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59th out of 297 books
—
875 voters
Child of the Northern Spring (Guinevere #1)
In the tradition of The Once and Future King and Mists of Avalon, Persia Woolley has created a rich, highly readable, startlingly original recreation of the tale of Arthur--seen from Guinevere's point of view. Previously published by Poseidon.
In an age alive with portents and magic, a spirited young beauty rode out of the rugged Celtic lands to wed the great warrior king,...more
In an age alive with portents and magic, a spirited young beauty rode out of the rugged Celtic lands to wed the great warrior king,...more
Hardcover, 428 pages
Published
May 1st 1987
by Poseidon Press
(first published January 1st 1987)
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2.5 - 3 star read ...
Arthurian legends have held the aura of mystique for quite a few years, but the recent releases of Anna Elliott's Avalon series have helped me to quench the thirst for more stories of the period. There are several popular authors of the Arthurian genre such as Marion Zimmer Bradley, and Helen Hollick's Kingmaking series, and we also have the Guenevere novels by Rosalind Miles that I have wanted to read for awhile. Instead the opportunity came to review this reissue of anothe...more
Arthurian legends have held the aura of mystique for quite a few years, but the recent releases of Anna Elliott's Avalon series have helped me to quench the thirst for more stories of the period. There are several popular authors of the Arthurian genre such as Marion Zimmer Bradley, and Helen Hollick's Kingmaking series, and we also have the Guenevere novels by Rosalind Miles that I have wanted to read for awhile. Instead the opportunity came to review this reissue of anothe...more
I didn't like the characters. Gwen felt too rebellious and had was mistaken way too much for a page. She had too much freedom for a princess. For being so rebellious, she gave it way too quickly to marrying Arthur even if he was the only good choice. Her spirit seemed to quickly die after she met Arthur. She fell for him too quickly. Arthur seemed too brave, too smart, and had all the right answers. The time skipping near the beginning of the book was a little annoying and the story took a littl...more
I truly can't understand why this book appears to be out of print. I blame it on poor marketing, because I believe the book itself is incredibly compelling and the story well-knitted.
A book on King Arthur's reign from Guinevere's perspective, this story offers insight into who the mythic figures right-hand-women was, and how that influenced him. It also delves into religious beliefs common at the time, and how they play into the story. Love, loss, courage and humanity are all part of this story...more
A book on King Arthur's reign from Guinevere's perspective, this story offers insight into who the mythic figures right-hand-women was, and how that influenced him. It also delves into religious beliefs common at the time, and how they play into the story. Love, loss, courage and humanity are all part of this story...more
This is the story of the times of King Arthur told through the first person account of Guinevere. Woolley chose to create a more modern characterization of Guinevere than is usually presented, beginning with a little girl who loves horses and the outdoors, has to be coaxed into learning "girl things," and has a healthy curiosity about life and the people around her. Woolley creates a very likable and "modern" person in Guinevere without elevating her to an unrealistic super hero. Only once does...more
Having read The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley and having seen various movie versions of the Arthurian legend, I really liked how Guinevere was portrayed in this book — I thought it was fresh and realistic, and I enjoyed seeing Gwen for once being strong, independent, wise, and practical. She seems a far better queen here than I've ever seen her, an ideal mate for a king trying to bring together a lot of different kinds of people, religion, and ways of life — a great meld of the old an...more
Nov 10, 2010
Blodeuedd Finland
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-fiction
Plot:
The story about Queen Guinevere, her childhood, and how she met and married her king Arthur.
My thoughts:
This story felt a bit truer than some as the author tried to keep the real facts in mind. The Romans have left, Saxons are invading, England, and Wales are made up from different kingdoms and under Ambrosius, Uther and no King Arthur they have a high king. Old Ways are meeting the new Christian church.
This first book was not really about Arthur yet, instead she grew up and had flashbacks,...more
The story about Queen Guinevere, her childhood, and how she met and married her king Arthur.
My thoughts:
This story felt a bit truer than some as the author tried to keep the real facts in mind. The Romans have left, Saxons are invading, England, and Wales are made up from different kingdoms and under Ambrosius, Uther and no King Arthur they have a high king. Old Ways are meeting the new Christian church.
This first book was not really about Arthur yet, instead she grew up and had flashbacks,...more
Nov 24, 2010
Staci
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Staci by:
Sourcebooks
Shelves:
2010-reads
3 Reasons Review
I am trying out a new review format today called "3 Reasons Review". Jen from Jenny loves to read and I have chatted about coming up with a simple review format. Something with just the basics of what readers would want to know about a book. Some books do not require an in-depth analysis, yet as reviewers we still strive to get the important bits across to our readers. Therefore, the 3 Reasons, came from what Jenny and I think are most important. Didn't come up with a fancy butt...more
I am trying out a new review format today called "3 Reasons Review". Jen from Jenny loves to read and I have chatted about coming up with a simple review format. Something with just the basics of what readers would want to know about a book. Some books do not require an in-depth analysis, yet as reviewers we still strive to get the important bits across to our readers. Therefore, the 3 Reasons, came from what Jenny and I think are most important. Didn't come up with a fancy butt...more
Child of the Northern Spring focuses on the character of Guinevere. Instead of being a one-dimensional character that brings down Arthur’s reign, Guinevere is a fleshed out, intriguing, three-dimensional being. Child of the Northern Spring tells the tale of when Guinevere starts her journey south to be married to King Arthur. During her journey she flashes back to key moments in her youth that have helped to shape her into a strong woman.
Overall, Child of the Northern Spring is an enthralling r...more
Overall, Child of the Northern Spring is an enthralling r...more
This is an interesting take on the Arthur/Guinevere tale. Woolley moves very slowly in time with this novel, since it encompasses Guinevere's early life in Rheged to her first year of marriage to Arthur. The bulk of the novel was her journey south for her wedding, interspered with childhood memories. I liked this particular story because Guinevere is not portrayed as a prissy Christian as she is in other versions. She is loyal to the old ways which would be typical of a Cumbrian. Perhaps this is...more
Persia Woolley's "Child of the Northern Spring" is a different take on the Arthurian legend. "Child of the Northern Spring" is the story of Guinevere's life from the time she was a small child growing up in her family's northern kingdom all the way to just after she marries Arthur and she's him return home safely from war with the Irish. Told from Guinevere's perspective, the reader feels the loss of her mother and baby brother right along with her, as well as the loss of her first childhood lov...more
I first read this book more than 20 years ago, a couple of years after its original publication. I think it fired my then-latent interest in Arthurian literature, and I shall forever be grateful to Persia Woolley for that.
In this, the first of the Guinevere trilogy, Guinevere is introduced to the reader not as the fickle queen of legend but as a Celtic girl of noble blood from the northern provinces of Britain. Gwen travels from her home in Rheged (now part of North Wales) to Logres, or southern...more
In this, the first of the Guinevere trilogy, Guinevere is introduced to the reader not as the fickle queen of legend but as a Celtic girl of noble blood from the northern provinces of Britain. Gwen travels from her home in Rheged (now part of North Wales) to Logres, or southern...more
While "Child of the Northern Spring" is obviously very well researched, I unfortunately did not find it to be a very compelling or engaging story. The author's knowledge of Arthurian legend, characters, and history is evident - actually too evident. I certainly learned quite a bit about the time period and the historical/mythical aspects of the Arthurian world, but in my opinion the author focused too much on information and not enough on character or story. All aspects of the novel are presente...more
Woolley's trilogy is almost unknown in the U.S., which is a pity. These are sweeping, engrossing tellings of the Arthurian legend from the perspective of Guinevere. Ignore the "bodice-ripper" covers - that's how they appeared in the U.S. The British editions (Woolley is British) are gorgeous. These are books I never lend - for fear they won't come back and I'll never find them again.
I picked this book up for my royalty book group's Arthurian Legend theme. It is the story of Guinevere throughout her childhood and her marriage to King Arthur. The book paints a beautiful picture of England and Wales 1500 years ago. You really feel like you know Guinevere by the end of the book.
I liked many things about this book. I liked that it was more historical fiction than fantasy like other Arthurian legend books. The characters were well-drawn and very three dimensional. The book seeme...more
I liked many things about this book. I liked that it was more historical fiction than fantasy like other Arthurian legend books. The characters were well-drawn and very three dimensional. The book seeme...more
Nov 27, 2010
Kathleen Kelly
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
books-to-read-for-reviews
Child of the Morning Spring is the first in a trilogy by Persia Woolley, originally published in 1987 and reissued by Sourcebooks November 2010. For me this historical novel about the King Arthur and Guinevere legend is very informative. Sure I knew the jist of the story from watching movies and reading other books. But what I did get from this well written novel is the feelings of the characters of Guinevere, King Arthur and other people important to the tale. The story tells of Guinevere leavi...more
If you are a lover of the King Arthur legend - this is another perspective of that classic tale. This is the first book in a series told from Guineveve's point of view. This first book seems to be setting the stage for the other books and tells the story of Guineveve's childhood before her marriage to Arthur, summarizes Arthur's story that led to him becoming High King of Britain and introduces all the main characters of the Arthurian legends (Merlin, Morgan Le Fey, Pellinore, Lancelot etc) - th...more
I really wasn't impressed by Persia Woolley's version of Guinevere's story, to begin with. The transitions between past and present were clumsily done, and this version of Guinevere wasn't anything particularly new. It reminded me very much of Mercedes Lackey's version of the story, Gwenhwyfar: The White Spirit, except that this Guinevere is less of a warrior-type. They had definite similarities, though, with the deaths of their mothers, their links to Epona, etc.
However, as it developed, I came...more
However, as it developed, I came...more
I love to read books that are set in historical times about which I know little or in places that have never been on my radar screen. "Child of the Northern Spring" is a King Arthur tale told from Guinivere's POV, and it happens in the immediate post-Roman era of Britain when there is much conflict both religiously and ethnically. This was a time when Celts and Saxons vied for supremacy or struggled co-exist. The same could be said for Christianity and the native pagan religion. I never before h...more
Another Arthur tale, this one from Guinevere’s viewpoint. There are certainly too many rehashings of this story about, but this one’s pretty good. I found it realistic in its depiction of the times and the people, and the character of Guinevere is pleasant company. First of a trilogy, this one brings us through her childhood and marriage to the founding of the Round Table. I’ll probably read the others, though I’ve often noticed that biographies - fictional or otherwise - tend to click along mos...more
Historical fiction at its best
Persia Woolley brings Arthurian legend to life as a story grounded in reality, not fantasy. The setting is sixth century Britain when the culture of the fallen Roman Empire still exerted influence on many and the Saxon invasions provided for an ever present threat to safety of the realm.
Woolley has an eye for detail that allows her readers to be caught up in another time with characters who are vivid and lively. Guenievere is every much the fiesty Celtic tomboy prom...more
Persia Woolley brings Arthurian legend to life as a story grounded in reality, not fantasy. The setting is sixth century Britain when the culture of the fallen Roman Empire still exerted influence on many and the Saxon invasions provided for an ever present threat to safety of the realm.
Woolley has an eye for detail that allows her readers to be caught up in another time with characters who are vivid and lively. Guenievere is every much the fiesty Celtic tomboy prom...more
I believe this was a free download, which prompted me to read it simply because I had it. I was curious about the story of Guinevere and Arthur because though I've heard their names, I wasn't really familiar with what actually happened to them. I found this book a pleasure to read. There were some historical elements, which was intentional by Woolley, as she explained in the book, but it was so beautifully woven into the legend that the story felt seamless and captivating. I enjoyed it so much t...more
From my book review blog Rundpinne...."Having always enjoyed historical novels about King Arthur and Guinevere and having read some expertly written series, Hellen Holick’s Pendragon series springs to mind, I have always wanted to read the legend through the eyes of Guinevere as she has always intrigued me and so when I heard there was a trilogy being re-released telling Guinevere’s version of events, I knew I had to read Child of the Northern Spring by Persia Woolley."...The full review may be...more
A solid but basically unexceptional entry into the Arthurian legend genre with a focus on Guinevere. If you're a fan of Mists of Avalon, historical fiction, and the recent movie Brave, you'll enjoy this book. I liked it, but wasn't blown away. This Gwen is a nice retelling of the classic character, but I think there was a little too much time spent on the beginning of her life. I kept wanting to get to the good stuff, you know Merlin, Arthur, Morgan le Fey. This is the first in a trilogy and whi...more
Very enjoyable retelling of Arthurian legend, from Guinevere's POV. This book begins with her early childhood, growing up the independent daughter of a clan king. A very different take on the mild personality we've come to expect from Arthurian novels.
Sequels are Queen of the Summer Stars and Guinevere: The Legend in Autumn.
Sequels are Queen of the Summer Stars and Guinevere: The Legend in Autumn.
Recommended for historical value, not for plot.
I really respect what Persia Woolley set out to do here. Child of the Northern Spring isn't your average Arthurian fairy-tale; instead it approaches Arthur & Guinevere as historical characters and chronicles Arthur's rise to power and the creation of the Knights of the Round Table from Guinevere's perspective. The writing is beautiful if a little too flowery at times, and I love the subtle and mysterious magic of the old religion, which replaces...more
I really respect what Persia Woolley set out to do here. Child of the Northern Spring isn't your average Arthurian fairy-tale; instead it approaches Arthur & Guinevere as historical characters and chronicles Arthur's rise to power and the creation of the Knights of the Round Table from Guinevere's perspective. The writing is beautiful if a little too flowery at times, and I love the subtle and mysterious magic of the old religion, which replaces...more
The "Child of the Northern Spring" is another version of the King Arthur myth, and a very satisfying one. I have read many books on King Arthur, including "The Mists of Avalon," which I consider the best. I can now add Persia Woolley's to my list of best. The story reads like a historical novel, during the time when Britian was in transition involving religion, culture, and internal political structures. The story is narrated from Guinevere's point of view. So far, I like the author's Guinevere,...more
This was a nice, sedately-paced version of of a part of the Arthurian legend. It was well-written, with lovely descriptions of the scenery of ancient Britain. (Not really sure what I should call it.)
There are so many versions of the legends, and some of them are truly classic. The Mary Stewart books and The Once and Future King captivated me when I was young. I don't know if it is my age, experience, or the book itself, but I wasn't as entertained by this book.
It had it's charms. We got a peek...more
There are so many versions of the legends, and some of them are truly classic. The Mary Stewart books and The Once and Future King captivated me when I was young. I don't know if it is my age, experience, or the book itself, but I wasn't as entertained by this book.
It had it's charms. We got a peek...more
I picked up Child of the Northern Spring on a whim. It was listed on amazon.com as a free book for the Kindle and I am going through a British royalty kick so I thought a story from Guinevere's perspective about King Arthur would be fun. And it was. At first.
I really enjoyed Guinevere's spunky attitude and her egalitarianish upbringing. She seems like a modern woman trapped in ancient times, a slightly anachronistic character in an anachronistic kingdom (yes, I like using the word anachronistic,...more
I really enjoyed Guinevere's spunky attitude and her egalitarianish upbringing. She seems like a modern woman trapped in ancient times, a slightly anachronistic character in an anachronistic kingdom (yes, I like using the word anachronistic,...more
The first half of this novel jumps back and forth in the timeline. It starts out with Gwen leaving her home to marry Arthur and while on the road, she keeps having flashbacks to her childhood. It was a little confusing at first but once I came to expect it, I actually thought it worked well.
The author obviously did her research not only of the Arthurian Legend but also of the cultures of the time period. It is saturated with cultural details of the Celts and deals with the differences between C...more
The author obviously did her research not only of the Arthurian Legend but also of the cultures of the time period. It is saturated with cultural details of the Celts and deals with the differences between C...more
This was my first taste of reading anything about King Arthur and his knights and the lady Guinevere – really, I don’t know why. This book, which is the first in a trilogy about Guinevere’s life, is told in first person from Guinevere’s perspective. There were some kinks for me, mostly in the first third of the book, but overall it was quite an enjoyable read.
My first problem was the pacing of the book. I just didn’t find myself becoming interested in Guinevere’s early life as a child in her fat...more
My first problem was the pacing of the book. I just didn’t find myself becoming interested in Guinevere’s early life as a child in her fat...more
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“My voice was a bare rasp of fear. "In the weaving room, the women say it's never been this bad before..."
"They always say that when things get difficult," she answered softly. Then she sat up suddenly as though coming fully awake. Reaching down, she took my chin in her hand and tipped my face to look up at hers. "Remember, Gwen, no matter who says what, the important thing is to understand what needs to be done, and then do it. No matter how hard it is, or how much pain you feel. It's as simple as that, really. Once you know what you have to do, you just do it.”
—
5 people liked it
"They always say that when things get difficult," she answered softly. Then she sat up suddenly as though coming fully awake. Reaching down, she took my chin in her hand and tipped my face to look up at hers. "Remember, Gwen, no matter who says what, the important thing is to understand what needs to be done, and then do it. No matter how hard it is, or how much pain you feel. It's as simple as that, really. Once you know what you have to do, you just do it.”
“Ah well, I suppose that's the problem with trying to make others follow your own beliefs: what starts out as spiritual ardor too often becomes arrogance and bigotry.”
—
4 people liked it
More quotes…
Yup! It took forever just to get there!
Mar 26, 2013 11:00am
Yup! It took forever just to get there!"
EXCRUTIATING... over two years later I am still aching from this jou...more
Mar 26, 2013 11:02am