The Wealdwife's Tale

by Paul Hazel

Obsessed with constructing a miraculous flying machine that will carry him to his dead wife, the Eighth Duke of West Redding journeys through the sky and retrieves a curse from a dark, impenetrable wood. Reprint.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction

Paperback

Published January 1, 1994

About the author

In his long career in Ridgefield Paul Hazel has been an educator, a novelist, and a matchmaker. A native of the Nichols section of Trumbull, the Yale graduate came here in 1972 as head of the English Department at Ridgefield High School. A year later Superintendent David E. Weingast (q.v.) put him in charge of professional personnel and he’s worn that hat for 27 years, searching for and hiring teachers and other professional staff. “It’s about matching,” Mr. Hazel said of his job of hiring staff. “It’s not only who I find capable, but who will fit in with the teachers that are there, who will be a good part of the school community and who the principal thinks is interesting," he told The Press. "It’s not a match unless a lot of other people buy into it.” As the century ended, Mr. Hazel had served more years as a central office administrator than anyone else on the staff. But through those years, he’s had a second career: a writer of sophisticated and well-reviewed fantasy novels, mostly with Celtic themes: Yearwood (1980), Undersea (1982), Winterking (1985), and The Wealdwife’s Tale (1993). When not hunting for teachers or perfecting plots, Mr. Hazel enjoys building finely designed rock walls in his garden. He also enjoys long distance bicycling, both here and in Europe, with his wife, Reggie, who is the first selectman's administrative assistant and a former school board chairman. Source: Notable Ridgefielders-Jack Sanders

Reviews

[Leisha Wharfield]

Every page is poetry. Sometimes the plot is difficult to follow because of the magic, and the way the two parallel universes get muddled. I think I was supposed to be aware of something that was supposed to happen as a story that occurred in one reality was reflected (sorta) into another, but I didn't feel the suspense. You may, and you may enjoy it more than I did for that. I liked the mythic feel of it, the characters, and the good writing.

[Kyra]

This is my third reading of this fairly obscure fantasy and I see it differently every time. The writing is superb and the story which starts out as a charming EB White sort of romp quickly becomes dark. Just how dark, you will see if you try this little known award-winning author.

[Duchomp]

Good, but sad.

[Erik the Red]

The book becomes unreadable partway through. Perhaps indulging in enough peyote or LSD would allow one to finish the work and glean something from it? I have neither inclination nor desire to do so. I cannot imagine how this ever got published.

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* (extremely rare) There is something very wrong with this book &/or this author; never again.
** (seldom) Has flaws, or I just couldn’t get into it; no thanks.
*** (usual) Not great, not bad; no need to return to it.
**** (often) Better than average; I’d read it again.
***** (rare) A superb example of the genre, &/or an incredible piece of art; I re-read it often.

[Darren]

The best thing about this book is the cover. Pretty cool cover, which is what made me buy the book years ago. I got 90 pages into the book and just had to give up. Kind of confusing tale, and it doesn't really grab you. I wanted to give it a chance, but 90 pages in, it was not going anywhere. As others say, somewhat confusing read. You're not sure exactly what is going on. I'd actually love to read a synopsis of the book by someone who read the whole thing and can explain it.

[Pam]

All I remember from the first reading of this book is that it was complex and very creepy. When I work up the guts to read it again, I'll have a better analysis. The review that said this was a retelling of the Seven Swans story might help.

[Kathy Sebesta]

Falls into the category of "terminally weird." It held me for the first half, then the second half took forever and was so convoluted that I still don't understand what happened. Sorry I invested the time.

[Christine]

A re-telling of the Seven Swans.