The Silver Bough

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A marvellous and indispensible treasury of Scottish folklore and folk belief from the world of Celtic magic, gods and fairies, to the prophesies of the Brahan seer, second sight, witchcraft, earth magic, selkies, changelings and a host of traditional spells and cures. The Silver Bough involved many years of research into both living and recorded folklore, and remains a cla A marvellous and indispensible treasury of Scottish folklore and folk belief from the world of Celtic magic, gods and fairies, to the prophesies of the Brahan seer, second sight, witchcraft, earth magic, selkies, changelings and a host of traditional spells and cures.

The Silver Bough involved many years of research into both living and recorded folklore, and remains a classic of literature. Paperback , pages. Published January 1st by Birlinn Ltd first published October To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about The Silver Bough , please sign up. Lists with This Book. Oct 10, Maya rated it liked it Shelves: I would not recommend it as a book to start out your studies with but as one that you can read after you have some history about the Celts- especially the Scottish people- and the Druids.

Please read my review at Celtic Scholar's Reviews and Opinions. Very good overview of old Scots traditions. The edition I had was a wee paperback, Canongate I think, cover had the Cernunnos scene from the Gundestrup cauldron on it. Terri Carey rated it it was amazing Dec 19, Osiris Oliphant rated it really liked it Mar 04, Susannah rated it liked it Feb 20, Anna rated it it was ok Sep 14, Jane rated it it was amazing Aug 27, Amanda rated it it was amazing Sep 18, Allison rated it it was amazing Aug 16, Phoenix rated it it was amazing Feb 19, Heather Heyford rated it it was amazing Mar 12, Nicki rated it really liked it May 24, Liam Furby rated it it was ok Jul 21, Morgan rated it really liked it Apr 25, Matt rated it liked it Feb 25, Rowan White rated it liked it Apr 09, Jane Gardiner rated it it was amazing Apr 28, Donna MacAllister rated it it was amazing Dec 16, Deborah rated it really liked it Sep 13, Jack rated it really liked it May 14, Jeni Macleod rated it really liked it Apr 28, Mar 27, Amanda Coppedge rated it really liked it Shelves: Written at a time when people cited Margaret Murray as factual.

Still a great read. Christine marked it as to-read Mar 15, Kharm marked it as to-read Aug 03, Mysterium marked it as to-read Mar 30, And then go on to discover all of Lisa Tuttle's other work too; this woman is a treasure, to be sure. A creepy, haunting, subtly magical novel about the power of stories and the magic of old places.

Kathleen gives up a higher salary, a cosmopolitan life and a failed marriage in London, and moves to tiny, isolated Appleton on the coast of Scotland, to become librarian at the beautiful, out-of-place library in the centre of a once-thriving tourist town. But Appleton is failing, and when a landslide blocks off the only route back to the mainland and sparks off a chain of very strange events, many fe A creepy, haunting, subtly magical novel about the power of stories and the magic of old places.

But Appleton is failing, and when a landslide blocks off the only route back to the mainland and sparks off a chain of very strange events, many feel it is the death-knell for their beloved home. Appleton's fate is intricately tied to its folklore and its history, neatly if somewhat obviously explained by the 'excerpts' from local history books interspersed throughout the intertwining stories of Appleton inhabitants.

The appearance of a mysterious stranger who seems to know all about an Appleton that hasn't existed for fifty years or more heralds the slow removal of the island from reality. Shops appear that have never been there before, the weather is unseasonably nice for October, the harbour is suddenly full of strange ships and stranger visitors, and inside the library, a secret door appears behind an apple tree.

All of these elements add up to a very well-told and gloriously creepy story that is like nothing so much as my old childhood favourites, Usborne Puzzle Adventures. Strangers to a town that has gone wrong somewhere along the line experience odder and odder situations, and must solve the puzzle or face being stuck in a strange, in-between state of reality forever.

Timelines warp, folkloric figures walk the streets and try to lure passersby to their doom, and an all-enveloping fog rolls in to hide the island from the world. It really is great fun. A librarian looking for a change of pace, a woman grieving her lost husband, a boy pining for his older lover, all living and loving in a charming small town. And yet, it becomes bearable because these people experience the truly weird, and accept it with remarkably little nonsense. The magic is so entwined in the earth, the sea, the trees, the buildings around them that they take on its credibility, and make useful and practical decisions when faced with fear and confusion.

It is refreshing, and made for a fantastically readable fantasy novel that I devoured whole. The Silver Bough is a gentle fantasy that weaves Scottish mythology, magic and romance into a seamless tale of wonder. It follows three women who are trapped in Appleton after a landslide, who all meet a mysterious stranger and are drawn into an enchanted world that may hold the key to the survival of the old town.

The book begins with Ashley, who has come to this backwater in search of her family's past - her grandmother once lived in Appleton, and was even crowned the Apple Queen in her youth, The Silver Bough is a gentle fantasy that weaves Scottish mythology, magic and romance into a seamless tale of wonder.

The book begins with Ashley, who has come to this backwater in search of her family's past - her grandmother once lived in Appleton, and was even crowned the Apple Queen in her youth, but ran away to America and buried her past so deeply it's only just come to light. The story is told through chapters alternating from the view of Ashley, Kathleen, the town librarian, and Nell, a widowed recluse with a passion for growing apples. I think Kathleen and Nell's stories are more interesting and compelling than Ashley's - Ashley's demeanour and actions didn't seem natural to me, her story didn't really make sense.

The strangely ageless man who ties the three women together brings the old stories to life, and as plot progresses, it becomes clear that Appleton, now cut off from the world, is slipping away into a world full of magic. I liked the way the story is told, with excerpts from books on Scottish history and mythology and sometimes they're indistinguishable!

Although Appleton spends a lot of the book shrouded in fog, both literally and figuratively, I think the author has brought the small town to life admirably. Appleton becomes a character in the book, with its own history and sometimes sinister motivations. I enjoyed The Silver Bough a lot, and love its clever mix of contemporary story-telling and otherworldly magic.

This is a slower-paced novel, and I would recommend it to readers who are looking for a gentle fairy story. I'll be looking out for more of Lisa Tuttle's books in the future. A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for review. You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic. Feb 12, Lari Don rated it really liked it Shelves: I often tell a traditional tale to infants about the star at the heart of every apple, and the story always holds them entranced.

This book investigates the magic star at the heart of the apple in many myths and legends, so I felt an immediate connection with the story. But why did the apples stop growing? We see the town and its unusual history through the eyes I often tell a traditional tale to infants about the star at the heart of every apple, and the story always holds them entranced. Why were the three main protagonists ALL female American incomers?

But then, perhaps the point of the book was that everyone in Appleton was an incomer at some time. Also there was a lot of emotion, description and atmosphere, but a minimum of action. For example, there was an earthquake off-stage, rather than on the page, which was a bit of a let down. There is one genuinely shocking and creepy scene about shrinking ancestors, some amazingly authentic-feeling magical images like blossoms and fruit on the same branch , and a wonderfully light touch with some of our folklore, like an amusing cameo from a fairly thick kelpie. This book touched on so much of the material I read and tell and love that at times it felt like it was written just for me.

Jan 11, Sarah rated it liked it Shelves: Time for a new review. This book was pages long. Easy to pick up, easy to follow plot, entertaining, shallow, and not something to grieve over if you leave it behind or it gets spoilt by a random spray of water. I would certainly classify The Silver Bough as a "beach book".

The purpose of the plot isn't really clarified at the start of the book. The reader is fed newspaper clippings a la "Fried Green Tomatoes" to provide b Time for a new review.

Silver Branch - Wikipedia

The reader is fed newspaper clippings a la "Fried Green Tomatoes" to provide background to the "Wee Toon" of Appleton the real or allegorical Avalon. Although the book begins with a person you believe to be the Main Protagonist, Ashley Kaldis, the book does not even end in a story arc that closes with her P. In fact, the main characters are all female, and males in this story only serve as objects of desire that are pivotal to the main character's background or advancement in the story.

Nearing the middle of the book, Ashley Kaldis is now being looked upon as a pouty nuisance and suspicious would-be thief by another female lead, Kathleen Mullaroy, the Head Librarian.

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And at the end of the book, Ashley is portrayed as unnecessary flotsam, "No Competition" to the other main lead, Nell Westray a hermit like widow-gardener , when concerned with the affection of handsome half-fae Ronan. Meanwhile, Kathleen and Nell have no problem courting friendship with each other. The story arc of young 19 year old Ashley fizzles out with an unsatisfying end, while Kathleen and Nell each achieve their hearts desires. If this story had a protagonist at all, I would have to claim it was the actual town of Appleton, lying in stagnant neglect, then given a ray of hope to recovery and finally triumph after the three lead females duke it out with their respective fates.

All in all, I was entertained. As a Texan, I appreciated the references to my state made by Native Kathleen and felt like it better connected me to that character, which is probably why I have slightly sour grapes or apples, as it were about her ending in this tale. Sep 24, Sovotchka rated it liked it Recommended to Sovotchka by: This probably helped me a lot, as I have read quite a few reviews mentioning the surprise upon stumbling into a world of fairytales.

In the beginning, Lisa Tuttle describes the journeys of three American women, all lonely for some reason or another, to the small Scottish coastal town of Appleton. The Scottish landscape provides a resounding backdrop to their emotional issues,and apparently there are also enough males in I read "The Silver Bough" because I had seen it on a Magical Realism shelf. The Scottish landscape provides a resounding backdrop to their emotional issues,and apparently there are also enough males in this small place for every one of them.

I somewhat disliked the choice of the all-American female cast, after all this is set in Scotland. There were hints of the intruding other-worldly-ness dropped along the way, but it seemed to encroach on our protagonists quite suddenly. The bits after that read a bit weird, and I struggled a lot with "going back to normal".

Silver Branch

In fact, in descriptions of local customs, lead characters that don't belong, and myths that control emotions, reading this feels similar to Alan Garner's The Owl Service set in Wales , which is why I've decided to rate this book exactly the same. On an unrelated fact, while I did expect Magical Realism, I had thought more along the lines of Sarah Addison Allen, which definitely doesn't fit.

Read this book if you'd like to read about Scotland, or if you need something in between. I like the fact that I've read it, but somehow I cannot think of a better recommendation. Jan 10, Ali George rated it liked it. This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I liked this, but I felt it suffered from too many characters - some of whom were pretty much only there so they could be paired off.

Seriously, why give Mario all that character development when ultimately he is irrelevant?

I'd also agree with other reviews that said the three central women were too similar - and the fact they were all American incomers really jarred with my own experience of growing up in rural Scotland. Although I'm East Coast so maybe things are different in Appleton or Cam I liked this, but I felt it suffered from too many characters - some of whom were pretty much only there so they could be paired off.

There were some nice ideas and bits of mythology in this book, although I found it frustrating some of that wasn't explored further. I think I might have cut down on extraneous characters possibly Ashley and Mario in favour of more kelpies and weird old ladies in drawers and things. All of which sounds really negative, for which I apologise - The Silver Bough is easy to read and quite good fun, so I'd recommend it as a holiday book I think.

Tuttle creates a nice world that sort of washes over you and doesn't require you to think too much, and the different hints of magic and myth come together quite well to take you on a nice journey. I really like her style. It's so fairy'tale, but at the same time it fiction. It makes me believe. This is the story of Appelton. Once it was a nice little town with orchards, now people are leaving.

All because of the last Apple Queen and the bad luck that followed.

• The Silver Bough by Lisa Tuttle.
• The Silver Bough;
• The Silver Bough!
• See a Problem?;
• Ghosts or My Imagination!
• Trusting Him with Your Addicted Child.

Our 3 heroines are: Nell, who has a few apple trees. And Ashley who wants to know why her grandma left so suddenly and never came back there. They are all different, they are all skeptics, they are all outsiders I really like her style. They are all different, they are all skeptics, they are all outsiders and they will all meet a handsome stranger. Because here it is where the magic comes in. There really is something special about this not so much an island anymore. There really are things hiding, and not shown.

There really is bad luck over the island, and all cos of an apple. And as the story progresses, more things are shown, you can be a skeptic first, but then you see. Tuttle really needs to write more mythic books about Scotland. I like how it makes me want to believe that there still can be traces of magic, and other beings around: May 23, John Owen rated it really liked it Shelves: A very intriguing book.

More than a touch of Brigadoon and The Wicker Man, with a run-down Scottish seaside town proving to be something more when a strangely attractive man returns to his birthplace. His arrival seems to set in motion a sequence of events, with the town's only road cut off by an avalanche, communications going on the blink, plus a mysterious fog that seems to surround the place. Everything revolves around the apples for which the town was famous, but which died out fifty years A very intriguing book.

Everything revolves around the apples for which the town was famous, but which died out fifty years earlier, contributing to the downturn in the town's fortunes. A recent incomer to the area, an American widow, finds a surviving example of the apple tree, transplants it to her new orchard, where it bears fruit, but not the red apples she had expected, but a single golden one, the significance of which becomes more apparent as the story progresses. Tuttle's story is well-paced, her characters interesting and involving, while the plot has enough twists and turns to satisfy anyone. Genuinely masterful and romantic modern fantasy, as creepy strange things happen on the odd little Scottish outcrop that is Appleton, where everything is in decline and all the apple trees are gone.

But a golden apple has appeared out of season in a walled off orchard and a new chance has come around to make everything right or to lose everything for good. But who will eat the golden apple, and will it be in time? Appleton is cut off from the outside world and the mists are rolling in. Ghosts ar Genuinely masterful and romantic modern fantasy, as creepy strange things happen on the odd little Scottish outcrop that is Appleton, where everything is in decline and all the apple trees are gone.

Ghosts are stirring and old things are coming back to prey on the living. Well, that might make it sound like more of a horror than it really is. The book is a slow burn, until two thirds of the way through when the weirdness really takes off. It's more creepy and strange and atmospheric as three women search for love or lust and trace the story of the island the people who lived on it, all leading to the peculiar situation our heroines find themselves in.

Jul 31, Katy rated it really liked it. Set on an almost-island on the Scottish coast, famed historically for its apples. But the apple trees have almost all gone now, and the town is in decline. There's a story that once a generation, the trees produce a single golden apple, and if that's shared between a young couple in love, it will bring happiness and prosperity to the town. Last time it should have been eaten, Ashley's grandmother was chosen to be the Apple Queen, but she ran away to America instead and the apple was never eaten. Ashley's visiting her long-lost Scottish family to learn more when the apple fruits again.

Well told fairy tale type fantasy building on mythology and folklore, and reminding me of Neil Gaiman. A beautiful story full of mystical magic. What if mythology wasn't fiction? What if ancient tales were more than mere stories of wild fancy? Appleton was a town rumored to be the fabled Avalon of Arthurian legends, a place steeped in Celtic lore, but all that is now history. A young girl grieving for her best friend, a widow lost without her soulmate, a young man cast out from his home, a woman seeking her place in the world, and a beautiful, mysterious stranger all become stranded here in the w A beautiful story full of mystical magic.

A young girl grieving for her best friend, a widow lost without her soulmate, a young man cast out from his home, a woman seeking her place in the world, and a beautiful, mysterious stranger all become stranded here in the wake of an earthquake. What do the forces of fate or chance hold for each of them, and what do the secrets of the past mean for the future of Appleton?

Jan 11, Cassandra Carico rated it really liked it. It took about pages for the story to begin to fully bloom. However, the time spent setting the scene and getting to know the characters was well worth it. The rest of the book moved so swiftly and carried me along like a swift current. I fell in love with this book and didn't want to put it down The author did not rehash old tales, but brought a completely new flavor to tales long told.

If you love fantasy with a fair helping of realism, this is a book for you. Mar 21, Ashley rated it liked it. An entertaining read with some annoying flaws. Namely that it jumps between different characters' perspectives at a relatively rapid pace. This doesn't effect the understanding of the plot, fortunately, but that's namely because the characters are fairly interchangeable. From the six-or-so perspectives the reader sees, not much changes.

The characters, and even their descriptions, quickly blur together until I just stopped caring about their motivations, thoughts, or interests. Would have liked An entertaining read with some annoying flaws. Would have liked stronger characters with more personality. May 29, Gareth rated it liked it. I found the Scottish folklore in this interesting. The plot took a long time to start going, with the first 6 chapters introducing a seemingly endless parade of different characters. I'm not sure why the 3 main characters had to be Americans - it seemed unlikely to me that a small village in Scotland would have so many, but maybe I've missed something in the story.

In fact, none of the main characters came from Appleton, so maybe that's the point and I'm being a bit stupid. Scott I found the Scottish folklore in this interesting. I wanted to dive into this book head-long, and never look back. The myths surrounding the town of Appleton invited me in, and although I did not think that the format was necessary, the newspaper and letter clippings added to the depth and detail of the setting.

However, I did not connect with any of the characters well. The book started off jumping from character to character, giving the reader an introduction of each, but it took pages and pages before some of these characters felt relevant. Sep 17, Ken McWilliams rated it really liked it. I loved the story. I guess I'm getting soft in my old age because the romantic elements of the story intrigued me, instead of repelling me.

This book was very well written. I intend to read more of Lisa Tuttle's work now. The Silver Bough is firmly rooted in my heart as a new love; a fairy tale reworked with all the old magic to whisk you away. A story of lost loves, sinister forces awoken, and unlikely heroines and heroes. Glorious apple imagery and history that will steal your heart. Legend has it that if two lovers eat of the apple together, they will obtain their hearts desire.

But if the apple is eaten by only one, or if sold, or left to rot, the town will be cursed. With Appleton on the brink of collapse, a golden apple hangs from the tree and a mysterious stranger walks into town. It was such a mystical story, full of mythological legends and moments that teased you with magic and creatures that should not be possible. While there was no one main character, all the characters were so beautiful to watch as they dealt with the human tragedies of life.

May 14, Serena Robles rated it liked it. It is a story that mainly follows three American women on a small and dilapidated Scottish island. Personally, I did not know the book would follow three women as they longed for lost and new loves, and I felt the storyline was lackluster as it left plot lines wit 2.