This week I’ve been both reading and listening to audio books mainly the song of ice and fire by George r martin and another fantasy story called the Dalemark quartet by Diana Wyn Jones, she known for the being the author of the Howl moving castle series which was turned into a film by studio Ghibli. I have read most of the Howl moving castle books and wanted to see what else she had written, I found out that she actually written another fantasy adventure story series which was about a traveling family of musicians who sing and dance to entertain the people of Dalemark, but times were changing and conflict within the land begun to spur causing a civil war, the family had to learn to not sing all the songs they were used to singing can be sung because of the allegiance those song represent.
The story is about three siblings, mainly the boy named Morril who has magical power that allows him to control peoples minds through the playing of his musical instrument, I’ve only read the first book, this series is very tonally different from the Howls moving castle series, even though the characters are younger the themes and scenario are quite mature, I also think it utilises a trope of the father figure being killed at the beginning of the story really well and emotionally sadden me because of Morril and his father frustrating relationship, that loss of him really takes a toll on Morril, but he mourns for him with music that they would’ve played in their band.
About This Work
By Steven Smith
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Published On: 09/10/2020