Firebird (Fairy Tales, Book 1)
by Mercedes Lackey
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Book Summary Information
Author: Mercedes LackeyEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-01-08
ISBN: 0765317192
Number of pages: 352
Publisher: Tor Books
Book Reviews of Firebird (Fairy Tales, Book 1)
Book Review: Enchanting.
Summary: 4 Stars
I lived in Russia for a while. Needless to say, I adore the old Russian fairytales. Firebird touches on several of these and is done so with a literary magic that is really quite awesome. I will say that the back blurb above is a bit misleading; the things happen, but not quite how the back blurb leads you to believe. The language of Firebird is a little archaic, not so much that it's hard to read, but it is told in a more formal style that lends its self to the type of story being told. Casual readers would probably be put off by that.
The Setting -- is as far as I can tell probably some part of old southern Rus, now Russia. It is during that time when people embraced both their traditional faiths and the Orthodox Christianity that was taking root. It is a feudal society where the tsar owns almost everyone. Lackey has a way of communicating the setting for a place that makes it feel magical. The opening paragraphs describe a beautiful day to such a point that it feels real.
The Characters -- didn't feel quite as alive to me. That said, they stick very near what I know to be traditional Russian style. The main character, Ilya, is not an innocent prince, pure of heart and intention. He's a young man who is much better than his brothers, but still just a man. I liked the characters, my favorites were not the main characters by far, but I still appreciated them. I didn't really sympathize with them.
The Plot -- was the crown jewel of the story. Russian fairytales to me have always been fascinating. I love them. I also love how Lackey pays as much attention to the in between sections of time as she does to the action times. A lot happens within the pages of Firebird. It's a magical story that made me smile. I might not hand it to younger readers, but older ones will like the tale.
Summary of Firebird (Fairy Tales, Book 1)
Ilya, son of a Russian prince, is largely ignored by his father and tormented by his larger, older brothers. His only friends are three old people: a priest, a magician, and a woman who toils in the palace dairy. From them Ilya learns faith, a smattering of magic, and the power of love--all of which he will need desperately, for his life is about to be turned upside-down.
The prince's magnificent cherry orchard is visited at midnight by the legendary Firebird, whose wings are made of flame. Ilya's brothers' attempts capture the magical creature fail. When Ilya tries to catch the Firebird, he sees her as a beautiful woman and earns a magical gift: the speech of animals.
Banished, the young man journeys through a fantastical Russia full of magical mazes, enchanted creatures, and untold dangers. As happens in the best fairy tales, Ilya falls in love with an enchanted princess, but to win her freedom will be no easy task.
Mercedes Lackey never puts a foot wrong in this confident, funny fairy-tale adaptation. Tsar Ivan has eight sons; all are brutes like himself except for happy-go-lucky, least-favored Ilya. Cast out through the machinations of his jealous, competitive brothers, Ilya stumbles onto an enchanted castle, distressed damsels, a garden of questing princes turned to stone, and the secret of the shapeshifting woman called the Firebird. In love with a captive princess, Ilya enlists the Firebird and a charming, crafty vixen to help him battle the sorcerer. But is settling down with a princess what "happily ever after" really means?
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