The Love of the White Wolf (Hy-Brasil Series Book 2)

This breakout debut is a rare gem of a genre-bender. It starts off as a coming-of-age contemporary, and then it darkens, making a turn before seamlessly transforming into a frantic psychological thriller. Her aching portrayal of sisterhood and grief is authentic as it is stark. Though, at the heart of this book lies the question of what makes us human: What are we beyond the bodies we wear, what is left when our physical lives are forfeit, and what are we willing to sacrifice for those we love?

Lucia answers some questions about herself and her genre-defying debut: What book influenced you most when you were a child and why?

The Stolen Lake

That sense of verisimilitude, in conjunction with the fact that the story scared me just a bit, led to a feeling of confusion, or a feeling of searchingness. If you have one, what is your favorite book of all time? You worked as an editor, a ghostwriter, and a writing coach before writing a book of your own. When did you first know you wanted to be a published author? I used to grab extra blue examination books when taking tests in school more than I needed and subtly slip them in my backpack and take them home with me.

Most of the stories involved food. Long and windy and twisty and filled with more disappointments and near-misses than yesses. Still, I think it was the path I needed to be on. Not because it felt good at all times eep! Just the opposite sometimes , but because it allowed me to really get clear about why I was writing and about how deeply I wanted to be published. Did you plan to blend genres from the beginning or it happened naturally as you were writing?

Thank you for these words of praise, Katya! I like novels that start quiet and build up to unexpected crises as they progress, so perhaps I was only guided by my own preferences as I wrote. At the core of BORROWED is the idea of cellular memory — a fascinating but poorly understood phenomenon occurring when an organ transplant recipient is inexplicably affected by the donor's preferences, behaviors, and tendencies.

What kind of research have you done into this phenomenon and more generally for this book? Because I wanted the look at cellular memory to be more "what if? There is much anecdotal evidence of cellular memory, especially with heart transplant patients, but because it's difficult or impossible to confirm it or explain it within the current bounds of science, it's still hanging out in that nebulous gray area.

So I started with the germ of cellular memory, but I used creative license and suspension of disbelief to think of a scenario even more dramatic than any I'd read about. What was it like to write your current home setting into a fictional reality of your book?

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I started the novel while I was living in New Mexico when I was having a long-distance love affair with Austin , and I think setting it in Austin was my way of going back there, again and again. What are you working on at the moment? Thinking up band names has been ridiculously fun. Be kind to yourself as you create. All is not well, however, and as Dido and her companions traverse rivers and jungles and mountains to answer the summons of the Queen, they dodge kidnappers and ferocious beasts and encounter plots and mysteries by the score. Missing children, sinister dressmakers, giant flying birds, horrible hunts, steam-powered revolving silver castles and, yes, a stolen lake, whose provenance must be one of the wildest, maddest, most original ideas I've encountered in ages.

Aiken's measured style keeps things anchored, as does the incomparable Miss Twite, her good-natured, big-hearted, curious, stubborn, loyal, common-as-muck and ferociously intelligent protagonist, who speaks fluent street-cant as though it were lyric poetry, and whose common sense and indefatigable moral compass keeps the whole fabulous contraption firmly on the ground.

I honestly think this is the most purely enjoyable thing I've read in ages, of any genre, for any age-group, and I've read some pretty enjoyable stuff lately. I will definitely and absolutely be reading more of this series. This title marks the point at which Aiken's Wolves Chronicles becomes somewhat complicated, in terms of publication date vs. Although it is the sixth book published excluding Midnight Is a Place , it backtracks a little in the chronology, occurring just after the events in Nightbirds on Nantucket and well before Dido Twite returns to England in The Cuckoo Tree.

It follows the indomitable Dido Twite, who finds the ship on which she is sailing diverted to Roman South This title marks the point at which Aiken's Wolves Chronicles becomes somewhat complicated, in terms of publication date vs. It follows the indomitable Dido Twite, who finds the ship on which she is sailing diverted to Roman South America, on an important diplomatic mission to the kingdom of New Cumbria, established by the fleeing court of King Arthur in Together with the stern Captain Hughes the son of old Mr.

While I love Aiken's highly original revision of the legend of King Arthur and his court, transplanted in her alternative time-line to South Roman America, and combined with vampire-lore, The Stolen Lake just wasn't as satisfying for me as some of her others. It all sounds wonderful, in theory, but the actual narrative struck me as somewhat cluttered, and somehow claustrophobic. I also found myself chagrined to discover that for all the elements that she transformed, Aiken retained Guinevere as a villain Because the reading order of this series is somewhat complicated, I have included this handy guide, which is organized by publication date, and which I recommend to prospective readers of the series, rather than the one offered here on Goodreads: Reading Order for the Series: They occur alongside the other books, and their position in the series is not chronologically relevant.

Apr 22, Sylvester rated it liked it Shelves: It's been a while since I read any Joan Aiken. I do love her all-out adventures, even when they go over the top, like this one. The pacing of the story is mad-cap, speeding up until I find myself rushing over the words to get to the end - so it loses some of its strength this way - BUT! Really, Joan Aiken is so wonderful - girls with grit and a sense of adventure and humour - lots and lots of imagination and Dickensian plots. So glad she wrote a lot. Mar 04, Rebecca Upjohn rated it it was amazing Shelves: A rollicking adventure about year old Dido Twite which takes place on board a ship and in a fictional version of South America ruled by the ancient celts.

Pirates, witches, a queen, a king reborn, a cast of intriguing and sometimes nefarious characters and all manner of beasties are encountered as the story unfolds. The language is marvellous. Mar 05, Satsuma rated it it was amazing Shelves: As they make their way across the Atlantic, a message arrives by carrier pigeon diverting the ship to New Cumbria. New Cumbria rough A Ripping Yarn! New Cumbria roughly Argentina, I think is part of "Roman America," where Latin is spoken, and was settled by the remnant of the Arthurian Britons after their defeat by the Saxons in Dido and her companions have one adventure after another and encounter several characters out of Arthurian legend during their travels through New Cumbria and neighboring Lyonesse.

This is not a book for the faint- hearted child, but other reviewers testify that for the right person,of any age, it will become a favorite book.

I recommend it and will be looking for the other books in the series as time permits. You don't need to have read the rest of the series to enjoy this book. Apr 19, Jenn Estepp rated it really liked it Shelves: This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. My least favorite of the series so far. Dido suffers from interacting with only adults, versus her youthful friends of Nightbirds on Nantucket.

While her spunk still shines through, she becomes less a leader and more a chastised responsibility. At moments, her inventive ideas and quick wits reflect the determined and self-sufficient girl from previous books; more frequently, her suspicions and plans remain inside her head. As the first book that really showcases the alternate-history nature of Ai My least favorite of the series so far.

As the first book that really showcases the alternate-history nature of Aiken's world--something I'd mostly failed to notice in the first three-- The Stolen Lake creates an absurd "Roman America" that mixes Roman traditions, British customs, and Latino cultures or stereotypes. This trilingual country of Latin, English, and Spanish makes little sense to anyone reasonably educated in history and geography, despite its sublime scenery.

Its insensibility is compounded by the seemingly magical forces at work, New Cumbria's mythology becoming more and more truthful as the book progresses. I could not believe it. The coincidences felt too numerous, the story didn't make sense without accepting its magic, and accepting its magic screwed up my entire understanding of Aiken's world. As the book veered further and further from that worldview, I became less and less interested in finishing it. Moments of this book brought to mind City of the Beasts , a book that tackles the existence of indigenous South American ethnic groups with respect and understanding.

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Written by a South American woman, it approaches those traditions and customs with nuance. I found myself wishing for that nuance as Aiken struggled to balance whatever sensitivity to indigenous groups she could muster with the European sensibilities espoused by many of the central mostly, but not solely, European characters. A Tale of the Abhorsen and Other Stories. It surprised me to realize how little I seem to know about that original view spoiler [Arthurian hide spoiler ] legend, for this interpretation to stick out most clearly in my mind.

I strongly believe any story set in South America which seems to be this book's location faces many pitfalls in handling the layers of colonial and racist perceptions of those indigenous groups. I'm not absolutely positive who Aiken was writing about, in fact--weren't they actually supposed to be the descendants of Romans?

Regardless, I didn't feel it held up. I absolutely adore the first three books of this series, and I still find Aiken's writing gorgeous, but I disliked this book immensely. Jul 10, Jimmy Lee rated it really liked it. I love how this book series is available with Edward Gorey illustrated covers - that seems to perfectly sum up the type of humor you'll encounter. Sensible young Dido Thwaite is en route home to England on the ship Thrush, when the Captain receives a message that he is to head to New Cumbria - England's critical ally - on a diplomatic mission.

There, Dido notices there seems to be a significant lack of children particularly girls , and everyone she meets seems to be trying to gammon her, looks s I love how this book series is available with Edward Gorey illustrated covers - that seems to perfectly sum up the type of humor you'll encounter. There, Dido notices there seems to be a significant lack of children particularly girls , and everyone she meets seems to be trying to gammon her, looks shifty-eyed, or is otherwise suspicious.

Plus there are stories of owls and "aurocs" that eat human flesh, a stolen lake, a long-lost king - it's all very odd. And her good friend the captain's steward mysteriously becomes quite ill. All of which Dido and her companions must solve quickly in this increasingly hostile atmosphere. This is book four in the Wolves chronicles five if you count the prequal but it can stand alone, as long as you're comfortable with history gone amuck. It's a bit like Narnia, without the closet - fortunately anytime that the confusion gets to be too much, Dido remains incredibly level headed, independent, and resourceful, keeping you on track.

She's a delightful character, while fantasy whirls around her. Oct 06, Kyrie rated it liked it Shelves: The language often lost me being part Latin, part slang, and part Spanish I think?

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• The Stolen Lake (The Wolves Chronicles, #4) by Joan Aiken.
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Dido is still trying to get home to London, when the ship she's on is ordered to turn about and go help Queen Genievra whose lake where her once and future husband Arthur is has been stolen. If you like Dido, and don't mind a lot of violent nonsense, it's a good story. May 06, Kalilah rated it really liked it Shelves: I wasn't expecting to enjoy this one as much as others in the series, but ended up really liking it. Others in the series I expected to really enjoy and ended up not liking as much. Expectation is a funny business is it not?

Jul 16, Elizabeth Brush rated it really liked it. Jun 30, Carrie rated it really liked it Shelves: Oh man - I really thought Dido was a goner this time! Captured, escaped, captured, escaped So much unexpected adventure and story. Aug 27, Misty rated it it was amazing. Throw away that Harry Potter garbage and give your kids Joan Aiken books instead! A wonderful book for older kids. I checked it out of the library to read to my five year old. Turned out to be too complex and scary to read to him, so I read it myself. It is actually much better than I would have expected for a YA novel.

The writing is fairly complex, the characters are fully realized, and the action is engaging and exciting throughout. I'd expect any kid who has liked the J. Rowling or Lloyd alexander series would also enjoy this one as well.

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Though be sure that they are OK A wonderful book for older kids. Though be sure that they are OK with some scary stuff first, as this does have some pretty scary stuff in it. This was the only volume of the series available in my library, and I just might have to find the other volumes in the series now. Particularly enjoyed the verbal matches between Dido and the Captain, and Dido and Mr.

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There is a great deal of historic context presented here, and much of it has been changed, this is alternate history after all. Though I don't think it is absolutely necessary that you know a great deal about the time period before hand. I certainly didn't know a whole lot about the actual succession of James I, but that didn't stop me from enjoying the book. This is an excerpt - for my complete review: Jul 29, Sherry Chiger rated it really liked it.

Dido Twite, the quick-witted and sharp-tongued heroine of "Black Hearts in Battersea" and "Nightbirds on Nantucket," is back in this sequel. During the mythical reign of Britain's King George IV, the ship carrying year-old Dido from Nantucket back to England is ordered to stop off in New Cumbria, a mysterious South American nation ruled by a suspiciously ancient queen. Is she, as she claims, the widow of King Arthur? If so, how has she managed to survive the centuries? And why aren't there Dido Twite, the quick-witted and sharp-tongued heroine of "Black Hearts in Battersea" and "Nightbirds on Nantucket," is back in this sequel.

And why aren't there any girls Dido's age in the entire country? For that matter, why did the midshipman of Dido's vessel take ill as soon as they arrived in port? With the same entertaining blend of Cockney common sense and sheer gutsiness that saw her through her earlier adventures, Dido manages to get to the bottom of things--saving an imprisoned princess and, yes, restoring a "stolen" lake in the bargain. All in all, a fun, fast, rollicking read for youngsters and adults alike.

Oct 05, Judy rated it it was amazing Shelves: This is one of my favourites in this wonderful series. Surprisingly, the book raises quite a few feminist issues that could be discussed. There is one moment that particularly springs to mind, in which Dido is finally rigged out in full court attire in order to meet the queen, and Captain Hughes has been severely disapproving of her practical trousers and jacket up until that point.

Dido, who has been climbing rigging, escaping from imprisonment and managing all of her usual challenges Mussy Me! Dido, who has been climbing rigging, escaping from imprisonment and managing all of her usual challenges up until this point, finds herself incapable of descending the stairs because of her feminine attire. I have a carriage waiting. Jan 29, Jennifer Heise rated it really liked it Shelves: Croopus, don't gutter-brat Dido Twite end up in some mucky situations?! In this case, she is on her way on a ship of the British Navy when the vessel is redirected to the alternate history South American lands to assist the queen of a nation that has long been an ally of Britain's in retrieving something stolen from her.

You can guess what. But nearly nothing is as it seems, from the captain's steward to the Queen herself, and the complicated terrain of a South American nation settled by the Croopus, don't gutter-brat Dido Twite end up in some mucky situations?! But nearly nothing is as it seems, from the captain's steward to the Queen herself, and the complicated terrain of a South American nation settled by the former inhabitants of Aquae Sulis. Joan Aiken's plots may be farfetched, but they are never boring; her characters outlandish, but never inhuman.

Though some are inhumane! Dido is gruff and unconventional, but caring, and the positive characters rounded-out. The Stolen Lake retains its readability for me; I'd rate it rather high in the series. Feb 11, Elizabeth Forest rated it it was amazing Shelves: Queen Guinevere and King Arthur are transplanted to a Welsh colony in Brazil during the Napoleonic wars in Aiken's marvelously strange alternate history where the Stuarts ne'er left the throne and the Hanoverians are the evil plotters. Don't tell the royal family.