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New Policeman #2
The Last of the High Kings
Traveling to the land of eternal youth was the only way J.J. Liddy could stop time from leaking from his world to T'ir na n'Og. But fifteen years after returning from the land of the faeries, J.J. wonders if that long-ago visit is responsible for the strange things now happening to those around him. Why does his daughter Jenny roam barefoot through the wilds, when she should be in school? When did the mysterious white goat begin to patrol the hillside? What is the secret project that J.J.'s son Donal is attempting? And who is the ghost guarding the stone beacon at the top of the mountain—and why has Jenny befriended him? Finding answers to these questions will take J.J. and his family on the most important and dangerous journey of their lives. If they fail, it will undo all the good that J.J. accomplished fifteen years ago. But if they succeed, they will defeat the forces that are gathering to destroy all of mankind, and finally secure the future of the last of the high kings.
336 pages, Library Binding
First published June 7, 2007
10 people are currently reading
453 people want to read
About the author
Kate Thompson
65 books154 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Kate Thompson is an award-winning writer for children and adults.She has lived in Ireland, where many of her books are set, since 1981. She is the youngest child of the social historians and peace activists E. P. Thompson and Dorothy Towers. She worked with horses and travelled in India before settling in the west of Ireland with her partner Conor. They have two daughters, Cliodhna and Dearbhla. She is an accomplished fiddler with an interest in Irish traditional music, reflected in The New Policeman.
While Kate Thompson's children's fiction is primarily fantasy, several of her books also deal with the consequences of genetic engineering.
She has won the Bisto Children's Book of the Year Award four times, for The Beguilers, The Alchemist's Apprentice, Annan Water and The New Policeman. The New Policeman was also awarded the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, the Whitbread Children's Book Award and the Dublin Airport Authority Children's Book of the Year Award for 2005.
Kate Thompson is an award-winning writer for children and adults.She has lived in Ireland, where many of her books are set, since 1981. She is the youngest child of the social historians and peace activists E. P. Thompson and Dorothy Towers. She worked with horses and travelled in India before settling in the west of Ireland with her partner Conor. They have two daughters, Cliodhna and Dearbhla. She is an accomplished fiddler with an interest in Irish traditional music, reflected in The New Policeman.
While Kate Thompson's children's fiction is primarily fantasy, several of her books also deal with the consequences of genetic engineering.
She has won the Bisto Children's Book of the Year Award four times, for The Beguilers, The Alchemist's Apprentice, Annan Water and The New Policeman. The New Policeman was also awarded the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, the Whitbread Children's Book Award and the Dublin Airport Authority Children's Book of the Year Award for 2005.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
January 20, 2010
(Genre:Teen Fantasy) This is a sequel to Thompson's "The New Policeman" and follows the family of J.J. Liddy as they experience more Irish folklore adventures. There were elements that I really enjoyed in this book. The ghost that guards the hill (and what he guards and why) was a wonderful story element that would have earned 4 stars from me. I also enjoyed many of the characters, such as Jenny, the puka, Donal, and Mikey. I like Thompson's writing style and she is very good at meshing reality with folklore. But there were details of the storyline that really detracted my attention away from these elements. The distraction was great enough that I just couldn't give this book higher than 2 1/2 stars. What I say next will contain spoilers, so stop now if you don't want to know! First, I cannot imagine J.J. being so willing to make his deal to exchange their baby daughter with the fairy folk, even wanting that violin wood so much. I don't care that it was his grandfather he was working the deal with. J.J. knows fairies and how flighty and distractable they can be. And even though he has fairy blood running in his veins, he has shown that he is thoughtful and more steady than that. At least he was in the past. No responsible father would give away his child for 16 years to rear a changling. I can imagine his being willing to rear the changling, but not to give away his own daughter to do it. And what about Aisling? Even if he were willing to make a deal, no mother in her right mind would agree to it, either. So there is the rub. Either you believe that reasonable people would act this way, or J.J. and Aisling are both out of their minds. I lean toward the "they are out of their minds" theory, and as such, I have a hard time really immersing myself in their part of this story. I can't imagine that J.J. wouldn't have thought of the consequences (the subsequent aging of his baby) before hand, unless he was so intoxicated by the thought of that wood that he was willing to sacrifice his family like a crack addict would (once again, making it hard to relate to his character). Second, I really couldn't believe the way that J.J. and Aisling were going to get their baby back without the neighbors/authorities getting suspicious. They devised a plan where their teenage daughter would FAKE a pregnancy, so it would appear that they were rearing her baby. Once again, I seriously question whether rational and stable parents would act this way. What about the emotional and mental consequences for Hazel , their teenage daughter? What if the boy that she broke up with decides that he is the father and he wants visitation? What if they never had relations in the first place and yet were going steady? What would that do to her reputation? Do these people even think? And am I truly supposed to believe that they can really "lose" the changling daughter that everyone believes is theirs without serious social consequences? Maybe the system works different in Ireland, but here in the USA you would be thoroughly investigated by authorities and risk losing your other children (since you obviously didn't take very good care of the one that is now missing!). There were enough of these "holes" in logical thought and a subsequent disconnect with actions/consequences that I really couldn't give the remainder of the story a higher mark. I tried to get past them so that I could really enjoy the other elements, but in the end I just couldn't manage it.
July 13, 2018
This is a sequel to The New Policeman, which has long been a favourite of mine. This has more or less the same setting, some of the same characters, and manages to capture the same feeling, and although it didn't quite hit the spot for me in the same way as TNP. There is one particular element in the story which I find jarring, and it's mainly this that knocks my rating down to only-just-4. Otherwise, it's a very enjoyable read and I'd recommend it.
March 19, 2019
I have not read the New Policeman in years but I still felt fully immersed in this story - an Irish tale with lots of bits of folklore and a plot that really keeps you interested. I loved all the characters in this small town and the crazy things that happened.
May 25, 2009
The Last of the High Kings (2007) is Kate Thompson's sequel to her wonderful debut novel The New Policeman (2005). Some time has passed since J.J. was last seen visiting Tir na n’Og to discover where all the time was going. In fact, quite a bit of time has passed. J.J. is now grown with a wife and children of his own. At first, this time lapse was a jolt as was the changed tone between this book and its predecessor--there was something inherently Irish-sounding in the narrative of The New Policeman that was lacking in Thompson's new book. At least, I thought it was. Upon re-reading it became apparent that the "Irish-ness" was equally present in both novels.
J.J. and his wife Aisling have made a fine home on the Liddy family farm even though J.J.'s music career keeps him too busy for any actual farming. The Liddy children, teen Hazel, eleven-year-old Jenny, nine-year-old Donal, and the destructive two-year-old Aiden also keep their parents busy. Jenny is particularly difficult to reign in with her willful nature and predilection for skipping school to wander the fields with a mysterious white goat.
Although at the core of the story, none of that is where the story starts. Instead the story begins with a young man, now many, many years dead, waiting on a hill of stones to learn where his future lies. Years later, on that same beacon, a ghost stands guard over the hillside for reasons long forgotten. Throughout the novel this ghost's fate will intertwine with those of the Liddys in unexpected ways that will change the family forever.
The Last of the High Kings, as the name might suggest, integrates a lot of Irish lore into its plot. Fairies, pukas, and of course ghosts, all play important parts in the story. These magical elements work in strange contrast with the commentary on global warming and other man-made maladies that run beneath the surface of the storyline.
In terms of plot, The Last of the High Kings was not always as enchanting as The New Policeman, partly because readers will already know all about Tir na n’Og and Aengus Og but also because this book had to tread different ground and, at times, made J.J. much less clever than readers of the first book will remember. These problems became less bothersome as the plot moved forward and the story began to move along quite nicely by the halfway point.
The characters found within these pages really are just as charming as those found in The New Policeman. Written in the third person, the narrative follows many characters' points of view. At first this might make the book seem scattered, but it gets easier as the characters become more familiar. Donal, the quiet and introspective member of the Liddy clan, is a particularly delightful addition. This technique also allows Thompson to look at the family as both individuals and a larger unit. While The New Policeman was largely about the land of eternal youth and fairy lore, The Last of the High Kings is firmly grounded in this world dealing with fantastical elements but also especially with the Liddys reconnecting as a family.
(This book will stand alone without its prequel, however to get the full picture it is really vital to read both titles.)
J.J. and his wife Aisling have made a fine home on the Liddy family farm even though J.J.'s music career keeps him too busy for any actual farming. The Liddy children, teen Hazel, eleven-year-old Jenny, nine-year-old Donal, and the destructive two-year-old Aiden also keep their parents busy. Jenny is particularly difficult to reign in with her willful nature and predilection for skipping school to wander the fields with a mysterious white goat.
Although at the core of the story, none of that is where the story starts. Instead the story begins with a young man, now many, many years dead, waiting on a hill of stones to learn where his future lies. Years later, on that same beacon, a ghost stands guard over the hillside for reasons long forgotten. Throughout the novel this ghost's fate will intertwine with those of the Liddys in unexpected ways that will change the family forever.
The Last of the High Kings, as the name might suggest, integrates a lot of Irish lore into its plot. Fairies, pukas, and of course ghosts, all play important parts in the story. These magical elements work in strange contrast with the commentary on global warming and other man-made maladies that run beneath the surface of the storyline.
In terms of plot, The Last of the High Kings was not always as enchanting as The New Policeman, partly because readers will already know all about Tir na n’Og and Aengus Og but also because this book had to tread different ground and, at times, made J.J. much less clever than readers of the first book will remember. These problems became less bothersome as the plot moved forward and the story began to move along quite nicely by the halfway point.
The characters found within these pages really are just as charming as those found in The New Policeman. Written in the third person, the narrative follows many characters' points of view. At first this might make the book seem scattered, but it gets easier as the characters become more familiar. Donal, the quiet and introspective member of the Liddy clan, is a particularly delightful addition. This technique also allows Thompson to look at the family as both individuals and a larger unit. While The New Policeman was largely about the land of eternal youth and fairy lore, The Last of the High Kings is firmly grounded in this world dealing with fantastical elements but also especially with the Liddys reconnecting as a family.
(This book will stand alone without its prequel, however to get the full picture it is really vital to read both titles.)
June 16, 2011
This sequel to The New Policeman picks up the story with the next generation. J.J. Liddy still lives on the Liddy farm, now married to Aisling with four children. His daughter Jenny is a wild child who prefers to run barefoot through the farm and wild areas, spending time with her friends the puka and the ghost who guards the land from monsters. Though the story is nominally centered on Jenny, like many classic British fantasies the focus is really on the entire family, including (unlike in most classics) the grown-ups. Jenny is not what she seems (or, perhaps more accurately, she is exactly what she seems but not what most people would suspect) and neither is her friend the puka. The puka is one of the original makers of the world and is none too pleased at the way humans have trashed it. Though the happy ending the reader was hoping for does win the day, with some tricksy faery help, the reader is left thinking that the puka does have a point after all. A solid engaging fantasy that hovers right on the edge between tween and teen as it really does focus exclusively on family relationships (and the main character we follow is 11) but still touches on deeper environmental and ethical issues. Luckily, fantasy readers tend to be more willing to read back and forth across that tween/teen edge than most readers who prefer characters their age or older.
Book Pairings: The style of storytelling really reminded me of Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising series. Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series would be a good match for readers who enjoy mythology in their fantasy.
Book Pairings: The style of storytelling really reminded me of Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising series. Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series would be a good match for readers who enjoy mythology in their fantasy.
Read
April 28, 2021This is an absolutely phenomenal book! It spoke to me on so many levels! As a Dad trying to raise young children, as an artist trying to find my place in the world, as someone trying to simplify my life!
But I also love fantasy, and it’s got ghosts, and Pucas, and fairy’s, and trips to tri na nog! And there’s a deep irishness to it, it speaks about the landscape with so much love that it seeps off the page like rain water! Oh, and there’s music! It has everything. I can’t recommend it enough. In fact, I might start reading it again tonight. So you should seek it out and buy it, read it, gift it! It’s a joy.
Then find the first in the series, and the third, which are The New Policeman and The White Horse Trick, they’re a little harder to find, they really should be reissued too. Ive only read The New Policeman, which is fantastic too! So go on, buy it, tonight! I double dog dare you!
But I also love fantasy, and it’s got ghosts, and Pucas, and fairy’s, and trips to tri na nog! And there’s a deep irishness to it, it speaks about the landscape with so much love that it seeps off the page like rain water! Oh, and there’s music! It has everything. I can’t recommend it enough. In fact, I might start reading it again tonight. So you should seek it out and buy it, read it, gift it! It’s a joy.
Then find the first in the series, and the third, which are The New Policeman and The White Horse Trick, they’re a little harder to find, they really should be reissued too. Ive only read The New Policeman, which is fantastic too! So go on, buy it, tonight! I double dog dare you!
May 25, 2018
J.J. Liddy, from the 1st in this series, is grown up and married with children. His contact with Tir na n'OG continues as he deals with his younger daughter Jenny's contact with a Puka, and a ghost guarding a stone beacon. A bit less time in the fairy world in this novel but more Irish magical & musical history in the "ploddie's" world. There's a slightly darker edge to this story than there is in the first because J.J. is dealing with adult issues now but still a fun read.
February 5, 2020
While some readers might find the first 2 books in this series slow to begin the fantasy portion of the book, it is exactly this feature that makes these books so attractive to me! I love that there may be a bit of the magic in our everyday world and that it takes place in Ireland. I will be neglecting my housework tonight to finish book 3.
May 13, 2019
I don’t know if it’s just Thompson’s writing style, but both of these books so far have been very enjoyable reads. There’s not a whole lot of action or plot, but the characters are lovable and the read is easy.
J.J., Jenny, the ghost at the beacon, the puka, Donal
J.J., Jenny, the ghost at the beacon, the puka, Donal
August 16, 2020
Haven’t read the first book in the series.
This is a thoughtful book that grew on me and dealt with some heavy topics, including death and how humanity treats the environment. Not sure I can say exactly that it’s a book I liked, but one that made me think and feel, and wrapped things up nicely.
This is a thoughtful book that grew on me and dealt with some heavy topics, including death and how humanity treats the environment. Not sure I can say exactly that it’s a book I liked, but one that made me think and feel, and wrapped things up nicely.
May 30, 2017
Truly enjoyed this
Not my usual reading fare but the story was interesting if a bit chaotic at times. I am happy to have this in my library and to recommend it to others.
Not my usual reading fare but the story was interesting if a bit chaotic at times. I am happy to have this in my library and to recommend it to others.
January 19, 2019
Another story of the Liddy family of Ireland and their dealings with Tir Na Og. I didn't think it was as good as the first book, but it was a quick read with some great moments.
January 14, 2021
she has the best transitions *ever* between storylines. and i like how the whole family is involved and represented in the story. it's more realistic.
March 20, 2022
めっちゃ泣いた
December 30, 2020
Not as magical as the first one but just as delightful. She has an excellent rhythm for kids, although I'd like her to explain a little bit more about Irish mythology.
March 26, 2008
The Last of the High Kings by Kate Thompson is a delightful Irish story that could be classified as a fairy tale. Perfect for teens of Jr. High School level to adults, all will find this can't put it down entertaining. I enjoyed this so much I finished it in less than 24 hours.
The story takes us on a journey with an Irish family living the country life and struggling to make ends meet. Between money being a problem and four difficult children, each with their own me, me, me attitude, the Liddy's are beside themselves as to what to do.
Jenny Liddy is our main character and oh so darling. She's cute, intelligent beyond her years, independent, strong willed and stubborn as a mule. She hates school, loves wandering aimlessly around the countryside and talks to a goat. Oh yeah and she befriends a ghost.
With a wonderful crew of characters in this story, you never know what to expect. You have fairies, Gods, ghosts and ploddies. A world once beautiful beyond belief until the ploddies (humans) multiplied so fast that they simply took everything for granted and used so many of the earths resources that it has caused a major upset amongst the other realms.
The author has given us such a wonderful Celtic story here that it could oh so easily be something that has been handed down from generation to generation. A fantastic story told by the fireplace before the children go to bed is what I envision through every household in Ireland.
If you believe in magic and fairy tales then this is the perfect book for you. A must read for anyone from the ages of 12 to 90.
The story takes us on a journey with an Irish family living the country life and struggling to make ends meet. Between money being a problem and four difficult children, each with their own me, me, me attitude, the Liddy's are beside themselves as to what to do.
Jenny Liddy is our main character and oh so darling. She's cute, intelligent beyond her years, independent, strong willed and stubborn as a mule. She hates school, loves wandering aimlessly around the countryside and talks to a goat. Oh yeah and she befriends a ghost.
With a wonderful crew of characters in this story, you never know what to expect. You have fairies, Gods, ghosts and ploddies. A world once beautiful beyond belief until the ploddies (humans) multiplied so fast that they simply took everything for granted and used so many of the earths resources that it has caused a major upset amongst the other realms.
The author has given us such a wonderful Celtic story here that it could oh so easily be something that has been handed down from generation to generation. A fantastic story told by the fireplace before the children go to bed is what I envision through every household in Ireland.
If you believe in magic and fairy tales then this is the perfect book for you. A must read for anyone from the ages of 12 to 90.
August 9, 2008
Reviewed by Allison Fraclose for TeensReadToo.com
The ghost of a young boy guards a pile of stones on the top of a mountain in the Irish countryside, and the only person who has spoken with him in the last three thousand years is Jenny. The daughter of J.J. Liddy, who traveled to the timeless world of T'ir na n'Og when he was a young man, Jenny feels dreadfully out of place in the human world, preferring to roam the rocky fields of the Burren barefoot and converse with the Púka than go to school. The Púka, a spirit disguised as a white goat, understands, and teaches her many things that she would never learn in school, such as how to read the winds of change.
The Liddys have long accepted that this is what Jenny was like, but only J.J. and his wife, Aisling, know why that is. J.J. has been waiting for years for a deal he made in T'ir na n'Og to come to fruition, and his patience is wearing thin. Once he decides to put his plan into action, he finds that there are many factors that he did not consider, or even understand. The ghost, the Púka, and even Jenny have a major part to play in what could very well be the unmaking of the human world. As Jenny learns of her own significance, she must work out a plan of her own to save the people that she has grown to love.
Although I did not read the prequel to this book, THE NEW POLICEMAN, I found this story very easy to follow, with only a minimal feeling of perhaps having enjoyed it more had I read the first book. That factor grew very unimportant as the story drew me in with its mystery and mythology.
The ghost of a young boy guards a pile of stones on the top of a mountain in the Irish countryside, and the only person who has spoken with him in the last three thousand years is Jenny. The daughter of J.J. Liddy, who traveled to the timeless world of T'ir na n'Og when he was a young man, Jenny feels dreadfully out of place in the human world, preferring to roam the rocky fields of the Burren barefoot and converse with the Púka than go to school. The Púka, a spirit disguised as a white goat, understands, and teaches her many things that she would never learn in school, such as how to read the winds of change.
The Liddys have long accepted that this is what Jenny was like, but only J.J. and his wife, Aisling, know why that is. J.J. has been waiting for years for a deal he made in T'ir na n'Og to come to fruition, and his patience is wearing thin. Once he decides to put his plan into action, he finds that there are many factors that he did not consider, or even understand. The ghost, the Púka, and even Jenny have a major part to play in what could very well be the unmaking of the human world. As Jenny learns of her own significance, she must work out a plan of her own to save the people that she has grown to love.
Although I did not read the prequel to this book, THE NEW POLICEMAN, I found this story very easy to follow, with only a minimal feeling of perhaps having enjoyed it more had I read the first book. That factor grew very unimportant as the story drew me in with its mystery and mythology.
June 28, 2013
I picked up this book at the library and thought it might be interesting. I was a little disappointed. First of all, I had no idea it was the second book in a series. There was nothing on the cover or in the list of the author's other bnooks to indicate that it was part of a series. I don't like jumping into the middle of a story, so I was thrown a bit when the story started out hinting at things I didn't know about. Luckily there was enough information given later in the book for me to figure out what was going on, but it was a struggle starting. The idea for the plot was interesting, but I found I didn't care much for JJ and Aisling. Even if he is part faery, that is no excuse for her. The whole time I couldn't help thinking how amazing it was the children survived so long with parents like them. I liked the children and Mikey. One thing that bothered me though was near the end.
SPOILER ALERT
Jenny has gone to the beacon to convince the ghost to leave so she can keep her end of the deal with the puka. She doesn't attend school most of the time and when she does she's trying to escape. She doesn't have a sense of how other people feel and seems to always be in a world of her own. So how is she able to tell the ghost all about humans and global warming and the ozone? I just found it odd that she would be aware enough of the world's environmental problems when it was stressed that their own village and surroundings were clean and natural.
Overall it was an ok book, but I'm not sure I'll be checking out the 1st or the 3rd in the series.
SPOILER ALERT
Jenny has gone to the beacon to convince the ghost to leave so she can keep her end of the deal with the puka. She doesn't attend school most of the time and when she does she's trying to escape. She doesn't have a sense of how other people feel and seems to always be in a world of her own. So how is she able to tell the ghost all about humans and global warming and the ozone? I just found it odd that she would be aware enough of the world's environmental problems when it was stressed that their own village and surroundings were clean and natural.
Overall it was an ok book, but I'm not sure I'll be checking out the 1st or the 3rd in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 24, 2008
Three and one-half stars. I loved Thompson's "The New Policeman" and wanted to like this sequel more than I did.
J.J., the fifteen-year-old hero of TNP, is grown and married with four interesting children of his own: toddler Aiden, (havoc on two legs); nine-year-old budding musician, Donal; older teen Hazel, and especially eleven-year-old Jenny who who's the family misfit, distracted, indifferent to school, prone to wandering the Irish countryside and talking to a boy-ghost and a shape-shifting goat.
As in TNP,Thompson is deft at blending her real and magical worlds. I love the charm and kindness of her characters, even the minor ones, and their tenderness and caring toward each other. I love how they talk to each other too. But I missed the music in the first book, secondary here, and felt that a good bit of the plot was told rather than shown, especially in the story's middle. I also found the parts about humankind's destructive impact on the natural world ("the hole in the ozone layer" and "melting ice caps") didactic and little grounded in this plot or the these characters, who, (excepting J.J.'s airplane flights to play music), seem to live close and friendly with the earth. And toward the end of the book nine-year-old Donal--who seems older than that--points out something crucially important that I didn't believe his otherwise intelligent parents hadn't realized before.
J.J., the fifteen-year-old hero of TNP, is grown and married with four interesting children of his own: toddler Aiden, (havoc on two legs); nine-year-old budding musician, Donal; older teen Hazel, and especially eleven-year-old Jenny who who's the family misfit, distracted, indifferent to school, prone to wandering the Irish countryside and talking to a boy-ghost and a shape-shifting goat.
As in TNP,Thompson is deft at blending her real and magical worlds. I love the charm and kindness of her characters, even the minor ones, and their tenderness and caring toward each other. I love how they talk to each other too. But I missed the music in the first book, secondary here, and felt that a good bit of the plot was told rather than shown, especially in the story's middle. I also found the parts about humankind's destructive impact on the natural world ("the hole in the ozone layer" and "melting ice caps") didactic and little grounded in this plot or the these characters, who, (excepting J.J.'s airplane flights to play music), seem to live close and friendly with the earth. And toward the end of the book nine-year-old Donal--who seems older than that--points out something crucially important that I didn't believe his otherwise intelligent parents hadn't realized before.
February 14, 2024
First of all, I am deeply, deeply confused how I gave this a 3-star the first time I read it. Was I even reading the same book???? I do not understand. I remember being really underwhelmed the first time, but didn't remember any specifics. For this reason I decided to reread it before finishing the series and I am SO glad it did! This book had me so hooked the entire time. The last half I finished in a couple sittings because I couldn't put it down and I was in tears by the end. This story was gripping and lovely. As with The New Policeman, I love the world and atmosphere. This instalment was much more rooted in our world, we only go to the fairy realm a couple times briefly and characters from that world show up and are interictal to the plot, so it still was deeply rooted in the folklore elements, which is one of my main reasons for loving this series.
It was run seeing JJ as an adult and raising his own family. I'm not really sure what the last book is about, but I'm guessing it's going to follow one of JJ's descendants. I always kind of struggle with series like this that are more companions than direct sequels because I get so attached to characters and it can take me a bit to get invested in a new cast, but I am still very excited to dive into the final instalment!
It was run seeing JJ as an adult and raising his own family. I'm not really sure what the last book is about, but I'm guessing it's going to follow one of JJ's descendants. I always kind of struggle with series like this that are more companions than direct sequels because I get so attached to characters and it can take me a bit to get invested in a new cast, but I am still very excited to dive into the final instalment!
February 16, 2011
I expected much more from The Last of the High Kings than I got. I was excited that it starred JJ Liddy as an adult. I was horrified to watch how he and his wife treated Jenny, their changeling daughter. JJ had accepted the trade because he wanted some chiming maple. He'd give Angus his daughter in trade for the wood and Angus's daughter. Jenny knew she didn't fit in but had no idea why. Meanwhile, there is a beacon on a hill that is being guarded by a ghost and whose presence has protected the human race for 3 millenia. But he's getting tired and who knows what will happen if he leaves his post. Like the New Policeman, the title of the story is obscure and though important, felt much like an afterthought. It was as though there were too many characters for Thompson to track and while they all had roles, the book would have had more depth had it been more focused. Again, I was mostly appalled that though Jenny was a known changeling, JJ and Aisling had her from birth. That they developed no feelings for her whatsoever and were focused on worldy needs and would do whatever they needed to in order to achieve them, made me dislike the man that JJ became.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 28, 2011
In this second book of The Last Policeman seriesk, JJ Liddy has grown up and married. He and Aisling are raising their three children, Jenny, Hazel and Donal. Things have gone awry since he and Aisling made their original life plans. JJ is now more popular than ever and is constantly on music tours, so he cannot devote time to making fiddles. Plus his deal with Aengus for chiming maple to make the best fiddles has not been fulfilled. Aisling, who wanted to study homeopathy, has been left alone to raise the children, including Jenny, the child who forgets to go to school, runs through the fields without shoes (or loses them when she is made to wear them) and can see a ghost on top of the beacon on top of the mountain.
Similar to the first book, Thompson brings the mythical elements of Ireland into a strong storyline already well established. This novel takes place 15 years after the end of the first book and yet the sequence is seamless. All the characters are fully developed and urge the reader to become totally immersed in their lives.
I highly recommend this book. It is so completely enjoyable, you will probably find yourself reading nonstop.
Similar to the first book, Thompson brings the mythical elements of Ireland into a strong storyline already well established. This novel takes place 15 years after the end of the first book and yet the sequence is seamless. All the characters are fully developed and urge the reader to become totally immersed in their lives.
I highly recommend this book. It is so completely enjoyable, you will probably find yourself reading nonstop.
January 12, 2010
The Last of the High Kings is even better than The New Policeman, the first story about J.J. Liddy's family. In this story J.J., the grandson of Aengus Og, is grown and has children of his own, but their lives are still entangled with the fairy people of Tir na nOg.
An adult main character in a YA book is tricky to pull off, and Thompson does a great job. J.J.'s failings and missteps have real consequences, but they're also understandable, and he manages to step up and act like a grown-up when he needs to. All the characters are well-rounded and interesting in their own right, and when the plot twists and revelations started coming, they kept me turning the pages.
In a funny way it's the tone of this book that I like the best. The same plot could have been handled in a creepier, action/suspense way, or with more over the top humor, or could have gone in several other different directions. I love the way Thompson evokes a magical world and a "real" world that *both* have elements of the glorious and the everyday, and characters that are realistically full of both good and bad.
An adult main character in a YA book is tricky to pull off, and Thompson does a great job. J.J.'s failings and missteps have real consequences, but they're also understandable, and he manages to step up and act like a grown-up when he needs to. All the characters are well-rounded and interesting in their own right, and when the plot twists and revelations started coming, they kept me turning the pages.
In a funny way it's the tone of this book that I like the best. The same plot could have been handled in a creepier, action/suspense way, or with more over the top humor, or could have gone in several other different directions. I love the way Thompson evokes a magical world and a "real" world that *both* have elements of the glorious and the everyday, and characters that are realistically full of both good and bad.
June 5, 2011
Jenny is not like other children -- she is forgetful, loses track of time, and wanders out into the fields and woods barefoot most days instead of going to school. She can also see and talk to the ghost of a boy who has been guarding a pile of rocks for over 3,000 years, and a Púka (an Irish spirit) disguised as a white goat. The boy tells her one story, while the Púka tells her another -- which one is being truthful, or is the truth somewhere in between? Jenny's father traveled to the fairy world of T'ir na n'Og when he was younger, and helped to repair the leak of time from the human world into the timeless fairy world. He is waiting for the deal he made at that time to be completed, and it turns out that Jenny is the key to that, as well as saving the human world from destruction. Will her choice save the world or doom it to darkness? A wonderful tale full of surprises, where each character's choices and viewpoints are important. This is the sequel to The New Policeman, but it's not necessary to read them in order -- this one stands on its own. 6th grade and up.
June 14, 2017
Wow. Just....wow. So incredible! I found it impossible to put this book down, and I read it all in one sitting. The plot is so perfectly woven, and all those little mysteries come together so deliciously.
I adore every single character! I loved meeting our old friend J.J. grown up with a family of his own, the destructive and adorable two-year-old Aidan, the mysterious Jenny, the chilling puka, good old Mikey, and the dependable Donal. I usually don't like books with too many POVs, but the different perspectives are handled flawlessly in the writing, and I never even noticed the changes because I was so wrapped up in the story.
The writing is nothing short of spectacular! Every word is so flavorful, and I found myself whispering the words aloud as I read. The gorgeous Irish setting and background of fairy legends is so strong that it's practically its own character. I felt immersed in this enchanting world of fairies, ghosts, and changelings who hobnob with poor human folk.
I can't wait to read more from this author!
I adore every single character! I loved meeting our old friend J.J. grown up with a family of his own, the destructive and adorable two-year-old Aidan, the mysterious Jenny, the chilling puka, good old Mikey, and the dependable Donal. I usually don't like books with too many POVs, but the different perspectives are handled flawlessly in the writing, and I never even noticed the changes because I was so wrapped up in the story.
The writing is nothing short of spectacular! Every word is so flavorful, and I found myself whispering the words aloud as I read. The gorgeous Irish setting and background of fairy legends is so strong that it's practically its own character. I felt immersed in this enchanting world of fairies, ghosts, and changelings who hobnob with poor human folk.
I can't wait to read more from this author!
January 3, 2009
And so The Last of the High Kings becomes my last book of 2008!
This is the sequel to The New Policeman. The main character of that book, J.J. Liddy, has grown and has a family of his own, including one special member.
The book brings back more interaction between the human and fantastical worlds of ghosts, fairies and pukas. There is an environmental message that was also present to a lesser extent in the previous book – that humans are destroying one of the most beautiful worlds in existence, and that is having effects on the other worlds and the beings that inhabit them.
The author was excellent at blending the various beings and making a conversation with a ghost seem perfectly natural. There’s a really nice quality to both of the books, but overall, I think The New Policeman is a bit more magical than The Last of the High Kings. Both were enjoyable reads.
This is the sequel to The New Policeman. The main character of that book, J.J. Liddy, has grown and has a family of his own, including one special member.
The book brings back more interaction between the human and fantastical worlds of ghosts, fairies and pukas. There is an environmental message that was also present to a lesser extent in the previous book – that humans are destroying one of the most beautiful worlds in existence, and that is having effects on the other worlds and the beings that inhabit them.
The author was excellent at blending the various beings and making a conversation with a ghost seem perfectly natural. There’s a really nice quality to both of the books, but overall, I think The New Policeman is a bit more magical than The Last of the High Kings. Both were enjoyable reads.
September 15, 2011
This book is a good sequel to the New Policeman. I love how Kate Thompson incorporates well-known folk/fairy tales with other less known legends. The music, and settings seemed to come alive with the rich setting portrayals and unique characters.
The only reason why this is getting 4 stars: the whole changeling thing was a good part, but it seemed very unrealistic to return a child you nurtured for a decade or more to get a baby you gave birth to, but don't know anything about. It seemed random, all of a sudden, that they take their adopted daughter and decide to give her back in exchange for their birth daughter. Also, I didn't like how the moral seemed to say, it's okay to rip people off, and trick them to save your own kind... other than that, it was an enjoyable, but quick (2 hrs most) read. I missed having each chapter have a new piece of music- that was a unique part about the first book in the series.
The only reason why this is getting 4 stars: the whole changeling thing was a good part, but it seemed very unrealistic to return a child you nurtured for a decade or more to get a baby you gave birth to, but don't know anything about. It seemed random, all of a sudden, that they take their adopted daughter and decide to give her back in exchange for their birth daughter. Also, I didn't like how the moral seemed to say, it's okay to rip people off, and trick them to save your own kind... other than that, it was an enjoyable, but quick (2 hrs most) read. I missed having each chapter have a new piece of music- that was a unique part about the first book in the series.
September 26, 2008
What an incredible achievement...Thompson knows exactly how to turn her phrases so that everything seems so simple, so natural, and yet embedded within each sentence, there is a sense of slight eeriness, slight oddity, ample humor, and power of magic. I've been trying to figure out why or how or why her sentences work so well and so powerfully and still cannot quite put my fingers on it. Except that maybe there is a deliberate rhythm and pleases me and the choices of paradoxical tidbits delight me. And how much I simply adore the complex characteristics of the fairy, the puka, and the human. Each race is greedy and selfish and yet each is also sympathetic and has its own (legitimate) reasons of behaving their own ways. I am so pleased that the follow-up to The New Policeman is every bit as exciting and satisfying as its predecessor!
July 23, 2008
I enjoyed this sequel to The New Policeman, but for whatever reason it didn't have quite the same magic. It still had that entertaining blend of Irish mythology and fantasy with real world issues, and the characters were well-drawn, and it had a nice sense of humor in the tone. I was a little distracted by the fact that our main character, JJ, is now in his 40s with several children - I couldn't help but wonder if children would enjoy that as much as a story told primarily from a child's point of view. Sections are from the point of view of the children, but JJ is still at the forefront. Overall a fun read, and worth taking a look at if you enjoyed The New Policeman (which I highly recommend), but probably not a good stand-alone.
May 13, 2009
This is book 2 of Kate Thomnpson's medley of young adult fiction with an Irish fantastical twist. I picked it up from the library; looked there for book 1 but couldn't find it that day. Believe me, I will keep trying until I find it. In fact, this duo will probably be purchased and put in my home library before long. I loved it! Given that I have a soft spot for Irish fantasy, with all its fairies and enchantments (perhaps I've been enchanted, myself--or as I prefer to suppose, I am actually a changeling from the fairy world), and adore Irish traditional music, it is no surprise that I fell under the spell of this stuff. The writing is good, if not glorious. But the story, the mystery and the surprises are terrific. And its clean.
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