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The Hound Saga #3
The Princess and the Snowbird
She is the headstrong daughter of the hound and the bear, heir to all her royal parents' magic and able to transform at will into any animal she wishes.
He is an outcast, a boy without magic, determined to make his way in the forest beholden to no one.
Though Liva and Jens are as different as night and day, from the time their paths first cross they are irresistibly drawn to one another. Each wrestles with demons: Liva with the responsibility that comes with the vast magic she's inherited, Jens with the haunting memories he's left behind. Separately, they keep a lookout for each other and for the immense snowbird whose appearances signify a dark event on the horizon.
When a terrible threat surfaces, Liva and Jens set out in an attempt to protect all they hold dear. Much is at stake—for while their failure could spell an end to all magic, their success could bring them together at last.
He is an outcast, a boy without magic, determined to make his way in the forest beholden to no one.
Though Liva and Jens are as different as night and day, from the time their paths first cross they are irresistibly drawn to one another. Each wrestles with demons: Liva with the responsibility that comes with the vast magic she's inherited, Jens with the haunting memories he's left behind. Separately, they keep a lookout for each other and for the immense snowbird whose appearances signify a dark event on the horizon.
When a terrible threat surfaces, Liva and Jens set out in an attempt to protect all they hold dear. Much is at stake—for while their failure could spell an end to all magic, their success could bring them together at last.
232 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2010
10 people are currently reading
2,071 people want to read
About the author
Mette Ivie Harrison
66Ìýbooks436ÌýfollowersMy name is pronounced "Metty" like my mother's "Betty." It is Danish, and we were all named after ancestors. I guess by the time they got to number nine (out of eleven), it was getting tricky. So I got the funny Danish name no one knew how to prounounce. In Denmark, it should be "meta" like "metaphysical." It's from the Greek for "pearl." And no, it's not short for anything. Not even Mediterannean.
My first book, THE MONSTER IN ME was accepted for publication in 1999 and was published in 2002. My second book, MIRA, MIRROR was published in 2004. The latest book, THE PRINCESS AND THE HOUND , was published in 2007. A sequel, THE PRINCESS AND THE BEAR, came out in April of 2009.
I now live in Utah with my husband and 5 children, ages 5 to 14. I write during nap time, or at 4 in the morning, or while the broccoli for dinner is burning. Whenever I get a chance. I love to write the kind of books that I love to read. And I love to discover what is going to happen next, just like a reader would. I also do some racing in triathlon.
from
My first book, THE MONSTER IN ME was accepted for publication in 1999 and was published in 2002. My second book, MIRA, MIRROR was published in 2004. The latest book, THE PRINCESS AND THE HOUND , was published in 2007. A sequel, THE PRINCESS AND THE BEAR, came out in April of 2009.
I now live in Utah with my husband and 5 children, ages 5 to 14. I write during nap time, or at 4 in the morning, or while the broccoli for dinner is burning. Whenever I get a chance. I love to write the kind of books that I love to read. And I love to discover what is going to happen next, just like a reader would. I also do some racing in triathlon.
from
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
January 9, 2010
I really enjoyed this book once I got past the first few chapters. The first few were a bit heavy on humans being evil and twisting magic and destroying nature--more so than was to my tastes.
I loved the idea of the Snowbird, and the aur-magic and tehr-magic. I liked that Jens was able to recognize Liva in any form she took, that he saw her in the eyes of the animals she turned into. This was a more serious book with little humor, but one that I enjoyed sinking into.
I loved the idea of the Snowbird, and the aur-magic and tehr-magic. I liked that Jens was able to recognize Liva in any form she took, that he saw her in the eyes of the animals she turned into. This was a more serious book with little humor, but one that I enjoyed sinking into.
April 30, 2016
ÌýÌýÌýOverall view of this book: It frustrated me, it lacked the magic which really made the first two books, and above all, it did not get me to believe in the story or characters. I wanted to like this book, and I tried really hard to like it. But I found I just could not. (And yet, I still want to read the last two books in the series, for I still hope to find redemption for it as a wholeâ€�)
ÌýÌýÌýThere were elements of what I loved in the first two books here, like interesting takes on magic and a lyricism of the words used to construct the story. In this book though, those elements were mere shadows of what they could have been, and of the precedent set in the first two books. The story had promise and potential â€� Liva was given her parentsâ€� combined magic for a great destiny which awaited her; the pure aur-magic was being corrupted by and lost because of tehr-magic; and there was a white stone which could draw out and destroy permanently the aur-magic from a being, making them incapable of having, holding, or being affected by magic. All of these elements could have made for a great story, but the story and its execution fell flat for me, and not even the admittedly lackluster final battle and resolution of events could bring it back to life.
ÌýÌýÌýI am sure that you could dig in and find deeper meanings and deeper connections to the real world in regards to the Hunter’s philosophy, the opposition of aur-magic and tehr-magic, even the different relationships between Liva, the bear, the hound, Jens, and Tern. However, in my honest opinion, these deeper meanings were brushed by the wayside, not addressed and fleshed out more directly as similar deep ideas in and . And that was another area where this book lost something that had been so strong in previous books: there was not enough deep introspection, nor enough substance to what was there, and the story suffered for it.
Now, on to the piecemeal and nitpicking part of my review, where I typed up my thoughts after reading chunks at a time:
ÌýÌýÌýFirst impressions after 49 pages: I’m curious how much time has passed since Richon and Chala (for Liva’s parents being a hound and a bear can only refer to one coupleâ€�) took on the wild man’s mission to protect magic in the world, as the human society we have seen so far does not seem much different than what it was during Richon’s reign, or even during Prince George’s time 200 years later. Plus, only now do the bear and the hound seem to be showing signs of age (in their actions as well as, at last, they way they share wisdom with Liva). The hound can only speak in the language of the hounds now, and it is not very clear if the bear can speak in more languages than just that of the bears â€� I hope Richon at least kept enough aur-magic to be able to speak with Chala! Also, I’m curious about this difference between aur-magic and tehr-magic, how it seems to suddenly be a “thingâ€�, and very clearly different from magic vs unmagic. I do find it somewhat…strangeâ€� that the bear would seem to have as negative view of humans as he does, considering he was born a man, and he has seen not only some of the worst of mankind, but also some of the best. What’s more, why would they discourage their daughter from mingling with humans? Does one not need to know one’s opponent/antagonist in order to better fight and resist them?
ÌýÌýÌýMore impressions:
ÌýÌýÌýOh, I did enjoy the sheer variety of animals mentioned in this book. I mean, how many people (at least, in the US) have heard of a pika? How many people know what a herd of aurochsen are? But I still can’t give it any more than 1 star. The quality itself might be more of a 2, but I all but felt that I wasted my time reading this book and just plain old did not like it.
Quotes and selected commentary:
ÌýÌýÌýFelfrass (animal) â€� page 24 â€� I was not sure what this was, not even with the somewhat vague description. So I googled it. My best guess is that it is a wolverine, based on the suspected etymology on Wikipedia: “The animal's name in older Norwegian, fjeldfross, meaning "mountain cat", is thought to have worked its way into German as ³Õ¾±±ð±ô´Ú°ù²¹ÃŸ [vielfrass], which means "glutton" (literally "devours much"). Its name in other West Germanic languages is similar (e.g. Dutch: veelvraat)â€�
ÌýÌýÌý “You underestimate the power of humans. You are only one, and they are many, with or without the aur-magic.â€� â€� page 37
ÌýÌýÌý “I do not want to hurt you,â€� said Jens.
ÌýÌýÌý “Then that is the difference between us. You will never be a hunter if you do not learn to be ruthless.â€� [replied Torus.]
ÌýÌýÌý “And you will never have any true friends. They will all be waiting to hurt you when you are weak.â€� â€� page 55
ÌýÌýÌýIt was not that he thought she had been harmed, but it was so good to see her again, to know that she cared for him enough to return, even after all that had happened to her. â€� page 65 â€� Hrmâ€� insta-loveâ€�. It leaves a weird taste in my brainâ€�
ÌýÌýÌý
Typos:
He father looked at Liva sternly, …� page 37 � “He� should be “Her�
The older guard looked pitying. � page 142 � “pitying� as a verb can be used without an object, but that is not how it is used here, and I don’t think the guard himself looked “pitiful.� Possible revisions that make contextual sense: “…looked pityingly at her�; “…looked with pity at her�.
His mouth opened and a croaking sound came out, as though she thought he could speak in the language of frogs. � page 197 � I think the “she� should be “he�, as it does not make much sense as it is now.
ÌýÌýÌýThere were elements of what I loved in the first two books here, like interesting takes on magic and a lyricism of the words used to construct the story. In this book though, those elements were mere shadows of what they could have been, and of the precedent set in the first two books. The story had promise and potential â€� Liva was given her parentsâ€� combined magic for a great destiny which awaited her; the pure aur-magic was being corrupted by and lost because of tehr-magic; and there was a white stone which could draw out and destroy permanently the aur-magic from a being, making them incapable of having, holding, or being affected by magic. All of these elements could have made for a great story, but the story and its execution fell flat for me, and not even the admittedly lackluster final battle and resolution of events could bring it back to life.
ÌýÌýÌýI am sure that you could dig in and find deeper meanings and deeper connections to the real world in regards to the Hunter’s philosophy, the opposition of aur-magic and tehr-magic, even the different relationships between Liva, the bear, the hound, Jens, and Tern. However, in my honest opinion, these deeper meanings were brushed by the wayside, not addressed and fleshed out more directly as similar deep ideas in and . And that was another area where this book lost something that had been so strong in previous books: there was not enough deep introspection, nor enough substance to what was there, and the story suffered for it.
Now, on to the piecemeal and nitpicking part of my review, where I typed up my thoughts after reading chunks at a time:
ÌýÌýÌýFirst impressions after 49 pages: I’m curious how much time has passed since Richon and Chala (for Liva’s parents being a hound and a bear can only refer to one coupleâ€�) took on the wild man’s mission to protect magic in the world, as the human society we have seen so far does not seem much different than what it was during Richon’s reign, or even during Prince George’s time 200 years later. Plus, only now do the bear and the hound seem to be showing signs of age (in their actions as well as, at last, they way they share wisdom with Liva). The hound can only speak in the language of the hounds now, and it is not very clear if the bear can speak in more languages than just that of the bears â€� I hope Richon at least kept enough aur-magic to be able to speak with Chala! Also, I’m curious about this difference between aur-magic and tehr-magic, how it seems to suddenly be a “thingâ€�, and very clearly different from magic vs unmagic. I do find it somewhat…strangeâ€� that the bear would seem to have as negative view of humans as he does, considering he was born a man, and he has seen not only some of the worst of mankind, but also some of the best. What’s more, why would they discourage their daughter from mingling with humans? Does one not need to know one’s opponent/antagonist in order to better fight and resist them?
ÌýÌýÌýMore impressions:
ÌýÌýÌýOh, I did enjoy the sheer variety of animals mentioned in this book. I mean, how many people (at least, in the US) have heard of a pika? How many people know what a herd of aurochsen are? But I still can’t give it any more than 1 star. The quality itself might be more of a 2, but I all but felt that I wasted my time reading this book and just plain old did not like it.
Quotes and selected commentary:
ÌýÌýÌýFelfrass (animal) â€� page 24 â€� I was not sure what this was, not even with the somewhat vague description. So I googled it. My best guess is that it is a wolverine, based on the suspected etymology on Wikipedia: “The animal's name in older Norwegian, fjeldfross, meaning "mountain cat", is thought to have worked its way into German as ³Õ¾±±ð±ô´Ú°ù²¹ÃŸ [vielfrass], which means "glutton" (literally "devours much"). Its name in other West Germanic languages is similar (e.g. Dutch: veelvraat)â€�
ÌýÌýÌý “You underestimate the power of humans. You are only one, and they are many, with or without the aur-magic.â€� â€� page 37
ÌýÌýÌý “I do not want to hurt you,â€� said Jens.
ÌýÌýÌý “Then that is the difference between us. You will never be a hunter if you do not learn to be ruthless.â€� [replied Torus.]
ÌýÌýÌý “And you will never have any true friends. They will all be waiting to hurt you when you are weak.â€� â€� page 55
ÌýÌýÌýIt was not that he thought she had been harmed, but it was so good to see her again, to know that she cared for him enough to return, even after all that had happened to her. â€� page 65 â€� Hrmâ€� insta-loveâ€�. It leaves a weird taste in my brainâ€�
ÌýÌýÌý
Typos:
He father looked at Liva sternly, …� page 37 � “He� should be “Her�
The older guard looked pitying. � page 142 � “pitying� as a verb can be used without an object, but that is not how it is used here, and I don’t think the guard himself looked “pitiful.� Possible revisions that make contextual sense: “…looked pityingly at her�; “…looked with pity at her�.
His mouth opened and a croaking sound came out, as though she thought he could speak in the language of frogs. � page 197 � I think the “she� should be “he�, as it does not make much sense as it is now.
January 12, 2025
Maybe not as exciting as the first two, but definitely interesting. Worth the read!
October 21, 2014
Like The Princess and the Hound and The Princess and the Bear, this one was an intriguing story with strong, likable characters. Also like The Princess and the Bear, it isn't a stand-alone. It's not quite as necessary to read The Princess and the Bear first as it is to read The Princess and the Hound before The Princess and the Bear, but I would recommend it simply so you can understand some of the back-story that is referenced.
I liked Mette Ivie Harrison's writing style in this one better than the others. There were not as many choppy sentences and things flowed together better. However, The Princess and the Hound is still the superior story, and The Princess and the Bear an even better one than this sequel. The Princess and the Snowbird is shorter, and the storyline sometimes seems to ignore a lot of what occurred in its prequel. Also, a lot of it felt like a loosely-disguised barrage against "humans are destroying the wild; humans just take and never give back" themes. Honestly, such a theme should never be used in a book - especially adventures and romance; it always smacks of personal political opinions of the Author, and never should personal opinions influence a storyline so heavily.
Still, The Princess and the Snowbird was an enjoyable read, and I intend to buy it.
I liked Mette Ivie Harrison's writing style in this one better than the others. There were not as many choppy sentences and things flowed together better. However, The Princess and the Hound is still the superior story, and The Princess and the Bear an even better one than this sequel. The Princess and the Snowbird is shorter, and the storyline sometimes seems to ignore a lot of what occurred in its prequel. Also, a lot of it felt like a loosely-disguised barrage against "humans are destroying the wild; humans just take and never give back" themes. Honestly, such a theme should never be used in a book - especially adventures and romance; it always smacks of personal political opinions of the Author, and never should personal opinions influence a storyline so heavily.
Still, The Princess and the Snowbird was an enjoyable read, and I intend to buy it.
July 15, 2012
Liva has magic. So much that she can change forms from hound to bear to pika in a matter of moments. She loves every form except her own. Her human one.
Jens has no magic. Not the magic of the animals, nor that used to lure them to their deaths. His father and the other villagers regard him as worthless.
Then one day Jens finds someone who needs him. Liva.
But when Liva faces a danger so great she may not survive, even with all her magic; how can Jens possibly help her?
The Princess and the Snowbird is the final novel in Mette Ivie Harrison’s trilogy. I liked Jens, and how, ultimately, his emotional gift to Liva was even more powerful than his actions.
Jens has no magic. Not the magic of the animals, nor that used to lure them to their deaths. His father and the other villagers regard him as worthless.
Then one day Jens finds someone who needs him. Liva.
But when Liva faces a danger so great she may not survive, even with all her magic; how can Jens possibly help her?
The Princess and the Snowbird is the final novel in Mette Ivie Harrison’s trilogy. I liked Jens, and how, ultimately, his emotional gift to Liva was even more powerful than his actions.
August 8, 2021
This was a cute book, but I felt as though it was way too short. I had less than 50 pages left and the story wasn't close to done! It was scary! I liked the idea of the story line, but not the actual book itself. Not that it was bad, it just wasn't what I expected it to be. I absolutely loved the two books before it!
October 21, 2018
This series is on the dark side and feels very elemental. Not a comfortable read, yet I enjoy the plot and the feel of the writing.
September 28, 2021
Good story, with magic, love, danger, and good characters. Pretty quick read compared to the others but I enjoyed it.
October 10, 2011
Originally reviewed on my blog (with the other two books in the trilogy). You can read it at .
The Princess Trio by Mette Ivie Harrison begins with The Princess and the Hound, continues with The Princess and the Bear, and then finishes with The Princess and the Snowbird. The series takes one main story arc and follows it between three very different women.
The trilogy takes place in a kingdom rich with magic. The aur-magic, also referred to as animal magic is a powerful force throughout the kingdom, and it is what keeps everything in harmony. It is magic born from the link between animals and humans. The aur-magic is within all animals and it used to be in many people. It is the magic of life, the original and true magic. Those who possessed the aur-magic were respected and it was looked upon as a blessing. But as time passed, people began, as they always do, to fear that which they did not understand. Those with the animal magic slowly fell out of favor until an event involving a wild man full of the magic, his army of animals and the transfiguration of their king from man into bear eliminated all positive feelings toward the magic. The world in which each of these stories takes place is not a good place to find yourself a wielder of the aur-magic, for those who are possess it are burned immediately upon discovery. There is no trial, there are no chances. To possess it means death. If this were not bad enough, there is another magic that begins to emerge in these stories, and that is the tehr-magic, a corruption of the original that destroys and kills instead of healing and giving life and the aur-magic is meant to do.
Each of the three books explores a different aspect of the aur-magic, it's reception among the people and the emergence of the darker tehr-magic. If the tehr-magic is allowed to spread too far, it will destroy all aur-magic, which effectively destroys the animals. Each princess has her own struggles within the story, each has her own demons to deal with. Describing their individual circumstances is impossible without spoiling much of the mystery around these three stories, so I won't offer details, but each is unique and each gives them a special advantage in their fight to save the aur-magic and those who carry it.
I will be honest and say that I didn't love the first book in the series. I liked it, but it didn't connect with me the way novels like this generally do. I remember finishing the book and being unable to find anything actually wrong with the book. Mette Ivie Harrison is a very talented writer. Her descriptions and world building are astounding and detailed without ever being overwhelming. And her characters- well, in my opinion this is where her strength as a writer lies. Because I believed in them. I believed in their actions, their motivations, their pasts and their futures. The story also intrigued me and held my attention for the entire duration of the book. So, without being able to pinpoint exactly what, something was missing for me. But, I liked it enough to read the second book when it became available, and this one, The Princess and the Bear is my favorite of the three.
The main couple in this story are my favorite. Of the three main character couples, these two are the couple I most believed in, the one I was rooting the hardest for, and the one I most wished to see again. I find that my preference for main characters is identical to my preference for story order. The second book is my favorite in the series, although the third is a very close second with the first in the series being my least favorite.
None of these are bad books, and all are worth reading, but they don't fall onto my favorites shelf. I think the Harrison is a strong writer, gifted at telling stories and creating believable worlds, even when they area full of magic. I think what is missing in these stories for me is the emotion. I don't feel along with her characters that way I do in other stories and that lessens how much I enjoy books over all. I also never felt the urgency one expects to feel when reading a story about an impending war and a dark magic that can alter every aspect of our existence. It was almost as if I were watching the events unfold over a filter rather than allowing me a closer glimpse of the events.
On a sidenote, this series does have some of the most beautiful cover images. I think that all three of them are stunning, although, once again, The Princess and the Bear is my favorite. (The Princess and the Hound comes in second this time though, rather than third). Misty reviewed The Princess and the Hound earlier in the event, which I have linked here. If you have read this, I would love to hear your thoughts! What do you think of Harrison's Princess trio?
The Princess Trio by Mette Ivie Harrison begins with The Princess and the Hound, continues with The Princess and the Bear, and then finishes with The Princess and the Snowbird. The series takes one main story arc and follows it between three very different women.
The trilogy takes place in a kingdom rich with magic. The aur-magic, also referred to as animal magic is a powerful force throughout the kingdom, and it is what keeps everything in harmony. It is magic born from the link between animals and humans. The aur-magic is within all animals and it used to be in many people. It is the magic of life, the original and true magic. Those who possessed the aur-magic were respected and it was looked upon as a blessing. But as time passed, people began, as they always do, to fear that which they did not understand. Those with the animal magic slowly fell out of favor until an event involving a wild man full of the magic, his army of animals and the transfiguration of their king from man into bear eliminated all positive feelings toward the magic. The world in which each of these stories takes place is not a good place to find yourself a wielder of the aur-magic, for those who are possess it are burned immediately upon discovery. There is no trial, there are no chances. To possess it means death. If this were not bad enough, there is another magic that begins to emerge in these stories, and that is the tehr-magic, a corruption of the original that destroys and kills instead of healing and giving life and the aur-magic is meant to do.
Each of the three books explores a different aspect of the aur-magic, it's reception among the people and the emergence of the darker tehr-magic. If the tehr-magic is allowed to spread too far, it will destroy all aur-magic, which effectively destroys the animals. Each princess has her own struggles within the story, each has her own demons to deal with. Describing their individual circumstances is impossible without spoiling much of the mystery around these three stories, so I won't offer details, but each is unique and each gives them a special advantage in their fight to save the aur-magic and those who carry it.
I will be honest and say that I didn't love the first book in the series. I liked it, but it didn't connect with me the way novels like this generally do. I remember finishing the book and being unable to find anything actually wrong with the book. Mette Ivie Harrison is a very talented writer. Her descriptions and world building are astounding and detailed without ever being overwhelming. And her characters- well, in my opinion this is where her strength as a writer lies. Because I believed in them. I believed in their actions, their motivations, their pasts and their futures. The story also intrigued me and held my attention for the entire duration of the book. So, without being able to pinpoint exactly what, something was missing for me. But, I liked it enough to read the second book when it became available, and this one, The Princess and the Bear is my favorite of the three.
The main couple in this story are my favorite. Of the three main character couples, these two are the couple I most believed in, the one I was rooting the hardest for, and the one I most wished to see again. I find that my preference for main characters is identical to my preference for story order. The second book is my favorite in the series, although the third is a very close second with the first in the series being my least favorite.
None of these are bad books, and all are worth reading, but they don't fall onto my favorites shelf. I think the Harrison is a strong writer, gifted at telling stories and creating believable worlds, even when they area full of magic. I think what is missing in these stories for me is the emotion. I don't feel along with her characters that way I do in other stories and that lessens how much I enjoy books over all. I also never felt the urgency one expects to feel when reading a story about an impending war and a dark magic that can alter every aspect of our existence. It was almost as if I were watching the events unfold over a filter rather than allowing me a closer glimpse of the events.
On a sidenote, this series does have some of the most beautiful cover images. I think that all three of them are stunning, although, once again, The Princess and the Bear is my favorite. (The Princess and the Hound comes in second this time though, rather than third). Misty reviewed The Princess and the Hound earlier in the event, which I have linked here. If you have read this, I would love to hear your thoughts! What do you think of Harrison's Princess trio?
February 8, 2014
his is the third book in a trilogy that begins with The Princess and the Hound. This is the story of a Snowbird who is the last of his kind, of Liva, the daughter of the hound and the bear and Jens, a human boy born without magic. Choosing to remain in animal form, Liva's parents have given her most of their magic, retaining enough to survive and enough for the bear to help those who are being persecuted for having the aur-magic. Liva has more aur-magic than anyone. She can feel it all around her and inside of her. It's who she is and part of her destiny. She's one with the animals and the forest and thinks little about humans until a chance encounter with a human boy causes a connection she hadn't thought possible. Jens lives in a village where tehr-magic is prized and aur-magic is hated. Humans claim to have conquered animals and the forest and by their superiority will prevail over the wild, untamed world. Most men of the village use their magic to torture and kill animals, but Jens, born without any kind of magic at all, can't understand why this behavior is so appealing. When he first sees Liva in animal form, he senses her kindness and warmth and feels connected to her. When Liva and Jens next encounter each other they are a little older and Liva is searching for her missing father while Jens is struggling to become a man. The connection between the boy with no magic and the girl with so much remains strong. Each has a unique gift which will help them save the world they both love. The young adults must fight the evil that threatens to destroy the magic in the land and determine their own identities as adults.
This is a wonderfully written coming-of-age story set in the world begun in the Princess and the Hound. The first half of the book slowly sets the story that forms the connection between Liva and Jens. It's a little slow without much plot but readers of The Princess and the Bear will like reading about what happened to them. The second half of the book deals with the plot to rid the world of magic. It's very fast-paced but just right for the story. I especially liked the ending because it wasn't rushed and it was very appropriate for the target age group and for the story. The romance is stronger in this book than the previous too and so sweet it will make you say "aww!" I love the way the characters grow up and come into their own and how they deal with the gifts they've been given or not given. If you choose to take away a message in the story, it's very timely and relevant, but subtle and not heavy handed in any way. The title is a bit misleading because it doesn't match the plot in the way that the previous two books did. I really liked this book and love the trilogy as a whole and would definitely recommend them to young adults and adults both.
This is a wonderfully written coming-of-age story set in the world begun in the Princess and the Hound. The first half of the book slowly sets the story that forms the connection between Liva and Jens. It's a little slow without much plot but readers of The Princess and the Bear will like reading about what happened to them. The second half of the book deals with the plot to rid the world of magic. It's very fast-paced but just right for the story. I especially liked the ending because it wasn't rushed and it was very appropriate for the target age group and for the story. The romance is stronger in this book than the previous too and so sweet it will make you say "aww!" I love the way the characters grow up and come into their own and how they deal with the gifts they've been given or not given. If you choose to take away a message in the story, it's very timely and relevant, but subtle and not heavy handed in any way. The title is a bit misleading because it doesn't match the plot in the way that the previous two books did. I really liked this book and love the trilogy as a whole and would definitely recommend them to young adults and adults both.
August 15, 2010
Wow! I really liked this book. It was written so beautifully, and I liked the style. I hadn't read the first two books in the "trilogy," but it wasn't necessary, because I still understood it. I may go back and read them now, though.
At first, I wasn't sure I would like it. The whole history of the magical snowbirds seemed like the type of short story I wrote for my 7th grade English Creative Writing unit (which isn't really a good thing- way too fanciful). But then I really started to get into it. I didn't like the character of Jens at first; he was supposed to be a sympathetic character, but I didn't feel like I had a good sense of him. Liva, however, I really liked. She was a realistic heroine, and was portrayed very well as the brave, innocent girl raised in a magical forest. She's definitely not a damsel-in-distress, either, and I liked her powers. My biggest complaint was how quickly Liva and Jens' connection/friendship/understanding turned to love.
I absolutely loved the idea of the aur-magic and the tehr-magic, and how the latter was a distortion of the original magic by humans. However, I thought the portrayal of humans was very unrealistic and way overdone. They were so evil and destructive, and it was tiring to read about. That got better as I kept reading. But with the whole message of humans manipulating nature, and that being the conflict - the evil that the protagonist needs to stop - it made me wonder if this book had a little bit of an agenda. Humans need to be saved from their own natures? I wonder where I've heard that before...
Then, when it got to the main action, I thought it was paced a little too fast. It was hard to keep up and got a little confusing. I'm glad that it slowed down toward the end, though, and the resolution took time. Some similar books I've read end too quickly, and this was perfect. It was a very satisfying ending.
The two main characters lose so much, particularly Liva, and I thought their reactions were completely realistic. The author did a fantastic job of expressing their emotions.
My favorite character was the hound, Liva's mother. She was an awesome character! (SPOILER!) I wasn't very affected by the bear's death, but I absolutely sobbed when her mother died.
All in all, it was an awesome read. It was very hard to put down, and I would recommend it to anyone who like fantasy or just a good, unique book.
At first, I wasn't sure I would like it. The whole history of the magical snowbirds seemed like the type of short story I wrote for my 7th grade English Creative Writing unit (which isn't really a good thing- way too fanciful). But then I really started to get into it. I didn't like the character of Jens at first; he was supposed to be a sympathetic character, but I didn't feel like I had a good sense of him. Liva, however, I really liked. She was a realistic heroine, and was portrayed very well as the brave, innocent girl raised in a magical forest. She's definitely not a damsel-in-distress, either, and I liked her powers. My biggest complaint was how quickly Liva and Jens' connection/friendship/understanding turned to love.
I absolutely loved the idea of the aur-magic and the tehr-magic, and how the latter was a distortion of the original magic by humans. However, I thought the portrayal of humans was very unrealistic and way overdone. They were so evil and destructive, and it was tiring to read about. That got better as I kept reading. But with the whole message of humans manipulating nature, and that being the conflict - the evil that the protagonist needs to stop - it made me wonder if this book had a little bit of an agenda. Humans need to be saved from their own natures? I wonder where I've heard that before...
Then, when it got to the main action, I thought it was paced a little too fast. It was hard to keep up and got a little confusing. I'm glad that it slowed down toward the end, though, and the resolution took time. Some similar books I've read end too quickly, and this was perfect. It was a very satisfying ending.
The two main characters lose so much, particularly Liva, and I thought their reactions were completely realistic. The author did a fantastic job of expressing their emotions.
My favorite character was the hound, Liva's mother. She was an awesome character! (SPOILER!) I wasn't very affected by the bear's death, but I absolutely sobbed when her mother died.
All in all, it was an awesome read. It was very hard to put down, and I would recommend it to anyone who like fantasy or just a good, unique book.
August 30, 2010
I signed up for this book on an ARC Tour, excited by the back cover blurb. It sounded like the sort of read that would be an excellent change of pace from all the other books that I've been drowning in as of late. Plus, the cover is beautiful and mysterious in its own way.
While THE PRINCESS AND THE SNOWBIRD was an enjoyable read, I can't help but wish I connected with the characters more. They were intriguing, without a doubt. But aside from some initial interest, my curiosity soon gave way to detachment. It became clear, after a certain point in the book, that I would have no further connection with the characters. It could have been an amazing story if I felt more connected with the characters. Alas, I never felt like I got into their heads, which disappointed me. I didn't care whenever someone got stabbed or lost their powers. I just didn't care about their well being.
The love story felt like it was edited into the book at the last minute. It felt brief and well, I was not convinced at all. I think I would have liked the novel better if there wasn't a romance, because the romance cheapened it. We don't get an explanation about how the two feel. Suddenly, after seeing each other three times, love is being hinted at. Three meetings, and you think you're in love? Though, I suppose their feelings could have been intensified somewhat after their second run in. Either way, I was not feeling the romance in this one.
I think the snowbird was my favorite character... and it wasn't even a "character" so to speak. It was mysterious, I wanted to know how it would avenge its ancestors. How would it help defeat the evil Hunter? Well, the question is answered, and it remains my favorite creature in this story.
So characters aside, I did enjoy the story. It was an interesting and unique approach. I'm also intrigued enough that I might try to hunt down the previous two books at my local library. Assuming I renew my card and actually catch up with all the other books I have to read. And assuming I actually... well, make myself go.
Would I recommend buying it? Maybe used, but you're better off hunting it down in the library.
While THE PRINCESS AND THE SNOWBIRD was an enjoyable read, I can't help but wish I connected with the characters more. They were intriguing, without a doubt. But aside from some initial interest, my curiosity soon gave way to detachment. It became clear, after a certain point in the book, that I would have no further connection with the characters. It could have been an amazing story if I felt more connected with the characters. Alas, I never felt like I got into their heads, which disappointed me. I didn't care whenever someone got stabbed or lost their powers. I just didn't care about their well being.
The love story felt like it was edited into the book at the last minute. It felt brief and well, I was not convinced at all. I think I would have liked the novel better if there wasn't a romance, because the romance cheapened it. We don't get an explanation about how the two feel. Suddenly, after seeing each other three times, love is being hinted at. Three meetings, and you think you're in love? Though, I suppose their feelings could have been intensified somewhat after their second run in. Either way, I was not feeling the romance in this one.
I think the snowbird was my favorite character... and it wasn't even a "character" so to speak. It was mysterious, I wanted to know how it would avenge its ancestors. How would it help defeat the evil Hunter? Well, the question is answered, and it remains my favorite creature in this story.
So characters aside, I did enjoy the story. It was an interesting and unique approach. I'm also intrigued enough that I might try to hunt down the previous two books at my local library. Assuming I renew my card and actually catch up with all the other books I have to read. And assuming I actually... well, make myself go.
Would I recommend buying it? Maybe used, but you're better off hunting it down in the library.
June 15, 2011
Even though I have read and enjoyed the previous books, I still found the marriage of the hound and the bear a bit...odd and unsettling. Still, they made better parents than any of the others in the book. Plus, Live got some super sweet powers out of the deal: she can turn into any animal. I so wish I could do that; it would be my childhood dreams come true!
This fantasy novel, much like de Lint's The Painted Boy, is much more about Liva's internal battles than her battle with evil. The final conflict concludes swiftly and anticlimactically, leaving another two chapters in a short book. The focus is on her coming to terms with her humanity. In some sense, the ending reminds me of Kristin Cashore's Graceling, of how dark it is and how everything isn't perfect.
As a consequence of that, the most interesting aspects of the novel were the philosophical. Mette Ivie Harrison's fantasy world clearly reflects the way humans destroy nature, poisoning it and taming it to meet human needs. Her world definitely appeals to me, with the animal languages and the different kinds of magic. What I love about this, although it's a bit preachy, is the message that humans are no better than animals. It has always been a major pet peeve that we humans consider ourselves better than our animal counterparts. So many people claim that we are different from animals, that we aren't animals. Except for the part where we totally are. So, Mette Ivie Harrison, you rock for sharing my (totally correct) opinion. Also, I met her at ALA very briefly and she's a really sweet woman!
I recommend this book to those who enjoyed the previous books in the series. Although this one is not quite as good, it is a short read and thought-provoking. I would not suggest beginning here if you have not read any of the other books, since I think aspects of it would be confusing and off-putting.
This fantasy novel, much like de Lint's The Painted Boy, is much more about Liva's internal battles than her battle with evil. The final conflict concludes swiftly and anticlimactically, leaving another two chapters in a short book. The focus is on her coming to terms with her humanity. In some sense, the ending reminds me of Kristin Cashore's Graceling, of how dark it is and how everything isn't perfect.
As a consequence of that, the most interesting aspects of the novel were the philosophical. Mette Ivie Harrison's fantasy world clearly reflects the way humans destroy nature, poisoning it and taming it to meet human needs. Her world definitely appeals to me, with the animal languages and the different kinds of magic. What I love about this, although it's a bit preachy, is the message that humans are no better than animals. It has always been a major pet peeve that we humans consider ourselves better than our animal counterparts. So many people claim that we are different from animals, that we aren't animals. Except for the part where we totally are. So, Mette Ivie Harrison, you rock for sharing my (totally correct) opinion. Also, I met her at ALA very briefly and she's a really sweet woman!
I recommend this book to those who enjoyed the previous books in the series. Although this one is not quite as good, it is a short read and thought-provoking. I would not suggest beginning here if you have not read any of the other books, since I think aspects of it would be confusing and off-putting.
August 13, 2012
Interesting, beautiful, lyrical and poetic and a very whimsical way to tell a story. The writing style is so different from anything else I've read that it's almost difficult to fully appreciate what the author has done in her story telling. She barely kisses the surface of the story, just giving us the bones of the conversation, just a hint of what the characters are feeling, and a small peak of what they see. And she weaves words like an artwork that if seen in too much light the effects the darkness have on it will be lost. It is like epic poetry sung by a bard.
Main stream literature, at least among novels at the moment are all trending toward wordy, sometimes lyrical but intensely detailed works to draw the reader in. Harrison takes the trend and stands it on its ear, yet produces an enchanting and breath-taking story that will, in my opinion, stand the test of time.
I read The Princess and the Hound years ago and still remember the awe I felt when the book concluded. I loved it so much I ran out and bought it, which is the highest recommendation I can give a book. The Princess and the Bear was read at the wrong time in my life and I hated it because of the lack of detail and the jumps in the story that are the trademark of Harrison's writing style. I wasn't wanting the sampler plate, but the full meal deal, so I just couldn't appreciate how good this author is at painting a pictures with the barest of lines. I now want to go back and re-read the trilogy so I can appreciate the beauty that has been created in this story arc. What a beautiful place she has taken my soul on this journey that explores what it means to be human.
Main stream literature, at least among novels at the moment are all trending toward wordy, sometimes lyrical but intensely detailed works to draw the reader in. Harrison takes the trend and stands it on its ear, yet produces an enchanting and breath-taking story that will, in my opinion, stand the test of time.
I read The Princess and the Hound years ago and still remember the awe I felt when the book concluded. I loved it so much I ran out and bought it, which is the highest recommendation I can give a book. The Princess and the Bear was read at the wrong time in my life and I hated it because of the lack of detail and the jumps in the story that are the trademark of Harrison's writing style. I wasn't wanting the sampler plate, but the full meal deal, so I just couldn't appreciate how good this author is at painting a pictures with the barest of lines. I now want to go back and re-read the trilogy so I can appreciate the beauty that has been created in this story arc. What a beautiful place she has taken my soul on this journey that explores what it means to be human.
September 1, 2010
The last book in a trilogy begun with "The Princess and the Hound," I enjoyed this book, but I felt the ending came up very suddenly, and I was left with quite a few unanswered questions. A running theme throughout the three books is magic, and the loss of magic in nature as humans basically mess everything up. The main bad guy in this book, The Hunter, has no magic at all, so he hates all those who do have it. His purpose is to completely eradicate magic in order to once and for all break humans' ties to animals. Why or how he was born with absolutely 0 magic, not aur-magic (nature/animal magic) nor tehr-magic (human corruption of aur-magic), is never explained. He also has this rock that can basically suck magic out of something and make it completely disappear. What is this rock? Where did he get it? Why can it do that?
The book is lovely, and I liked the main characters, I just felt there was all this build up and then suddenly the end happened, and it was a bit anti-climactic, and I would have liked explanations for some of those questions that never got answered. It's been quite awhile since I read the first two books, so it's possible I'm forgetting some information from them that may have explained my unanswered questions, but this book reads like it could stand alone, so even if that information was in one of the previous books (which I can't remember if it was or not), it should have been in this one too. Still, I did like it. My favorite of the trilogy is probably the second book though, "The Princess and the Bear."
The book is lovely, and I liked the main characters, I just felt there was all this build up and then suddenly the end happened, and it was a bit anti-climactic, and I would have liked explanations for some of those questions that never got answered. It's been quite awhile since I read the first two books, so it's possible I'm forgetting some information from them that may have explained my unanswered questions, but this book reads like it could stand alone, so even if that information was in one of the previous books (which I can't remember if it was or not), it should have been in this one too. Still, I did like it. My favorite of the trilogy is probably the second book though, "The Princess and the Bear."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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December 8, 2015WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN READING?
THE PRINCESS AND THE HOUND AND ITS SEQUELS. I'M ON THE THIRD BOOK AND I'M DISAPPOINTED BY HOW LOL TEENIE THE MAIN CHARACTER IS SO FAR. IT'S FAIR BECAUSE SHE IS A LITERAL TEENIE, BUT THE PREVIOUS TWO BOOKS HAVE BEEN LEAD BY EITHER ACTUALFAX ADULTS OR TEENIES WITH ADULT MATURITY AND IT'S DISAPPOINTING TO GO BACK TO TEENIES AND YA :(
DD THOSE BOOKS. ARE THERE ANY GOOD SHIPS?
LOL I SHIP THINGS PRETTY EASILY, BUT THE MAIN COUPLE IN THE FIRST BOOK WAS PRETTY SWEET BY THE END AND THE COUPLE IN THE SECOND BOOK GREW ON ME BY THE END. I HAVEN'T RLY GOTTEN FAR ENOUGH INTO THE THIRD TO SHIP OR NOT SHIP THIS ONE, THOUGH.
AND AS TO THE PLOT, THE FIRST ONE IS BASICALLY A FAIRY TALE EXCEPT IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY CLASSICAL BASIS - IT'S A PRINCE IN A LAND WHERE MAGIC-USERS ARE OPPRESSED WHO HAS MAGIC AND HAS TO CONTAIN IT AND THEN HE HAS TO PPOLITICALLY MARRY THE PRINCESS OF THE NEIGHBORING KINDGOM, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING NOT QUITE RIGHT ABOUT HER. THE SECOND AND THIRD BOOKS ARE MUCH LESS FIARY TALE AND MUCH MOAR JUST GENERIC HIGH FANTASY AND AN EXPANSION OF THE WORLD. THEY'RE ALSO ALL ABOUT DIFFERENT CHARACTERS AND THERE'S NO OVERREACHING PLOT, JUST A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT CHARACTERS DOING STUFF IN DIFFERENT PERIODS OF TIME IN THIS WORLD.
THEY'RE NOT ACTUALLY HIGH FANTASY, I GUESS IT'S MOAR MID-FANTASY. THEY'RE NOT EPIC AT ALL BUT THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, SWORDS AND MAGIC AND TALKING ANIMALS AND SHIT.
THE PRINCESS AND THE HOUND AND ITS SEQUELS. I'M ON THE THIRD BOOK AND I'M DISAPPOINTED BY HOW LOL TEENIE THE MAIN CHARACTER IS SO FAR. IT'S FAIR BECAUSE SHE IS A LITERAL TEENIE, BUT THE PREVIOUS TWO BOOKS HAVE BEEN LEAD BY EITHER ACTUALFAX ADULTS OR TEENIES WITH ADULT MATURITY AND IT'S DISAPPOINTING TO GO BACK TO TEENIES AND YA :(
DD THOSE BOOKS. ARE THERE ANY GOOD SHIPS?
LOL I SHIP THINGS PRETTY EASILY, BUT THE MAIN COUPLE IN THE FIRST BOOK WAS PRETTY SWEET BY THE END AND THE COUPLE IN THE SECOND BOOK GREW ON ME BY THE END. I HAVEN'T RLY GOTTEN FAR ENOUGH INTO THE THIRD TO SHIP OR NOT SHIP THIS ONE, THOUGH.
AND AS TO THE PLOT, THE FIRST ONE IS BASICALLY A FAIRY TALE EXCEPT IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY CLASSICAL BASIS - IT'S A PRINCE IN A LAND WHERE MAGIC-USERS ARE OPPRESSED WHO HAS MAGIC AND HAS TO CONTAIN IT AND THEN HE HAS TO PPOLITICALLY MARRY THE PRINCESS OF THE NEIGHBORING KINDGOM, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING NOT QUITE RIGHT ABOUT HER. THE SECOND AND THIRD BOOKS ARE MUCH LESS FIARY TALE AND MUCH MOAR JUST GENERIC HIGH FANTASY AND AN EXPANSION OF THE WORLD. THEY'RE ALSO ALL ABOUT DIFFERENT CHARACTERS AND THERE'S NO OVERREACHING PLOT, JUST A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT CHARACTERS DOING STUFF IN DIFFERENT PERIODS OF TIME IN THIS WORLD.
THEY'RE NOT ACTUALLY HIGH FANTASY, I GUESS IT'S MOAR MID-FANTASY. THEY'RE NOT EPIC AT ALL BUT THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, SWORDS AND MAGIC AND TALKING ANIMALS AND SHIT.
December 30, 2016
I have mixed feelings with this book. There were some parts I liked and add one parts I was like, "C'mon, are you really that stupid?" This is why it took me quite some time to finish thd story, considering that the book was not that long.
I liked a Liva because she was brave amd impetuous. My only problem is that because of her innocence and lack of guile, she couldn't make sound decisions. I felt absolutely exasperated with her when she acted so obvious when Karl called her attention. I could have screamed to her, "Pretend you're dumb! Make them believe that you're weak and without powers." Liva did the worst that she could have done: She ran. That made things ten times worse because the boys chased after her.
As for Jens, he wasn't much better. Imagine bribing the jail guards just like that. Did he really think the guards would just curtsy and let Liva waltz out from jail just like that? I'm glad though that he was described as being handsome, that's a consolation.
What I truly have an issue with is the ending. I can't believe Liva lost all her powers. It would have been better Liva could at least still be able to transform into one animal. Maybe a bear, a wolf, etc. And the Hunter's death, talk about an anti-climax! I wish Jens was able to kill the Hunter, maybe throw him off a cliff or cut off his head.
Oh well, at least Liva and Jens still got married. That's something at least.
I liked a Liva because she was brave amd impetuous. My only problem is that because of her innocence and lack of guile, she couldn't make sound decisions. I felt absolutely exasperated with her when she acted so obvious when Karl called her attention. I could have screamed to her, "Pretend you're dumb! Make them believe that you're weak and without powers." Liva did the worst that she could have done: She ran. That made things ten times worse because the boys chased after her.
As for Jens, he wasn't much better. Imagine bribing the jail guards just like that. Did he really think the guards would just curtsy and let Liva waltz out from jail just like that? I'm glad though that he was described as being handsome, that's a consolation.
What I truly have an issue with is the ending. I can't believe Liva lost all her powers. It would have been better Liva could at least still be able to transform into one animal. Maybe a bear, a wolf, etc. And the Hunter's death, talk about an anti-climax! I wish Jens was able to kill the Hunter, maybe throw him off a cliff or cut off his head.
Oh well, at least Liva and Jens still got married. That's something at least.
June 22, 2010
Liva is a special girl who possesses aur-magic just as the animals of the forest do. This gives her the ability to change between many animal forms. Her parents both gave their aur-magic to Liva, and chose to spend the remainder of their lives in animal form so they could better protect their daughter. It is obvious Liva is destined for great things. She avoids contact with all humans until the day she meets Jens. Jens is devoid of both aur-magic, and the more common tehr-magic. Tehr-magic is what most humans possess, and use for not so nice things. When Jens sees Liva in animal form he knows she is special. They are immediately drawn to one another. Liva is unsure because of her limited contact with the human world, but is fascinated by Jens’s kindness. He has spent all of his life as an outcast because of his lack of magic, and shunned by his father who blames him for his mother’s death. Together they will have to stop the Hunter from carrying out his plans.
The Princess and the Snowbird is a companion novel, but I felt it worked fine as a standalone. At just 232 pages this was a very quick read. I did enjoy the story and characters, but it didn’t wow me like I’d hoped. I would have liked to see more development of the characters, and their relationships. Still an entertaining read, and with only mild violence a safe choice for even young teens
The Princess and the Snowbird is a companion novel, but I felt it worked fine as a standalone. At just 232 pages this was a very quick read. I did enjoy the story and characters, but it didn’t wow me like I’d hoped. I would have liked to see more development of the characters, and their relationships. Still an entertaining read, and with only mild violence a safe choice for even young teens
April 15, 2015
Liva is the child of the Hound and the Bear and has inherited vast amounts of magic, which has impoverished her parents to the point that they can no longer change shapes. But that's what they want for her, knowing at some time she'll need all that aur-magic to make a difference in the world. Jens has inherited no magic at all, neither the aur-magic of his mother or the tehr-magic of his father, which is a kind of aur-magic humans have corrupted to their selfish ends. But despite these disparities, Liva and Jens are drawn to each other. On writing a romance, author Mettie Ivie Harrison says that "the trick to making a reader believe that two characters will fall in love with each other is to make the reader fall in love with both characters." Harrison accomplished that for me. I love their honor and goodness and selfless desire to help each other as they are pitted against The Hunter whose goal is to bleed the world of all magic, making everyone the same. Harrison's writing, though, has a fairy tale quality, kind of spare and lacking in details or in explanations for magical events. If I didn't like the main characters so much, and if my heart didn't swell with their caring for each other, I wouldn't like these series as much. I liked the plot of The Princess and the Bear and The Princess and the Hound better.
July 10, 2010
My initial impression of this book was dislike. It's very wordy and descriptive, whereas I've recently read many books that are more action-based. It forced me to change gears quite a bit, and took me awhile to get into it. It's not a bad read. It's just more effort for me to get through the old-style descriptiveness and into the action that starts about halfway through.
By "old-style descriptiveness" I mean that it reminds me of fables and fairy tales of old. It spends a LOT of time laying the groundwork before actually getting into the action. That's not a bad thing –Ìýby the end you see how it all works together. I've just got a bit of a preference for faster-paced reading.
What I liked best about this book: The cover is GORGEOUS and the book should have ended with "... and they lived happily ever after. The End." As much as I know not to judge a book by its cover, I often tend to gravitate toward books with covers that catch my eye. Regarding the end, it made me smile. I actually had a smile on my face when I closed the book. I can't remember the last time that has happened!
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes classic fairy tales with a princess, a prince, a clear antagonist, and a happy ending. It's a fun, imaginative read.
By "old-style descriptiveness" I mean that it reminds me of fables and fairy tales of old. It spends a LOT of time laying the groundwork before actually getting into the action. That's not a bad thing –Ìýby the end you see how it all works together. I've just got a bit of a preference for faster-paced reading.
What I liked best about this book: The cover is GORGEOUS and the book should have ended with "... and they lived happily ever after. The End." As much as I know not to judge a book by its cover, I often tend to gravitate toward books with covers that catch my eye. Regarding the end, it made me smile. I actually had a smile on my face when I closed the book. I can't remember the last time that has happened!
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes classic fairy tales with a princess, a prince, a clear antagonist, and a happy ending. It's a fun, imaginative read.
March 7, 2011
She is endowed with aur-magic beyond anything anyone has seen before.
He has no magic, and is shunned by his village because of it.
Liva is the daughter of the Hound and the Bear who spent their long lives protecting animal magic and those who hold it. Jens has lived his life being beaten, ignored and persecuted because of his lack of magic. They seem the most unlikely of pairs, but theirs is a love that transcends magic.
Liva must live up to her heritage to protect and save magic, and Jens, who is immune to it, is the only person who can help her. Together, they must track down and stop the Hunter from mutilating and killing other humans with aur-magic.
This is the third installment in Mette Ivie Harrison's Princess trilogy - I don't know the official name. The love story in this was probably my favorite because it came so early on in the book and was not really a surprise to the characters. But as far as story content, I think it was a little lacking from the other books. It was still a beautiful book, and it wasn't as long as the others. That works both for and against it.
Definitely worth reading though.
He has no magic, and is shunned by his village because of it.
Liva is the daughter of the Hound and the Bear who spent their long lives protecting animal magic and those who hold it. Jens has lived his life being beaten, ignored and persecuted because of his lack of magic. They seem the most unlikely of pairs, but theirs is a love that transcends magic.
Liva must live up to her heritage to protect and save magic, and Jens, who is immune to it, is the only person who can help her. Together, they must track down and stop the Hunter from mutilating and killing other humans with aur-magic.
This is the third installment in Mette Ivie Harrison's Princess trilogy - I don't know the official name. The love story in this was probably my favorite because it came so early on in the book and was not really a surprise to the characters. But as far as story content, I think it was a little lacking from the other books. It was still a beautiful book, and it wasn't as long as the others. That works both for and against it.
Definitely worth reading though.
May 12, 2010
Although Mette Ivie Harrison writes some pretty strange stories, I really like that she just writes what she writes and is completely unapologetic about it.
The last installment of her Princess and the Hound trilogy starts out great. The daughter of the hero and heroine of the previous book (The Princess and the Bear) lives in the forest with her parents and is able to nurture the magic within her, which is greater than her parents have seen before. But her parents are getting old, and her father's task of protecting the old way of magic falls to her.
When she finds an unlikely love with a young man who has absolutely no magic, her life is thrown into even more chaos, a chaos necessary to win the battle against The Hunger, who would destroy all magic, new and old. What does a snowbird have to do with this? Well, she shows up now and again to shed a magic feather or two and bring hope to the people and animals of the forest.
This story gets slightly weaker as it goes on and, overall, it's pretty short, but I still enjoyed the storytelling.
The last installment of her Princess and the Hound trilogy starts out great. The daughter of the hero and heroine of the previous book (The Princess and the Bear) lives in the forest with her parents and is able to nurture the magic within her, which is greater than her parents have seen before. But her parents are getting old, and her father's task of protecting the old way of magic falls to her.
When she finds an unlikely love with a young man who has absolutely no magic, her life is thrown into even more chaos, a chaos necessary to win the battle against The Hunger, who would destroy all magic, new and old. What does a snowbird have to do with this? Well, she shows up now and again to shed a magic feather or two and bring hope to the people and animals of the forest.
This story gets slightly weaker as it goes on and, overall, it's pretty short, but I still enjoyed the storytelling.
May 11, 2015
Check out the other reviews for this series as well!
(3/3)
This book gave me the most trouble, out of the three of them. I think maybe it was because the characters were younger, compared to the more fully-formed adults of the first two books, but I just couldn't really get into them at all. I didn't really get the whole snowbird story, and it seemed like all of the action happened rightattheendofthenovel--which isn't something I usually enjoy. If I recall correctly, this was the shortest of the three, so I suppose there had to be a bit of that.
The reason this hit three stars was because of all the evils in the story. At every turn our main characters hit evil after menacing evil and manage to overcome it in a very heartwarming way, such that even though I didn't really like them particularly well I was cheering for them. This one also got kind of weird compared to the other two, so I'd like to see where the next books go.
(3/3)
This book gave me the most trouble, out of the three of them. I think maybe it was because the characters were younger, compared to the more fully-formed adults of the first two books, but I just couldn't really get into them at all. I didn't really get the whole snowbird story, and it seemed like all of the action happened rightattheendofthenovel--which isn't something I usually enjoy. If I recall correctly, this was the shortest of the three, so I suppose there had to be a bit of that.
The reason this hit three stars was because of all the evils in the story. At every turn our main characters hit evil after menacing evil and manage to overcome it in a very heartwarming way, such that even though I didn't really like them particularly well I was cheering for them. This one also got kind of weird compared to the other two, so I'd like to see where the next books go.
July 21, 2011
I'm a huge fan of Mette's books and loved seeing this book's perspective from the daughter of two characters I have loved and see what she turns into. It's definitely a dark book, with the abusive way of not belonging so evident in Jens past. I really love the world and the plot of these books and this last one did not disappoint. The reader gets a fuller glimpse into the world around these interesting characters who can change their form and contain magic.
The bad guy in this book was horrific and one that I won't soon be forgetting. I think it takes a really well made bad guy to turn the story into something darker and this one definitely does such. Mette writes so beautifully and really engrosses you in a world so magical that it comes alive in the reader's mind. I can't wait to read her latest novel, Tris & Izzie.
The bad guy in this book was horrific and one that I won't soon be forgetting. I think it takes a really well made bad guy to turn the story into something darker and this one definitely does such. Mette writes so beautifully and really engrosses you in a world so magical that it comes alive in the reader's mind. I can't wait to read her latest novel, Tris & Izzie.
March 5, 2011
Frivolous item: I really like the dress on the cover!
Slightly less frivolous item: Not a fan of love at first sight stories, but at least this one was mitigated a bit by magic.
Interesting item: After reading the other two books in the series, I found it very strange that suddenly the animal magic had names to go with it. It just felt off somehow. So it was pretty interesting to meet the author and hear her mention that she hadn't originally named the magics but then an editor/agent/someone came through and suggested the made-up names. She said she always thought it felt off too! Neat.
Overall: Of the three I've read, I definitely liked Princess and the Bear best. And this was probably my least favorite, partially because of the magic naming, partially the love at first sight, partially other random things that can't easily be explained.
Slightly less frivolous item: Not a fan of love at first sight stories, but at least this one was mitigated a bit by magic.
Interesting item: After reading the other two books in the series, I found it very strange that suddenly the animal magic had names to go with it. It just felt off somehow. So it was pretty interesting to meet the author and hear her mention that she hadn't originally named the magics but then an editor/agent/someone came through and suggested the made-up names. She said she always thought it felt off too! Neat.
Overall: Of the three I've read, I definitely liked Princess and the Bear best. And this was probably my least favorite, partially because of the magic naming, partially the love at first sight, partially other random things that can't easily be explained.
October 28, 2010
After enjoying the first two books in this series so much I was immensely disappointed with this book. The story takes place mostly in the woods
(whereas the other two took place in a "court" like setting). I found myself comparing this book to more than once and found that I enjoyed Mistwood much more! If you enoyed this book I would HIGHLY recommend Mistwood, which I found much more entertaining and loveable.
As always there is something about Mette Ivie Harrison's writing which is lyrical and beautiful to read, but I did not enjoy this book anywhere near as much as the two previous ones. . .
2.5
(whereas the other two took place in a "court" like setting). I found myself comparing this book to more than once and found that I enjoyed Mistwood much more! If you enoyed this book I would HIGHLY recommend Mistwood, which I found much more entertaining and loveable.
As always there is something about Mette Ivie Harrison's writing which is lyrical and beautiful to read, but I did not enjoy this book anywhere near as much as the two previous ones. . .
2.5
September 7, 2012
I'm in love with the series so far. I liked the first part, loved the second part and adored the third part! It was really nice to see where the second part left off, especially this time, this story is about the bear and the hound's daughter. The story was incredible, especially when she meets a human boy and how she starts communicating with him and introducing him to her world. There are some tragic deaths that happens in the book, which left me in tears. But I guess it just makes the story better. Loved the story, and I'm not sure if the author is coming up with another part, but even if she doesn't, I loved this book as an ending to a great story, and consider this to be one of the best trilogies I've read in a long time.
November 4, 2010
I was disappointed. The I usually enjoy books from this author very much but this one just didn't have it. The previous two books in this series were set in a rich world with depth and texture-- this one seemed sadly flat. I never really liked the heroine and the hero was nice but never developed enough to be truly interesting. The villain was the most potent part of the story, but it never really made sense how he held any position of power. I was also a little put off because I do not really care for the theme of humanity as the ultimate evil. I do really like this author, and I know there were some things I enjoyed, but overall it was less than I expected.
June 17, 2010
Well, I claim I've read it, when in fact what I did was skim it. For some reason (whatever...)it just did not engage me to the point where I wanted to read every word. And the further I got into the story and the DARKER it got, the happier I was to be skimming.
Easily the darkest of these three intertwined books, it takes a really long while before there's a light at the end of the tunnel.
While this book can stand on its own, the reader is best served by having read the first two(Princess and Hound, Princess and Bear).
Oh yeah, keep the box of tissues handy.
(But not to worry, there is a really good and sweet ending).
Easily the darkest of these three intertwined books, it takes a really long while before there's a light at the end of the tunnel.
While this book can stand on its own, the reader is best served by having read the first two(Princess and Hound, Princess and Bear).
Oh yeah, keep the box of tissues handy.
(But not to worry, there is a really good and sweet ending).
July 1, 2010
* * 1/2
--This book in 6 words:
I couldn’t connect with the characters
--Why did I read this? And am I glad I did?
I signed up for this book via Around the World Tours after reading the summary and hearing some good things about the series. Unfortunately I couldn’t get into the books. I didn’t really care for the first one and couldn’t finish the second. Each book focuses on a different couple and I didn’t feel like I missed much by skipping to the third. However, I just couldn’t connect with the lead female and felt like the end was way too rushed. Some of this might be caused by Clockwork Angels staring at me from my bookshelf�
--This book in 6 words:
I couldn’t connect with the characters
--Why did I read this? And am I glad I did?
I signed up for this book via Around the World Tours after reading the summary and hearing some good things about the series. Unfortunately I couldn’t get into the books. I didn’t really care for the first one and couldn’t finish the second. Each book focuses on a different couple and I didn’t feel like I missed much by skipping to the third. However, I just couldn’t connect with the lead female and felt like the end was way too rushed. Some of this might be caused by Clockwork Angels staring at me from my bookshelf�
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