moments. The book takes place in the heart of war, but the book isn’t stained with gore or graphic depictions. The readers don’t witness any battles themselves, but are exposed to bits and pieces of Elaine’s tragic memories. There are wounds and there are some suspenseful moments, but the violence is gracefully handled. I would feel comfortable giving this to an early teen or possibly even preteen.