Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Tor Books (2005), Edition: 1st, 512 pages
Description
Bridei is a young nobleman fostered at the home of Broichan, one of the most powerful druids in the land. His earliest memories are not of hearth and kin but of this dark stranger who while not unkind is mysterious in his ways. The tasks that he sets Bridei appear to have one goal-to make him a vessel for some distant purpose. What that purpose is Bridei cannot fathom but he trusts the man and is content to learn all he can about the ways of the world. But something happens that will change Bridei's world forever ... and possible wreck all of Broichan's plans. For Bridei finds a child on their doorstep on a bitter MidWinter Eve, a child seemingly abandoned by the fairie folk. It is uncommonly bad luck to have truck with the Fair Folk and all counsel the babe's death. But Bridei sees an old and precious magic at work here and heedless of the danger fights to save the child. Broichan relents but is wary. The two grow up together and as Bridei comes to manhood he sees the shy girl Tuala blossom into a beautiful woman. Broichan sees the same process and feels only danger ... for Tuala could be a key part in Bridei's future ... or could spell his doom.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member jlizzy
I ended up really liking this book, however it did take me awhile to get into the plot and characters. I am glad I stuck with it, but it is not the best of Marillier's work. I am not sure I will continue with the series. Many of her other books are outstanding but this is not one of them.
LibraryThing member cequillo
An excellent start to another series by Marillier. Intriguing characters, set in fascinating worlds which are brought to life by Marillier's skills as an author. I read her Sevenwaters trilogy and it's remained one of my favorite fantasy reads through the years. This one promises to be right up
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there with Sevenwaters. Druids, Good Folk, kings and queens, court intrigue, political betrayals, battles fought over the right to beliefs long held sacred. What's not to like? Show Less
LibraryThing member Pompeia
A druid's foster son, Bridei, finds a fay infant, Tuala, on his doorstep and becomes dedicated to looking after her. However, the druid has other plans for Bridei and tries to separate them. Bridei is sent to court to be groomed for a role as king but cannot forget his Tuala. Well, you can guess
I read the Sevenwaters Trilogy by the author and liked it more. For me, this book had an interesting theme, but the text itself was lacking - no spark at all. I found myself trying to read as fast as I can just so I could get to the end of the book so I could see what happens.
It wasn't all bad though. As mentioned, the theme - Picts, druids, forest, etc. is good and at times I cared about the characters. It's just that the plot was very predictable - two children, growing up, fighting the "impossible" obstacles on their way to love, which is pretty much just a rehash of the stereotypical romance story and definetely not what I expected. At moments I was also very bored with the "moral lessons" the characters were getting from pretty much everything they did. Besides, the characters felt very unreal - they were pretty much modern people planted in a brutal era.
So, if you haven't read Marillier, don't start with this one - try Daughter of the Forest. If you liked the Sevenwaters Trilogy, maybe you'll like this too - for me it wasn't as good as her earlier work.
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how this plays out, no surprises in this book!I read the Sevenwaters Trilogy by the author and liked it more. For me, this book had an interesting theme, but the text itself was lacking - no spark at all. I found myself trying to read as fast as I can just so I could get to the end of the book so I could see what happens.
It wasn't all bad though. As mentioned, the theme - Picts, druids, forest, etc. is good and at times I cared about the characters. It's just that the plot was very predictable - two children, growing up, fighting the "impossible" obstacles on their way to love, which is pretty much just a rehash of the stereotypical romance story and definetely not what I expected. At moments I was also very bored with the "moral lessons" the characters were getting from pretty much everything they did. Besides, the characters felt very unreal - they were pretty much modern people planted in a brutal era.
So, if you haven't read Marillier, don't start with this one - try Daughter of the Forest. If you liked the Sevenwaters Trilogy, maybe you'll like this too - for me it wasn't as good as her earlier work.
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LibraryThing member ahappybooker
This book was a little slow for me. I enjoyed Tuala's POV but seemed to lose interest when it got to Bridei's. In many instances, the book reminded me a lot of Mists of Avalon, which is probably why I stayed with it to the end. The story is different than in Mists, but they share a lot of the same
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types of rituals, worship, and just a general feel. The two Fae or whatever they were supposed to be, were particularly annoying and, to me, pointless to the story. Overall, it was an OK read, and I'll continue to the second in the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member Unreachableshelf
This new universe of Marillier's is a little harder to get into than those of Sevenwaters and the Children of the Light Isles, but in the end, she delivers what her fans want. I am most annoyed by the apparent cancelation of the trade paperback edition of the second book in the series, which was
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supposed to be released in May shortly after the hardback edition of the third. Less than four weeks before its scheduled release, it vanished from the cataloges of B&N and Amazon, and the brick-and-morter bookstores I asked said that they saw the release date, but no way to order it. Now there is a wait until October for the mass market release. Show Less
LibraryThing member Ameliaiif
Okay, I *love* this book!!! like, incredibly love it!!! Excellent blend of history and fantasy in a quite unique timeperiod: writing about the 6th century Picts is no easy feat, since most of their culture has been lost. I will caution that this is a very "wordy" book: Juliet Marillier is very good
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about drawing readers into her story through vividly descriptive passages. In other words, she spends a lot of time, I think, on details, and sometimes that can seem overwhelming. Fact and fiction may blend - and I'm not sure where they meet - but everything is very, very detailed. Sometimes (and I felt this way reading her other book) I think that she could pick up the pace a bit and nothing would be lost, but whatever... It was a fun read. I certainly have found a new character to add to my list of all-time favorites: Bridei himself; it's always good to like the main character. If you've gotta read about 'em, you might as well like 'em. And the little irksome thing from Wolfskin has been entirely reconciled ;) That's another likeable thing about Bridei, heehee. Too bad Eyvind, you've been replaced! - At its very core, the story revolves around the preparation of a boy, Bridei, to be king of Fortriu (ancient northern Scotland), and his relationship with Tuala, a mysterious foundling he discovers as a child. I absolutely loved their story--it was indeed my favorite part of the book. However, they spend nearly half of the 600 pages apart from each other; I really liked the scenes where they were together, so I had to discipline myself against skimming ahead! The last 50 or so pages are definitely the best part :) The Bridei & Tuala scenes, I think, are the very heart of the book, and I wish that the 663-page saga would have featured more of them together. Not sure how I feel about Broichan: I flip-flopped between hating him and understanding him. He was certainly an interesting figure, that's for sure. - The story, in my honest opinion, didnt have to be so long. I know, who am I to say something like that? Stories can be however long the author wants them to be!!!! It's just that her plot has so many twists and turns, I started to see patterns: I could almost sense when she was going to yank the plot in another direction, and after 600 pages, it started to get a bit old. It seems to me that this book had a little too much information: it really wanted to be a historical, it really wanted to be romantic, it really wanted to be a fantasy... And the funny thing is, The Dark Mirror *is* all those things: it's just that Marillier could have heavily simplified and lost nothing of her magic. She is an excellent writer; at no point is she "boring," but she requires a lot of concentration and a lot of stamina. She gives you such a great, simple story and such wonderful characters that you feel impatient and angsty for the resolution to come. ***So great book! I give this a 5 because even though the immense details tend to bog down the plot, her story at its heart is simple and beautiful, and her characters are enjoyable and loveable. Show Less
LibraryThing member TheBooknerd
It's not Sevenwaters -- Though really, can anything really measure up to the brilliance of that series? -- but this is another incredible tale from Juliet Marillier. This time we're across the water in ancient Scotland with the legendary figure, Bridei. Yet again, this author demonstrates her
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extensive research, creative vision, and her skill in old-fashioned storytelling. You'll find yourself instantly transported to another time and place, and you'll have a hard time coming back. Show Less
LibraryThing member LarissaBookGirl
Bridei's destiny is to one day become king, the druid Broichan and his secret council have worked hard towards this even before Bridei was born. They planned every step and every aspect of Bridei's life, save one.
Tuala was a gift from the gods, a daughter of the goddess and a child of the Good
In time Bridei and Tuala's childhood friendship grew into something much more. It was a love that would be tested time and again, a love that would face many dark times.
Bridei was to be king, it was destined, but the people would never accept one of Them as Queen, for the Good Folk were feared and despised. But if Bridei could not marry the woman he loved was he really willing to risk his destiny, a kingdom and the wrath of the gods to be with her?
The Dark Mirror is a sacred place haunted by the memories of the past, showing the possibilities of the future. An intricately plotted story of a boy and a girl and a great destiny. A love story at heart, this is a tale of friendships and betrayal, of politics and war, and the gods. A monumental adventure that steps into the past seamlessly blending history with myth and fantasy. A brilliant read written with beauty.
Tuala was a gift from the gods, a daughter of the goddess and a child of the Good
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Folk. She and Bridei grew up together, much to Broichan's dismay, but even he would not turn his back on what was seen to be the will of the gods. But neither would he trust her, especially with Bridei.In time Bridei and Tuala's childhood friendship grew into something much more. It was a love that would be tested time and again, a love that would face many dark times.
Bridei was to be king, it was destined, but the people would never accept one of Them as Queen, for the Good Folk were feared and despised. But if Bridei could not marry the woman he loved was he really willing to risk his destiny, a kingdom and the wrath of the gods to be with her?
The Dark Mirror is a sacred place haunted by the memories of the past, showing the possibilities of the future. An intricately plotted story of a boy and a girl and a great destiny. A love story at heart, this is a tale of friendships and betrayal, of politics and war, and the gods. A monumental adventure that steps into the past seamlessly blending history with myth and fantasy. A brilliant read written with beauty.
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LibraryThing member AJtheLush
Juliet Marillier does it again! This time her historical fantasy is based in the Pictish kingdom, a place we know literally next to nothing about. Despite the lack in modern knowledge of their culture, Marillier does a wonderful job crafting a believable and whole world. My personal favorite aspect
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of this culture is that of the pantheon of gods- it's well thought out, interesting, and convincing. Again, it is the beginning of a trilogy but it makes the case as a standalone novel. You easily fall in love with the characters which drives you to want to read the rest of the Chronicles (something every author writing multiples in a series needs to attempt). The relationship between Tuala and Bridei follows a brilliantly winding road with enough turns to keep even the most ADD reader interested. You feel so much sympathy with the characters it's refreshing, I both love and hate the pain Tuala experiences throughout her time without Bridei and the strain on the young man is artfully hidden yet palpable. This is another book I've taken the time to reread and have found that I loved it as much as the first time I picked it up. Show Less
LibraryThing member DebbieMcCauley
Set in the mid-6th century, this is the first book in The Bridei Chronicles. The Pictish kingdom located in northern Britain (Scottish Highlands) under threat from invasion by Gaels and also by the spread of Christianity, which undermines sacred ancient traditions. The book centres on Bridei, who
This is another fantastic fantasy from Marillier. My only criticism is that it was slightly too long and not quite as good as her exceptional 'Daughter of the Forest'. Looking forward to the next in the series.
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is unaware that he is to be a Pictish King candidate. As a four-year-old he is fostered to king's druid and powerbroker Broichan. Bridei's life is lonely and remote, until winter solstice when the goddess, The Shining One, leaves a fey-baby on the doorstep. The baby is Tuala, a child of the Good Folk, and Bridei vows to care for her. As she grows and the two become close, Broichan feels that his carefully laid plans for Bridei are under threat.This is another fantastic fantasy from Marillier. My only criticism is that it was slightly too long and not quite as good as her exceptional 'Daughter of the Forest'. Looking forward to the next in the series.
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LibraryThing member AdriaFaye
I thought this was a great book. It definitely follows the structure of Marillier's other stories. However, I still favor the Sevenwaters series the most. But this story was intresting filled with love, adventure, and even a little bit of magic. I thought it was intresting too because it was about
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the Pictish people, which not much is known about because when Scotland took them over, their culture was pretty much wiped out. All in all I thought it was a great read. Juliet Marillier never seems to disasppoint Show Less
LibraryThing member NCDonnas
This book was a little slow for me. I enjoyed Tuala's POV but seemed to lose interest when it got to Bridei's. In many instances, the book reminded me a lot of Mists of Avalon, which is probably why I stayed with it to the end. The story is different than in Mists, but they share a lot of the same
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types of rituals, worship, and just a general feel. The two Fae or whatever they were supposed to be, were particularly annoying and, to me, pointless to the story. Overall, it was an OK read, and I'll continue to the second in the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member LindaWeeks
Generally I like Juliet Marillier but this book failed to grab my interest and I found it slow and plodding. Gave up finally to move on to one of the 1000 other books I want to read.
LibraryThing member devilwrites
The premise: ganked from BN.com: Bridei is a young nobleman, a fosterling of one of the most powerful druids in the land, Briochan. All of Bridei's memories are of this dark and mysterious man who seems to be training him for a special purpose he will not divulge.
But, everything changes when on one
As Bridei comes to manhood, and the foundling Tuala blossoms into a beautiful young woman, he begins to feel things he didn't know were possible.
Briochan sees this and feels only danger, for Tuala could be a key part in Bridei's future . . . or could spell his doom.
My Rating: 5 - It's a Gamble (DNF)
Make no mistake: I'm not adverse to trying Marillier again in the future. But not this particular book. I read reviews on Amazon from fans of hers that state this isn't her strongest work, and I'd much rather try something that fans feel is her best rather than something that has all the ingredients of her usual but doesn't gel together. I stopped because I didn't care, because it wasn't the right time to read the book, because other books in my TBR pile were seducing me away. Yet if I'd read this book years ago, I would've gobbled it up. If I hadn't had other pressing titles that needed to be finished by a certain date, I may have finished those final 200 pages. But the fact remains that even when I finished aforementioned titles and could read at my own leisure again, I really wasn't interested in returning to this world. Oh, Marillier definitely paints a pretty picture with words, and I feel immersed to a point, but I'm not emotionally engaged or invested in the outcome. Perhaps another one of her titles will work for me; and perhaps, if you're a bigger fan of romantic fantasy than I currently am, this book will be right up your alley. That's why it's a gamble. :)
Spoilers, yay or nay?: Yay. While in my mind, there's nothing to spoil (after all, I didn't finish), I still talk about my experience reading the book and what went into my decision to put it aside, part of which was learning where the book was going (aka, how it ends). So if you don't want to be spoiled, there's no need to read the full review at my blog, linked below. Everyone else, onward! Comments and discussion are always welcome. :)
REVIEW: Juliet Marillier's THE DARK MIRROR
Happy Reading!
But, everything changes when on one
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bitter MidWinter Eve Bridei discovers a child on their doorstep—a child abandoned by the fairie folk. In order to avoid the bad luck that seems to come with fairie folk, all counsel the babe's death. But, Bridei follows his instinct and, heedless of the danger, fights to save the child. Briochan, though wary, relents.As Bridei comes to manhood, and the foundling Tuala blossoms into a beautiful young woman, he begins to feel things he didn't know were possible.
Briochan sees this and feels only danger, for Tuala could be a key part in Bridei's future . . . or could spell his doom.
My Rating: 5 - It's a Gamble (DNF)
Make no mistake: I'm not adverse to trying Marillier again in the future. But not this particular book. I read reviews on Amazon from fans of hers that state this isn't her strongest work, and I'd much rather try something that fans feel is her best rather than something that has all the ingredients of her usual but doesn't gel together. I stopped because I didn't care, because it wasn't the right time to read the book, because other books in my TBR pile were seducing me away. Yet if I'd read this book years ago, I would've gobbled it up. If I hadn't had other pressing titles that needed to be finished by a certain date, I may have finished those final 200 pages. But the fact remains that even when I finished aforementioned titles and could read at my own leisure again, I really wasn't interested in returning to this world. Oh, Marillier definitely paints a pretty picture with words, and I feel immersed to a point, but I'm not emotionally engaged or invested in the outcome. Perhaps another one of her titles will work for me; and perhaps, if you're a bigger fan of romantic fantasy than I currently am, this book will be right up your alley. That's why it's a gamble. :)
Spoilers, yay or nay?: Yay. While in my mind, there's nothing to spoil (after all, I didn't finish), I still talk about my experience reading the book and what went into my decision to put it aside, part of which was learning where the book was going (aka, how it ends). So if you don't want to be spoiled, there's no need to read the full review at my blog, linked below. Everyone else, onward! Comments and discussion are always welcome. :)
REVIEW: Juliet Marillier's THE DARK MIRROR
Happy Reading!
Show Less
LibraryThing member threadnsong
With a terser language than her Daughter of the Forest" debut novel, Marillier still brings to vibrant life a barely recorded past of Scotland. As before, the landscape is a character as vital as the human ones, and the descriptions of life in this early, early age are quite accurate. Life is
The dominant pagan religion is well thought out, including names of the different aspects of Goddess and God: Bone-Seeker, the Shining One, and an even darker name that is seldom spoken. Even the devotions of the Druid, Broichan, that he teaches to young Bridei are believable and well-grounded in an understanding of basic religious beliefs.
Especially appealing is Bridei's story and the strength of character he gains from the discipline and teaching he learns from Broichan, while still having doubts about whether he will ultimately achieve the kingship of the Picts. Aiding him throughout his young life is fosterling Tuala, who is not necessarily quite certain of her own place in the world.
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neither easy nor guaranteed, and while not overtly cruel, it is not something we've come to expect in these days of central heating.The dominant pagan religion is well thought out, including names of the different aspects of Goddess and God: Bone-Seeker, the Shining One, and an even darker name that is seldom spoken. Even the devotions of the Druid, Broichan, that he teaches to young Bridei are believable and well-grounded in an understanding of basic religious beliefs.
Especially appealing is Bridei's story and the strength of character he gains from the discipline and teaching he learns from Broichan, while still having doubts about whether he will ultimately achieve the kingship of the Picts. Aiding him throughout his young life is fosterling Tuala, who is not necessarily quite certain of her own place in the world.
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Subjects
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2004
Physical description
512 p.; 6.3 inches
ISBN
0765309955 / 9780765309952
Local notes
In the first book of the Bridei Chronicles, a young nobleman fostered at the home of a powerful druid saves a baby left on the doorstep by the fairie folk.
Ex-library.
Ex-library.