The
Beast Within.
We all deal with it even if we don’t think of it in
those terms. The Beast is that natural thing we either hide
or that can’t be seen by others through the image we
present openly to the world. Whether holy or hellish, the
Beast is counter to the everyday idea of humanity and the
discrepancy brings out the fear we all have when something
is not understood and is too far from the popular norm.
Molly appears to be an itinerant healer traveling with her
family. Doors open wide with pleasure when they arrive as
they bring news, entertainment and a supply of healing herbs
and unguents. In the 13th century, traveling with family and
stores meant traveling by wagon and beast over river, field
and mountain in fair weather and foul. Molly is really the
exiled Irish battle queen, Maeve, and her family consists
of her granddaughter Nemain, her lover Jack and an adopted
boy on the edge of manhood, Robert, called Hob. Whether the
winter came early or the travelers are behind schedule, the
snow falls and the path over the English mountains is grueling.
Along with the seasonal and environmental dangers, the road
is traveled by bandits and by a predator that both watches
for prey and slinks away from the Lady Fey.
I enjoyed the writing style. The rhythm of the Irish when
speaking English added a formal grace to their presence, especially
when they rubbed elbows with the robust Norman nobility. I
was surprised that Something Red is not categorized as a YA
novel because of the intense detail and the ease of the language—not
simplistic, but easy to read and educational. There is a lot
of description of the travel in the woods, in the feast hall,
and the clothing that I hate to admit was skimmed over because
when I did settle down and read some of those sections, they
were prettily done. I guessed the identity of the culprit
early on, but changed my mind before the reveal; and I was
absolutely delighted by the surprisingly original forms of
the Beasts!
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