Review: Taking Wing by Clemency Crow

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Twelve-year-old Freya enjoys karate and is the only one in her class who’s trusted with a part-time job. But everything changes when she meets a boy with yellow eyes. She learns about the guardians, and how an age-old fight has prevented them from fulfilling their purpose.

Freya finds new friends in the Crow tribe, but not everything in the castle is blissful. A destructive shadow lies within her and all she needs to do to release it is close her eyes.

But as the guardians’ war rages on, Freya realises that, although the shadow’s power can be useful, it can’t create peace. To do that, Freya and her friends must solve the mysterious crime that began the war. Can they bring the guardians together before they destroy each other

My Review

Freya takes off on an adventure of a lifetime when she is attacked and then saved by a boy with yellow eyes. She discovers herself in another world--one of people who can transform themselves into birds (or, more correctly, birds who can transform themselves into people). She learns these bird clans have been tasked to be the guardians of humans, but for generations have been too busy fighting among themselves to do what they are supposed to be doing.

This is an exciting book - and would be even more so to kids middle-grade and a little older. There are many twists and turns as well as valuable lessons (all without being preachy). I loved the characters and the way they related to each other. It was good to see kids realizing that just because someone is different than you, does not mean they are less than or to be despised.

I'm looking forward to reading more of Freya and her friends' adventures.

Read an Excerpt

“You’re not used to it, Freya.” Winnie said. “We, each of us, have a soul. What you saw was simply an embodiment of your soul. They have been called many things over the years - conscience, spirit guides - almost every culture has a name for it. Only a handful of people, though, listen to them, and very few humans can summon them. I’ve never seen one summoned so quickly.”

“Can I trust it?” Freya could hear her voice shaking. “Is it good?”

“It isn’t good, or bad. No one person is entirely good, or bad.” Elialdor smiled. “But you can trust it for it cannot lie. But you must be careful - it’s motives are your deepest inner-most desires. Desires that even you don’t know you have. And you may be concerned to discover what they are.”

“I don’t think I ever want to close my eyes again,” she shuddered.

“It will help you defend yourself.” Winnie clasped Freya’s other hand. “It will guide you through learning your abilities - until you can command it as it now commands you.”

“And what happens if I can’t control it?”

There was a silence. Winnie looked at Elialdor, who stared back. Freya thought she could see a trickle of fear in their eyes.

“You’re a strong person, Freya,” the prince said at last, “you will control it.”

About the Author:

I can't remember when I wrote my first story. We had a word processor when I was very little. It was an archaic piece of technology with no mouse, which meant you had to know the codes for it to work. My sister, Judith, and I wrote several stories using this. I think one of my stories was about a mammoth, probably during my I-want-to-be-a-mammoth-when-I-grow-up stage.

When I was a bit older, during Year 3 at Primary School, another sister brought home several A5 grey jotters and gave one to Ginny and Judith to plan and write their stories in. Naturally, I wanted a notebook too, so I said I was writing a story called "The Rule of the Unicorns". I never finished that rather peculiar tale, but it meant I got one of those A5 grey jotters!

A good few years down the line and I'm a Primary Teacher in the tip-top north of Scotland. To encourage a love of reading in my pupils, I write a story with them in for their Christmas present. The first thing they do is flick through and try and find their name - but I hope they enjoy the story too!

When I'm not teaching, I love writing, working on my allotment and I'm crazy enough to be doing a Science degree at the same time.

http://www.clemencycrow.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/sprinklingmagic>
https://twitter.com/MenaceCCFC
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45726849-taking-wing
https://www.amazon.com/Taking-Wing-Feather-Down-Clemency/dp/1913182037

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