Through the Eyes of a Raptor

by Julie Hahnke

Orphaned upon her mother's death, thirteen-year-old Kelly MacBride is sent to live with a mysterious grandmother whose Highland estate whispers with intrigue. Aided by Gordie, an obsessive bagpiper with a penchant for Shakespeare and mischief, Kelly deciphers riddles penned in ancient runes. These lead her to hidden tunnels and secret chambers where she chances upon a how-to guide on shape-shifting. But plots lurk just out of view-an attack on the manor's working dogs, a midnight ambush, and a poisoning threaten the manor's safety. Shape-shifting might help Kelly identify the source of the danger, but as a mouse she can't run without tripping on her tail; in squirrel form she finds herself fifty feet in the air without a branch to cling to; and she learns just how blind bats are when she forgets to engage her echolocation. Can she get it right in time? Set in the Highlands of Scotland, Through the Eyes of a Raptor weaves Celtic myth and Scottish culture around questions of loyalty and betrayal, delivering a captivating tale of magic and suspense.

Genres: Fantasy

424 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2007

About the author

A graduate of Dartmouth College, Julie Hahnke is a competitive bagpiper and a compulsive orchid hobbyist. However, her magical skills are questionable. Despite her attempts, her shape shifting still needs some work; and according to her two cats, her mind bending is pathetic. She resides in eastern Massachusetts.

Reviews

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kelly is a clear-eyed, earnest heroine, who, mourning the loss of her mom, travels to the wilds of Scotland to stay with Brid, her mysterious grandmother, at the ancestral home of her dead father. Here she is thrown into studies with an assorted group of fascinating characters, and ... animals. Part Arthur-Merlin, part Scottish farm-estate story a la James Herriot, and part Faerie story, Julie Hahnke weaves a magical middle-grade and young teen fantasy, rich in detail and natural world elements. I was so immersed in the landscape and in the workings of the old estate, I felt like I was there. My heart was with Kelly, all the way, whether beating like a mouse, or a raptor. And I loved the humor, danger and magic in the animal shape-shifting scenes. A few surprises and twists later, I was finished! Compelling read. I recommend it!

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story incorporates Celtic mythology into the tale. A recently orphaned girl travels to Scotland to live with her nearest relatives. She finds that all is not as it seems, that there are powers and forces she has not known of before, and that danger lurks. She learns to identify powers she has within and her place in the universe. It's an engaging story that will take your imagination on a fun ride!

The first chapter of the book sets the scene for the rest of the story, but it's kind of dry. Don't stop reading until you've at least passed chaper 3, just to be fair. The rest of the book is very interesting and will keep you reading, and it has a strong finish that will make you wish you had the sequel.

[Katrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I only gave this one three stars because of the beginning. It moved very slowly for the first few chapters, as she read the diary and studied, it was too slow for me, however the ending made up for that. The last few chapters moved at more my speed, and intrigued me.

I really like the way the author made it so different from the norm. There is no bad guy and good guy. There are just two sides who both feel they are right. And the only thing that makes either side wrong is their violence toward each other.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hahnke takes a very Susan Cooper-like glee in including the details of folklore and history which I greatly appreciate. The story is a fun read, with some fun fantastic elements and hints at a larger conflict. The natural history worked in and around the fantasy is also fabulous. My only reservation about this book is that some of the pacing and scene transitions are strange--occasionally you feel as if a scene has been lopped off before it's finished, and end up backtracking to make sure you didn't accidentally skip a page.

[Hiharin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book combines great literature, an amazing depth of detail, and a throughly engrossing story. I resented the interruptions that pulled me away from the book before I finished it. Clearly it's the first in a new series - hooray!

[Isabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

We read this as a read-aloud in fifth grade, but we couldn't finish it by the end of the year. I really enjoyed it, though.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hope there is a sequel.