Wings of Olympus: The Colt of the Clouds: Guest review

This guest review was written by nine-year-old Shazdeh K.

Written by Kallie George

Illustrated by Celia Krampien

HarperCollins Canada

978-0-06274-154-7

256 pp.

Ages 8-12

April 2020 

Wings of Olympus: The Colt of the Clouds is the sequel to Wings of Olympus by author Kallie George about a young girl Pippa and her beloved horse Zephyr.

Pippa is now banned from Mount Olympus but is happily living with her friend Bas and her horse Zephyr, also known as Zeph. One day while she is riding Zeph, Pippa sees something she thought she would never see again: a winged horse! Pippa knows she needs to get the colt back to the mountain where it belongs, but there is one problem: she has been banished from Mount Olympus by Zeus, the king of the gods and goddesses. But Pippa, who is a lover of horses, sets a goal to get the colt, whom she names Tazo, home, even if it means getting punished by the gods. With the help of Hero, the not-so-heroic descendant of Hercules, Pippa finally gets to the mountain. When Hero and Pippa get to the top of the mountain, they find everything is in chaos, with all the gods at war and all the winged horses missing! Can Pippa and Hero stop the gods' war, find the winged horses, and return Tazo home safely?

I liked this book because it was thrilling and heartwarming at the same time. It’s a book about bravery, courage, friendship, and love. Another thing I liked about this book was that it was full of fantasy so while reading it I could get away from the real world. It gave me a chance to be part of another world. Wings of Olympus: The Colt of the Clouds should definitely be on your summer reading list. This book is a great addition to Wings of Olympus, so if you liked the first book, you are sure to like the second. In my opinion this book is best suited for Grades 3 to 6 and I would rate Kallie George’s Wings of Olympus: The Colt of the Clouds a 9 out of 10.

~ Written by Shazdeh K., Gr. 3

Takannaaluk

Written by Herve Paniaq

Illustrated by Germaine Arnaktauyok

Inhabit Media

978–1-77227-181-2

32 pp.

Ages 5-9

November 2018

In another outstanding Inuit origin story picture book from Inhabit Media, Igloolik elder Herve Paniaq tells the haunting tale of the mythological mother of the sea mammals, Takannaaluk, also known as Nuliajuk and Kannaaluk.

From Takannaaluk by Herve Paniaq, illus. by Germaine Arnaktauyok

Though her parents wish her to marry so there would be another man around to help out, their only daughter refuses all those who ask her and so she is called Uinigumasuittuq, the one who never wanted to marry. Men appear, though they are animals such as the caribou and the bearded seal transformed into persons, and she refuses them all. When a very tall and handsome man, seated in his qajaq and wearing snow goggles, calls to her, she goes with him. It's not until much later in their journey that she sees he has been sitting on a stool and his legs are very, very short and he has scary red eyes. She realizes she has been tricked as he is a fulmar, a type of seabird, transformed into a man but he refuses to let her go back to her parents. Uinigumasuittuq has no choice but to go with the man and learn how to be his wife.

From Takannaaluk by Herve Paniaq, illus. by Germaine Arnaktauyok

But then her father, who'd been so adamant about marrying his daughter off, decides to bring her back home and away from her horrible husband. When the husband pursues them, Uinigumasuittu's father ridicules his son-in-law who transforms into a fulmar, flying in such a way to cause the winds to pick up. Her angry father throws Uinigumasuittuq into the water and, as she clings to the side of his boat, he chops at her fingers with his knife. Where her fingers fall, seals appear.

From Takannaaluk by Herve Paniaq, illus. by Germaine Arnaktauyok

Her father, guilt-ridden at his actions, kills himself by drowning in the encroaching tides and Uinigumasuittuq, lost to the water, becomes known as Takannaaluk which means "the one down there" and becomes feared and revered as the legendary mother of the sea animals.

Herve Paniaq's retelling of this Inuit myth has the richness of great storytelling. There are villains and victims, choices and consequences, conflict and resolution. But this origin story becomes extraordinary with the illustrations by Germaine Arnaktauyok. I have always believed picture book illustrations are works of art but Germaine Arnaktauyok's images should be in art galleries. They are gorgeous, rich in colour and shape, culturally relevant and wholly appropriate for a story from the Arctic, making Takannaaluk bewitching as well as edifying.

Tuniit: Mysterious Folk of the Arctic

by Rachel and Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley

Illustrated by Sean Bigham

Inhabit Media

978-1-927095-76-8

32 pp.

Ages 9-12

February 2015

Forget about references to the Dorset and Thule cultures that I once taught as part of the Grade 6 Heritage and  Citizenship curriculum.  (Of course, since then, that curriculum has changed from Aboriginal Peoples and European Explorers to First Nation Peoples and European Explorers and now Communities in Canada Past and Present.)  While I thought I was so enlightened ensuring that my students were made aware of pre-colonial Arctic cultures, my understanding was flawed.  Happily, this tome corrects any misconceptions I had and expands on the limitations in my knowledge by clarifying the veritable history of the people whom the Inuit encountered when they first arrived to the North American Arctic.

According to the stories passed by oral tradition and by archaeological evidence, Rachel and Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley share the history of the Tuniit, a people who had been part of a migration coming out of Alaska and the people that the Inuit encountered upon their own migration into Canada’s Arctic.  Though the authors make it clear that what is told about the Tuniit is a blend of Inuit myth and fact, three attributes upon which all agree are that the Tuniit were short, strong, and shy.  They were not a nomadic people, like the Inuit,  instead establishing stone longhouses.  Their hunting, less reliant upon their flint-based tools, was based on their strength and speed, as well as use of inuksuit.  And, amidst the stories of their eccentricities and the Inuit predilection for kidnapping the beautiful Tuniit women, it was believed that the Tuniit were powerful shamans who could access the power trapped in the land.  But, as Rachel and Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley offer,

We must remember the Tuniit as those who inspired myths, but who were real humans. (pg. 28)

Tuniit: Mysterious Folk of the Arctic is a reader-friendly and accessible history organized into 3 main discussions:  1) the differences between the Tuniit and the Inuit; 2) the unique features of the Tuniit; and 3) the science behind our understanding of the Tuniit.  But, beyond the information, told objectively but with the sensitivity needed when approaching discussions of a little understand peoples, the artwork of Sean Bigham provides visual interpretation of the Tuniit story and how they lived.  What a superb choice, using a concept artist such as Sean Bigham, who works in the video game industry, to generate illustrations of a people without visual representation.  In a neat package, Tuniit: Mysterious Folk of the Arctic presents readers, who should include all Canadian students, with a story that can and should be read, for history's sake. 

Descendant: A Starling Novel

by Lesley Livingston

HarperCollins Canada

978-0062063106

320 pp.

Ages 12+

August, 2013

A year ago, fantasy YA author Lesley Livingston introduced her readers to the first of her new series, Starling, which focuses on the Fennrys Wolf (who first appeared in her award-winning Wondrous Strange series) and Mason Starling, a teen whose family is dedicated to the service of the Norse gods. When Book 1 in the series, Starling, ended, Fenn was attempting to keep Mason from crossing the Hell Gate Bridge (which is Bifrost, the link between the mortal world and Asgard, the realm of the Norse gods).  But through the machinations of her nasty brother, Rory, Mason cannot get off the train crossing the bridge and Fenn is shot by Rory before the bridge explodes.

Entering a barren wasteland, Mason is met by her mother, the hooded figure of Hel, who presides over those who died disgracefully.  Though cautioned by Loki, a trickster god, about Hel's claims, Mason follows her mother's directions to get the Sword of Odin in order to escape from Asgard. Meanwhile, Fenn enlists the help of an Egyptian god, Rafe, and a former Janus Guard colleague, Maddox, to reach Mason before she unwittingly becomes a Valkyrie and sets off Ragnarok.

Concurrently, Mason's Gosforth Academy classmates, whose families are all intricately involved in the service of the gods of Greek, Roman, Norse and Egyptian mythology, find themselves embroiled in power struggles that might result in the end of the world.  Cal Aristarchos, who has always been in love with Mason, is rescued after falling from the Hell Gate Bridge, though his mother believes he has died.  Reunited with his father and learning of his own demi-god status, Cal rushes to help Mason prevent his mother, Daria Aristarchos, from lashing out against the Starlings and performing a blood ritual on Mason's older brother Rothgar.  But, with different factions working against each other and without full knowledge of the nature of their heritage, Mason and others lack the clarity to battle evil forces effectively.  After all, who are the bad guys?

Except for the honest love between Fennrys and Mason, everything and everyone are not as they always appear.  Friends, brothers, love interests, fathers, mothers, even swords–they may harbour secrets, fears, magic, and illusions.  Even the dead may appear to have life.  And with the intertwining of ancient mythologies and deities, anything can and does happen.

The nature of Mason's heritage, as well as that of Cal and Fennrys, drives Descendant, with prophecies waiting to be fulfilled or compelled to pass.  Keeping in mind that the ancient mythologies were the basis for religious beliefs, with little opportunity for acceptance of other belief systems, the hierarchy of deities and duties may show few commonalities.  Without common ground, there must be the battles for one to usurp the others.  Be prepared to endure the manipulation of the young students of Gosforth Academy by their elders all in the cause of service to their gods.  Sadly, the young teens, such as Mason, have no understanding of the extent to which they will be controlled.

Descendant is an intense conflict between multiple forces of good and evil, played out on different stages, among the living and the dead, with players who might know the script or who can only improvise.  With Descendant (and in fact with all of Lesley Livingston's books to date), the reader will never, never anticipate the climax or the ending.  As with Lesley Livingston's other books, I finished Descendant muttering to myself, "Are you kidding me?"  That translates into "Never saw that coming" and "Oh. My. Gosh." and "No!!! How am I going to wait until Starling Book 3 comes out?"  Lesley Livingston snagged me again in her literary web of exceptional plotting, characters and atmosphere, and even left me appreciating the captivity.

Starling

by Lesley Livingston

HarperTrophy Canada

978-1-44340-764-9

341 pp.

Ages 12+

2012 

Lesley Livingston takes the fantasy reader back to the New York City of her Wondrous Strange series  but veers off in another direction, now focusing on the Fennrys Wolf, the Janus Guard who'd made an extreme sacrifice at the conclusion of Tempestuous.

The Starling of the title is Mason Starling, a student and avid fencer at the venerable Gosforth Academy.  Well-protected (or over-protected?) by her very wealthy father, Gunnar Starling, and eldest brother Rothgar, Mason suffers from debilitating claustrophobia, courtesy of a childhood prank played on her by her other brother, Rory, during a game of hide-and-seek in which she was locked in a shed for days.  Rory is hardly the caring older brother that Roth is to Mason.  And, sadly, Mason does not have the comfort of a mother, her own dying giving birth.

When Mason, Rory, and their fencing teammates at Gosforth Academy are attacked by horrible, mutable creatures during a violent storm that knocks out all power, a beautiful, naked blond man, who identifies himself as the Fennrys Wolf, comes to their aid.  Beyond using his sword to fight off the creatures he calls draugr,  saving the life of Calum Aristarchos, who is in love with Mason, and reassuring the claustrophobic Mason (when the group shelters itself in a cellar), the Fennrys Wolf has little to offer about himself.  He knows a lot about the draugr and such, but he doesn't know how he knows it.

After Fennrys gathers some clothes from the group he's sedated with magick, he goes off in search of some answers.  He is attacked by centaurs, crosses the East River over a bridge called Hell Gate to Dead Ground, and reconnects with Mason whose dark blue eyes continue to haunt and mesmerize him.  Mason is similarly drawn to Fennrys.  Together they piece together bits of Fennrys' memories, including finding his warehouse apartment and a cache of weapons, and practise fencing, with Mason using a sword which Fennrys gifts to her.  Of course, there seem to be a lot of strange entities coming after them - draugr, fireballs, nixxies - but Fennrys is determined to keep Mason safe.

Meanwhile, through Rory who has secretly availed himself of his father's old diary, the reader learns that the Starlings had dedicated their lives to the service of the Norse gods, by vowing to help bring about Ragnarok, the catastrophic end of the world, and thus the return of the gods to the mortal realm.  There are other clans, however, in service to the gods of Greek and Celtic worlds, for example, who are just as happy to leave the mortal world as is.  But, the appearance of the Fennrys Wolf, who has walked between the mortal world and the Dead, is seen by some as a harbinger of the end or the means by which Ragnarok may begin.  Sadly, unbeknownst to all, Rory who has learned to do magick is determined to follow the Starlings'  destiny.

So, while Fennrys and Mason fall in love, he learns more of his tragic story and the plots to manipulate him, and she questions her choices and tries to resolve discrepancies between what she feels and what she is told.  Ultimately, both Mason and Fennrys become pawns in a larger-than-life plot that could lead to the end of the world.

That synopsis doesn't even come close to the depth and layering of plots and characterizations in Starling.  There's a sharp learning curve about mythological concepts from various civilizations that Lesley Livingston obviously is well versed in.  When they all come together, both in conflict and in harmony, the result is a multi-layered story in which it's almost impossible to know in whom to trust.  That would explain Mason's own confusion: a father who seems to love her; contemptuous and contemptible Rory but her brother just the same; Roth who the readers learn has a few secrets of his own, including an alliance with the servants of the Greek gods; Calum who wants to share with her his fears of the mer-people but blames her for his injuries; and Fennrys, to whom she is drawn and who seems to adore her but whose arrival has resulted in such mayhem.

I'm delighted that Lesley Livingston has chosen to re-introduce the Fennrys Wolf by way of his own series, especially after his heart-breaking ending in Tempestuous.  And her innovative and rich melding of the Faery world with the realms of classic mythology is inspired.  After all, many belief systems, including today's religions, have similar or identical premises upon which they are founded.  With the addition of Mason and Fennrys' romance, sibling rivalries, peer relationships, and a classic good-versus-evil theme, Starling is that first burst of explosion at the onset of Ragnarok - it's startling, it's overwhelming, and it's just the beginning.

*     *     *     *     *     *

The book trailer of Starling from HarperTeen is available for viewing on CanLit for LittleCanadians Book Trailers page.

An additional video of Lesley Livingston recording the audio version of Starling at the CBC studios in Toronto demonstrates why listening to Lesley Livingston read her story is as much of a treat as reading it.

Lesley Livingston Recording Starling at CBC

Published on Aug 20, 2012 by LesleyLivingston on YouTube.

Starling: Coming soon

Lesley Livingston, author of Once Every Never (Puffin Canada, 2011) which I reviewed here on December 12, 2011, is heralding a new fantasy YA series with this debut book, Starling, published by HarperCollins.  According to Lesley Livingston's blog, the author is "thrilled to death and beyond" (Sunday, February 26, 2012) with this newly-revealed cover for Starling.

According to the blurb on the author's blog, the story starts with a young woman, Mason Starling, who rescues an unconscious young man named Fennrys Wolf.  Except for his name, Fennrys has no memory, even of his role in opening the barrier between our mortal world and the Beyond Realms.  But this breach allows access to a center of dark energy, located in New York City's East River.  The consequent power struggle between underworld cartels of Norse, Greek and Egyptian gods and other entities places Mason Starling in danger and wondering who she can trust and who wants her dead.

If she is true to her skills, Lesley Livingston will have written another great tome in which  mythology is interwoven with fantasy, romance and hopefully her signature humour.

Look for Starling in August, 2012.