Murderer!When six-year-old Megge first touches the ancient Book of Seasons, a mysterious voice accuses her of an ugly crime. Although the book is her legacy, she refuses to touch it again. If she does, she is certain she will be the death of those she loves.But seven years later, events conspire to force her to once again to accept her responsibility. If she refuses to take up the task, who will … the task, who will ensure the Book’s ancient wisdom survives, safe from the hands of those who would use it for evil?
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Megge of Bury Down by Rebecca Kightlinter was billed as historical, sci-fi, and fantasy but really it was a novel of the Middle Ages when people saw the world differently and believed more in the occult than we do now. It is a story of Megge who is one of a long line of “wise women,” who are healers and are gifted with the “sight.” These women are often blamed for a variety of misdeeds and burned at the stake, which was the goal for these women as well. Fortunately the Earl that was their overlord took a little broader view of the world.
It was a little tough to get into in the beginning but as it moved along it became more accessible and made more sense. The characters were two daughters, of sisters, and their two great aunts. All were involved in the legend and heritage that revolved around two books which had been left them from ages past. Although the reputation was that they were imbued with magic, the reality was that they were diaries, of a sort, with knowledge collected along the way, added to be each successive owner. The most striking thing was the prejudice of the time, the way it could be manipulated, and the fact that karma existed even then, to a great extent. It was an interesting read, the time period being on of my favorites. I recommend it if you love the Middle Ages.
I was invited to read a free ARC of Megge of Bury Down by Netgalley. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #meggeofburydown
Pacing Off; Complex World Confusing
Book and Audiobook Review:
I am still relatively new to audiobooks, and this is the first fantasy book that I’ve listened to. I also read along, which I think helped me to understand some of the complexity of this story—and its multigenerational cast of characters—more. The book stars a Cornish, Dark Ages little girl called Megge who was born into a family of healers and seers, and she is supposed to follow in her mother’s healing path. She resists this strongly, not wanting to read from the book that has been passed down through the generations. I felt like the pacing was off in this book. The first part felt very slow and repetitious, as it seemed like similar things kept happening, like Megge’s mother helping heal someone when Megge happens to be there to help out—sometimes willingly, sometimes resisting. The pace does get faster, but the two different parts of the book—the first part more about Megge’s family and then the Blackfriars’ part—felt too different and were a little disjointed. After all that went before, the ending felt abrupt. I mostly liked the narrator of the audiobook, though some of her tones, especially for the moments when Megge’s mother was perhaps whispering (unsure) or talking quickly (??), sounded a little harsh for the words. All in all, I feel ambivalent about this book. I wish the pacing had been more even, and that certain things had been explained better—like the large cast of characters and the deep family history. The author has woven a complex world, but it was certainly confusing at times.
I received a free copy of this book and audiobook, but that did not affect my review.
Ok. That was a good story and I can appreciate how full the author’s brain must be with these rich characters and their intriguing history and mysterious lore. However, I’m going to have to read the first two chapters again to see if it makes better sense having finished the rest of the book. I was totally lost the first few pages, but I hung on. I’m glad I did. This is a story of powerful yet modest women and their ancestors and descendants who guard and guide two books that see them through life and death.
Megge is drawn into this on her 6th birthday and fights the path she’s inherited from a past life. Her mother, aunts, cousin, and neighbors are key players in helping her reluctantly seek the truth. The way past and current lives intersect can get wordy and a bit confusing, but the characters are vivid and strong and the story plays out in a very readable way.
I read an ARC for my honest review. Honestly, I will seek out the next book in the chronicles of Megge and follow along to see what the fates have in store for her.
Megge of Bury Down is a coming of age story set in medieval Cornwall. Megge, the protagonist, is six years old at the onset of the book. She’s a bit of an odd duck in her family and feels distant from her mother and other relatives. The beginning of the book is slow, but things do speed up a tad as you read along. The pace throughout—particularly through the prologue—was slow, even during moments where exciting things happened. There’s a lot of repetition of Megge’s family history over 900 years and the writing at time seems rambling, yet the ending seems precipitous.
The plot is complicated with a lot going on. Megge’s family, the seers and healers of Bury Down, have their own secrets—they seem unsure of what to tell or not tell her about them. Tossed into the mix are the superstitions of the locals, the healers’ interactions with Jenifer Pennick and her mother, the odd hatred of Jenifer Pennick and her mother. All this is seen through Megge’s naive eyes. She willfully refuses to assume the destiny her family wishes of her and views the books her family has sworn to protect with fear and ignorance.
The local Black Friars carry out the church’s persecution of witches and burn innocent girls. Other sins the book deals with are false testimony, greed and jealousy, all of which have dire consequences.
If you like slow-build classic fantasy, this is for you. If you’re a swashbuckling-type fantasy lover, this is probably not the book for you