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The Wisdom of Wood - Volume 1 - Hazelnut
For eighteen years, Samuel Alexander has been on a quest to decipher the mythology behind an ancient ring he discovered in England, and the prophecy connecting it to the Ogham Tree Alphabet. But when Samuel is struck with a massive heart attack, he has no option but to shove the ring, and his research journal, into his adult daughter's unsuspecting hands. And with his dying breath, Samuel cries out his granddaughter's name. Eight-year-old Sophie inherits a ring and a story she knows nothing about, as well as a prophecy she is intended to fulfill. But, not until the age of twenty-one will she accept her destiny, and travel the journey mapped out in her grandfather's journal.
Enter Sophie's world, filled with mythological characters that lay claim to her soul, and watch as she transforms them, and herself, and in the process reawakens the long-lost Wisdom of Wood.
Enter Sophie's world, filled with mythological characters that lay claim to her soul, and watch as she transforms them, and herself, and in the process reawakens the long-lost Wisdom of Wood.
404 pages, Paperback
First published August 22, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 12, 2025
The book unfolds as a mythic tale woven through time, place, and spirit. It follows Samuel Alexander and his descendants as they become entangled with Glastonbury’s mysteries, sacred symbols, and the haunting legacy of a ring unearthed at Bride’s Well. The story moves between dream and waking life, myth and history, layering Celtic lore, Druidic traditions, and Arthurian echoes into a generational saga. Characters are guided by visions, by voices from the otherworld, and by trees themselves, whose spirits carry wisdom and warning. The narrative blends myth with personal struggle, and family with fate, to create a tapestry that is both mystical and relatable.
What struck me most was the style of the writing. It has a rhythm that feels almost incantatory. The sentences often unfold like chants, looping and layering symbols until I found myself immersed in the cadence rather than just the plot. At times, I’ll admit, I felt adrift, as if the story cared less about holding my hand and more about pulling me into its current. Yet I also liked that sense of surrender. It mirrored the characters’ own confusion when faced with forces larger than themselves. Some passages soared with imagery that felt cinematic. Others slowed down, but always with a sense that something sacred was just out of reach.
On a more emotional level, I found myself unexpectedly moved by the family thread running through the myth. Samuel’s death and the passing of his journal and ring to Eleni and Sophie gave the narrative a raw anchor in grief and legacy. The mystical voices, priestesses, and mythic archetypes would have been too abstract for me without those human losses at the center. That’s where the book hit hardest. It made me think about how much we inherit without knowing, and how myths are not just stories but shadows we live under. Still, I sometimes wished for a bit more grounding in the everyday. The dreamlike prose was beautiful, but it could also feel heavy.
I think this book is best for readers who enjoy being swept up in myth and who don’t mind when the line between story and symbol blurs. If you like Joseph Campbell or Marion Zimmer Bradley, you’ll probably find yourself right at home. For me, it was enchanting. I’d recommend it to anyone willing to slow down, sink into layered imagery, and let the wisdom of wood whisper its way through their imagination.
What struck me most was the style of the writing. It has a rhythm that feels almost incantatory. The sentences often unfold like chants, looping and layering symbols until I found myself immersed in the cadence rather than just the plot. At times, I’ll admit, I felt adrift, as if the story cared less about holding my hand and more about pulling me into its current. Yet I also liked that sense of surrender. It mirrored the characters’ own confusion when faced with forces larger than themselves. Some passages soared with imagery that felt cinematic. Others slowed down, but always with a sense that something sacred was just out of reach.
On a more emotional level, I found myself unexpectedly moved by the family thread running through the myth. Samuel’s death and the passing of his journal and ring to Eleni and Sophie gave the narrative a raw anchor in grief and legacy. The mystical voices, priestesses, and mythic archetypes would have been too abstract for me without those human losses at the center. That’s where the book hit hardest. It made me think about how much we inherit without knowing, and how myths are not just stories but shadows we live under. Still, I sometimes wished for a bit more grounding in the everyday. The dreamlike prose was beautiful, but it could also feel heavy.
I think this book is best for readers who enjoy being swept up in myth and who don’t mind when the line between story and symbol blurs. If you like Joseph Campbell or Marion Zimmer Bradley, you’ll probably find yourself right at home. For me, it was enchanting. I’d recommend it to anyone willing to slow down, sink into layered imagery, and let the wisdom of wood whisper its way through their imagination.
April 9, 2012
I can't wait to read this......:)
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews