Award-winning author and radio personality Ellen Kushner’s inspired retelling of an ancient legend weaves myth and magic into a vivid
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reviews
May 01, 2011
Susan
rated it: 
This is my all time favorite book about Faerie. I've been reading about and studying Faerie since I was a small child. And I am an AVID reader. Ellen Kushner has done more to bring the world of the Fae alive than anything else I've ever read.
Critics of this book need to understand that Thomas the Rhymer or Tam Lin is a legend. It is what it is. For Kushner to have made him pleasing to all would have been to stray from the legend. For the book to have had a more climactic endi More...
Critics of this book need to understand that Thomas the Rhymer or Tam Lin is a legend. It is what it is. For Kushner to have made him pleasing to all would have been to stray from the legend. For the book to have had a more climactic endi More...
Aug 01, 2011
Heidi
rated it: 
Tässä on taas hyvä kirja pilattu todella ankeilla kansilla.. Tartuin tähän vain koska opus oli hyvässä seurassa ehdolla erään palkinnon saajaksi. Silti jouduin potkimaan itseäni ennen kuin viitsin lukea riviäkään. Mutta tämäpä olikin oikein hyvä!
Kirja perustuu vanhaan skottilaiseen balladiin, mikä voisi tehdä kirjasta todella kökön, mutta sen sijaan tekeekin siitä virkistävän erilaisen. Tarina toi mieleen kaikki suosikkisatuni, joita penikkana ahmin. Näiden kirjojen upea kuvitus satumaisista mai More...
Kirja perustuu vanhaan skottilaiseen balladiin, mikä voisi tehdä kirjasta todella kökön, mutta sen sijaan tekeekin siitä virkistävän erilaisen. Tarina toi mieleen kaikki suosikkisatuni, joita penikkana ahmin. Näiden kirjojen upea kuvitus satumaisista mai More...
Aug 31, 2009
Savannah
rated it:
A fantastically original book, despite its unoriginal subject! This novel takes on the ancient tale of "True Thomas," who spent 7 years in Faerieland with the Queen of Faerie and came back changed and with the ability to speak only truth and prophecy. It is told from the point of view of the four different main characters: Thomas' adoptive parents, Thomas himself, and his mortal beloved, who loses him for 7 years. Needless to say, the most fascinating tale is Thomas' own, who expounds
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Jan 09, 2010
Minli
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Thomas the Rhymer is a worthy and beautiful novelization of the ballad, elegantly told from the perspective of four people--Gavin and Meg, the elderly couple who takes on Thomas as a surrogate son, bookend Thomas's own experience in Elfland, and the fourth by Thomas's mortal love, Elspeth, after he returns to the human world with his 'gift' of soothsaying. Kushner's language is so subtle, lyrical and magical, some passages near left me in tears. She has such a flair for words (and this book is a
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May 23, 2011
Althea
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I love novels like this; that flesh out a traditional tale while remaining true and faithful to the source material. (Like Robin McKinley's 'Beauty', Donna Jo Napoli's 'Zel', etc). This book retells the legend of Thomas the Rhymer, a minstrel taken under the hill for seven years of service to the faerie queen, who returns with the 'gift' of being unable to tell a lie. It brings to life Thomas and those who know and love him, letting a reader feel not that what they'd heard previously of the tale
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Sep 07, 2011
Christine
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This is a relatively short novel - about 260 pages. The last ~40 pages of the book are really just excerpts from Ms. Kushner's other works. The novel might have benefited greatly from those additional 40 pages, as the characterization leaves much to be desired. Thomas & company are ciphers - they have names, and some of them have some kind of motivation, sometimes, but mostly they are just pale shadows of what they could be.
I didn't really care much about what happened to any of th More...
I didn't really care much about what happened to any of th More...
Oct 30, 2011
S--
rated it:
Full thoughts here.
Why I Started: There's my interest in fairy lore, the depiction of Faerie (for all my pickiness about it), the use of ballads, retellings... Oh, and the desire to try out one of Kushner's books because I like fantasy of manners. There was that too. (Also, the fact that this was a gift from a friend.)
Why I Finished: All of the above! Also, I liked the depiction of Faerie, fairies, and the way it was written.
Rereadability: Reasonably high. I'm More...
Why I Started: There's my interest in fairy lore, the depiction of Faerie (for all my pickiness about it), the use of ballads, retellings... Oh, and the desire to try out one of Kushner's books because I like fantasy of manners. There was that too. (Also, the fact that this was a gift from a friend.)
Why I Finished: All of the above! Also, I liked the depiction of Faerie, fairies, and the way it was written.
Rereadability: Reasonably high. I'm More...
Mar 19, 2011
Nikki
rated it:
It took me a while to get into this version of Thomas the Rhymer. The story is told in four voices: the voice of an old man who takes Thomas in almost as his own son, Gavin; the voice of Thomas himself; the voice of Gavin's wife, Meg; and the voice of the mortal woman who loves Thomas, Elspeth. The part in Gavin's voice didn't grip me so much, but when I came to Thomas's part, I could barely put the book down. It's not full of action, and Elspeth doesn't play a part in Thomas coming back from Fa
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Jan 29, 2012
Nicolas
rated it:
Ce roman nous raconte la vie de Thomas. Ménestrel, séducteur et grand vivant, il vécut une vie riche avant d’être emmené par la reine des elfes pour vivre dans leur beau pays pendant sept ans. Et son retour ne fut peut-être pas aussi facile que ce qu’on peut en croire, pour un homme ayant reçu des cadeaux des elfes.
Il est des livres qui, tout en en racontant beaucoup, ne nous disent que peu de choses. Thomas le rimeur est exactement l’inverse. Pour un livre qui en raconte aussi peu, cette More...
Il est des livres qui, tout en en racontant beaucoup, ne nous disent que peu de choses. Thomas le rimeur est exactement l’inverse. Pour un livre qui en raconte aussi peu, cette More...
May 11, 2010
Alice
rated it:
This was such a disappointing book.
I really liked the premise, of combining myths and folklore and songs. But Kushner seems to have forgotten to tie that in with a character I wouldn't loathe. Thomas was self-centered, vain, selfish, dishonest, and unable to think about anything other than his penis for longer than an hour. He says at one point that he was enchanted to follow the "Elf Queen" (hated that "elf" and "fae" were interchangeable) to her dom More...
I really liked the premise, of combining myths and folklore and songs. But Kushner seems to have forgotten to tie that in with a character I wouldn't loathe. Thomas was self-centered, vain, selfish, dishonest, and unable to think about anything other than his penis for longer than an hour. He says at one point that he was enchanted to follow the "Elf Queen" (hated that "elf" and "fae" were interchangeable) to her dom More...
Jan 28, 2008
Joshua
rated it: 
I have always had an affinity for Celtic folklore and ballads. That said, when I passed by this novel at the bookstore, I felt like I was struck by an incendiary device. A novelized retelling of the Thomas The Rhymer ballad that carried so much fascination for me? I quickly bought it and read it, carrying it around with my during school breaks, snatching minutes here and there to read. In the end, I felt as if I was brought back from the fantastic land of the faerie queen with a loud thump.
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Nov 04, 2009
Ethan
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Enjoyable book, nice characterization and descriptive writing. It is most definitely a love story. Don't expect a ton of action. I wasn't particularly enthused about the structure and would have liked a few more surprises. As it is, Kushner lets the proverbial cat out of the bag then tries to hold the reader in some sort of suspense by not letting all of the characters know (can't remember what the device is called, it's one of those authorly things)...anyway, it's not particularly effective
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Nov 27, 2008
Laura
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I love the Scottish ballad of Thomas the Rhymer/Tam Lin and this is a good re-telling of it. What I enjoyed the most about the book is the way each section has a differnt narrator. The first part is told by a farmer who takes Thomas in before he is taken by the Faery Queen. When Thomas is at the Faery Court, he is himself the narrator. When he gets out seven years later, his wife is the narrator. I don't re-read very many books, but this is one I have read more than once.
Jun 09, 2010
Margaret
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This is an elegant and romantic retelling of the ballad of Thomas the Rhymer, a harper who was taken by the Elven queen to spend seven years in Elfland and came out with the gift of telling only the truth. I was somewhat unsatisfied with the events of the novel, and with the character of Thomas himself, who was sufficiently self-centered that I had a hard time sympathizing with him, but the language was beautiful, as Kushner's always is, and it was overall a good read.
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Mar 19, 2010
Just_ann_now
rated it:
I confess I rushed through this book the first time I read it; I wanted it to be another Swordspoint, and was disappointed when it wasn't. Older and wiser now, I've just finished rereading, and can now appreciate this gem on its own merits. Certainly there are characters and scenes very reminiscent of the Swordspoint verse: Thomas, newly returned from Elfland, has much of Alec Campion's restlessness; Elspeth, at her husband's deathbed, is very much a sister to Sophia. But these reflections add,
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Dec 11, 2011
Stacey
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Ellen Kushner's prose is so evocative and not at all showy, and the writing in this book made the time period authentic, with a very real medieval England and faery world. I love the story, about being foolish, growing up, loss and redemption and loss. The narrators are all written differently, so they really feel like different individuals. It is a true fairy tale, and such a good one.
The story is an ancient one, about a wandering harper who loses himself in the world of faery for sev More...
The story is an ancient one, about a wandering harper who loses himself in the world of faery for sev More...
Jul 26, 2009
Patty
rated it:
I read Kushner's book Swordpoint long ago, but I remember it as a wonderful book. This one was also a good read.
Thomas the Rhymer is an excellent musician. He charms many people in the courts of this world and then finds that he charms the Queen of Elfland. Pleasing her is the only way Thomas will be able to survive. But what will happen in our world while he is in Elfland.
I found this story, based on a ballad, easy to believe. Although this tale requires suspension More...
Thomas the Rhymer is an excellent musician. He charms many people in the courts of this world and then finds that he charms the Queen of Elfland. Pleasing her is the only way Thomas will be able to survive. But what will happen in our world while he is in Elfland.
I found this story, based on a ballad, easy to believe. Although this tale requires suspension More...
Jul 31, 2008
Julia
rated it:
Thomas the Rhymer was a medieval bard from Scotland (1220-1297) who disappeared for seven years and said he’d been living with the Queen of Elfland. She gives him a “gift”; he can no longer tell anything but the truth and becomes a seer as well as bard. There are so many ballads about and by him that it may be true. There’s a Thomas the Rhymer tower. Sir Walter Scott owned the tree under which the Queen kissed him.
This is a beautiful little novel; told Rashomon-like by the people who lov More...
This is a beautiful little novel; told Rashomon-like by the people who lov More...
Nov 28, 2009
Frances
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While it's called a fantasy by some reviewers, this is a modern retelling of the life of a 13th-century Scottish minstrel and prophet. Unreliable narrators, artistic unity and recurring themes, bonny lasses and a roving bard, a seven-year visit to Elfland. What's not to love?
Aug 26, 2009
Token Female Gamer
rated it:
i started reading this book, only to slowly realize that it was all too familiar. Turns out I read it a while ago, only it hadn't been remarkable enough to recall.
Romantic story, but a bit stilted. Enjoyable enough, but not a book that made me stay up all night to finish.
Romantic story, but a bit stilted. Enjoyable enough, but not a book that made me stay up all night to finish.
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Sep 19, 2011
sage
rated it:
More like 2.5 stars. Some of the language was lovely, but the structure was uneven.
glbt interest tag: Queen of Elfland asks Thomas if he's ever lain with a man. He answers, yes, once, when I was young. She asks if he liked it. He says he felt used afterward.
glbt interest tag: Queen of Elfland asks Thomas if he's ever lain with a man. He answers, yes, once, when I was young. She asks if he liked it. He says he felt used afterward.
Feb 26, 2011
Phaedosia
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I wanted to love this. Romance based on an old English ballad of True Thomas. But, it was just okay. The author has a beautiful way with words and I was definitely swept up in the story. But Thomas was kind of a thoughtless jerk who could only think about one thing (ahem) and Elspeth really got the short end of the stick over and over again. I had heard that this was a love story and maybe it was between the Queen of the Fairies and Thomas, but poor Elspeth sure didn't rate much considerati
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Aug 13, 2009
Yarrow
rated it:
One of the best fantasy novels ever written. the storytelling is simple, pure and beautiful, and woven with real evocative power. Kushner proved herself a bard of the highest order with this novel. the best read-aloud novel I know of.
Jan 29, 2012
Isil
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Ce roman revisite une légende écossaise. C’est un livre enchanteur et merveilleux dans tous les sens du terme. En quatre chapitres, Ellen Kushner nous narre l’histoire du ménestrel Thomas au moyen d‘une narration merveilleuse dont je ne vous révélerai pas la forme pour vous laisser le plaisir de la découverte. En fait, il ne se passe pas grand-chose. Le monde des Elfes est seulement fait de mystères et Thomas a bien du mal à en comprendre les règles. Mais son métier le rend apte à se battre car
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Jun 26, 2010
Becca
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(11/18/09) This book made me cry repeatedly, though in a good way. I love how the perspective changes give a picture of Tom from many angles. I also love the connections made to other famous songs and stories. Most of all, I love how seamlessly the book moves from section to section, even though every part is so different.
(6/22/10) I picked this up again from the library, thinking I had never read it. As I started reading, I thought it was familiar, but not quite. I ended up reading More...
(6/22/10) I picked this up again from the library, thinking I had never read it. As I started reading, I thought it was familiar, but not quite. I ended up reading More...
Aug 11, 2011
Reetta
rated it:
Kushnerin Thomas Riiminiekka on kaunis ja verbaalinen tarina, jonka pääosassa on kieli ja musiikki. Olen tykästynyt yhä enemmän realistisempaan fantasiaan, jonka pohjana on historian lisäksi satugenre. Kerrontateknisesti virkistävä fantasiakirja, joka ei mene ihan sieltä aidan matalimmasta kohdasta.
Aug 09, 2011
Kellyann
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Wow. One of those books that makes you want to worship the English language, the novel form, and the author.
Jun 19, 2009
Kendrawesome
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It's a shame that this book was written from 4 different characters' POVs--the best parts of the book were from the titular character, and the weakest parts were everything else. It's better than Fall of the Kings, and the chapter with Thomas in Elfland was quite engrossing, but you have to put up with the other 75% of the book to get through it. :/
Apr 03, 2009
Gloriavirtutisumbra
rated it:
Wonderful variation of the Thomas the Rhymer tale! Well done!
Jan 05, 2012
Raisu
rated it:
A fairly readable and interesting retelling of the Child Ballad 37, concerning a Scottish bard, his seven years in the Fairy and his life after that.
Edit Not to mention, it's a fantasy book where tiresome physical fighting is replaced with lovely verbal sparring. Imagine that. Reason enough to bump my previous three star rating to four.
Edit Not to mention, it's a fantasy book where tiresome physical fighting is replaced with lovely verbal sparring. Imagine that. Reason enough to bump my previous three star rating to four.
